本文探討湛甘泉思想淵源、發展及要旨。甘泉承襲陳白沙，在明代中葉朱子學成為僵化的官學之時，講求北宋理學（主要是程明道之學），並在心體上為天道論重新建立基礎。甘泉自從學白沙至復任翰林的三十年中，思想的重點在以心貫通天人，以及心地的工夫。但也逐漸發展氣論、大心說、以心著性說。本文分析甘泉重要著作，包括格物說、〈心性圖說〉、〈四勿總箴〉、隨處體認天理說，論述時注意和陽明學說比較異同。甘泉雖以大心說而著名，但他最重要、最著力的主張其實不在形上學，而是心的工夫與致用。他提倡的「勿忘勿助」說，是由知到行、綿密慎重的敬的工夫論。

This article investigates the sources, development, and doctrines of the philosophy of Chan Jo-shui. In the middle of the Ming dynasty, while Chu Hsi's learning degenerated to official ideology, Chan followed his tutor Ch'en Hsien-chang and studied the Northern Sung philosophy centering on Ch'eng Hao. Both of them contributed to re-establishing the theoretical basis for the concept of the Heavenly Way in the process of discovering it in one's own Mind. In the thirty years from the time he studied with Ch'en Hsien-chang to his returning to the Han-lin Academy, Chan's philosophy always emphasized the Mind, being the mediation of Heaven and Man but in need of moral cultivation. Besides, he gradually developed his doctrines of Vital Force (ch'i), Universal Mind, and Mind as the embodiment of Nature. This article then discusses his important doctrines such as “Investigation of Things,” “An Article on the Diagram of Mind and Nature,” “A General Proverb of Four No's,” and “Experiencing Heavenly Principle Everywhere.” In the discussion the author makes comparison of them with the theories of Wang Yang-ming. Although Chan is famous for the theory of Universal Mind, what he emphasizes is not a metaphysical aspect, but the effort and function of the Mind. His theory of “Neither Negligence Nor Hastening” concerns a continuous and careful effort of seriousness, which embraces the whole process from knowledge to action.