Solution

ID: past-exam-of-the-representation-theory-of-semisimple-lie-algebras-course-of-the-university-of-oxford/2010/2/e/solution

The centre commutes with , so every nonzero representation weight component of the common eigenvector has the same central character . Pick such a component . In Category O, its -span is finite-dimensional and has finitely many weights. Choose a maximal representation weight in that span and a nonzero vector of that representation weight, say . Every positive root operator kills , since it would raise the representation weight within the same finite span. Centrality ensures .
The universal property supplies a nonzero map taking its highest vector to . The centre acts on that image both by and by . Hence

New to topics? Read the docs here!