「未慶」與「見慶」──〈坤．初六．文言傳〉「積善之家，必有餘慶」說及其疑義辨析

Abstract

學者們在討論〈坤 ．初六．文言傳〉「積善之家，必有餘慶」時，大都指出積善之後，喜慶在「最終」是會獲得。但是一般人在積善之後，「遲未」見喜慶的到來，就有可能放棄繼續行善。因此對於人們雖有「積善」之舉，何以沒有「馬上接著」看見「喜慶」出現？這樣的疑義則要加以釐清。首先本文發現積善的發展乃是，順小善→積小善→漸大善，這樣的發展進程。其次得出，起初積累其善，或許還未見喜慶，然而能夠「遠離禍災」，即是積善之後的馬上回報。堅持繼續積善，就可獲得喜慶。此即是「積善→禍已離→見喜慶」的過程。最後得出，積其善且盡其職，應有喜慶出現才是，卻是尚未見慶。此乃在積善過程中，亦有犯錯積惡而有災殃產生，善與惡相抵消，故未能見慶。在改過除殃之後，就可獲得履道大成的喜慶。此即是「積善→積惡有殃→除殃→見喜慶」的過程。In the discussion about the saying of “One who accumulates good deeds is bound to have happiness”in Section Six The Kun Diagram of Wenyanzhuan, most scholars believe that after the accumulation of good deeds, one will “finally”obtain happiness. However, common people may give up continuing to accumulate good deeds as happiness has not turned up. Thus, it is necessary to clarify the idea that since one has “accumulated good deeds”, why he or she cannot have “happiness”“immediately”. First, this paper has found that the accumulation of good deeds develops in the process of“following small good deeds → accumulating small good deeds → accumulating big good deeds”. Second, it has also found that, though immediate happiness may not necessarily turn up after the accumulation of good deeds at the beginning, “getting rid of misfortune”is an immediate return. One will obtain happiness as long as he or she continues to accumulate good deeds. In short, it is a process of “accumulating good deeds → deviating from misfortune → appearance of happiness”. Lastly, it concludes that the reason why one has accumulated good deeds and fulfilled his or her duty but still does not have happiness is because while accumulating good deeds, he or she also makes mistakes and accumulates misdeeds. As good deeds counteract misdeeds, one cannot see happiness. After the correction of mistakes and getting rid of misfortune, one will march towards happiness. In short, it is a process of “accumulating good deeds → misfortune due to the accumulation of misdeeds → getting rid of misfortune → appearance of happiness”.