理学与经学的关联及分别

由陈寅恪对冯友兰《中国哲学史》下册审查意见而引发的关于新儒学渊源的论争,关系理学的属性,却始终悬而未决。其主要分歧在于:唐宋诸儒上承道统,声言辟佛,究竟是避名居实,取珠还椟,以免数典忘祖,还是直探经学,反对异教;唐宋诸儒的义理之学,只是受到天竺势力大盛的时代影响(或压力),至多参酌佛禅性理之说,中心根本不出古儒家心学脉络,还是已经天竺为体,华夏为用,即利用儒家心性说谈论佛教性理,以沟通儒释,使得谈心说性与济世安民相反相成;没有佛教以及吸收佛教的道教影响,新儒家能否再发现孟子心学,并且改造为义理之学。皇权的认定和新儒家的自许,让理学占据了宋以后经学的正统地位,对于中华文化的传衍至关重要。而儒佛属性的模糊及其衍生的问题,使得理学是否属于经学的范畴变得难以捉摸,以至于出现二者的盛衰适相反对的认识。尽管内心排斥,清代的经学与理学以及汉宋之争,只能在经学的领域内与理学争正统,无法根本反理学。必须深入经学的堂奥,又跳出经学的局限,才能把握经学与理学的关联及分别。而要彻底破解这一世纪悬案,还须留待有心之人。至于理学的旧途径之于中国未来的意义,则有待于来者发扬光大。

Relevance and Differences Between Neo-Confucianism and the Study of Confucian Classics

Chen Yinque’s examination report of Feng Youlan’s History of Chinese Philosophy:Volume II had sparked off a debate on the origin of Neo-Confucianism.This debate failed to reach a consensus,which means the nature of NeoConfucianism remains unsolved.There are three main pending issues.First,were the Confucian scholars’ criticism of Buddhism and their emphasis on the continuation of Confucian orthodoxy in the Tang and Song dynasties consistent with what they really did or a rhetoric camouflage for a totally opposite practice?Second,was the rationalistic philosophy of these Confucian scholars a new development of traditional Confucianism under the influence(or pressure)of Buddhism,or essentially Buddhism in disguise so as to be applicable to the political and moral practices in China?Third,without the influence of Buddhism and Taoism,could the New Confucianists reinterpret Meng Zi and formulate the rationalistic philosophy?Imperial recognition and the New Confucianists’ self-promoting helped Neo-Confucianism become orthodox after the Song dynasty,which was fundamental for the inheritance of Chinese culture.The ambiguity of the nature of Neo-Confucianism and its relevant problems made it difficult to decide whether Neo-Confucianism was within the category of the study of Confucian Classics.As a result,some scholars regarded them as competing systems.In the Qing dynasty,whether accepting it or not,anyone who participated in the discussion of Neo-Confucianism and the study of Confucian Classics or,in the debate of the Han School and the Song School,had to confine their arguments to the study of Confucian Classics.Consequently,Neo-Confucianism could never be fundamentally objected.Comprehension of the relevance and differences between Neo-Confucianism and the study of Confucian Classics requires both full understanding of the latter and immunity to its limitation.Thus,the nature of Neo-Confucianism still needs to be figured out while the old approach of Neo-Confucianism’s evolution remains to be recognized and developed.