Inquiry into the Origin of Humanity
By Zongmi
Translated by Peter N. Gregory
University of Hawai‘i Press, Honolulu, 1995, Kuroda Institute Classics in East Asian Buddhism
First written 9th century
About this text
Gregory’s translation of Zongmi’s short treatise, which surveys Confucian, Daoist and Buddhist accounts of human origins and ranks them, culminating in the teaching of the one true mind, with an extended commentary for modern readers.
How to cite
Zongmi. Inquiry into the Origin of Humanity: An Annotated Translation of Tsung-mi’s Yüan jen lun with a Modern Commentary. Translated by Peter N. Gregory. Kuroda Institute Classics in East Asian Buddhism. University of Hawai‘i Press, Honolulu, 1995.
Cite this entry
“Inquiry into the Origin of Humanity.” Source. The Library, Unitive Knowledge Society. Last modified November 7, 2026. https://www.unitiveknowledge.org/library/sources/inquiry-origin-of-humanity-gregory.
“Inquiry into the Origin of Humanity,” source, The Library, Unitive Knowledge Society, last modified November 7, 2026, https://www.unitiveknowledge.org/library/sources/inquiry-origin-of-humanity-gregory.
“Inquiry into the Origin of Humanity.” The Library, Unitive Knowledge Society, 7 Nov. 2026, www.unitiveknowledge.org/library/sources/inquiry-origin-of-humanity-gregory.
@misc{sources-inquiry-origin-of-humanity-gregory, title = {{Inquiry into the Origin of Humanity}}, howpublished = {The Library, Unitive Knowledge Society}, note = {Source. Last modified November 7, 2026}, year = {2026}, url = {https://www.unitiveknowledge.org/library/sources/inquiry-origin-of-humanity-gregory} }