窃意良知虽不由见闻而有，然学者之知，未常不由见闻而发：滞于见闻固非，而见闻亦良知之用也；今曰“落在第二义”，恐为专以见闻为学者而言，若致其良知而求之见闻，似亦知，行合一之功矣：如何？”
In my humble opinion, although innate knowledge is not derived from hearing and seeing, the knowledge of the student is nevertheless developed from what he hears and sees.
To be impeded by hearing and seeing is of course wrong.
Yet they are that through which innate knowledge functions.
Now you say that it has already fallen to the secondary level.
I believe that is said for the benefit of those who regard learning as purely seeing and hearing.
If one extends his innate knowledge and seeks knowledge from seeing and hearing, this too would be a united effort of knowledge and action.
Is this correct?”
良知不由见闻而有，而见闻莫非良知之用；故良知不滞于见闻，而亦不离于见闻。
Innate knowledge does not come from hearing and seeing, and yet all seeing and hearing are functions of innate knowledge.
Therefore innate knowledge is not impeded by seeing and hearing.
Nor is it separated from seeing and hearing.
良知之外，别无知矣；故“致良知”是学问大头脑，是圣人教人第一义：今云专求之见闻之末，则是失却头脑，而已落在第二义矣。
So outside of innate knowledge there is no other knowledge.
Therefore the extension of innate knowledge is the great basis of learning and the first principle of the teaching of the Sage.
Now solely to seek in the subsidiary sources of seeing and hearing is to lose that basis, thus clearly falling to the secondary level.
近时同志中，盖已莫不知有“致良知”之说，然其功夫尚多鹘突者，正是欠此一问。
Among those who are of like purpose with, us, there are none who do not know that it is necessary to develop the intuitive faculty to the utmost, but there are some who are desultory and careless in their efforts.
Verily they lack this one thing.
大抵学问功夫只要主意头脑是当：若主意头脑专以“致良知”为事，则凡多闻、多见，莫非“致良知”之功；盖日用之间，见闻酬酢，虽千头万绪，莫非良知之发用流行，除却见闻酬酢，亦无良知可致矣；故只是一事：若曰致其良知而求之见闻，则语意之间未免为二。
Generally speaking, in the task of learning the most important thing is to be sure that the basic idea is correct.
If the basic idea is solely to engage in the extension of innate knowledge, then, however much one may hear or see, all belongs to the task of the extension of innate knowledge.
For in one's daily life, although there is an infinite variety of experience and dealings with others, there is nothing which is not the functioning and operation of innate knowledge.
Without experience and dealings with others, there will be no innate knowledge to be extended.
Therefore the task is single.
If one speaks of extending innate knowledge and seeking knowledge in seeing and hearing, in his way of putting it he somehow makes them two things.
此与专求之见闻之末者虽稍不同，其为未得精一之旨，则一而已。
Although this is somewhat different from seeking knowledge solely from the subsidiary seeing and hearing, its lack of refinement and singleness is the same.
既云择，又云识，其真知亦未尝不行于其间：但其用意乃专在多闻多见上去择、识，则已失却头脑矣。
Since he says select and remember, innate knowledge is already operating in the process.
But the purpose in the saying is solely to select and remember from much hearing and much seeing, thus losing sight of the basis.
崇一于此等处见得当已分晓，今日之间，正为发明此学，于同志中极有益；但语意未莹，则毫厘千里，亦不容不精察之也。
You, Ch'ung-i, should understand these points clearly.
Your inquiry truly serves to elucidate this and is of great advantage to your companions.
However, the idea is not clear, and therefore may lead to small and great mistakes.
You should carefu
〔2〕来书云：“师云：“‘系’”言“何思何虑”，是言所思所虑只是天理，更无别思别虑耳，非谓无思无虑也。
(2) Your letter says, “Sir, you said, ‘The saying in the “Appended Remarks” of the Book of Changes, “What is there to think about or to deliberate about ?” means that what is to be thought about or deliberated about is only the Principle of Nature and that outside of it there should be no other thought or deliberation.It does not mean having no thought or deliberation at all....
心之本体即是天理，有何可思虑得！
The original substance of the mind is the Principle of Nature....How can it be brought about by thinking or deliberation?...
学者用功，虽千思万虑，只是要复他本体，不走以私意去安排思索出来：若安排思索，便是自私用智矣。”
Although in his task a student may engage in a thousand thoughts and ten thousand deliberations, they should be directed at nothing but restoring its original substance [and function].
This is not to be brought about by pondering or manipulation according to one's personal wishes....
If one ponders and manipulates according to his personal wishes, that is “the exercise of cunning and selfishness.”
学者之蔽，大率非沈空守寂，则安排思索。
Generally speaking, the trouble with students is either sinking into emptiness and maintaining silence or manipulating and pondering.
德辛壬之岁著前一病，近又著后一病。
In the hsin and jen years [1521-22]I was affected by the former trouble.Recently I have been affected by the latter.
但思索亦是良知发用，其与私意安排者何所取别？
But pondering is also a function of innate knowledge.
How can it be distinguished from manipulation according to one's personal wishes ?
“思曰睿，睿作圣。”
“The virtue of thinking is penetration and profundity....Penetration and profundity lead to sageness.”
“心之官则思，思则得之。”
'' Reflection is a function of the mind.
Through reflection it gets the right view of things.''
思其可少乎？
Can thinking be dispensed with?
沈空守寂，与安排思索，正是自私用智，其为丧失良知一也。
To sink one's self into abstraction and keep perfectly motionless, and to prearrange one's thinking, truly imply using wisdom according to one's selfish purposes.
These must be considered as dispensing with intuitive knowledge.
良知是天理之昭明灵觉处。
Innate knowledge is where the Principle of Nature is clear and intelligent.
故良知即是天理，思是良知之发用。
Therefore innate knowledge is identical with the Principle of Nature.
Thinking is the emanation and functioning of innate knowledge.
若是良知发用之思，则所思莫非天理矣。
If one's thinking is the emanation and functioning of innate knowledge, whatever he thinks about is the Principle of Nature.
良知发用之思，自然明白简易，良知亦自能知得。
The reflection of the intuitive faculty in action is naturally clear and simple, for the intuitive faculty is by nature able to know.
若是私意安排之思，自是纷纭劳扰，良知亦自会分别得。
If selfish ideas prearrange reflection,it naturally is confused, laborious, and annoying ； but the intuitive faculty is readily able to distinguish this.
盖思之是非邪正，良知无有不自知者。
For whether thoughts are right or wrong, correct or perverse, the faculty of innate knowledge itself knows them all.