文质彬彬·每日好词语 | 万物之理

　　万物之理

　　“万物之理”指的是各种事物的理。古人认为，不同的事物之中包含着各自的“理”。“万物之理”可以指事物或人的属性，也可以指事物运行或人的言行所遵循的规则。有些人会强调“万物之理”的差异性，万物有着各自不同的“理”，“理”构成了事物间的区别；有些人则主张，万物所具之“理”虽然不同，但在根本上是统一的，万物只有一个“理”。

　　Universal Principle

　　This term refers to the universal principle that governs all things. The ancient Chinese believed that things are all governed by their own underlying principles. This term refers to the intrinsic nature of objects and humans; and it also refers to patterns that govern both the movements of things as well as the words and actions of humans. For some scholars, the focus was on how different things are governed by different principles, so that these principles represent their diversity. Others, however, believed that even though principles governing different things vary, ultimately they are the same in nature, making the universal principle governing everything.

　　引例 

　　万物各异理，而道尽稽万物之理，故不得不化。（《韩非子·解老》）（万物各自具有不同的理，而道会合所有事物的理，因此道不得不随万物而变化。）