王阳明“简易”工夫论发微

On Wang Yangming’s Theory and Practice of “Simplicity”

阳明心学是简易之学,其核心与重点是简易工夫。王阳明的简易工夫论由"作功""立教""为学"三个面向构成。从"作功"上言,阳明不像宋儒那样强调"存天理,灭人欲",也非外求于事物之理,而是在人欲上作减法,让固有天理良知显现,只要简易工夫熟透,便可直悟本体。从"立教"上言,阳明在传承与发展"圣人之学"时,注重教规、教法、教闻等简易原则。从"为学"上言,阳明认为圣门本旨是"简易"之学,呈现良知的最好方式是"以心解经"、不拘泥经典的简易工夫实践。

Wang Yangming’s(1472-1529) theory of heart-mind is called that of simplicity, the core and key point of which lies in the practice of simplicity and is related to three aspects of "doing work", "establishment of edification" and "methodology". From the perspective of "doing work", Yangming did not like the Song(960-1279) Neo-Confucians who emphasize "preserving heavenly principle and eliminating human desires", nor engaged in pursuing principles of external things and affairs, but attached importance to the deducing of human desires so as to let human intrinsic conscience appear. He believes that as long as one makes enough efforts in the practice of simplicity, he can directly recognize the conceptual body in a consummate subtle and delicate way. In terms of the "establishment of edification", when passing down and developing the "sagely lore", Yangming stresses the principle of simplicity applied to the rules, pedagogics, and hearings. In regard to methodology, Yangming contended that the purport of the sages’ teaching follows the principle of simplicity and the best way for the presentation of conscience is "understanding canons by heart-mind", and thus we should not rigidly adhere to word by word interpretations of scriptures.