儒家自省范畴的多维阐释

A Multidimensional Interpretation of the Category of Confucian Introspection

“自省”是儒家道德哲学的基本范畴之一。“自省”与“内省”“自讼”等涵义相通,作为儒家最重要的修身“工夫”,其实质是内在性的自我道德审查与道德批判。“自省”的逻辑基础是“主体的客体化”,即道德主体对象化为道德客体从而成为自我审判的靶子。儒家自省范畴具有认知、方法、心理、超越等多个维度。在认知维度上,儒家自省是对道德生活和内心状态的自识、自评、自控;在方法论维度上,儒家自省通过静坐、制订“省克录”“功过格”、立日谱、箴诫等多种方式展开,并以一定的身心惩罚措施作保障;在心理维度上,儒家自省过程伴随着强烈的耻感、畏惧、悔愧等情感体验;在超越维度上,儒家自省指向的是道德的神圣性与本体性,并以“成圣”为终极目标。儒家自省的认知、方法、心理、超越几个理论维度交融互摄,构成了一个内涵丰富、层次分明的道德修养学说。

"Introspection" is one of the basic categories of Confucian moral philosophy. It has the same meaning as "self-examination" and "self-censorship". As the most important "gongfu" of Confucian cultivation, its essence is intrinsic selfmoral examination and moral criticism. The logical basis of "introspection" is "objectification of the subject", that is, the moral subject becomes the moral object and thus becomes the target of self-judgment. The category of Confucian introspection has many dimensions, such as cognition, methodology, psychology and transcendence. From the cognitive dimension, Confucian introspection is self-knowledge, self-evaluation and self-control of moral life and inner state. In terms of methodology, Confucian introspection is carried out by sitting in silence, formulating "examination records" and "Gongguoge", keeping a diary, and admonitions, and is guaranteed by certain physical and mental punishment measures. In the psychological dimension, the process of Confucian introspection is accompanied by strong feelings of shame, fear and regret. In the transcendental dimension, Confucian introspection points to the sacredness and noumenon of morality, and takes "saint" as the ultimate goal. The cognitive, methodological, psychological and transcendental dimensions of Confucian introspection blend with each other and constitute a theory of moral cultivation with rich connotation and distinct hierarchy.