问：「看书不能明，如何？」
先生曰：「此只是在文义上穿求，故不明。如此，又不如为旧时学问。他到[1]看得多，解得去。只是他为学虽极解得明晓，亦终身无得；须于心体上用功。凡明不得、行不去，须反在自心上体当，即可通。盖《四书》、《五经》不过说这心体，这心体即所谓道，心体明即是道明，更无二。此是为学头脑处。」
有人问：「读书读不明白，怎么办？」
先生说：「这只是因为在文义上穿凿求解，所以不明白。这样，还不如做旧时的学问，他倒看得多，也解得开。只是那种学问虽然解得再明白透彻，也终身没有真得；必须在心体上用功。凡有明白不了、行不通的，必须反过来在自己心上体察印证，自然可以贯通。因为《四书》《五经》不过是讲这个心体，这心体就是所谓的道。心体明白了就是道明白了，没有第二个。这是为学的头脑处。」
Someone asked: "When I read and cannot understand — what to do?"
The Master said: "It is from burrowing among the words' surface meanings that you fail. So doing, you would do better with the old learning: it read much and could gloss it through. But even fully glossed, that learning yields no real attainment to the end of life. You must work on the substance of the mind. Whatever you cannot understand or carry into practice, turn back and verify on your own mind, and it will open of itself. The Four Books and Five Classics say only this mind-substance; this mind-substance is the Way. When the mind-substance is clear, the Way is clear — there is no second thing. This is the guiding head of all study."
- 南本「到」作「倒」。