丁亥年九月，先生起复[1]征思、田[2]，将命行时，德洪与汝中论学。
汝中举先生教言曰：「无善无恶是心之体，有善有恶是意之动，知善知恶是良知，为善去恶是格物。」
德洪曰：「此意如何？」
汝中曰：「此恐未是究竟话头；若说心体是无善、无恶，意亦是无善、无恶的意，知亦是无善、无恶的知，物是[3]无善、无恶的物矣。若说意有善、恶，毕竟心体还有善、恶在。」
德洪曰：「心体是『天命之性』，原是无善、无恶的；但人有习心，意念上见有善恶在，格、致、诚、正、修，此正是复那性体功夫。若原无善恶，功夫亦不消说矣。」
是夕侍坐天泉桥，各举请正。
先生曰：「我今将行，正要你们来讲破此意。二君之见，正好相资为用，不可各执一边。我这里接人，原有此二种，利根之人，直从本原上悟入，人心本体原是明莹无滞的，原是个未发之中；利根之人一悟本体即是功夫，人己内外一齐俱透了。其次不免有习心在，本体受蔽，故且教在意念上实落为善、去恶，功夫熟后，渣滓去得尽时，本体亦明尽了。汝中之见，是我这里接利根人的；德洪之见，是我这里为其次立法的。二君相取为用，则中人上下皆可引入于道，若各执一边，跟前便有失人，便于道体各有未尽。」
既而曰：「已后与朋友讲学，切不可失了我的宗旨。无善无恶是心之体，有善有恶是意之动，知善知恶的[4]是良知，为善去恶是格物。只依我这话头随人指点，自没病痛，此原是彻上彻下功夫。利根之人，世亦难遇，本体功夫一悟尽透，此颜子、明道所不敢承当，岂可轻易望人。人有习心，不教他在良知上实用为善、去恶功夫，只去悬空想个本体，一切事为俱不著实，不过养成一个虚寂，此个病痛不是小小，不可不早说破。」
是日，德洪、汝中俱有省。
丁亥年九月，先生起复出征思恩、田州，临行之际，德洪与汝中论学。
汝中举先生教言说：「无善无恶是心之体，有善有恶是意之动，知善知恶是良知，为善去恶是格物。」
德洪问：「这话怎么讲？」
汝中说：「这恐怕不是究竟话头。若说心体是无善无恶的，意也是无善无恶的意，知也是无善无恶的知，物也是无善无恶的物了。若说意有善恶，毕竟心体还有善恶在。」
德洪说：「心体是天命之性，原是无善无恶的；但人有习心，意念上见得有善恶在，格致诚正修，这正是恢复那性体的功夫。若原本无善恶，功夫也就不必说了。」
当晚侍坐天泉桥，各举所见请教。
先生说：「我即将启程，正要你们来讲破这个意思。二位的见解正好相资为用，不可各执一边。我这里接引人，原有这两种：利根的人直接从本原上悟入——人心的本体原是明莹无滞的，原是个未发之中，利根的人一悟本体即是功夫，人己内外一齐都透了。其次不免有习心在，本体受蔽，所以姑且教他在意念上切实为善去恶，功夫熟后，渣滓去得尽时，本体也就明尽了。汝中之见，是我这里接引利根人的；德洪之见，是我这里为第二种人立法的。二位相取为用，则中根上下的人都可以引入正道；若各执一边，眼前便有错过人的地方，对道体也各有未尽。」
接着又说：「以后与朋友讲学，切不可失了我的宗旨：无善无恶是心之体，有善有恶是意之动，知善知恶是良知，为善去恶是格物。只要照我这话头随人指点，自然没有病痛。这本是彻上彻下的功夫。利根之人世上也难遇到，本体功夫一悟尽透，连颜子、程颢都不敢承当，岂可轻易期望于人？人有习心，不教他在良知上切实做 为善去恶的功夫，只去悬空想个本体，一切事为都不落实，不过养成一个虚寂，这个病痛不小，不可不早说破。」
这一天，德洪、汝中都有省悟。
In the ninth month of the dinghai year, the Master, recalled to service, was setting out for Si'en and Tianzhou. On the eve of departure Dehong and Ruzhong discussed learning.
Ruzhong cited the Master's teaching: 'Neither good nor evil is the substance of the mind; both good and evil are the stirrings of intention; knowing good and evil is innate knowledge; doing good and removing evil is the investigation of things.'
Dehong asked what it meant.
Ruzhong said: 'I fear it is not the final word. If the mind's substance is neither good nor evil, then intention too is intention neither good nor evil, knowing too knowing neither good nor evil, things too things neither good nor evil. Say intention has good and evil, and in the end the mind's substance has good and evil in it.'
Dehong said: 'The mind's substance is what heaven mandates as nature, originally neither good nor evil; but men have a practiced mind, and good and evil appear upon intention. Investigation, extension, sincerity, rectitude, cultivation — this is precisely the work of restoring that substance. Were there originally no good and evil, the work would not need saying.'
That evening, attending at Tianquan Bridge, they each laid the matter before the Master.
He said: 'I am on the point of setting out — just right that you should come to break this open. Your two views fit each for use; do not each cling to one side. In receiving men I have from the first had these two ways: those of sharp root enter straight in at the source — the mind's substance is bright and unhampered, the very equilibrium before arousal; for such, one awakening to the substance is itself the work, self and others, inner and outer, all pierced at once. Those of the second sort cannot escape the practiced mind; the substance is veiled; so I first teach them to do good and remove evil in solid earnest upon intention; when the work ripens and the dross is all gone, the substance too is bright to the full. Ruzhong's view is my way for the sharp-rooted; Dehong's, my law for the others. Take each other into use, and men above and below the mean may all be led into the Way; cling each to a side, and men are lost before your eyes, and the Way's substance left unmet on either part.'
He went on: 'Henceforth, in discussing learning with friends, by no means lose this purport of mine: neither good nor evil is the substance of the mind; good and evil are the stirrings of intention; knowing good and evil is innate knowledge; doing good and removing evil is the investigation of things. Point men as each requires by these words, and no sickness follows — this is the work running from top to bottom. The sharp-rooted are rare in any age: awakening the substance's work wholly through — Yan Hui or Cheng Hao durst not claim it; how lightly expect it of men? Men have a practiced mind: teach them not to work in solid earnest at good and evil upon innate knowledge, but only to dream in mid-air of a substance, all doing unreal, and they rear only a hollow stillness — a sickness not small, to be broken open early.'
That day Dehong and Ruzhong both woke somewhat.
- 丁亥：嘉靖六年（1527）。起复：有丧，服满而起用。
- 思、田：广西思恩府及田州。
- 施、俞、张三本，「物是」作「物亦是」。
- 施、俞二本，「知善知恶的」作「知善知恶」。