澄问：「仁、义、礼、智之名，因已发而有？」
曰：「然。」
他日，澄曰：「恻隐、羞恶、辞让、是非，是性之表德邪？」
曰：「仁、义、礼、智也，是表德。性，一而已：自其形体也，谓之天；主宰也，谓之帝；流行也，谓之命；赋于人也，谓之性；主于身也，谓之心。心之发也：遇父，便谓之孝；遇君，便谓之忠；自此以往，名至于无穷，只一性而已。犹人，一而已：对父，谓之子；对子，谓之父；自此以往，至于无穷，只一人而已。人只要在性上用功，看得一性字分明，即万理灿然。」
陆澄问：「仁、义、礼、智这些名称，是因已发而后有的吗？」
先生说：「是的。」
另一天，陆澄问：「恻隐、羞恶、辞让、是非，是本性的外在表现吗？」
先生说：「仁、义、礼、智也是外在的表现德目。本性只有一个：从其形体上说，叫作天；从其主宰上说，叫作帝；从其流行上说，叫作命；赋予人时，叫作性；主宰人身时，叫作心。心的发用：遇着父亲，便叫作孝；遇着君主，便叫作忠；由此推出去，名称至于无穷，只是一个性罢了。就像人，只是一个：对父亲来说叫儿子，对儿子来说叫父亲；由此推出去，以至无穷，只是一个人罢了。人只要在性上用功，把这个『性』字看得分明，万理也就灿然明白。」
Lu Cheng asked: "Do the names humaneness, righteousness, ritual propriety, wisdom arise only after feelings are aroused?"
The Master said: "They do."
Another day Lu Cheng asked: "Are compassion, shame, deference, and right-and-wrong the outward virtues of nature?"
The Master said: "Humaneness, righteousness, propriety, wisdom too are outward names. Nature is one alone: as to its form, it is called Heaven; as ruler, the Lord; as it flows, the Mandate; as bestowed on man, nature; as master of the body, the mind. The mind's expressions: meeting a father, it is called filial piety; meeting a ruler, loyalty; and so the names go on without end — one nature only. Like a person, one alone: to the father, a son; to the son, a father; and so without end — one person only. Work at nature; see this one word 'nature' in full clarity, and the ten thousand principles shine forth."