Confucianism: Sequencial Theory of Self-cultivation

Wong Weng Hon

Introduction

Chinese Confucian philosophy on self-cultivation can be integrated into the Process Reality of all phenomena of the empirical world. Confucian philosophy is non-sectarian and universally applicable. One can still retain one’s religious faith while learning the Confucian sequencial theory of self-cultivation. Learning Confucianism, a Hindu can still preserve his or her Hindu model of self-cultivation to reach Brahman. A Buddhist can still maintain his Buddhist model of self-cultivation to manifest his or her Buddha-nature (Tathāgatagarbha) or Truth Body (Dharmakāya); a Christian can still adhere to  his or her Jesus’s Path of self-cultivation to actualize the Holy Spirit; a Sufi believer  still tread on  his or her  Sufi path of rememberance (dhikṛ) of  God to reach al Fanā’ (destruction of ego) or Baqā’ (reunion with Allah).  What can be learned from Confucian sequencial theory of self-cultivation is the right paradigm shift to actualize social harmony and unity leading to social, national or global peace and security.

Sequence of Personal Development

Since Man is the main pillar of the contigent conditions, HUMAN PERSONALITY MUST BE RECTIFIED BEFORE HIS DESTINY AND THAT OF THE WORLD CAN BE RECTIFIED.  For instance, in order to resurrect the global economic concrescence to maintain political stability, Confucius Classic of Great Learning (大學) recommends that one resurrects one’s  innate human supreme virtue (本性至善) of conscientious  sincerity (意誠) in order to rectify one’s mind (正心) to restore the inner Heart.  Restoration of the inner Heart is self-redemption (返本還原). Having been self-redeemed through discernment of Truth, one becomes self-cultivated (修身). Self-cultivation harmonizes oneself with the family (齊家). Family includes a family of close relations, or a family of organization members or a family of colleagues or comrades. Social harmony leads to unity of existence. Unity of Existence is the path of Tao. Tao is the eternal Truth of harmony of association. Unity of existence (共體; 一真法界) consummates stability and concrescence in any chosen field of life or career for an individual, society, nation and the world.

The Great Learning stresses if one is a ruler or political leader (in fact applicable to all types of leaders) is not self-rectified  and self-cultivated, he will not be able to harmonize his relationship with his ministers, bureaucrats and subjects or citizentry. Without personal development to rectify and cultivate oneself, it is not possible for ruler or political leader  to govern a nation harmoniously (國治) and bring peace and security to a state, country or nation (天卞平).

Discover the Root

The Great Learning advocates that in order to consummate self-cultivation(修養) to harmonize relationship  with others, one must first attain to ‘Investigation  of things and discernment of  the eternal Truth of things’ (格物致知, 知之至也). Discernment of Truth is knowing the eternal Truth of God (Monotheism;一真法界) or Tao (道) or Emptiness (空). Emptiness is the eternal Truth of Unity of Existence. Having discerned the eternal Truth, greed , hatred or anger and delusion (or ignorance) are eradicated.The eradication of these three poisons (三毒) of life resurrects the innate supreme goodness of Man through  the discovery of the innate supreme humanism or goodness of Man (明明德). In order to discern intuitively the innate supreme goodness of Man, the self-centric ego must be defeated (勝私複理) in order to manifest one’s True Self. Whoever functions with the True Self is designated as the Superior Man known as Junzi(君子), a self-cultivated man. Whoever does not functions with the True Self but with the false self of egoism is known as a Small Man (小人). Thus, a Junzi is wisely and ethically superior. He is a super-model to be emulated by all Confucian adherents.

The Great Learning continues to emphasize that self-rectification to actualize self-cultivation (修身)  is not confined only to the political rulers or leaders  but also to the ordinary citizentry (自天子至於庶人,壹是皆以修身為本). Everyone must  know one’s universal  Root (知本) of intrinsic supreme goodness of Man to rectify oneself and becomes self-cultivated. Everyone must self-improve through self-cultivation before one takes up a career or gets married in order to harmonize good relationship with others.

In general, the Chinese wisdom and ethics are constructed upon Confucian and Taoist  philosophy invigorated by Buddhist wisdom of Emptiness (‘Sūnyatā) if they are Chinese Buddhists. It is more accurate to assert that the Chinese are generally adherents of Neo-Confucianism which is the syncretism of Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism. Since the era of golden Tang dynasty of Imperial China,  Chinese Neo-Confucianism has been impacting  and influencing the culture of Japanese, Koreans and Vietnamese hitherto. Zen, Tao and Emptiness are philosophical doctrines by which the eternal Truth of Unity of Existence is discerned insightfully.   They  have been influencing Asian Chinese, Japanese, Korean and Vietnamese thoughts  positively especially in their daily or social life as well as in  the field of business or commerce either unknowingly or knowingly.

Sintoism

Neo-Confucianism has merged with Japanese Sintoism so much so  that its original identity is not so distinct. It is obscured by Japanese exoteric dimension of Japanese traditional religion of  Sintoism. Anyway, Zen, Tao or Emptiness is universally Truth applicable to all peoples at all times. Zen, Tao or Emptiness is process philosophy of perennial wisdom which is non-sectarian, non-denominational and eternal. Japanese Business or industrial culture emphasizes consensus, unity and harmony in human interrelationship. Consensus, unity and harmony are attributes of  Zen, Tao or Emptiness.

Junzi

 A Junzi is perfect man who manifests  the Wisdom of the Mean (中庸). The Wisdom of Mean is developed through six sequencial stages of self-cultivation, namely Restraint or Self-control(止), Stability or Composure (定), Tranquility or Calmness (靜), Unperturbility (安), Deliberation or Reflection (慮) and Attainment (得). Attainment is the ability to harmonize good relationship with others so that equilibrium of Tao manifested from the unity of Yin (陰) and Yang (陽) is preserved.

Disharmony is the state of unbalanced association between Yin and Yang. The balanced unity of Yin and Yang is called Tao. Tao is harmonious unity of co-existence in  the Process Reality at an individual level as well as at the cosmic level. The individual level of Tao is microcosm. A Junzi (the Superior Man君子) is one who has attained to Tao (道) or has intuitively discerned the microcosm. The cosmic level of Tao is macrocosm. Whoever intuitively apprehends microcosm(小宇宙) comprehends macrocosm (大宇宙). Confucian doctrine of ‘Investigation of Things and Realizing the Ultimacy’ (格明致知) is synonymous with Chan Buddhist doctrine of Knowing the mind and seeing the Original Nature of Man (明心見性).

Know Yourself

All world’s religions promulgate that “Whoever knows oneself knows the Lord.” . Hinduism teaches so; Christianity teaches so too; Islam also teaches so. Every world’s religion preaches so.  This is universal esoteric teaching. When one truly knows oneself, a Confucianist is not a Confucianist; a Taoist is not a Taoist; a Hindu is not a Hindu; A Buddhist is not a Buddhist; A Christian is not a Christian; A Muslim is not  a Muslim. Most importantly, a race is not a race. It is a mere linguistic designation. Seeing ethnic distinction is the worship of idolatry. Worship of idolatry evokes  either attachment or aversion which alienates us from the Lord - the eternal Truth of Oneness.   

The beauty of religion is that it eliminates all forms of discrimination and unites All (multiplicity) into One (Unity). Without unity of existence, God, Tao, Brahman or Buddha can not be seen (known). The political chaos dividing the people or nations in some parts of the currently troubled world is, in reality, anti-God, anti-Brahman, or anti-Buddha which is anti-Tao. There are too much despairs in the world. We must return to the basis or root – the wisdom of the common sense.

Common Root

Buddhistly and Monotheistically put, to rectify oneself is to obliterate the false self directed and empowered by superimposition of self-centric ego. The Root is one’s True Self. One’s True Self is one’s Lord. One Lord may be designated as Brahman, Tao, Buddha,  God or Allah according to apparent dissimilar denomination. The apparent dissimilar faith denominations are merely exoteric. Esoterically, the intrinsic spiritual value of Truth is identical, that is liberation. Metaphorically put, the paper money may be dissimilarly designated as dollar, yuan, yen,  euro, rupee, ringgit and so forth. The dissimilarly designated paper money has an identical intrinsic economic value - the purchasing power to liberate one from the suffering of poverty.

Conclusion

The Great Learning enlightens us on the proper priority of life agendas. First thing comes first. The subsequent actual entity must come after the preceding actual entity. Understanding the proper order of priorities in causality, one is close to wisdom of Tao (物有本末, 事有終始, 知所先後, 則近道矣.). If what is to be stressed is not stressed, what is not to be emphasized is emphasized, and thing can still be well performed, this never occurs. (其所厚者薄, 而其所薄者厚, 未之有也.). This principle of causality is consonant with Buddhist fundamental doctrine of Dependent Co-arising (Pațiccasamuppāda; 緣起). The law of Dependent Co-arising states that   B is dependently co-arisen from A and C is dependently co-arisen from B. The order of occurrence is A, B, C and so on.  It connotes that event A, event B, event C  …….. and so forth are interwoven in an infinite web of relationship of the Process Reality of dynamic process becoming (sanātana dharma).

If the order of priorities (先後) is not sequenced rightly, systemic risk will be arisen somewhere along the Process Reality of any life or work system. Everyone is always an integral part of the larger whole. Global villagers are increasingly interconnected because of interdependent co-existence. All members of the labour force  are systemic members or contigent conditions of the total Process Reality of the entire world. Systemic  or holistic view of the totality of the world is the right view of ontology of the universe.

If each and everyone of us undertakes personal development according to the Confucian sequencial theory of self-cultivation, the ongoing financial crisis of economic downturn, eco-crisis of global warming  and climate change, the wars in Iraq, Afghanistan,  and Middle East, Pakistan-India tension, terrorism, extremism,  sectarianism, separatism,  crimes  and other chaos or crises would have been averted or reduced to the minimum. The most effective way to actualize self-cultivation is to tread the path of world’s religion  at our disposal today. All major world’s religions, such as Vedānta of Hinduism, Taoism, Buddhism , Christianity, Judaism, and Islam are equally effective to produce consummated self-cultivated man.

The path of self-cultivation of a Theravāda Buddhist is the Noble Eight Fold Path. The path of self-cultivation of Mahāyāna Buddhist is the Noble Path of Six Perfections. Intrinsically, both these Buddhist Paths are esoterically identical in terms of  morality (sīla), concentration (samādhi) and wisdom (paññā). These three-fold aggregate of each Buddhist Path of self-cultivation are  formulated by Gotama Buddha thus : Avoid evils, do good and purify the mind. Buddhistly put, whoever has consummated his or her morality, concentration and wisdom is a self-cultivated man.