王阳明“四句教”解义及辩证

An Interpretation of Wang Yangming’s “Four-sentence Doctrine”

与后世质疑和批评形成鲜明对照的是,阳明自身坚信“四句教”是既具普遍性且无弊的工夫指点语。在他看来,“无善无恶”和“有善有恶”不过是对“已发”之意识状态的描述,是不同条件下达致“好善恶恶”的不同进路。无善无恶指意念完全出于良知的动力,因而没有且不必刻意和执着;有善有恶指受私欲牵累而必须有所刻意、执着。分别以两者为核心的“四无”和“四有”的为学进路并无高下之分,差异主要在入手处不同。四句教包含四无和四有两条为学进路;无善无恶的含义包含好善恶恶,并以其为根本。这两点分别保证了四句教的普遍性和无弊性。后世往往忽视这两点,质疑和批评也就由此而起。

In stark contrast with later ages’ questionings and criticisms, Wang Yangming himself regarded “the Four-sentence Doctrine” as a perfect instruction suitable for everyone.In his opinion, the ideas of “being neither good nor evil” and “being good or evil” only serve to describe the already manifested state of consciousness;they are two different means of achieving the ends of liking the good and disliking the evil.“Being neither good nor evil” means that motive originates from consciousness, and therefore there is no deliberation or obsession.“Being good or evil” on the other hand refers to the deliberation and obsessive effort that results from the implications of selfish desires.There is no essential difference between the two except their starting points.“The Four-sentence Doctrine” contains two different approaches to learning, namely the “Four Haves” and the “Four Voids”;“being neither good nor evil” includes “liking the good and disliking the evil,” and further sets it as its foundation.The two above-mentioned points respectively guarantee the universality and perfection of “the Four-sentence Doctrine,” which was often neglected by later generations;this is what led to their questionings and criticisms.