陈献章（1428年－1500年），字公甫，号石斋，广东新会人，是明代著名的思想家、哲学家和教育家。他被誉为“岭南一人”，其思想深受儒家影响，同时也融合了道家和佛教的某些元素，形成了独特的哲学体系。他的著作《白沙子全集》中有一篇重要的文章《道学传序》，这篇文章集中体现了他对道学的理解和阐述。

以下是《道学传序》的原文及翻译：

原文：

道之大原出于天，天命之谓性。性者，道之体也；道者，性之用也。圣人得之于天而修之于己，故能成其德。德者，道之显也。是以君子必慎其独，以存心养性为务。存心者，存乎此也；养性者，养乎此也。盖人心之灵，莫不有知，而天下之物，莫不有理。致知格物者，所以明理也。理明则心正，心正则气顺，气顺则身安。身安而后可以修身齐家治国平天下。

翻译：

The origin of the Way (Dao) lies in Heaven, and what Heaven bestows is called nature (xing). Nature is the substance of the Way, while the Way is the function of nature. Sages receive it from Heaven and cultivate it within themselves, thus being able to perfect their virtue. Virtue is the manifestation of the Way. Therefore, a gentleman must be cautious in his solitude, focusing on preserving his mind and nurturing his nature. Preserving the mind means maintaining this; nurturing the nature means fostering this. For human hearts possess an inherent intelligence, and all things in the world contain principles. The investigation of things and the extension of knowledge are for the purpose of clarifying these principles. When principles are understood, the heart becomes upright; when the heart is upright, energy flows smoothly; when energy flows smoothly, the body finds peace. Only when the body is at ease can one cultivate oneself, regulate one's family, govern the state, and bring peace to the world.

这篇《道学传序》不仅展现了陈献章对儒家核心理念的深刻理解，还揭示了他对个人修养和社会治理的高度重视。他认为，个人的内心修养是实现社会和谐与国家安定的基础。通过格物致知，人们可以更好地认识世界和自身，从而达到内心的平衡与安宁。这种思想在今天仍然具有重要的现实意义。