# The Great Learning: purpose and practice

Explore the main text and ten commentary chapters using Zhu Xi’s arrangement. Connect wider responsibilities with conditions for individual judgment, learning and conduct.

One main-text chapter and ten commentary chapters. Chapter 5 distinguishes Zhu Xi’s supplement. Coverage concerns each chapter’s main points, not a complete translation or every annotation.

https://sakimyto.com/en/classics/great-learning

## Complete chapter index

### [Main text: purpose and sequence](https://sakimyto.com/en/classics/great-learning/chapter-01-main-text-purpose-and-sequence)

Introduces the central aims and a sequence from examining things and cultivating oneself to wider responsibilities.

Business question: For organizational change, state the purpose and map investigation, decisions and execution with their dependencies.

[Individual material](https://sakimyto.com/classics-data/entries/great-learning/chapter-01-main-text-purpose-and-sequence.en.md)

### [Commentary 1: making virtue clear](https://sakimyto.com/en/classics/great-learning/chapter-02-commentary-1-making-virtue-clear)

Uses earlier texts to explain making one’s own virtue clear.

Business question: Express company values through examples of acceptance, disclosure and quality decisions rather than abstract words alone.

[Individual material](https://sakimyto.com/classics-data/entries/great-learning/chapter-02-commentary-1-making-virtue-clear.en.md)

### [Commentary 2: renewing practice](https://sakimyto.com/en/classics/great-learning/chapter-03-commentary-2-renewing-practice)

Uses the inscription associated with Tang and other texts to explain renewal of oneself and others.

Business question: Choose one recurring difficulty and record results before and after a change instead of relying on improvement slogans.

[Individual material](https://sakimyto.com/classics-data/entries/great-learning/chapter-03-commentary-2-renewing-practice.en.md)

### [Commentary 3: the aim to settle upon](https://sakimyto.com/en/classics/great-learning/chapter-04-commentary-3-the-aim-to-settle-upon)

Uses poetry and examples to discuss knowing the proper aim of each role.

Business question: Define whom a role serves and what constitutes completion rather than asking only for effort.

[Individual material](https://sakimyto.com/classics-data/entries/great-learning/chapter-04-commentary-3-the-aim-to-settle-upon.en.md)

### [Commentary 4: roots and consequences](https://sakimyto.com/en/classics/great-learning/chapter-05-commentary-4-roots-and-consequences)

Explains knowing the root through the difference between hearing disputes and preventing their causes.

Business question: Investigate confusing explanations and procedures causing repeated requests instead of only handling each request.

[Individual material](https://sakimyto.com/classics-data/entries/great-learning/chapter-05-commentary-4-roots-and-consequences.en.md)

### [Commentary 5: Zhu Xi’s supplement on investigation](https://sakimyto.com/en/classics/great-learning/chapter-06-commentary-5-zhu-xi-s-supplement-on-investigation)

Zhu Xi supplies an explanation of investigating principles and extending knowledge as a missing commentary; it is distinguished from lost original text.

Business question: Check an explanation against records and actual work, then investigate one condition still unknown.

[Individual material](https://sakimyto.com/classics-data/entries/great-learning/chapter-06-commentary-5-zhu-xi-s-supplement-on-investigation.en.md)

### [Commentary 6: sincerity and self-deception](https://sakimyto.com/en/classics/great-learning/chapter-07-commentary-6-sincerity-and-self-deception)

Explains sincerity as not deceiving oneself and examines conduct outside others’ observation.

Business question: Include unfavorable results and unknowns in decision materials rather than polishing only favorable figures.

[Individual material](https://sakimyto.com/classics-data/entries/great-learning/chapter-07-commentary-6-sincerity-and-self-deception.en.md)

### [Commentary 7: attention and emotion](https://sakimyto.com/en/classics/great-learning/chapter-08-commentary-7-attention-and-emotion)

Examines how anger, fear, preference and worry distort attention and understanding.

Business question: For an emotionally charged case, separate facts from evaluation and ask another owner to inspect the criteria.

[Individual material](https://sakimyto.com/classics-data/entries/great-learning/chapter-08-commentary-7-attention-and-emotion.en.md)

### [Commentary 8: self-cultivation and bias](https://sakimyto.com/en/classics/great-learning/chapter-09-commentary-8-self-cultivation-and-bias)

Examines biases from affection and dislike and recognizing faults in what one favors and merits in what one dislikes.

Business question: Inspect flaws in familiar proposals and evaluate a disliked party’s suggestion using the same criteria.

[Individual material](https://sakimyto.com/classics-data/entries/great-learning/chapter-09-commentary-8-self-cultivation-and-bias.en.md)

### [Commentary 9: leading through conduct](https://sakimyto.com/en/classics/great-learning/chapter-10-commentary-9-leading-through-conduct)

Connects household and wider governance and asks for consistency between commands and personal conduct.

Business question: Apply the procedures you require to yourself and explain the conditions and reasons for exceptions.

[Individual material](https://sakimyto.com/classics-data/entries/great-learning/chapter-10-commentary-9-leading-through-conduct.en.md)

### [Commentary 10: others’ positions and allocation](https://sakimyto.com/en/classics/great-learning/chapter-11-commentary-10-others-positions-and-allocation)

Discusses considering others’ positions, preferences, virtue and resources and the selection of people in wider governance.

Business question: Do not pass troublesome demands unchanged to others; clarify each owner’s burden, required resources and authority.

[Individual material](https://sakimyto.com/classics-data/entries/great-learning/chapter-11-commentary-10-others-positions-and-allocation.en.md)

## Focused ideas

Updated: 2026-10-13 · v1.0.0