「天道性命」如何「貫通」？回歸孔子思想之考察

How Should tiandao xingming Be Expounded?—A Return to the Thinking of Confucius

此文雖探究「天道性命」，但筆者試圖回歸孔子思想來做考察。後儒對「天道性命」課題有其豐富發展，至宋明儒學時期到達巔峰。然而，當代儒者研究者對「天道性命」的發展與重視，有著不同的看法。牟宗三先生認為「天道性命相貫通」是儒家本質，也必然如此發展，且可呼應孔子之說。勞思光先生則認為，「天道性命」並非孔孟思想核心，客觀天道內涵並非孔孟所關心之重點，真正的儒學應檢視是否以回歸「心性論」為主軸。如此之爭論頗多且複雜，筆者認為，若能盡可能還原孔子「天道性命」之本意，並從中得出孔子對涉及「形上學」的慎重與尊重之用意時，應可以更彈性地來看待此問題。

This paper explores the idea of tiandao xingming天道性命(“Heavenly Way, nature and destiny”), by returning to the thought of Confucius. While issues related to this notion were significantly developed and refined in post-Confucian traditions–reaching their zenith in medieval Neo-Confucianism–contemporary scholarship presents a wide range of divergent perspectives. For instance, Mou Zongsan argues that the unification of tiandao xingming constitutes the quintessence and culmination of Confucianism, aligning closely with the original views of Confucius. In contrast, Lao Sze-kwang contends that tiandao xingming is not central to the thought of Confucius and Mencius; in other words, the search for an objective ground of ethical practice was not their primary concern. Instead, he argues that orthodox Confucianism should return to the focus on the discourse of the heart-mind and human nature (xinxing lun心性論). Despite the ongoing debates, a return to the original meaning of Confucian tiandao xingming, coupled with a serious consideration of his cautious attitude regarding the metaphysical question, may allow for more flexible and inclusive discussions.