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Daquan 四書類, 四書大全, juan 12). According to Wang Yangming, the learning of the sage takes the state of “no self” as its basis (聖人之學，以無我為本). Cited by Shun Kwong-loi, “On the Idea of ‘No Self,’” 2–4; and Deng, “Li Zhaowu Sishuping zhi tese,” 104–105.

25. Wang Yangming resorts to the famous concept of keji 克己: “Mastering oneself means to be free from selfishness. Being free from selfishness is no-self 克己則無己。無己者，無我也。(Wang Wencheng quanshu 王文成全書, 卷八，Siku Quanshu, Jibu 集部, Bieji 別集類). And “In trying to master oneself, every selfish thought must be thoroughly and completely wiped out without leaving even an iota. If an iota remains, many evils will come one leading the other” 克己須要掃除廓清，一毫不存方是。有一毫在，則眾惡相引而來。(Chuanxilu, 60, trans. Chan, Instructions for Practical Living, 44).

26. “聖人之心如明鏡。只是一箇明，則隨感而應，無物不照。未有已往之形尚在，未照之形先具者。”(Wang Yangming, Chuanxilu, 217, trans. Chan Wing-tsit, Instructions for Practical Living, 27). Again, “In the bright mirror’s response to things, what is beautiful appears beautiful and what is ugly appears ugly. In the same reflection all things are reflected and are true. This is like the mind growing. What is beautiful appears beautiful and what is ugly appears ugly. The things pass along without remaining in the mirror. This is where the mirror has no attachment.” 明鏡之應物，妍者妍，媸者媸，一照而皆真，即是生其心處: 妍者妍，媸者媸，一過而不留，即是無所住處。(Wang Yangming, Chuanxilu, 167, trans. Chan Wing-tsit, Instructions for Practical Living, 149). See the similar wording used by Zhu Xi who employs the same similitude (如箇明鏡在此，物來畢照。.....心猶鏡，仁猶鏡之明。鏡本來明，..... 譬如一面鏡，先來照者既去不見了，則後來者又可以照..... 如明鏡然，物事來都看見).

27. “The mind of the sage regards Heaven, Earth, and all things as one body. … there was no distinction between the self and the other, or between the self and things.” 夫聖人之心，以天地萬物為一體，其視天下之人，無外內遠近 ... 而無有乎己之分，物我之間 (Wang Yangming, Chuanxilu, 142, trans. Chan Wing-tsit, Instructions for Practical Living, 118, 121). See also Wang Yangming, Chuanxilu, 179 (Chan Wing-tsit, Instructions for Practical Living, 166) on the communion of suffering among all bodies and the transmission of pain to all human beings.

28. Shun Kwong-loi, “On the Idea of ‘No Self,’” 3.

29. Handler-Spitz, Symptoms of an Unruly Age, 127–152.

30. Li Zhi, Fenshu, Da Geng sikou, 1:31.