초록
When we reflect with sincerity we recognize that human development is often not on a par with economic development and all the material acquisitions that go along with it. True developmental success needs a higher human maturity and relationship with the natural environment. In our search for well being, something finally escaped us. We did not achieve the “supplement of soul/supplément d’âme” as Bergson suggested at the beginning of the twentieth century. This essay attempts to react to the distance and the split which were created, especially since the eighteenth century, between nature and man which are also linked to a break which is noticed in us, particularly when we consider emotion. Our decisions have led us progressively to “err.” To avoid working against ourselves, we need a profound experience which helps us to understand more who we are, what the universe represents, and to act accordingly. Ecology is more than a political strategy, a technical problem, or an academic subject. Ecology leads us to reconsider our relationship with all beings. Do we use the earth to dominate it or do we respect it? Are we only the conquerors or do we truly love the universe? This essay wishes to reconnect with the beauty and the significance of our environment with the help of certain Korean and Chinese thinkers who were great admirers of life and the universe, watching daily, seasonal, yearly and generational changes. Beyond theories, let us discover a mind awakening, a sensitiveness and an approach distinctive to certain Far Eastern sources like the Yijing/Book of Changes, The Chasŏngnok of Yi Hwang, T’oegye, and the Sŏnghak chibyo of Yi I, Yulgok, among others, which would help to ease the impoverishments of the spirit and the heart and arouse this “supplement of soul” which was hoped for by Bergson. Thus, overcoming the tendency to mechanization and functionalism, causes of indifference which hinder our in-depth maturation and our relationships, we will have to develop a more adequate vision, an interiorization and new ways of emotional expression and a necessary care concerning the future even of life which risks not inspiring us anymore with wonderment and gratitude.
키워드
Human fulfillment, emotion, meditation, T’oegye, Yulgok, Yijing, Chasŏngnok, Sŏnghak chibyo
INTRODUCTION
When we think about it sincerely we recognize that human development is often not on a par with economic development which is accelerating together with all the materialistic acquisitions that go along with it. Although pertinent warnings were expressed about the weaknesses of the Enlightenment project,
To come out of misery, be free and create comfortable surroundings are natural desires especially for those who have been oppressed for a long time. However, true development calls for considering deeply human fulfillment, especially on an internal level, and relating to the natural environment. An unbalance is created between our demands for our rights and material success and our human condition which is emotional and not just physical. In our search for well being something has escaped us. We did not achieve yet the “supplement of soul/
Not respecting our environment is in fact working against ourselves and future generations; it is hurting ourselves. Struck by more and more huge accomplishments we play the demiurges who are blind to the consequences of their acts. We remember Mencius’ words: “With those who do violence to themselves, it is impossible to speak. With those who throw themselves away, it is impossible to do anything.”
All the warnings, the rules and international declarations will not suffice to arouse a reaction and responsible involvement in people of all levels of society to avoid greater crises and more evil consequences. It seems that sometimes only catastrophes and suffering pull men out of their indifference and blindness. Mencius says: “Men for the most part err, and are afterwards able to reform. They are distressed in mind and perplexed in their thoughts, and then they arise to vigorous reformation. […] From these things we see how life springs from sorrow and calamity, and death from ease and pleasure.”
This article aims at reacting to the distance and the fissure which have been created, especially since the eighteenth century, between nature and us; these are linked to a split which has also developed in us. Our decisions have led us to ‘err’ progressively. What we are today is above all the result of the cultural and philosophical evolution of the last two centuries which shaped our identity. During these centuries traditions were shaken and values were weakened. Man gave himself a more and more important position and pushed aside the ontological and spiritual foundations. The result produced a great disillusionment (disenchantment) which is very different from the wonderment of the beginnings of philosophy in the West and the Far East.
We are at a turning point in history. A dose of humility, clear thinking, courage and love is now necessary. Although Gabriel Marcel deplored “the decline of wisdom” and the lack of humility of some Western philosophical schools of thought, Paul Ricoeur was one of the few Western thinkers who together with Merleau-Ponty recognized the limits of Western philosophy in its initial movement and who spoke of the necessity of a meeting with Eastern thought (Chinese, Indian) for “mutual explaining/
Only a deep rooted experience allows us to really glimpse who we are and what the universe represents and to act accordingly. Then we vibrate in wonderment at a reality which presents itself and gives itself to us with generosity for the fulfillment of everyone. This experience can take different forms according to the diversity of cultures and their complementary riches. This vision, anybody having experienced it once cannot forget. […] The light which opened his eyes remains like a non changing light in the depth of the eyes and he quivers always remembering the sensation of that universal contact. […] The liberating word is here: it is not enough for man, rejecting his egoism, to live socially. He needs to live with all his heart united with the whole world which carries him––cosmically.
Nothing is insignificant in our universe. Teilhard made his first discovery with the density of a piece of iron and then studied stones and through a huge adventure opened up to what he calls “The Heart of the
The cosmic environment is dependent on our responsible or irresponsible actions. Do we use the earth to dominate it or do we respect it? Do we think about how we pass on the earth to future generations? Are we only the conquerors or do we truly love the universe? Paul Ricoeur worried a lot because the West had not developed a philosophy of heart and emotion, a philosophy of mutual recognition and an ethics of gratitude. If we remain insensitive when forests are wiped out and animals tortured we are already vulnerable to the mutilation of our emotions in relating to other human beings. Ecology is more than a political strategy, a technical problem or an academic subject. It allows us to reconsider our relationship with beings, all beings.
This article hopes to reconnect with the beauty and meaning of the universe according to certain Korean and Chinese philosophers and sages who had great admiration for life and the universe in their changes during the day, the seasons, the year, and the generations. Since an extensive theoretical analysis is not within the scope of this article, we searched only to discover a way for the spirit to open, a sensitivity and approach appropriate to certain Far Eastern sources like the
1. HUMAN FULFILLMENT AND LOVE OF THE UNIVERSE ACCORDING TO CHINESE SOURCES
From the first contact with Chinese sources like the
We need especially in uncertain times to stop, to temporarily stop writing, researching and thinking in order to look at what is around us, not to take advantage of it but to welcome it. To stop and reunite with the silence of the universe from which nevertheless emanates a music which we had not suspected. To stop ourselves. To get a glimpse of what man misses. To glimpse the sacred. Every instant awaits with a new experience, completely human and at the same time beyond human.
Although we look for shortcuts always quicker and more modern, the detours in research are far from being a loss of time and the strangeness of texts and traditions which are less familiar both historically or geographically opens for us other ideas in order to act more correctly. Certain pages of the
Experts gave and continue to give their reports on the serious ecological situation of our planet. Humanity is confronted with an increase of natural disasters. Nevertheless scientists mention the capacity of the earth to regenerate;those responsible state that in the long term the great ecological evils can be overcome if men themselves change their attitudes and how they act. That is why if on the one hand effective intervention is necessary in certain situations, Far Eastern wisdom teaches us also the importance of stepping backwards, of “not acting” and contemplating in order to implement a richer human fulfillment connected to the love of this planet and this universe.
In their research to understand life the sages of the
Fu Xi, who is a symbol of Far Eastern sages, meditated deeply and saw the world: “Fu Xi looked upward and contemplated the images in the heavens; he looked downward and contemplated the patterns on earth. He contemplated the markings of birds and beasts and the adaptations to the regions.”
Far Eastern thought very early considered particularly the first look, the first emotion and the first thought. It is the passage from calm to movement, from silence to the beginning of sound, from non-action to action. “The seeds are the first imperceptible beginning of movement, the first trace of good fortune (or misfortune) that shows itself. The superior (profound) man perceives the seeds and immediately takes action.”
Drawing the first line of a hexagram symbolizes this beginning which is hardly perceptible. Our distance from the natural environment, industrialization and urbanization diminished the freshness of our first contacts with nature. It seems that our condition is getting worse and yet new starting points are possible as the Hexagram “Return” shows “Things cannot be destroyed once and for all. When what is above is completely split apart, it returns below. […] Return is the stem of character. Return is small, yet different from external things. Return leads to selfknowledge.”
The consideration of this first imperceptible beginning or of this return which is hardly visible applies to all our experiences in relationships with others and with the universe: first meeting, first creative movement or first step to return. It is then that we have to search for the correctness of our emotions. We find in the
While there are no stirrings of pleasure, anger, sorrow, or joy, the mind may be said to be in the state of equilibrium (centred, 中). When these feelings have been stirred, and they act in their due degree, there ensues what may be called the state of harmony (和). This equilibrium is the great root in the world and this harmony is the universal path. Let the states of equilibrium and harmony exist in perfection and a happy order will prevail throughout heaven and earth, and all things will be nourished and flourish.
Thus the centre of deep heart and the harmony of emotions when they begin to show themselves, as we come in contact with things, will bring about the fulfillment of all beings.
The words of Arthur Waley are known: “The Chinese were in love with nature”
Thus this article wants to reread and interpret relating to our time certain Chinese source inspirations like the
Our hypothesis is that those who contemplated and observed the beings of the universe as mentioned in the
Confucius appreciated the
We see that according to the ancient Chinese vision, the universe and man respond to each other, are in “mysterious correspondence” to use the expression of Yulgok in his commentary on the
Thus man shares the life of the cosmos, “Man would not know how to see himself outside of humanity, nor humanity outside of life nor life outside of the universe. ”
The Far East expresses sometimes in a laconic way the mystic power of certain Western visionaries such as in these words of Mencius: “All things are already complete in us (me)”
Beyond the complexity and certain realities difficult to explain, the universe allows us to sense the welcoming heart. We find in the
Does Heaven ever speak? The four seasons pursue their courses, and all things are
Does the spring not return regularly after the winter? Do men lack water, air and fruits of the earth? And yet, affected by the temptation that this is ours, we have a right to it, how often are we grateful for these gifts? Nevertheless we realize from time to time that if we are without air for a few minutes or water for a few days our lives are in danger.
We have the admiring depth of those who approached the Tao: “The kind man discovers it and calls it kind. The wise man discovers it and calls it wise. The people use it day by day and are not aware of it, for the way of the superior (profound) man is rare. The Tao manifests itself as kindness but conceals its workings. It gives life to all things, but it does not share the anxieties of the holy sage. Its glorious power, its great field of action, are of all things the most sublime.”
We do not reach the loving heart of the universe because we have a utilitarian mentality and we have not learned yet the language of modesty. Our ears are not yet well tuned. Tseu-k’i said to Yen: “Perhaps you have heard the music of man but not that of the Earth; perhaps you have heard the music of the Earth but not that of Heaven.”
The Chinese character for landscape (山水) in art is expressed by the characters mountain and water which we find among the eight trigrams at the base of the hexagrams of the
The disciple Hsu said “Chung-ni (Confucius) often praised water, saying, ‘O water! O water!’ What did he find in water
Here it is the life enriching activity which is stressed. We read in the
However this unceasing activity requires the other dimension of calm as the
However, balance and the Mean are important for a righteous action. That is why Mencius reflecting on the notion of time, for example the time to stop, calls Confucius the sage who corresponds to the precise moment, the sage who knows the exact value of time in relation to the righteous action and to the fulfilment of being.
The
Since man comes to resemble heaven and earth, he is not in conflict with them. His wisdom embraces all things, and his tao brings order into the whole world. Therefore he does not err. He is active everywhere but does not let himself be carried away. He rejoices in heaven and has knowledge of fate, therefore he is free of care. He is content with his circumstances and genuine in his kindness, therefore he can practice love.
What progress would we make in all domains if these words became for us a source of inspiration and action! When man embraces all things and contributes to world order, he cannot err.
Although often modern thoughts insist on conflict, contradiction, the mask, falsehood, the spirit of the sages of the
8 “The Great Treatise,” Part I, Chapter XI.2, trans. Richard Wilhelm, Princeton University Press, 1976, 316.
9 “Discussion of the Trigrams,” Wilhelm, 262.
10 “The Great Treatise,” Part II, Chapter II, trans. Richard Wilhelm, 328.
11 “The Great Treatise,” Part II, Chapter V.11, trans. Richard Wilhelm, 342.
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14 Arthur Waley,
15 Marie-Ina Bergeron,
16 Marie-Ina Bergeron,
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22 Blaise Pascal,
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2. HUMAN FULFILLMENT AND LOVE OF THE UNIVERSE ACCORDING TO KOREAN SOURCES
Different from China, Korean Thought sources are more hidden and less known but reveal their riches if we know how to be patient. At the beginning of the twenty-first century, after the tragedies of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries many people are turning towards Asian countries, Korea included, admiring it for its economic development. However, a greater effort has to be made to appreciate Korean cultural values.
During the second half of the twentieth century Korea became westernized and in the end forgot a lot of its own tradition as Professor Park Chong-Hong, who knew both Western and Eastern philosophies well, mentioned in the past. As we are confronted today to certain excesses of world modernization, the time seems to have come to reconsider development in the larger framework of human fulfillment and our relationship with the universe. Instead of decrees and slogans we need examples like the sages of the
In this second part we want to meditate together with Korean philosophers. Our hypothesis is that, if the Koreans received a lot from the Chinese tradition, not only did they take it seriously and did their best to put it into practice, but they particularly enriched the internal dimension of emotion which we urgently need today to take care of ourselves, others and the universe.
Let us note that Korean Confucian Thought really flourished under Neo-Confucianism especially from the sixteenth century. That is why we are drawn to Yi Hwang, T’oegye and Yi I, Yulgok for this ecological reflection. It is necessary to emphasize as we set out that Neo-Confucianism, or precisely the study of human nature and principles, is not only a reaction to Buddhism but rather a return to Confucian Classical sources to re-appreciate the problems of that time in Korea and China. In its original movement, Neo-Confucianism confronted the present without losing the inspiration of the Classics. One of the Classics which particularly enlightened this movement was the
A. Reflections centered on Yi Hwang, T’oegye
When we consider the simple, self-effacing and deep love of nature, the example of Yi Hwang, T’oegye (1501–1570) naturally comes to mind. His penname includes the character ‘retreating’, not with the meaning of not acting, but in order to grasp reality and one’s responsibility while enjoying nature. T’oegye encouraged his students to spend time near rivers, plants and flowers before become absorbed again in study or activities, sensing certainly an uplifting presence which inspired him.
Thus in every day life (his wish was), that exchanging cups of wine be lessened, that taste and desires be controlled, freeing the heart so that each day is spent calmly and agreably. Whether in the appreciation of painting or writing, of flowers or of plants, whether in admiration of fish in the rivers or birds in the mountains, we should delight in thought and never refuse what the will needs. We should strive that the mind-and-heart is always in a mild state and not confrontational, confused or quick to anger.
When reading we should not do so intensly to the point of burdening the spirit and if we read a lot we have to be absolutely prudent allowing ourselves to appreciate the ‘taste’ and to turn towards the mind-and-heart.
Concerning the research of essential principles, (T’oegye says), go to simple bright ordinary life places to appreciate and become familiar with them. Sufficiently soaked in what we already know we feel comfortable with the knowledge that we have in a condition where ‘the will is neither set nor non-set’
In the letter (which you sent) the points that you mentioned ‘‘deep culture’’ (
We feel in these lines how T’oegye found sources for his thought in contact with nature. Nature lived in him, calmed him, allowed him to find moderation, joy and gentleness guiding the clear-mindedness of his mind-and-heart and of his will. Rather than studying in a complicated way, what is necessary is to appreciate what is important. The essential principles can be seen in ordinary life. Mildness,
We remember that T’oegye in his youth ruined his health studying the
Enlightened men humbled themselves, were self effacing and were modest and respectful; they followed the Tao emptying themselves, “Arrogance means that we know how to progress but not how to retreat, we know how to exist but not how to die, we know how to win but not how to lose. Only the sage knows how to progress, retreat, exist and die without losing his righteous nature.
It is not surprising that T’oegye chose as the first diagram of his study The Ten
One who would learn to be a sage should seek the beginning here in this [diagram] and apply his efforts to the practice of [what is presented in] such works as the
It seems that one of T’oegye’s joys was to strive to reach the unique fundamental principle between the Self and the things of the universe beyond the narrowness of the “I” as can be seen in his reflection on Zhangzai’s
Breaking the self interested heart which includes the I and opening widely the general principle of no Self we harmonize and are able to penetrate the stony heart, making it so that there is no space between the other and the Self. If there is any little bit of self centered heart, harmony cannot be made. All the beings of the universe become one family, the whole country becomes like one person and if I consider with deep feeling the others’ suffering, I can receive the tao of the
T’oegye made his own Zhangzai’s approach according to which despite his littleness it is possible for man to enter into the cosmic dimension of self. As Tu Wei-ming mentions: “(In the immensity of the cosmos) not only a place exists but an intimate place for each one of us. We are all, in fact, the guardians and cocreators of the universe. In this unitary vision of man, an Ontological chasm between the Creator and creature seems inconceivable.”
This unitary relationship within the cosmos is brought about by the ‘ren’. T’oegye meditates like this in Diagram two of his
The learning of the sages consists in the seeking of humanity. It is necessary to deeply inculcate in oneself the intention [of becoming hu-mane], and then understand that one makes up a single body with Heaven and Earth and the myriad creatures. To truly and actually live this way is what is involved in becoming humane. One must personally get a taste [of this experience]; then he will be rid of the problem [of thinking that] it is something so vast as to be unobtainable and also will be free from the mistaken notion that other things are identical with himself, and the inner dispositions of his mind and heart will thus become perfect and complete.
T’oegye was fascinated by the lofty
To say that the mind-and-heart is the
Life itself is a constant object of meditation for man who tries to make sense of it through symbols like the five trigrams in the
Concerning the saying of the Ch’eng brothers “he heart of compassion (惻隱之心)
Reflecting on ecology is not only discussing about ideas and planning but rediscovering the deep meaning of life, changing oneself in contact with men and women who lived taking full responsibility for a higher good. Thus Gandhi helps us with these words: “Be the change that you want to see in the world” and Albert Schweitzer is an example in having embodied what he designated as fundamental : The Teaching of Reverence for Life.
However human tasks in this world are difficult to accomplish as T’oegye often complained:
If we look at the ordinary relation with others (reception) of these days, we see that falling into wrong habits and losing the Self represent six or seven times out of ten. You mentioned in your letter: “I understood the difficulty of finding one’s way in society.” or “I feel sorry for not being able to be stricter in proprieties.” Or “If the external appearance is slackened, the heart within also changes.” For us these are not small deficiencies, they should of course be corrected, which is not easy. […] Through reverential respect we should not lose the fundamental mind-and-heart and should avoid taking superficially daily relations by enriching deep culture […]
T’oegye attached great importance to reverential respect (mindfulness) in order to solve the complex problems of the human condition.
In his letters T’oegye often speaks of ‘an illness’ of the mind and heart which he cannot undo. Thus for him one of the guiding threads between all beings on a cosmic level is the mind-and-heart, the fundamental human emotion which springs up in diagrams six, seven and eight. This feeling has weakened today. It is a surprising reality that emotion connects beings while reason separates because it analyses. Paul Ricoeur speaks even of a ‘mystery of emotion’, knowing the unbreakable link of my existence to beings and to being through desire and love.
How is that possible? Through emotion. Thus when a part of my body suffers, my whole body suffers and when an element of the universe is damaged, the whole universe feels it. Thus T’oegye urges us through diagrams six, seven and eight to develop the heart which is our weak point compared to our intellectual brilliance.
Depth expresses itself sometimes in certain lines of poems which crystallize the experience of a whole life
Seeing is linked with brightness and purity; feeling and understanding are linked with luminosity and heat. Hence the symbol: “The heart is like the sun.”
We cannot develop here the study of this symbol of a mirror usually used for the heart which Paul Demiéville explained in depth through different facets of Taoism, Buddhism and even Christianity. Commenting on Zhouang Zi, Demiéville writes:
For the spirit (mind) to be the mirror of the universe it is important, according to Zhouang Zi, to be calm, to reduce oneself to a state of non feeling: thus the spirit identifies itself to the ‘virtue of Heaven’, which is its true nature; pure and calm, one and unchanging, without feeling and inactive the spirit (mind) is like water. Water is a mirror but on condition that it is calm and that nothing external moves it.
According to T’oegye: “The eye is like a clear mirror (眼如明鏡).” To really see is difficult. We know from experience that because of our activities and our preoccupations we often do not see the beauty of nature or the goodness of human actions. Only when we stop do we see the magnificence of the orchid or the greatness of an act of forgiving. In the
Confucius: “In regard to the use of his eyes, the profound man is anxious to see clearly. In regard to the use of his ears, he is anxious to hear distinctly.”
“The mind-and-heart is like the sun (心如日)”?a surprising expression of T’oegye. T’oegye criticized Wang Yang-ming and Buddhism and yet in the framework of Neo-Confucianism he gave an important place to Heart and to the culture of Heart. There is one sun which shines on and gives life to our planet. There is one Heart rooted in Heaven’s Heart which allows the relationships between all beings. The closer we get to the purity of the
The longing of T’oegye is to get back to daily practical life where everything is finally decided because in the Confucian spirit
T’oegye shows us that from the beginning of a day the real direction of our action is involved:
When the cock crows and you awake, thoughts gradually increase their pace; at this time how can one but compose himself and bring order to them. Sometimes reflect on your past faults; at others follow out what has been newly apprehended. With proper order and sequence, lucidly ponder this matter in silence. […] Over the cyclic alternation of activity and quiet, the mind presides; it should be possessed in quiet and discerning in activity. Do not allow it to become divided into two or three. In the time left over from reading, from time to time take a swim (stroll) to relax your mind and refresh and nourish your feelings and nature.”
Meeting T’oegye, who is in himself representative of Far Eastern wisdom, we cannot but humbly recognize that we have let down our original nature and that we have to learn to renew the link of fraternity with all things. We have insisted so much because of the modern world on the rights and individual freedom that sympathy for people and things has faded and moved by diverse ideologies we have become insensitive to the beauty and the unique value of life, of all life.
B. Reflections centered on Yi I, Yulgok
Yulgok’s approach is complementary to that of T’oegye, T’oegye embodying more the example of retreating when it is time to retire and Yulgok (1536–1584) embodying more the example of committing oneself when it is time to get involved. T’oegye philosophized and acted calmly, in a gentle way; Yulgok confronted obstacles energetically. However, they were equally courageous, clearminded and sensitive to man’s suffering and the injustice of situations, although in different ways. In fact, despite the age gap, each saw the other’s value because of their depth and their cosmic vision.
To approach the texts of Yulgok or T’oegye is to set out on a hermeneutic task of relearning to read and to “taste”, it is working on re-discovering the meaning of these texts. This work is even more complex than for Chinese texts. We wonder: “What have these Korean Neo-Confucian texts of the sixteenth century to do with the modernization of the twenty-first century and with the serious ecological questions which are today endangering man’s future?” If these texts are presented as museum pieces they will remain dumb, but if we discover the key to reading them, their message will become precious.
Our hypothesis is that as in the case of T’oegye the texts of Yi I, Yulgok not only pass the test of time, but they guide us as we mature, confronting the complex challenges of humanity’s global evolution. However, an intensive exploration of Yulgok’s work is necessary. Yulgok was not an ordinary Neo-Confucian as an old Buddhist monk he met in the Kŭmgang Mountains said to him. Yulgok, then still young, was considered to be a living Buddha (生佛). He was, moreover, in harmony with the spirit of Laozi, whose
In a clear and concise way, Yulgok gave his all not only on the level of thought but also through action. For him the reason for the success of an accomplishment was to invest all his energy from the moment of setting his will to the attainment of the highest level of wisdom that was possible. He still fascinates and inspires us because he not only worked out a particular kind of thought that could develop into orthodoxy, but his vision embraced rich aspects of diverse thoughts. His motivation was creativity, the quest for truth and relationships between researches which seem to differ. He succeeded in this comprehensive approach because he embodied Confucius’ words: “My doctrine (Tao) is that of an all-pervading unity.”
Yulgok understood the intention of the sages who wrote the
Showing thus how much he responded with enthusiasm to the all embracing vision and the depths of the
Having reached the heart of the dynamic of the
The ordinary way of the world is elevating. We are drawn to position, honours, and famous names. But Laozi says that the Tao does not have a name. Yulgok by his life gave the example of voluntary deprivation through his admiration of the Classical sages, his Buddhist experience and his appreciation of Taoism evident in his poems. For him it was not a question of words but of putting into practice and a true fulfillment in harmony with the cosmic reality. That is why he used the character
Heaven’s work is nourishing and transforming all things through true principles. Man can touch others through true heart. True principles and true heart are none other than sincerity. That is why he who adheres truly to Heaven’s principles and receives sincerity totally is a sage and he who fulfills a part of the principles and receives partially sincerity is an enlightened man. The essence is very subtle, the application is evident. That is why we can move Heaven and earth, we can move the spirits and we can arouse men’s admiration.
天以實理而有化育之功人以實心而致感通之效所謂實理實心者不過曰誠而已矣純乎天理而得誠之全者聖人也實其一端而得誠之偏者賢者也其體其微而其用甚顯故天地可以格鬼神可以動人心可以服矣
Yulgok did his best to explain the most difficult questions of the human condition without cutting off from the entirety of the cosmos and society. The future of the cosmos and that of man are deeply linked. Yulgok expressed this relationship of a mysterious exchange between Heaven and men:
The Tao of the Master (Confucius) was in correspondence with Heaven(夫子之道 合乎天).
Ah! Heaven and men are one, there is no distinction between them but only Heaven and Earth are disinterested while men are self seeking. That is why men cannot identify with the greatness of Heaven and Earth.
嗚呼 天人一也更無分別惟其天地無私而人有私故人不得與天地同其大.
Meditating on the
Heaven is nothing if not close. It helps those who are virtuous, gives good fortune to him who follows virtue and bad fortune to those opposing. We can understand here the principle of correspondence between Heaven and man. [...] Heaven sees through the eyes of the people. Heaven hears through the people’s ears. The place of return for man’s heart is where we find Heaven’s will.”
(人心之所歸 天命之所在.) 皇天無親 惟德是輔 順德者吉 逆德者凶天人感應之理斯可知矣[...]天視自我民視天聽自我民聽人心之所歸天命之所在也.
And also
One who acts without artificiality is Heaven. He who acts artificially is man. If we understand that Heaven starts nothing which is not for man and man undertakes nothing which is not for Heaven, we can say that we understand the will of Heaven.
莫之爲者天地有所爲者人也知天之未始不爲人知人之未始不 天則始可謂知命矣.
The point of departure of Yulgok’s thought and actions is nature and the cosmos but not in the sense that he had a materialistic tendency or an aesthetic affinity. If man cuts off from his ontological and cosmological roots, he cannot enter into the full comprehension of his condition nor into the process of his transformation. Confucius already said: “Without recognizing the ordinances (will) (of Heaven), it is impossible to be a superior (profound) man (不知命無以爲君子也).”
The cosmos is for Yulgok a place to experience, to meditate on, a place for a unique discovery where man can open his mind to the diversity, the depth and the value of principles and also to the dynamics and maturation of life. It is a place we approach with great expectation but also with great respect. It is at the same time a place where we come and we go, and which we do not own.
Looking as far as the horizon, we grasp the greatness of the Eastern sea.
[…]
I try to perceive where the sun rises but I do not succeed.
極目始知東海大
欲看出處知無奈
The rising of the sun, the appearance of things, energy, primordial energy. These poetic lines were found in a letter he sent:
The original
What is formless is found within what is formed.
We search for the source but from the beginning it is an integral part.
元氣何端始
無形在有形
窮源知本合
Like the sages who composed the
Some Deep Thoughts on the Night of the Winter Solstice
At midnight a Yang started to move,
It is difficult to speak of the mysterious Heart of Heaven
Discovering what exists (
When the thunder rolls, the earth shakes,
In one night a new fire lights up. […]
In this night of pure energy,
Let us think silently about the mysteries of hidden principles. […]
Closing and opening, who arranges all that?
I am moved by this return determined by Heaven.
When we think about the mind-and-heart we feel fear.
I also participate in the three Ultimates.
The truth of Heaven (innocence) may become depraved and false. […]
Henceforth in my pain I promise willingly.
Heaven responds to what I hear and what I see. […]
If I concentrate on reverential respect
Where can the defiled heart invade? […]
Observing calmly the changes and transformations of Heaven and Earth,
We see how they contribute to the health of all beings.
If men do not take this cosmic transformation as a model,
It is like they give up on themselves.
Like you are sweeping away the dust and you stop.
The water and a mirror, originally they are without stain.
子半一陽動
天心妙難議
若識無中有
雷聲殷大地
中宵點新火 […]
及此夜氣淸
黙念玄機秘 […]
闔闢誰汝使
感彼天運復
省心還惴惴
感披天運復
噫我參三極 […]
天眞汨私僞 […]
我今痛自誓
昊天應聽視 […]
若使敬爲主
染心安所自 […]
冥觀天地化
至健功乃施
爲人不法此
有身乃自棄
但使泥塵盡
水鏡元無累
Yulgok was fascinated from an early age by the beauty of the universe: “the mountain crests covered with snow”, “the waterfalls which rush down shaking the earth”, “the sea in its vastness.” How to respond to this majesty, to nature’s power? Although there was a time when Yulgok was tempted to live as a hermit, he decided to return to society. “I still have not finished my relations with the world.” Even if he was absorbed in action, he kept the vision of vastness, mystery and the reality of the universe-cosmos. What is special about Korean and Chinese cosmology is that it is not just about passive contemplation where you reach an indifference to the troubles of the world but it is an active cooperation with the creative forces of nature, which are not only natural physical forces but also the manifestation of an internal spiritual energy acting in man and the cosmos. Energy at the heart of things. Unity of a reality where phenomena are real. “I also participate in the three Ultimates.” Yulgok wrote. Astonishing expression: “If men do not take as their model this cosmic achievement it is like they give up on themselves.”
The cry of Yulgok who often expressed how man can so easily be corrupted (“polluted heart”) aspires to an original purity symbolized by ‘stainless water’, ‘pure energy’, ‘mysterious heart of Heaven’, ‘Heaven’s truth may become depraved and false.’ In the thought of Yulgok everything converges towards the mind-and-heart and springs from it. Man is at the heart of the universe and (becomes) the heart of the universe. He reflects the mysterious heart to which he is inextricably connected. The desire of the heart for the original source in all its beauty and its purity is often an inexpressible suffering.
There is a heart wrenching in Yulgok between the absence of light and maturity in society and the fulfillment of man which he called
Touched by the internal beauty seen through the cosmic experience, Yulgok found in himself the capacity to set his will in order to accomplish fully his destiny as a man. Correcting oneself, cultivating oneself, constant practice, perseverance are necessary to go in the direction of what was glimpsed: “There is this saying from of old: He who wills it will succeed in what he undertakes (古語曰有志者 事竟成 […] )” and:
The study of wisdom means giving all to reach in reality the sincerity of the will and the correction of the heart. Even though you set up a strong will, it has through study to become substantial and thus unite word and action and when the interior and the exterior respond to each other in harmony you cannot go against the will.”
聖學克盡誠正之功者大志雖立必以學問實之 然後言行一致表裏相資無負乎志矣.
Unavoidable foundation of:
Without sincerity you cannot establish the will, without sincerity you cannot attain the deep understanding of principles and without sincerity you cannot change the physical disposition.”
如志無誠則不立理無誠則不格 氣質無誠則不能變化.
Yulgok’s work which allies the internal treasures of a whole tradition of wisdom and the ardent concern of the most down to earth realities can inspire new expressions of wisdom and noble culture to confront the considerable challenges of our time like that of the environment. Yulgok is an example of decision, of courage, of perseverance combined with a lofty vision and aprofound feeling for all beings, accepting hard effort, suffering and thinking only of fulfilling.
40 Expression used by the Master of Zhu Xi (1130–1200), Li T’ung (Li Yen-p’ing) (1093–1163).
41 These are two fundamental values of Neo-Confucianism for the cultivation of the Self. The former indicates more the widening of knowledge and of the development of human nature. The latter indicates more a deep consideration of the Self within experience.
42 T’oegye,
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51 Tu Wei-ming, “Neo-Confucian Ontology: A preliminary interrogation,”
52
53
54 T’oegye,
55 Reference to
56 This makes us think of
57 T’oegye,
58 Albert Schweitzer,
59 T’oegye,
60
61
62 T’oegye,
63 Paul Ricoeur,
64 Quoted by Tu Wei-ming, “Yi Hwang’s Perception of the Mind,” The T’oegyehak Study Institute, no. 19, Seoul, 1976, 462.
65 Gaston Bachelard,
66
67 Paul Demieville,
68 T’oegye,
69 In T’oegye,
70
71 Words of the
72
73 Introduced by WM. Theodore de Bary in
74 Pierre Teilhard De Chardin,
75
76 Throwing a glass bottle in a forest seems an insignificant action but if many people do this in a dry summer the sun can set this forest on fire. The forest is threatened with destruction by an irresponsible attitude.
77
78
79 “There ensued great disorder in the world, and sages and worthies no longer shed their light on it. The Tao and its characteristics ceased to be regarded as uniform. Many in different places got one glimpse of it, and plumed themselves on possessing it as a whole. […] The case was that of the scholar of a corner who passes his judgment on all the beautiful in heaven and earth, discriminates the principles that underlie all things, and attempts to estimate the success arrived at by the ancients. Seldom is it that such an one can embrace all the beautiful in heaven and earth, or rightly estimate the ways of the spiritual and intelligent; and thus it was that the Tao, which inwardly forms the sage and externally the king, became obscured and lost its clearness, became repressed and lost its development. […] The students of that later age unfortunately did not see the undivided purity of heaven and earth, and the great scheme of truth held by the ancients. The system of the Tao was about to be torn into fragments all under the sky.” based on James Legge’s translation:
80
81
82
83
84
85
86 Yi I, Yulgok,
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94 “The Great Treatise,” Part II, Chapter V.11, trans. Richard Wilhelm, 342.
95 Heaven, man and earth.
96
97
98
99 Zhou Dun-I,
100
101
CONCLUSION
Experts from numerous disciplines agree that the ecological situation of our planet is very serious and that it is important to act quickly as we do not have a lot of time.
Contrary to what we might think, experts unanimously point out that the solution to this deadlock is in becoming aware of our irresponsibility and our attachment to our own interests. We have cut off our relationships with nature, which is not only material to be exploited. We believe ourselves to be superior to it. The great majority of environmental problems are caused by man, so the solution is in man. “We have to become more human, more caring, more kind, slower and smarter, more frugal, treating life with humility and respect,” some say. So it is the scientists who are calling us to rediscover ancient wisdom!
Care, authenticity, humility, frugality are unchangeable values to relearn and to live today. This article is limited to certain aspects of the teaching of the
We are humiliated today by the civilization that we have developed and which in many ways turns against us. It is not a loss of time to stop and evaluate what needs to be corrected and to be accomplished in a positive way. We are far from “the opus” about which Teilhard spoke which ought to include the dimension of heart
We cannot fulfill ourselves at the cost of nature and the cosmos but in harmony with them. We act impulsively as if the earth was our property. We give nature no rights legally. In fact the earth is entrusted to us. It prospers if we love and respect it and deteriorates if we treat it badly. Only a conscience that is more acute allows us to find again a sense of wonderment and a feeling of gratitude towards nature. The deforestation and the expanding of deserts actually reflect the dryness of our souls. We have in our hands the power to make life more fruitful or to bring about death.
The universe is not only a source of wonder but education. We have a lot to learn from the universe, infinitely vast and infinitely minuscule, in order to put in place forms of energy and techniques which reflect the marvelous achievements that are taking place under our eyes in the vegetal and animal kingdoms where neither robot nor machine exist; but perhaps more urgent than finding new forms of energy is to work on ourselves in order to become more “human.”
At this turning point of history when we are faced with the complexity of the world and its innumerable challenges, we need more than ever to rediscover the fundamental sources of being and of life, sources of the conscience, moral sources. We consider too often as treasures transient things and pay very little attention to the real treasures.
The real treasures are this universe which has been given to us and mind-andheart of which we become aware a little more each day. We can contemplate untiringly a water source which begins in the depth of a mountain because it symbolizes the mystery of this gift of life. It is only when there is a lack of water that we can really feel its value.
It is even more difficult to appreciate the sources of the mind-and-heart which are easily neglected and presented as utopian, outdated and irrelevant to the contemporary issues. The sources make us hear the voices of courageous men.
102 Scientific Documentary, “The 11th Hour—Turn Mankind’s Darkest Hour into its Finest,” produced and narrated by Leonardo DiCaprio, 2007.
103 For a long time chemical, plastic and nuclear waste, among others, still remain a serious problem not yet resolved.
104
105 Teilhard De Chardin, Pierre,
106 Tu Wei-ming, International Conference on Universal Ethics and Asian Values, Seoul, October 1999, 369: “The sanctity of the earth, the divinity of the body, the beatitude of the family and the sacredness of the community are encoded in human nature anthropocosmically defined. There is spirituality in all matter because any matter (Sun, moon, star, animal, tree, or rock) is a specific configuration of the vital energy. There is, therefore, consanguinity between us and all other modalities of being. Self-cultivation, intended for the full realization of our nature, is none other than the transformation of our earthly, bodily, familial and communal realities into all-embracing expressions of ourselves as the co-creators of the cosmic process.”
107
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1 Cf. particularly Tu Wei-ming, International Conference on Universal Ethics and Asian Values, Seoul, October 1999, Korean National Commission for UNESCO. Korean Society for Future Studies, “A Confucian Perspective on the Core Values of the Global Community,” 362–375, also Alasdair Macintyre,After Virtue , a study in moral theory, Duckworth, 1981/1996.
2 Henri Bergson,Les Deux Sources de la Morale et de la Religion , 1932, PUF, Paris, 2008.
3The Works of Mencius , Dover Publications, 1970, Book IV, Part I, Chapter X, trans. James Legge, 301.
4 Ibid., 447.
5 Paul Ricoeur,Philosophie de la Volonté II, Finitude et Culpabilité , Aubier, Paris, 1960, 185.
6 Pierre Teilhard De Chardin,Ecrits du temps de la guerre (1916–1919), Grasset, Paris, 1965, 17–18.
7 Quoted by Jean Levi inConfucius , Albin Michel, Paris, 2003, 152 (Excerpts of the Tan-kong): “Alas, I am so poor that I do not even have an old blanket used for a carriage to wrap my dog in it and to put him in the ground. However I will give him a mat in order that his head does not rest on the bare ground.”