Chuan Xi Lu (傳習錄) · Volume 6

○得書，見近來所學之驟進，喜慰不可言。諦視數過，其間雖亦有一二未瑩徹處，卻是致良知之功尚未純熟，到純熟時自無此矣：譬之驅車，既已由於康莊大道之中或時橫斜迂曲者，乃馬性末調，銜勒不齊之故，然已只在康莊大道中，決不賺入旁蹊曲徑矣一近時海內同志，到此地位者曾末多見，喜慰不可言，斯道之幸也！琖軀舊有咳嗽畏熱之病，近入炎方，輒復大作。主上聖明洞察，責付甚重，不敢遽辭：地力軍務冗沓，皆輿疾從事。今卻幸已平定，已具本乞回養病，得在林下稍就清涼，或可廖耳。人還，伏枕草草，不盡傾企外惟歷一簡幸達致之。

I received your letter and saw how rapidly your learning has advanced lately, and my joy and comfort cannot be expressed. I looked at it carefully several times; though there are one or two places that are not yet entirely clear, this is only because the work of extending liangzhi is not yet fully ripe, and when it ripens such things will naturally be gone. It is like driving a carriage: having already entered the broad highway, sometimes it goes askew and winds about, but that is because the horse's nature is not yet tamed and the bit and reins are not even; still, it is already on the broad highway and will never be tricked into side paths and crooked lanes. Among like-minded friends within the seas lately I have seen few who have reached this position, and my joy and comfort cannot be expressed, and it is the good fortune of this Way! My humble body has long had the ailment of cough and fear of heat, and having recently entered the hot south, it has flared up again. The sovereign, wise and perceptive, has entrusted me with a heavy charge and I have not dared to decline outright. Military affairs in the region are tangled and numerous, and I have attended to them all while ill in a litter. Now, fortunately, order has been established, and I have submitted a memorial asking to return and recover; if I can be in the woods in a somewhat cooler place, perhaps I will be cured. The messenger is returning, and I write hastily on my pillow, not fully expressing my longing. Beyond this there is a short note for Junyi; I hope it may be delivered.

○來書所詢，草草奉復一二：近歲來山中講學者，往往多說「勿忘、勿助」工夫甚難。問之，則雲才著意便是助，才不著意便是忘，所以甚難。區區因問之雲「忘是忘個甚麼？助是助個甚麼？」其人默然無對，始請問。區區因與說，我此閒講學，卻只說個「必有事焉」，不說「勿忘、勿助」。「必有事焉」者只是時時去「集義」。若時時去用「必有事」的工夫，而或有時間斷，此便是忘了，即須二勿忘」：時時去用「必有事」的工夫，而或有時欲速求效，此便是助了，郥須「勿助」。其工夫全在「必有事焉」上用：「勿忘、勿助」，只就其間提撕警覺而已。若是工夫原不間斷，郥不須更說「勿忘」：原不欲速求效，即不須更說「勿助」。此其工夫何等明白簡易！何等儷脫自在！今卻不去「必有事」上用工，而乃懸空守著一個「勿忘、勿助」，此正如燒鍋煮飯，鍋內不曾漬水下米，而乃專去添柴放火，不知畢竟煮出個甚麼物來！吾恐火候未及調停，而鍋已先破裂矣。近日，種專在「勿忘、勿助」上用工者，其病正是如此：終日懸空去做個「勿忘」，又懸空去做個「勿助」，奔奔蕩蕩，全無實落下手虛，究一竟工夫，只做得個沉空守寂，學成一個痴騃漢，才遇些子事來，即便牽滯紛擾，不復能經綸宰制。此皆有志之士，而乃使之勞苫纏縛，擔擱一生，皆由學術誤人之故，甚可憫矣！

As for what you asked in your letter, I will reply briefly with one or two points. In recent years, those who lecture on learning in the mountains often say that the work of "neither forgetting nor helping" is very difficult. When I asked them, they said that as soon as one pays attention it is helping, and as soon as one does not pay attention it is forgetting, and so it is very difficult. I asked them: "What is forgotten when you forget? What is helped when you help?" The person fell silent without reply, and then asked for instruction. I told him: in my lectures on learning here I only say "there must be work to be done," and do not say "neither forget nor help." "There must be work to be done" is only to "accumulate righteousness" at all times. If one applies the work of "there must be work to be done" at all times, and at some moment there is a break, that is forgetting, and then one must "not forget"; if one applies the work of "there must be work to be done" at all times, and at some moment wants speed and seeks results, that is helping, and then one must "not help." The work is entirely applied to "there must be work to be done"; "neither forget nor help" is only to rouse and alert oneself in the midst of it. If the work is originally unbroken, there is no need to say "not forget"; if one originally does not want speed or seek results, there is no need to say "not help." How clear and simple this work is! How free and at ease! Now people do not apply effort to "there must be work to be done," but instead hold in the air to "neither forget nor help," which is just like cooking rice in a pot, where one has not put water and rice in the pot but only adds firewood and fire; who knows what would come out of it! I fear that before the fire is even adjusted the pot will crack. The fault of those who recently work only on "neither forgetting nor helping" is precisely this: all day long they hold in the air doing a "not forgetting" and then doing a "not helping," rushing about with no real place to get a grip, and in the end the work only produces sinking into emptiness and keeping stillness, learning to become a dull fool, who as soon as some matter comes up gets caught and tangled in confusion and can no longer manage and govern. These are all men of purpose who are made to toil and be bound, wasting their whole lives, all because learning has misled them; it is truly pitiable!

○夫「必有事焉」只是「集義」，「集義」只是「致良知」。說「集義」則一時末見頭惱，說「致良知」即當下便有實地步可用功；故區區專說「致良知」。隨時就事上致其良知，便是「格物」：著實去致良知，便是「誠意」，著實致其良知，而無一毫意必固我，便是「正心」。著實致真知，則自無忘之病：無一毫意必固我，則自無助之病。故說「格、致、詼、正」，則不必更說個「忘、助」。孟子說「忘、助」，亦就告子得病處立力。告子強制其心，是助的病痛，故孟子專說助長之害。告子助長，亦是他以義為外，不知就自心上「集義」，在「必有事焉」上用功，是以如此。若時時刻刻就自心上「集義」，則良知之體洞然明白，自然是是非非纖毫莫遁，又焉「不得於言，勿求於心；不得於心，勿求於氣」之弊乎？孟子「集義」、「養氣」之說，固大有功於後學，然亦是因病立方，說得大段，不若《大學》「格、致、誠、正」之功，尤極精一簡易，為徹上徹下，萬世無弊者也。

"There must be work to be done" is only "accumulating righteousness," and "accumulating righteousness" is only "extending liangzhi." To say "accumulating righteousness" is not at once to see the main point, while to say "extending liangzhi" gives one solid ground to apply effort right now; so I speak only of "extending liangzhi." To extend one's liangzhi on matters as they arise is "investigating things"; to extend liangzhi earnestly is "making the intention sincere"; to extend liangzhi earnestly with not a hair of presumption, insistence, obstinacy, or ego is "rectifying the mind." If one extends liangzhi earnestly, there will naturally be no fault of forgetting; if there is not a hair of presumption, insistence, obstinacy, or ego, there will naturally be no fault of helping. So when one speaks of "investigating, extending, making sincere, rectifying," there is no need to speak further of "forgetting and helping." When Mencius spoke of "forgetting and helping," he too set out a remedy for Gaozi's illness. Gaozi forced his mind, which is the fault of helping, and so Mencius spoke only of the harm of helping to grow. Gaozi's helping to grow also came from his taking righteousness as external, not knowing to "accumulate righteousness" in his own mind and apply effort on "there must be work to be done," and so he was like this. If one "accumulates righteousness" in one's own mind at every moment, the substance of liangzhi is perfectly clear, and naturally rights and wrongs cannot hide a hair's breadth; then how could there be the fault of "if you fail to get it in words, do not seek it in the mind; if you fail to get it in the mind, do not seek it in the vital energy"? Mencius's teaching on "accumulating righteousness" and "nourishing the vital energy" greatly benefited later learners, but it too is a remedy set out for an illness and spoken in broad terms, not like the work of "investigating, extending, making sincere, rectifying" in the Great Learning, which is supremely refined, unified, simple, and easy, penetrating from top to bottom and without fault for ten thousand ages.

○聖賢論學，多是隨時就事，雖言若人殊，而要其工夫頭腦，若合符節。緣天地之閒，原只有此性，只有此理，只有此良知，只有此一件事耳，故凡就古人論學虛說工夫，更不必攙和兼搭而說，自然無不朏合貫通者，才須攙和兼搭而說，即是自己工夫未明徹也。近時有謂「集義」之功，必須兼搭個「致良知」而後備者，則是「集義」之功尚未了徹也：「集養」之功尚未了徹，適足以為「致良知」之累而已矣。謂「致真知」之功，必須兼搭一個「勿忘、勿助」而後明者，則是「致良知」之功尚未了徹也；「致良知」之功尚未了徹也，適足以為「勿忘、勿助」之累而已矣。若此者，皆是就文義上解釋牽附，以求混融湊泊，而不曾就自己實工夫上體驗，是以論之愈精，而去之愈遠。文蔚之論，其於大本達道既已沛然無疑，至於「致知」「窮理」及「忘、助」等說，時亦有攙和兼搭處，卻是區區所謂康莊大道之中，或時橫斜迂曲者，到得工夫熟後，自將澤然矣。

When the sages and worthies discussed learning, they mostly followed the time and the matter, and though their words seem different in each, the essential point of their work fits together like two halves of a tally. This is because between heaven and earth there is originally only this nature, only this principle, only this liangzhi, only this one matter. So in speaking of the work of the ancients' discussions of learning, there is no need to mix in or add on other things, and naturally everything matches and connects; as soon as one needs to mix in or add on, that is because one's own work is not yet clear and thorough. Recently some say that the work of "accumulating righteousness" must be accompanied by "extending liangzhi" before it is complete; this means the work of "accumulating righteousness" is not yet thorough, and if the work of "accumulating righteousness" is not yet thorough, it will only become a burden to "extending liangzhi." Some say that the work of "extending liangzhi" must be accompanied by "neither forgetting nor helping" before it is clear; this means the work of "extending liangzhi" is not yet thorough, and if the work of "extending liangzhi" is not yet thorough, it will only become a burden to "neither forgetting nor helping." All such views explain and attach on the level of textual meaning, seeking to blend and patch things together, without testing it in one's own real work, so the more refined the discussion, the further it is from the goal. Wenwei's discussion is already without doubt about the great root and the universal Way, but on "extending knowing," "exhausting principle," and "forgetting and helping" and the like, there are sometimes places of mixing and adding, which are what I called sometimes going askew and winding on the broad highway; when the work ripens, they will naturally be gone.

○文蔚謂「致知」之說，求之事親、從兄之閒，挭覺有所持循者，此段最見近來真切篤實之功。但以此自為不妨，自有得力處，以此遂為定說教人，卻未免又有因藥發病之患，亦不可不一講也。蓋良知只是一個天理自然明覺發見處，只是一個真誠惻怛，便是他本體。故致此良知之真誠惻怛以事親便是孝，致此真知之真詼惻怛以從兄健是弟，致此真知之真詼惻怛以事君便是忠，只是一個真知，一個真詼惻怛。若是從兄的良知不能致其真誠惻怛，即是事親的真知不能致其真詼惻怛矣：事君的真知不能致其真詖惻怛，郥是從兄的真知不能致其真誠惻怛矣。故致得事君的真知，便是致卻從兄的真知，致得從兄的真知，便是致卻事親的良知。不是事君的真知不能致，卻須又從事親的良知上去擴充將來。如此，又是脫卻本原，著在支節上求了。真知只是一個，隨他發見流行處，當下具足，更無去來，不須假借。然其發見流行啑，卻自有輕重厚薄，毫髮不容增減者，所謂天然自有之中也。雖則輕重厚薄，毫髮不容增減，而原又只是一個：雖則只是一個，而其間輕重厚薄，又毫髮不容增減：若可得增減，若須假借，即已非其真誠惻坦之本體矣；此良知之妙用，所以無力體，無窮盡，語大天下莫能載，語小天下莫能破者也。

Wenwei says that, as for the theory of "extending knowing," when he seeks it in serving parents and following elder brothers he feels he has something to follow, and this passage shows the earnest and solid work he has done lately. But it is fine to take this for oneself, as it has its own effect; to make it a fixed doctrine for teaching others inevitably brings the harm of medicine causing illness, and this too must be discussed. For liangzhi is only the place where heavenly principle naturally becomes clear and appears, only a genuine sincerity and compassion, and this is its original substance. So to extend the genuine sincerity and compassion of this liangzhi in serving parents is filial piety, to extend the genuine sincerity and compassion of this liangzhi in following elder brothers is fraternal respect, and to extend the genuine sincerity and compassion of this liangzhi in serving the ruler is loyalty; it is only one liangzhi, one genuine sincerity and compassion. If the liangzhi in following elder brothers cannot extend its genuine sincerity and compassion, then the liangzhi in serving parents cannot extend its genuine sincerity and compassion either; if the liangzhi in serving the ruler cannot extend its genuine sincerity and compassion, then the liangzhi in following elder brothers cannot extend its genuine sincerity and compassion either. So to have extended the liangzhi in serving the ruler is to have extended the liangzhi in following elder brothers; to have extended the liangzhi in following elder brothers is to have extended the liangzhi in serving parents. It is not that the liangzhi in serving the ruler cannot be extended and must be expanded from the liangzhi in serving parents. That would again be leaving the original root and seeking in branches and joints. Liangzhi is only one, and wherever it appears and flows it is complete right there, with no coming or going and no need to borrow. Yet in its appearing and flowing there are naturally weights and degrees of thickness that do not allow a hair to be added or subtracted, what is called the naturally existing mean. Though weight and thickness allow no hair added or subtracted, it is still originally only one; though it is only one, within it weight and thickness allow no hair added or subtracted. If it could be added to or subtracted from, or needed borrowing, it would already not be the original substance of genuine sincerity and compassion. This is the wonderful function of liangzhi, which has no fixed direction or form and no end, so that, speaking of the great, nothing in the world can contain it, and speaking of the small, nothing in the world can break it.

○孟氏「堯舜之道，孝弟而已」者，是就人之良知發見得最真切篤厚、不容蔽昧處提省人，於人於事君、處友、仁民、愛物、與凡動靜語默閒，皆只是致他那一念事親、從兄真誠惻怛的良知，即自然無不是道。蓋天下之事雖千變萬化，至於不可窮詰，而但惟致此事親，從兄一念真誠惻怛之良知以應之，則更無有遺缺滲漏者，正謂其只有此一個良知故也。事親、從兄一念良知之外，更無有良知可致得者。故曰：「堯舜之道，孝弟而已矣。」此所以為「惟精惟一」之學，放之四海而皆準，「施諧後世而無朝夕」者也。文蔚云：「欲於事親、從兄之閒，而求所謂良知之學。」就自己用功得力處如此說，亦無不可：若日致其良知之誠惻怛以求盡夫事親，從兄之道焉，亦無不可也。明道云：「行仁自孝、弟始。孝、弟是仁之一事，謂之行仁之本則可，謂是仁之本則不可。」其說是矣。

Mencius's "The Way of Yao and Shun is only filial piety and brotherly respect" was said to alert people to the place where a person's liangzhi appears most genuinely, earnestly, and without room for obscuring: in serving the ruler, dealing with friends, being benevolent to the people, caring for things, and in all motion, stillness, speech, and silence, if one only extends that one thought of genuine sincerity and compassion of liangzhi in serving parents and following elder brothers, then naturally nothing is not the Way. For although the affairs of the world vary ten thousand ways to the point of being inexhaustible, if one only extends this liangzhi of one thought of genuine sincerity and compassion in serving parents and following elder brothers to meet them, then there is nothing left out or leaking, precisely because there is only this one liangzhi. Apart from the one thought of liangzhi in serving parents and following elder brothers, there is no other liangzhi to extend. So it is said: "The Way of Yao and Shun is only filial piety and brotherly respect." This is what makes it the learning of "only refinement, only unity," which spreads to the four seas and is valid everywhere, "applied to later ages and never failing morning or evening." Wenwei said: "I wish to seek the so-called learning of liangzhi in serving parents and following elder brothers." To say this about where one applies effort and gains strength is acceptable; to say that one extends the genuine sincerity and compassion of liangzhi to fulfill the way of serving parents and following elder brothers is also acceptable. Mingdao said: "Practicing benevolence begins from filial piety and brotherly respect. Filial piety and brotherly respect are one matter of benevolence; to call them the root of practicing benevolence is acceptable, but to call them the root of benevolence is not." His statement is right.

○「億、逆、先覺」之說，文蘭謂「誠則旁行曲防，皆良知之用」，甚善甚善！閒有攙搭處，則前已言之矣。惟浚之言，亦未為不是。在文蔚須有取於惟浚之言而後盡，在惟浚又須有取於文蔚之言而後明：不然，則亦未免各有倚著之病也。舜察邇言而詢芻堯，非是以邇言當察，芻堯當詢，而後如此，乃良知之發見流行，光明圓瑩，更無罣礙遮隔處，此所以謂之大知；才有執著意必，其知便小矣。講學中自有去取分辨，然就心地上著實用工夫，卻須如此方是。

On the theory of "presuming, anticipating, and being aware beforehand," Wenwei said that "with sincerity, indirect action and guarded preparation are all the function of liangzhi," which is very good, very good! Where there is some mixing and adding, I have already spoken of it above. Junyi's words are also not wrong. Wenwei should take something from Junyi's words to be complete, and Junyi should take something from Wenwei's words to be clear; otherwise each has the fault of leaning on one side. Shun examined plain words and consulted grass-cutters and firewood-gatherers; it was not that he took plain words as worth examining and grass-cutters as worth consulting and therefore did so, but that the appearing and flowing of liangzhi was bright and perfectly clear, with no hindrance or barrier; this is what is called great knowing, and as soon as there is clinging, presumption, or obstinacy, one's knowing becomes small. In discussing learning there is naturally selection and distinction, but in applying real effort on the ground of the mind, one must be like this.

○「盡心」三節，區區曾有「生知、學知、困知」之說，頗已明白，無可疑者。蓋盡心、知性、知天者，不必說存心、養性，事天不必說殀壽不貳、修身以俟，而存心、養悾與修身以俟之功已在其中矣：存心、養性、事天者，雖未到得盡心、知天的地位，然已是在那裡做個求到盡心、知天的工夫，更不必說殀壽不貳，修身以俟，而殀壽不貳，修身己俟之功已在其中矣。譬之行路，盡心、知天者，如年力壯健之人，既能奔走往來於數千裡之間者也：存心、事天者，如童樨之年，使之學習步趨於庭除之間者也。殀壽不貳、修身以俟者，如襁褓之孩，方便之扶穡傍壁，而慚學起立移步者也。既已能奔走往來於數千裡之間者，則不必更使之於庭除之間而學步趨，而步趨於硅除之間，自無弗能矣。既已能步趨於庭除之間，則不必更使之扶牆傍壁而學起立移步，而起立栘步自無弗能矣。然學起立移步，便是學步趨庭除之始，學步趨啀除，便是學奔走往來於數千裡之基，固非有二事，但其工夫之難易則相去懸絕矣。心也，性也，天也，一也。故及其知之成功則一。然而三者人品力量，自有階級，不可躐等而能也。細觀文蘭之論，其意以恐盡心、知天者，廢卻存心、修身之功，而反為盡心、知天之病：是蓋為聖人憂工夫之或間斷，而不知為自己憂工夬之未真切也。吾躋用工，卻須專心致志，在殀壽不貳、修身以俟上做，只此便是做盡心、知天工夫之始：正如學期起立移步，便是學奔走千里之始。吾方自慮其不能起立移步，而豈遽其不能奔走千里，又況為奔走千里者而慮其或遺忘於赸立移步之習哉？文蔚識見本自超絕邁往，而所論云然者，亦是未能脫去舊時解說文羕之習，是為此三段書分疏比臺，以求融會貫通，而自添許多薏見纏繞，反使用功不專一也；

On the three sections of "exhausting the mind," I once spoke of "knowing by birth, knowing by learning, knowing through hardship," and it is already quite clear, with nothing to doubt. For one who exhausts his mind, knows his nature, and knows Heaven, there is no need to speak of preserving the mind, nourishing nature, and serving Heaven, nor to speak of not wavering over short or long life and cultivating oneself to await it, since the work of preserving the mind, nourishing nature, and cultivating oneself to await is already within it. One who preserves the mind, nourishes nature, and serves Heaven, though not yet at the position of exhausting the mind and knowing Heaven, is already doing the work of seeking to reach the exhausting of the mind and knowing of Heaven, so there is no need to speak of not wavering over short or long life and cultivating oneself to await, since that work is already within it. It is like walking a road: one who exhausts the mind and knows Heaven is like a person in the strength of his years who can already run to and fro across thousands of li; one who preserves the mind and serves Heaven is like a child of tender years who is taught to practice walking in the courtyard; one who does not waver over short or long life and cultivates himself to await is like an infant in swaddling clothes who is just made to hold the wall and learn to stand and move his feet. One who can already run to and fro across thousands of li need not be made to learn walking in the courtyard, and walking in the courtyard he will certainly be able to do. One who can already walk in the courtyard need not be made to hold the wall and learn to stand and move his feet, and standing and moving his feet he will certainly be able to do. Yet learning to stand and move one's feet is the beginning of learning to walk in the courtyard, and learning to walk in the courtyard is the foundation of learning to run across thousands of li, so they are not two matters, but the difficulty of the work differs vastly. Mind, nature, and Heaven are one. So when their knowing succeeds, it is one. But the abilities and strength of the three kinds of persons have their own levels and cannot be skipped. Looking closely at Wenwei's discussion, his intent seems to fear that those who exhaust the mind and know Heaven would abandon the work of preserving the mind and cultivating the self, which would become the fault of exhausting the mind and knowing Heaven: this is worrying on behalf of the sages that the work might be broken off, and not knowing to worry for oneself that one's own work is not yet genuine. In our own work, we must be single-minded, applying ourselves to not wavering over short or long life and cultivating the self to await; this alone is the beginning of the work of exhausting the mind and knowing Heaven, just as learning to stand and move one's feet is the beginning of learning to run a thousand li. I am worrying that I cannot yet stand and move my feet; how could I abruptly worry that I cannot run a thousand li, and still more, for one running a thousand li, worry that he might forget the practice of standing and moving his feet? Wenwei's insight is originally outstanding and forward-going, but that he discusses in this way is because he has not yet shed the old habit of explaining textual meaning, and so he is dividing and comparing these three passages in order to blend and connect them, adding many views that tangle him and in fact make his effort less single-minded.

近時懸空去做勿忘、勿助者，其意見正有此病，最能擔誤人，不可不滌除耳。

(The Master continued:) The view of those who recently work in the air on neither forgetting nor helping has exactly this fault, which can mislead people the most and must be washed away.

○所謂「兼德性而道問學」一節至當歸一，更無可疑。此便是文蔚曾著實用功，然後能為此言。此本不是險僻難見的道理，人或意見不同者，還是良知尚有纖翳潛伏，若除去此纖翳，即自無不洞然矣。

The section on "honoring the moral nature and following the path of inquiry and study" comes down to one without any doubt. This is because Wenwei has applied genuine effort and could therefore say it. This is not a dangerous, remote, or hard-to-see principle. If people hold different views, it is that liangzhi still has some slight shade lurking in it; if this slight shade is removed, then everything will naturally be perfectly clear.

○已作書後，移臥薝閒，偶遇無事，遂復答此文蔚之學既已得其大者，此等處久當釋然自解，本不必屑屑如此分疏：但承相愛之厚，千里差人遠及，諄諄下問，而竟虛來意，又自不能已於言也。然直憨煩縷已甚，恃在信愛，當不為罪，惟浚處及謙之崇一處，各得轉錄一通寄視之，尤承一體之好也。

After writing the letter, I moved to lie under the eaves, and happening to be free of affairs, I answered this as well. Wenwei's learning has already grasped the great things, and such points will in time resolve themselves; there is originally no need to analyze them so minutely. But since I received your deep affection, and you sent a man a thousand li to ask repeatedly, to leave your intent unanswered I could not help but speak. But my frankness and simplicity have become very tedious, though relying on your trust and affection, I hope it is not an offense. Please let a copy be transcribed and sent to Junyi, and to Qianzhi and Chongyi, which will show our oneness of friendship.

○古之教者，教以人倫：後世記誦詞章之習超，而先王之教亡。今教童子，惟當以孝弟忠信禮義廉恥為專務；其栽培涵養之方，則宜誘之歌詩以發其志意，導之習禮以肅其威儀，諷之讀書以開其知覺。今人往往以歌詩、習禮為不切時務，此皆末俗庸鄙之見，烏足以知古人立教之意哉！大抵童子之情，樂嬉遊而憚拘檢，如草木之始萌芽，舒暢之則利達，摧撓之則衰痿。今教童子必使其趨向鼓舞，中心喜悅，則其進自不能已：譬之時雨春風，沾被卉木，莫不萌動狻赸，自然日長月化：若冰霜剝落，則生意蕭索，日就枯槁矣：故凡誘之歌詩者，非但發其志意而已，亦所以洩其跳號呼嘯於詠歌，宣其幽抑結滯於音節也：導之習禮者，非但肅其威儀而已，亦所以周旋揖讓而動盪其血脈，拜起屈伸而固束其筋骸也：諷之讀書者，非但開其知覺而已，亦所以沉潛反覆而存其心，抑揚諷誦以宣其志也：凡此皆所以順導其志意，調理其性情，潛消其鄙吝，默化其廘頑，日使之漸於禮義而不苦其難，人於中和而不知其故，是蓋先王立教之微意也；若近世之訓蒙摨者，日惟督以句讀課仿，責其檢束而不知導之以禮，求其聰明而不知養之以善，鞭撻繩縛，若待拘囚；彼視學舍如囹獄而不肯入，視師長如寇仇而不欲見，窺避掩覆以遂其嬉遊，設詐飾洈以肆其頑鄙，偷薄庸劣，日趨下流。是蓋驅之於惡而求其為善也，何可得乎！凡吾所以教，其意實在於此。恐時俗不察，視以為迂，且吾亦將去，故特叮嚀以告。爾諸教讀其務體吾意，永以為訓，毋輒因時俗之言，妀廢其繩墨，庶成「蒙以養正」之功矣，念之念之！

In ancient times, teaching meant teaching the human relationships. In later ages the habit of memorizing and reciting and of ornate composition arose, and the teaching of the former kings was lost. Now, in teaching children, we should concentrate solely on filial piety, fraternal duty, loyalty, good faith, propriety, righteousness, integrity and a sense of shame. As for the way of nurturing and cultivating them, one should draw them out by songs and poems to stir their aims and thoughts, guide them to practice ritual to dignify their bearing, and lead them to read books to open their awareness. People today often regard singing poems and practicing ritual as irrelevant to present needs; these are all the shallow and vulgar views of a degenerate age, and how could they understand the meaning of the ancients in setting up teaching! In general, children by nature love play and dislike restraint, like plants that have just begun to sprout: if allowed to stretch out freely they flourish, and if crushed and bent they wither. Now in teaching children one must make them inclined and inspired, delighted in their hearts, and then their progress will be unstoppable. It is like seasonal rain and spring wind that moistens the plants, so that all of them stir and burst forth and naturally grow day by day and month by month; if frost and ice strip them, their life withers and day by day they dry out. So when we draw children out by singing poems, it is not only to stir their aims and thoughts but also to release their leaping and shouting into chanting and to let out their pent-up gloom through rhythm and sound. When we guide them to practice ritual, it is not only to dignify their bearing but also to set their blood circulating through bowing and yielding and to firm their sinews and bones through kneeling, rising, bending and stretching. When we lead them to read books, it is not only to open their awareness but also to let them sink in, return to it repeatedly and so preserve their minds, and to let them release their will by intoning with rise and fall. All this follows and guides their aims, regulates their temperaments, quietly dissolves their meanness, and silently transforms their roughness and stubbornness, so that day by day they gradually become used to propriety and righteousness without finding it hard, and enter into balance and harmony without knowing why. This is the subtle intention of the former kings in setting up teaching. As for the way children are taught in recent times, they are supervised daily only on punctuation and copying models, scolded for lack of restraint without being guided by ritual, expected to be clever without being nurtured in goodness, whipped and bound as though treated like prisoners. They look on the school as a jail and refuse to enter, look on teachers as enemies and do not wish to see them, peek around and hide to indulge in play, use deceit and trickery to give rein to their stubbornness and meanness, and grow sneaky and inferior, sinking lower each day. This drives them into evil while hoping that they become good; how could that be possible! My intention in teaching lies entirely here. I fear that the customs of the age will not take notice and will regard it as impractical, and since I am about to leave, I have taken special care to tell you in detail. You teachers must grasp my intention, take it as a perpetual guide, and never change or abandon its rules because of common talk, so that you may achieve the effect of 'nurturing rectitude in the young.' Think of it, think of it!

○每日清晨，諸生參揖畢，教讀以次偏詢諧生：在家所以愛親敬畏之心，得無懈忽未能填切否？溫清定省之儀，得無虧缺未能實賤否？往來街衢步趨禮節，得無放蕩未能謹飭否？一應言行心術，得無欺妄非僻未能忠信篤敬否？諸童子務要各以實對，有則改之，無則加勉；教讀復隨時就事，曲加誨諭開發，然後各退就席肄業。

Every morning, after the students have finished bowing in greeting, the teacher goes through and asks each one in turn: In your home, has your heart of loving your parents and respecting your elders become lax or negligent, not yet sincere and true? Have the rituals of keeping them warm and cool and of inquiring after them been neglected, not yet put into practice? When going back and forth on the streets, has your walking and ritual manner become loose and dissolute, not yet careful and proper? In all your words, deeds and intentions, have you been deceitful, false, crooked or perverse, not yet loyal, truthful, steadfast and respectful? The children must each answer truthfully: if there is a fault, correct it; if not, strive further. The teacher then, as occasion arises, gives detailed instruction and enlightenment, and afterward they return to their seats to continue their studies.

○凡歌詩須要整容定氣，清朗其聲音，均審其筇調，毋躁而急，毋蕩而囂，毋餒而懾；久則精神宣暢，心氣和平矣。每學量童生多寡分為四班。每日輪一班歌詩，其餘皆就席斂容肅聽；每五日則總四班遞歌於本學。每朔望集各學會歌於書院。

In singing poems, one must compose the face and steady the breath, make the voice clear and bright, and make the rhythm and tune even and measured, neither hurried and impatient, nor loose and noisy, nor timid and cowering. Over time the spirit becomes open and flowing, and the mind and breath become calm and harmonious. In each school, divide the children into four groups according to their number. Each day one group takes turns singing, while the others return to their seats with composed faces and listen quietly. Every five days all four groups sing in turn at the school. On the first and fifteenth of each month, all the schools gather to sing together at the academy.

○凡習禮需要澄心肅慮，審其儀節，度其容止，毋忽而惰，毋沮而怍，毋徑而野，從容而不失之迂緩，修謹而不矢之拘局。久則禮貌習熟，德性堅定矣。童生班次皆如歌詩。每閒一日則輪一班習禮，其餘皆就席斂容肅觀。習禮之日，免其課仿。每十日則總四班遞習於本學。每朔望則集各學會習於書院。

In practicing ritual, one must clear the mind and be solemn in thought, attend to the forms of the rites, and measure one's bearing and deportment, neither neglectful and lazy, nor dispirited and ashamed, nor hasty and rustic; be composed without falling into slowness and pedantry, and careful without falling into stiffness and narrowness. Over time the courtesies become familiar and the virtuous nature firm. The groups of children are the same as for singing. Every other day, one group takes a turn practicing ritual, while the others return to their seats with composed faces and observe solemnly. On ritual days they are excused from copying exercises. Every ten days all four groups practice in turn at the school. On the first and fifteenth of each month, all the schools gather to practice at the academy.

○凡授書不在徒多，但貴精熟，量其資稟，能二百字者止可挼以一百字，常使精神力量有餘，則無厭苦之患，而有自得之美。諷諵之際；務令專心一志，口誦心惟，字字句句紬繹反覆，抑揚其音節，寬虛其心意，久則義禮浹洽，聰明日開矣。

In teaching books, the point is not to give a great deal but to make it thorough and familiar. Weigh each child's endowment: one who could manage two hundred characters should be given only one hundred, so that his spirit and strength always have something to spare. Then he will not suffer from weariness and bitterness and will enjoy the beauty of finding it himself. When reciting, make sure they concentrate with a single mind, recite with the mouth while thinking with the heart, turning over every word and sentence again and again, giving rhythm and rise and fall to the sounds, and keeping the mind relaxed and open. Over time the meaning and principle will permeate them, and their intelligence will open day by day.

○每日工夫，先考德，次背書誦書，次習禮或作課仿，次複誦書講書，次歌詩。凡習禮歌詩之數，皆所以常存童子之心，使其樂習不倦，而無瑕及於邪僻。教者如此，則知所施矣。雖然，此其大略也；神而明之，則存乎其人。

The daily order of work is: first examine virtue, then recite from memory and recite books, then practice ritual or do copying exercises, then recite again and explain books, and finally sing poems. The amount of ritual practice and singing all serves to keep the children's hearts constantly alive, so that they enjoy learning without tiring and have no leisure for evil or perverse things. If teachers do it this way, they will know what to apply. Even so, this is only the outline; to make it spiritual and bright depends on the person.

○正德乙亥，九川初見先生於龍江。先生與甘泉先生論「格物」之說。甘泉持舊說。先生日；「是求之於外了，」甘泉曰：「若以格物理為外，是自小其心也。」九川甚喜舊說之是。先生又論「盡心」一章，九川一聞卻遂無疑。後家居，復以「格物」遺質。先生答云：「但能賈地用功，入當自釋。」山閒方自錄《大學》舊本讀之，覺朱子「格物」之說非是：然亦疑先生以意之所在為物，物字未明。巳卯歸自京師，再見先生於洪都。先生兵務倥傯，乘隙講授，首問：「近年用功何如？」九川曰：「近年體驗得『明明德』功夫只是『誠意』。自『明明德於天下』，步步推入根源，到『誠意』上再去不得，如何以前又有『格致』工夫？後又體驗，覺得意之誠撝必先知覺乃可，以顏子『有不善未嘗不知，知之未嘗復行』為證，豁然若無疑：卻又多了『格物』工夫。又思來吾心之靈何有不知意之善惡？只是物慾蔽了：須格去物慾，始能如顏子未嘗不知耳。又自疑功夫顛倒，與『誠意』不成片段。後問希顏。希顏曰：『先生謂挌物致知是誠意功夫，極好。』九川曰：如何是誠意功夫？二希顏令再思體看。九川終不悟，請問。」先生曰：「惜哉！此可一言而悟，惟浚所舉顏子事便是了。只要知身、心、意、知、物是一件。」九川疑曰：「物在外，如何與身、心、意、知是一件？」先生曰：「耳、目、口、鼻、四肢，身也，非心安能視、聽、言、動？心欲視、聽、言、動，無耳、目、口、鼻、四肢亦不能。故無心則無身，無身則無心。但指其充塞處言之謂之身，指其主宰處言之謂之心，指心之發動處謂之意，指意之靈明處謂之知，指意之涉著處謂之物，只是一件。意未有懸空的，必著事物，故欲誠意，則隨意所在某事而挌之，去其人慾而歸於理，則良知之在此事者，無蔽而得致矣。此便是誠意的功夫。

In the yihai year of Zhengde, Jiuchuan first met the Master at Longjiang. The Master was discussing the theory of 'investigating things' with Master Ganquan. Ganquan held to the old explanation. The Master said, "This is seeking it outside." Ganquan said, "If investigating the principle of things is called external, that is belittling one's own mind." Jiuchuan was greatly pleased that the old explanation seemed right. The Master then discussed the chapter on 'exhausting the mind,' and as soon as Jiuchuan heard it he had no doubt. Later, at home, he again went to ask about 'investigating things.' The Master answered, "If you can only apply effort in practice, in time it will resolve itself." In the mountains Jiuchuan transcribed the old text of the Great Learning and read it, and felt that Master Zhu's theory of 'investigating things' was not right; yet he also doubted that the Master took 'the place where the intention rests' to be a 'thing,' since the word 'thing' was not clear. In the jimao year he returned from the capital and saw the Master again at Hongdu. The Master was pressed with military affairs but gave instruction in spare moments. He first asked, "How have you applied effort in recent years?" Jiuchuan said, "In recent years I have realized by experience that the effort of 'illuminating illustrious virtue' is simply 'making the intention sincere.' From 'illuminating illustrious virtue throughout the world,' pushing step by step to the source, one cannot go further than 'making the intention sincere,' so why did there have to be the earlier effort of 'investigating things and extending knowledge'? Later I experienced that whether the intention is sincere or false depends first on awareness, and taking as evidence Yan Zi's 'when he had something not good he never failed to know it, and having known it he never did it again,' I suddenly felt without doubt; but then the effort of 'investigating things' was extra again. I further thought: how could the spirit of my mind not know whether intentions are good or evil? It is only that material desires cover it, so one must investigate away material desires before one can, like Yan Zi, never fail to know. Then I doubted that my effort was upside down and did not form a whole with 'making the intention sincere.' Later I asked Xiyan. Xiyan said, 'The Master says that investigating things and extending knowledge is the effort of making the intention sincere, which is excellent.' I said, 'What is the effort of making the intention sincere?' Xiyan told me to think and experience it again. In the end Jiuchuan did not understand, and asked." The Master said, "What a pity! This can be understood in one sentence. What Junhe cited about Yan Zi is just it. You only need to know that body, mind, intention, knowledge and thing are one." Jiuchuan doubted and said, "Things are outside; how can they be one with body, mind, intention and knowledge?" The Master said, "The ears, eyes, mouth, nose and four limbs are the body, but without the mind how could they see, hear, speak or move? The mind wishes to see, hear, speak and move, but without ears, eyes, mouth, nose and four limbs it also cannot. So without the mind there is no body, and without the body there is no mind. Speaking of its filling out, it is called the body; speaking of its governing, it is called the mind; speaking of the mind's stirring, it is called the intention; speaking of the intention's spiritual clarity, it is called knowledge; speaking of what the intention touches, it is called a thing. It is only one. The intention is never suspended in the void; it must rest on an affair or thing. So if you want to make the intention sincere, then wherever the intention rests, in some affair, you investigate it, remove the human desire and return to principle, and then the innate knowing in this affair is unobstructed and can be extended. This is the effort of making the intention sincere.

」九川乃釋然破數年之疑。又問：「甘泉近亦信用《大學》古本，謂『格物』猶言『造道』，又謂窮如窮其巢穴之窮，以身至之也，故格物亦只是隨處醴認天理：似與先生之說漸同。」先生曰：「甘泉用功，所以轉得來。當時與說「親民」字不須改，他亦不信今論『格物」亦近但不須換物字作理字，只還他一物字便是。」後有人問九川曰：「今何不疑物字？」曰：《中庸》曰：『不誠無物。』程子曰：『物來順應』又如『物各付物氣胸中無物』之類皆古人常用字也。」他日先生亦云然。

(Jiuchuan continued the record:) Jiuchuan then felt relieved, and the doubts of several years were broken. He asked further, "Ganquan has recently also come to trust the old text of the Great Learning, saying that 'investigating things' is like 'reaching the Way,' and that 'exhausting' is like exhausting a nest, reaching it in person, so that investigating things is also just recognizing heavenly principle everywhere. This seems gradually to agree with the Master's theory." The Master said, "Ganquan applies effort, so he could turn around. At the time I told him that the word 'loving the people' did not need changing, and he did not believe it either. Now his discussion of 'investigating things' is close too, but he need not change the word 'thing' to 'principle'; just give back the word 'thing' to it." Later someone asked Jiuchuan, "Why do you no longer doubt the word 'thing'?" He said, "The Doctrine of the Mean says 'without sincerity there would be nothing' (wu), Master Cheng says 'respond to things as they come,' and also 'let each thing be assigned to its thing' and 'no thing in the heart,' and so on. These are all words the ancients commonly used." On another day the Master said the same.

○九川問：「近年因厭氾濫之學，每要靜坐，求屏息念慮，非惟不能，愈覺擾擾，如何？」先生曰：「念如何可息？只是要正。」曰：「當自有無念時否？」先生曰：「實無無念時。」曰：「如此卻如何言靜？」曰：「靜未嘗不動，動未嘗不靜。戌謹恐懼即是念，何分動靜。」曰：「周子何以言「定之以中正，仁而主靜？』」曰：「無慾故靜，是「靜亦定，動亦定』的定字，主其本體也；戒懼之念，是活潑潑地，此是天機不息處，所謂『維天之命，於穆不已。』一息便是死，非本體之念郥是私念。」

Jiuchuan asked, "In recent years, tired of scattered learning, I have often tried to sit in quiet, seeking to stop my breath and thoughts, but not only could I not do it, I felt more disturbed. What should I do?" The Master said, "How can thoughts be stopped? They only need to be right." He asked, "Should there be times when there is no thought?" The Master said, "In truth there is no time without thought." He asked, "If so, how can one speak of stillness?" He said, "Stillness is never without movement, and movement is never without stillness. Being cautious and apprehensive is itself thought, so why divide movement and stillness?" He asked, "Why did Master Zhou say 'settle it with the mean, rectitude, benevolence and righteousness, and emphasize stillness'?" He said, "Without desire there is stillness. It is the 'settling' of 'still is settled, moving is also settled,' which makes the original substance the master. The thought of caution and apprehension is lively and quick, the place where Heaven's mechanism does not cease, what is called 'the mandate of Heaven, how profound, never ceasing.' A single cessation is death. Any thought that is not the original substance is a selfish thought."

○又問：「用功收心時，有聲、色在前，如常聞、見，恐不是專一。」曰：「如何欲不聞、見？除是槁木死灰，耳聾、目盲則可。只是雖聞、見而不流去便是。」曰：「昔有人靜坐，其子隔壁讀書，不知其勤惰。程子稱其甚敬。何如？」曰：「伊川恐亦是譏地。」

He asked further, "When applying effort to gather the mind, if sounds and sights are before me and I hear and see them as usual, I fear this is not single-minded." The Master said, "How could one wish not to hear or see? Only if one were a withered tree and dead ashes, deaf and blind. It is enough that even though one hears and sees, one is not carried away." He asked, "Formerly there was a man who sat in quiet while his son read books in the next room, and he did not know whether the son was diligent or lazy. Master Cheng praised him as very reverent. What of this?" The Master said, "I suspect Yichuan was also mocking him."

○又問：「靜坐用功，頗覺此心收斂；遇事又斷了，旋起個念頭去事上省察：事過又尋舊功，還覺有內外，打不作一片。」先生曰：「此『格物』之說未透。心何嘗有內外？即如惟僣今在此講論，又豈有一心在內照管？這聽講說時專敬，即是那靜坐時心。功夫一貫，何須更起念頭？人須在事上磨練做功夫乃有益：若只好靜，遇事便亂，終無長進。那靜時功夫亦差似收斂，而實放溺也。」後在洪都，復與於中國裳論內外之說，渠皆雲物自有內外，但要內外並著功夫，不可有閒耳，以篔先生。曰：「功夫不離本體，本體原無內外：只為後來做功夫的分了內外，先其本體了，如今正要講明功夫不要有內外，乃是本體功夫：」是日俱有省。

He asked further, "When I sit in quiet and apply effort, I feel my mind quite gathered, but when something comes up it is broken off, and I then raise a thought to examine myself in the matter; once the matter has passed I look for the old effort again, and still feel an inside and an outside that do not form one piece." The Master said, "This is because the theory of 'investigating things' is not yet clear to you. How has the mind ever had an inside and outside? Take Junhe here now, discussing with me: is there some other mind inside looking after it? Your concentrated reverence when listening to a lecture is the same mind as when sitting in quiet. The effort is one thread, so why raise another thought? One must polish and apply effort in affairs to benefit. If one only likes quiet and becomes confused when something comes up, one will never make progress. That effort in quiet seems like gathering in, but really it is indulging and sinking." Later at Hongdu, he again discussed the question of inside and outside with Yuzhong and Guoshang, and they both said that things have their own inside and outside, but that one must apply effort to both without interruption, and brought this to ask the Master. The Master said, "Effort does not leave the original substance, and the original substance has no inside or outside. It is only because those who later applied effort divided inside and outside that the original substance was lost. Now we must explain that effort does not have inside and outside; that is effort of the original substance." That day they all had an insight.

○又問：「陸子之學何加？」先生曰；「濂溪、明道之後，還是象山：只是粗些。」九川曰：「看他論學，篇篇說出骨髓，句句似針膏肓，卻不見他粗。」先生曰：「然尥心上用過功夫，與揣摹依仿、求之文義自不同，但細看有粗扈。用功久，當見之。」

He asked further, "How about the learning of Master Lu?" The Master said, "After Lianxi and Mingdao, there is Xiangshan, only a bit rough." Jiuchuan said, "Looking at his discussions of learning, every essay speaks to the marrow and every sentence is like a needle to the vital spot; I do not see him as rough." The Master said, "He did apply effort to the mind, and so differs from those who imitate and seek in the meaning of the text, but looking closely, there are rough spots. With long effort you will see it."

○庚辰往虔州再見先生，問：「近來功夫雖若稍知頭惱，然難尋個穩當快樂扈。」先生曰：「爾卻去心上尋個天理，此正所謂理障。此閒有個訣竅。」曰：「請問如何？」曰：「只是致知。」曰：「如何致知。」曰：「爾那一點良知，是爾自家底準則。爾意念著扈，他是便知是，非便知非，更瞞地一些不得。爾只不要欺他，實實落落依著他做去，善便存，惡便去，他這裡何等穩當快樂；此便是『格物』的真訣，『致知』的實功。若不靠著這些真飢，如何去格物？我亦近年體貼出來如此分明，初猶疑只依尥恐有不足，精細看，無些小欠闕。」

In the gengchen year, I went to Qianzhou and saw the Master again. I asked, "Recently my effort seems to know the main point a little, but it is hard to find a stable and joyful place." The Master said, "You are going to look for heavenly principle in the mind; this is exactly what is called an obstruction of principle. There is a trick here." I asked, "Please tell me what it is." He said, "It is just extending innate knowing." I asked, "How do I extend knowing?" He said, "That bit of innate knowing of yours is your own standard. Where your intention rests, it knows right as right and wrong as wrong, and you cannot hide anything from it. Only do not deceive it; follow it honestly and act. Preserve the good and remove the evil, and how stable and joyful this is! This is the true key of 'investigating things' and the real effort of 'extending knowledge.' If you do not rely on this true mechanism, how can you investigate things? I too have recently come to realize it so clearly. At first I doubted that relying on it alone might not be enough, but looking closely, there is not the slightest lack."

○在虔與於中謙之同侍。先生曰：「人胸中各有個聖人，只自信不及，都自埋倒了。」因顧於中曰：「爾胸中原是聖人。」於中起不敢當。先生曰：「此是爾自家有的，如何要推？」於中又曰：「不敢。」先生曰：「眾人皆有之，況在於中，卻何故謙起來？謙亦不得；」於中乃笑受。又論「良知在人，隨你如何不能泯滅，雖盜賊亦自知不當為盜，喚尥怍娀，地還忸怩；」於中曰：「只是物慾遮蔽：良心在內，自不會失，如雲自蔽日，口何嘗矢了；」先生曰：「於中如此聰明，地人見不及此。」

In Qian, I was attending together with Yuzhong and Qianzhi. The Master said, "Everyone has a sage in their breast but does not trust it enough and buries it. Turning to Yuzhong he said, "In your breast there is originally a sage." Yuzhong rose and said he dared not accept it. The Master said, "This is what you yourself have; why push it away?" Yuzhong said again, "I dare not." The Master said, "All people have it, how much more Yuzhong; why be modest? Modesty will not do." Yuzhong then smiled and accepted. The Master also said, "Innate knowing in people cannot be wiped out however you try. Even a robber knows he should not rob, and if you call him a thief he still feels uneasy." Yuzhong said, "It is only that material desires cover it. The conscience is within and is never lost, like clouds covering the sun, when the sun has never been lost." The Master said, "Yuzhong is this intelligent; others cannot see this far."

○先生曰：「這些子看得透徹，隨他千言萬語是非誠偽，到前便明，合得的便是，臺不得的便非，如佛家說『心印』相似，真是個試金石，指南針。」

The Master said, "If you see this clearly, then whatever the thousand words and ten thousand matters of right and wrong, sincere and false, as soon as they come before you they are clear: what fits is right and what does not fit is wrong. It is like what the Buddhists call the 'mind seal,' truly a touchstone and a compass."

○先生曰：「人若知章良心訣竅，隨他多少邪思枉念，這裡一覺，都自消融；真個是靈丹一粒，點鐵成金。」

The Master said, "If a person knows this key of conscience, however many evil thoughts and false notions there are, once awakened here they all melt away by themselves. It is truly a single pellet of elixir, turning iron into gold."

○崇一曰：「先生『致知』之旨發盡精縊，看來這裡再去不得。」先生曰：「何言之易也上再用功半年看如何，又用功一年看如何。功夫愈久，愈覺不同，此難口說。」

Ouyang Chongyi said, "The Master's teaching on 'extending knowledge' has drawn out its subtlest meaning, and it seems one cannot go further." The Master said, "How easily you say that! Apply effort for another half year and see, then another year and see. The longer the effort, the more different it feels, and this is hard to express in words."

○先生問：「九川於『致知』之說體驗如何？」九川曰：「自覺不同：往時操持常不得個恰好處，此乃是恰好處。」先生曰：「可知是體來與聽講不同。我初與講時，知爾只是忽易，未有滋味；只這個要妙再體到深處，日見不同，是無窮盡的。」又曰：「此『致知』二字，真是個千古聖傳之秘，見到一逼裡，『百世以俟聖人而不惑』。」

The Master asked, "Jiuchuan, how has your experience of the doctrine of 'extending knowledge' been?" Jiuchuan said, "I feel it is different. In the past my grip never found the right spot, and this is the right spot." The Master said, "Of course experiencing it differs from hearing a lecture. When I first told you, I knew you only treated it lightly and found no flavor in it. If you take this key point and experience it to greater depth, you will find it different day by day, without end." He added, "These two words, 'extending knowledge,' are truly the secret transmitted by the sages through the ages. If you see to this point, then 'waiting a hundred generations for a sage, you are not in doubt.'"

○九川問曰：「伊川說到體用一原、顯微無間處，門人已說是洩天穖：先生『致知』之說，莫亦洩天撥太甚否？」先生曰：「聖人已指以示人，只為後人揜匿，我發明耳，何故說洩？此是人人自有的，覺來甚不打緊一般，然與不用實功人說，亦甚輕忽，可惜彼此無益；無實用功而不得其要者，提撕之甚沛然得力。」

Jiuchuan asked, "When Yichuan spoke of substance and function having one source and the manifest and subtle having no gap, his disciples already said he was leaking Heaven's secret. Does the Master's doctrine of 'extending knowledge' not leak Heaven's secret too much?" The Master said, "The sages have already pointed this out to people, and it was only hidden by later people; I merely bring it to light. Why call it leaking? This is something everyone has, and when one realizes it, it seems ordinary and not very important. Yet if I say it to someone who does not apply real effort, it is also treated lightly, which is a pity and no benefit to either side. But for one who applies real effort and has not grasped the key, pulling him up gives him abundant strength."

○又曰：「知來本無知，覺來本無覺，然不知則遂淪埋。」

He added, "Knowing, when it comes, is originally without knowing; awareness, when it comes, is originally without awareness. Yet if one does not know it, one sinks and is buried."

○先生曰：「大凡朋友須箴規指摘處少，誘掖獎勸意多，方是。」後又戒九川云：「與朋友論學，須委曲謙下，寬以居之。」

The Master said, "In general, among friends there should be few places of admonition and criticism, and more intention of drawing out, helping and encouraging; that is right." Later he cautioned Jiuchuan, "When discussing learning with friends, you must be accommodating and humble, and dwell in generosity."

○九川臥病虔州。先生云：「病物亦難格，覺得如何？」對曰：「功夫甚難。」先生曰：「常快活便是功夫。」

Jiuchuan lay ill in Qianzhou. The Master said, "It is also hard to investigate illness as a thing. How does it feel?" He answered, "The effort is very hard." The Master said, "To be constantly joyful is the effort."

○九川問：「自省念慮，或涉邪妄，或預料理天下事，思到極處，井井有味，便繾綣難屏，覺得早則易覺遲則難，用力克治，愈覺扞格，惟稍遷念他事，則隨兩忘。如此廓清，亦似無害。」先生曰：「何須如此，只要在良知上著功夫。」九川曰：「正謂那一時不知。」先生曰：「我這裹自有功夫，何緣得他來：只為爾功夫斷了，便蔽其知。既斷了，則纆續舊功便是，何必如此？」九川曰：「直是難鏖，雖知丟他不去。」先生曰：「須是勇；用功久，自有勇。故曰『是集義所生者；』勝得容易，便是大賈。」

Jiuchuan asked, "When I examine my thoughts, they may touch on evil or falsehood, or I may be planning ahead how to manage the affairs of the world, thinking to the utmost, orderly and full of savor, and then I get entangled and cannot dismiss it. If I notice early it is easy, but if I notice late it is hard. The harder I try to overcome it, the more it resists. Only if I slightly shift to thinking of other things do both disappear at once. Clearing it away this way seems to do no harm." The Master said, "Why is that needed? You only need to put effort into innate knowing." Jiuchuan said, "My problem is exactly that at that moment I do not know." The Master said, "I have effort here; how could they come? It is only because your effort was interrupted and so it obscures your knowing. Since it was interrupted, you simply reconnect with the old effort; why do all this?" Jiuchuan said, "It is truly hard to fight; though I know, I cannot throw it off." The Master said, "You must have courage. With long effort, courage will come by itself. That is why it is said, 'It is what is produced by accumulated righteousness.' If you win easily, you are a great worthy."

○九川問：「此功夫卻於心上禮驗明白，只解書不通。」先生曰：「只要解心。心明白，書自然融會。若心上不通，只要書上文義通，卻自生意見。」

Jiuchuan asked, "In this effort I can experience and understand clearly in my mind; it is only that I cannot make sense of books." The Master said, "Just understand the mind. When the mind is clear, books will naturally fuse in understanding. If the mind is not clear and you only want the meaning of the text to be clear, you will naturally form opinions."

○有一屬官，因久聽講先生之學，曰：「此學甚好，只是簿書訟獄繁難，不得為學。」先生聞之，曰：「我何嘗教爾離了簿書訟獄懸空去講學？爾既有官司之事，便從官司的事上為學，才是真格物。如問一詞訟，不可因其應對無狀，起個怒心：不可因他言語圓轉，生個喜心：不可惡其囑託，加意治之：不可因其請求，屈意從之：不可因自己事務煩冗，隨意苟且斷之；不可因旁人譖毀羅織，隨人意思處之：這許多意思皆私，只爾自知，須精細省察克治，惟恐此心有一毫偏倚，杜人是非，這便是格物致知。簿書訟獄之閒，無非實學。若離了事物為學，卻是著空。」

There was a subordinate official who had long listened to the Master's teachings and said, "This learning is very good, but with the burden of records and lawsuits, I cannot study." When the Master heard this, he said, "When did I ever teach you to leave your records and lawsuits and discuss learning in the air? Since you have official duties, study within the work of your office; that is true investigation of things. For example, when hearing a case, you must not get angry because the party answers rudely; you must not feel delight because his words are smooth; you must not hate his lobbying and judge him more harshly; you must not yield to his pleading and bend your own judgment; you must not decide carelessly because your own affairs are heavy; you must not handle it according to others' slander and framing. All of these thoughts are selfish, and only you yourself know them. You must examine and overcome them carefully, fearing only that your mind has even the slightest bias that would wrong someone's right or wrong. This is investigating things and extending knowledge. Within records and lawsuits there is nothing but real learning. If you leave affairs and things to study, you are clinging to emptiness."

○虔州將歸，有詩別先生云：「良知何事系多聞，妙合當時已種恨，好惡從之為聖學，將迎無處是幹元」。先生曰，「若未來講此學，不知說好惡從之從個甚麼？」敷英在座曰，「誠然。嘗讀先生大學古本序，不知所說何事。及來聽講許時，乃稍知大意。」

When I was about to leave Qianzhou, I wrote a poem to bid the Master farewell: "Why must innate knowing be tied to wide hearing? Its wondrous fit already had roots planted; following likes and dislikes is the sages' learning; there is nowhere to send off or welcome, all is the Qian source." (The source text writes 'Qian' as 'gan' here, but it should be 'Qian' as in Qian and Kun.) The Master said, "If I had not yet lectured on this learning, who knows what 'following likes and dislikes' would be following?" Fuying, who was present, said, "Indeed. I once read your preface to the old text of the Great Learning and did not know what it was about. Only after attending lectures for some time did I understand the gist."

○於中國裳輩同侍食，先生曰︰「凡飲食只是要養我身，食了要消化；若徒蓄橫在肚裡，便成痞了，加何長得肌官？後世擘者博聞多識，留滯胸中，皆傷食之病也。」

Yuzhong, Guoshang and the others were attending a meal together. The Master said, "All eating and drinking is only to nourish my body, and after eating it must be digested. If it is merely stored in the belly, it becomes a blockage, and how could it grow muscle and skin? Later scholars who hear and know widely and let it stay in their chests all suffer from indigestion."

○先生日﹕「聖人亦是『學知』，眾人亦是『生知』。」問曰︰「何如？」曰︰「這良知人人皆有，聖人只是保全無些障蔽，兢兢業業，疊疊翼翼，自然不息，便也是學，只是生的分敷多，所謂之『生知、安行』；眾人自孩提之童，莫不完具此知，只是障蔽多，然本髓之知自難泯息，雖問學克冶，也只憑他，只是學的分敷多，所以謂之『學知、利行』。」

The Master said, "The sages also are 'those who learn to know,' and ordinary people also are 'those born knowing.'" Someone asked, "How so?" He said, "This innate knowing is in everyone. The sage only preserves it intact without obscuration, being cautious and diligent, tireless and careful, and naturally never ceasing, and this too is learning, but the portion that is innate is greater, so he is called 'born knowing and practicing with ease.' Ordinary people, from childhood, all have this knowing complete, but there is much obscuring. Yet the original substance of knowing is hard to extinguish, and even in inquiry and self-discipline, they simply rely on it, but the portion that is learned is greater, so they are called 'learning to know and practicing with benefit.'"