问：「『惟精』、『惟一』是如何用功？」
先生曰：「『惟一』是『惟精』主意，『惟精』是『惟一』功夫；非『惟精』之外，复有『惟一』也。『精』字从米，姑以米譬之：要得此米纯然洁白，便是『惟一』意；然非加舂簸筛拣『惟精』之功，则不能纯然洁白也。舂簸筛拣是『惟精』之功，然亦不过要此米到纯然洁白而已。博学、审问、慎思、明辨、笃行者，皆所以为『惟精』而求『惟一』也。他如『博文』者，即『约礼』之功；『格物』、『致知』者，即『诚意』之功；『道问学』即『尊德性』之功；『明善』即『诚身』之功：无二说也。」
有人问：「『惟精』『惟一』是怎样用功？」
先生说：「『惟一』是『惟精』的主意，『惟精』是『惟一』的功夫；并不是在『惟精』之外另有一个『惟一』。『精』字从米，姑且拿米来打比方：要使这米纯然洁白，便是『惟一』的意思；然而不加舂捣簸筛拣选这『惟精』的功夫，便不能纯然洁白。舂捣簸筛拣选是『惟精』的功夫，然而也不过是要这米达到纯然洁白罢了。博学、审问、慎思、明辨、笃行，都是用来作『惟精』而求『惟一』的。其他如『博文』，就是『约礼』的功夫；『格物』『致知』，就是『诚意』的功夫；『道问学』就是『尊德性』的功夫；『明善』就是『诚身』的功夫：没有第二种说法。」
Someone asked: "How does one work at 'refinement' and 'unity'?
The Master said: "Unity is the design of refinement; refinement is the work of unity — there is no unity apart from refinement. The character for 'refine' has 'rice' in it, so take rice as a figure: that the rice be purely white is 'unity'; but without the refining work of pounding, winnowing, sifting and picking, it cannot be purely white. Pounding and winnowing are refinement, yet they aim at nothing but pure white rice. Broad learning, inquiry, careful thought, clear discrimination, earnest practice — all are refinement in the service of unity. So too 'broad culture' is the work of 'ritual restraint'; 'investigating things' and 'extending knowledge' are the work of 'making the intention sincere'; 'pursuing inquiry and study' is the work of 'honoring the moral nature'; 'understanding goodness' is the work of 'making oneself sincere' — there is no second doctrine."