先生曰：「僊（仙）家说到虚，圣人岂能虚上加得一毫实？佛氏说到无，圣人岂能无上加得一毫有？但僊（仙）家说虚从养生上来，佛氏说无从出离生死苦海上来，却于本体上加却这些子意思在，便不是他虚无的本色了，便于本体有障碍。圣人只是还他良知的本色，更不著些子意在。良知之虚便是天之太虚，良知之无便是太虚之无形，日、月、风、雷、山、川、民、物，凡有貌象形色，皆在太虚无形中发用流行，未尝作得天的障碍。圣人只是顺其良知之发用，天地万物俱在我良知的发用流行中，何尝又有一物起于良知之外能作得障碍？」
先生说：「仙家说到虚，圣人岂能在虚上再添一毫实？佛家说到无，圣人岂能在无上再添一毫有？只是仙家说虚从养生上来，佛家说无从出离生死苦海上来，都在本体上添了这层意思，便不是它虚无的本色了，便对本体有了障碍。圣人只是还它良知的本色，更不着一丝意念。良知之虚，就是天的太虚；良知之无，就是太虚的无形。日、月、风、雷、山、川、民、物，凡有貌象形色的，都在太虚无形中发用流行，从不曾成为天的障碍。圣人只是顺着良知的发用，天地万物都在我良知的发用流行之中，何曾又有一物出于良知之外，能成为障碍？」
The Master said: 'The immortals speak of emptiness — could the sage add one hair of solid to it? The Buddhists speak of nothingness — could the sage add one hair of being? Only, the immortals' emptiness comes from cherishing life, the Buddhists' nothingness from escaping the sea of birth-and-death — each layered a meaning upon the substance, no longer its own bare emptiness and nothingness, and so a bar upon the substance. The sage simply gives innate knowledge back its own color, setting on it not a thread of intent. Innate knowledge's emptiness is heaven's great void; its nothingness, the void's formlessness. Sun, moon, wind, thunder, mountains, rivers, men, things — all with face and form — work and flow within the formless void, never a bar to heaven. The sage simply follows innate knowledge's working: heaven, earth and all things are within its working and flowing — when did anything arise outside it to bar the way?'