第91篇		Paper 91
祈祷的演变		The Evolution of Prayer
91:0.1 (994.1) 祈祷，作为宗教的一种代理，从先前非宗教性的独白和对话表达中演变了出来。随着原始人自我意识的获得，他者意识便作为不可避免的必然结果而出现了，即对社会有所反应和对神有所认知的双重潜能。		91:0.1 (994.1) PRAYER, as an agency of religion, evolved from previous nonreligious monologue and dialogue expressions. With the attainment of self-consciousness by primitive man there occurred the inevitable corollary of other-consciousness, the dual potential of social response and God recognition.
91:0.2 (994.2) 最早的祈祷形式并不是向神灵致辞。这些表达很像你着手从事某项重要任务时对朋友所说的话，“祝我好运吧。”原始人沉溺于魔法；好坏运气都进入到了所有生活事务之中。最初，这些祈运都是独白性的 -- 即魔法施展者的一种自言自语。接下来，这些信从运气者会争取其朋友和家庭成员的支持，并随之举行某种包括整个家族或部落的典礼。		91:0.2 (994.2) The earliest prayer forms were not addressed to Deity. These expressions were much like what you would say to a friend as you entered upon some important undertaking, “Wish me luck.” Primitive man was enslaved to magic; luck, good and bad, entered into all the affairs of life. At first, these luck petitions were monologues—just a kind of thinking out loud by the magic server. Next, these believers in luck would enlist the support of their friends and families, and presently some form of ceremony would be performed which included the whole clan or tribe.
91:0.3 (994.3) 当鬼神的概念演变出来时，这些祈求在致辞方面变得具有超人性，随着对诸神的觉知，这些表达便臻于真正的祈祷层次。作为这一切的一个例证，在某些澳洲部落中间，原始的宗教祈祷早于他们对鬼神和超人人格的信仰。		91:0.3 (994.3) When the concepts of ghosts and spirits evolved, these petitions became superhuman in address, and with the consciousness of gods, such expressions attained to the levels of genuine prayer. As an illustration of this, among certain Australian tribes primitive religious prayers antedated their belief in spirits and superhuman personalities.
91:0.4 (994.4) 印度的托达人部落现在仍遵守着这种不向任何特定对象祈祷的习俗，正如早期各族在宗教意识产生之前所做的那样。只是，在托达人中间，这表现了他们日渐退化的宗教向这一原始层次的复归。现今托达人奶工僧侣的仪式并不代表一种宗教典礼，因为这些非人格性祈祷并不会对任何社会、道德或灵性价值的保留和改善做出任何贡献。		91:0.4 (994.4) The Toda tribe of India now observes this practice of praying to no one in particular, just as did the early peoples before the times of religious consciousness. Only, among the Todas, this represents a regression of their degenerating religion to this primitive level. The present-day rituals of the dairymen priests of the Todas do not represent a religious ceremony since these impersonal prayers do not contribute anything to the conservation or enhancement of any social, moral, or spiritual values.
91:0.5 (994.5) 准宗教性的祈祷，是美拉尼西亚人玛那习俗、非洲俾格米人乌达信仰以及北美印第安人曼尼托迷信的一部分。非洲的巴干达人只是近来才从玛那层次的祈祷中摆脱出来。在这种早期的进化类困惑中，人们祈祷的诸神 -- 有地域性的和民族性的 -- 有物神、护符、鬼魂、统治者乃至普通人。		91:0.5 (994.5) Prereligious praying was part of the mana practices of the Melanesians, the oudah beliefs of the African Pygmies, and the manitou superstitions of the North American Indians. The Baganda tribes of Africa have only recently emerged from the mana level of prayer. In this early evolutionary confusion men pray to gods—local and national—to fetishes, amulets, ghosts, rulers, and to ordinary people.
1. 原始的祈祷 ^top		1. Primitive Prayer ^top
91:1.1 (994.6) 早期进化类宗教的作用，是去保留和增强正在缓慢成形的基本社会、道德和灵性价值。宗教的这种使命并未被人类有意识地注意到，但它却通过祈祷的作用而首先得以实现。祈祷的做法代表了任一群体为确保（实现）这种对更高价值有所保留、不经意然却兼具个人性和集体性的努力。若非由于祈祷的护佑，所有圣日便都会很快复归到纯粹的节假日状态。		91:1.1 (994.6) The function of early evolutionary religion is to conserve and augment the essential social, moral, and spiritual values which are slowly taking form. This mission of religion is not consciously observed by mankind, but it is chiefly effected by the function of prayer. The practice of prayer represents the unintended, but nonetheless personal and collective, effort of any group to secure (to actualize) this conservation of higher values. But for the safeguarding of prayer, all holy days would speedily revert to the status of mere holidays.
91:1.2 (995.1) 宗教及其各种代理，其中最主要的是祈祷，都只跟那些得到普遍社会认可和全体赞同的价值同属一系。因此，当原始人试图满足其低劣情感、或是试图实现十足自私的抱负时，他就被剥夺了宗教的慰藉作用和祈祷的辅助作用。如果个人企图实现任何反社会的事情，他只能去寻求非宗教性魔法的帮助，求助于巫师，由此便被剥夺了祈祷的辅助作用。因此，祈祷很早就成了一种社会演进、道德进步和灵性达成的强大促进剂。		91:1.2 (995.1) Religion and its agencies, the chief of which is prayer, are allied only with those values which have general social recognition, group approval. Therefore, when primitive man attempted to gratify his baser emotions or to achieve unmitigated selfish ambitions, he was deprived of the consolation of religion and the assistance of prayer. If the individual sought to accomplish anything antisocial, he was obliged to seek the aid of nonreligious magic, resort to sorcerers, and thus be deprived of the assistance of prayer. Prayer, therefore, very early became a mighty promoter of social evolution, moral progress, and spiritual attainment.
91:1.3 (995.2) 但原始人的心智既非逻辑性的，也非一贯性的。早期的人们并未察觉到物质性事物并不属于祈祷的范围。这些头脑简单的灵魂们推演出食物、居所、雨水、猎物及其它物质性物品改善了社会的福祉，因此他们开始祈求这些物质性的赐福。尽管这构成了对祈祷的一种误用，但它却鼓励了通过社会和伦理行来实现这些物质目标的努力。这样一种对祈祷的滥用，尽管使一个民族的灵性价值有所降低，然而却提升了他们的经济、社会和伦理习俗。		91:1.3 (995.2) But the primitive mind was neither logical nor consistent. Early men did not perceive that material things were not the province of prayer. These simple-minded souls reasoned that food, shelter, rain, game, and other material goods enhanced the social welfare, and therefore they began to pray for these physical blessings. While this constituted a perversion of prayer, it encouraged the effort to realize these material objectives by social and ethical actions. Such a prostitution of prayer, while debasing the spiritual values of a people, nevertheless directly elevated their economic, social, and ethical mores.
91:1.4 (995.3) 仅在最为原始类型的心智中，祈祷才是独白性的。它很早便变成了对话，并很快扩展到集体崇拜的层次。祈祷意味着原始宗教的准魔法性咒语已演变到了那样一个层次，以致人类心智认识到了那些能提升社会价值、增强道德理念的仁慈力量或存有的真实性；并进一步地认识到了这些影响是超人性的，不同于具有自我意识的人类及其同伴之自我。因此，真正的祈祷直到宗教照料之代理者被视为具有人格性的时候才会出现。		91:1.4 (995.3) Prayer is only monologuous in the most primitive type of mind. It early becomes a dialogue and rapidly expands to the level of group worship. Prayer signifies that the premagical incantations of primitive religion have evolved to that level where the human mind recognizes the reality of beneficent powers or beings who are able to enhance social values and to augment moral ideals, and further, that these influences are superhuman and distinct from the ego of the self-conscious human and his fellow mortals. True prayer does not, therefore, appear until the agency of religious ministry is visualized as personal.
91:1.5 (995.4) 祈祷与万物有灵论没有多少联系，但这类信仰却可与逐渐出现的宗教情感共存。宗教和万物有灵论往往有着完全不同的起源。		91:1.5 (995.4) Prayer is little associated with animism, but such beliefs may exist alongside emerging religious sentiments. Many times, religion and animism have had entirely separate origins.
91:1.6 (995.5) 对那些还未从原始的恐惧束缚中摆脱出来的凡人来说，存在着一种真正的危险，即所有祈祷可能会导致一种病态的罪恶感，不当的负罪感，不论是真实的还是虚构的。但在现代时期，许多人不太可能会花费足够时间祈祷而导致这种不配感或负罪感的有害沉思。伴随对祈祷之曲解和误用而来的危险，在于无知、迷信、僵化、丧失活力、唯物主义和狂热盲从。		91:1.6 (995.5) With those mortals who have not been delivered from the primitive bondage of fear, there is a real danger that all prayer may lead to a morbid sense of sin, unjustified convictions of guilt, real or fancied. But in modern times it is not likely that many will spend sufficient time at prayer to lead to this harmful brooding over their unworthiness or sinfulness. The dangers attendant upon the distortion and perversion of prayer consist in ignorance, superstition, crystallization, devitalization, materialism, and fanaticism.
2. 逐渐演进的祈祷 ^top		2. Evolving Prayer ^top
91:2.1 (995.6) 最初的祈祷仅是言语化的愿望，即对真诚愿望的表达。祈祷接下来变成了一种获得鬼神协助的手段。随后，它实现了协助宗教保留一切有益价值的更高职能。		91:2.1 (995.6) The first prayers were merely verbalized wishes, the expression of sincere desires. Prayer next became a technique of achieving spirit co-operation. And then it attained to the higher function of assisting religion in the conservation of all worth-while values.
91:2.2 (995.7) 祈祷和魔法都作为人类对玉苒厦(Urantia)环境调试反应的结果而出现。但除了这种广义的关系以外，它们鲜有共同之处。祈祷总是表明了由祈求之自我所表现出的积极行动；它始终是关乎心灵的，并时常是灵性的。魔法则通常意味着一种试图去操纵现实的尝试，而无须影响操纵者、即魔法施展者的自我。尽管它们有着各自的起源，但在其后来的各个发展阶段中，魔法和祈祷常常会得以相互关联。魔法时常会通过目标的提高，而从口诀经由仪式和咒语而上升到了真正祈祷的界限。祈祷有时则会变得过于物质化，以致它退化成了一种伪魔法手段，用来逃避解决玉苒厦诸多问题所需花费的努力。		91:2.2 (995.7) Both prayer and magic arose as a result of man’s adjustive reactions to Urantian environment. But aside from this generalized relationship, they have little in common. Prayer has always indicated positive action by the praying ego; it has been always psychic and sometimes spiritual. Magic has usually signified an attempt to manipulate reality without affecting the ego of the manipulator, the practitioner of magic. Despite their independent origins, magic and prayer often have been interrelated in their later stages of development. Magic has sometimes ascended by goal elevation from formulas through rituals and incantations to the threshold of true prayer. Prayer has sometimes become so materialistic that it has degenerated into a pseudomagical technique of avoiding the expenditure of that effort which is requisite for the solution of Urantian problems.
91:2.3 (996.1) 当人类了解到祈祷并不能胁迫诸神时，它随后就更多成了一种祈求，即寻求好感。但事实上，最为真正的祈祷是人与其创造者之间的一种交流。		91:2.3 (996.1) When man learned that prayer could not coerce the gods, then it became more of a petition, favor seeking. But the truest prayer is in reality a communion between man and his Maker.
91:2.4 (996.2) 任何宗教中祭献观念的出现，无疑贬低了真正祈祷的更高功效，因为人们试图用物质拥有物之供奉来代替其自身想要履行神之旨意的圣化意志。		91:2.4 (996.2) The appearance of the sacrifice idea in any religion unfailingly detracts from the higher efficacy of true prayer in that men seek to substitute the offerings of material possessions for the offering of their own consecrated wills to the doing of the will of God.
91:2.5 (996.3) 当宗教与人格神剥离开来，其祈祷便转到了神学和哲学的层次。当一个宗教的最高神观念是一个非人格神灵观念时，正如在泛神论的理想主义中那样，尽管它会为某些形式的神秘交流提供基础，但它对于真正祈祷的效能来说却证明了是致命性的，后者总是代表了人与一个人格性较高存有的交流。		91:2.5 (996.3) When religion is divested of a personal God, its prayers translate to the levels of theology and philosophy. When the highest God concept of a religion is that of an impersonal Deity, such as in pantheistic idealism, although affording the basis for certain forms of mystic communion, it proves fatal to the potency of true prayer, which always stands for man’s communion with a personal and superior being.
91:2.6 (996.4) 在种族进化的较早时期，甚至在当今时期，在普通凡人的日常体验中，祈祷大多是人与其自身潜意识交流的一种现象。但也存有这样一个祈祷领域，在这当中，智性敏锐且灵性进展的个人或多或少达到了与人类心智超意识层次的交流，后者即内驻的思想调整者所在的领域。此外，真正的祈祷还存在着一种明确的灵性面向，它涉及到由宇宙灵性力对其所做出的接受和认可，这完全不同于所有的人类智性关联。		91:2.6 (996.4) During the earlier times of racial evolution and even at the present time, in the day-by-day experience of the average mortal, prayer is very much a phenomenon of man’s intercourse with his own subconscious. But there is also a domain of prayer wherein the intellectually alert and spiritually progressing individual attains more or less contact with the superconscious levels of the human mind, the domain of the indwelling Thought Adjuster. In addition, there is a definite spiritual phase of true prayer which concerns its reception and recognition by the spiritual forces of the universe, and which is entirely distinct from all human and intellectual association.
91:2.7 (996.5) 祈祷对一个渐进人类心智的宗教情感发展贡献极大。它是一种用来防止人格孤立的强大影响力。		91:2.7 (996.5) Prayer contributes greatly to the development of the religious sentiment of an evolving human mind. It is a mighty influence working to prevent isolation of personality.
91:2.8 (996.6) 祈祷代表了一种与种族进化中各种自然宗教相伴的手段，它也形成了具有伦理优越性的更高等宗教、即启示类宗教中各种经验性价值的一部分。		91:2.8 (996.6) Prayer represents one technique associated with the natural religions of racial evolution which also forms a part of the experiential values of the higher religions of ethical excellence, the religions of revelation.
3. 祈祷和他我 ^top		3. Prayer and the Alter Ego ^top
91:3.1 (996.7) 孩子们在最初学习使用语言时易于自言自语，来用言语表达自己的想法，即使没有人在场倾听他们。随着创造性想象力的发端，他们表现出一种与假想类友伴交谈的倾向。一个逐渐发育的自我，便以这种方式寻求同一个虚构的他我进行交流。通过这一手段，孩子很早便学会了将其独白转变成假性对话，这个他我在这当中会对其言语思维和愿望表达做出回应。而一个成人的大多思维，则是以对话形式在心中执行的。		91:3.1 (996.7) Children, when first learning to make use of language, are prone to think out loud, to express their thoughts in words, even if no one is present to hear them. With the dawn of creative imagination they evince a tendency to converse with imaginary companions. In this way a budding ego seeks to hold communion with a fictitious alter ego. By this technique the child early learns to convert his monologue conversations into pseudo dialogues in which this alter ego makes replies to his verbal thinking and wish expression. Very much of an adult’s thinking is mentally carried on in conversational form.
91:3.2 (996.8) 早期原始形式的祈祷很像当今托达部落的半魔法性吟诵，即并没有致向特定对象的祈祷。但这类祈祷手段因他我观念的出现，而演变成了对话类型的交流。当他我观念被提升到了一种具有神性尊严的上等地位时，作为一种宗教代理的祈祷便出现了。经过诸多阶段并历经漫长世代，这种原始类型的祈祷在达到具理性和真正伦理性的祈祷层次之前注定要演进。		91:3.2 (996.8) The early and primitive form of prayer was much like the semimagical recitations of the present-day Toda tribe, prayers that were not addressed to anyone in particular. But such techniques of praying tend to evolve into the dialogue type of communication by the emergence of the idea of an alter ego. In time the alter-ego concept is exalted to a superior status of divine dignity, and prayer as an agency of religion has appeared. Through many phases and during long ages this primitive type of praying is destined to evolve before attaining the level of intelligent and truly ethical prayer.
91:3.3 (997.1) 正如他我是由相继世代的祈祷凡人所构想出来的那样，它的演进也历经了鬼魂、物神、鬼神到多神教的诸神，并最终演进到一神，即一个体现了祈祷自我最高尚理念和最崇高渴望的神性存有。祈祷就这样在那些祈求者关于最高价值和理想的对话中担当起了最为有力的宗教代理之职。从构想出一个他我的时刻起，到一个神圣天父观念的出现，祈祷一直是一种社会化、道德化和灵性化的实践。		91:3.3 (997.1) As it is conceived by successive generations of praying mortals, the alter ego evolves up through ghosts, fetishes, and spirits to polytheistic gods, and eventually to the One God, a divine being embodying the highest ideals and the loftiest aspirations of the praying ego. And thus does prayer function as the most potent agency of religion in the conservation of the highest values and ideals of those who pray. From the moment of the conceiving of an alter ego to the appearance of the concept of a divine and heavenly Father, prayer is always a socializing, moralizing, and spiritualizing practice.
91:3.4 (997.2) 充满信仰的简单祈祷，见证了人类体验方面的一种强大演进，藉此古人与原始宗教他我之虚构象征所进行的对话被提升到了与无限之灵交流的层次，以及一种真正认识到了一切智能造物的永恒之神、即天堂之父真实性的意识层次。		91:3.4 (997.2) The simple prayer of faith evidences a mighty evolution in human experience whereby the ancient conversations with the fictitious symbol of the alter ego of primitive religion have become exalted to the level of communion with the spirit of the Infinite and to that of a bona fide consciousness of the reality of the eternal God and Paradise Father of all intelligent creation.
91:3.5 (997.3) 除了在祈祷体验中的所有超自我内容以外，应当记住的是，伦理性祈祷是一种提升个人自我、为更好生存和更高达成而强化自我的一种极好方式。祈祷诱使人类自我向两方面寻求帮助：向凡人体验所在的潜意识宝库寻求物质性帮助，向联系物质与灵性界域、即神秘告诫者的超意识界域寻求启发和指引。		91:3.5 (997.3) Aside from all that is superself in the experience of praying, it should be remembered that ethical prayer is a splendid way to elevate one’s ego and reinforce the self for better living and higher attainment. Prayer induces the human ego to look both ways for help: for material aid to the subconscious reservoir of mortal experience, for inspiration and guidance to the superconscious borders of the contact of the material with the spiritual, with the Mystery Monitor.
91:3.6 (997.4) 祈祷曾经是、也将永远是一种双重的人类体验：一种与灵性手段相互关联的心理过程。祈祷的这两种作用，永远无法得以全然分开。		91:3.6 (997.4) Prayer ever has been and ever will be a twofold human experience: a psychologic procedure interassociated with a spiritual technique. And these two functions of prayer can never be fully separated.
91:3.7 (997.5) 开明的祈祷不仅必须要认知到一个外在的人格神，而且必须也要认知到一种内在的非人格神性、即内驻的调整者。人在祈祷时应力求把握天堂万有之父的概念，这是完全恰当的；但对于多数实用目的而言，更为有效的手段是复归到一个近便的他我概念，就像原始心智所习惯做的那样，然后要认知到这一他我概念已从一种纯粹虚构演进到了神以调整者的实际临在方式内驻于凡人身中这一真相，如此人仿佛可以面对面的与一位内驻于他身中的真实而又真诚的神性他我对话，他便是永活之神、即万有之父的临在和本质。		91:3.7 (997.5) Enlightened prayer must recognize not only an external and personal God but also an internal and impersonal Divinity, the indwelling Adjuster. It is altogether fitting that man, when he prays, should strive to grasp the concept of the Universal Father on Paradise; but the more effective technique for most practical purposes will be to revert to the concept of a near-by alter ego, just as the primitive mind was wont to do, and then to recognize that the idea of this alter ego has evolved from a mere fiction to the truth of God’s indwelling mortal man in the factual presence of the Adjuster so that man can talk face to face, as it were, with a real and genuine and divine alter ego that indwells him and is the very presence and essence of the living God, the Universal Father.
4. 伦理性祈祷 ^top		4. Ethical Praying ^top
91:4.1 (997.6) 当祈求者寻求在其同伴身上获得私利时，任何祈祷都不可能是伦理性的。自私自利的祈祷，是和基于无私神圣之爱的伦理性宗教不相容的。所有这类非伦理性的祈祷都复归到了伪魔法的原始层次，是和进步文明与开明宗教不相称的。自私的祈祷违反了建立在仁爱公平基础上的一切伦理精神。		91:4.1 (997.6) No prayer can be ethical when the petitioner seeks for selfish advantage over his fellows. Selfish and materialistic praying is incompatible with the ethical religions which are predicated on unselfish and divine love. All such unethical praying reverts to the primitive levels of pseudo magic and is unworthy of advancing civilizations and enlightened religions. Selfish praying transgresses the spirit of all ethics founded on loving justice.
91:4.2 (997.7) 祈祷永远不该被滥用，而成为行为的替代。所有伦理性祈祷都是对行动的一种激励，是对渐进努力追求超我达成之理想目标的一种指引。		91:4.2 (997.7) Prayer must never be so prostituted as to become a substitute for action. All ethical prayer is a stimulus to action and a guide to the progressive striving for idealistic goals of superself-attainment.
91:4.3 (998.1) 在你所有的祈祷中要保持公正；不要期待神表现出偏爱，即爱你多过他的其他子民，你的朋友、邻居、甚至仇敌。但自然类宗教或是进化类宗教中的祈祷最初并非是伦理性的，不像后来启示类宗教中的祈祷那样。一切祈祷，无论是个人性的还是公共性的，要么是利己的，要么是利他的。也就是说，祈祷可以集中在自己身上或是他人身上。当祈祷不为自己也不为其同伴寻求什么时，那么灵魂的这种态度便趋向于真正的崇拜层次。利己的祈祷包含忏悔和祈求，通常包括请求物质赐予。当祈祷涉及宽恕，并寻求智慧以获得提升的自我控制时，它就变得更为伦理性一些。		91:4.3 (998.1) In all your praying be fair; do not expect God to show partiality, to love you more than his other children, your friends, neighbors, even enemies. But the prayer of the natural or evolved religions is not at first ethical, as it is in the later revealed religions. All praying, whether individual or communal, may be either egoistic or altruistic. That is, the prayer may be centered upon the self or upon others. When the prayer seeks nothing for the one who prays nor anything for his fellows, then such attitudes of the soul tend to the levels of true worship. Egoistic prayers involve confessions and petitions and often consist in requests for material favors. Prayer is somewhat more ethical when it deals with forgiveness and seeks wisdom for enhanced self-control.
91:4.4 (998.2) 无私型的祈祷是强化性的和安慰性的，而自利型的祈祷则注定会带来失望和幻灭，因为逐渐进步的科学发现表明，人类生活在一个充满规律和秩序的物质宇宙里。一个人或一个民族的幼年时期，都是以原始、自私和自利的祈祷为特征的。而且，从一定程度上讲，所有这类祈求都是灵验的，因为它们都一成不变地导向了那些有助于获得这类祈祷解答的努力发挥。充满信仰的真正祈祷，总是有助于生存技能的增强，即使这类祈求并不值得灵性上的认同。但灵性进步的人应在试图阻止原始心智或不成熟心智涉及此类祈祷方面倍加谨慎。		91:4.4 (998.2) While the nonselfish type of prayer is strengthening and comforting, materialistic praying is destined to bring disappointment and disillusionment as advancing scientific discoveries demonstrate that man lives in a physical universe of law and order. The childhood of an individual or a race is characterized by primitive, selfish, and materialistic praying. And, to a certain extent, all such petitions are efficacious in that they unvaryingly lead to those efforts and exertions which are contributory to achieving the answers to such prayers. The real prayer of faith always contributes to the augmentation of the technique of living, even if such petitions are not worthy of spiritual recognition. But the spiritually advanced person should exercise great caution in attempting to discourage the primitive or immature mind regarding such prayers.
91:4.5 (998.3) 要记住，尽管祈祷不会改变神，但它却时常会在怀着信仰和确信期望而祈祷的人身上引发巨大而持久的改变。祈祷一直是进化各族男女身上心安、快乐、平静、勇敢、自制和公正心态的先导。		91:4.5 (998.3) Remember, even if prayer does not change God, it very often effects great and lasting changes in the one who prays in faith and confident expectation. Prayer has been the ancestor of much peace of mind, cheerfulness, calmness, courage, self-mastery, and fair-mindedness in the men and women of the evolving races.
5. 祈祷的社会反响 ^top		5. Social Repercussions of Prayer ^top
91:5.1 (998.4) 在祖先崇拜中，祈祷导向了对祖先理念的培植。但作为神灵崇拜的一个特色，祈祷超越了所有其它这类做法，因为它导向了神性理念的培植。随着祈祷中他我概念变得无上神圣，人的理念也相应地从单纯的人性层次向崇高的神性层次提升，所有这类祈祷的结果，便是人类品格的改善和人类人格的深刻统一。		91:5.1 (998.4) In ancestor worship, prayer leads to the cultivation of ancestral ideals. But prayer, as a feature of Deity worship, transcends all other such practices since it leads to the cultivation of divine ideals. As the concept of the alter ego of prayer becomes supreme and divine, so are man’s ideals accordingly elevated from mere human toward supernal and divine levels, and the result of all such praying is the enhancement of human character and the profound unification of human personality.
91:5.2 (998.5) 但祈祷并不必总是个人性的。群体或是公众的祈祷也是非常有效的，因为它在其反响方面是极为社会化的。当一个群体为了道德强化和灵性提升而从事团体祈祷时，这种奉献会在组成群体的每个人身上有所反应；他们都将因参与而得以改进。甚至一整个城市会因这类祈祷奉献而受到帮助。忏悔、悔改和祈祷将个人、城市、国家和整个人类引向了强大的变革努力和勇于成就的勇敢行为。		91:5.2 (998.5) But prayer need not always be individual. Group or congregational praying is very effective in that it is highly socializing in its repercussions. When a group engages in community prayer for moral enhancement and spiritual uplift, such devotions are reactive upon the individuals composing the group; they are all made better because of participation. Even a whole city or an entire nation can be helped by such prayer devotions. Confession, repentance, and prayer have led individuals, cities, nations, and whole races to mighty efforts of reform and courageous deeds of valorous achievement.
91:5.3 (998.6) 如果你真想克服批评某个朋友的习惯，实现这种态度转变的最快速可靠的方式，就是在你的每日生活中建立起为那个人祈祷的习惯。但这类祈祷的社交性反响却在很大程度上依赖于两个条件：		91:5.3 (998.6) If you truly desire to overcome the habit of criticizing some friend, the quickest and surest way of achieving such a change of attitude is to establish the habit of praying for that person every day of your life. But the social repercussions of such prayers are dependent largely on two conditions:
91:5.4 (998.7) 1. 被祈祷之人应该知道有人正为他祈祷。		91:5.4 (998.7) 1. The person who is prayed for should know that he is being prayed for.
91:5.5 (999.1) 2. 祈祷之人应该与他所祈祷之人形成亲密的社交接触。		91:5.5 (999.1) 2. The person who prays should come into intimate social contact with the person for whom he is praying.
91:5.6 (999.2) 祈祷迟早会成为每个宗教变得制度化所凭借的手段。祈祷还会适时与多种从属手段关联起来，有的是有益的，有的则是绝对有害的，例如祭司、圣籍、崇拜仪式和各种典礼。		91:5.6 (999.2) Prayer is the technique whereby, sooner or later, every religion becomes institutionalized. And in time prayer becomes associated with numerous secondary agencies, some helpful, others decidedly deleterious, such as priests, holy books, worship rituals, and ceremonials.
91:5.7 (999.3) 但受到更大灵性启蒙的智者，应对那些渴求象征体系来调动其薄弱灵性洞察力的资质稍弱者保有耐心和容忍。强者一定不要怀着鄙视看待弱者。那些不靠象征体系而知神之人，一定不要否认象征对于那些觉得不靠形式和仪式便难以来崇拜神灵和尊崇真、善、美的人们所产生的恩典照料。在祈祷性崇拜中，大多数凡人都会预想其虔拜对象目标的某种象征。		91:5.7 (999.3) But the minds of greater spiritual illumination should be patient with, and tolerant of, those less endowed intellects that crave symbolism for the mobilization of their feeble spiritual insight. The strong must not look with disdain upon the weak. Those who are God-conscious without symbolism must not deny the grace-ministry of the symbol to those who find it difficult to worship Deity and to revere truth, beauty, and goodness without form and ritual. In prayerful worship, most mortals envision some symbol of the object-goal of their devotions.
6. 祈祷的范围 ^top		6. The Province of Prayer ^top
91:6.1 (999.4) 祈祷，若没有与个人灵性力所产生的意愿行为以及某一部域的物质监督者联系起来，它便无法对一个人的物理环境产生直接作用。尽管对于祈祷的祈求范围来说有着一种明确的限制，但这类限制并不会同等适用于那些祈祷者的信仰。		91:6.1 (999.4) Prayer, unless in liaison with the will and actions of the personal spiritual forces and material supervisors of a realm, can have no direct effect upon one’s physical environment. While there is a very definite limit to the province of the petitions of prayer, such limits do not equally apply to the faith of those who pray.
91:6.2 (999.5) 祈祷也不是一种治愈真正器官疾病的手段，但它对充分健康的享受以及众多精神、情感以及神经性疾病的治愈贡献极大。甚至在实际的细菌类疾病中，祈祷也常常会增进其它治疗步骤的疗效。祈祷曾使一个又一个急躁抱怨的病人变成了一个充满耐心的典范，并使他成为了所有其他人类受难者的一种鼓舞。		91:6.2 (999.5) Prayer is not a technique for curing real and organic diseases, but it has contributed enormously to the enjoyment of abundant health and to the cure of numerous mental, emotional, and nervous ailments. And even in actual bacterial disease, prayer has many times added to the efficacy of other remedial procedures. Prayer has turned many an irritable and complaining invalid into a paragon of patience and made him an inspiration to all other human sufferers.
91:6.3 (999.6) 无论将有关祈祷之效力的科学怀疑与试图从神性源泉来寻求帮助和指导的常存冲动调和起来有多么困难，永远不要忘记的是，富有信仰的虔诚祈祷，对于提升个人幸福、个体自制、社会和谐、道德进步以及灵性达成来说都是一种强大的动力。		91:6.3 (999.6) No matter how difficult it may be to reconcile the scientific doubtings regarding the efficacy of prayer with the ever-present urge to seek help and guidance from divine sources, never forget that the sincere prayer of faith is a mighty force for the promotion of personal happiness, individual self-control, social harmony, moral progress, and spiritual attainment.
91:6.4 (999.7) 祈祷，即使作为一种纯人性的实践，一种与个人他我的对话，也会构成一种实现那些储存保留在人类心智潜意识领域中的人类后备能力的最有效途径手段。除去其宗教蕴涵和灵性要义以外，祈祷还是一种可靠的心理实践。它是人类体验的一个事实，即多数人如果经受了十分严酷的压力，都会以某种方式向某种源泉祈求帮助。		91:6.4 (999.7) Prayer, even as a purely human practice, a dialogue with one’s alter ego, constitutes a technique of the most efficient approach to the realization of those reserve powers of human nature which are stored and conserved in the unconscious realms of the human mind. Prayer is a sound psychologic practice, aside from its religious implications and its spiritual significance. It is a fact of human experience that most persons, if sufficiently hard pressed, will pray in some way to some source of help.
91:6.5 (999.8) 不要惰于请求神来解决你得困难，但在你自己坚决勇敢地解决手头的问题时，决不要犹豫去向他寻求智慧和灵性力量来引导和支撑你。		91:6.5 (999.8) Do not be so slothful as to ask God to solve your difficulties, but never hesitate to ask him for wisdom and spiritual strength to guide and sustain you while you yourself resolutely and courageously attack the problems at hand.
91:6.6 (999.9) 祈祷在宗教文明的促进和维护当中是一个必不可少的因素，如果那些祈祷者只依照科学事实、哲学智慧、智性真诚和灵性虔信去那么做的话，那么它对社会的进一步改善和灵性化仍将会做出巨大的贡献。要像耶稣教导他使徒那样去祈祷 -- 真诚、无私、公平和无疑。		91:6.6 (999.9) Prayer has been an indispensable factor in the progress and preservation of religious civilization, and it still has mighty contributions to make to the further enhancement and spiritualization of society if those who pray will only do so in the light of scientific facts, philosophic wisdom, intellectual sincerity, and spiritual faith. Pray as Jesus taught his disciples—honestly, unselfishly, with fairness, and without doubting.
91:6.7 (1000.1) 但在祈祷者个人灵性体验方面，祈祷的效力绝不依赖于该敬拜者的智性理解、哲学聪敏、社会层次、文化地位，或者其它凡俗成就。虔信祈祷的心灵及灵性相伴物是即刻性的、个人性的和体验性的。每个人不管所有其他凡世成就如何，再没有其它任何手段可凭借来如此有效而又如此立即地接近那一能使他与其创造者相交流领域之入口，受造物在其中会与造物主之实相相接触，与内驻的思想调整者相接触。		91:6.7 (1000.1) But the efficacy of prayer in the personal spiritual experience of the one who prays is in no way dependent on such a worshiper’s intellectual understanding, philosophic acumen, social level, cultural status, or other mortal acquirements. The psychic and spiritual concomitants of the prayer of faith are immediate, personal, and experiential. There is no other technique whereby every man, regardless of all other mortal accomplishments, can so effectively and immediately approach the threshold of that realm wherein he can communicate with his Maker, where the creature contacts with the reality of the Creator, with the indwelling Thought Adjuster.
7. 神秘主义、狂喜和灵感 ^top		7. Mysticism, Ecstasy, and Inspiration ^top
91:7.1 (1000.2) 作为培养神之临在意识的手段，神秘主义是完全值得称赞的，但当这些做法导致了社会隔离，并以宗教狂热而告终时，它们就差不多该受谴责了。总而言之，过度兴奋的神秘主义者评价为神圣灵感的东西，大多情况下都只是其自身深层心智的升起而已。凡人心智与其内驻调整者的交流，尽管常会因投入的沉思而有所增益，但却更常会因对自己同伴受造物无私照料中所展现的全心全意服务而备受促进。		91:7.1 (1000.2) Mysticism, as the technique of the cultivation of the consciousness of the presence of God, is altogether praiseworthy, but when such practices lead to social isolation and culminate in religious fanaticism, they are all but reprehensible. Altogether too frequently that which the overwrought mystic evaluates as divine inspiration is the uprisings of his own deep mind. The contact of the mortal mind with its indwelling Adjuster, while often favored by devoted meditation, is more frequently facilitated by wholehearted and loving service in unselfish ministry to one’s fellow creatures.
91:7.2 (1000.3) 过去时代的诸多伟大宗教导师和先知，都不是极端的神秘主义者。他们是通过对其同伴凡人的无私照料来最好为神效劳的知神男女。耶稣时常带他的使徒们离开极短时间去进行沉思和祈祷，但大多时候他是让他们与大众保持服务与接触。人类的灵魂既需要灵性滋养，也需要灵性实践。		91:7.2 (1000.3) The great religious teachers and the prophets of past ages were not extreme mystics. They were God-knowing men and women who best served their God by unselfish ministry to their fellow mortals. Jesus often took his apostles away by themselves for short periods to engage in meditation and prayer, but for the most part he kept them in service-contact with the multitudes. The soul of man requires spiritual exercise as well as spiritual nourishment.
91:7.3 (1000.4) 宗教狂喜若起于神志正常的先行活动是容许的，但这类体验更多是纯情感性影响的结果，而不是深层灵性品质的表现。宗教人士一定不要将每次生动的心理预感及每次强烈的情感体验视为是一种神性启示或是一种灵性交流。真正的灵性狂喜通常伴随着极大的外在平静和几近完美的情感控制。但真正的先知式远见是一种超心理性的预感。这种探视既非虚假的幻觉，亦非出神般的狂喜。		91:7.3 (1000.4) Religious ecstasy is permissible when resulting from sane antecedents, but such experiences are more often the outgrowth of purely emotional influences than a manifestation of deep spiritual character. Religious persons must not regard every vivid psychologic presentiment and every intense emotional experience as a divine revelation or a spiritual communication. Genuine spiritual ecstasy is usually associated with great outward calmness and almost perfect emotional control. But true prophetic vision is a superpsychologic presentiment. Such visitations are not pseudo hallucinations, neither are they trancelike ecstasies.
91:7.4 (1000.5) 当人类心智对潜意识的升起或超意识的刺激有所感觉时，它就可能会表现为所谓的灵感。在任一情况下，在个人看来这种知觉内容的扩增或多或少是外来性的。放纵的神秘热情和猛烈的宗教狂喜都不是灵感的凭证，即所谓神性的凭证。		91:7.4 (1000.5) The human mind may perform in response to so-called inspiration when it is sensitive either to the uprisings of the subconscious or to the stimulus of the superconscious. In either case it appears to the individual that such augmentations of the content of consciousness are more or less foreign. Unrestrained mystical enthusiasm and rampant religious ecstasy are not the credentials of inspiration, supposedly divine credentials.
91:7.5 (1000.6) 对有关神秘主义、狂喜和灵感的所有这些奇特宗教体验的实际检验，是去观察这些现象是否会促使一个人：		91:7.5 (1000.6) The practical test of all these strange religious experiences of mysticism, ecstasy, and inspiration is to observe whether these phenomena cause an individual:
91:7.6 (1000.7) 1. 享有更好及更完善的身体健康。		91:7.6 (1000.7) 1. To enjoy better and more complete physical health.
91:7.7 (1000.8) 2. 在精神生活方面更为实际有效地运行。		91:7.7 (1000.8) 2. To function more efficiently and practically in his mental life.
91:7.8 (1000.9) 3. 更充分且更愉快地将其宗教体验社会化。		91:7.8 (1000.9) 3. More fully and joyfully to socialize his religious experience.
91:7.9 (1000.10) 4. 在忠诚履行例行凡俗生活中平凡职责的同时，更为完善地去将其日常生活灵性化。		91:7.9 (1000.10) 4. More completely to spiritualize his day-by-day living while faithfully discharging the commonplace duties of routine mortal existence.
91:7.10 (1001.1) 5. 增强其对真、善、美的热爱和认知。		91:7.10 (1001.1) 5. To enhance his love for, and appreciation of, truth, beauty, and goodness.
91:7.11 (1001.2) 6. 保全当前公认的社会、道德、伦理和灵性价值。		91:7.11 (1001.2) 6. To conserve currently recognized social, moral, ethical, and spiritual values.
91:7.12 (1001.3) 7. 增进其灵性洞察力 -- 即神之意识。		91:7.12 (1001.3) 7. To increase his spiritual insight—God-consciousness.
91:7.13 (1001.4) 但祈祷与这些异常的宗教体验并没有真正的联系。当祈祷变得过为具有审美趣味，当它几近专注于对天堂般神性之美好而极乐的默想时，它便失去了其大多的社会化影响，而倾向于神秘主义及其信奉者的脱离。过多的个人性祈祷伴有一定的危险，它可藉由集体祈祷、即团体奉献来得以纠正。		91:7.13 (1001.4) But prayer has no real association with these exceptional religious experiences. When prayer becomes overmuch aesthetic, when it consists almost exclusively in beautiful and blissful contemplation of paradisiacal divinity, it loses much of its socializing influence and tends toward mysticism and the isolation of its devotees. There is a certain danger associated with overmuch private praying which is corrected and prevented by group praying, community devotions.
8. 作为一种个人体验的祈祷 ^top		8. Praying as a Personal Experience ^top
91:8.1 (1001.5) 祈祷有着真正自发的一面，因为原始人在他对神拥有任何清晰的观念之前许久就发现自己在祈祷了。早期的人类习惯于在两种不同情况下祈祷：在迫切需要时，他体验到了向外寻求帮助的冲动；在欢欣鼓舞时，他沉溺于喜悦的冲动表达。		91:8.1 (1001.5) There is a truly spontaneous aspect to prayer, for primitive man found himself praying long before he had any clear concept of a God. Early man was wont to pray in two diverse situations: When in dire need, he experienced the impulse to reach out for help; and when jubilant, he indulged the impulsive expression of joy.
91:8.2 (1001.6) 祈祷不是魔法的演变物；它们各自独立兴起。魔法是一种令神灵顺应诸多条件的尝试；祈祷则是令人格顺应神灵旨意的努力。真正的祈祷既是道德性的，又是宗教性的；魔法则非如此。		91:8.2 (1001.6) Prayer is not an evolution of magic; they each arose independently. Magic was an attempt to adjust Deity to conditions; prayer is the effort to adjust the personality to the will of Deity. True prayer is both moral and religious; magic is neither.
91:8.3 (1001.7) 祈祷可变成一种既定的习俗；很多人祈祷是因为他人在做。还有些人祈祷是因为他们害怕如果自己不献上定期的祈愿，可怕的事情就会发生。		91:8.3 (1001.7) Prayer may become an established custom; many pray because others do. Still others pray because they fear something direful may happen if they do not offer their regular supplications.
91:8.4 (1001.8) 对某些个人而言，祈祷是感激之情的平静表达；对另一些人来说，祈祷则是赞美之情和社会奉献之情的集体表达；有时它是对他人宗教的一种模仿，而在真正的祈祷中，它则是受造物之灵性本质与造物主之灵遍在临在的一种真挚而充满信任的交流。		91:8.4 (1001.8) To some individuals prayer is the calm expression of gratitude; to others, a group expression of praise, social devotions; sometimes it is the imitation of another’s religion, while in true praying it is the sincere and trusting communication of the spiritual nature of the creature with the anywhere presence of the spirit of the Creator.
91:8.5 (1001.9) 祈祷既可是神之意识的一种自发性表达，又可是神学套话的一种无意义吟诵。它既可是一个知神灵魂的狂喜性赞美，又可是一个充满恐惧凡人的奴性屈从。它有时是灵性渴求的一种真情表达，有时又是伪善词句的一种公然叫嚣。祈祷既可是一种喜悦的赞美，又可是一种寻求宽恕的谦卑请求。		91:8.5 (1001.9) Prayer may be a spontaneous expression of God-consciousness or a meaningless recitation of theologic formulas. It may be the ecstatic praise of a God-knowing soul or the slavish obeisance of a fear-ridden mortal. It is sometimes the pathetic expression of spiritual craving and sometimes the blatant shouting of pious phrases. Prayer may be joyous praise or a humble plea for forgiveness.
91:8.6 (1001.10) 祈祷既可是一种对不可能之事的孩童般愿求，又可是一种对道德成长和灵性力量的成熟恳求。一个祈求既可是为了生计，又可体现出一种找到神并履行其旨意的全心渴望。它既可是一种完全自私的请求，又可是一种趋向实现无私兄弟情谊的高尚姿态。		91:8.6 (1001.10) Prayer may be the childlike plea for the impossible or the mature entreaty for moral growth and spiritual power. A petition may be for daily bread or may embody a wholehearted yearning to find God and to do his will. It may be a wholly selfish request or a true and magnificent gesture toward the realization of unselfish brotherhood.
91:8.7 (1001.11) 祈祷既可是一种寻求报复的愤怒哭喊，又可是一种对自己仇敌的仁慈赦免。它既可是一种希望改变神的表达，又可是一种改变自己的强大手段。它既可是一个迷失罪者在一个所谓严厉法官面前的谄媚恳求，又可是永活仁慈天父的一个解脱子民的喜悦表达。		91:8.7 (1001.11) Prayer may be an angry cry for vengeance or a merciful intercession for one’s enemies. It may be the expression of a hope of changing God or the powerful technique of changing one’s self. It may be the cringing plea of a lost sinner before a supposedly stern Judge or the joyful expression of a liberated son of the living and merciful heavenly Father.
91:8.8 (1001.12) 现代人被与神以纯个人方式来协商的想法所困惑。许多人放弃了定期的祈祷；他们只在经受不寻常压力 -- 即紧急情况下才祈祷。人不应惧怕与神对话，但只有一个灵性子民才会试于劝服或是敢于改变神。		91:8.8 (1001.12) Modern man is perplexed by the thought of talking things over with God in a purely personal way. Many have abandoned regular praying; they only pray when under unusual pressure—in emergencies. Man should be unafraid to talk to God, but only a spiritual child would undertake to persuade, or presume to change, God.
91:8.9 (1002.1) 不过真正的祈祷确实会及于现实。即使在空气气流上升时，鸟若不展开双翼也无法高飞。祈祷之所以能使人提升，是因为它是一种利用宇宙上升的灵性之流而进展的手段。		91:8.9 (1002.1) But real praying does attain reality. Even when the air currents are ascending, no bird can soar except by outstretched wings. Prayer elevates man because it is a technique of progressing by the utilization of the ascending spiritual currents of the universe.
91:8.10 (1002.2) 真正的祈祷会促进灵性成长，改变态度，并会产生与神交流而来的满足感。它是神之意识的一种自然迸发。		91:8.10 (1002.2) Genuine prayer adds to spiritual growth, modifies attitudes, and yields that satisfaction which comes from communion with divinity. It is a spontaneous outburst of God-consciousness.
91:8.11 (1002.3) 神通过给人以对真的一种增强启示、对美的一种改善认知、对善的一种扩增概念来回应他的祈祷。祈祷是一种主观的姿态，但它会与人类灵性体验层次上的强大客观实相相接触；它是人类追求超人性价值所凭借的一种有意义的实现渠道。它是最有力的灵性成长激励物。		91:8.11 (1002.3) God answers man’s prayer by giving him an increased revelation of truth, an enhanced appreciation of beauty, and an augmented concept of goodness. Prayer is a subjective gesture, but it contacts with mighty objective realities on the spiritual levels of human experience; it is a meaningful reach by the human for superhuman values. It is the most potent spiritual-growth stimulus.
91:8.12 (1002.4) 言语与祈祷并不相关；它们只是灵性祈求之流恰巧会流经的智性渠道。一个祈祷的言语价值在私人祈祷中是纯自发暗示性的，在集体祈祷中则是纯社会暗示性的。神会回应灵魂的态度，而非言语。		91:8.12 (1002.4) Words are irrelevant to prayer; they are merely the intellectual channel in which the river of spiritual supplication may chance to flow. The word value of a prayer is purely autosuggestive in private devotions and sociosuggestive in group devotions. God answers the soul’s attitude, not the words.
91:8.13 (1002.5) 祈祷不是一种逃避冲突的手段，反而是面对冲突的成长激励。祈祷只是为了价值，而非为了事物；是为了成长，而非为了满足。		91:8.13 (1002.5) Prayer is not a technique of escape from conflict but rather a stimulus to growth in the very face of conflict. Pray only for values, not things; for growth, not for gratification.
9. 有效祈祷的条件 ^top		9. Conditions of Effective Prayer ^top
91:9.1 (1002.6) 如果你想要从事有效的祈祷，你应牢记以下盛行的祈求法则：		91:9.1 (1002.6) If you would engage in effective praying, you should bear in mind the laws of prevailing petitions:
91:9.2 (1002.7) 1. 你必须要通过真挚而勇敢地面对世间现实问题而取得作为一个有力祈祷者的资格。你必须要拥有出色的毅力。		91:9.2 (1002.7) 1. You must qualify as a potent prayer by sincerely and courageously facing the problems of universe reality. You must possess cosmic stamina.
91:9.3 (1002.8) 2. 你必须要真的竭尽全力来进行人性的调整。你必须要勤奋。		91:9.3 (1002.8) 2. You must have honestly exhausted the human capacity for human adjustment. You must have been industrious.
91:9.4 (1002.9) 3. 你必须要让心灵的每个愿望和灵魂的每个渴求都服从于灵性成长的转化接纳。你必须要体验到意涵的强化和价值的提升。		91:9.4 (1002.9) 3. You must surrender every wish of mind and every craving of soul to the transforming embrace of spiritual growth. You must have experienced an enhancement of meanings and an elevation of values.
91:9.5 (1002.10) 4. 你必须要全心地选择神的旨意。你必须要去除优柔寡断的死点。		91:9.5 (1002.10) 4. You must make a wholehearted choice of the divine will. You must obliterate the dead center of indecision.
91:9.6 (1002.11) 5. 你不仅要认知上父的旨意并选择去履行它，你还要进行一种无条件的奉献、一种充满活力的献身来真正履行上父的旨意。		91:9.6 (1002.11) 5. You not only recognize the Father’s will and choose to do it, but you have effected an unqualified consecration, and a dynamic dedication, to the actual doing of the Father’s will.
91:9.7 (1002.12) 6. 你的祈祷要被专门导向寻求神性智慧，来解决天堂扬升、即达到神性完美的过程中所遇到的特定人性难题。		91:9.7 (1002.12) 6. Your prayer will be directed exclusively for divine wisdom to solve the specific human problems encountered in the Paradise ascension—the attainment of divine perfection.
91:9.8 (1002.13) 7.你必须要拥有信仰 -- 即鲜活的信仰。		91:9.8 (1002.13) 7. And you must have faith—living faith.
91:9.9 (1002.14) [由玉苒厦(Urantia)中道者之首领所呈献。]		91:9.9 (1002.14) [Presented by the Chief of the Urantia Midwayers.]