问：「宁静存心时，可为『未发之中』否？」
先生曰：「今人存心，只定得气。当其宁静时，亦只是气宁静，不可以为『未发之中』。」
曰：「『未』便是『中』，莫亦是求『中』功夫？」
曰：「只要去人欲、存天理，方是功夫。静时念念去人欲、存天理，动时念念去人欲、存天理，不管宁静不宁静。若靠那宁静，不惟渐有喜静厌动之弊，中间许多病痛，只是潜伏在，终不能绝去，遇事依旧滋长。以循理为主，何尝不宁静？以宁静为主，未必能循理。」
有人问：「宁静存心的时候，可以算是『未发之中』吗？」
先生说：「今人存心，只是定得气。当他宁静时，也只是气宁静，不可以认为是『未发之中』。」
问：「『未发』便是『中』，莫非这也是求『中』的功夫？」
答：「只要去人欲、存天理，才是功夫。静时念念去人欲、存天理，动时也念念去人欲、存天理，不管宁静不宁静。若一味依靠那宁静，不但渐渐有喜静厌动的毛病，中间许多病根只是潜伏着，终究不能断绝，一遇事依旧滋长。以遵循天理为主，何尝不宁静？以宁静为主，未必能遵循天理。」
Someone asked: "When one preserves the mind in tranquility, does that count as 'the equilibrium before feelings are aroused'?"
The Master said: "What people today preserve is only settled breath. In tranquility it is only the breath that is tranquil — that is not the equilibrium before arousal."
"'Not yet aroused' is 'equilibrium' — is that then the work of seeking equilibrium?"
"Only removing human desire and preserving heavenly principle is the work. In stillness, thought after thought, remove desire and preserve principle; in movement likewise — tranquility or no tranquility. If you lean on tranquility, not only will you contract the fault of loving stillness and dreading movement, but many diseases will merely lie hidden, never eradicated, sprouting again the moment affairs arise. With following principle as the master, when were you ever not tranquil? With tranquility as the master, you may still fail to follow principle."