来书云：「佛氏又有常提念头之说，其犹孟子所谓『必有事』，夫子所谓『致良知』之说乎？其即『常惺惺，常记得，常知得，常存得』者乎？于此念头提在之时，而事至物来，应之必有其道。但恐此念头提起时少，放下时多，则工夫间断耳。且念头放失，多因私欲客气[1]之动而始，忽然惊醒而后提，其放而未提之间，心之昏杂多不自觉，今欲曰精曰明，常提不放，以何道乎？只此常提不放，即全功乎？抑于常提不放之中，更宜加省克之功乎？虽曰常提不放，而不加戒惧克治之功，恐私欲不去；若加戒惧克治之功焉，又为『思善』之事，而于『本来面目』又未达一间也。如之何则可？」
戒惧克治即是常提不放之功，即是「必有事焉」，岂有两事邪！此节所问，前一段已自说得分晓，末后却是自生迷惑，说得支离。及有「本来面目未达一间」之疑，都是自私自利、将迎意必之为病，去此病，自无此疑矣。
来信说：「佛家又有常提念头的说法，岂不就像孟子所谓『必有事』、夫子所谓『致良知』？就是『常惺惺、常记得、常知得、常存得』吧？这念头提起之时，事至物来，应对必有它的道理。只怕这念头提起时少、放下时多，功夫便间断了。而且念头的放失，多因私欲客气的鼓动才开始，忽然惊醒后才重新提起；那放而未提之间，心的昏杂多不自知。如今想日精日明、常提不放，用什么方法？只此常提不放，就是全部功夫吗？还是在常提不放之中，更应加上省察克治的功夫？虽常提不放而不加戒惧克治，恐怕私欲不去；若加上戒惧克治，又成了『思善』之事，离『本来面目』又差一间了。怎样才好？」
戒惧克治就是常提不放的功夫，就是「必有事焉」，哪有两件事！此节所问，前一段已自说得分晓，末后却是自生迷惑，说得支离。至于有「本来面目未达一间」的疑问，都是自私自利、将迎意必造成的病，去掉这个病，自然没有这个疑问了。
Your letter says: 'The Buddhists also speak of ever-lifting the thought — is that not Mencius's always-having-the-task, your extension of innate knowledge? The ever-alert, ever-mindful, ever-knowing, ever-preserving? While the thought is lifted and affairs arrive, there must be a way to meet them. Only, the thought is lifted little and dropped much, and the work breaks off. The dropping mostly begins with the stir of private desire and temperamental energy; waking with a start, one lifts it again; in the gap between dropped and lifted, the mind's murk goes unremarked. To grow daily finer and brighter, ever lifted and undropped — by what way? Is this ever-lifting the whole work? Or within it should examination and mastery be added? Ever-lifted without vigilance and mastery, private desire will not go; with vigilance and mastery added, it becomes thinking-good, a room away from the original face. What is to be done?'
Vigilance and mastery are the work of ever-lifting, are the always-having-the-task — where are two things in it! The first half of your question was already answered clearly; the latter half spins confusion of itself, spoken in fragments. And the doubt of being a room away from the original face — all of it is the disease of self-serving, forestalling and presuming. Remove that disease and the doubt goes with it.
- 客气：指受外界影响而生之骄傲、名誉、情欲等。