Life has a universal aspect, although it may appear separate, in its essence, it is interconnected with all things and unified as one.
In fact, there is an inherent rule in the universe, which is first and foremost from a biological perspective, especially from a human perspective. This universality is not a static existence, which demonstrates Mr. Liang's philosophy of life, which is different from the ontology we generally talk about.
For example, when Westerners talk about ontology, we can recognize and grasp something through cognition. But Mr. Liang explained that it is an internal spiritual regulation, and its essence is a creative activity. He particularly emphasizes universality, which is not a static existence in itself, but a creative activity. This creativity is manifested in constantly overcoming this constraint, overcoming the process of mechanization and rigidity, and in this process, showing an upward creative vitality.
Chinese philosophy focuses on ontology, which is different from Western philosophy. Western philosophy often approaches ontology from the perspective of materiality and cognition, while Chinese philosophy places special emphasis on ontology. According to Mr. Mou Zongsan, it is a process of both existence and activity, which is a continuous creation.
Show this universality in the process of creation.
So, the defensive side and the mechanized side are both foundations and preparations for the further development of life. In order to achieve further development, progress, and expansion, life must be mechanized. This is a statement made by Mr. Liang.
For example, we develop a habit, a ritual and legal system, and a systematic cycle. We can understand it as a mechanization of life, a state of mechanization that aims to save energy and move forward step by step, creating progress step by step. Mechanization is carried out step by step.
Bureau or mechanization is not a constant state. If you cling to this point of life, it cannot have vitality. Such a state, this mechanized state, including habits and systems, is only a temporary state that life has for further development.
So, if you persist in this, life will lose its original value. So, as life exists, it must constantly overcome this obstructive state. This kind of overcoming is manifested as a systematic upward process of life, an upward movement.
Biological life is centered around the body, connecting everything, which shows that organisms themselves have different sensitivities. In Mr. Liang's view, the existence of all things in the universe, including inorganic substances, is essentially a form of life. However, the level of sensitivity exhibited by life is relatively low. The different levels of sensitivity exhibited by such organisms reflect the differences in the level of existence of life.
So, from inorganic substances to organic substances, and then to living organisms, animals have both lower and higher levels, and all the way to humans, they have different sensitivities and exhibit different sensitivities in a state of existence. This sensitivity shows that there are different levels and differences in the existence of life.
The existence of the universe itself has an inherent spiritual regulation, but this spiritual regulation has different levels. So, the nature of the universe is communication and telepathy.
The second question is about the relationship between the heart and life.
Just now we talked about the inner power of the spirit, the inner power of the universe, and its spirituality, which can actually be expressed with the heart. This concept represents it. Mr. Liang used to talk about intention in his early years, but in his later years, when he talked about life, he mostly approached it from the perspective of the heart. This further highlights his understanding of life, which particularly emphasizes the spiritual and creative meaning of life.
So, in his later years, when he talked about life, he used his heart to represent life. It can be said that the heart is the synonym of life. Therefore, he put forward a proposition that the heart and life are the same.
The human heart, which is the phenomenon of life seen by primitive organisms, has continuously developed. Although the advantages and disadvantages are not equal, it can be said that the heart and life are the same. It can also be said that 'everything that contains life cannot be controlled by the heart'. All living beings have a heart, but the level of the heart is different.
Mr. Liang is speaking here, saying that the heart and life are united in one heart, which is actually a heart with transcendent significance. He is a transcendent being, not the brain or heart we usually talk about.
So, he talks about his heart
Not belonging to the present world, the recitation continues and turns, and the new is only heard at the beginning of the recitation. This elusive movement of existence originates from the internal contradictions of the universe, and does not belong to the existing in the world. It suddenly joined the world, hence it is called new, hence it is called a creation out of thin air, with no previous experience. Every movement of life in the present moment is like this.
So, the meaning of the heart is beyond the present reality, not belonging to the present world. This heart is a process of continuous creation, and it exhibits creativity. On the one hand, the heart is a transcendent entity that does not belong to the present world, and on the other hand, it is a process of creation, a constantly evolving process, and a transcendent spiritual essence manifested in the process of joy and contentment.
So, Mr. Liang believes that the mind is one of self-awareness, one of domination, and the other of active creativity. And this creation represents a transcendent entity, so the process of creation becomes apparent, revealing the universal nature of the universe.
Mr. Liang was probably influenced by Marxist philosophy in his later years. Play out a theory of inherent contradictions in the universe and use it to explain the internal mechanism of the universe's life moving forward. So, when he talks about the universe, it's a seamless whole. In the words of Zhuangzi, 'Heaven and earth were born together with me, and all things are one with me.'.
Mr. Liang believes that this is about the differences in all things, and we should observe them well and achieve their differences. This statement. This is a traditional saying, both Taoism and Confucianism emphasize this point. The universality of things must be manifested in their differences. At the same time, the difference is not between the object and me, but rather an absolute confrontation between me and the object. It is precisely because differences have inherent universality that they can achieve their own characteristics. On the other hand, if you insist on a difference without universality, the individual's personality traits cannot be displayed.
So, our human existence is also like this. Nowadays, people emphasize their individuality, but has it always been the case?
If you are limited to only superficial things, some emotional things, then you are not unique. Therefore, this uniqueness must have universality, and it must be internally connected, emphasizing the internal universality between things and me, and between people, in order for you to have independence. These two aspects are inseparable.
So, Mr. Liang emphasized the concept of internal contradiction by emphasizing that "heaven and earth coexist with me, and all things are one with me". "The unity of the Tao" means that on the one hand, differences should be emphasized, and on the other hand, these differences have an inherent universality. These two aspects are indispensable, so they are called a contradiction, which is an inherent mechanism for the advancement of life in the universe.
So, the existence of life must be manifested in an internal tension relationship of universality and differentiation. The relationship between such internal differences and the inherent tension of universality is what enables the existence of life to maintain its differences while also exhibiting a creative process of striving upwards.
The nature of life is communication, and this communication is the characteristic of the heart, that is, our hearts and minds. So, talking about the unity of heart and life. Everything has a heart. The nature of the "heart" is to communicate, this communication is a living thing, that thing is fixed and unchanging, and if a cancer cell grows in one place on our body, it will not communicate. If it doesn't work, it will die. So, the nature of life is to live.
This job is a freedom. The nature of life, he has a goal. From this point, it can be seen that Mr. Liang's philosophy of life is different from the Western philosophy of life. Some modern Western philosophers, such as Berkson, talk about the philosophy of life, which is irrational. Similarly, Schopenhauer's concept of life is also irrational.
Mr. Liang said that he has a goal in this set of things, and he made an interesting statement that the forward movement of life is constantly striving for freedom and flexibility. Sometimes, when we move forward, it is manifested as the expansion of gaps. We need to stop in a state of existence, and it will have no space, no life. It must be an inner spirit that constantly overcomes the present existence, only then can he have gaps and freedom.
So, our lives are always anchored in a state of existence. If you cannot escape from this state of existence, then your existence is confined in one place. I am currently in the most painful state, and I read papers in the first half of the year. If the paper is well written, you will feel very free and flexible in your mind. If the paper is not well written, I will not even think about it. Fixed inside this one, there are no gaps.
Before each semester's lecture, I always take out some classic works and flip through them, such as Hegel's book. Every time you read it, you always feel that there are many dynamic things inside. You will be able to read Husserl's books, Heidegger's books, Confucius and Laozi's books, but you have to see a very poor essay, where some words are placed there, and it is all in material form. It is over, there is no life, there is no freedom, and you feel trapped in a fixed space, there is no gap.
So, the human soul always rests in a state of existence, without which there is no life. If I didn't have a physical body, I wouldn't have a life, but if you only think about the things in front of you every day, just think about money, food, drink, and entertainment, just think about these things, you are only constrained by the external environment. If you like money, then you should be constrained by those things every day, constrained by external things, constrained by external environment, constrained by the object of your desires, and unable to be flexible. So, in order to achieve the natural existence of life, we must constantly strive for freedom. The source of this endless creation of life is the heart.
