鐔津文集 4.9

4.9

Someone asked: "The 'Great Plan' (Hongfan) says: 'The sovereign establishes the Ultimate.' Commentators say this means 'greatly establishing that which is centered.' Is this then different from or the same as what you call the Way of the Mean?" [The old man] replied: "It shares great similarities with the Sovereign Ultimate (Huangji) but has minor differences. They are the same in that they both tend toward the substance of good governance; they differ in that they differ regarding teaching and the Way. The Sovereign Ultimate is teaching; the Mean is the Way. The Way issues forth all things and enters into all things; therefore, the Way is taken as the center. The Doctrine of the Mean says: 'Before joy, anger, sorrow, and pleasure arise, it is called equilibrium (the center). When they arise and all hit the proper measure, it is called harmony. Equilibrium is the great root of all under Heaven; harmony is the universal Way of all under Heaven. Reaching equilibrium and harmony, heaven and earth find their proper positions.' Does this not issue forth and enter into all things? Teaching is what rectifies all things and aligns all things; therefore, teaching is taken as the center. The 'Great Plan' says: 'Without partiality, without lopsidedness, follow the King's righteousness; have no self-willed desires, follow the King's Way; do no evil deeds, follow the King's path. Without partiality, without partisanship, the King's Way is vast and boundless; without partisanship, without partiality, the King's Way is level and smooth; without perversity, without deviation, the King's Way is straight and upright. Converge upon this Ultimate; return to this Ultimate.' Does this not align and straighten all things? The relation of the Doctrine of the Mean to the 'Great Plan' is like the outer and the inner, or like a person having a mind. If a person had no mind, how could bodily life exist? If the mind had no person, how could it exert its functions of thought and deliberation?" The interlocutor asked: "Master Zheng [Xuan], in his commentary on 'What Heaven ordains is called human nature,' says: 'Heaven's ordinance means that which Heaven ordains in generating humans. This is called nature and destiny. The spirit of wood is benevolence; the spirit of metal is righteousness; the spirit of fire is ritual; the spirit of water is wisdom; the spirit of earth is trustworthiness.' Examining Master Zheng's meaning, it seems as if when Heaven ordains the generation of humans, their nature comes into being according to what is resonated with: resonating with the spirit of wood produces a nature of benevolence; resonating with the spirits of metal, water, fire, or earth produces natures of righteousness, ritual, wisdom, or trustworthiness. This seems not to be acquired through practice. Does this not differ from your statement that benevolence, righteousness, ritual, wisdom, and trustworthiness must be completed through teaching with respect to nature? I would be glad to hear the reason for this." The old man said: "Delightful is your question! I have long been troubled that Master Zheng's explanation is inadequate, but have not had leisure to critique it. Yet how could Master Zheng have plumbed the discourse on nature and destiny? As for 'what Heaven ordains is called nature,' Heaven's ordinance refers to the numbers of Heaven and Earth, while nature refers to spiritual nature. It means that humans are born through the numbers of Heaven and Earth combined with spiritual nature. Nature is an inherent principle; emotions arise when stimulated. Because the sage knew that human nature inherently possesses emotions of affection and love, gratitude and stirring, discernment and distinction, thought and deliberation, and compliant following, he utilized his teachings to accordingly fulfill them: affection and love can complete benevolence; gratitude and stirring can complete righteousness; discernment and distinction can complete ritual; thought and deliberation can complete wisdom; compliant following can complete trustworthiness. Who ever attained their nature based upon resonance with external spirits? When things have not yet taken form, nature and birth both do not exist. What could there be to resonate? Once a person is born, why would they wait to resonate with spiritual objects in order to have their nature? Those elements—metal, wood, water, fire, and earth—are objects without consciousness. Who among them could earnestly mandate such a thing? How bizarre is Master Zheng's statement! He indeed failed to reflect on it deeply. If it were as he said, what need would the sages have for teaching? Yet some people silently agree with him."