郑朝朔问：「至善亦须有从事物上求者？」
先生曰：「至善只是此心纯乎天理之极便是，更于事物上怎生求？且试说几件看。」
朝朔曰：「且如事亲：如何而为温清之节，如何而为奉养之宜，须求个是当，方是至善。所以有学问思辨之功。」
先生曰：「若只是温清之节、奉养之宜，可一日、二日讲之而尽。用得甚学问思辨？惟于：温清时，也只要此心纯乎天理之极；奉养时，也只要此心纯乎天理之极。此则非有学问思辨之功，将不免于毫厘千里之缪。所以虽在圣人，犹加『精一』之训。若只是那些仪节求得是当，便谓至善；即如今扮戏子，扮得许多温清、奉养的仪节是当，亦可谓之至善矣。」爱于是日又有省。
郑朝朔问：「至善也须有从事物上求取的吧？」
先生说：「至善只是此心纯乎天理到极点便是，再到事物上怎么求？且试着说几件看。」
朝朔说：「比如侍奉双亲：怎样做到冬温夏凊的节度、怎样做到奉养的合宜，须求个妥当，才是至善。所以要有学、问、思、辨的功夫。」
先生说：「若只是温凊的节度、奉养的合宜，一两天就能讲完，用得着什么学问思辨？只是：温凊时，也只要此心纯乎天理之极；奉养时，也只要此心纯乎天理之极。这若无学问思辨的功夫，将不免差之毫厘、谬以千里。所以即使是圣人，也仍要『精一』的训诫。若只把那些仪节讲求得妥当，便说是至善，那就如现在的戏子，把许多温凊奉养的仪节扮演得妥当，也可以叫至善了。」徐爱在这天又有所省悟。
Zheng Chaoshuo asked: "Must the highest good not also be sought in things and affairs?"
The Master said: "The highest good is simply this mind pure in heavenly principle to the utmost — how could it be sought in things? Try naming a few cases."
Chaoshuo said: "Take serving parents: how to keep the proper measures of warming and cooling, how to provide fitly for their support — one must find what is right; that is the highest good. Hence the work of study, inquiry, thought and discrimination."
The Master said: "The proper measures of warming and cooling and of support can be fully explained in a day or two — what need for study and inquiry? The point is: when warming or cooling, let this mind be utterly pure in heavenly principle; when providing support, likewise. Without the work of study, inquiry, thought and discrimination here, one will err by a hair and miss by a thousand miles. Thus even sages needed the admonition of 'refinement and unity'. If merely getting the rituals right were the highest good, then an actor today who performs all the rituals of warming, cooling and support correctly could be called supremely good." That day Xu Ai again gained insight.