朱子“太极”的八重涵义及其逻辑

The Eightfold Meaning and Logic of"Taiji"by Zhu Zi

学界对朱子太极说的讨论大多聚焦于“朱陆之异”和“太极即理”上,鲜有从“朱陆之同”与太极的多重涵义及逻辑关系进行研究。实际上,朱子正是在与张、陆等人辩论中认同“太极即理”的基本涵义。朱子的太极,除“太极即理”的基本涵义外,还有太极即气、太极是发动力、太极是心之理、太极是至善之性、太极是象数之“一”、太极是天地之中、太极是宇宙等八重涵义。其中,太极是至极之理,指气化生生的原理,如亚里士多德的形式因;太极是发动力,指气化生生的终极动力,如亚里士多德的动力因;太极是气,指生物的基本材料,如亚里士多德的质料因;太极是心之理,指生物之心或仁心,如亚里士多德的目的因。讲宇宙的生化流行,就要有生成万物的材料、秩序、动力和目的意向,此四因,构成朱子太极说的内在逻辑关系。朱子太极的八重涵义,是对汉、宋太极观的继承和综合创新,对后世儒家宇宙本体论影响很大。

Most of the academic discussions about Zhu Zi's Taiji theory are focused on the differences between Zhu and Lu in their attitudes towards"Taiji is reason",the multiple meanings and logical complications of which,however,have hardly been studied by any people.In fact,it was in debates with Zhang and Lu that Zhu Zi affirmed the basic meaning of"Taiji is reason".Besides this basic meaning,Taiji is also the ultimate principle,referring to the principle of Qi generation,just as Aristotle's formal cause;Taiji is the motivating force,referring to the ultimate moving power of Qi generation,just as Aristotle's motive force;Taiji is Qi,referring to the basic material of all things,just as Aristotle's material cause;Taiji is the principle of mind,referring to the mind or benevolence of all things generated by heaven and earth,just as Aristotle's teleological cause.To talk about the becoming,changing,turning,and moving of the whole universe,it is necessary to consider the intentions on the material,the order,the motivation,and the purpose for generating all things.These four factors constitute the logical interlinks within Zhu Zi's Taiji theory.The multiple meanings of Zhu Zi's Taiji witness both a faithful inheritance and a comprehensive innovation of the Taiji theory of Han and Song Dyansties,and have exerted a great influence on discourses about the universe in Neo-confucian ontology.