问上达工夫。
先生曰：「后儒教人，才涉精微，便谓『上达』未当学，且说『下学』；是分『下学』、『上达』为二也。夫目可得见，耳可得闻，口可得言，心可得思者，皆『下学』也；目不可得见，耳不可得闻，口不可得言，心不可得思者，『上达』也。如木之栽培灌溉，是『下学』也；至于日夜之所息，条达畅茂，乃是『上达』。人安能预其力哉？故凡可用功、可告语者，皆『下学』，『上达』只在『下学』里。凡圣人所说，虽极精微，俱是『下学』。学者只从『下学』里用功，自然『上达』去，不必别寻个『上达』的工夫。」[1]
有人请教『上达』的功夫。
先生说：「后世儒者教人，刚涉及精微之处，便说这是『上达』不便学、且只说『下学』，这是把『下学』『上达』分成了两截。眼睛看得见、耳朵听得到、口里说得出、心里想得到的，都是『下学』；眼睛看不见、耳朵听不到、口里说不出、心里想不到的，才是『上达』。比如树木的栽培灌溉，是『下学』；至于它日夜生长、枝条畅达茂盛，那便是『上达』，人怎么能参与出力呢？所以凡是可以用功、可以言传的，都是『下学』，『上达』只包含在『下学』里。凡圣人所说的，虽然极其精微，也都是『下学』。学者只从『下学』里用功，自然『上达』，不必另外去找一个『上达』的功夫。」
Someone asked about the work of 'reaching upward'.
The Master said: "Later scholars, the moment anything subtle is touched, call it 'reaching upward' — not for learners — and stick to 'learning below'; thus they split the two in half. What the eye can see, the ear hear, the mouth say, the mind think — all is learning below; what the eye cannot see nor ear hear nor mouth say nor mind think — that is reaching upward. Cultivating and watering a tree is learning below; that it grows day and night, its branches spreading in full leaf, is reaching upward — how could man lend a hand there? So whatever one can work at and be told of is learning below, and reaching upward lies only within learning below. All the sages said, however subtle, belongs to learning below. Work at learning below and one naturally reaches upward; do not seek some separate work of reaching upward."
- 《全书》本此条下有一条：「持志如心痛。一心在痛上，岂有功夫说闲话，管闲事。」因与第95条重出，故删去。又南本、施邦曜本（以下简称施本）、俞嶙本（以下简称俞本）此条后多一条：「『千古圣人只为这些子』。又曰『人生一世，惟有这件事』。」又参见第145条：「凡人为学，终身只为这一事，自少至老，自朝至暮，不论有事无事，只是做得这一件。所谓『必有事焉』者也。」