无言之教与个体成人的超越性——《论语》的教育哲学再解

Teaching Without Words and Transcendence in an Individual's"Becoming a Good Person"--Reinterpreting the Educational Philosophy of the Analects of Confucius

现代教育在强化其时代与社会适应性的同时,需要重视教育的超越之道,以提升个体成人的高度。孔子向弟子提出“予欲无言”,意在引导弟子转向天道之生生不已,由此而提示教育的三个层次,即作为起点与基础的师者有言之教,作为中点与过渡的师者无言之身教,作为根本指向的天道生生之教。孔子从有言之教转向无言之教,意在让个体倾其身心直接与天道相遇,与四时之行与百物之生相遇,进而在人天合一的过程之中达成自我生命的整全。就教育的展开路径而言,需要以六艺之教激活个体身心,涵育仁心自觉;通过仁礼合一,在社会交往之中让个体获得自我通达现实的德行依据;通过自觉天道,寻求人道与天道合一,成就个体成人更高的整全性。孔子以其学而不厌、诲人不倦的人生姿态让我们往返于人天之际,找到执着而坚定地活在天地人事之中的勇气与力量,达成个体成人的超越性。孔子的“予欲无言”乃是提示弟子在追随夫子之教的同时又能超越对夫子的追随而转向天道,从听夫子之言转向聆听道言,以达成自我生命在更高层次的整全。这提示我们,人为的教诲固然十分重要,但不能固执于人为之教,而要寻求个体在世的根本性依据,以求得个体成人的超越性与整全成人的可能性。

While strengthening its social adaptability to the times,modern education needs to attach importance to educational transcendence so as to promote the development of an individual"becoming a good person."Confucius told his disciples that he wanted to"teach without words,"indicating that he intended to direct them to the understanding of the endless reproduction and renewal of all living creatures during the cycle of the movement of heaven and earth.This suggested three levels of education:teaching with words,which was the starting point and basis of education;teaching without words,which was the middle link of education;and telling disciples to understand the endless reproduction and renewal of all living creatures during the cycle of the movement of heaven and earth,which was the fundamental direction of education.Changing from teaching with words to teaching without words,Confucius aimed to tell his disciples to put their body and mind to the meeting with the moving heaven and earth,cycling seasons and growing creatures so as to enjoy an integral life in the"harmony of man and nature."In terms of the path of the development of education,teachers needed to activate the body and mind of individuals by teaching them the Six Arts(rites,music,archery,riding,calligraphy and arithmetic),and cultivate their consciousness of benevolence;help them to obtain the moral basis of their access to reality in social interaction through the unity of benevolence and courtesy;and resort to the consciousness of the cycle of the movement of heaven and earth to seek the unity of benevolence in their communication with each other,and the cycle of the movement of heaven and earth so as to cater to their need to"become a good person"at a higher level of integrity.With an attitude of insatiable learning and tireless teaching,Confucius leads us to the round trip between man and heaven to help us to find the courage and strength to live perseveringly and firmly in heaven,earth,man and things,and achieve transcendence in our"becoming a good person."His desire to"teach without words"reminded his disciples not only to follow his doctrine but also to learn to turn to the cycle of the movement of heaven and earth so as to achieve a higher level of integrity of their life.This reminds us that a teacher's artificially-made teaching or instruction is very important,but he cannot stubbornly adhere to it;instead,he needs to help his students to seek the fundamental basis for their individual existence on earth so as to help them to achieve transcendence in their"becoming a good person"and the possible integrity of theirlife.