澄问：「有人夜怕鬼者，奈何？」
先生曰：「只是平日不能『集义』，而心有所慊，故怕。若素行合于神明，何怕之有？」
子莘曰：「正直之鬼不须怕；恐邪鬼不管人善恶，故未免怕。」
先生曰：「岂有邪鬼能迷正人乎？只此一怕，即是心邪，故有迷之者，非鬼迷也，心自迷耳。如人好色，即是色鬼迷；好货，即是货鬼迷；怒所不当怒，是怒鬼迷；惧所不当惧，是惧鬼迷也。」
陆澄问：「有人夜里怕鬼，怎么办？」
先生说：「只是因为平日不能『集义』，心中有所愧疚，所以害怕。如果平素行为都合于神明，有什么可怕的？」
子莘说：「正直的鬼不须怕；只怕邪恶的鬼不管人的善恶，所以未免害怕。」
先生说：「哪有邪鬼能迷惑正直的人呢？这一怕，就是心邪了，所以才有东西迷他。不是鬼迷惑，是心自己迷惑。比如人好色，就是被色鬼迷了；贪财，就是被财鬼迷了；怒所不当怒的，是被怒鬼迷了；惧所不当惧的，是被惧鬼迷了。」
Lu Cheng asked: "What of one who fears ghosts at night?"
The Master said: "It is only from failing to 'accumulate righteousness', so the heart has something to be ashamed of — hence fear. If one's conduct always accords with the bright spirits, what is there to fear?"
Zishen said: "Upright ghosts need not be feared; the fear is that wicked ghosts disregard whether one is good or evil."
The Master said: "Since when can a wicked ghost beguile an upright person? The fear itself makes the mind wicked — that is what beguiles him. It is not the ghost that deludes; the mind deludes itself. Lust after beauty — beguiled by the ghost of lust; greed for wealth — the ghost of wealth; anger at what deserves none — the ghost of anger; fear of what merits no fear — the ghost of fear."