By 'n' by hard times comes a-knocking at the door ! (52)

堯帝並非帝嚳的長子，他的權位( throne )，並非來自族長權( right of patriarch )的繼承，而是來自各部落首領的共同推舉。

各部落首領共同推舉堯帝擔任什麼權位 ?

堯禪讓舜之前，先讓舜斷理各部落諍訟(見孟子萬章上)。所以，各部落首領共同推舉堯帝，出任佛陀所說的平等主，斷理諍訟(見長阿含四姓經)。

洛克提到，人民締結社會契約，讓渡其執行自然法的權利，成立政府，以建立共同裁判所，用以保障生命、自由與財產等自然權利，結束自然狀態。

堯的權位同於平等主，皆是基於社會契約，而非族長權的繼承。

因此，堯、平等主和洛克所稱的君王，其權力來源，非族長權的繼承，亦非神授(君權神授 Divine Right) ，唯，基於社會契約，乃人民的同意。

雖然，堯禪讓舜權位之前，仍先使舜主祭。故而，孟子乃謂 :「使之主祭，百神享之，是天受之 ; 使之主事而事治，百姓安之，是民受之也。天與之，民與之，故曰 : 天子不能以天下與人。」(註1)

如是，主權在民，能有疑義 ?

 (註1)

Mencius replied : He caused him to preside over the sacrifices, and all the spirits were well pleased with them; ----thus Heaven accepted him. He caused him to preside over the conduct of affairs, and affairs were well administered, so that the people reposed under him ;---- thus the people accepted him.

Heaven gave the throne to him. The people gave it to him. Therefore I said, "The sovreign cannot give throne to another. (The work of Mencius, English translation by James Legge, D. D., LL. D., BK. V. part I, Wan Chang)

(取材自Alex Pan's Digest)  

Alex Pan TheWalker