鐔津文集 7.32

7.32

客以見余於巖谷恬無所營。而問曰。子默默必何為耶。應曰。無為也。吾治其（其或作吾）心耳。曰治心何為乎。曰治心以全理。曰全理何為乎。曰全理以正人道。夫心即理也。物感乃紛不治則汩理而役物。物勝理則人其殆哉。理至也。心至也。氣次也。氣乘心心乘氣。故心動而氣以之趨。今淫者暴者失理而茫然不返者。不治心之過也。曰心則我知之矣。理則若未之達焉。子思之言與子之言同之歟。曰同。老子之言與子之言同之歟。曰大較同而窮神極化異也。曰子異二子則何所驗乎。曰吾正之於吾師古聖人之說者也。曰然則子之正幸得聞乎。曰是未易語也。吾之所正。通死生之變。超天地之故。張之則俗必大怪而相訾也。必欲求之。子當探吾所為之內書者。客拜而去。

A guest, seeing me in the crags and valleys tranquil with nothing to pursue, asked: “Sir, why must you remain so silent and inactive?”

I replied: “I do nothing; I simply cultivate my mind.”

He asked: “Why cultivate the mind?”

I said: “I cultivate the mind in order to preserve Principle in its entirety.”

He asked: “Why preserve Principle in its entirety?”

I said: “I preserve Principle in its entirety in order to rectify the human way. The mind is indeed Principle itself. When stirred by external things, it becomes disordered; if not cultivated, Principle is submerged and one is enslaved by things. When things overcome Principle, humanity is in peril! Principle is supreme; the mind is supreme; qi is secondary. Qi mounts the mind, and the mind mounts qi; therefore, when the mind moves, qi follows along with it. In our day, those who are licentious and violent lose Principle and are lost in confusion without returning: this is the error of not cultivating the mind.”

He said: “The mind I understand, but as for Principle, it seems I have not yet attained it. Are the words of Zisi the same as your words?”

I said: “They are the same.”

He asked: “Are the words of Laozi the same as your words?”

I said: “They are generally the same, but in fathoming the divine and exhausting transformation, they differ.”

He asked: “If you differ from these two masters, what is your verification?”

I said: “I rectify it through the teachings of my teacher, the ancient sages.”

He said: “If so, may I have the good fortune of hearing your rectification?”

I said: “This cannot easily be spoken of. That which I rectify penetrates the transformations of life and death and transcends the causes of Heaven and Earth. If I were to proclaim it, the worldly would surely find it utterly bizarre and slander it together. If you truly wish to seek it, you should explore the esoteric writings I have composed.”

The guest bowed and departed.