本集課程重點包括:
一、認識子游
子游是孔子學生,孔門十哲之一,他小孔子四十五歲,所以孔子過世的時候,他大概是二十八歲。他在孔門四科中列為文學科的代表,對禮很有研究,大家如果在禮上有問題的時候,都是以子游的話為標準。子游知道禮是一種利他的行為,本質就是仁,仁的本質在孝,所以子游問孝,就是在問禮最根本的本質。
二、子女養父母沒有恭敬,那與犬馬養主人沒有差別
孔子說在這個時代,人們認為能夠扶養父母親就是孝順,可是狗能幫忙看家,馬能載運人貨,當孝子只是口體上的能養父母,卻沒有恭敬,那跟犬馬能供養主人,也沒有什麼兩樣。
三、為何要恭敬父母?
父母親生我、養我、育我,如此重大的恩德,當然要表達恭敬,人人懂得感恩,才能改變自己命運,獲得別人的賞識,社會風氣才會淳厚。孝道真的是讓人趨吉避凶最根本的學問。
為政篇第七章白話解釋
【經文】
子游問孝。子曰:今之孝者,是謂能養。至於犬馬,皆能有養。不敬,何以別乎。
【白話解釋】
子游,言偃,字子游,亦稱言游,吳國人,是孔子七十二弟子中唯一的南方人,後學成南歸,道啟東南,對江南文化的繁榮有很大的貢獻,和子夏同列文學科。
子游問孔子應如何盡孝道,孔子答覆他說,現今一般人所說的孝是講能奉養父母,也就是父母在世的時候,能夠供給食、衣、住、行,讓父母生活無虞,然而這就是孝嗎?如果能奉養父母是孝,那麼犬馬也都能以體力服侍主人,像是犬能守夜,馬能代勞,這也是能養。犬馬跟人的區別在於,犬馬雖然皆能有養,但不知敬。如果人子只能奉養父母,而不能恭敬父母,這與犬馬有何分別呢?
【章旨】
此章是孔子論孝,固應注重奉養,更應著重敬心。
《論語講要》原文
孔安國注:「子游,弟子,姓言,名偃。」
子游問行孝之道。孔子答復他說:「今之孝者,是謂能養。」此意是說,「今之行孝者,唯說能養。」例如以飲食養父母。是謂的「是」字,王引之經傳釋詞作祇字講,邢疏作唯字講。
能養父母,這就是孝嗎。孔子語氣一轉,便說:「至於犬馬皆能有養。」能養,何只為人子者,至於犬馬皆能以其體力服事主人。如犬能守夜,馬能代勞,這也是能養。「至於」二字,據劉淇助字辨略,是兩事相及之意。
「不敬何以別乎。」犬馬雖然皆能有養,但不知敬。唯人能夠知禮,知禮則能敬。如果人子只能養父母,而不能恭敬父母,這與犬馬有何分別呢。
犬馬能養,古注有兩種解釋。一是包咸注:「犬以守禦,馬以代勞,皆養人者。」此以犬馬比喻人子。此說可採。一是集解另舉一說:「人之所養,乃至於犬馬,不敬,則無以別。孟子曰,食而不愛,豕交之也。愛而不敬,獸畜之也。」此以犬馬比喻父母。所舉孟子語,在盡心篇。朱子集注唯採此說。他說:「言人畜犬馬皆能有以養之。若能養其親而敬不至,則與養犬馬者何異。」劉氏正義以為:「以犬馬喻父母,於義難通,自昔儒者多譏之。」以上兩說之外,後儒尚有其他解說,不再列舉。
今列表解,以明喻子之說:
孝者,指人子而言。犬馬、與孝者對稱。人子能養父母,犬馬能養主人。由這兩個能字看來,顯然是以犬馬比喻人子。專說能養,則人獸沒有分別。不敬何以別乎。敬與不敬,是人獸之別。
English
Teacher Tang Yuling will accompany you to read The Analects
24 Book 2 Wei Zheng (Of Governance), Chapter 7
Zi You asked what filial piety was. The Master said, “The filial piety nowadays means the support of one’s parents. But dogs and horses likewise are able to do something in the way of support; - without reverence, what is there to distinguish the one support given from the other?”
Highlights of this lecture include:
1. Get to know Ziyou
Yan Yan言偃 (b. 506 BC), also known by his courtesy name Ziyou子游, was one of the ten most distinguished disciples of Confucius. He was 45 years younger than Confucius, so when Confucius passed away, he was about twenty-eight years old. His expertise was literary knowledge and skills—one of the Four Subjects under Confucius guidance. Confucius had high regard for his knowledge and skills about rites and music. Confucian followers came to him for final standardized answers if they had questions about propriety or rites. Ziyou knew that propriety was altruism expressed in behaviors and was consistent with benevolence, of which the essence was found on filial piety. Therefore, when Ziyou asked about the nature of filial devotion, what he asked is actually about the most fundamental essence of the propriety.
2. Unless you treat your parents respectfully, there is no difference keeping parents fed how dogs and horses are look after.
Confucius said in these days people’s filial piety simply meant to support and feed their parents, as that keeping watch dogs and cart horses. If the sons tended to support parents’ physical and material needs, but showed no appreciation and reverence for them, what is there to distinguish the one support given from the dogs and horses?
3. Why should we respect our parents?
Parents gave us life, raised us, and fostered and cared for us, their lofty love for us are selfless. We definitely have to show our gratitude and respect. A grateful man can reverse their bad fate in natural course. Everybody like people who are grateful and treat other respectfully. Their gratitude would be appreciated and so are their abilities. Gratitude influences and constitutes a society of honesty. Filial devotion is in fact the fundamental for people who wish to ward off adversities and pave with good luck.