Original article: 「安身立命」的中國哲學本質（下）
How to "establish a purpose in life"? — Create infinite and endless value in a limited life.
Speaking of "establish a purpose in life," we should first discuss "life." However, when it comes to "life," it is easy to associate it with superstitions like "predestined fate" and have negative connotations. In fact, "establish a purpose in life" means that a person should be able to break through their limited form to establish eternal life value and meaning.
Everyone knows that "Confucius rarely talked about life," and he rarely discussed "life" with his disciples, but why? The reason is that Confucius was a pragmatic and hardworking individual. He only discussed what personal abilities could achieve, as in his famous quote, "as long as I am willing to be benevolent, I can be so immediately!" One of Confucius' remarkable qualities was his reluctance to ask people to do things they were incapable of. Practicing virtue, such as "benevolence," was something everyone could do, and there was no valid reason for anyone to reject it. There were no distinctions of social status or rank. As long as one was willing, they could embody it.
So why didn't Confucius talk about life? Because the question of controlling one's lifespan is unanswerable. What would be the point of discussing it? We can conclude from this that a person's life expectancy is beyond our control. However, everyone does have a life expectancy.
The limitation of life expectancy brings a sense of helplessness. Confucius himself was deeply moved by the question of "how could such a person have had such a illness." When he held the hand of Ran Boniu, whose life was nearing its end, through the window, he sorrowfully exclaimed twice, " how could such a person have had such a illness! how could such a person have had such a illness!" How could such a good person suffer from such a terrible illness?
While the limits of life cannot be overcome, creating meaning in one's life is one of the few ways that humans can transcend this unavoidable limitation.
The passion for creating value in life and pursuing life ideals is the profound consciousness that supported Confucius during his travels to various countries, despite facing numerous difficulties without regret. It is also the focal point of our resonance with the ancient sages and the belief that "everyone can be Yao and Shun." Therefore, establishing one's eternal value by "stubbornly doing something even though we know it is impossible" is akin to " establish a purpose in life."
The meaning of life does not lie in wealth, influence, luxurious clothes, or exquisite food. However, if one desires such embellishments, they must rely on themselves to create them.
From this, we can observe that in life, we can categorize everything into what humans can and cannot do. The essence of Confucianism, "setting your heart on the truth, holding to virtue, leaning upon benevolence, and seeking relaxation and enjoyment in the six arts," is a concept we can subjectively grasp, as mentioned in the quote "as long as I am willing to be benevolent, I can be so immediately!" We should strive our best in this regard.
Even Confucius himself once lamented during his travels to various countries, saying, "I feel myself like a gourd, and I am not hanging there for you to see." He compared himself to a gourd that should be consumed by people. He marveled at how he, unlike talented individuals, could gain the trust of a wise monarch to implement his political ideas.
Furthermore, when Confucius encountered danger in Kuang, he demanded of himself to become the successor of Duke of Zhou's "rite and music system." Without fear, he proclaimed, "If Heaven intends to eliminate these systems and rules, then us younger generations will have no opportunity to understand and learn about them. However, if Heaven has not eliminated them, what can the people of Kuang do to me?" Confucius believed that if God chose him to carry on the great cause of culture, he would not meet an untimely death.
Can we pass down culture? Can we navigate through the path? The inheritance of culture indeed involves objective factors such as historical and political influences. Unlike ethical practice, it cannot solely rely on subjective forces. Therefore, Confucius could only question himself: did he give his best effort?
There is no guarantee of success. However, the value of moral principles lies in awareness and commitment. That's why Confucius once instructed Zi-lu to convey to the hermit, "A true gentleman, as an official, fulfills his ministerial duties. As for the ideal of achieving world peace, he has long known its impracticality." Confucius and his disciples persisted in their endeavors, even though they knew it was impossible! This illustrates the weighty responsibility of cultural endeavors.
Hence, we can still manifest the infinite value and significance of life by " establish a purpose in life" within the constraints of limited existence and objective circumstances. If one can endure successive setbacks and hardships in life, what cannot be overcome? However, only those with lofty ideals and benevolence can adhere to moral practices and the essence of life that Confucius genuinely cared about. Even in the most challenging moments, we must act in accordance with benevolence and never waver in our aspirations. Therefore, Zai Zhang stated, "to ordain conscience for Heaven and Earth, to secure life and prosperity for the people, to revive the teachings of the past sages, and to establish peace for future generations." This embodies the highest value of Confucianism: " finding one’s rooting and establishing a purpose in life."
Written by Lily Chang
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