Interpret the concept of benevolence in the Analects

"Ren" appears very frequently in the Analects, and according to Mr. Yang Bojun's statistics in the Analects of the Analects, "Ren" appears a total of 109 times. "Benevolence" is the core idea of Confucius and Confucianism. Confucius said, "The benevolent, the human." Confucius hoped that through the improvement and perfection of man, the goal of having a way under the heavens would be achieved.

Benevolent people love people

What is Ren? According to the "Explanation of Words", Ren, Pro, from man, from two. From the glyphs, two meanings may be read: one is to say that benevolence exists in people, there is no benevolence in animals, the so-called "law of the jungle" and "the law of the jungle" and "the weak eat the strong" are also; the other is to say that benevolence is embodied in more than two people, which is an important criterion for handling the relationship between people. It shows that the essence of benevolence lies in the love between people in human society.

In the Analects, Confucius has no clear definition of ren, and the expressions are different for different objects and different times, even for the same person, different occasions. Confucius was the most succinct in his answer to the student Fan Chi's question of Ren in the Analects of Yan Yuan, saying, "Love others." ”

There is a difference between people who are close to each other, who loves whom? In the Analects of Learning, Confucius's disciple Youruo proposed that "filial piety is the foundation of benevolence." Filial piety refers to the good deeds of the parents; the brother, with "compassion", refers to the good deeds of the elder brother. "Benevolent people love people", first of all, we must love our relatives, love our parents, love our brothers and sisters, if a person does not even love his own family and relatives, it is difficult to love others, if you do not "love people", you can not say that you are benevolent. Therefore, in the Confucian view, "filial piety" is the foundation of benevolence.

How to love people? There are two main points: one is loyalty, and the other is forgiveness. In the Analects of Yongye, Confucius said, "He who is benevolent to the husband wants to stand up for himself, and he who wants to attain it." To be able to get close to the example, it can be said that the party of benevolence has also been. ”

The so-called benevolence means that if you want to stand up, you must also help others to stand; if you want to develop, you must also help others develop together. Being able to think of others in everything by comparing oneself to oneself can be said to be the way to practice benevolence.

In the Analects of Wei Linggong, Confucius proposed: "Do not do to others what you do not want." The previous point, "I want to stand up for others, and I want to reach people" is to say benevolence from the positive side, it is a responsibility to others, it is to help others wholeheartedly, and the focus is on "loyalty". This point emphasizes "forgiveness", which is a constraint on oneself, what one does not want, and cannot be imposed on others. It is also to push oneself and others, to compare hearts to hearts, and to sum up is the "way of loyalty and forgiveness." This is the specific content of benevolence, and it is also the consistent thinking of Confucius.

Confucius also has a saying on benevolence that is also familiar to us, that is, "self-denial and retribution are benevolent." This was proposed by Confucius in the Analects of Yan Yuan when he answered Yan Yuan's question. Confucius said, "Self-denial is benevolence." One day of self-denial, the world returns to benevolence. For the sake of benevolence, but by others? ”

The benevolence mentioned here includes two aspects, one is to restrain one's desires, and the other is that words and deeds conform to the rules of etiquette, and the two are closely integrated. Benevolence is the inner cultivation of the mind, and ritual is the external rules, and the two are actually connected. The so-called "self-denial" means that everyone regulates their own actions and consciously makes their thoughts and actions conform to etiquette (that is, social ethics and moral norms). In the final analysis, the practice of "benevolence" still has to start from oneself, and "self-denial" can "love others."

The highest state of benevolence is "to give to the people and to help the people", which can be said to be a saint. The Analects of Yongye records that ZiGong said, "If there is a bosom that can help the people, how can it be?" Can it be described as benevolent? Zi Yue: "What is Yu Ren!" It will be holy! Yao, Shunqi is sick! ”

"Generous to the people and able to help the people" means that it can give a lot of favors to the people and can generally help the people. Confucius believed that such a person was simply a saint where he was just benevolent. Here is proposed a higher realm than benevolence: the saints. It is basic that benevolent people love people, love parents, and love brothers; having the world in mind and helping everyone is a higher requirement.

It is not easy to allow people to be benevolent

Which manifestations are not benevolent? Confucius had some expressions about this. In the Analects of Learning, he proposed: "Clever words make color, and there is no benevolence." ”

Meaning, those who speak rhetoric rarely have kindness. "Qiao" and "Ling" originally meant good, but the meaning here is different, it is a superficial good, pretending to be good, and not sincere. "Clever words" refers to rhetoric, insincerity, and words that are not sincere. "Ling color" refers to a good face on the surface, but it is not from the heart, but it is actually hypocritical and flattering.

Confucius regarded people who liked to say beautiful things and tell lies as unkind people. Rhetoric, rhetoric, often speak better than singing, that is, there is no action, saying that one set of doing is another set, which is naturally not benevolent. The surface is pleasant and pleasant, but the heart is sharp and vicious, and the mouth is honey and the sword is not benevolent. Confucius liked the people of Mune, advocated simplicity, and opposed rhetoric; advocated that words should be cautious and careful, do what they say, do it first and then say it, oppose only saying and not doing, and stay in words; advocate a sense of truth and truth, and oppose hypocrisy.

To judge whether a person can be called "benevolent" is very cautious here in Confucius. In the Analects of Gongyechang, Meng Wubo asked several of Confucius's disciples if they were benevolent. He asked, "Zilu Renhu?" Confucius replied, "I don't know." Meng Wubo asked again. Confucius said, "Yuya, the kingdom of a thousand multiplications, can make it rich, but it is not known to be benevolent." ”

In a country with a thousand military vehicles, Zilu could make him responsible for military service, military and political work. But as to whether he had benevolence or not, Confucius said he did not know.

Benevolence refers to the human nature and nature, the good thoughts of the heart, not to a certain aspect of talent. Zilu, Ran Qiu, and Gongxi Chi were among Confucius's disciples, but Confucius only talked about their talents when he answered Meng Wubo's inquiry about them. Zilu can be responsible for the military service, military and political work of a big country, Ran Qiu can be the chief of a doctor, gongxi chi is good at diplomacy, and can receive VIPs in neat clothes. When Meng Wubo asked them if the three of them were benevolent, Confucius said, "I don't know."

Confucius's requirements for benevolence were very high, and it was generally not easy to allow people to be benevolent. Even he himself did not dare to be benevolent. In the Analects of Shuer, Confucius claimed that "if I am holy and benevolent, then I dare not." ”

In Confucius's view, when it comes to benevolence, only those who can think of the life of the world can be deserved, such as the "Three Rens of Yin" (微子, 箕子, Bigan). Confucius believed that those who are talented do not necessarily have benevolence, and they may not have virtue. Although the three students, Zilu, Ran Qiu, and Gongxi Chi, all had their own talents and strengths, and even their cultivation in Ren was very deep, Confucius still did not easily allow him to be benevolent. This shows that there is an element of benevolence in their behavior, but benevolence is not yet pure, and has not yet reached the supreme realm. The way of benevolence is great, how dare you speak lightly.

There is no evil in being kind

Confucius regarded the role of benevolence as great, and he said in the Analects of Li Ren: "Gou Zhi is benevolent, and there is no evil." This means that if a person aspires to benevolence, he will not do evil. If there is benevolence in nature, there will be good thoughts, and it will be good, choose good, do good, and be supremely good.

Confucius also said, "Only the benevolent can be good and the wicked." This means that only those who have benevolence can truly like and hate people. The reason is that they have no selfishness and are objective and fair.

Everyone has love and hate, there are people who like, there are people who hate. But sometimes because it is unwise, it may be the bad guys who like it, and the bad guys who hate it may be the good guys. What's more, out of selfishness there are likes and dislikes, and his likes and dislikes are not out of his own heart, but out of interest. For the sake of personal gain, he can reverse right and wrong, he can treat evil as good, bad people as good people, and good people as bad people. And the love and hate of the benevolent are not selfish, they do not start from their selfishness, but from the road, "yes" is "yes", "non" is "non", good is good, evil is evil, will not change because of the temptation of interests, will not change because of the clamor of the crowd, will not change because of the position of power.

Since benevolence is the most important virtue of a person, a person cannot do anything contrary to benevolence at any time. Confucius said in the Analects of Liren:

"Rich and noble are what man desires, and he does not receive it by his way, nor does he do it; poverty and lowliness are the evil of man, and they do not receive it by his way, nor do they go." Gentlemen to benevolence, evil fame? A gentleman who has no final eclipse violates benevolence, and the creation of the second will be so, and the turbulence will be so. ”

Many people think that Confucianism only talks about "benevolence" and does not talk about interests, but this is not the case. Confucius did not deny human desire, he was very clear that people often have a pursuit of material things. Therefore, he particularly emphasized that we must obtain it with the "Tao" and use the proper methods to pursue and choose. And among them, benevolence is the fundamental, is the standard.

This concept of interest and wealth, which takes benevolence as the standard, is not temporary, but is adhered to at all times and under all conditions, especially in the rush and in the most difficult to adhere to, and when there is turbulence and displacement. Why? Because it is relatively easy for people to do good deeds when they are in a calm mood and in good circumstances, it is much more difficult to do good deeds in a hurry and in a turbulent displacement.

With the pursuit of benevolence, in the eyes of Confucius, benevolence is even more important than life. He said in the Analects of Wei Linggong: "A wise man is a benevolent person, who has no survival to harm benevolence, and who kills himself to become a benevolent person." ”

Confucius's concept of life and death was based on benevolence as the highest principle. Life is precious to everyone, but there is more precious than life, and that is benevolence. "Not surviving to harm benevolence" means not to harm benevolence because of greed for life and fear of death, and "killing oneself to become benevolent" means that people would rather give up their lives to save benevolence at the critical juncture of life and death of the country and the nation. "Killing to become benevolent" is also rooted in the hearts of many people with lofty ideals and has become their life standard.

I want to be kind, and Si Ren is the most important thing

Benevolence is very noble and important, and it takes continuous effort to reach this level, but this is not what everyone is willing to do.

In the Analects of Li Ren, Confucius said, "Is there anyone who can use his power to ren in one day?" I don't see anyone who is underpowered. Covered, I have not seen it either. ”

The reason why Confucius vigorously advocated benevolence, on the one hand, benevolence is indeed the best virtue of a person, on the other hand, it also shows that there were not many benevolent people in the world at that time, and benevolence was not prosperous. Therefore, Confucius lamented that he had not seen anyone who could one day devote his strength to the practice of benevolence. People have this situation, not because they don't have enough strength, but because they don't have enough intentions.

In response to this phenomenon, Confucius pointed out that the key is not to have sufficient strength and inadequacy, but to have the benevolent intention to act.

Although the standard of benevolence is very high, and few people can achieve benevolence, Confucius repeatedly stressed that to move toward the goal of benevolence, as long as you work hard, benevolence will be achieved.

In the Analects of Shu'er, Confucius said, "Ren is far from it? I want to be kind, and I want to be kind. "Does that mean, is Ren far away from us?" I wanted to do ren, and ren came.

Ren is the innate nature of man, not an external thing, so, "I want ren, si ren." Here, Confucius emphasized the subjective initiative and practicality of a person's moral cultivation, as long as he strives to pursue and put it into action, benevolence will come. If we don't pursue hard and don't take any action, Ren is far away from us. It is important not to make excuses that Ren is far away from us and cannot be achieved without trying to practice.

Confucius himself is a typical example of not violating benevolence and practicing benevolence all his life, and although he does not dare to call himself a benevolent person, he is a true benevolent person, and he is a saint who transcends benevolence.

◎ This article was originally published in the "China Discipline Inspection and Supervision News" (author Wang Xiaoyang), the source network, the copyright of the picture and text belongs to the original author, if there is infringement, please contact to delete.