梁漱溟出入儒佛的生命軌跡

Liang Shu-ming's Track of Life Between Confucianism and Buddhism

梁漱溟是中國近現代思想史特出人物，他同尊儒佛，肯定兩家皆為人類最有價值的精神文明。儒佛有相近處也有差異處。究竟梁氏是儒家或是佛家？學界多定位其為儒家，而他自述出入、游移其間，晚年更強調一生持佛家思想不變。可以說，亦儒亦佛是其生命基調，但在不同生命階段儒佛所佔優勢有異。本文將之劃分為四個時期：（一）少年時期（14歲至19歲），依仿儒家嚮志事功，惟中間一度想出家為僧；（二）青年時期（20歲至29歲），傾心佛家，偏向小乘佛教；（三）壯年至老年時期（29歲至82歲），轉入儒家，但融會大乘佛法精神；（四）晚年時期（83歲到96歲），由儒返佛，信行大乘佛法。要言之，他出入儒佛之間，並非全然的棄儒歸佛或棄佛歸儒，而是會通交融，儒佛兩家在其生命發展歷程中難以分割。

Liang Shu-ming is a special figure in the history of modern Chinese thought. He follows both Confucianism and Buddhism, approving both to be human beings' most valuable spiritual civilization. There are similarities and differences between Confucianism and Buddhism. Does Liang's thought belong to Confucianism or Buddhism? The academia tends to define it as Confucianism. However, he claimed to be lingering between the two. In his later years, he emphasized that he had stuck to Buddhism without changes. In other words, he followed both Confucianism and Buddhism in his lifetime, but each took advantage in different life stages. This paper will divide his life into four stages: (1) Teenager (14-19): He followed Confucianism with ambition and honor but considered becoming a monk once. (2) Young Adult (20-29): He admired Buddhism wholeheartedly and had the preference for Theravada Buddhism. (3) Prime to Old Years (29-82): He turned to Confucianism and integrated the spirit of Mahayana Buddhism. (4) Later Years (83-96): He returned from Confucianism to Buddhism and followed Mahayana Buddhism. In sum, between Confucianism and Buddhism, he never totally abandoned one for the other. Instead, he made combinations and the two thoughts are inseparable in the development of his life.