先生又曰：「『格物』如《孟子》『大人格君心』之格，是去其心之不正，以全其本体之正。但意念所在，即要去其不正，以全其正，即无时无处不是存天理，即是穷理。『天理』即是『明德』，『穷理』即是『明明德』。」
先生又说：「『格物』的格，如同《孟子》『大人格君心』的格，是去掉那心上不正的，以保全其本体的正。但凡意念所在之处，即要去掉其不正以保全其正，便无时无处不是存天理，便是穷理。『天理』就是『明德』，『穷理』就是『明明德』。」
The Master further said: "The 'ge' of 'investigating things' is like the 'ge' in Mencius's 'the great man corrects the ruler's mind' — removing what is incorrect in the mind to preserve the correctness of its original substance. Whenever and wherever intention rests, remove its incorrectness to preserve its correctness; then there is no time or place that is not preserving heavenly principle — this is exhausting principle. 'Heavenly principle' is 'bright virtue'; 'exhausting principle' is 'brightening bright virtue'."