儒学的精神性之维及其内蕴

儒学的精神性不能简单等同于宗教性。按其实质,儒学的精神性之维以意义追求为其具体内涵。以人禽之辨为前提,儒学确认了人之为人的根本规定,由此为意义的追求提供了价值论的前提;基于仁道原则,儒学肯定忠与恕的统一,以此避免意义的消解和意义的强加;以自我的提升为指向,儒学注重人的成长,以此区别于可能导向自我否定的“超越”;在“为天地立心,为生民立道,为去圣继绝学,为万世开太平”的精神之境中,理想意识和使命意识在儒学中获得了内在的统一。相对于“超越”的宗教进路,儒学的意义追求更多地展现了基于“此岸”的现实性品格。然而,近代以来的某些发展趋向在从不同层面消解人的存在价值的同时,也使精神性之维的意义追求失去了前提和依托。以此为背景,便可注意到儒学的精神性之维在今天所具有的意义。
Abstract：The spirituality of Confucianism consists in the pursuit of meaning, which is not simply equivalent to that of religion. Confucianism is based on a premise of distinguishing human beings from animals. It defines the fundamental of human beings, from which derives the premise of the theory of value. With the principles of ren, Confucianism confirms the unity of zhong (self-fidelity) and shu (sympathetic understanding), which successfully avoids the dissolving or enforcement of meaning. With the guideline of self-improvement, Confucianism focuses on the human development, differentiating itself from the transcendence which possibly leads to the self-denial. In the spiritual realm of “making a mind for Heaven and Earth, setting up the Tao for human beings, restoring the lost teachings of the past sages, and building a peaceful world for all future generations,” the ideal and the mission found the inner unification. In contrast with the transcending approach, the meaning pursuit of Confucianism reveals more worldly characteristics. However, there have been certain approaches since modern times that aim to dissolve the value of being from variant dimensions. It will deprive of the premise and foundation of the meaning pursuit. In this background, this article emphasizes the values of the spiritual dimension of Confucianism.