A Seeming Inconsistency?
看似矛盾
Here it is timely to point out that both the Mohists and the Comfucianists seem to be inconsistent in their attitude toward the existence of spirits and the performance of rituals connected with the spirits.?
現(xiàn)在正是時(shí)候指出墨家和儒家在對待鬼神的存在和祭祀鬼神的態(tài)度上看似矛盾。
Certainly it seems inconsistent for the Mohists to have believed in the existence of the spirits, yet at the same time to have opposed the elaborate rituals that were conducted on the occasion of funerals and of the making of sacrifices to the ancestors.?
墨家相信鬼神的存在，但是反對喪葬和祭祀祖先的禮儀，這好像是矛盾的。
Likewise, it seems inconsistent that the Confucianists stressed those funeral and sacrificial rituals, yet did not believe in the existence of the spirits.?
同樣的，儒家強(qiáng)調(diào)喪禮和祭祀，但并不相信鬼神的存在，這好像也是矛盾的。
The Mohists, for their part, were quite ready to point out this seeming inconsistency as regards the Confucianists.?
墨家在談到儒家時(shí)，明確的指出過這樣的矛盾。
Thus we read in the Mo-tzu: “Kung - meng Tzu [a Confucianist] said: 'There are no spirits.'?
《墨子》記載：“公孟子曰‘無鬼神’，”
Again he said: 'The superior man should learn the rituals of sacrifice.’?
又曰：‘孟子必學(xué)祭祀’，
Mo Tzu said: 'To hold that there are no spirits, and yet to learn sacrificial ceremonies, is like learning the ceremonies of hospitality when there are no guests, or throwing fish nets when there are no fish.’ (Ch. 48.)?
子墨子曰：‘執(zhí)無鬼而學(xué)祭禮，是猶無客而學(xué)客禮也’?！?/p>
Yet the seeming inconsistencies of the Confucianists and Mohists are both unreal.?
但儒家、墨家這些看似矛盾的地方都不是真正的矛盾。
According to the former, the reason for performing the sacrificial rituals is no longer a belief that the spirits actually exist, though no doubt this was the original reason.?
根據(jù)儒家觀點(diǎn)，雖然相信鬼神的存在時(shí)祭禮最初的原因，但行祭禮的原因不再是因?yàn)橄嘈殴砩竦拇嬖凇?/p>
Rather, the performance springs from the sentiment of respect toward his departed forebears held by the man who offers the sacrifice.?
行祭禮只是行祭禮的人出于對祖先的敬意。
Hence the meaning of the ceremonies is poetic, not religious.?
因此祭禮的意義是詩意的，而非宗教意味。
This theory was later developed by Hsiln Tzu and his school of Confucianism in detail, as we shall see in chapter thirteen of this book.?
這套理論后來被荀子及其學(xué)派細(xì)化了，本書第十三章將會(huì)講到。
Hence there is no real inconsistency at all.?
所以根本沒有真正的矛盾。
Likewise there is no actual inconsistency in the Mohist point of view, for Mo Tzu' s proof of the existence of spirits is done primarily in order that he may introduce a religious sanction for his doctrine of all-embracing love, rather than because of any real interest in supernatural matters.?
同樣墨家的觀點(diǎn)中也沒有真正的矛盾，因?yàn)槟右C明鬼神的存在最初是為了給他的兼愛學(xué)說設(shè)立宗教制裁制度，并不是對超自然的實(shí)體有興趣。
Thus in his chapter on Proof of the Existence of Spirits, he attributes the existing confusion of the world to a doubt (among men) as to the existence of spirits and a failure to understand that they can reward the good and punish the bad.?
所以他把天下大亂歸咎于“疑惑鬼神之有與無之別，不明乎鬼神之能賞賢而罰暴也”，
He then asks: "If now all the people of the world could be made to believe that the spirits can reward the good and punish the bad, would the world then be in chaos? (Ch. 31.)?
接著問道：“今若使天下之人偕若信鬼神之能賞賢而罰暴也，則夫天下豈亂哉？”
Thus his doctrine of the Will of God and the existence of spirits is only to induce people to believe that they will be, rewarded if they practice all-embracing love, and punished if they do not.?
所以他的“天志”、“明鬼”之說都不過是誘導(dǎo)人們相信實(shí)行兼愛則受賞，否則將受罰。
Such a belief among the people was something useful; hence Mo Tzu wanted it. "Economy of expenditure" in the funeral and sacrificial services was also useful; hence Mo Tzu wanted it too.?
在人們心中有這樣的信仰也許是有用的，這是墨子需要的?！肮?jié)用”、“節(jié)葬”也是有用的，這也是墨子需要的。
From his ultra-utilitarian point of view, there was no inconsistency in wanting both things, since both were useful.
從墨子的極端功利主義觀點(diǎn)看，需要這兩種東西是不矛盾的，因?yàn)樗麄兌际怯杏玫摹?/p>
