第160篇		Paper 160
亚历山大的罗丹		Rodan of Alexandria
160:0.1 (1772.1) 在9月18日周日早上，安德鲁宣布接下来的这个周没计划任何工作。所有使徒，除了纳撒尼尔和多玛斯以外，都回家去造访家人或去与朋友一起逗留。这个周耶稣享受了一段几近彻底休息的时期，不过纳撒尼尔和多玛斯却与一个名叫罗丹的来自亚历山大的希腊哲学家忙着讨论。这个希腊人通过艾伯纳的一个在亚历山大进行使命的同伴的教导，近来成了耶稣的一个门徒。罗丹此时热情从事于将他的生活哲学与耶稣新的宗教教导相协调的任务，他来到玛加丹，希望主会与他细谈这些问题。他也想要从耶稣或是他的一个使徒那里获得关于福音的第一手权威版本。尽管主拒绝与罗丹进入这样一种会谈，但他的确优雅地接待了他，并立即指示纳撒尼尔和多玛斯应该倾听他想要说的一切，并告诉他关于福音内容作为回报。		160:0.1 (1772.1) ON SUNDAY morning, September 18, Andrew announced that no work would be planned for the coming week. All of the apostles, except Nathaniel and Thomas, went home to visit their families or to sojourn with friends. This week Jesus enjoyed a period of almost complete rest, but Nathaniel and Thomas were very busy with their discussions with a certain Greek philosopher from Alexandria named Rodan. This Greek had recently become a disciple of Jesus through the teaching of one of Abner’s associates who had conducted a mission at Alexandria. Rodan was now earnestly engaged in the task of harmonizing his philosophy of life with Jesus’ new religious teachings, and he had come to Magadan hoping that the Master would talk these problems over with him. He also desired to secure a firsthand and authoritative version of the gospel from either Jesus or one of his apostles. Though the Master declined to enter into such a conference with Rodan, he did receive him graciously and immediately directed that Nathaniel and Thomas should listen to all he had to say and tell him about the gospel in return.
1. 罗丹的希腊哲学 ^top		1. Rodan’s Greek Philosophy ^top
160:1.1 (1772.2) 周一清早，罗丹向纳撒尼尔、多玛斯以及碰巧在玛加丹的一群由大约二十四个信奉者组成的团体开始了一系列十个演讲。这些谈话以现代措辞加以浓缩合并和重述，呈现以下思想以供考虑：		160:1.1 (1772.2) Early Monday morning, Rodan began a series of ten addresses to Nathaniel, Thomas, and a group of some two dozen believers who chanced to be at Magadan. These talks, condensed, combined, and restated in modern phraseology, present the following thoughts for consideration:
160:1.2 (1772.3) 人类生活包含三大内驱力 -- 冲动，欲望和诱惑。坚强的品格，有力的人格，只能通过将自然的生命冲动转变成社交生活艺术，将当下的欲望转换成那些能获得持久达成的更高渴望，与此同时，必须要将生存之常见诱惑从一个人的传统既定观念转换到充满未探索观念和未发现理想的更高领域。		160:1.2 (1772.3) Human life consists in three great drives—urges, desires, and lures. Strong character, commanding personality, is only acquired by converting the natural urge of life into the social art of living, by transforming present desires into those higher longings which are capable of lasting attainment, while the commonplace lure of existence must be transferred from one’s conventional and established ideas to the higher realms of unexplored ideas and undiscovered ideals.
160:1.3 (1772.4) 文明变得愈加复杂，生活之艺术将变得愈加困难。社会习俗上的变化愈加快速，品格发展的任务将变得愈加复杂。若进步要继续，每十代人就必须要重新学习生活之艺术。若人类变得如此有独创性，以致他更为快速增添了社会的复杂性，那么生活之艺术将需要在更短时间（或许每一代人）之内被重新掌握。若生活之艺术的演进未能跟上生存之手段，人类将会很快回复到简单的生活冲动 -- 即当下欲望满足之达成。由此，人类将依然不成熟，社会未能成长至全然成熟。		160:1.3 (1772.4) The more complex civilization becomes, the more difficult will become the art of living. The more rapid the changes in social usage, the more complicated will become the task of character development. Every ten generations mankind must learn anew the art of living if progress is to continue. And if man becomes so ingenious that he more rapidly adds to the complexities of society, the art of living will need to be remastered in less time, perhaps every single generation. If the evolution of the art of living fails to keep pace with the technique of existence, humanity will quickly revert to the simple urge of living—the attainment of the satisfaction of present desires. Thus will humanity remain immature; society will fail in growing up to full maturity.
160:1.4 (1773.1) 社会成熟相当于人想要放弃纯短暂当下欲望之满足，而代以那些上乘渴望之消遣的程度，对它们的努力达成会提供趋向永久目标之渐进性提升所带来的充沛满足。不过社会成熟的真正标记是一个人放弃在充满既定信念和传统观念之诱惑的促进舒适之诸多标准下平静安心生活的权利，而代以对充满理想主义灵性实相未发现目标之达成诸多未探索可能性的追求这一令人不安而又耗费精力之诱惑的意愿。		160:1.4 (1773.1) Social maturity is equivalent to the degree to which man is willing to surrender the gratification of mere transient and present desires for the entertainment of those superior longings the striving for whose attainment affords the more abundant satisfactions of progressive advancement toward permanent goals. But the true badge of social maturity is the willingness of a people to surrender the right to live peaceably and contentedly under the ease-promoting standards of the lure of established beliefs and conventional ideas for the disquieting and energy-requiring lure of the pursuit of the unexplored possibilities of the attainment of undiscovered goals of idealistic spiritual realities.
160:1.5 (1773.2) 动物会对生命冲动做出高尚回应，但只有人类才能达至生活之艺术，尽管大多数人类只体验到动物性的生活冲动。动物只了解这种盲目而又本能的冲动；人类却能超越这种针对自然运作的冲动。人类可以选择活在那种充满智能艺术、甚至是充满天界喜悦和灵性狂喜的高等层面上。动物并不对生活目的做任何探究；因此它们从不担心，它们也从不自杀。人们中间的自杀证明了这种存在已经摆脱了纯动物性的存在阶段，并证明了这种人的探索努力未能达至凡人体验的艺术层次这进一步的事实。动物并不了解生命的意义；人类不仅拥有认知价值和理解意义的能力，他也对诸义之义十分清醒 -- 他有自知之明。		160:1.5 (1773.2) Animals respond nobly to the urge of life, but only man can attain the art of living, albeit the majority of mankind only experience the animal urge to live. Animals know only this blind and instinctive urge; man is capable of transcending this urge to natural function. Man may elect to live upon the high plane of intelligent art, even that of celestial joy and spiritual ecstasy. Animals make no inquiry into the purposes of life; therefore they never worry, neither do they commit suicide. Suicide among men testifies that such beings have emerged from the purely animal stage of existence, and to the further fact that the exploratory efforts of such human beings have failed to attain the artistic levels of mortal experience. Animals know not the meaning of life; man not only possesses capacity for the recognition of values and the comprehension of meanings, but he also is conscious of the meaning of meanings—he is self-conscious of insight.
160:1.6 (1773.3) 当人们致力于放弃一种充满自然渴望之生活，而代以充满冒险艺术和不定逻辑之生活，他们必定会预期遭受诸多充满情感伤害之相应风险 -- 冲突、不幸和不定，至少直到他们达到某种程度的智性和情感成熟之时。气馁、担心和懒惰是凡人不成熟的积极证据。人类社会要面对两种问题：个人成熟之达成和种族成熟之达成。成熟之人很快会开始怀着柔和的感觉和容忍的情感看待所有其他人。成熟之人会怀着父母养育子女所带的爱与关怀看待不成熟之人。		160:1.6 (1773.3) When men dare to forsake a life of natural craving for one of adventurous art and uncertain logic, they must expect to suffer the consequent hazards of emotional casualties—conflicts, unhappiness, and uncertainties—at least until the time of their attainment of some degree of intellectual and emotional maturity. Discouragement, worry, and indolence are positive evidence of moral immaturity. Human society is confronted with two problems: attainment of the maturity of the individual and attainment of the maturity of the race. The mature human being soon begins to look upon all other mortals with feelings of tenderness and with emotions of tolerance. Mature men view immature folks with the love and consideration that parents bear their children.
160:1.7 (1773.4) 成功的生活无非是对解决常见问题可靠手段之掌控的艺术。解决任何问题的第一步是定位难题，隔离问题，并坦率承认其本质和严重性。有一大错误是，当生活问题激起我们深刻的恐惧，我们会拒绝承认它们。同样，当对我们难题之承认需要减少我们长久珍视的自负，承认嫉妒或放弃根深蒂固的偏见时，普通人宁愿紧抓旧有的安全幻觉和长久珍视的虚假安全感。只有勇敢之人才愿意诚实承认并无畏面对一个真诚而又合乎逻辑的心智所发现的一切。		160:1.7 (1773.4) Successful living is nothing more or less than the art of the mastery of dependable techniques for solving common problems. The first step in the solution of any problem is to locate the difficulty, to isolate the problem, and frankly to recognize its nature and gravity. The great mistake is that, when life problems excite our profound fears, we refuse to recognize them. Likewise, when the acknowledgment of our difficulties entails the reduction of our long-cherished conceit, the admission of envy, or the abandonment of deep-seated prejudices, the average person prefers to cling to the old illusions of safety and to the long-cherished false feelings of security. Only a brave person is willing honestly to admit, and fearlessly to face, what a sincere and logical mind discovers.
160:1.8 (1773.5) 任何问题的明智有效解决，都要求心智应该免于偏爱、激情和所有其他纯个人的偏见，它们或许会干扰对构成那一呈现自身寻求解决之问题的诸多实际因素的无私调查。生活问题之解决需要勇气和真诚。只有诚实勇敢的个人才能英勇穿过令人费解、令人困惑之生活迷宫，达至一个无畏心智之选择所引领之地。若没有一种濒临宗教热情之智能激情的驱动力，这种心灵的解放永远无法被引发。它需要一种伟大理想的诱导来驱使人继续追求一个被诸多物质难题和多样智性风险所围绕的目标。		160:1.8 (1773.5) The wise and effective solution of any problem demands that the mind shall be free from bias, passion, and all other purely personal prejudices which might interfere with the disinterested survey of the actual factors that go to make up the problem presenting itself for solution. The solution of life problems requires courage and sincerity. Only honest and brave individuals are able to follow valiantly through the perplexing and confusing maze of living to where the logic of a fearless mind may lead. And this emancipation of the mind and soul can never be effected without the driving power of an intelligent enthusiasm which borders on religious zeal. It requires the lure of a great ideal to drive man on in the pursuit of a goal which is beset with difficult material problems and manifold intellectual hazards.
160:1.9 (1774.1) 即使你被有效武装起来面对诸多困难生活境况，你也很难期望成功，除非你配有那种使你能够赢得你同伴衷心支持与合作的心智智慧和人格魅力。如果你无法学会如何劝说你的同伴，如何说服人们，你就无法指望在世俗或宗教工作上取得极大程度的成功。你必须要拥有机智和容忍。		160:1.9 (1774.1) Even though you are effectively armed to meet the difficult situations of life, you can hardly expect success unless you are equipped with that wisdom of mind and charm of personality which enable you to win the hearty support and co-operation of your fellows. You cannot hope for a large measure of success in either secular or religious work unless you can learn how to persuade your fellows, to prevail with men. You simply must have tact and tolerance.
160:1.10 (1774.2) 不过我从你们的主耶稣那里学到了解决问题的所有方法中最伟大的一个。我指的是他持续实践的那个方法，他如此忠实教导你们的那个，即独自虔诚冥想。在耶稣这一如此频繁独自离开与天上之父交流的习惯中，会找到不仅为日常生活聚集力量和智慧、而且也会为具有道德和灵性本质之更高问题的解决汲取能量的手段。不过即使正确的解决问题之方法，也无法弥补人格之固有缺陷，或是补偿对真正正义之饥渴的缺乏。		160:1.10 (1774.2) But the greatest of all methods of problem solving I have learned from Jesus, your Master. I refer to that which he so consistently practices, and which he has so faithfully taught you, the isolation of worshipful meditation. In this habit of Jesus’ going off so frequently by himself to commune with the Father in heaven is to be found the technique, not only of gathering strength and wisdom for the ordinary conflicts of living, but also of appropriating the energy for the solution of the higher problems of a moral and spiritual nature. But even correct methods of solving problems will not compensate for inherent defects of personality or atone for the absence of the hunger and thirst for true righteousness.
160:1.11 (1774.3) 我对耶稣独自离开所从事的习惯印象深刻，它旨在在这些时期中从事对生活问题的单独调查；旨在为满足多样社会服务需求寻求新的智慧和能量储存；旨在通过令总体人格实际服从于与神性交流之意识而加快并深化生活之至高目的；旨在把握享有令自身与不断变化生存境况相调适之崭新更好方法；旨在引发那些对每样有价值真实之物增强洞见十分必要的个人自身态度之重大重建和重调；旨在怀着对神之荣耀的一心关注而做到所有这一切 -- 即怀着真诚低语你们主人最喜爱的祈祷文，“愿得以履行的并非我的意志，而是您的意志。”		160:1.11 (1774.3) I am deeply impressed with the custom of Jesus in going apart by himself to engage in these seasons of solitary survey of the problems of living; to seek for new stores of wisdom and energy for meeting the manifold demands of social service; to quicken and deepen the supreme purpose of living by actually subjecting the total personality to the consciousness of contacting with divinity; to grasp for possession of new and better methods of adjusting oneself to the ever-changing situations of living existence; to effect those vital reconstructions and readjustments of one’s personal attitudes which are so essential to enhanced insight into everything worth while and real; and to do all of this with an eye single to the glory of God—to breathe in sincerity your Master’s favorite prayer, “Not my will, but yours, be done.”
160:1.12 (1774.4) 你们主的这一虔诚做法带来了那种更新心智的放松；带来了那种鼓舞灵魂的启发；带来了那种使一个人能勇敢面对其问题的勇气；带来了那种会消除令人衰弱之恐惧的自我理解；带来了那种令人配有使他能敢于似神般确信的与神性合一之意识。你们主所做的放松崇拜或灵性交融，缓解了紧张，消除了冲突，极大增强了人格的总体资源。所有这一切哲学，加上王国福音，构成了我所理解的崭新宗教。		160:1.12 (1774.4) This worshipful practice of your Master brings that relaxation which renews the mind; that illumination which inspires the soul; that courage which enables one bravely to face one’s problems; that self-understanding which obliterates debilitating fear; and that consciousness of union with divinity which equips man with the assurance that enables him to dare to be Godlike. The relaxation of worship, or spiritual communion as practiced by the Master, relieves tension, removes conflicts, and mightily augments the total resources of the personality. And all this philosophy, plus the gospel of the kingdom, constitutes the new religion as I understand it.
160:1.13 (1774.5) 偏见会蒙蔽灵魂对真理的认知，偏见只能通过灵魂真诚投入到对一种接纳和包涵全部同胞之事业的热爱中才会被移除。偏见与自私密不可分。偏见只能通过放弃自我寻求，而代以对一种不仅比自我更伟大、而且甚至比全人类更伟大之事业 -- 即寻求神，神性之达成的服务所产生满足的寻求才能得以移除。人格成熟之证据在于人类欲望的转化，这样它会不断寻求那些最高且最为神性真实之价值的实现。		160:1.13 (1774.5) Prejudice blinds the soul to the recognition of truth, and prejudice can be removed only by the sincere devotion of the soul to the adoration of a cause that is all-embracing and all-inclusive of one’s fellow men. Prejudice is inseparably linked to selfishness. Prejudice can be eliminated only by the abandonment of self-seeking and by substituting therefor the quest of the satisfaction of the service of a cause that is not only greater than self, but one that is even greater than all humanity—the search for God, the attainment of divinity. The evidence of maturity of personality consists in the transformation of human desire so that it constantly seeks for the realization of those values which are highest and most divinely real.
160:1.14 (1774.6) 在一个不断变化的世界上，在一种不断演进的社会秩序中，要保持稳固和既定的天命目标是不可能的。人格的稳定只能通过那些已经发现并接纳将永活之神作为无限达成之永恒目标的人才得以体验到。由此，要将一个人的目标从时间转向永恒，从世上转向天堂，从人性转向神性，需要人应变得更新、转换和重生；他应成为神性之灵的再造之子；他应获准进入天国的兄弟情谊当中。所有缺乏这些理想的哲学和宗教都是不成熟的。我所教导的与你们所宣扬的福音有所关联的哲学，代表了崭新的成熟宗教，所有未来世代的理想。这是真实的，因为我们的理想是最终的、无误的、永恒的、普遍的、绝对的和无限的。		160:1.14 (1774.6) In a continually changing world, in the midst of an evolving social order, it is impossible to maintain settled and established goals of destiny. Stability of personality can be experienced only by those who have discovered and embraced the living God as the eternal goal of infinite attainment. And thus to transfer one’s goal from time to eternity, from earth to Paradise, from the human to the divine, requires that man shall become regenerated, converted, be born again; that he shall become the re-created child of the divine spirit; that he shall gain entrance into the brotherhood of the kingdom of heaven. All philosophies and religions which fall short of these ideals are immature. The philosophy which I teach, linked with the gospel which you preach, represents the new religion of maturity, the ideal of all future generations. And this is true because our ideal is final, infallible, eternal, universal, absolute, and infinite.
160:1.15 (1775.1) 我的哲学给了我去寻求真正达成之实相、成熟之目标的冲动。不过我的冲动是无力的；我的寻求缺乏驱动力；我的探求遭受了导向确定性的缺乏。这些不足被耶稣的这一新福音、伴随其增强的洞见、抬升的理想和稳固的目标而被充分补足了。我此时可以毫无怀疑和担忧而全心进入这一永恒冒险之中了。		160:1.15 (1775.1) My philosophy gave me the urge to search for the realities of true attainment, the goal of maturity. But my urge was impotent; my search lacked driving power; my quest suffered from the absence of certainty of directionization. And these deficiencies have been abundantly supplied by this new gospel of Jesus, with its enhancement of insights, elevation of ideals, and settledness of goals. Without doubts and misgivings I can now wholeheartedly enter upon the eternal venture.
2. 生活之艺术 ^top		2. The Art of Living ^top
160:2.1 (1775.2) 凡人就通过两种方式可以生活在一起：物质性亦即动物性的方式和灵性亦即人性的方式。通过信号和声音的使用，动物能够以一种受限的方式彼此交流。不过这种形式的交流并不会传递意义、价值或是观念。人类与动物之间的一个区别，就是人类可以通过符号的方式与他的同伴交流，它们极为肯定地指涉和辨别意义、价值，观念，乃至理想。		160:2.1 (1775.2) There are just two ways in which mortals may live together: the material or animal way and the spiritual or human way. By the use of signals and sounds animals are able to communicate with each other in a limited way. But such forms of communication do not convey meanings, values, or ideas. The one distinction between man and the animal is that man can communicate with his fellows by means of symbols which most certainly designate and identify meanings, values, ideas, and even ideals.
160:2.2 (1775.3) 由于动物无法彼此交流观念，它们无法发展出人格。人类之所以发展出人格，是因为他可以藉此就观念和理想与他的同伴们交流。		160:2.2 (1775.3) Since animals cannot communicate ideas to each other, they cannot develop personality. Man develops personality because he can thus communicate with his fellows concerning both ideas and ideals.
160:2.3 (1775.4) 正是这种交流并分享意义的能力，构成了人类的教化，并使得人类通过社会协作来构建文明。知识和智慧由于人类将这些拥有物向相继世代交流的能力而变得累积起来。并藉此兴起了人类的各种教化类活动：艺术，科学，宗教和哲学。		160:2.3 (1775.4) It is this ability to communicate and share meanings that constitutes human culture and enables man, through social associations, to build civilizations. Knowledge and wisdom become cumulative because of man’s ability to communicate these possessions to succeeding generations. And thereby arise the cultural activities of the race: art, science, religion, and philosophy.
160:2.4 (1775.5) 人类之间的符号交流预先决定了社会群体的产生。所有社会群体中最为有效的是家庭，尤其是双亲。个人深情是将这些物质性联合维系在一起的灵性纽带。这种有效的关系在两个同性之人中间也是可能的，正如在真正友谊奉献中所如此充分例示的那样。		160:2.4 (1775.5) Symbolic communication between human beings predetermines the bringing into existence of social groups. The most effective of all social groups is the family, more particularly the two parents. Personal affection is the spiritual bond which holds together these material associations. Such an effective relationship is also possible between two persons of the same sex, as is so abundantly illustrated in the devotions of genuine friendships.
160:2.5 (1775.6) 这些充满友谊和相互深情的联合是社会化的和促人高尚的，因为它们鼓励并促进以下一些生活之艺术更高层次的必要因素：		160:2.5 (1775.6) These associations of friendship and mutual affection are socializing and ennobling because they encourage and facilitate the following essential factors of the higher levels of the art of living:
160:2.6 (1775.7) 1．相互自我表达和自我理解。许多高尚的人类冲动消失了，因为没有人倾听它们的表达。确实，人类独处并无益处。某种程度的承认和一定量的欣赏，对于人类品格发展是必要的。如果没有真正的家庭之爱，没有孩子会实现正常品格的全面发展。品格不仅仅是心智和道德。在旨在发展品格的所有社会关系中，最为有效和理想的是男女在智能婚姻的彼此接纳中充满深情和体谅的友谊。婚姻，伴随其多样关系，被最佳设计成引出那些对一种坚强品格之发展必不可少的珍贵冲动和更高动机。因此我毫不犹豫来赞美家庭生活，因为你们的主选择了父子关系，作为这一新王国福音的基石。这样一种无比的关系共同体、对最高时间类理想深情接纳的男女，是如此珍贵和令人满足的一种体验，以致它值得任何代价、任何牺牲以获得其拥有。		160:2.6 (1775.7) 1. Mutual self-expression and self-understanding. Many noble human impulses die because there is no one to hear their expression. Truly, it is not good for man to be alone. Some degree of recognition and a certain amount of appreciation are essential to the development of human character. Without the genuine love of a home, no child can achieve the full development of normal character. Character is something more than mere mind and morals. Of all social relations calculated to develop character, the most effective and ideal is the affectionate and understanding friendship of man and woman in the mutual embrace of intelligent wedlock. Marriage, with its manifold relations, is best designed to draw forth those precious impulses and those higher motives which are indispensable to the development of a strong character. I do not hesitate thus to glorify family life, for your Master has wisely chosen the father-child relationship as the very cornerstone of this new gospel of the kingdom. And such a matchless community of relationship, man and woman in the fond embrace of the highest ideals of time, is so valuable and satisfying an experience that it is worth any price, any sacrifice, requisite for its possession.
160:2.7 (1776.1) 2．灵魂之联合 -- 智慧之动员。每个人迟早会获得一种对今生的特定概念，以及对来世的某种愿景。此时，通过人格体联合，有可能将这些关于暂时存在和永恒前景的观点结合在一起。由此一个人的心智可通过获得另一个人的大多洞见而增强其灵性价值。以此方式人们会通过共享其各自的灵性拥有物而丰富灵魂。同样，以此同一方式，人得以避免那种常存的、成为视野扭曲、观点偏颇和判断狭隘之受害者的倾向。恐惧、嫉妒和自负只有通过其他智者的亲密接触才能得以防止。我提醒你们注意以下事实，主从未派你们单独出去为王国的扩展劳作；他总是派你们两两出去，由于智慧是超级知识，结果就是，在智慧之联合中，社会群体，无论大小，都相互分享所有知识。		160:2.7 (1776.1) 2. Union of souls—the mobilization of wisdom. Every human being sooner or later acquires a certain concept of this world and a certain vision of the next. Now it is possible, through personality association, to unite these views of temporal existence and eternal prospects. Thus does the mind of one augment its spiritual values by gaining much of the insight of the other. In this way men enrich the soul by pooling their respective spiritual possessions. Likewise, in this same way, man is enabled to avoid that ever-present tendency to fall victim to distortion of vision, prejudice of viewpoint, and narrowness of judgment. Fear, envy, and conceit can be prevented only by intimate contact with other minds. I call your attention to the fact that the Master never sends you out alone to labor for the extension of the kingdom; he always sends you out two and two. And since wisdom is superknowledge, it follows that, in the union of wisdom, the social group, small or large, mutually shares all knowledge.
160:2.8 (1776.2) 3．对生活的热情。孤立易于耗尽灵魂的能荷。与同伴的联合，对于生活热情的重燃是十分必要的，对于维持去进行那些导致升向人类生活更高层次的斗争之勇气是不可或缺的。友谊会增强生活之喜悦，美化生活之欢欣。充满爱和亲密的人类联合，易于除去悲伤所带来的痛苦，以及大多苦难所带来的艰辛。一个朋友的存在增强了所有的美好，提升了每样的良善。通过智能的符号，人类能够加快并扩展对其朋友的欣赏能力。人类友谊的至高荣光之一，便是对想象力的彼此激发这种能力和可能性。伟大的灵性力量固有于全心奉献于一种共同事业、彼此忠诚于一位宇宙神灵的意识中。		160:2.8 (1776.2) 3. The enthusiasm for living. Isolation tends to exhaust the energy charge of the soul. Association with one’s fellows is essential to the renewal of the zest for life and is indispensable to the maintenance of the courage to fight those battles consequent upon the ascent to the higher levels of human living. Friendship enhances the joys and glorifies the triumphs of life. Loving and intimate human associations tend to rob suffering of its sorrow and hardship of much of its bitterness. The presence of a friend enhances all beauty and exalts every goodness. By intelligent symbols man is able to quicken and enlarge the appreciative capacities of his friends. One of the crowning glories of human friendship is this power and possibility of the mutual stimulation of the imagination. Great spiritual power is inherent in the consciousness of wholehearted devotion to a common cause, mutual loyalty to a cosmic Deity.
160:2.9 (1776.3) 4．对所有邪恶的增强防御。人格的联合和彼此的深情是抵抗邪恶的一种有效确保，困难、悲伤、失望和挫折在独自忍受时更为痛苦和令人沮丧。联合并不会将邪恶转成正义，但它的确有助于极大减少刺痛。你们的主说过，“哀恸的人有福了” -- 若一个朋友在旁安慰的话。在以下知识中有着积极的力量，你为他人的福祉而生活，这些其他人同样也为你的福祉和提升而生活。人在孤立中会变得衰弱。人类在只观看短暂的时间事件时，会变得无尽气馁。当下在与过去和未来脱离时，会变得恼人琐碎。只有对永恒之圈的一瞥才能鼓舞人去尽力而为，才能挑战他身中极限去尽其所能。当人由此处于最佳状态时，他会为了其他人、他时间和永恒中的同伴旅居者的益处而最为无私地生活。		160:2.9 (1776.3) 4. The enhanced defense against all evil. Personality association and mutual affection is an efficient insurance against evil. Difficulties, sorrow, disappointment, and defeat are more painful and disheartening when borne alone. Association does not transmute evil into righteousness, but it does aid in greatly lessening the sting. Said your Master, “Happy are they who mourn”—if a friend is at hand to comfort. There is positive strength in the knowledge that you live for the welfare of others, and that these others likewise live for your welfare and advancement. Man languishes in isolation. Human beings unfailingly become discouraged when they view only the transitory transactions of time. The present, when divorced from the past and the future, becomes exasperatingly trivial. Only a glimpse of the circle of eternity can inspire man to do his best and can challenge the best in him to do its utmost. And when man is thus at his best, he lives most unselfishly for the good of others, his fellow sojourners in time and eternity.
160:2.10 (1777.1) 我再说一次，这种鼓舞人心和令人高尚的联合，在人类婚姻关系中找到其理想的可能性。诚然，从婚姻中可以获得很多，许许多多婚姻完全未能产出这些道德和灵性果实。婚姻太多次被那些寻求其他比这些具有人类成熟度之上乘伴随物更低价值的人所进入。理想婚姻必须要基于比情感之波动和纯粹性吸引之易变更为稳定之物上；它必须基于真正和彼此的个人奉献。就这样，若你们能够构建起这种值得信任而又有效的人类联合之微小单元，当这些被聚合到集合体中，这个世界将会见证一种伟大而又荣光的社会结构，充满凡世成熟度的文明。这样的种族或许会开始实现你们主关于“平安归于世上，善意归于人间”的理想中的一些东西。尽管这种社会不会是完美的，或是并非完全免于罪恶，它至少会接近具有成熟度的稳定。		160:2.10 (1777.1) I repeat, such inspiring and ennobling association finds its ideal possibilities in the human marriage relation. True, much is attained out of marriage, and many, many marriages utterly fail to produce these moral and spiritual fruits. Too many times marriage is entered by those who seek other values which are lower than these superior accompaniments of human maturity. Ideal marriage must be founded on something more stable than the fluctuations of sentiment and the fickleness of mere sex attraction; it must be based on genuine and mutual personal devotion. And thus, if you can build up such trustworthy and effective small units of human association, when these are assembled in the aggregate, the world will behold a great and glorified social structure, the civilization of mortal maturity. Such a race might begin to realize something of your Master’s ideal of “peace on earth and good will among men.” While such a society would not be perfect or entirely free from evil, it would at least approach the stabilization of maturity.
3. 成熟之诱惑 ^top		3. The Lures of Maturity ^top
160:3.1 (1777.2) 朝向成熟的努力使工作成为必需，而工作的需要能量。完成所有这一切的力量来自哪里？物质性的东西可被视为理所当然，不过主清楚说过，“人无法单靠食物而生。”被授予拥有一副正长身体和相当好的健康，我们必须接下来寻找那些将起到刺激作用来唤起人沉睡灵性力量的诱惑。耶稣曾教导我们，神活在人身中；那么我们如何能诱导人释放这些灵魂附有的充满神性和无限性的力量呢？我们应该如何诱导人们放开神，这样他可以在向外中转的同时，让我们自己的灵魂得以滋润，之后起到启发、提升和祝福无数其他灵魂的目的呢？我如何能最好地唤醒沉睡于你们灵魂中的这些潜在向善之力呢？有一件事我相信：情感刺激并非理想的灵性刺激物。刺激并不会增强能量；它反而会耗尽心智和身体的力量。那么做所有这些伟大之事的能量来自哪里呢？看看你们的主。即便此时他还在外面山上吸收力量，而我们却在这儿给出能量。所有这一切问题的奥秘，隐藏在灵性交流、崇拜中。从人类立场看，它是一种结合了冥想和放松的问题。冥想让心智与属灵交流；放松则决定了灵性接收能力。这种力量对软弱、勇气对恐惧以及神之意志对自我心智的替换，便构成了崇拜。至少，那是这位哲学家看待它的方式。		160:3.1 (1777.2) The effort toward maturity necessitates work, and work requires energy. Whence the power to accomplish all this? The physical things can be taken for granted, but the Master has well said, “Man cannot live by bread alone.” Granted the possession of a normal body and reasonably good health, we must next look for those lures which will act as a stimulus to call forth man’s slumbering spiritual forces. Jesus has taught us that God lives in man; then how can we induce man to release these soul-bound powers of divinity and infinity? How shall we induce men to let go of God that he may spring forth to the refreshment of our own souls while in transit outward and then to serve the purpose of enlightening, uplifting, and blessing countless other souls? How best can I awaken these latent powers for good which lie dormant in your souls? One thing I am sure of: Emotional excitement is not the ideal spiritual stimulus. Excitement does not augment energy; it rather exhausts the powers of both mind and body. Whence then comes the energy to do these great things? Look to your Master. Even now he is out in the hills taking in power while we are here giving out energy. The secret of all this problem is wrapped up in spiritual communion, in worship. From the human standpoint it is a question of combined meditation and relaxation. Meditation makes the contact of mind with spirit; relaxation determines the capacity for spiritual receptivity. And this interchange of strength for weakness, courage for fear, the will of God for the mind of self, constitutes worship. At least, that is the way the philosopher views it.
160:3.2 (1777.3) 当这些体验被频繁重复，它们就具化成习惯，这些习惯最终令自身形成一种灵性品格，这种品格最终被一个人的同伴认可为一种成熟的人格。起初这些做法困难而又费时，但当它们变成习惯性的，它们就立刻令人放松而又省时了。社会变得愈加复杂，文明之诱惑就会愈加倍增，知神个人就愈加变得迫切有必要来形成这种旨在保存和增强其灵性能量的保护性习惯做法。		160:3.2 (1777.3) When these experiences are frequently repeated, they crystallize into habits, strength-giving and worshipful habits, and such habits eventually formulate themselves into a spiritual character, and such a character is finally recognized by one’s fellows as a mature personality. These practices are difficult and time-consuming at first, but when they become habitual, they are at once restful and timesaving. The more complex society becomes, and the more the lures of civilization multiply, the more urgent will become the necessity for God-knowing individuals to form such protective habitual practices designed to conserve and augment their spiritual energies.
160:3.3 (1778.1) 达至成熟的另一个要求是社会群体对一个不断变化环境的合作调整。不成熟个人会引起他同伴的敌意；而成熟之人则会赢得他同伴的衷心合作，藉此屡次倍增其生活努力之成果。		160:3.3 (1778.1) Another requirement for the attainment of maturity is the co-operative adjustment of social groups to an ever-changing environment. The immature individual arouses the antagonisms of his fellows; the mature man wins the hearty co-operation of his associates, thereby many times multiplying the fruits of his life efforts.
160:3.4 (1778.2) 我的哲学告诉我，若有需要，我有时必须要为了捍卫我正义之概念而斗争，但我却毫不怀疑，拥有一种更为成熟人格的主，会通过他上乘而又迷人的、充满机智和容忍的手段，轻松而又优雅地赢得一种同等的胜利。当我们时常为了权利而斗争时，原来是胜利者和失败者都承受了挫折。就在昨天，我听到主说过，“明智之人在寻求通过锁着的门时，不会毁掉门，而是寻求开启它的钥匙。”我们常常仅为了令自己确信我们并不害怕而进行一场斗争。		160:3.4 (1778.2) My philosophy tells me that there are times when I must fight, if need be, for the defense of my concept of righteousness, but I doubt not that the Master, with a more mature type of personality, would easily and gracefully gain an equal victory by his superior and winsome technique of tact and tolerance. All too often, when we battle for the right, it turns out that both the victor and the vanquished have sustained defeat. I heard the Master say only yesterday that the “wise man, when seeking entrance through the locked door, would not destroy the door but rather would seek for the key wherewith to unlock it.” Too often we engage in a fight merely to convince ourselves that we are not afraid.
160:3.5 (1778.3) 这一新的王国福音为生活之艺术提供了一种伟大服务，因为它为更高生活提供了一种新的、更丰富的动机。它呈现了一种新的、崇高的命运目标，一种至高的生活目的。这些充满永恒性和神性生存目标的崭新概念，本身是超越性的刺激物，唤起了常驻于人类更高本性中最好部分的反应。在智性思想的每一顶峰，都会发现心智的放松、灵魂的力量和属灵的交融。从高等生活这一有利位置，人能够超越较低层次思考的物质性刺激 -- 即不成熟人格体的担心、嫉妒、羡慕、报复和骄傲。这些攀高的灵魂令自身摆脱了琐碎生活所产生的大量对立冲突，从而得以自由去达至充满属灵概念和天界交流的更高环流所形成的意识。不过生活目的必须要被小心保管，免受寻求容易和短暂达成的诱惑；同样，它也必须要被小心培育，从而对狂热之灾难性威胁免疫。		160:3.5 (1778.3) This new gospel of the kingdom renders a great service to the art of living in that it supplies a new and richer incentive for higher living. It presents a new and exalted goal of destiny, a supreme life purpose. And these new concepts of the eternal and divine goal of existence are in themselves transcendent stimuli, calling forth the reaction of the very best that is resident in man’s higher nature. On every mountaintop of intellectual thought are to be found relaxation for the mind, strength for the soul, and communion for the spirit. From such vantage points of high living, man is able to transcend the material irritations of the lower levels of thinking—worry, jealousy, envy, revenge, and the pride of immature personality. These high-climbing souls deliver themselves from a multitude of the crosscurrent conflicts of the trifles of living, thus becoming free to attain consciousness of the higher currents of spirit concept and celestial communication. But the life purpose must be jealously guarded from the temptation to seek for easy and transient attainment; likewise must it be so fostered as to become immune to the disastrous threats of fanaticism.
4. 成熟之平衡 ^top		4. The Balance of Maturity ^top
160:4.1 (1778.4) 尽管你一心想要达到永恒性实相，但你也必须要为世间生活之必需物做好准备。尽管属灵是我们的目标，但肉体却是一个事实。生活之必需品偶尔会意外落在我们手中，但大体上来说，我们必须要为之明智地工作。生活的两大问题是：过世间生活和达至永恒续存。即便谋生问题也需要宗教作为其理想解决方案。这都是极为个人性的问题。事实上，真正的宗教并不会离开个人而起作用。		160:4.1 (1778.4) While you have an eye single to the attainment of eternal realities, you must also make provision for the necessities of temporal living. While the spirit is our goal, the flesh is a fact. Occasionally the necessities of living may fall into our hands by accident, but in general, we must intelligently work for them. The two major problems of life are: making a temporal living and the achievement of eternal survival. And even the problem of making a living requires religion for its ideal solution. These are both highly personal problems. True religion, in fact, does not function apart from the individual.
160:4.2 (1778.5) 在我看来，世间生活的要素是：		160:4.2 (1778.5) The essentials of the temporal life, as I see them, are:
160:4.3 (1778.6) 1. 良好的身体健康。		160:4.3 (1778.6) 1. Good physical health.
160:4.4 (1778.7) 2. 清晰的思考。		160:4.4 (1778.7) 2. Clear and clean thinking.
160:4.5 (1778.8) 3．能力和技艺。		160:4.5 (1778.8) 3. Ability and skill.
160:4.6 (1778.9) 4．财富 -- 生活之财产。		160:4.6 (1778.9) 4. Wealth—the goods of life.
160:4.7 (1778.10) 5．抵御挫折的能力。		160:4.7 (1778.10) 5. Ability to withstand defeat.
160:4.8 (1778.11) 6．教化 -- 教育和智慧。		160:4.8 (1778.11) 6. Culture—education and wisdom.
160:4.9 (1779.1) 即便是身体健康和效能的物质性问题，当从我们主教导的宗教立场来看待它们时，也会做到最好的解决：人类身体和心智是神之赠与的驻居之地，神之灵成为人之灵。人的心智由此成为物质性事物和灵性实相之间的调解者。		160:4.9 (1779.1) Even the physical problems of bodily health and efficiency are best solved when they are viewed from the religious standpoint of our Master’s teaching: That the body and mind of man are the dwelling place of the gift of the Gods, the spirit of God becoming the spirit of man. The mind of man thus becomes the mediator between material things and spiritual realities.
160:4.10 (1779.2) 要获得一个人对合意生活事物的享受需要智能。认为在做日常工作上的忠诚会确保财富的回报是完全错误的。除了偶然意外的财富获得之外，世间生活的物质回报会被发现在某些组织良好的渠道中流动，只有那些可以利用这些渠道之人才可以期望因其世俗努力而得以极好回报。贫穷必定永远是所有以孤立和个人渠道寻求财富之人的命运。因此，明智的规划成为通向世俗繁荣的必要之事。成功不仅需要对一个人工作的投入，而且一个人还应该作为某个物质财富渠道的一部分而运作。如果你不够明智，你会将投入的一生赠给你的一代而无物质回报；如果你是财务之流的一个意外受益人，你可以过得很奢侈，尽管你未对你的同伴做出任何值得之事。		160:4.10 (1779.2) It requires intelligence to secure one’s share of the desirable things of life. It is wholly erroneous to suppose that faithfulness in doing one’s daily work will insure the rewards of wealth. Barring the occasional and accidental acquirement of wealth, the material rewards of the temporal life are found to flow in certain well-organized channels, and only those who have access to these channels may expect to be well rewarded for their temporal efforts. Poverty must ever be the lot of all men who seek for wealth in isolated and individual channels. Wise planning, therefore, becomes the one thing essential to worldly prosperity. Success requires not only devotion to one’s work but also that one should function as a part of some one of the channels of material wealth. If you are unwise, you can bestow a devoted life upon your generation without material reward; if you are an accidental beneficiary of the flow of wealth, you may roll in luxury even though you have done nothing worth while for your fellow men.
160:4.11 (1779.3) 能力是你所继承的，技艺则是你所获得之物。对一个无法熟练做好一件事之人，生活是不真实的。技艺是生活满足的真正来源之一。能力意味着具有远见、即目光远大之愿景的天赋。不要被不诚实成就的诱人回报所欺骗；要乐意为诚实努力中所固有的回报而辛劳。明智之人能够区分手段与目的；否则，有时为未来过度规划会违背其自身的崇高目的。作为一个消遣寻求者，你应该始终立志既成为一个消费者，又成为一个生产者。		160:4.11 (1779.3) Ability is that which you inherit, while skill is what you acquire. Life is not real to one who cannot do some one thing well, expertly. Skill is one of the real sources of the satisfaction of living. Ability implies the gift of foresight, farseeing vision. Be not deceived by the tempting rewards of dishonest achievement; be willing to toil for the later returns inherent in honest endeavor. The wise man is able to distinguish between means and ends; otherwise, sometimes overplanning for the future defeats its own high purpose. As a pleasure seeker you should aim always to be a producer as well as a consumer.
160:4.12 (1779.4) 训练你的记忆力去怀着神圣信任容纳给予力量的、值得的生活插曲，你可以随意忆起以供消遣和启迪。由此为你自己构建起充满美、善和艺术壮丽的备用画廊并存于自身之中。不过所有记忆中最高尚的，是一份出色友谊之伟大瞬间的珍贵回忆。所有这些记忆珍宝会在灵性崇拜的释放性触碰下，散发出最为珍贵和令人喜悦的影响。		160:4.12 (1779.4) Train your memory to hold in sacred trust the strength-giving and worth-while episodes of life, which you can recall at will for your pleasure and edification. Thus build up for yourself and in yourself reserve galleries of beauty, goodness, and artistic grandeur. But the noblest of all memories are the treasured recollections of the great moments of a superb friendship. And all of these memory treasures radiate their most precious and exalting influences under the releasing touch of spiritual worship.
160:4.13 (1779.5) 不过若你未学会如何优雅失败，生活就会成为一种生存负担。有一种挫折上的艺术，高贵的灵魂总会获得；你必须要了解如何愉快地失去；你必须要对失望无所畏惧。毫不犹豫去承认失败。不要将失败隐藏在欺骗的微笑和满面的乐观之下。总是宣称成功听起来不错，但最终结果却令人震惊。这种手段直接导致一个不真实世界的创造，以及最终幻灭感所产生的不可避免崩溃。		160:4.13 (1779.5) But life will become a burden of existence unless you learn how to fail gracefully. There is an art in defeat which noble souls always acquire; you must know how to lose cheerfully; you must be fearless of disappointment. Never hesitate to admit failure. Make no attempt to hide failure under deceptive smiles and beaming optimism. It sounds well always to claim success, but the end results are appalling. Such a technique leads directly to the creation of a world of unreality and to the inevitable crash of ultimate disillusionment.
160:4.14 (1779.6) 成功可以产生勇气并提升信心，不过智慧仅出自对一个人失败结果调适的体验。更喜欢乐观幻觉而不喜欢实相的人们永远无法变明智。只有那些面对事实并将其与理想相调适之人才能获得智慧。智慧既包含事实又包含理想，因此将其爱好者从哲学的两个空洞极端-- 理想主义排斥诸多事实之人和全无灵性前景的唯物主义者中拯救出来。那些仅依靠成功之持续虚假幻觉才能继续生活挣扎的胆怯灵魂，随着他们从其自身想象的梦境中醒来，注定会遭受失败并经历挫折。		160:4.14 (1779.6) Success may generate courage and promote confidence, but wisdom comes only from the experiences of adjustment to the results of one’s failures. Men who prefer optimistic illusions to reality can never become wise. Only those who face facts and adjust them to ideals can achieve wisdom. Wisdom embraces both the fact and the ideal and therefore saves its devotees from both of those barren extremes of philosophy—the man whose idealism excludes facts and the materialist who is devoid of spiritual outlook. Those timid souls who can only keep up the struggle of life by the aid of continuous false illusions of success are doomed to suffer failure and experience defeat as they ultimately awaken from the dream world of their own imaginations.
160:4.15 (1780.1) 正是在面对失败和适应挫折这件事上，宗教的深远视野发挥了其至高的影响力。在开启了探索宇宙之永恒冒险的寻神之人的体验中，在获得智慧的过程中，失败只是一种教育性插曲，一种教化性实验。对于这种人来说，挫折不过是达至更高宇宙实效层次的一种新的工具。		160:4.15 (1780.1) And it is in this business of facing failure and adjusting to defeat that the far-reaching vision of religion exerts its supreme influence. Failure is simply an educational episode—a cultural experiment in the acquirement of wisdom—in the experience of the God-seeking man who has embarked on the eternal adventure of the exploration of a universe. To such men defeat is but a new tool for the achievement of higher levels of universe reality.
160:4.16 (1780.2) 一个寻神之人的一生，即使他的世间生命的整个事业可能显得是总体失败的，但只要他的每一场失败都导致了个人修养上的智慧和精神上的收获，那么从永恒境界的观点来看，他的一生仍可视作一场巨大的成功。不要混淆知识、教养和智能三者的界限，那是一种错误。三者在生活中是相互关联的，但是它们代表着很不同的精神价值。智能永远统率知识，并总是使教养得以发扬光大。		160:4.16 (1780.2) The career of a God-seeking man may prove to be a great success in the light of eternity, even though the whole temporal-life enterprise may appear as an overwhelming failure, provided each life failure yielded the culture of wisdom and spirit achievement. Do not make the mistake of confusing knowledge, culture, and wisdom. They are related in life, but they represent vastly differing spirit values; wisdom ever dominates knowledge and always glorifies culture.
5. 理想的宗教 ^top		5. The Religion of the Ideal ^top
160:5.1 (1780.3) 你们已经告诉我，你们的主将真正人类宗教视为个人对灵性世界的体验。我将宗教视为人对他视为值得所有人类致敬和奉献之物回应所产生的体验。在这种意义上，宗教象征着我们对那代表了我们关于对真实类理想的最高概念以及我们心智朝向灵性达成之永恒可能最远触及之一切的至高奉献。		160:5.1 (1780.3) You have told me that your Master regards genuine human religion as the individual’s experience with spiritual realities. I have regarded religion as man’s experience of reacting to something which he regards as being worthy of the homage and devotion of all mankind. In this sense, religion symbolizes our supreme devotion to that which represents our highest concept of the ideals of reality and the farthest reach of our minds toward eternal possibilities of spiritual attainment.
160:5.2 (1780.4) 当人们以部落、民族或种族感回应宗教时，是因为他们未将那些他们群体以外的人视为真正人性的。我们总是将我们宗教忠诚的对象视为值得所有人的崇敬。宗教永远无法只是一种智性信念或哲学推理的事务；宗教始终并永远是一种回应生活境况的方式；它是一种行为。宗教包含了对我们认为值得普遍崇拜的某种实相的宗教思考、感觉和行动。		160:5.2 (1780.4) When men react to religion in the tribal, national, or racial sense, it is because they look upon those without their group as not being truly human. We always look upon the object of our religious loyalty as being worthy of the reverence of all men. Religion can never be a matter of mere intellectual belief or philosophic reasoning; religion is always and forever a mode of reacting to the situations of life; it is a species of conduct. Religion embraces thinking, feeling, and acting reverently toward some reality which we deem worthy of universal adoration.
160:5.3 (1780.5) 如果某件事物在你的体验中变成一种宗教，不言自明的是，你已经成为那一宗教的一个活跃福音师，因为你认为关于你宗教的至高概念值得所有人类、所有宇宙智能存有的崇拜。如果你并非你宗教的一个积极的传教福音师，那么你就是自我欺骗的，因为你所称的宗教只是一种传统信念，或是一种纯粹的智性哲学体系。如果你的宗教是一种灵性体验，那么你的崇拜对象必定是你所有灵性化概念所形成的普遍属灵实相和理想。我将所有基于恐惧、情感、传统和哲学的宗教叫做智性宗教，而将那些基于真正属灵体验的宗教称为真正宗教。宗教奉献的对象可以是物质性的或灵性的，对的或错的，真实的或非真实的，人性的或神性的。因此宗教要么是善的，要么是恶的。		160:5.3 (1780.5) If something has become a religion in your experience, it is self-evident that you already have become an active evangel of that religion since you deem the supreme concept of your religion as being worthy of the worship of all mankind, all universe intelligences. If you are not a positive and missionary evangel of your religion, you are self-deceived in that what you call a religion is only a traditional belief or a mere system of intellectual philosophy. If your religion is a spiritual experience, your object of worship must be the universal spirit reality and ideal of all your spiritualized concepts. All religions based on fear, emotion, tradition, and philosophy I term the intellectual religions, while those based on true spirit experience I would term the true religions. The object of religious devotion may be material or spiritual, true or false, real or unreal, human or divine. Religions can therefore be either good or evil.
160:5.4 (1780.6) 道德和宗教未必是相同的。一套道德体系通过抓取一个崇拜对象，或许会变成一种宗教。一种宗教通过丧失它对忠诚和至高奉献的普遍吸引力，或许会演变成一种哲学体系或是一种道德规范。构成宗教忠诚之至高理想的那一事物、存在、状态或存在秩序，或达成的可能性，那些崇拜者宗教奉献的接受者，就是神。无论应用到这一属灵实相之理想的名字是什么，它就是神。		160:5.4 (1780.6) Morality and religion are not necessarily the same. A system of morals, by grasping an object of worship, may become a religion. A religion, by losing its universal appeal to loyalty and supreme devotion, may evolve into a system of philosophy or a code of morals. This thing, being, state, or order of existence, or possibility of attainment which constitutes the supreme ideal of religious loyalty, and which is the recipient of the religious devotion of those who worship, is God. Regardless of the name applied to this ideal of spirit reality, it is God.
160:5.5 (1781.1) 一种真正宗教的社会特征在于以下事实，它一成不变地寻求去转变个人和转化世界。宗教意味着尚未发现理想的存在，它们甚至远超最为成熟文明制度之最高社会惯例中所体现的已知伦理道德标准。宗教触及未发现的理想、未探索的实相、超人性价值、神性智慧和真正属灵达成。真正宗教会做到所有这一切；所有其他信仰则名不符实。你无法拥有一种没有关于永恒之神至高无上理想的真正灵性宗教。没有神的宗教是人的发明，一种充满无生命智性信念和无意义情感仪式的人类制度。一个宗教或许会将它的奉献对象宣称为一种伟大理想。不过这种非真实性的理想是无法达成的；这种概念是虚幻的。人类能达成的理想是永恒之神灵性事实中常驻的无限价值所产生的神性实相。		160:5.5 (1781.1) The social characteristics of a true religion consist in the fact that it invariably seeks to convert the individual and to transform the world. Religion implies the existence of undiscovered ideals which far transcend the known standards of ethics and morality embodied in even the highest social usages of the most mature institutions of civilization. Religion reaches out for undiscovered ideals, unexplored realities, superhuman values, divine wisdom, and true spirit attainment. True religion does all of this; all other beliefs are not worthy of the name. You cannot have a genuine spiritual religion without the supreme and supernal ideal of an eternal God. A religion without this God is an invention of man, a human institution of lifeless intellectual beliefs and meaningless emotional ceremonies. A religion might claim as the object of its devotion a great ideal. But such ideals of unreality are not attainable; such a concept is illusionary. The only ideals susceptible of human attainment are the divine realities of the infinite values resident in the spiritual fact of the eternal God.
160:5.6 (1781.2) 神这个词、即与神之理念形成鲜明对比的神之观念，可以成为任何一个宗教的一部分，无论那一个宗教可能碰巧是多么的幼稚和虚假。这一神之观念可变成那些持有它之人想要选择令它成为的任何东西。低等宗教塑造它们的神之观念来满足人们心灵的自然状态；高等宗教则要求人类心灵应被改变，来满足真正宗教理想的要求。		160:5.6 (1781.2) The word God, the idea of God as contrasted with the ideal of God, can become a part of any religion, no matter how puerile or false that religion may chance to be. And this idea of God can become anything which those who entertain it may choose to make it. The lower religions shape their ideas of God to meet the natural state of the human heart; the higher religions demand that the human heart shall be changed to meet the demands of the ideals of true religion.
160:5.7 (1781.3) 耶稣的宗教超越了我们先前关于崇拜观念的所有概念，因为他不仅将他的父描绘为无限实相之理想，而且还积极宣称，这一神性价值之源和永恒宇宙中心可被每个选择进入世上天国的凡人受造物真正亲身达到，藉此承认对与神之父子关系和与人之兄弟情谊的接受。我主张，那是这个世界所知的最高宗教概念，我宣布，永不会有一个更高概念，因为这一福音包含了实相之无限性、价值之神性和宇宙达成之永恒性。这种概念构成了至高终极者之理想主义经验的实现。		160:5.7 (1781.3) The religion of Jesus transcends all our former concepts of the idea of worship in that he not only portrays his Father as the ideal of infinite reality but positively declares that this divine source of values and the eternal center of the universe is truly and personally attainable by every mortal creature who chooses to enter the kingdom of heaven on earth, thereby acknowledging the acceptance of sonship with God and brotherhood with man. That, I submit, is the highest concept of religion the world has ever known, and I pronounce that there can never be a higher since this gospel embraces the infinity of realities, the divinity of values, and the eternity of universal attainments. Such a concept constitutes the achievement of the experience of the idealism of the supreme and the ultimate.
160:5.8 (1781.4) 我不仅被你们主这一宗教的圆满理想所迷住，我也极为感动来承认我对他以下宣布的相信，即这些属灵实相之理想是可达到的；你我可怀着他对我们最终抵达天堂路口之确定性的担保，而进入这场漫长而又永恒的冒险。我的兄弟们，我是一个信奉者，我已经启程了；我与你们一道踏上这一永恒性冒险。主说他来自父，他会给我们指路。我被完全说服他讲了真理。我最终确信，除了永恒的万有之父以外，没有任何其他可达到的真实理想和完美价值。		160:5.8 (1781.4) I am not only intrigued by the consummate ideals of this religion of your Master, but I am mightily moved to profess my belief in his announcement that these ideals of spirit realities are attainable; that you and I can enter upon this long and eternal adventure with his assurance of the certainty of our ultimate arrival at the portals of Paradise. My brethren, I am a believer, I have embarked; I am on my way with you in this eternal venture. The Master says he came from the Father, and that he will show us the way. I am fully persuaded he speaks the truth. I am finally convinced that there are no attainable ideals of reality or values of perfection apart from the eternal and Universal Father.
160:5.9 (1781.5) 那么，我来崇拜的不仅是存在之神，也是所有未来存在的可能之神。因此你们对一个至高理想的奉献，若那一理想是真实的，必定是对这一过去、现在和未来包含万物众生的宇宙之神的奉献。没有任何他神，因为不可能有任何其他的神。所有其他的神都是想象力之虚构，凡人心智之幻觉，虚假逻辑之扭曲，那些创造出它们之人的自欺性偶像。是的，你可以拥有一种没有这位神的宗教，但它却毫无意义。若你寻求用神这个词代替永活之神这一理想的真实性，你只是通过用一个观念置换一个理想、即一种神性实相来欺骗自己。这种信念不过是充满如意幻想的宗教。		160:5.9 (1781.5) I come, then, to worship, not merely the God of existences, but the God of the possibility of all future existences. Therefore must your devotion to a supreme ideal, if that ideal is real, be devotion to this God of past, present, and future universes of things and beings. And there is no other God, for there cannot possibly be any other God. All other gods are figments of the imagination, illusions of mortal mind, distortions of false logic, and the self-deceptive idols of those who create them. Yes, you can have a religion without this God, but it does not mean anything. And if you seek to substitute the word God for the reality of this ideal of the living God, you have only deluded yourself by putting an idea in the place of an ideal, a divine reality. Such beliefs are merely religions of wishful fancy.
160:5.10 (1782.1) 我在耶稣的教导中看到了最好的宗教。这一福音能使我们寻求真正之神并找到他。不过我们愿意付出这一进入天国的代价吗？我们愿意重生再造吗？我们愿意受制于这一自我毁灭和灵魂重建的可怕试炼过程吗？难道主没说过：“想要挽救生命的必失掉它。不要以为我前来是带来和平，而是带来灵魂挣扎”吗？诚然，在我们付出了献身于父之意志的代价之后，我们的确会体验到极大的平安，只要我们继续走在这些充满神圣生活的灵性道路上。		160:5.10 (1782.1) I see in the teachings of Jesus, religion at its best. This gospel enables us to seek for the true God and to find him. But are we willing to pay the price of this entrance into the kingdom of heaven? Are we willing to be born again? to be remade? Are we willing to be subject to this terrible and testing process of self-destruction and soul reconstruction? Has not the Master said: “Whoso would save his life must lose it. Think not that I have come to bring peace but rather a soul struggle”? True, after we pay the price of dedication to the Father’s will, we do experience great peace provided we continue to walk in these spiritual paths of consecrated living.
160:5.11 (1782.2) 此时我们正在放弃已知类别存在的诱惑，同时我们毫无保留将我们的追求致力于神性实相之更高理想主义所在属灵世界中充满未来生活冒险的未知、未探索类别存在的诱惑。我们寻求那些用以向我们同伴人们传递耶稣宗教理想主义之真实性这些概念的意义符号，我们将不断祈祷所有人类将因这一职高真理之共同愿景激动不已的那天。就在此时，我们关于父的聚焦概念，正如我们心中所持有的，是神就是灵；正如向我们同伴所传递的，是神就是爱。		160:5.11 (1782.2) Now are we truly forsaking the lures of the known order of existence while we unreservedly dedicate our quest to the lures of the unknown and unexplored order of the existence of a future life of adventure in the spirit worlds of the higher idealism of divine reality. And we seek for those symbols of meaning wherewith to convey to our fellow men these concepts of the reality of the idealism of the religion of Jesus, and we will not cease to pray for that day when all mankind shall be thrilled by the communal vision of this supreme truth. Just now, our focalized concept of the Father, as held in our hearts, is that God is spirit; as conveyed to our fellows, that God is love.
160:5.12 (1782.3) 耶稣的宗教要求鲜活的灵性体验。其他宗教或许包含传统信念、情绪感受、哲学意识以及所有那一切，但主的教导却要求真正属灵进展之实际层次的达成。		160:5.12 (1782.3) The religion of Jesus demands living and spiritual experience. Other religions may consist in traditional beliefs, emotional feelings, philosophic consciousness, and all of that, but the teaching of the Master requires the attainment of actual levels of real spirit progression.
160:5.13 (1782.4) 似神般的冲动意识并非真正宗教。崇拜神的情绪感受并非真正宗教。放弃自我而服侍神的确信之学问并非真正宗教。推理出这一宗教是所有宗教中最好之智慧，并非是作为一种个人灵性体验的宗教。真正的宗教涉及天命和达成之真实性，也涉及被全心信实接受之一切的真实性和理想主义。所有这一切必定会通过真理之灵的启示而成为我们自身的一部分。		160:5.13 (1782.4) The consciousness of the impulse to be like God is not true religion. The feelings of the emotion to worship God are not true religion. The knowledge of the conviction to forsake self and serve God is not true religion. The wisdom of the reasoning that this religion is the best of all is not religion as a personal and spiritual experience. True religion has reference to destiny and reality of attainment as well as to the reality and idealism of that which is wholeheartedly faith-accepted. And all of this must be made personal to us by the revelation of the Spirit of Truth.
160:5.14 (1782.5) 这个希腊哲学家的论述就这样结束了，他是其种族中最伟大的一个人，他成了耶稣福音的信奉者。		160:5.14 (1782.5) And thus ended the dissertations of the Greek philosopher, one of the greatest of his race, who had become a believer in the gospel of Jesus.