"Detailed Analysis of The Analects": For All Who Have Misinterpreted Confucius (13)
2006/10/25 12:13:28
The Master said: In education, there are no classes.
Detailed explanation: "No classes" means "not distinguishing by appearances" (bù xiāng). This chapter is a concrete expression, within the domain of the superstructure, of the "non-discrimination" principle that the noble person must uphold when pursuing the "Way of the Sage." The key here lies in "education" (jiào). "Jiào" is not in the level tone but in the departing tone, and in ancient Chinese it carried the following meanings: education, government decrees, laws, political governance, religious teachings, doctrines, schools of thought, religion, and so on.
In modern terminology, this "jiào" encompasses the entire domain of the superstructure. "In education, there are no classes" does not merely refer to education in the commonly understood sense. Rather, it means that in practicing the "Way of the Sage," within the entire domain of the superstructure — which naturally includes education as commonly understood, but in modern terms also encompasses law, public opinion, administration, religion, academia, the arts, and all other areas of the superstructure — one must correspondingly pursue the strategy of "non-discrimination." Only with this understanding can one truly grasp what "in education, there are no classes" means.
The Master said: A scholar who aspires to the Way, yet is ashamed of those with poor clothing and coarse food, is not worth engaging in discussion!
Detailed explanation: "Being ashamed of those with poor clothing and coarse food" — that is "discrimination" (xiāng), so naturally such a person is "not worth engaging in discussion!" However, there is a question here: who exactly does "being ashamed of those with poor clothing and coarse food" refer to? In Zhu Xi's Collected Commentaries on the Analects, the scholar who "aspires to the Way" and the person who "is ashamed of poor clothing and coarse food" are treated as the same person. If that were truly the interpretation, then the character "scholar" (shì) would be unnecessary — it could simply become: "One who aspires to the Way yet is ashamed of poor clothing and coarse food is not worth engaging in discussion!"
The correct interpretation should be: The scholar who aspires to the Way "is ashamed of" those with poor clothing and coarse food. This "those with poor clothing and coarse food" primarily refers to other people — that is, people who have "poor clothing and coarse food." Of course, it could also refer to the scholar himself, because if he himself is a person of "poor clothing and coarse food" and he looks down upon himself for it, finding himself "shameful," that is also possible.
With this reading, the meaning of the passage becomes very clear: if a person who aspires to practice the "Way of the Sage" divides people into two categories — "those with fine clothing and fine food" and "those with poor clothing and coarse food" — that is, classifying people by wealth and poverty, and chooses to be ashamed of "those with poor clothing and coarse food," meaning the poor, staying away from them, then whatever this person discusses about the "Way of the Sage" is nothing but a swindle — selling dog meat under the label of mutton. Why? Because he cannot practice "non-discrimination."
The Master said: How worthy is Hui! A single bamboo container of rice, a single gourd of water, living in a shabby alley — others could not endure such hardship, yet Hui does not change his joy. How worthy is Hui!
Detailed explanation: This chapter follows directly from the meaning of the previous one. "A single bamboo container of rice, a single gourd of water, living in a shabby alley" — this is the epitome of "poor clothing and coarse food." "Others could not endure such hardship" — here, "others" refers to people of "people do not understand," those who cannot practice the "Way of the Sage." They could not bear such conditions. But "Hui" — Yan Hui, Confucius's most famous student and the exemplar in Confucius's mind of one who truly aspired to practice the "Way of the Sage" — he "does not change his joy." Confucius therefore bestowed upon him the praise "How worthy is Hui!" — and repeated it twice, once before and once after the sentence. Why? Because Yan Hui was able to practice "non-discrimination" and was truly committed to practicing the "Way of the Sage."
What must be emphasized is that Yan Hui, this exemplar of "embracing poverty and delighting in the Way," did not deliberately seek "poverty," did not deliberately pursue "poor clothing and coarse food," nor was it like the attitude during a certain historical period of "preferring socialist weeds to capitalist seedlings," or like the deliberate asceticism advocated by certain religions. All of these are severe forms of "discrimination" — they all run directly counter to the "non-discrimination" principle that the noble person pursuing the "Way of the Sage" must uphold.
(To be continued)
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Replies
缠中说禅 2006/10/25 16:42:10
[Anonymous] 狂歌
2006-10-25 16:19:47
Regarding the fallacy of "Great Unity" — such a simple truth, such clear logic, I think there's no need to argue further.
Following this reasoning, it would probably lead back to Laozi's "the Way follows Nature" and "governing through non-action." So it turns out Confucius studied under Laozi.
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Young Master Bai's understanding above is correct. "Unity through sameness as Great Unity" is a synonym for dictatorship and autocracy. True "Great Unity" is "Great Unity through difference" — to have "difference," one must first achieve "greatness." Without "greatness," there is no "difference." Without "difference," there is no "Great Unity."
缠中说禅 2006/10/25 12:20:54
Be brief when brevity is called for, be detailed when detail is called for — that's why today we have three chapters.