This is because people's hearts are not good, their thoughts are not correct, there is deviation, and their values are problematic. We modern people are anthropocentric, and when we speak of a cow, it becomes not a cow, but a mad cow. After that person eats it, they also go crazy. So, when your emotions are not in harmony, that thing becomes' heaven and earth are not in place, and all things are infertile ', and things lose their true nature. Conversely, when you punish people, they also lose their true nature.
To truly achieve the unity of things and oneself, the unity of heaven and man, it is necessary to adjust your emotions and first adjust your values. So, ethics and morality are the most fundamental things. Only when you realize yourself ethically and morally can you create a world where everyone is in place. Universal life can realize its own nature, which is called the position of heaven and earth and the nurturing of all things. This represents a fundamental spirit of the Confucian concept of mind nature and the relationship between mind and matter.
Mr. Liang's concept of mind and nature is based on this point, and now we will talk about it.
Mr. Liang constructed his theories of life philosophy and cultural philosophy. In its early days, it mainly used the concept of intuition as its method. After the 1930s, he used another concept called rationality, which is the concept of emotions. He introduced reason as selfless emotions, which is different from what Westerners call reason. The concept of rationality not only conforms to the spirit of traditional Confucianism, but also provides a modern interpretation of this traditional concept of mind, making it compatible with modern philosophy.
After the 1930s, he replaced the concept of intuition with rationality. The Last Confucianism, written by American scholar Ai Kai, states that the concept of "reason" is the fundamental principle of Liang Shuming's second cultural theory construction. Mr. Liang's approach to the theory of mind and nature may differ in terms of language, but his thinking remains consistent. So, according to Ai Kai's statement, the concept of rationality in Mr. Liang's later period has the same function as intuition in both Eastern and Western cultures and their philosophies.
In his later years, Mr. Liang had a book called "The Human Heart and Life". According to Mr. Liang himself, he wrote "The Human Heart and Life" with the aim of establishing a "psychological" foundation for Confucian ethics and morality. Some scholars may take the literal meaning of the text and believe that Mr. Liang needs to establish a psychological foundation for his ethical and moral theories, which shows a tendency towards psychologism.
However, we cannot rely solely on the literal meaning of the text. Mr. Liang's intuition and rational theories actually reflect the Confucian concept of the mind and nature theory. Moreover, this "theory of mind and nature" is a metaphysical concept, which is not psychologism and does not address psychological issues, but rather issues of mind and nature. It is not a psychology in the scientific sense, what he talks about is the Confucian ontology of mind and nature.
From the perspective of theoretical construction, Mr. Liang's intuition and rationality have methodological significance. So in terms of theoretical content, this intuitive and rational theory of mind and nature is a foundation of Mr. Liang's cultural philosophy of mind and nature.
Let's talk about its theory of mind and nature from two aspects in the early and late stages. Firstly, let's talk about intuition.
In "East West Culture and Philosophy", Mr. Liang used a set of language from Buddhist Yogacara to explain the connotation of intuition and its methodological significance. This explanation first used the concepts of present quantity, comparison quantity, and non quantity to explain this intuition.
From a cognitive perspective, Buddhist Yogacara distinguishes knowledge into three levels: present quantity, comparative quantity, and non quantity.
The 'present quantity' is actually a feeling, and it is the cognitive function of the 'sexual environment'. What I know is only 'self appearance'. The sensory effect of the essence of 'present quantity'.
So, the present quantity is purely a sensory effect, a purely sensory effect, a direct understanding. For example, he gave some examples, such as when I drink tea, I feel the taste of the tea, look at this object, see that white, this is the present quantity. It's direct, it doesn't have any other cognitive function inside, for example, when I drink tea, the tea taste is quite fragrant, but I don't judge the fragrance, I just feel the tea taste. I have a judgment about this tea, it is tea, it is very fragrant, this is another cognitive function, this is not immediate quantity, so this immediate quantity is a direct feeling.
The so-called sexual environment refers to the object, which is the object of cognition. This sex has the meaning of substance. The 'sexual environment' requires two conditions: both shadow and quality; Shadow should be as good as its quality.
Shadow is an image, and our perception produces an image, where quality is the essence. For example, if we see a white cloth in front of us and produce the image of white, this is the shadow, and the essence of the white cloth is. This image is a manifestation of my visual perception, and the white cloth itself is the quality.
The image that is manifested through visual perception is my subjective manifestation. Not owned by the fabric itself. Perhaps what other objects reflect on white cloth is a different image. So, the image of white is a subjective manifestation, not something that white cloth itself possesses as a quality.
However, white cloth is necessary to produce a white image. So, the objects generated by current quantity must have shadows and qualities. This is the first condition. To generate quantity, there must be a condition, which is the presence of both shadow and quality. At the same time, the stimulation of white cloth can produce white images, so if you produce white images, you must have white matter. Conversely, if you produce black images with white cloth, this will result in errors.
So, from this perspective, it is necessary to demand a 'sexual environment' and the image should be as good as its quality. In summary, 'present quantity' refers to the feeling, which has a tangible sensory effect and is not mixed with any other cognitive function. He has two conditions, one is quality and the other is quality; Shadow should be as good as its quality.
What is' quantity comparison '?
'Comparison', in modern terms, means rationality. For example, if I see smoke, I know there must be fire in that place. This is a knowledge of reasoning, so it is a rational function. The object generated by comparison is the common phase, which is called the "solitary shadow realm". The common meaning and concepts abstracted from things are called universals. Understanding commonalities has two functions. The function of measuring its composition as an object has two functions: one is simple, and the other is comprehensive.
Zonghe Jian can also be pronounced as Jian Bie, where Jian Bie plays a distinguishing role and another role is comprehensive. The function of synthesis and simplicity is the function of synthesis and separation. When we drink this tea and see things like tea, we separate it from other things like tea. This is the function of simplification, abstracting the commonalities of all teas and forming the concept of tea. This is the comprehensive function.
So, the function of rational 'comparison', he said, is a kind of reasoning, a kind of rational function. This rational function is to abstract its commonality and common meaning from this thing, form concepts, and is such a cognitive function.
What is the correct context for this cognitive function?
It is called the 'solitary shadow realm' because it is the concept of having a shadow but no quality. The concept formed by 'comparison' is completely self generated by my heart, rather than borrowing from the changes of objective things. Therefore, it is called the 'solitary shadow realm with a shadow but no quality'. For example, when we develop the concept of commonality, we will have turtle fur and rabbit feet. The rabbit originally had no feet, but we will form such a concept. This concept is called the solitary shadow realm because it has no object or quality.
On the other hand, its commonality is relative to its own phase. The manifestation reflected by the present quantity is the self phase of things, which changes instantly. For example, this cup may seem like a fixed thing that remains unchanged, but in fact, it is changing. Every moment it represents is not the same.
We will abstract an object that changes in an instant, abstract a common concept, a concept of commonality. So, this thing is a function that our hearts produce. At this point, it is different from sensation or present quantity.
Our reactions to all things are like this. We feel like white paper, every time this feeling is a white paper, it seems similar before and after, but in fact it is different. So, every performance is a manifestation of himself, which is a way of feeling or manifestation. And the manifestation of commonality is to abstract the self manifestation of every moment into something of commonality.
So, this commonality is that he is in a 'solitary realm'.
So, what is' non quantity '?
This involves intuition, and 'non quantity' is a cognitive function that lies between present quantity and specific quantity. The realm that is not known by quantity is called the "realm with quality", which means "there is a shadow and quality, but the shadow is not as good as its quality".
Why is it called 'quality environment'?
We can compare it with current quantity and specific quantity. You can understand it, the object of current understanding is the sexual environment. This sexual state is based on the principle that 'the shadow should be as its quality'. Its non existence is subjective, and it has objective basis.
The concept of 'solitary shadow realm' that it recognizes through comparison is entirely manifested by the mind as' having shadow but no quality '. This existence is subjective.
Non quantity is different from both of these. Non quantity or intuition, he said, is a type of understanding that is different from both, called "spiritual meaning". So, between these two is a spiritual meaning, or rather a trend and inclination. For example, he gave an example that when we hear music, we find it wonderful; when we see painting, we also find it very beautiful; when we eat candy, we enjoy it very much. This meaning is derived from intuition or non quantity, and it is different from both sensory feelings and fixed concepts. He called it a "living form".
