萧惠好仙、释。
先生警之曰：「吾亦自幼笃志二氏，自谓既有所得，谓儒者为不足学。其后居夷三载，见得圣人之学，若是其简易广大，始自叹悔错用了三十年气力。大抵二氏之学，其妙与圣人只有毫厘之间。汝今所学，乃其土苴，辄自信自好若此，真鸱鸮窃腐鼠耳。」
惠请问二氏之妙。
先生曰：「向汝说圣人之学简易广大，汝却不问我悟的，只问我悔的。」
惠惭谢，请问圣人之学。
先生曰：「汝今只是了人事问[1]；待汝办个真要求为圣人的心，来与汝说。」
惠再三请。
先生曰：「已与汝一句道尽[2]，汝尚自不会。」
萧惠喜好仙、佛之学。
先生警示他说：「我也自幼笃志于道、佛二家，自以为有所得，认为儒者之学不值得学。后来贬居贵州三年，见到圣人之学是如此简易广大，才自己叹息悔恨错用了三十年气力。大抵二氏之学的精妙处与圣人只有毫厘之差。你如今所学的，不过是它的糟粕，就自信自喜到这个地步，真是猫头鹰偷了只腐鼠罢了。」
萧惠请教二氏的妙处。
先生说：「刚才向你说圣人之学简易广大，你不问我所悟的，只问我所悔的。」
萧惠惭愧道歉，请教圣人之学。
先生说：「你如今只是为了应付了事才问；等你拿出个真要求做圣人的心来，再同你讲。」
萧惠再三请求。
先生说：「已经一句话给你说尽了，你自己还不领悟。」
Xiao Hui was fond of the immortals and the Buddhists.
The Master warned him: 'I too set my youthful will on those two schools and thought I had gains, deeming the Confucians not worth study. Then, banished three years among the Yi, I saw how simple, easy and vast the sages' learning is, and sighed in repentance over thirty years of misapplied strength. Broadly, those two schools at their most subtle stand a hair's breadth from the sage. What you study now is their husks and dung, and you presume so — an owl hugging a rotten rat.'
Hui asked after the subtleties of the two schools.
The Master said: 'I have just told you the sages' learning is simple and vast, and you do not ask what I awakened to — only what I repented.'
Hui shamefacedly apologized and asked after the sages' learning.
'You ask merely to be done with it. Bring me a heart truly resolved to become a sage, and then I will speak.'
Hui pressed again and again.
'It has already been said to you in one sentence — and still you do not take it in.'
- 人事问，人事应酬常语。
- 王守仁此处用机锋。「一句」指上句「为圣人之心」。