论先秦儒家“善”的三重境界

On the Pre-Qin Confucianists’Three Realms of“Goodness”

先秦儒家对“善”的境界的阐发,具有三个层级:一是以“自足其乐”为中心的一般境界,此种境界追求的“乐”并非物质生活的享受,而是内心的充实快乐,以此实现自我的价值,发挥“善”的潜质,达到理想人格;二是渐次境界的淑世情怀,体现为博施济众、修己安人的道德精神,并将个人之善推广到天下,使个人与群体关系达到和谐;三是最高境界的止于至善,这是儒家所提倡的最高的价值目标和道德境界,“至善”不是静止不动的,而是对本性的复归,自我生命的升华。

The pre-Qin Confucianists’elucidation of“goodness”is divided into three realms.The first is the general realm of being content with oneself,the pursuit of“happiness”in this realm is not the enjoyment of material life but the fulfillment and happiness of one’s inner heart to realize one’s self-value to exert the potentials of“goodness”and to achieve the ideal personality;the second is the progressive realm of making the world a better place,which is reflected in the moral spirit of giving charity generously to the needy people,improving self-cultivation and making people happy,and promoting the goodness of individuals to the world so that the relationship between individuals and groups can reach harmony;the third is the highest realm of commitment to excellence,this is the highest value goal and moral realm,advocated by Confucianists.However,“excellence”is not static but the return to nature and the sublimation of self-life.