一友静坐有见，驰问先生。
答曰：「吾昔居滁[1]时：见诸生多务知解口耳异同，无益于得；姑教之静坐。一时窥见光景，颇收近效。久之渐有喜静厌动、流入枯槁之病；或务为玄解妙觉，动人听闻。故迩来只说『致良知』。良知明白，随你去静处体悟也好，随你去事上磨炼也好，良知本体原是无动无静的。此便是学问头脑。我这个话头，自滁州到今，亦较过几番，只是『致良知』三字无病。医经折肱，方能察人病理。」
一位朋友静坐有所见，急忙来问先生。
先生答：「我从前在滁州时，见学生们多务知解口耳的异同，无益于真得，便姑且教他们静坐，一时窥见光景，颇收近效。久了渐渐生出喜静厌动、流入枯槁的病，或者专务玄妙的解会、动人的听闻。所以近来只说『致良知』。良知明白了，随你去静处体悟也好，去事上磨练也好，良知的本体原是无动无静的。这便是学问的头脑。我这句话头，从滁州到今天，也较量过几番，只是『致良知』三字无病。医书说折肱的人，方能察人的病理。」
A friend, gaining some sight in quiet sitting, hurried to ask the Master.
He answered: 'At Chuzhou once, seeing the students mostly at intellectual glossing, profitless, I set them for the time to quiet sitting; for a while they glimpsed bright scenes, quick profit showed. In time grew the sickness of loving stillness, dreading movement, sinking arid — or chasing subtle interpretation to dazzle listeners. Hence of late I say only: extend innate knowledge. Innate knowledge clear, taste it in quiet or temper it on affairs as you will — its substance was never moving or still. That is the head of learning. This watchword, from Chuzhou to today, I have tested many times: only the three words extend innate knowledge are without disease. Only he who has broken his own arm, say the physicians, can read another's ailment.'
- 滁州：今安徽滁县。