术语“公性”的详细信息

英译术语:

common character

汉语语境:

这种先天就存在，后天寓于物，并且不随物消亡而消亡的“物”之“性”，被称之为“公性”。方以智说“公性”为无始之性。因为“公性”是一切物的禀于先天的特性，所以又称之为“天理”。方以智说：“天理，则非寻常之理。”与“公性”相对是“独性”。方以智说：“独性则水火草木与人物各得之性也。”当“公性”寓于不同物时，它就以不同的形式出现，而作为这不同形式之体现的物，各各就有了形式上的差异。

英语语境:

This kind of "character” which exists congenitally, resides postnatally in the matter, and is not destroyed when the matter disappear, is called "common character”. Fang Yizhi says that the "common character” is a character without beginning. Because the "common character” is all things'intrinsic and innate characteristics. It is also called "heavenly principle”. Fang Yizhi says, "The heavenly principle is not a common principle.” And the "individual character” is the opposite of "common principle”. Fang Yizhi says, "The characters that exist in water, fire, grass, wood, human, and all individual things, are their own individual characters.” When the "common character” resides in different things, it appears differently, and as a result, all things that have different characters exist in different forms.