《鶡冠子》的「道生法」思想

The Concept of “Dao sheng fa” in the He guan zi

本文解析《鶡冠子》的「道生法」思想，主要分為文本內容及文本外在關係兩個部分。在文本內容部分，《鶡冠子》藉由萬物生成議題與認識活動議題勾勒出君王如何認識世界，其關鍵特色在於透過「四稽」中「天」、「地」、「人」、「命」這些具象元素，以明白紛亂世界中相異各物的靜態性質與動態關係。在此脈絡下，《鶡冠子》中「道生法」指的是：聖人藉由掌握「道」之後能發揮出認識意涵的「法」，而後握有「神」與「明」的認識能力，進而達到治理秩序。本文據以主張「道生法」的「法」乃著重於認識意涵，並非法制或法令。在文本外在關係部分，《鶡冠子》「道生法」與戰國時代認識活動、解釋世界與治理秩序的思想背景有關，所論「四稽」也展現出思想匯集的特色。此外，本文亦檢討《鶡冠子》與黃老學的關聯，並進一步對黃老學的範圍、表現形式乃至道家學派的深度與廣度，提出一些粗淺的看法。

This article analyses the concept of dao sheng fa (道生法) in the He guan zi (鶡冠子) from the points of view of its textual content and external context. From the perspective of the textual content, this study illustrates how the He guan zi reveals the way rulers may gain knowledge of the world through a process of unfolding of nature as well as through cognitive acts. Within this process, the key point is to appreciate the relationship between the static and dynamic aspects of all things through the means of the four inspections (siji, 四稽). Within this framework, the concept of dao sheng fa seems to suggest that a sage, may release the cognitive implications of fa (法) through a deep comprehension of dao (道), and subsequently help bring about social order through a mastery of the cognitive potentiality of shen (神) and ming (明). In view of this, the meaning of fa appears to be closer to “cognitive formulas” than to “laws”. As to the external context, this article reveals how the concept of dao sheng fa in the He guan zi might reflect the way people perceived the correspondence between the abstract world, the practical world, the natural world, and the world of human conduct during the Warring States period. The concept of “the four inspections” also illustrates the syncretism of Warring States thought. In addition, this study examines the relationship between the He guan zi and Huang-Lao (黃老) before briefly discussing the breadth and depth of Daoism.