生平事迹

陆九渊出身于一个九世同居、阖门百口的世家。他的八世祖陆希声曾为唐昭宗之宰相，陆九渊是个神童，母亲饶氏早逝，由长嫂哺育成人。三、四岁时向父亲提出「天地何所之」的疑问，久思竟至废寝忘食。

乾道八年（1172年）三十四岁中进士，先任隆兴建安县主簿，后改建安崇宁县。

大约十年后，他被荐为国子监正，不久，又迁「编修敕令所」的「删定官」。陆九渊少年时曾读三国、六朝史，有感于当时「夷狄乱华，后又听长辈讲「靖康之耻」，于是曾剪断指甲，学习弓马，慨然要为大宋朝廷复仇。在任「删定官」时，他便「访知勇士，与议恢复大略」，朝廷论对时，「遂陈五论：一论仇耻未复，愿博求天下之俊杰，相与举论道经邦之职；二论愿致尊德乐道之诚；三论知人之难；四论事当驯致而不可骤；五论人主不当亲细事。」（《宋史·陆九渊传》）

淳熙十三年（1186年），他被差管台州崇道观，因这只是个管理道观的闲职，于是他便归江西故里讲学，汇集了四方学者。

直到宋光宗即位时，又被任荆门知军，此间他治绩显著，「厚风俗」，「申严保伍之法，盗贼或发，擒之不逸一人」（《宋史·陆九渊传》）；并因荆门处江汉之间，为四战之地，而议筑城壁以御边防。

但在任仅一年有馀，就卒于荆门任上，棺殓时，官员百姓痛哭祭奠，满街满巷充塞著吊唁的人群。出殡时，送葬者多达数千人，谥为「文安」。陆九渊墓位于金溪县陆坊官桥，为江西省重点文物保护单位。

哲学思想

陆九渊的思想接近程颢，偏重在心性的修养，他认为朱熹的「格物致知」方法过于「支离破碎」。陆九渊是「心学」的创始人，其主张「吾心即是宇宙」，「明心见性」，「心即是理」，重视持敬的内省工夫。即是所谓的「尊德性」。朱熹言「理」，侧重于探讨宇宙自然的「所以然」，陆九渊言「理」，则更偏重于人生伦理，明代王阳明赞赏陆九渊的学说，使得陆九渊的「心学」得以发扬，因此学界称之为「陆王」学派，实际上王阳明是心学的集大成者。

鹅湖之会

南宋淳熙二年（1175年），吕祖谦邀请陆九渊、朱熹等人参加「鹅湖之会」，陆九渊雄辩滔滔，提出「尧舜之前有何书可读？」，认为只要明心见性即可，致使「朱熹不慊」，双方不欢而散；后来朱熹在给吕祖谦的信中写道，鹅湖之会以后，「吾痛不得自鹅湖，遂入怀玉，深山静坐数月」。朱熹认为陆九渊的学说简略空疏，而陆九渊则认为朱熹的学说支离琐碎。

吾心即是宇宙

陆九渊十三岁时，有一天对自己少儿时思考的问题忽有所悟。这天，他读古书到宇宙二字，见解者说：「四方上下曰宇，往古来今曰宙」，于是忽然省悟道：原来「无穷」便是如此啊。人与天地万物都在无穷之中。他提笔写下：「宇宙内事乃己分内事，己分内事乃宇宙内事。」（《年谱》，《陆九渊集》卷三十六）《陆九渊年谱》中说他「因宇宙字义，笃志圣学」，就是说他从宇宙二字，悟得人生之道。陆九渊立志要做儒家的圣人，而他以为，做圣人的道理不用别寻他索，其实就在自己心中，他说：「宇宙便是吾心，吾心即是宇宙。东海有圣人出焉，此心同也，此理同也。西海有圣人出焉，此心同也，此理同也。千百世之上至千百世之下，有圣人出焉，此心此理，亦莫不同也。」只须一任其自然，此心自能应物而不穷。　　

无极与太极

陆九渊训「极」为「中」，以为「太极」即是「实理」。曰：「盖极者，中也，言无极则是犹言无中也，是奚可哉？」「夫太极者，实有是理，……其为万化根本固自素定，其足不足，能不能，岂以人之言不言之故耶？」（《与朱元晦》一）「充塞宇宙，无非此理，岂容以字义拘之乎？」（《与朱元晦》二）他以为「理」所讲的是人生日用之理，圣人所瞩目的是如何践履道德，「言即其事，事即其言，所谓『言顾行，行顾言』」（《与朱元晦》二），而不是在名称上兜圈子，所以任何语言文字的雕琢都无益于对「理」的认识。他又指出：「『无极』二字，出于《老子·知其雄章》，吾圣人之书所无有也。」（《与朱元晦》一）《老子》首章便讲「无名天地之始，有名万物之母」，「有生于无」的观点是老氏从始至终的为学宗旨，「无极而太极」正是贯彻了老子这种观点。

阴阳与道

陆九渊以为阴阳即是形而上之道，它概括了宇宙间一切对立的事物和现象。他说：「《易》之为道，一阴一阳而已，先后、始终、动静、晦明、上下、进退、往来、阖辟……何适而非一阴一阳哉？」（《与朱元晦》二）「『形而上者谓之道』，又曰『一阴一阳之谓道』，一阴一阳，已是形而上者，况太极乎？」（《与朱元晦》一）因他所谓「理」不分天人、理欲，乃「三极」合一之理，人在此理之中而为理的主宰，所以有「阴阳即是形而上者」之说。

主要著作

• 《象山先生全集》陆九渊逝世后，其子陆持之于开禧元年（1205年）收罗九渊作品，编为《象山先生全集》。

注释

• 祝平次：〈自我、文本与传统：陆九渊与南宋道学的发展〉。

• 林维杰：〈朱陆异同的诠释学转向〉。

• 林维杰：〈陆象山学问的诠释学性格〉。

• 中岛谅：〈朱熹的另一个论敌——陈亮哲学与陆九渊的亲和性〉。

• 中岛谅：〈陆九渊哲学新考——陆九渊是否为「心学」思想家？〉。

相关项目

• 儒学

• 心学

• 王阳明

• 宋明理学

• 鹅湖之会

Lu Jiuyuans Main Ideas

Lus Philosophy of the Mind: Unity of the Mind and the Way

In his own words, Lu said, "The universe is my mind, and my mind is the universe." Unlike Zhu's emphasis of li, which is the principle that contains and underlies all things and beings, Lu brought forward the concept of the heart/mind as the ultimate one or source that encompasses everything including the universe and the principle. The unity of the mind expressed in the work of Lu means that the mind of humanity and the mind of the Way (Dao) are one and the same. This is in direct opposition to Zhu Xi's idea that the mind of Humanity and the mind of the Way are separate and distinct from each other. Zhu Xi also claimed that every individual thing possesses its own unique material force (qi) distinct from the principle (li). Lu vehemently opposed this dualistic doctrine and further emphasized that everything is connected and originated from the heart/mind.

Original Mind

The concept of original mind was first conceived by Mencius but was further developed by Lu. The original mind means that all human beings are born with innate moral knowledge and virtue. This original mind is fourfold as Mencius called them 'four roots of the heart':

• Compassion - The root of humaneness (ren).

• Shame - The root of righteousness (yi).

• Respect - The root of propriety and ritual observance (li).

• Knowledge of right and wrong - The root of wisdom (zhi).

Like real roots in nature these four roots must be nurtured first before flowers to bloom. So, in other words, these four roots of the heart are nothing but just tendencies of the mind. These four roots of the heart need proper nurturing and care to grow strong and healthy to manifest their true nature, which is moral virtue.

Lu believed that moral virtues are innately present in the human heart/mind and that, endowed by Heaven, humaneness and righteousness form the Original Mind of human beings. The original mind is shared by all human beings, both sages and common people, and its truth is ageless and eternal.

Influence of Mencius on Lus Philosophy

Mencius undoubtedly had a major influence on Lu, this can easily be attested to by the numerous quotes of Mencius used in the works of Lu. Their similarities are striking since Lu used many concepts and ideas first conceived by Mencius; but without exception Lu developed Mencius' ideas on his own and caused these ideas to reach a greater maturation. Furthermore, influenced by both Buddhism and Daoism, Lu incorporates the metaphysical aspects to his philosophy that added more complexity and subtlety to Mencius' original ideas.

Influence of Daoism on Lu Jiuyuan

There is a real and significant influence of Daoism on Lu's philosophy. The most prominent influences are the concept simplicity and spontaneity.

The concept of spontaneity is the central point of Daoism. According to Daoism, an ideal ruler is the king who has cultivated quiescence (stillness) to such a level that he can act harmoniously and spontaneously to any situation. Zhuangzi, Daoist philosopher, expresses this in his own words, "in stillness a sage, in motion a king"

Another influence of Daoism on Lu Jiuyuan in his belief that if one is 'to establish what is fundamental, one must eliminate desire.' This is to emphasize the simplicity of living without human desires that usually corrupt human beings' true simplistic nature.

School of the Universal Mind after Lu Jiuyuan

The philosophy of Lu Jiuyuan attracted not many followers in China following Lu's death in 1193. Lu's philosophy was almost completely forgotten until a later thinker named Wang Yangming republished and wrote his commentaries on Lu's works during Ming dynasty. Wang Yangming played a significant role in developing Lu's philosophy and the school of the universal mind rivaling Zhuxi's school of the principle. The school of the universal mind is also called the Lu-Wang school after the names of two major thinkers, Lu Jiuyuan and Wang Yangming. The influence of this school in China following Wang's death was however curtailed by the strong centralized bureaucratic state system which controlled the education of all the government officials through the state sponsored examination which was heavily influenced by the curriculum designed by Zhu Xi. The influence of Lu-Wang school in Japan was however much greater owing to the comparatively more decentralized government system following the Sengoku (Warring states) period. The Oyomei (Japanese for Wang Yangming) school in Japan inspired and made great influences on subsequent Japanese thinkers and activists such as Nakae Tōju and Ōshio Heihachirō.

Lu's interpretation of Confucianism remained influential in China into the twentieth century. In the early twentieth century Lu's philosophy was re-popularized by Liang Shuming in his book The Civilization and Philosophy of the East and the West (1921). The Nationalist warlord Yan Xishan attempted to revive Confucianism in Shanxi largely on the model of the Lu-Wang school.