‘천도’ 개념을 중심으로 본 성현영 『도덕경의소』의 도론

Abstract

The present study examines the theory on dao 道 in Cheng Xuanying’s 成玄英 Daodejing Yishu (道德經義疏, Commentaries on the Meaning of the Classic of the Way and Virtue) with focus on the concept of tiandao 天道. To Cheng, dao was the principle of generation of all things. When seen from such a perspective, dao is a kind of li 理. On the other hand, inherent in individual beings in the phenomenal world is the dao as the principle of generation of all things. When seen from this perspective, dao is xing 性 of all things. Such dao is the objective law ruling over the phenomenal world. Consequently, humans must behave according to dao. However, the principle of generation of all things is too abstract to be the basis of the principle of human behavior. Cheng therefore concretizes dao as the principle of generation of all things within the context of nature. This is tiandao. Tiandao that he speaks of is the natural law of jizefan (極則反, returning at the extreme), from which he derives the principle of human behavior of modesty. The key element of “modesty” as argued by Cheng is guarding against obsession for wealth and rank. When seen in terms of the concept of tiandao, the theory on dao in Daodejing Yishu exhibits the convergence of the theory on dao shown in Daodejing and other philosophies. In this respect, the theory on dao in Daodejing Yishu can be seen as an independent theory different from the theory on dao in Daodejing.