「知行合一」是一個最具有陽明學特色的主張，也需要其全部學說的整體指向來理解。但在以往的研究中，人們往往將「知行合一」作為一個孤立的理論命題來理解，從而形成所謂道德知行、主客觀知行以及道德實踐中之知行統一等各種不同角度的疏解。實際上，如果將「知行合一」放在王陽明思想發展的整體脈絡中來把握，那麼，以「行著習察」為特徵的「身心之學」就代表著其「知行合一」的基本關懷，而表裡如一之「慎獨」、內外在世界完全一致之「誠意」，也就代表著其「知行合一」的根本指向，由此才有所謂「知與行如何分得開」的「一個工夫」之說，也才有「困知勉行」、「學知利行」與「生知安行」三種不同的工夫進境。但是，由於其「慎獨」、「誠意」諸說主要是借助傳統的知行概念加以表達的，因而不僅造成了人們在理解上的各種糾纏，而且也影響到其正面作用的發揮。

The unity of knowledge and action (Zhi Xing He Yi) is the most character is tic proposition of Yangmingism, and the comprehension is also required the whole view point of all its theories. However, it was always comprehended as an isolated proposition of theory in the previous studies to develop the moral knowledge and action, subjective and objective knowledge and action, the unity of knowledge and action in moral practice and all kinds of interpretations with different angles. As a matter of fact, if we try to take the whole context of the development of Yangmingism into consideration, the study of practice and mind, which is featured by “to act with understanding and not to get used to before the examination (Xing Zhu Xi Cha)”, implies the primary concern of “Zhi Xing He Yi”; then “cautiousness (Shen Du)” of thinking and acting in one and the “sincerity (Cheng Yi)” of the consistency of internal heart and extrinsic exhibition, represent the fundamental aims of “Zhi Xing He Yi”, thereout develop the “one-effort (Yi Ge Gong Fu)” description of “how could knowledge and action be separated”, and then the three different realms of effort for “to know and to act by difficulty (Kun Zhi Mian Xing)”, “to know and to act by learning (Xue Zhi Li Xing)” and “to know and to act by inherence (Sheng Zhi An Xing)”. Since its “Shen Du” and “Cheng Yi” are expressed mainly by the traditional concept of knowledge and action, not only the understanding is confused, but also the exertion of its positive function is affected.