While several bosses were chatting, Zhan Ruoshui suddenly asked Wang Yuan: "Ruoxu, do you think there is something outside your heart, or do you feel there is nothing outside your heart?"
As soon as he said this, Wang Yangming, Fang Xianfu and Huang Wan all looked at Wang Yuan with smiles.
Wang Yuan felt that he was lying on his back. This question seemed simple, but it was the difference between "Baisha Xinxue" and "Yangming Xinxue".
Zhan Ruoshui is the contemporary (second generation) leader of Baisha’s philosophy of mind. Their theory also starts from the “heart” and believes that the human heart can encompass all things, perceive all things, and integrate the laws of nature. However, Wang Yangming’s philosophy of mind advocates that there is nothing outside the heart. , there is no reason outside the mind. The so-called location of intention is matter, and the essence of intention is knowledge.
Although the two were close friends, they both endured the pressure of Neo-Confucianism and spread the philosophy of mind with great difficulty, but they did not recognize each other.
Wang Yangming even ridiculed Zhan Ruoshui for following Zhu Xi's old path.
Wang Yuan thought carefully and said: "When I am doing something, my heart is the reason; when I am seeking knowledge, my heart is the reason."
"Ha ha ha ha!"
Zhan Ruoshui laughed so hard that he slapped his thigh, pointed at Wang Yangming and said, "Brother Bo'an, your proud disciple's spiritual understanding is actually more inclined to our Baisha sect!"
Wang Yangming was not angry, and only reminded him: "Brother Ganquan, did you really not hear it? This guy spoke vaguely. You sounded biased toward me, and I sounded biased toward myself. He didn't want to offend anyone. "
Huang Wan commented: "He is vacillating and extremely cunning. He can be called a villain!"
Fang Xianfu said with a smile: "Yes, he is an evil disciple."
Of course these are all jokes. No matter which school of psychology, they all belong to a niche school nowadays. They support each other and improve each other in the midst of differences. There is no so-called sectarian opinion.
Huang Zongxi's "The Case of Confucianism in the Ming Dynasty" describes it this way: "The Wang and Zhan families each had their own goals... Those who studied from Zhan at that time may have graduated from the king; those who studied from the king may have graduated from Zhan."
In other words, the disciples of Wang Yangming and Zhan Ruoshui can change their schools at will. Your students come to me to graduate, and my students come to you to graduate. It all depends on the students' own wishes. Apart from knowledge, we are still friends. .
Wang Yangming smiled and said to several friends: "Do you know what happened when I first arrived in Guizhou and met this evil villain for the first time?"
Zhan Ruoshui said curiously: "Tell me and listen."
Wang Yangming recounted: "I was living in a cave at that time. When this evil man heard that a gentleman had come to Longgang Mountain, he came to the mountain on horseback with wine to look for me. We talked about Mencius's 'mind', and he said he agreed with Zhuzi's 'Cun Qi'." "The heart nourishes its nature, so it serves heaven." I then asked him: "What kind of heart do you have and what kind of heart do you want to nourish?" At that time, this evildoer was only twelve or thirteen years old. How do you think he answered?"
At the age of twelve or thirteen, he doesn't even have a fixed personality, so how can he be qualified to talk about his character? But when Wang Yangming asked this question, he must have something shocking to say, which made everyone present even more curious.
Huang Wan said with admiration: "What did he say?"
Wang Yangming imitated Wang Yuan's actions at that time and said: "He pointed his halberd towards the sky and spoke unashamedly and categorically: 'My heart is the heart of heaven, my nature is nature, my destiny is destiny. Keep my heart, nourish my nature, and fulfill my destiny, this is it. That’s all!”
"Hahahahaha!"
Everyone laughed heartily and looked at Wang Yuan with approval.
There is nothing wrong with this statement. The more determined people are, the more they can understand the true meaning of this statement. And it is even more valuable when it comes from the mouth of a child. It is no exaggeration to call it a child prodigy.
The real difficulty lies in how to find one's own character and destiny. This is exactly the direction of lifelong research and practice in Neo-Confucianism and psychology.
Zhan Ruoshui asked interestingly: "No. 1 Scholar, have you found your destiny?"
Wang Yuan said solemnly: "My moral character is not good, so I cannot establish a heart for heaven and earth; I am not very talented, so I cannot continue my knowledge for the saints. But I can establish a destiny for the people, and create peace for all generations. This is my destiny.
This is what I am practicing.”
Recalling that Wang Yuan put down chaos twice, took the lead and sacrificed his life, the people in front of him couldn't help but stand in awe.
Huang Wan clasped her fists and said, "Aspiration does not depend on your age. If Xu is a true bachelor, his character is already firmer than mine."
Wang Yangming stroked his beard and said approvingly: "I asked this scoundrel if he wanted to be an independent minister? He said he wanted to be a minister of the country."
The evil disciples left and right seemed to be criticizing, but their tone became more and more friendly, and there was also a bit of pride. Wang Yangming was obviously proud of having accepted this student.
Fang Xianfu sighed: "It's not easy to be a minister of the country."
The dignified official Wai Lang (the second-in-command) of the Literary Selection Department of the Ministry of Personnel insisted on resigning. He was definitely not just addicted to spiritual studies. His position was too sensitive, and he was caught between several important ministers. It was very uncomfortable for him, and many things were at stake.
You cannot act according to your own will.
Even Yang Yiqing, the Minister of the Ministry of Civil Affairs, is clamoring to resign, not to mention Wai Lang, a member of the literary and selection department of the district. It is obvious that someone has stretched his hands too far and regarded the Ministry of Civil Affairs as his own private back garden!
Zhan Ruoshui suddenly said: "Whether it is to spread the mind science or to help the country, we cannot do it alone. A single tree cannot grow into a forest. Now that the mind science is not strong and Neo-Confucianism is dominant, we cannot hold a high position or exert our talents.
Be ambitious. You must accumulate strength and plan for the future."
"That's very true." Wang Yangming nodded.
Neither Yangming’s Xinxue nor Baisha’s Xinxue is about talking about the nature of the mind. They both advocate doing things actively!
Zhan Ruoshui added: "Since Brother Shuxian and Brother Zongxian have resigned, they will go back to their hometowns to spread their spiritual knowledge, and then come back as officials when they are successful. When I come back from Annan as envoy, I will also find an opportunity to resign.
Official, return to your hometown to spread Baisha Xinxue. How about we set a ten-year period? "
"That's great!" Fang Xianfu and Huang Wan laughed.
Wang Yangming, Zhan Ruoshui, Fang Xianfu and Huang Wan are logically successful in their official careers. But their positions are very awkward, similar to the level of director or deputy director. They have great prospects but are controlled by others, making it difficult for them to realize their ambitions.
These four bosses chose not to compete for the present, but to look to the future. Wang Yangming stayed in the officialdom to spread his spiritual knowledge, while the other three returned to their hometowns to support young people.
For example, the four major disciples of Zhan Ruoshui were all Jinshi in the Jiajing Dynasty, and were all trained after resigning and returning to their hometown.
Huang Wan said: "With Ruoxu's position at this time, we can ask Your Majesty to preside over the Yingtianfu Township Examination and take the opportunity to select talented people to spread the philosophy of mind."
Fang Xianfu said: "Ten years from now, the time may be ripe to fully support Ruoxu in joining the cabinet."
Zhan Ruoshui said: "Ruoxu will only be twenty-seven years old by then. It seems too young to be a cabinet minister. I think fifteen years is more appropriate."
Wang Yuan was dumbfounded. These people were talking about knowledge just now, but in the blink of an eye they were planning for the future. They clearly wanted to spread the Xin Xue on a large scale, and then brought countless disciples back to the court, and designated Wang Yuan as the "Xin Xue Group" in the future.
political core.
Yang Tinghe deliberately suppressed them, and it was really not unjust. There were too many small tricks, and he should really be suppressed!
Wang Yangming said to Wang Yuan: "Mu Konghui, who was reviewed by the Hanlin Academy, was the candidate I personally selected when I presided over the Shandong Provincial Examination. He also officially became a disciple to study the mind a few days ago. You can go around more with him."
"Understood." Wang Yuan nodded immediately, and there was another junior disciple in the Hanlin Academy.
It is a pity that Wang Yangming's "missionary" activities were all seen by Yang Tinghe. With Li Dongyang's resignation, not only Wang Yangming was thrown to Nanjing, but his disciple Mu Konghui was also thrown to Nanjing.
Yang Tinghe still underestimated the dissemination power of Xinxue, and actually appointed Mu Konghui as the director of academic affairs of Nanjing Imperial College. Doesn’t this mean that all Nanjing Imperial College students are required to study Xinxue? After two random examinations, disciples of Xinxue will emerge.
A bunch of Jinshi!
Wang Yangming added: "Gu Yingxiang, the master of Jinyiwei, is also my disciple."
Wang Yuan was already numb and nodded again: "Understood, sir, please finish it in one breath."
Wang Yangming said: "The Jinshi Wanchao, Wangdao and Lianggu who are in the same department as you have also become disciples a few days ago. As for the others, there is no need to say more. I wrote a list for you."
One of Wang Yangming's disciples at this time was Zheng Yichu, who resigned because he offended Liu Jin.
After Wang Yangming returned to Beijing, he recommended the appointment of Zheng Yichu. The emperor sent officials to investigate the Zheng family and found that the Zheng family only had two small shabby houses. His mother was still weaving linen by the door, while Zheng Yichu was giving lectures on Zimo Mountain.
Now Zheng Yichu has been ordered to return to Beijing and will soon be appointed as an official. Because of his previous resume and integrity, he will most likely be appointed as the censor.
There is also a disciple named Chen Ding, who was a confidant of Yang Yiqing when he was in charge of etiquette. Who knows how he became Wang Yangming's student. Unfortunately, he was dismissed from office some time ago, and the dismissal was inexplicable. Maybe Yang Tinghe and Yang Yiqing were involved.
contradiction.
There are about twenty other disciples in the capital, all of whom are junior officials of the sixth or seventh rank who came from Jinshi. Although their resumes are shallow, they have good roots and will definitely become a force in time.
Wang Yangming has only been back in Beijing for a year, but unknowingly, he has gathered a future group that cannot be underestimated.
Wang Yangming is the core of the group at the moment, and Wang Yuan is the second generation core that they have cultivated with all their efforts.
Is Wang Yangming a gentleman?
Yes.
But a gentleman can also be extremely cunning, and a gentleman can also be cunning. In the late Zhengde period, people rated Wang Yangming as a "cunning soldier"!