阳明学尧舜与孔子高下问题刍议

On the Different Statuses of Emperor Yao-Shun and Confucius in Wang Yangming’s Philosophy

《孟子》中的有关论述是孔子和尧舜高下问题的最重要渊源。在理学史上,以程朱为代表的理学家从"继往开来"的角度正面支持孔子高于尧舜的论述,而王阳明却一反前人所论,以为"中国圣人,以尧舜为最"。阳明弟子王畿承继和发展了阳明的观点,以王艮泰州一脉为代表的阳明后学也强调孔子无位而可行仁,故而高于尧舜。管志道则将外王理想与有位者结合,贬低孔子的道统地位。阳明学者虽立论各异,但对尧舜与孔子高下问题的理解总体上以外在治理为标准,并呈现出一种道与"位"之联结逐步加深的思想史面貌。

The relevant records in Mencius may be the origin of the different statuses of Emperor Yao-Shun and Confucius.In the history of Neo-Confucianism,the Cheng-Zhu school positively supports that Confucius is supe.rior to Yao-Shun from the perspective of carrying forward the past and opening up the future.However,Wang Yangming,contrary to what his predecessors uphold,concludes that Yao and Shun are the most important saints in China.Wang Ji,a disciple of Yangming,inherits and develops Yangming’s viewpoint.Yangming’s posterity,represented by Wang Gen and the Taizhou School,emphasizes that Confucius can cultivate the benevolence without assuming the official position,and hence is superior to Yao and Shun.However,Guan Zhidao,combin.ing the ideals of the external king with those who have the power position,belittles Confucius.Although Yang.ming scholars have different opinions,their understandings of the statuses of Yao-Shun and Confucius are gener.ally based on the standard of external governance,and present a feature of ideological history in which the con.nection between Confucian orthodoxy and the concept of"position"is gradually deepened.