玄德与圣人体道——论《老子》圣人观的哲学意蕴

圣人是《老子》所推崇的理想人格,具有与道为一的玄德。《老子》经过对当时无道君主的批判和考察、分析“古之善为道者”的基本特征,提出玄德的内在规定性是自然无为。《老子》认为,圣人之所以能与道为一(其标志是拥有玄德)必须具备以下三个方面的条件:首先,圣人可以自觉地认同道所显现的境界;其次,通过“致虚极,守静笃”的工夫,他能洞察人与天地万物的本性;此外,圣人遵循自然无为原则来教化百姓,使其得以按照自己的本性生存。正因为圣人既可以通过“为道日损”的方式体认人与天地万物为一的最高境界,也能用自己的“德”来范导众人最终达到自然无为的理想生存状态,所以他才会具有玄德。今天,我们通过从哲学的层面来解读《老子》圣人观,最终会发现它向我们展现了一种以天人合一为指归,并凭借绝圣弃智的方式来实现人之本真存在的前形而上学哲学形态。

Profound Efficacy and Sages Embody Dao

The theory of sage played a very important role in Chinese acient philosophy.So far as we know,Laozi(Daodejing) was the first text which systematically meditated this topic.Laozi's theory of sage includes two aspects: What is the character of sage? How could one becomes sage? The anwser to first question is that the profound efficacy is the symptom of sage.As for the second question,Laozi claims that those who are committed to the Dao,and completely conform to the wuwei principle,could have the profound efficacy.The most important thing is that the sages as ideal rulers can make people lead a life which is consistent with their nature.By comparing the first part with the second one,we can find that Laozi pays more attention to the way how to bring the sage into being.