王嘉秀问：「佛以出离生死诱人入道，仙以长生久视诱人入道；其心亦不是要人做不好。究其极至，亦是见得圣人上一截，然非入道正路。如今仕者，有由科、有由贡、有由传奉[1]，一般做到大官，毕竟非入仕正路，君子不由也。仙、佛到极处，与儒者略同，但有了上一截，遗了下一截[2]，终不似圣人之全；然其上一截同者，不可诬也。后世儒者，又只得圣人下一截，分裂失真，流而为记诵、词章、功利、训诂，亦卒不免为异端。是四家[3]者，终身劳苦，于身心无分毫益，视彼仙、佛之徒，清心寡欲，超然于世累之外者，反若有所不及矣。今学者不必先排仙、佛，且当笃志为圣人之学。圣人之学明，则仙、佛自泯。不然，则此之所学，恐彼或有不屑，而反欲其俯就，不亦难乎？鄙见如此，先生以为何如？」
先生曰：「所论大略亦是。但谓上一截、下一截，亦是人见偏了如此。若论圣人大中至正之道，彻上彻下，只是一贯，更有甚上一截、下一截？『一阴一阳之谓道』，但『仁者见之，便谓之仁；知者见之，便谓之智』，『百姓又日用而不知，故君子之道鲜矣』[4]。仁、智岂可不谓之道？但见得偏了，便有弊病。」
王嘉秀问：「佛家用脱离生死轮回引诱人入道，仙家用长生不老引诱人入道，他们的用心也不是要人做坏事。推究到极处，也是见到了圣人上一截的境界，但不是入道的正路。如同如今做官的人，有由科举的、有由贡举的、有由传奉的，一样做到大官，但毕竟不是入仕的正路，君子不走。仙佛到了极处，与儒者大略相同，只是有了上一截，丢了下一截，终究不像圣人那样完全；但他们上一截与儒相同的地方，也不可否认。后世儒者，又只得了圣人下一截，把道分裂得失去了本真，流为记诵、词章、功利、训诂之学，最终也免不了成为异端。这四家的人终身劳苦，对身心没有分毫益处，比起那些清心寡欲、超然于世俗牵累之外的仙佛之徒，反而像是有所不及。今天的学者不必先去排斥仙佛，只应笃志于圣人之学。圣人之学昌明，仙佛自然泯灭。不然，我们所学的，恐怕人家还不屑一顾，反而想让他们俯就来归，不是太难了吗？我的浅见如此，先生认为怎样？」
先生说：「所论大略也对。但说上一截、下一截，也是人们的偏见造成的。若论圣人大中至正之道，彻上彻下，只是一贯，哪有什么上一截、下一截？『一阴一阳之谓道』，但『仁者见了谓之仁，智者见了谓之智』，『百姓天天在用它却不知道，所以君子之道很少有人明白』。仁与智难道不是道吗？只是见识偏了，便有弊病。」
Wang Jiaxiu asked: 'Buddhism allures people into its way with escape from birth and death; immortality does so with long life; their intent is not to make people do ill. At the utmost they too glimpse the sages' upper half, though it is not the right road. Like officials today: some enter by examination, some by nomination, some by direct appointment — all may reach high office, yet it is not the proper road, which the noble person will not take. At their height, immortals and Buddhists roughly agree with the Confucians, but holding the upper half they drop the lower, never whole like the sage — though that agreement cannot be denied. Later Confucians, holding only the sages' lower half, split the Way and lost its truth, drifting into memorization, belles-lettres, utility, philology — in the end no less heterodox. These four schools toil lifelong without a hair's gain for body or mind, seeming even to fall short of those pure-hearted practitioners transcending worldly bonds. Today's learners need not first attack immortals and Buddhists; set your wills firmly on the sages' learning. When that learning shines, the others fade of themselves. Otherwise, what we study they may disdain, and we would still ask them to stoop to us — is that not hard? Such is my humble view; what do you say?'
The Master said: 'Broadly right. But this talk of upper half and lower half is itself the bias of human sight. In the sage's way, perfectly central and correct, running through high and low, all is one thread — where is there any upper or lower half? The alternation of yin and yang is called the Way; yet the benevolent see it and call it benevolence, the wise call it wisdom, and the people use it daily and know it not — hence the way of the noble person is little known. Are benevolence and wisdom not the Way? Only, seen askew, defects arise.'
- 科：分科考试取士。贡：荐举优良生员入仕。传奉：不经吏部，拉拢宫廷关系做官。
- 上一截：心性等道的精细微妙的方面。下一截：实事等道的显著直接的方面。
- 四家：记诵、词章、功利、训诂。
- 鲜，少。