The Heaven and the Earth (7)
天地（七）
1Before coming into being, the universe is vacant, and even there is no the space of containing the vacant. Suddenly, an unidentified thing appeared. It is the common origin of all things in the universe. The origin derived all things. Hence, we call it “One” tentatively.
宇宙初成之前是空無一物的，甚至連這個置物的空間也是不存在的。突然間，一個無以名狀的東西出現了; 這個東西是宇宙萬物的共同起源，萬物都是祂的衍生物。因此我們就暫稱祂為“壹”吧！
泰初有無，無有無名。一之所起，有一而未形。
2 The “One” is shapeless. The process of derivation from the origin is called “Virtue”. Before all things came into being, Yin and Yang emerged. They combined each other tightly.
這個 "壹" 是沒有形狀的，由這個萬物之源，衍生出事物來的過程叫做“德”。在萬物還沒有形成之前，陰陽先出現，它倆緊密地結合在一起。
3 When Yin and Yang started to operate and they processed each other, material came into being.
當陰陽開始相互推移，物質就產生了。
物得以生，謂之德；未形者有分，且然無間，謂之命；
4 Material made up various individuals and the One endowed them with lives. The combination is called“Form” that contains self-nature, Buddha-nature and soul. All sectors or organs of“Form” do their own duties and play their owe roles, which is called “Nature”, namely self-nature or nature of species.
當物質形成各式各樣的個體，並賦予生命，我們稱這個物體為“形”。這個“形”裡面蘊藏著自性、佛性、靈氣。而“形”的各部門或器官都各司其職，各展其功，這種現象我們稱之謂“性”，物種的自性、天性。
留動而生物，物成生理，謂之形；形體保神，各有儀則，謂之性。
5 If we cultivate the self-nature carefully to make it prominent, virtue can be seen in the personality of species. When the virtue of species can show itself perfectly, it is considered to be the same with the origin. They are integral.
如果我們仔細地培養這種自性，使其自然地彰顯，那德就會在物種的個性中顯示出來。當物種的德能充份完美的顯現時，我們稱其與萬物之源是相同的，是一體的。
性修反德，德至同於初。
6 When species develops to this level, it is closely integrated into the operation of Nature, as a part of Nature.
當物種走到這個地步，它與大自然的運作是緊密的; 它與大自然結合成一體，是大自然的一部份。
7 Partially it is passive, without its ideal, goal and even self; however, it shines by the light and the power of Nature; therefore, becomes mighty and prosperous. Because it combines closely with Nature and eventually, it becomes a part of Nature.
局部地看，它完全是被動的，沒有自我的理想，沒有自我的目標，甚至沒有自我的地位。可是因為它緊緊地與自然結合在一起，成為自然不可分割的一部份; 它沾著自然的光彩與能量，因而變得無往不利，欣欣向榮。
同乃虛，虛乃大。合喙鳴；喙鳴合，與天地為合。
8 After all things undergo this process, they will return to its origin or even the realm before its origin at end of the day, which is called “divine virtue”. The process is called “natural course of events”.
萬物經過這樣的過程後，最終仍將回歸其原始，甚至原始之前那種絕對無的境界。這種宿命我們稱之謂“玄德”。這整個過程，我們稱之為“大順”，取其順從宇宙運作規則之意。
其合緡緡，若愚若昏，是謂玄德，同乎大順。