Chapter 3: The Decline of Metaphysics

The world view of metaphysics 'Xuan' in Wu Wei should compromise with the Confucian social view of Confucianism. Pen %Fun %Pavilion www.biquge.info So why didn't the metaphysics come to the Eastern Jin Dynasty?

From Cao Wei to the Western Jin Dynasty, many metaphysical masters emerged, such as He Yan, Wang Bi, Ji Kang, Ruan Ji, Wang Yan, Le Guang, and Guo Xiang. However, after the Eastern Jin Dynasty, metaphysics went downhill, and there were no new people and new ideas.

The reason is that Buddhism came, and Buddhism smashed the worldview of metaphysics to death.

Buddhism entered the Central Plains in the Han Dynasty, but it was not recognized, and there was no opportunity to show its idealistic social outlook. However, the Hu people originally believed in gods and ghosts, and the first Hu regime to unify the north, 'Hou Zhao', took the lead in trying Buddhism and was very successful. In a short period of time, the people were pulled out of the desolation after the war, and a certain prosperity appeared. The Buddhist idealistic view of society is also very good. They said to the serfs on the manor, "Work hard, and when you die, send you to the Western Heaven Elysium; Don't hold a grudge against the owner of the manor, if you have done good deeds in your previous life, you should also do good deeds, and you can also be the lord of the manor in your next life.

Religious benevolence and repentance replaced Confucianism's concept of benevolence and righteousness.

The success of Shile Hou Zhao aroused the admiration of the Eastern Jin Dynasty and the Cheng Han Dynasty. The Eastern Jin Dynasty no longer rejected Buddhism. However, the Buddhist master came to the Eastern Jin Dynasty from the north, and he was shocked!

The worldview of Buddhism is originally that the four are empty. This metaphysical worldview is interpreted by Buddhism as: nothing is the foundation, existence is emptiness, and emptiness is false. The so-called is not the leaf movement, not the wind movement, but the heart movement. This explanation threw metaphysics out of the five streets. This is a whole set of idealistic theories of thought. Both the essence and the body are idealistic and not contradictory.

This statement of 'unusualness' shocked the celebrities of the Eastern Jin Dynasty who were dumbfounded. If you admit that you are 'based on nothing,' you will never be able to argue with the Buddhist masters. This is where the idiom of unconventional comes from.

The ontology of 'emptiness' is not unrecognized by metaphysicians, but they dare not mention it. He didn't dare to admit it, because his social outlook was attached to the 'promising' of Confucianism.

People are not afraid of religion, and they have their own set of feasible social outlooks. With the social concept of seeking goodness and repentance, it also enables the people to work honestly and come to the Western Heaven Elysium.

Because Buddhism has long emphasized the emptiness of the four major beings, it believes that nothing is the foundation and existence is the body. So how to explain this "being", "being" is empty, this solves the biggest problem of metaphysics, all the appearances you see, the whole world is empty. Although this statement completely solves the worldview of metaphysics, it has a serious conflict with the social view dominated by Confucianism. But other people are not afraid of Buddhism, because other people's Buddhism has its own set of relatively mature and feasible social and moral theories---- ordinary people still have to work hard, and the positive results of cultivation will send you to the Western Heaven Elysium (the West is to send you to heaven). The social outlook of people's religion can also support the work of doing something.

Religion has an idealistic worldview that is closer to metaphysics, and it is more mature in spiritualism than metaphysics. Relying on its own worldview, religion also has a viable social outlook.

It is for this reason that religion prevailed in the first reconciliation of individualism and religion. Religion has to be cheap and obedient, accusing the aristocracy of inaction. (The Enlightenment's individualism took over the dominant position after taking care of 'fairness.' But I still compromised with religion. This is the second peace)

Therefore, as soon as religion came, metaphysical talk declined. Because there is nothing left to discuss about your worldview, people's exposition of Zhuangzi's worldview of Wandering Wandering throws off the street of metaphysicians. They can also provide another set of social morality that is completely different from Confucianism's idea of doing something, which is more in line with the worldview of metaphysics. In this way, Buddhism will be the metaphysical worldview and social outlook will die at once. Of course, both Eastern and Western religions have drawn great nourishment from individualism.

In this way, the Eastern Jin Dynasty metaphysics could not talk about the relationship between "existence" and "none". Metaphysics naturally declined.

There is no way to talk about the world view, and we can't talk about the social view, but we can only talk about the theory of human nature (the outlook on life).

Don't think that everyone can talk about theology, but when it comes to human nature, theology will be confused. You're all empty, what more talent and humanity do you need? Religion is a policy of ignoring the people, and the elaboration of the outlook on life is relatively low. As a human society, it cannot make progress without an upward outlook on life. It's all religious theories, people lose themselves, they all become walking dead, and the whole society is waiting for God's gift and will become a backwater.

Therefore, religion also needs a foreign outlook on life and human nature. Therefore, religion and individualism are despised by each other, but they are inseparable from each other. Therefore, the two can only make peace, and whoever has the power will scold the other party.

Discussing the theory of human nature, Yin Hao stumped the Buddhist scholar Zhi Daolin. So religion and liberalism are really a perfect match, and both are willing to compromise.

Metaphysics borrowed from Buddhism and eventually sank; Buddhism flourished by borrowing metaphysics. Originally, Buddhism entered China, and the core concept was 'bitter Zen'. Shakyamuni said, 'All living beings are suffering.'" Because there is desire, all beings suffer. Under the influence of metaphysics, the sea of bitterness is boundless, and the back is the shore; Put down the butcher's knife and become a Buddha on the spot! So that Chinese Buddhism is no longer just 'bitter Zen'. Be recognized by more people.

However, the monk who first proposed to 'put down the butcher's knife and become a Buddha on the spot' was expelled by the Buddhists. The old monks can't become a Buddha by eating fasting and chanting sutras all day long, and you villain throws away the butcher's knife and becomes a Buddha, and there is no door. It took a long time for this law to be recognized, just to attract more people. The knife of the cattle man is the largest and hardest.

Zhu Xi's belief that Buddhism is no longer just 'bitter Zen' is plagiarized from the metaphysical classic "Lao Tzu", and Chen Yinke also made similar remarks. The author thinks that plagiarism is not enough, it is just a reference. Religion has its own things, otherwise we would not be able to see the Western world today.

The ruling class of the scholars in the Southern Dynasties would not easily give up their privileges, and the monopoly on "metaphysics" would inevitably strengthen the theory of privileges of the scholars in the main ideology of society. The "Dao" they are studying will inevitably lead to the "Shishu Heaven Separation". They will preach one of the laws of nature, that is: a scholar is a scholar, and a scholar is a scholar. In this way, at this level, it will become "Destiny Theory", and in the end, it is likely to be eaten by religious philosophy. This may not be alarmist, the Southern Dynasty is still a Confucianism with "no distinction between ontologies", and what to fight with Buddhism in terms of "fatalism".

In fact, this idea of mine was already expressed at the end of the Southern Dynasty. The scholars preach "Shishu Heaven Separation", and there are many Buddhist temples. The ideology and doctrine of the early Roman Empire were eaten by religion after being developed by the aristocracy into a "scholarly world". Socrates, a contemporary of Confucius, spoke of love and goodness; Aristotle spoke of "matter". The Stoics, the mainstream of ancient Roman philosophy, talked about the immortality of all things and the equality of all people. The late aristocracy began to be passive and retreating, talking about fatalism. Around 330 A.D., Rome issued a decree forbidding tenant farmers to leave their ancestral land, and in modern parlance, he turned them into serfs and attached to the land for the rest of their lives. In 393, the Roman Emperor Theodosius I declared Christianity the state religion, which was eaten by the Cult of God.

The consequences are even more terrible: because the history of the West for more than 1,500 years was written by religious people. There are many implications and even falsifications of pre-religious philosophical thoughts. So much so that it is impossible for future generations to study it deeply and pick it up again. Fraternity and justice predate the history of Western religions. But what has been tampered with has long been changed beyond recognition and cannot be picked up. I had to come to the Oriental 'cottage'.

On November 10, 1987, former French President Jacques Chirac welcomed President Li Xiannian and said that French Enlightenment thinkers "saw a rational and harmonious world in China, which obeyed the laws of nature and embodied the great order of the universe." They drew a lot of ideas from this view of the world, which, through the propaganda of the Enlightenment, led to the French Revolution"

When Chinese archaeologists excavated the original work of "Lao Tzu" in the Warring States Period in 1993, they were surprised to find that we had read "Lao Tzu" for 2,000 years, which turned out to be the version after being tampered with by Han Confucianism. Because of the widespread spread of forgeries, most of us today still study Confucian forgeries. Sad, or ridiculous.

I have said that Japanese society is more like the West, and there is no aristocracy. Confucianism and Buddhism were introduced to Dongying at the same time. Confucianism did not develop. Buddhism, however, found fertile ground.

The Nara period inherited the policy of protecting Buddhism in the Asuka period, and protected the people of the country by promoting Buddhism. The precepts of Japanese Buddhism were formalized, and the Huayan Thought was promoted to reflect its concept of the unity of church and state.

After the middle of Heian, Buddhism recruited samurai as monks to protect the temple property, and Buddhist monks further interfered in politics.

After the turmoil of the Warring States period ended, Tokugawa Ieyasu established the shogunate in Edo. Tokugawa Ieyasu worked hard to protect Buddhism and incorporated it into the system of feudal power. He promulgated the "Monastic Law," which was used to establish the subordination of the monasteries to which the sects belonged, as well as the various regulations for the monasteries. In addition, the "temple system" was implemented, so that every citizen in the country had a temple to belong to and support.

In the first year of the Meiji era (1868), Emperor Meiji promulgated the "Separation of God and Buddhism" decree, making Shinto the state religion and excluding Buddhism. Japanese Buddhism comes from the Tang Dynasty, when Buddhism was already heavily influenced by Lao Zhuang and had no experience in governance, so it did not appear to be as open and clawed as Western religions (the period of religious dominance was called the 'Dark Middle Ages' by liberals).

From the perspective of the Southern Dynasties, there were also signs of "Mandate of Heaven" in academics during the Southern Dynasties, the so-called "Shishu Heavenly Separation". Don't take this too seriously, it's just an illusion that the nobles crave hereditary privileges.

Further on, theology was accepted by more and more high-ranking figures. Although Buddhism was introduced in the Han Dynasty, religion was suppressed in the Western Jin Dynasty. As soon as Emperor Wu of the Jin Dynasty came to power, he ordered that the worship of ghosts and gods should be prohibited throughout the country, and only ancestors should be respected. Human civilization is the result of the experience and creation of our ancestors.

Although Buddhism first arose in the north after the Eastern Jin Dynasty, it developed extremely rapidly in the Southern Dynasties after it spread to the south. There are 480 temples in the Southern Dynasties, and how many buildings are in the smoke and rain.

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One sentence clarifies --- Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism

Buddhism is aimed at the bottom of society. Don't look down on the landlord, people have endured hardships and sought kindness in their previous lives. You will endure hardships in this life, and you will be a landlord in the next life.

Confucianism is aimed at the middle strata of society. No one to help you, it's all on your own. Only by learning and self-cultivation can we develop and live a safe life.

Taoism is aimed at social wealth. The highest form is 'keeping quiet and removing dryness'. You don't need to do anything, and one more day of peace and stability is one more day of happiness in 'heaven on earth'. Just imagine, there is no food at home, the wife is making trouble, and the three children are crying, how do you let him 'stay quiet and get dry'.

The toiling masses want social justice. Don't deduct wages and hard-earned money; Work hard for half a life, be promoted to a small section chief, don't be calculated by others.

The elite wants social freedom, come on, it's a mule or a horse, come out and yoke, and see who will make money. Extremely confident, as if there were no social constraints, he immediately became Bill Gates.

Because of people's different backgrounds, education, learning, and opportunities, emphasizing only freedom will inevitably lead to 'unfairness'. So how to reassure backward people about this injustice, the social outlook of religion plays a role.

Western liberals must rely on theological and social outlooks, because no matter what you say, no matter how great the logical arguments and rigorous scientific deductions are, they cannot convince people that they --- the noble people rich and the humble people destitute their lives. The worldview of today's individualists at the highest level is: natural selection, survival of the fittest. This worldview still does not guide society. How can there be 'natural selection' between people, isn't that back to the era of 'beasts'?

Only theology can do that. Theology can say, "Don't envy nobles, your elders have endured hardships, you will work hard in this life, and you will be a noble person in the next life (reincarnation); or after death to be sent to the Western Heaven Elysium; Or go to heaven. Religion is "believed" before understood. ('Believe before you understand' is the definitive conclusion of philosophers of religion, not the author's empty words)

Before the American Civil War, Congress held a public vote on whether to emancipate black slaves. Reporters flocked to the venue, and before entering the venue, the parliamentarians impassionedly criticized the black slavery system, and it seemed that it was incumbent upon them to abolish the black slavery system. But as soon as the final results came out, the reporters were dumbfounded. The bill to emancipate the slaves was rejected by the parliamentarians. The 'righteousness' before the parliamentarians entered the venue may not be pretending, but once this law is passed, some parliamentarians' families may be bankrupt on the spot, and he cannot bear this responsibility. (For example, in the manor owner's house in the south, thousands of slaves are gone, do you want the manor owner to personally go to pick cotton in tens of thousands of acres of fields)

The highest level of the development of the liberal philosophical worldview is the evolutionary viewpoint--- natural selection, survival of the fittest. This contradicts the social outlook of human beings, which is about unity and cooperation within human groups or organizations. Therefore, liberal philosophy cannot exist alone. The vigorous Western Enlightenment was also a compromise with religious morality in the end. (There is no viable materialist view of society in the West)

Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679) was an English politician and philosopher. Oppose the divine right of kings. He compared the Pope to a demon king and the monks to a group of ghosts, but advocated the use of the "state religion" to control the people and maintain "order".

Voltaire of France scathingly attacked the dark reign of the Catholic Church. He likened the pope to a "two-legged beast," the clergy a "civilized villain," and said that Catholicism was "a most shameful deceit laid by some cunning men." He called on "everyone to fight the monstrous religious fanaticism in his own way, some biting his ears; Others stepped on his stomach, while others scolded him from afar. But he also ultimately believed that religion was indispensable as a means of suppressing human passions and vices. He believed that religion was indispensable to rule the people. He said, "Even without God; and a God shall be made."

On the question of religion, Immanuel Kant in Germany acknowledged that neither experience nor reason could prove the existence of God. But he argues that for moral reasons, we must assume the existence of God and the soul.

Britain, France and Germany have all of them, why not mention the United States. Because when Montesquieu died, the United States was still in the womb. However, when the United States became independent from Britain, it brought in Paine, the great enlightener of France, who was the most extreme anti-religious among the enlighteners, and religion at that time was of course on the side of the British. When the United States was in turmoil for independence, Paine was offered as Confucius; Later, when he became independent and needed peaceful development, Paine was assassinated because he refused to compromise.

In the second reconciliation between Western individualism and religion, Kant played the role of Wang Bi. Kant was in retreat for ten years, and the three major criticisms were born, shining for thousands of years. But he defined theology as supernatural.

Kant's Critique of Practical Reason deals with his moral philosophy. In his view, practical reason has a certain capacity and function of action, which can govern man's moral activity by regulating man's will, and thus bring man to freedom. In fact, this is to recognize the social nature of human beings, and human nature must be subordinated to a certain social outlook.

Immanuel Kant is considered the finalist of the Western Enlightenment. He did bring the Enlightenment to an end. He defined theology as supernatural, without denying the existence of Christ while acknowledging the natural sciences. Similar to Wang Bi's 'famous religion comes from nature', God is still a part of the world, that is, religion comes from nature.

It has to be said that the great Kant was a charlatan in this regard. Even many Western scholars were confused by him. The poet Heine has a figurative saying: Kant expelled God from his home in the first criticism, but secretly invited God back in the second criticism.

The first criticism cut off God's head, and the second criticism brought God back to life by the magician. ’

Kant's heart speaks of his frustration, and in the Critique of Practical Reason, he says that neither experience nor reason can prove the existence of God. But for moral reasons, we must assume the existence of God and the soul.

The mature social morality of the West is only theology, and individualists cannot get rid of it. (The author rarely uses the word 'it' in the whole article, and in order to show respect for pets, the word 'he' is also used for animals)

It can be seen that in the end, the Enlightenment compromised with religion. Of course, in the process of peace, religion has also made great compromises and improvements. The Pope's announcement in 1962 that other Christian denominations would no longer be regarded as pagans was a compromise. Bruno, who shouted everywhere that 'the universe revolves around the sun', was burned to death on the cross by the Pope. Who today says to the Pope that 'the universe revolves around the sun'? The Pope will say, "Poor ignorant child, the sun revolves around the Milky Way." ”

A free society does not want morality and justice, but freedom comes first, and it still wants morality and justice. It's just that when there is a conflict between freedom and fairness, it is generally "fairness" to make a little sacrifice.

But freedom is very social. From the moment of birth to the day of death, no day is truly free. Freedom is not the essence of human nature, freedom is a human need. Only when people compromise with each other in a group can they have a certain amount of freedom in reality.

The Western Enlightenment incorporated the idea of 'fairness' and forced religion to make greater compromises. In the second peace, he took the initiative.

For the first time, religion took the initiative, scolding individualists for their own pleasure and avoiding social responsibility; The second individualism took the initiative, calling the reign of religion a 'dark Middle Ages'.

The existence of the empress and the emperor today, there is only one social meaning left--- society is unfair, you have to bear it.

With the end of the U.S.-Vietnam War, the United States was on the defensive around the world. At the end of the 70s, the USSR was closing in. The United States is on the defensive in Europe; The Soviet Union entered Zaire, the center of Africa, and Africa was at stake; Vietnam conquered Cambodia, suppressed Laos, and approached Thailand, Southeast Asia is going to be finished!

Industrial production at that time was marked by the production of steel; National science and technology is marked by aerospace. The Soviet Union fully caught up with and overtook the United States.

During this period, American diplomacy and politics were terrible. In the 20 years from 60 to 80 years, no president of the United States can serve two terms! The awfulness of American politics can be verified. The presidents were all killed, you say it's bad or not.

Under pressure from enemy countries, the 'reforms' of the United States at home have been very successful and wonderful. 1961 Milton Friedman's famous book, which created a new model of free economy in Western commercial society; The 1970 Theory of Justice defined a new Western view of society. It was only in 1964 that black Americans were given full suffrage.

The model of Western society today is ------ individualism, religion and justice