感想一則 楊洪 (一九九三年)
意識自覺使人至真至善至美
席老師去年夏天在香港主持了兩個講座，並特別開辦了一個「養成班」，在每一個進度中，除教習更深入的「做法」外，尚且講述了不少靜坐與人生的道理，在其中一節中，席老師以「浩然正氣」作講解，值得我們作思考。
文
天祥年少時即知砥礪志節，二十歲中進士，取易經「天行健，君子自強不息」題義作對象而被朝廷重用。其時宋室外逢元兵入侵，而內則亂臣賊子當道，內憂外患交
迫，天祥一心為國為民，誓死抗敵，卒不敵被俘。元世租愛其才而多番勸降，天祥寧死不屈。繫獄三年，飽受痛苦煎熬，不改其節，最後從容就義。其獄中所著發抒
志節之「正氣歌」，洋溢凜烈正氣。從史書記載，其詩文中，我們可以見到他一生言行的特異表現，但在他文章中述及之「浩然正氣」是何物事，令他有如斯意志而
置生死於度外?
在未論及下文時，我想先說一個笑話，這事在數年前發生於本港的廣告界。話說有一個牌子的香煙廣告，最初的口號是叫人
「想做就去做……」；但這口號引起各界廣泛批評，說現今青年人不懂分辨好壞，做出一些不負責任的事，這口號會對他們有不良影響云。煙草公司其後從善如流，
將口號改為：「應做就去做……」。似乎好像改了口號，問題就解決了，認為應該做的方去做，便包保不錯。
上述兩句口號，在字面上似有分別，但如深入理解，似乎並無不同之處，只是前句「想做就做」使人直覺感到不舒服，但後句「應做就做」又比較好多少呢？如何及根據什麼界定「應」與「不應」呢？
在
我們的社會裹，普遍存著很多似是而非的物事，今人混淆不清，舉例來說，假如一個人做一件錯事我們稱之為錯，一群人做同樣一件事，我們仍可稱之為錯，但如果
整個社會大部份人同樣做這件事，便沒有人說它是錯矣。與其說此乃社會風氣使然，不如說此乃整體意識出現問題，朝壞的方向走，產生了謬誤。
在
這功利主義的社會裡，大多數人祇求達到目的(這不外乎名、利、權、物慾等），不擇手段，行事缺正義，泯良知，事理不明。古風那「貧賤不移，富貴不淫，威武
不屈」的高尚情操盪然無存。人在這個充滿謬誤的社會中，對是非、對錯的判斷及界定當產生混淆、矛盾，似乎這界定是非的標準將因應社會上的道德標準、風氣等
令改變而改變。
在席老師的著作「人性分析新論」中，曾對動物及人類的性行有深入的分析，身為萬物之靈的人，其有異於禽獸者，皆因人有
意志、有良知、能思考。假如人類失卻這等「人」的特性，則其行為祇不過是動物界求生存的一種機械反應。人類行為、動機的發生，非常複雜，但簡單來說，乃受
到外來的刺激作用，而根據過往腦海中吸收到的經驗、觀念等發生因果關係而作出。有的人作出的行為動機，顯然是錯的，但因為人是以「自我」為中心，就算發生
是錯的，亦能自我開脫，大錯視之為小意思，小錯則當作無不妥。
如此說來，我們豈非是非黑白難分？非也！我認為人類社會中雖有如斯謬
誤，但宇宙間對是非、曲直、黑白、對錯等一切，原有本身之特定標準。此標準無處不在，但我們見不著，因為它隱藏在我們意識的最深處，當有一日，我們接觸到
它，亦即接觸到宇宙的真理，這時我們的一切行為、反應、動機，無一不是至真、至善、至美，此乃生命的真正特質。憑著這特質，我們處事、為人，真的可以做到
無愧於心，無愧於天地之間；可以有像文天祥那樣「留取丹心照汗青」的不朽精神。
席老師提倡的「意識自覺」運動，是現代人應該走及必須走的大道，因「意識自覺」能決定我們意識所走的方向，令腦意識壞習慣逐漸改善，從而認識生命真正的道理，使自己不再矛盾、謬誤、混淆，使人生更有意義，那時我們讀「正氣歌」的時候，當會有一番新感受!
楊 洪
Translation
Translated by : Translation Team
Written by : Teacher Yeung Hung (1993)
∽∽∽∽∽∽∽∽∽∽∽∽∽∽∽∽∽∽∽∽
My reflection
Yeung Hung
[Self-awareness of consciousness] makes people real, kind and beautiful
Master
Hsi hosted two seminars in Hong Kong last summer, and specially opened
a "development class". In each progress, in addition to teaching more
in-depth "practices", he also explained a lot of principles of
meditation and life as well. In one of the sections, Master Hsi gave an
explanation of "Magnificent Righteousness", which is worthy of our
consideration.
Man Tin-Cheung ('Tin-Cheung') knew how to forge
his ambitions when he was young. He became a Scholar at the age of 20.
He took the title of "Heaven's movement is vigorous, so must a
gentleman constantly striving for self-improvement" from the 'Book of
Changes' as an object and was regard highly by the Sung Dynaty. At that
time, Yuan Dynasty soldiers invaded the boundary of the Sung Dynasty,
while the chaotic officials and thieves were in power inside, internal
and external troubles were oppressing. Tin-Cheung devoted himself
to the country and the people, and swore to fight the enemy to the
death. Finally Tin-Cheung lost the battle and was captured. Yuan
Sai-Cho, King of Yuan Dynasty loved his talent and repeatedly persuaded
him to surrender, but Tin-Cheung would rather die than surrender. He
was imprisoned for three years, suffered a lot of pain and suffering,
did not change his morals, and finally take it easy to die for loyalty.
The "Righteousness Song" written by him in prison expresses his
aspirations, which is full of righteousness. From historical records
and his poems, we can see the peculiar expression of his words and
deeds throughout his life, but what is the "Magnificent Righteousness"
mentioned in his articles that made him have such a will to put life
and death aside?
Before discussing the following, I would like
to tell a joke. This happened in the advertising industry in Hong Kong
a few years ago. In that there is a brand of cigarette advertisements.
The original slogan was to tell people to "do whatever you want•••".
However, this slogan has aroused widespread criticism from the public,
saying that today's young people do not know how to distinguish between
good and bad, and do some irresponsible things. This slogan will have a
bad influence on them. The tobacco company then followed suit and
changed the slogan to: "Do it as you should•••". It seems that if the
slogan is changed, the problem is solved, and the one who thinks it
should be done is done, it is guaranteed good.
The above two
slogans seem to be different in words, but if they are deeply thought,
there seems to be no difference. It is just that the first sentence "do
whatever you want" makes people feel uncomfortable intuitively, but the
latter sentence "do it as you should" is comparatively how much better?
How and on what grounds should "should" and "should not" be defined?
In
our society, there are many things that are plausible and false, and
people are confused today. For example, if one person does a wrong
thing, we call it wrong, and a group of people do the same thing, we
can still call it wrong, but if most people in the whole society do the
same thing, no one will say it is wrong. Rather than saying that this
is due to the social atmosphere, it is better to say that this is a
problem with the overall consciousness, going in a wrong direction, and
causing fallacies.
In this utilitarian society, most people only
seek to achieve their goals (this is nothing more than fame, profit,
power, material desires, etc.), use unscrupulous means, act without
justice, lose their conscience, and act unreasonably. The antiquity
noble ethos of "not being changed by poverty, cannot be lewd by
wealthy, and not being subdued by the mighty" are gone. In this
society full of fallacies, people's judgments and definitions of right
and wrong will cause confusion and contradictions. It seems that the
standards for defining right and wrong will change in response to
changes in social moral standards and customs.
In Master Hsi's
book "A New Analysis of Human Nature", he has made an in-depth analysis
of the behavior and character of animals and humans. As the Supreme
Spirit of Creation, humans are different from animals because they have
will, conscience, and can think. If human beings lose these "human"
characteristics, their behavior is nothing more than a mechanical
response to the survival of the animal kingdom. The occurrence of human
behavior and motivation is very complicated, but in simple terms, it is
caused by external stimuli and based on the experience and concepts
absorbed in the mind in the past to create a causal relationship. The
motives of some people's actions are obviously wrong, but because
people are "self-centered", even if something is wrong, they can
justify and forgive themselves. Big mistakes are taken as trivial, and
small mistakes are nothing wrong.
So, are we not
indistinguishable between right and wrong? The answer is negative! I
think that although there are such fallacies in human society, the
Universe has its own specific standards for right and wrong, straight
and distort, black and white, right and erroneous, etc. This standard
is everywhere, but we are unable to see it, because it is hidden in the
deepest part of our consciousness. One day, when we encounter it, that
is, touch the truth of the universe, at this time, all our actions,
reactions, and motives are all true, good, and beautiful, which are the
true characteristics of life. With this characteristics, we can really
be worthy of our hearts and our lives in dealing with things and being
human; we can have the immortal spirit of "retaining loyalty and
reflecting history" like Tin-Cheung.
The "Consciousness of
Awareness" movement advocated by Master Hsi is the way of saints that
modern people should and must take, because "Self-awareness of
Consciousness" can determine the direction of our consciousness,
gradually improve erroneous habits of brain consciousness, and thus
understand the true truth of life. Make ourselves no longer
contradictory, fallacious, and confused, and make life more meaningful.
At that time, when we read "The Righteousness Song" , we will have a
new feeling!
Teacher Yeung Hung