肇論新疏 3.7

3.7

In the Shangshu, "sagely wisdom" is the virtue of Shun, and "reverent and luminous" is the virtue of Yao; using the virtues of these two emperors, he praises the King of Qin. "Dao" refers to the ultimate Dao, belonging to nirvāṇa. "Spirit" refers to Yao Xing's spirit; wisdom realizes and tallies with this. "Center of the ring" comes from Zhuangzi; its chapter "On the Equalization of Things" says: "The hinge only when it finds the center of the ring can respond without end." That uses the mutual pointing of worldly right and wrong, the reciprocal contraries of this and that, like an endless ring, as an analogy. The void at the center of the ring has no right or wrong that can lodge in it, using it to compare to the Dao. "There is no principle you do not comprehend" means all principles are penetrated. From "majesty covers" downward, it praises using military might to ward off disaster and civil virtue to govern the world, meaning spreading literary teachings to serve as a standard for the world. As for the "four greats," Laozi says: "Heaven is great, Earth is great, the Dao is great, and the king is also great," and so forth.