Analect 11.12 Zilu's lack of understanding of life (ES)

     In analect 11.12 Zilu is asking Confucius about he ought to properly serve ghosts and spirits. However,

Confucius is reluctant to tell him the proper procedures because he believes that Zilu does not understand 

life specifically saying, "You do not yet understand life-how could you possible understand death?". This 

brings forth two question to my mind, first why is it necessary to need to understand life before you

explore death? Secondly, What exactly constitutes life and for that matter death really? Does Confucius

mean that understanding the Way, the ancients and having a love for learning and virtue is what it means 

to understand life? If it is that case than by the standards of Confucius Zilu does indeed not understand 

life. 

    Numerous times Confucius has discussed the faults and ignorance or Zilu and pointed out how 

perhaps he is on the right path but still very far from understanding life or nature. For example in analect 

11.15, Confucius remarks his dislike of Zilu Zither playing in his school, and this causes fellow Confucian

disciples to disrespect him. Confucius reproves them saying, "Although Zilu has not yet entered the inner 

chamber, he has at least ascended to the reception hall". This is to say that Zilu is on the right path and has

already achieved a lot, but has yet to acquire full understanding of the Way and life. Therefore returning to

the issue at hand in 11.12, one can conclude that only after Zilu has attained enough understanding of the 

ancients and the Way, so that he can enter the inner court would Confucius say he has enough 

understanding of life to understand death and serve the ghosts and spirits. Or at the very least he has 

enough understanding of life, so that he can move beyond and explore and master the understanding of 

death.  


Comments

  1. JakeFebruary 15, 2022 at 2:44 PM

    Hey Mr. S,

    I also found this passage to be of interest. I'm not sure if it is because the seminar readings are very present but the idea of life and death as being entities to understand feels a bit buddhist... or maybe it is just that most religions share a bit of this sentiment? As you mentioned, I too find it interesting that Zilu is often chastised by the Master... it's of interest because I do not recall many other of the Master's disciples working with the intensity of subjects such as life, death and the like. To me he often seems to be a disciple who is willing to take the hard routes (or ride the shoddy rafts). Maybe there is something to the individual only taking on tasks and thoughts that befit them. Ones they are well prepared for. That one should start with what is near at hand and perhaps Zilu is regularly over-reaching?

    See you in class,

    Mr. Stotlemeyer

    ReplyDelete
  2. Krishnan VenkateshMarch 4, 2022 at 8:23 PM

    Somewhere in Montaigne's later essays there's a meditation on how unphilosophical, uneducated peasants simply know how to die well. Montaigne's conclusion from this is that we only need to focus on how to live well, and then dying well will take care of itself.

    ReplyDelete

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