《論語》與《老子》之生命觀照與人際實踐

《史記．老子韓非列傳》記載孔子前往周都，打算要向老子請教禮。老子沒有答覆什麼是禮，反而告誡孔子：具有高尚品德的君子，容貌總是謙虛的像個愚鈍的人，並且要孔子除掉驕氣和過多的慾望，拋棄做作的神態表情和過高的志向。老子對孔子的勸誡看似有四項：驕氣與多欲、態色與淫志，其實就是兩點，內在的驕傲和慾望。「態色」係因內在「驕氣」展現於外的行為活動，「淫志」則因多欲所招致之結果，然則，孔子是否係驕氣與多欲之人？《論語．八佾》載子入太廟，每事問，顯見孔子謙虛知禮，何來「驕氣」之有？在《論語．先進》孔子說：「過猶不及。」又說：「求也退，故進之；由也兼人，故退之。」中庸是孔子實踐倫理學之核心價值，冉求處事總是退縮，所以要多多鼓勵他；仲由膽大氣高，所以要經常約束他。顯然孔子深知「中庸」實踐之道，那麼又何來「多欲」之有？若說老子的批評不中的，那麼又該如何來理解老子對孔子的這一段批評？延伸析研，是否老子與孔子有著不同的生命觀照？儒家的生命觀照往往在人倫／人際關係上作用，老子對孔子的答覆，欲意闡釋者為何？雖然孔子向老子問禮未必符合史實，然本文期從「去子之驕氣與多欲、態色與淫志」談《論語》與《老子》之生命觀照與人際實踐。

關鍵字

孔子；老子；論語；上善若水

並列摘要

It is recorded in the ＂Biographies of Laozi and Han fei＂ in the Book of History that Confucius, who travelled to Chou to consult Laozi about rituals, was admonished instead that he must clear himself with no arrogance and by keeping as few desires as possible, in that as a gentleman of strict morality, one is expected to appear brainlessly. The admonishment given by Laozi implies that Confucius is arrogant enough to act selfishly and that his ambition is also unduly inappropriate. But, is it real? In the Analects, it can be seen that Confucius shows his modesty, which is a quality against arrogance, when learning rituals in the Grand Ancestral Hall. It can also be seen that in encouraging his disciples to behave neither overshooting the mark nor falling short, Confucius definitely commits himself to the way of the mean, where he proves a gentleman of few desires. If Laozi's critique is irrelevant to Confucian philosophy, then it might seem that Laozi and Confucius have their own logic, respectively, say, contradictory perspectives of life, ethical differences, and so on. In this regard, it might be significant to find the message to be sent to Confucius in Laozi's admonishment, and to discuss what Confucius is able to learn in the conservation with Laozi. Although it may not be the fact that Confucian consulted Laozi in terms of rituals, it does not prevent this article from studying the view of Life and interpersonal practice in the Analects and the Laozi.