Question: The Great Learning was considered by a former scholar (Chu His) to be the learning of the great man. I venture to ask why the learning of the great man should consist in"manifesting the clear character"?

Master Wang said: The great man regards Heaven and earth and the myriad things as one body. He regards the world as one family and the country as one person. As to those who make a cleavage between objects and distinguish between the self and others, they are small men. That the great man can regard Heaven, earth, and the myriad things as one body is not because he deliberately wants to do so, but because it is natural with the humane nature of his mind that he should form a unity with Heaven, earth, and the myriad things. This is true not only of the great man. Even the mind of the small man is no different. Only he himself makes it small. Therefore when he sees a child about to fall into a well, he cannot help a feeling of alarm and commiseration. This shows that his humanity (en) forms one body with the child. It may be objected that the child belongs to the same species(as he). Yet when he observes the pitiful cries and frightened appearance of birds and animals(about to be slaughtered), he cannot help feeling an "inability to bear" their suffering. This shows that his humanity forms one body with birds and animals."….

Question: Why, then, does the learning of the great man consist also in loving the people?

Answer: To manifest the clear character is to bring about the substance of the unity of Heaven, earth, and the myriad things, whereas loving the people is to put into universal operation the function of that unity. Hence manifesting the clear character must lie in loving the people, and loving the people is the way to manifest the clear character. Therefore, only when I love my father, the fathers of others, and their fathers of all men, can my humanity really form one body with my father, the fathers of others, and the fathers of all men……Everything from ruler, minister, husband, wife, and friends to mountains, rivers, heavenly and earthly spirits, birds, animals, and plants, all should be truly loved in order to realize my humanity that forms a unity, and then my clear character will be completely manifested, and I will really form one body with Heaven, earth, and the myriad things……This is what is meant by "fully developing one's nature."