Modern Annotations to Wang Yangming's 4-Sentence Teaching and to Dispute Over 4-Being and 4-Not-Being Saying

As a controversial issue in Chinese history of philosophy,the dispute over Wang Yangming's 4-sentence teaching and and saying has been perpetual.As a matter of fact,4-not-being was actually put forward by Wang Longxi,yet 4-being occurred voidly in contrast.But after Wang Yangming's explanation on Tianquan Bridge,the dispute shifted to what with 4-not-being and being good and not being evil as the centre:Was Wang Longxi's saying against Wang Yangming's aim? Was Yangming's saying of being good and not being evil against the orthodox law of Confucianism? According to Mr.Mu's doctrine of shared law,the two Wangs not only were by no means dhyana but also made great contribution to traditional Confucianism,serving as a big link in the perfection and development of confucianist universal truths.The two Wangs and others broke through the long-term taboo,gave full play to the wisdom of not-being and consequently brought traditional Confucianism into a new realm of more perfect universal truths.Such was the inevitable demand in the development of confucianist teaching itself.And that is where the unique innovation and the qreat contribution of Yangming's being good and not being evil and Longxi's saying lay and where the deep cause resided,which began the misunderstanding and censure they were under.