“死生之道”與三教之判 - 王陽明由龍場悟道而歸本儒學之密鑰=“The way of life and death” and the differentiation of the three doctrines: The key to Wang Yangming’s return to Confucianism via Longchang enlightenment
As the core of the Longchang Enlightenment, the issue of life and death is the key to understanding Wang Yangming’s return to Confucianism and judgment and differentiation of the three doctrines. Seeing through the "ultimate concern of life and death" in his Longchang enlightenment, Yangming arrived at the truth of life existence that we originally have the bodies of "longevity and immortality", and are fully self-sufficient. Based on the insight into the truth of life, Yangming, on the one hand, through emphasis on the obsession-breaking work, completely turned the way of life and death into current moral practice, thus laying the foundation for his ultimate return to Confucianism. On the other hand, he took Confucianism as the guide, "rectifying Daoism and Buddhism", interpreting the life and death discussed in Buddhism and Daoism in worldly terms, claiming that the original doctrines of Buddhism and Daoism are no different from the way of Confucian saints, thus perfectly achieving the fusion of the three doctrines. Therefore, in Wang Yangming’s psychological studies, cultivation of the body is in accordance with that of the virtue, dwelling in benevolence and acting in righteousness can lead to longevity and immortality, Confucianism has the same origin as Buddhism and Daoism, and finally full development of nature till death is the same as being the Buddha or the Immortal.
