The Concept of “Being Content with Poverty and Happily Pursuing the Way” (Part 1)

 

In traditional Chinese culture, the word “Tao” (or “Dao” or “Way”) refers to the law of the universe. The Tao has been the overall goal of and the ultimate realm in the various types of theories or schools of believes in China. The ancient Chinese took the ideal of “being content with poverty and happily pursuing the Tao” as a guide for their personal cultivation and living. It is also a virtue that has been commended by Chinese people since ancient times.
 
“Being content with poverty” reflects a tranquil, unperturbed attitude when one faces a poor life and lack of material sustenance, while “happily pursuing the Tao” refers to one’s tireless pursuit of truth. Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism, with their passing-down such virtues over the long history of traditional Chinese culture, have enabled many Chinese people to be content with poverty and happily pursue the Tao. These individuals were neither moved by poverty and richness, nor swayed by other external factors. They were steadfast in their pursuits and took learning the Tao, enlightening to the Tao, and attaining the Tao as their greatest happiness. Here are some examples.
 
What Confucius and Yan Hui were Content with
 
Confucius said, “With coarse rice to eat, with plain water to drink, and with my bent arm as a pillow, I still have joy in the midst of these things. Riches and honors acquired by unrighteousness are just floating clouds to me.” (Lun Yu or The Confucian Analects - Shu Er) That is to say, if one conforms to a righteous way, materialistic hardships will not be a source of unhappiness. Confucius also described himself this way, “He is simply a man, who, in his eager pursuit of knowledge, forgets his meals, who, in the joy of its attainment, forgets his sorrows, and who does not perceive that he is getting old."
 
When commending his disciple Yan Hui, Confucius said, "Admirable indeed is the virtue of Hui! He could live a life on a humble street with just a small bamboo basket to hold rice and a gourd ladle to hold water. While others could not endure such distress, it did not affect his enjoyment." (Lun Yun or The Confucian Analects – Yong Ye) For such noble individuals as Confucius and Yan Hui, their enjoyment did not lie in material things, but in spiritual pursuits. People collectively call their happiness, which came from the depth of their hearts via assimilating themselves to the Tao, and their spirit of being content with poverty and happily pursuing the Tao, as “what Confucius and Yan were content with.”
 
Confucius promoted the principle of “being content with poverty and pursuing the Tao” and held the firm belief of “using the Tao to help people.” Confucians believed that they had the social responsibility and historic mission of “taking responsibility for the well-being of the nation.” He advocated educating and enlightening people with the Tao and virtues. He often asked people to be content with poverty, happily pursue the Way, improve their own morality, free themselves from the desires for fame and interests, and not become degenerated due to losing one's direction in life. He said, “At fifteen, I had my mind bent on learning knowledge and the Way. At thirty, I found the Way and established myself. At forty, I knew the Way and was no longer perplexed. At fifty, I understood the mandate of Heaven. At sixty, nothing I heard could disarray me. At seventy, I could follow what my heart desired without transgressing what was right.” (Lun Yu or The Confucian Analects – The Practice of Government) Confucius told people to understand and follow the heavenly ordinance, and in this way, one could always be content with poverty and happily pursue the Tao.
 
Confucius and his disciples took the heavenly principles and righteousness as their ideal, faith, and guidance. They measured everything based on whether it is in accordance with the Tao. They traveled to many nations to spread the Tao. Confucius advocated that human principles be in accord with the requirements of the heavenly principles and that human minds be in accord with the heavenly ordinance, so as to achieve the “unity of heaven and man.” Later Confucian scholars took “what Confucius and Yan Hui were content with” as their ideal realm of mind, which they used to enrich themselves. They pursued the sublime Tao and the “unity of heaven and man.”
 

Zeng Shen Promoted the Tao
 
Zengzi, born Zeng Shen (505 – 435 BC), a disciple of Confucius, was accomplished in cultivating himself and behaving according to etiquette. He inherited Confucius’ ideals and promoted the heavenly principles. He said, “A nobleman cannot go without having great aspiration and perseverance, as he shoulders a great responsibility and has a long journey to go.”
 
Zeng Shen worked daily in the field during the daytime and studied in the evening until it was very late. He led a very poor life. When the King of the Lu Nation heard about Zeng’s high morality, he was very concerned about Zeng. The king decided to give Zeng some land as a gift, but Zeng firmly refused the offer and continued his life of “wearing simple clothes and working in the field, and often not cooking meals in a whole day.” (Book of Sayings of Confucius and His Disciples) The king’s envoy tried to persuade Zeng, “You have not asked for this gift, so why don’t you accept it?” Zeng said to the envoy sincerely, “I often hear that those who have accepted gifts from others would be intimidated by the giver, and those who gave the gifts would become arrogant. Even if the donor does not become arrogant, how could I not feel intimidated? Furthermore, rather than receiving reward for doing nothing, I should make a living by my own effort.” Zeng Shen continued to live his poor life without grudge or regret. He found joy in his way of living.
 
When Zeng Shen traveled to various nations to spread Confucianism, the Nation of Qi wanted to appoint him as its prime minister; the Nation of Chu wanted to appoint him as Ling Yin (another name for prime minister), and the Nation of Jin wanted to make him Shang Qing (a high ranking position). However, when Zeng saw that his suggestions to benefit people were not adopted, he firmly refused the offers from these nations. He devoted himself to teaching lifelong. He set up schools in many places. Later he went to the Nation of Wei. He and his classmate Zi Xia together taught in the Xi He (West River) region, and they had many students.
 
At that time, his classmate Zi Lu was an official for the Nation of Wei. Someone suggested that Zeng Shen go see Zi Lu, so he could be appointed a high-ranking official and obtain a high income. Zeng said, “I have taken promoting ‘benevolence’ as my mission, and I do not seek for fame nor profit. I would rather teach in Xi He and live a poor life while pursuing the Tao!” So he settled on the bank of the West River. He sometimes did not cook for three days in row. For ten years, he did not have any new clothes for himself. Even though he lived such a difficult life, he was always open-minded and optimistic. During breaks from teaching, he walked on the riverbank, enjoyed the breeze, and sang the “Ode to Shang.” He was peaceful and content! He also authored classics like The Great Learning (one of the Four Books in Confucianism) and The Classic of Filial Piety, which have been passed down to the future generations of Chinese people.




浅谈传统理念“安贫乐道”(上)
 
在我国传统文化中，“道”，即宇宙规律，一直是各家学说、各个学派所追求的总归宿、最高目标和境界。安贫乐道是我国古人的一种立身处世之道，也是自古以来为人称颂的美德。“安贫”反映的是对清贫的物质生活安然恬静的一种坦然态度，“乐道”反映的是对真理孜孜不倦的追求。儒释道在传统文化中的渊源传承，使得历史上有很多安贫乐道之士，他们不为世间贫穷、富贵等外在环境所动，始终道心坚定，以学道、悟道、得道为最大的快乐，以下举些例子。
 
孔颜乐处
 
孔子说：“饭疏食饮水，曲肱而枕之，乐亦在其中矣。不义而富且贵，于我如浮云”（《论语﹒述而》），意指如符合正道，即使吃粗粮，喝白水，弯著胳膊当枕头，也是乐在其中了；孔子还曾这样描述自己：“其为人也，发愤忘食，乐以忘忧，不知老之将至”；孔子称赞他的学生颜回说：“贤哉，回也！一箪食，一瓢饮，在陋巷。人不堪其忧，回也不改其乐”（《论语﹒雍也》），说颜回使用非常简陋的竹器吃饭，用瓢饮水，住在陋巷，别人受不了这种贫苦，颜回却处之泰然，不改安贫乐道的心境。对于孔子、颜回这样品德高尚的人来说，快乐不在于物质享受，而在于精神境界的追求，人们把他们这种融于道的心灵深处的快乐，安贫乐道的精神，合而称之为“孔颜乐处”。
 
孔子倡导儒家道义担当的“安贫乐道”，对“道济天下”的坚信，“以天下为己任”的社会责任和使命感，提倡道德教化，经常劝人安贫乐道，完善道德人格，帮助人们从功名利禄的贪欲中超脱出来，勿因迷失人生方向而堕落。他说：“吾十有五而志于学，三十而立，四十而不惑，五十知天命，六十而耳顺，七十而从心所欲，不逾矩”《论语﹒为政》，告诉人们知顺天命，就可以随时随地的安贫乐道了。
 
孔子和他的学生把实践道义作为自己的理想、信念、准则，凡事以是否符合道义为前提，周游列国而弘道。以人道去符合天道，人心合天心，以达到“天人合一”。后来的儒家知识份子都以寻求“孔颜乐处”作为自身内心世界充实的理想境界，追求崇高的道和“天人合一”。
 
曾参弘道
 
曾参，师从孔子，在修身和躬行礼仪上颇有建树，传承孔子主张，弘扬道义，他说：“士不可以不弘毅，任重而道远”。
 
曾参每日在家白天躬耕陇亩，晚间刻苦学习到深夜，生活窘迫，鲁国国君听说了他的品行后，非常关心和同情，决定赠以“食邑”。他固辞不受，依旧“敝衣而耕，常日不举火”（《孔子家语》）。使者曾劝说他：“先生非求于人，为何不受？”曾参对使者诚恳地说：“我常听说，受人者畏惧于人；予人者骄傲于人。纵然予人者并不骄傲，但我能不畏惧吗？再说，无功受禄，不如自食其力。”因此，曾参依旧无怨无悔地过著贫困的日子，自得其乐。
 
曾参周游列国时，齐国想聘他为相，楚国欲迎他为令尹，晋国有意尊他为上卿，但他看到自己施惠于民的建议未被采纳，于是坚辞不受，始终从事教学，四处授馆。后来他到卫国，与同学子夏等设教于西河一带，从者甚众。当时他的同学子路正在卫国做大夫，有人建议他去找子路，定能获得高官厚禄。曾参说：“我以宣扬‘仁’为己任，并不求名利。宁愿在西河教学，过安贫乐道的生活！”他就一直住在西河岸边，有时连续三天不生火，十年没做过新衣服，尽管生活如此艰苦，却依然乐观开朗，教学之余，散步河边，拂著轻风，唱著《商颂》，怡然自得！他还编著了《大学》、《孝经》等经典著作，流传后世。