Wang Daiyu 王岱輿 · c. 1584–c. 1658
The Great Learning of the Pure and Real
清真大學
結論Conclusion
Section 19 · Conclusion (1): the Real One, the Numerical One and the Capacity-Being
結論 真一、數一、能有（一）
What is most essential for a person is to know that between the pure One, the seen One and the known One there is a distinction like that between higher and lower human ranks; the gap between them is no less than that between heaven and earth, and if one is not thorough about it the consequences are not light. As for the Real One, the Numerical One and the Embodied One, between them lies the supreme distinction of Lord and servant, sage and worthy; this above all must be examined. Considered minutely, the myriad diversities are rooted in the one Being; apart from this Capacity-Being there is no other being; were there another being, how could it be One? Alas for the people of the world! Attached to the branch-tips of the myriad images, they are blind to the being of the Real One. Some who discourse on it, never having been set right, remain vague and adrift in the end; only the clear-eyed and upright see the root clearly and further return to the Original Lord. But the Original Lord and the root must be analysed and clearly distinguished. Why? The Real One, single and alone without peer, is indeed the Original Lord; the Numerical One is the root of the myriad things and is therefore called the Great Father. Were there no Real One, how could there be the Numerical One? Yet this Numerical One of the Non-Ultimate is not the Original Lord; it is in fact rooted in the Original Lord's Capacity-Being. The Real One and the Capacity-Being are like the substance of light and the radiance of light: the substance of light dissolves whatever approaches it, while its radiance accommodates whatever shares in it. Therefore the One that shares with nothing is called the Real One; that which is shared without obstruction is called the Capacity-Being; the One that contains all principles is called the Numerical One. The Capacity-Being is merged between the Real One and the Numerical One: the Capacity-Being is rooted in the Real One, and the Numerical One is manifest through the Capacity-Being. The Numerical One is like the brightness of radiance. Radiance may be likened to the majesty of the forbidden palace: though one may attend close by, one is naturally in awe. Brightness is like a deputy governing on the sovereign's behalf: one may dwell with him in ordinary life and feel at ease, and he further raises one's standing, lacking nothing. This is the distinction between the Capacity-Being and the Numerical One.
夫人之至要，當知茲純一、見一、知一之間，猶人品高下之別，其中懸隔，不啻霄壤，倘有不徹，關係匪輕；至於真一、數一、體一之間，有主僕、聖賢至大之別，尤不可不察也。微細參之，萬殊本於一有，除斯能有之外，並無別有，設還別有，豈為一乎？悲夫世人！著於萬象枝稍，昧乎真一之有。或有論者，未經指正，終屬渺茫，惟明眼正人，灼見本根，更歸原主，但原主之與本根，必須剖析分明；何也？真一單獨無偶，固為原主，數一為萬物本根，故稱大父；若非真一，豈有數一？然茲無極之數一，不是原主，而實本原主之能有也。真一之與能有，譬如光之本體，與光之光輝；但光之本體，近之則化，其光輝共之則容，是故一無所同，謂之真一；同而不礙，謂之能有；一具衆理，謂之數一；能有渾於真一、數一之間，能有本於真一；數一顯於能有；數一若光輝之明亮，光輝譬之御禁威嚴，雖可近侍，自然惶懼，明亮若代元首施政，固與常處，自覺安逸，更增其人品，非有所缺略，此能有數一之別也。
AIScan, p. 34–37Transcribed from the scan by AI (Claude), checked as described on the About page.
1 uncertain reading in this passage
- 稍著於萬象枝稍or 梢· variant · printed 稍 for 梢 'branch-tip' (p. 35)
AI17 differences in the 1794 woodblock (B) (4 of wording)
Our text follows the 1934 print; the other witness's readings are recorded here, not adopted.
- 異類矣夫人之B reads異類矣總論三一兼言造化教門性命生死空無等事夫人之· substantive · p. 91 · B sets the heading 總論 with the small-type summary 三一兼言造化教門性命生死空無等事; N has 結論 with 泛言三一，兼及造化，教門、性命、生死、空無等事. So the summary is not the 1934 editor's: it is in the Qing woodblock. Our text omits it (as a heading note), as before; B read by one AI pass, confirmed by an A/B check and an enlarged re-reading
- 者未經指正終屬渺B reads者未經正指終屬渺· substantive · p. 93 · Transposition: B reads 正指, ours reads 指正; B read by both AI passes
- 亮若代元首施政固B reads亮若代君施政固· substantive · p. 99 · B has the single character 君 where ours has 元首. This is probably a Republican-era substitution in the 1934 text replacing 君; B read by both AI passes
- 能有數一之別也B reads能有數二之別也· substantive · p. 99 · B 數二之別; N 數一之別; B read by one AI pass, confirmed by an A/B check and an enlarged re-reading
- 匪輕至於真一數B reads匪輕至于真一數· orthographic · p. 91
- 至大之別尤不可B reads至大之别尤不可· orthographic · p. 93
- 萬殊本於一有除B reads萬殊本于一有除· orthographic · p. 93
- 有之外並無別有設還B reads有之外併無别有設還· orthographic · p. 93
- 有設還別有豈為B reads有設還别有豈為· orthographic · p. 93
- 夫世人著於萬象枝B reads夫世人着于萬象枝· orthographic · p. 93
- 也真一單獨無偶B reads也真一单獨無偶· orthographic · p. 95
- 本根故稱大父若B reads本根故穪大父若· orthographic · p. 95
- 數一然茲無極之B reads數一然兹無極之· orthographic · p. 95
- 能有渾於真一數B reads能有渾于真一數· orthographic · p. 97
- 能有本於真一數B reads能有本于真一數· orthographic · p. 97
- 數一顯於能有數B reads數一顯于能有數· orthographic · p. 97
- 非有所缺略此能B reads非有所鈌略此能· orthographic · p. 99
AISection 20 · Conclusion (2): creation and its provisions
結論 造化設備（二）
Spoken of separately they are at root one; spoken of together they are unequal. All the other wonders and forms are likewise rooted in the Non-Ultimate and the Supreme Ultimate, a long-flowing living water that stays clear without any change, all because of the pervasion of the Original Being. Standing water in a pond is certainly either clear or muddy, and its changes are all the constraints of the new-born. Now creation is the complete work by which substance and function are made clear: nature and mandate further display the Original Suchness and movement and stillness; life and death distinguish the Original Being from the new-born; religion points the way back to the true path; emptiness and nothingness are a boundless sea of illusion, where one must look for a wise master at the helm who looks up to observe the heavenly signs and down to consult the compass needle; only so can one go with the current and cross in calm, otherwise one capsizes and drowns. Know that the creation of the myriad things, though a well-intentioned provision, also serves Heaven as an observation by which to test people. And one must further know that creation's provisions are by no means dispensable: without them creation would not appear. Provision is not observation, yet without observation what would provision be for? The ability to see is not brightness, yet without brightness one naturally cannot see; brightness is not radiance, yet without radiance how could there be brightness? Radiance is not the sun, yet without the sun whence would radiance come? Broadly, all ranks of things depend on its light; otherwise nothing at all could be done. Hence it is said: 'Though there be myriad spirits and the whole cosmos, without the sun all would at once be lost in darkness.' Ah! Without the sun even these are all lost; apart from the Lord, who could exist of himself? Therefore the Scripture says: 'The Real Lord created your forms and spirits, and also created the things you are to use, complete in every way yet unequal, for people to choose from as they will.'
分而言之本一，合而言之不等，其他衆妙衆形，又本無極太極，長流活水，本無更易而澄清，皆因原有之貫通也。池塘止水，定有清濁，而變化總為新生之拘礙也。原夫造化，為明體用之全為，性命更顯本然與動靜，生死辨原有新生，教道指歸真正路，空無乃無邊幻海，必須期掌柁智公，仰觀天象，俯視南針，始得順流平渡，不然則覆溺矣。當知造化萬物，即有善意設備，亦為天使用作驗人之觀察耳。且須知造化之設備，決非舍設備而造化不顯，設備不即觀察，非觀察設備何為？能觀不即明亮，非明亮自不能觀，明亮不即光耀，非光輝豈能明亮，光輝不即太陽，非太陽光輝何有？大都諸品，皆賴其明，不然則總無能為矣。故云「總有萬靈兼宇宙，果然無日頓成迷。」噫！無日尚且皆迷，除主孰能自有？是以經云「真主造化了爾等之形神，又造化了爾等當用之事物，萬全不等，任人取擇。」
AIScan, p. 37–38Transcribed from the scan by AI (Claude), checked as described on the About page.
4 differences in the 1794 woodblock (B) (2 of wording)
Our text follows the 1934 print; the other witness's readings are recorded here, not adopted.
- 明亮不即光耀非光輝B reads明亮不卽光輝非光輝· substantive · p. 101 · B 光輝; N 光耀 (both then continue 非光輝); B read by both AI passes
- 須知造化萬物，即有善意設備，亦為天使用作驗人之觀察耳；且須知造化之設備，決非舍設備而造化不顯，設備不即觀察B reads須知造化萬物，卽如美心設玩，本爲驗人之觀察耳；須知造化不卽設玩，非設玩而造化不顯，設玩不卽觀察· substantive · p. 101 · the longest divergence: B has 美心 'a fair heart' and 設玩 'set out as playthings' for N's 善意 'good intent' and 設備 'provision' throughout, and lacks 天使用作 'the angels use them to'. Read by both AI passes and an enlarged re-reading; wording of B at medium confidence
AISection 21 · Conclusion (3): good, evil and human choice
結論 善惡取擇（三）
Sage and wise, common and foolish: it is decided in this one act. Although their forms, spirits, affairs and things were predetermined by the Real Lord in the prior order, only at the Non-Ultimate do they begin to be shared and disclosed; none does not come from creation, yet [the outcome] rests with the self-will of their own intentions. Someone asked: 'A painter paints only beautiful faces and does not paint ugly shapes; what of that?' Answer: 'One who can paint beauty must also be able to paint ugliness; otherwise his art would be incomplete.' He asked again: 'If fair and ugly both come from the painter, why speak of beauty and ugliness?' Answer: 'The causes of all good and evil come from the Real Lord's creation; the taking of excess or deficiency lies with each person's own use.' Things have root and branch, affairs have after and before; knowing what hits the measure, one is naturally not deluded. Know that every person has being on the basis of bright virtue; before they see what may be desired, none does not aspire to sagehood and worthiness; only when they see what they like does one first know their real choosing and rejecting. In general, there are persons of talent and then there are examinations; there are examinations and then reward and punishment; reward and punishment come from grace and majesty: grace is bestowed on the highest wise, majesty is applied to the lowest foolish. This is the natural principle. Why? Those above are in accord with Him and so obtain His pleasure; those below disobey His command and so meet His wrath. Hence pleasure comes from the origin, while wrath arises afterward and is not [in Him] as something that came later. From this one knows that pleasure and wrath, the two ends, are fundamentally not a single principle; each has its own source. They must be examined minutely and not read over with a careless, coarse mind. Even movement and stillness are two divisions: how could Lord and servant be merged together? The slightest error and one falls forever onto the path of delusion; truly lamentable. A poem says: 'The sea at its source is clear and still; [its stirring] must come from wind; the waves sustain the fighting turtles and dragons; when the waves of General Mercy subside, Special Mercy rises; know that the scaled and shelled creatures remain forever.' And again: 'The sea appears as rivers and lakes, yet the sea is as at first; rivers and lakes are at root plainly sea; do not suppose this sea is the rivers and lakes: rivers are rivers and lakes, the sea is itself the sea.' As when water reflects the shadow of bamboo, the two bodies have nothing to do with each other; as when the wind carries the fragrance of flowers, though together they are not shared, That is what is meant by this.
聖智凡愚，在此一舉；其形神事物，雖真主預定於有先，至於無極，始通共而發露，莫不出於造化，但由其志念之自欲耳。或曰「丹青特畫美容，而不畫醜態，何如？」曰「能美亦必能醜，不然則不備矣」；又曰「妍媸既出丹青，美醜何論？」；曰「凡善惡之因，皆出真主之造化，其過與不及之取，本在人之自用耳」；物有本末，事有后先，知所中節，自不惑矣。須知人人皆本明德而有，但未見可欲之時，莫不希聖希賢，及見其所好，方始知其真實取舍；大都有人才然后有考試，有考試然後有賞罰，賞罰出於恩威，恩施於上智，威加於下愚，此自然之理也。何也？上者契合於己，遂得其喜，下者違背其命，故遭其怒；所以喜自原來，怒因后發，非為后有也。即此便知喜怒兩端，本非一理，彼此各有從來，必須微細參詳，不可蠡心閱過，動靜尚有兩分，主僕豈可同渾？少有訛誤，永墮迷途，誠可悲憫：詩云「海原清淨要為風，波浪維持鬭鱉龍，普慈浪罷獨慈興，須知鱗介永遺存」；又云「海顯江湖海若初，江湖原本分明海，休猜此海即江湖，江是江湖海自海」；若水翻竹影，其兩體無干，風弄花香，雖同而不共，即此之謂也。
AI蠡心 is printed; 麤心 "a coarse mind" is probably meant, and is translated.Scan, p. 38–40Transcribed from the scan by AI (Claude), checked as described on the About page.
4 uncertain readings in this passage
- 鬭波浪維持鬭鱉龍or 闘· variant · printed with 門 enclosure (闘 form); B (p. 107) has glyphs of the same shape (the first looks like 闌 in both witnesses) (p. 39)
- 鱉波浪維持鬭鱉龍or 鼇· unclear · glyph reads 敝 over 魚 (鱉); 鼇 would be the more usual poetic pairing with 龍; B (p. 107) has glyphs of the same shape (the first looks like 闌 in both witnesses) (p. 39)
- 己上者契合於己，遂得其喜or 已· unclear · 己/已 are hard to tell apart in this type; sense ambiguous; B cuts it like 巳, as it does 己 throughout (p. 39)
- 蠡不可蠡心閱過or 粗· misprint · N prints 蠡 plainly (PDF p. 39); B (1794, p. 107) reads 不可粗心閱過 'must not read it over with a coarse mind'. A misprint in N (probably for 麤), kept as printed (p. 39)
AI16 differences in the 1794 woodblock (B) (5 of wording)
Our text follows the 1934 print; the other witness's readings are recorded here, not adopted.
- 主預定於有先至B reads主預定了有先至· slip in B · p. 103 · B cuts 了 where ours has 於 (于). This is probably a graphic slip in B for 于, since 預定了有先 reads poorly. The character matches the 了 in 造化了 on the same page; B read by both AI passes
- 極始通共而發露B reads極始通其而發露· substantive · p. 103 · B read by one AI pass, confirmed by an A/B check and an enlarged re-reading
- 美醜何論曰凡善惡之B reads美醜何以論物曰凢善惡之· substantive · p. 105 · B reads 美醜何以論物, with 以 and 物 not in ours. B's reading is grammatically fuller, so ours probably dropped both characters; B read by both AI passes
- 詳不可蠡心閱過B reads詳不可粗心閱過· slip in our print · p. 107 · B 粗心 "a coarse mind", the reading the sense wants; N prints 蠡 plainly (a misprint, probably for 麤); B read by both AI passes
- 慈浪罷獨慈興須知鱗B reads慈浪罷獨慈與須知鱗· substantive · p. 109 · B appears to read 獨慈與 (medium confidence); N 獨慈興 (checked at 600 dpi); B read by one AI pass, confirmed by a blind A/B check
- 擇聖智凡愚在此B reads擇聖智凢愚在此· orthographic · p. 103
- 有先至於無極始B reads有先至于無極始· orthographic · p. 103
- 莫不出於造化但B reads莫不出于造化但· orthographic · p. 103
- 賞罰出於恩威恩B reads賞罰出于恩威恩· orthographic · p. 107
- 威恩施於上智威B reads威恩施于上智威· orthographic · p. 107
- 智威加於下愚此B reads智威加于下愚此· orthographic · p. 107
- 者契合於己遂得B reads者契合于己遂得· orthographic · p. 107
- 喜自原來怒因后B reads喜自原来怒因后· orthographic · p. 107
- 少有訛誤永墮迷B reads少有訛悞永墮迷· orthographic · p. 107
- 猜此海即江湖江B reads猜此海卽江湖江· orthographic · p. 109
- 而不共即此之謂B reads而不共卽此之謂· orthographic · p. 109
AISection 22 · The ancient mirror and the dressing-table
結論 古鏡粧臺之喻
Know that among the Real One, the Capacity-Being and the Numerical One there is the marvel of substance, function and deputyship; capacity and being may be likened to light and its brightness. The Utmost Sage, the Numerical One, is like an ancient mirror; the ranks of sages and the host of worthies are its attendants; the heavens and the worlds are its dressing-table. Even so, the Real Lord manifests His full range of qualities by entrusting them in particular to the Human Ultimate, and within it there are still differences of high and low. As for heterodox and deviant ways, they must not be regarded as one body with this: because they have lost the source and rebelled against the root, taking their own nature for the Lord, they are human in form but in truth not human. Hence the poem says: "Life and death all rest with the Solely Honoured; apart from this Supremely Great One, who else is able? Those who fall into the lost path and rely only on themselves at once forget the Original One and the first covenant." Further, as for the One of embodied recognition, its principle is wholly present in one's own person: the real nature is the light, the rectified heart is the mirror, the well-ordered body is the dressing-table, and the myriad things are the attendants. This, again, is the pattern of the Numerical One; yet the beautiful woman has no part in it. Hence it is said: "The beauty stands alone, apart: what face is hers? Wishing to display her rich charms, she waits for them to be conveyed; when the dressing-table's ornaments and all the labour are ready, only then does she appear within the bright precious mirror." There are some, drunk or dreaming, who wrongly take the beauty to be the mirror's light. Alas! If it were as they say, then the beauty and the mirror's light would have been melted in the same furnace, cast in the same mould, and ground and polished alike; then who built the furnace and made the mirror? Suppose one among men claimed to be equal in honour with the Son of Heaven and so treated him as an equal: could his crime be pardoned? How much more one who wishes to be of one body with the Real Lord, Creator of heaven, earth, humans and spirits!
須知真一能有數一之間，有體用代理之妙，能與之有，比之光明，至聖數一，譬如古鏡，列聖羣賢，乃其陪侍，諸天世界，是為粧臺；雖然真主顯其全品，特寄於人極，其中高下，尚有不等；至若異端左道，不當一體相看，因其迷源叛本，認性為主，形雖人類，實非人矣；是以詩云「生死皆緣闌獨尊，除斯至大再誰能？墮及迷途惟自用，頓忘原一與初盟」。再若體認之一，其理總具當身，真性為光明，正心為鏡子，身治即粧臺，萬物為陪侍，此又數一之樣式矣，然而美人不與焉；故云「美人獨另孰何顏，欲顯豐姿待可傳，粧臺玩好工夫備，始現光明寶鏡間」。有等醉夢，妄以美人即是鏡光，噫！果如是說，美人之與鏡光，同鎔於爐冶，共入模範，而均受磋磨，其造爐成鏡者誰歟？設人中一人，自稱與天子同尊，遂與其抗禮，其罪可免乎？況欲與造化天地人神之真主同至一體耶？
AIScan, p. 40–41Transcribed from the scan by AI (Claude), checked as described on the About page.
1 uncertain reading in this passage
- 闌生死皆緣闌獨尊· unclear · clearly printed 闌 but sense obscure (緣闌?); possibly a misprint; B (p. 111) has the same glyph, 門 over 柬: both witnesses read 闌 (p. 40)
AI9 differences in the 1794 woodblock (B) (4 of wording)
Our text follows the 1934 print; the other witness's readings are recorded here, not adopted.
- 能墮及迷途惟自B reads能墮及迯途惟自· slip in B · p. 111 · The B glyph looks more like 迯 than 迷, possibly because the print is worn. 迷 is clearly cut earlier in the page (迷源), and 迷途 is required by the sense. If the glyph is 迯, it is a slip in B; B read by one AI pass, confirmed by an A/B check and an enlarged re-reading
- 式矣然而美人不B reads式矣然則美人不· substantive · p. 113 · B reads 然則 where ours has 然而; B read by both AI passes
- 真主同至一體耶B reads真主同為一體耶· substantive · p. 115 · B reads 同爲一體 ('be of one body'), which is the more natural reading; ours 至 may be a slip; B read by both AI passes
- 至一體耶且人之B reads至一體也且人之· substantive · p. 115 · Ours has the interrogative particle 耶; B has the declarative 也; B read by both AI passes
- 品特寄於人極其B reads品特寄于人極其· orthographic · p. 111
- 子身治即粧臺萬B reads子身治卽粧臺萬· orthographic · p. 111
- 顏欲顯豐姿待可B reads顏欲顯丰姿待可· orthographic · p. 113
- 以美人即是鏡光B reads以美人卽是鏡光· orthographic · p. 113
- 光同鎔於爐冶共B reads光同鎔于爐冶共· orthographic · p. 113
AISection 23 · Against "you are I, I am you"
結論 辨「爾即我，我即爾」
Moreover, when people speak of one another they say "you are you, and I am I". Yet there are strange doctrines of following the heart, and are these confined to humankind? Even the smallest of flying, swimming, moving and growing things all, it is said, address their Lord of emptiness: "You are I, and I am you." Hence it is said: "The green bamboo and the yellow flowers are all this nature; every house and every place is all Buddha." If it were as they say, then life and death, success and failure, safety and danger, gain and loss would all come from oneself; but if in the end it is not so, what is there to rely on? If not the very extreme of folly and delusion, how could anyone be so absurd? Therefore the Scripture says: "The Real Lord, to manifest His great power, created heaven and earth; yet heaven and earth are not the power. To manifest Himself, He created the Human Ultimate; yet the Human Ultimate is not Himself." Hence it is said: "Whoever recognises himself is then able to recognise his own Real Lord"; this can be verified in one's own person.
且人之稱人曰「爾為爾，我為我」，且有循心異說，豈特人類而已？雖飛潛動植之微，莫不與其空無之主曰「爾即我，我即爾」；故云「翠竹黃花皆此性，家家處處總婆陀」；果如此說，其生死窮通，安危得失，必皆由己，倘竟不然，有何可據？若非愚迷之至，那得誕妄如此？是以經云，「真主顯其大能，造化了天地，天地非能也；要顯自己，造化了人極，人極非己也」。故云「凡人認得自己，始能認得自己之真主」，由當身之可證也。
AIScan, p. 41Transcribed from the scan by AI (Claude), checked as described on the About page.
9 differences in the 1794 woodblock (B) (3 of wording)
Our text follows the 1934 print; the other witness's readings are recorded here, not adopted.
- 我為我且有循心B reads我為我近有循心· substantive · p. 115 · B reads 近有 ('recently there are'). Ours 且 is probably an error, perhaps echoing the 且 of 且人之稱 just before; B read by both AI passes
- 即我我即爾故云翠B reads即我我卽爾耶故云翠· substantive · p. 115 · B read by one AI pass, confirmed by a blind A/B check
- 妄如此是以經B reads妄如此耳是以經· substantive · p. 115 · B has the final particle 耳 after 如此; ours lacks it; B read by both AI passes
- 主曰爾即我我即B reads主曰爾卽我我即· orthographic · p. 115
- 必皆由己倘竟不B reads必皆由已倘竟不· orthographic · p. 115
- 人極非己也故云B reads人極非已也故云· orthographic · p. 117
- 認得自己始能認B reads認得自已始能認· orthographic · p. 117
- 認得自己之真主B reads認得自已之真主· orthographic · p. 117
- 身之可證也須知B reads身之可証也須知· orthographic · p. 117
AISection 24 · Life, death and the Original Being
結論 生死與原有
Know that without darkness one cannot awaken to light, and without life and death how could one know Real Being? If one can see through life and death completely, then life is not life, because it has death, and death is not death, because there is life again; once past these two gates there is no more life or death. Whatever is subject to life and death is a creature, since it is established through nature and mandate; that which does not fall into life and death is the Real One, since it has no beginning and is originally existent. The Former Heaven is the mandate and the Latter Heaven is the nature; the mandate is not the nature, yet it does not depart from the nature. The mandate descends as the seed; the nature ascends as the fruit. Though they are of one body, in reality they differ. Only at this point does one know that what has no beginning is called the Lord and what has a beginning is called human. So it is through the form and spirit one has received by the mandate that the Real Lord, who is able to create life and death, is made manifest. This is the greatest of distinctions. If you truly wish to be loyal and steadfast without duplicity, to see the nature and make the heart bright, and to accord with the Original Being, you must [enter] the famed garden of the true teaching; only then can you attain the complete true fruit. You must further look to the precious mirror of the true human; only then can the true radiance shine forth and naturally illuminate every quality. But if a thick fog comes, the mirror grows dark of itself; if a violent wind strikes, the flowers and fruit wither and fall. Would that not be to turn your back on the Original Lord who formed and made you? Therefore the Scripture says: "Had the Real Lord not created humans and spirits, that would have been all; but in creating humans and spirits, it was so that they might recognise the Lord." And He instructed the Utmost Sage, saying: "Have you not seen a certain kind of people? They take their own nature as their lord."
須知無黑暗不悟光明，非生死怎知真有？果能了徹生死，生亦非生，因其有死；死亦非死，因其復生，超此兩關，再無生死；凡受制生死者乃衆生，為其由性命而建立；不落生死者，乃真一，為其無起始而原有；先天為命，后天為性，命非性不離於性；命為種子而下降，性為果子而上昇，雖同一體，其實有異；至此方知無始之謂主，有始之謂人；是故以己受命之形神，方顯露能造生死之真主，此至大之別也。果欲忠貞不二，見性明心，契合原有，必須正教名園，始得成全正果；更期真人寶鏡，方能發露真輝；自然照徹全品；倘遭猛霧，鏡自昏沈，若遇狂風，花果凋落，豈不背負其成造之原主也哉！是以經云，「真主不造人神則已，但造人神，原為認主也」；又諭於至聖云，「爾豈不見有等人麼？彼竟以其自性，為彼等之主也」。
AIScan, p. 41–43Transcribed from the scan by AI (Claude), checked as described on the About page.
1 uncertain reading in this passage
- 后后天為性or 後· variant · print has 后 for 後 (p. 42)
AI8 differences in the 1794 woodblock (B) (3 of wording)
Our text follows the 1934 print; the other witness's readings are recorded here, not adopted.
- 豈不見有等人麼彼B reads豈不見那樣人麼彼· substantive · p. 121 · B reads 那樣 for our 有等; B read by one AI pass, confirmed by an A/B check and an enlarged re-reading
- 彼竟以其自性為B reads彼竟以自性為· substantive · p. 121 · B lacks 其; B read by both AI passes
- 自性為彼等之主也B reads自性為已之主也· substantive · p. 121 · B 以其自性為已(己)之主, "take their own nature as their lord"; N 為彼等之主; B read by AI, checked by eye on the scan
- 性不離於性命為B reads性不離于性命為· orthographic · p. 119
- 是故以己受命之B reads是故以巳受命之· orthographic · p. 119
- 至大之別也果欲B reads至大之别也果欲· orthographic · p. 119
- 鏡自昏沈若遇狂B reads鏡自昏沉若遇狂· orthographic · p. 119
- 也又諭於至聖云B reads也又諭于至聖云· orthographic · p. 121
AI
Key terms in this text
Each term's Arabic or Persian counterpart carries its grounding: the text itself, a published scholar, or AI. Tap one to find it in the text.
Chinese: transcribed by AI (Claude) from the 1934 print scanned by the National Library of China (Wikimedia Commons, public domain), collated throughout with the woodblock re-cut in 1794 (乾隆五十九年重鐫; University of Michigan copy, digitised by Google), whose readings are listed under each section and which supplies what library stamps cover in the print. The head-notes printed above the text (already in the 1794 woodblock) are left out. The whole of Wang Daiyu's text is here; characters the AI reading was unsure of, and misprints of the 1934 print, are underlined and listed under each section. The English is by AI (Claude); Murata's translation is in copyright and cited only. How this text was established.