22. The Spreading of the Message
22. 神聖訊息的傳播

July 13, 1926

1926 年 7 月 13 日

My Mureeds, I would like to speak a few words about the spreading of the Sufi Message.

我的門徒們，我想談幾句關於蘇菲神聖訊息的傳播。

One’s Conception of the Message
一個人對神聖訊息的理解

The idea of the Sufi Message in the conception of each mureed is different. Naturally it cannot be the same. For according to the point of view that each person has, he thinks about it.

每一位門徒對蘇菲神聖訊息的理解都不同。這自然不可能完全一樣，因為每個人都依照自己的觀點來看待它。

• Perhaps one thinks that it is a message for some individuals who are seeking after truth.
  也許有人認為，這是一個給那些尋求真理之人的訊息。
• There is another one who thinks that this is the Message for humanity.
  另一個人認為，這是給全人類的神聖訊息。
• There is another person who thinks that it is the Message for the most deep and most intelligent and subtle mind.
  又有人認為，這是給那些思想最深刻、最聰慧、最細膩之人的神聖訊息。
• And there is another person who thinks that this is the Message for the simple ones.
  也有人認為，這是給單純之人的神聖訊息。
• There is a person who thinks that this is the Message of wisdom.
  有人認為，這是智慧的神聖訊息。
• And another person calls it the Message of God.
  另一個人稱它為神的神聖訊息。
• There is another person who says, “Murshid’s Message.”
  又有人說：「這是穆希德（Murshid）的神聖訊息。」

[譯註] Murshid 是蘇菲傳統中對靈性導師的稱呼。

• There is one person who says, “This is the Message.”
  有人說：「這就是那神聖訊息。」
• And another person who says, “This is a message.”
  另一個人則說：「這只是一個訊息。」

But at the same time each has come to drink at this pool of water, whatever they call it; if they call it a lake, or the sea, or the ocean, or a river, or a tank, or a jug full of water, they have come to it looking for the water. The difference is that perhaps one calls it the sea, another the river, the other a well, the other a pool of water, the other calls it a stream.

然而同時，不論他們如何稱呼它，每一個人都是來到這池水邊飲水的。他們可以稱它為湖、海、大洋、河、水池，或一只裝滿水的壺；他們來到這裡，都是為了尋找水。差別只在於，也許有人稱它為海，有人稱它為河，有人稱它為井，有人稱它為一池水，也有人稱它為溪流。

And now if the one who said, “This is the sea,” became cross and annoyed with the one who called it a pool of water, by his annoyance he would spoil the conception of this person still more. First he said, “It is a stream of water.” Now he says, “It is a drop.” Why? Because you say that it is the sea. The psychology of human nature is very strange. The susceptibility of mankind is so subtle.

如果那個說「這是海」的人，對那個稱它為一池水的人生氣、惱怒，那麼他的惱怒只會使對方對它的理解變得更糟。原本那個人還說：「這是一道溪流。」現在他卻說：「它只是一滴水。」為什麼？因為你堅稱它是海。人的心理非常奇特，人類的敏感性又是如此細微。

Therefore I wish to say that every mureed — whatever conception of the Message he has — is a defender of the Cause, is our collaborator, and is eager to serve in a lesser degree or in a greater degree.

因此我想說，每一位門徒——不論他對神聖訊息有怎樣的理解——都是這項志業的守護者，是我們共同工作的伙伴，也都渴望以或多或少的程度來服務。

• No doubt, one thinks that, “I can serve the Message best by working at home.”
  毫無疑問，有人認為：「我把家裡的事做好，就是服務神聖訊息最好的方式。」
• And another thinks that, “I can serve the Message better by doing my business better.”
  另一個人認為：「我把自己的事業做得更好，就能更好地服務神聖訊息。」
• Another says, “I can serve the Message best if I do my profession better.”
  又有人說：「如果我把自己的專業做得更好，就能最好地服務神聖訊息。」
• “I can serve the Message best by doing active work.”
  「實際投入工作，就是我服務神聖訊息最好的方式。」
• And another thinks, “I can serve the Message best by thinking about it.”
  另一個人認為：「思考神聖訊息，就是我服務它最好的方式。」
• And another one says, “By developing spiritually I can serve the Message.”
  又有人說：「藉著靈性上的成長，我就能服務神聖訊息。」

And each of them has reason, and each one of them says the truth. It is so.

他們每一個人都有他的道理，每一個人說的也都是真實的。事情確實如此。

• Maybe one person can help the Message better by not doing anything, while another person can help the Message better by acting in the Cause.
  也許有一個人什麼都不做，反而更能幫助神聖訊息；另一個人則透過實際投入這項志業，更能有所幫助。
• There is another person who can help us by thought, another person who can help us by word.
  有人可以用思想來幫助我們，也有人可以用言語來幫助我們。
• And there is another person whose sympathy can help us more than action. Perhaps his action would spoil the work more, because in order to act one must know how to act. That is another lesson. A person eager enough, who wishes to act before knowing how to act, may himself become disappointed and may disappoint others.
  還有人以他的同理心來幫助我們，比實際行動更有益。也許他的行動反而會更容易把事情弄壞，因為要採取行動，一個人必須先知道該如何行動。那又是另一門功課。一個非常熱切的人，若還不知道該如何行動便急著行動，可能不但自己失望，也讓別人失望。

Nevertheless, there is a part in the Sufi Order for every mureed. No mureed must for one moment think that because he is not given a particular work, he has nothing to do for the Cause. Each one can do something in his own way, can render some little service to the Cause just the same.

然而，在蘇菲教團中，每一位門徒都有自己的一份位置。任何門徒都不應有一刻認為，只因為沒有被交付某項特定工作，他對這項志業就無事可做。每一個人都可以用自己的方式做些什麼，都同樣可以為這項志業盡一點服務。

How the Work Is Done
這項工作如何進行

And now, how this work must be done. This work must be done by harmonious cooperation, with appreciation for those who are doing something and with eagerness on one’s own part to do one’s best. The person who is focused only on the work he is doing, without appreciating the work that others are doing, does not cooperate, although he serves the Cause. Cooperation is very necessary, and that comes by the appreciation of the work of the others in the Cause.

接下來，是這項工作應當如何進行。這項工作必須透過和諧的合作來完成：欣賞那些正在付出的人，同時自己也熱切地盡力而為。一個人若只專注於自己所做的工作，卻不欣賞別人所做的工作，即使他是在服務這項志業，也不能算是在合作。合作非常重要，而合作來自對其他人在這項志業中所做工作的欣賞。

No matter what particular work has been given to certain mureeds, those who have not any work, even they in their turn have a certain duty, have a certain work to do for the Cause, if they only knew it, if they only thought about it. A service that is a world service, a work that is to be done for the whole humanity, has a very vast scope; and it is so vast that if we were one thousand times greater in number, still the scope of our work would be too large for each of us to manage. The wider we look at the work of the Sufi Movement, the more we shall see that for each one of us there is a scope of working. There is no reason for us to think, “Another has got the work; we need not do the work.” No, for each there is much to be done for the Cause if he only realized it, if he only knew it. But then one has to make this clear, what one must do.

無論某些門徒被交付了什麼特定工作，那些沒有被指派工作的人，其實也都有自己的責任，都有某些能為這項志業去做的事，只要他們知道，只要他們願意思考。服務世界、為全人類而做的工作，其範圍極其廣大；它廣大到即使我們的人數增加一千倍，這工作的範圍對我們每一個人而言仍然大得做不完。我們愈廣闊地看蘇菲運動的工作，就愈會看見，每一個人都有可以工作的空間。我們沒有理由認為：「別人已經有工作了，我們就不用做了。」不，每一個人都有許多能為這項志業做的事，只要他意識到，只要他知道。只是接下來必須弄清楚，自己究竟該做什麼。

The first work of the Sufi Message can be done by thinking within oneself and finding in what way one can make oneself a better instrument every day and every hour of the day. And if the work makes one forget that, then no doubt in the end one will find greater and greater difficulty as one goes further. But if one finds within oneself the capability, the scope, the desire of working, and ever-growing enthusiasm and sympathy, then intuitively he will begin. But if he sees inwardly he will see it is a very large scope of work, he will begin to see a wide horizon of work before his eyes, and he will say that, “It is too large a horizon for me to work. ” He will never say that it is a small scope of work to do. Even the smallest scope of work–which from outer understanding seems to be small–as soon as we have the inner understanding of the same it will be the largest work.

為蘇菲神聖訊息所做的第一項工作，可以從內在的思考開始：去發現自己每天、一天中的每一個時刻，能如何使自己成為一個更好的器皿。如果外在的工作使一個人忘記了這件事，那麼毫無疑問，隨著他愈往前走，最後會發現困難愈來愈大。然而，如果一個人在自己裡面發現了能力、工作的空間、工作的意願，以及不斷增長的熱忱與同理心，他自然會憑直覺開始行動。但若他向內看，他就會發現工作的範圍其實非常廣大；他會開始看見眼前展開一片遼闊的工作地平線，並且說：「這個工作範圍對我來說實在太廣大了。」他絕不會說，可以做的工作很少。即使是最小的一項工作——從外在的理解看來似乎很小——一旦我們對它有了內在的理解，它就會成為極其重大的工作。

The work of the Cause must be looked at as a magic work. It is a load. If you don’t know what it is and you carry it, it is small, but as soon as you become conscious of it, it is very large. Because then you know your responsibility, your duty in what you say and in what you do and how you act toward it.

我們必須把這項志業的工作看作一種帶有魔力的工作。它是一份重擔。當你不知道自己所承擔的是什麼，只是把它扛著時，它看起來很小；但一旦你意識到它是什麼，它立刻變得非常重大。因為這時你知道了自己的責任，也知道自己所說的話、所做的事，以及自己如何對待這項工作，都負有責任。

It is always the case when you work in this world, whether you work rightly or wrongly, there is always criticism for you and praise at the same time. There will be some who will praise and there will be others who will criticize. Know therefore that those who will criticize your capability probably only have seen the part that is to be criticized, and those who praise have seen the part that is to be praised. You need not be too confident about yourself, nor should you be too discouraged because another one criticizes you. Besides, horseback riders fall many times before they become good riders. And those who work in the world in a great Cause, as they go they make errors, they make mistakes.

在這個世界上做事總是如此：無論你做得對或錯，都會同時有人批評，也有人讚美。有人會稱讚你，也有人會批評你。因此要知道，那些批評你能力的人，也許只看見了值得批評的那一部分；那些稱讚你的人，則看見了值得稱讚的那一部分。你不必因此對自己過度自信，也不應因為別人的批評而過度灰心。況且，一個人要成為優秀的騎手以前，總會從馬背上摔下許多次。那些在世間為一項偉大志業工作的人，也會在前進的過程中犯錯、犯下失誤。

It is natural. One should not feel discouraged because one has made a mistake; one should not feel discouraged that one did wrong. One should only think, “There is the whole life for us to learn. If today we do wrong, tomorrow it will be better.” There will always be a hope. One must never think, “No, no, I don’t know how to do the work. I shall always be doing wrong.” Never think about it. Life is a school where one learns a lesson; every day we do wrong, and every day we improve if we care to learn from it. If we only study, we can go forward by doing wrong. But if we lose our hope and enthusiasm and say, “I made a mistake yesterday; I am not fit for the work,” that is not right.

這是自然的。一個人不應因為犯了錯而灰心，也不應因為做錯了事而灰心。他只需要想：「我們有整個一生可以學習。今天做錯了，明天就會做得更好。」希望永遠都在。一個人絕不能想：「不，不，我不知道該怎麼做這份工作。我永遠都會做錯。」永遠不要這樣想。生命是一所學校，我們在其中學習功課；我們每天都會做錯事，而只要願意從中學習，也每天都能有所進步。只要我們肯學，就連犯錯也能使我們向前。但如果我們失去了希望與熱忱，說：「我昨天犯了錯，我不適合做這項工作。」那就不對了。

And suppose we have done right, we have done the work to our satisfaction, and others don’t show appreciation? We have criticism all the same, with wrong–and right–doing. Then also never be discouraged, because the best judge is God Himself. Since you are working in the path of God and you are devoting your time and energy to the Cause of God, God is the Judge. So long as you are sincere in your work and you are doing your best, what does it matter if the whole world says you are doing wrong? You are in the right just the same.

那麼，假設我們做對了，工作也做到自己滿意，但別人卻沒有表示欣賞呢？無論做錯或做對，我們同樣都可能受到批評。即使如此，也絕不要灰心，因為最好的審判者就是神自己。既然你是在神的道路上工作，把自己的時間與精力奉獻給神的志業，那麼神就是審判者。只要你對自己的工作真誠，也已經盡了最大的努力，即使全世界都說你做錯了，又有什麼關係？你仍然是對的。

The most needed thing in working for the Movement is not only the work, but good will: a sympathetic attitude toward one another. One must always know that work, no matter what kind of work it is, is intoxicating. It makes one forget many things — it makes one forget oneself, it makes one forget the principle, it makes one forget many different things because life itself intoxicates. And to keep oneself wide awake through it and accomplish one’s work and help another with good will — appreciating what each one does in his own way and trying to do one’s best and allow another to do his best — is the right attitude to take in the Sufi work.

為蘇菲運動工作時，最需要的不只是工作本身，還有善意：彼此以同理的態度相待。一個人必須永遠明白，不論是哪一種工作，都具有令人陶醉的力量。它會使人忘記許多事——忘記自己，忘記原則，也忘記其他許多事情，因為生命本身就具有令人陶醉的力量。在這一切之中保持完全清醒，完成自己的工作，又以善意幫助別人——欣賞每一個人以自己的方式所做的事，自己盡力而為，也讓別人盡其所能——這才是在蘇菲工作中應有的態度。

In my opinion, although it is many years since the Sufi Message began its activity, yet when you look at it from a mystical point of view, in the time that it has to cover in the world’s life, it is only an infant. It is in its cradle, it is not known to the world. And if it is known to some few of us, I can’t dare say that it is known to all of us; I can only say, to some few of us. And as it is infant work, then those of us who know more or less about the Message must know that we are in the most critical time, for the very reason that it is just beginning. An infant which cannot stand on its feet is in a helpless condition. It is just born, it requires great care.

依我看，雖然蘇菲神聖訊息展開其活動已經有許多年，但若從祕士的觀點來看，相對於它將在世界生命中走過的漫長時間，它仍只是一個嬰兒。它還躺在搖籃裡，尚未為世界所知。即使我們少數幾個人知道它，我也不敢說我們所有人都真正了解它；我只能說，我們當中有少數幾個人知道它。既然這項工作還處於嬰兒階段，那麼我們這些多少了解神聖訊息的人就必須知道：我們正處在最關鍵的時刻，原因正是它才剛剛開始。一個還不能靠雙腳站立的嬰兒，是處在無助的狀態。它才剛出生，需要極大的照料。

And who ought to take care? God from above. And we, some few who are brought by Providence closer together to work hand in hand, it is we who are the guardians of this infant on earth. Then imagine how great is our responsibility. Something which should have been guarded by numberless swords, something which should have been guarded by machine gun, by forces, by fortification of rocks, something so important in the life of the world is in our care. And it is our work now to take care of it. Each of us is responsible for it for the coming generation, for humanity, for the world. It will reach as breath into the nations, it will run as electric current through the hearts. But let it stand, it is just born.

那麼，誰應該照料它？在上方，是神。而我們——這少數因天意而被帶到一起、彼此靠近、攜手工作的人——就是這個嬰兒在人間的守護者。想想看，我們的責任有多麼重大。一件本應由無數刀劍守護、本應由機槍、武力與岩石般的堡壘守護的事物，一件在世界生命中如此重要的事，如今就在我們的照料之下。而我們現在的工作，就是照料它。我們每一個人都要為它對未來的世代、對人類、對世界負責。它將如呼吸一般進入各個民族，如電流一般穿過人們的心。但此刻，先讓它能夠站立起來；它才剛剛出生。

And this we can only do to our best by extending our sympathy first to one another, those who are working hand in hand in the Cause. Our sympathy to others is the next step. Our first step is to one another here among ourselves. Some of us have faults, some of us have errors, some of us will make mistakes; but still we are together. If we make mistakes, if we make errors, then we expect the other one to forgive us, to take care of us. For the reason that we make a mistake, the others must help us. It is by this unity that we shall keep strong and will supply the numberless swords and machine guns and forces made of rock: by our sympathy with one another, by our enthusiasm, and by our rock-like faith.

而我們若要盡力做到這一點，首先就必須把同理心給予彼此，給予那些在這項志業中攜手工作的人。把同理心給予其他人，是下一步；我們的第一步，是先給予此地彼此之間的同伴。我們當中有些人有缺點，有些人會有失誤，有些人會犯錯；但我們仍然在一起。如果我們犯了錯、出了差錯，就會期待別人原諒我們、照顧我們。正因為我們會犯錯，其他人更應該幫助我們。正是透過這樣的團結，我們才能保持堅強，也才能補上那無數的刀劍、機槍與岩石般的力量——靠的是我們彼此的同理、我們的熱忱，以及我們如磐石般的信念。

I do not wish to say this to mureeds who have not yet conceived the idea of the Sufi Message; but those who have a little spark in their heart somewhere hidden, they cannot say it in words, they cannot speak about it, and yet they cannot help feeling for it. To them there is my appeal that this is the most critical time for us because we are beginning. It is the same as with a little seedling which has not yet grown into a plant. Birds can come, animals can come, insects can eat it up, or anyone can walk over it and spoil it. But when it turns into a tree, then it supports itself, then its own strength will support it. Our responsibility therefore is to keep this little seedling with such care, to rear it, to water it, to let it have the sun and the air, and to consider it our sacred responsibility to let it grow and spread and bring the fruits and flowers that it has to bring to humanity.

我不是要對那些尚未形成對蘇菲神聖訊息之理解的門徒說這些話；我要呼喚的是那些心中某處藏著一點火花的人。他們無法用言語說出來，也無法談論它，卻又無法不對它有所感受。我要對這些人呼籲：此刻是我們最關鍵的時期，因為我們才剛剛開始。這就像一株尚未長成植物的小幼苗。鳥可能飛來，動物可能過來，昆蟲可能把它吃掉，也可能有人從上面踩過，把它毀了。但當它長成一棵樹，它就能支撐自己，它自身的力量會支撐它。因此，我們的責任就是如此細心地保護這株幼苗，培育它、澆灌它，讓它得到陽光與空氣，並把這視為我們神聖的責任：讓它成長、擴展，結出它應當帶給人類的果實，開出它應當帶給人類的花朵。

Those who have a little time and those who are blessed by Providence, who can leave their country and go to another country, must consider this: that at this time we need workers of the Cause more than we have ever needed them before. There are so many cities and so many countries where interest is growing, where there is great demand and where there is such a great need for someone to further the Cause. And what is lacking? The person is lacking, the person who should go there and stay and do the work. In the United States there is such a great need of workers. If we had two hundred workers just now to begin in the United States, they could easily have a wide scope of work, each of them. In Germany it has just begun; it requires so much help and so much work to be done. And it is without workers that the work in Munich is suffering. If one of the old workers had stayed in Munich for some time there could have been great progress made. There are places in Switzerland and in Scandinavia where it has just begun. It greatly needs the help of mureeds who can go there and work and further the Cause.

那些有一些時間的人，以及蒙天意祝福、能夠離開自己的國家前往另一個國家的人，必須想到這件事：在此時此刻，我們比過去任何時候都更需要這項志業的工作者。有這麼多城市、這麼多國家，對神聖訊息的興趣正在增長，那裡有很大的需求，也非常需要有人去推進這項志業。那麼，我們缺少的是什麼？缺少的是人——能夠前往那裡、留下來並投入工作的人。在美國，工作者的需求如此巨大。如果此刻我們有兩百名工作者可以在美國展開工作，他們每一個人都很容易找到廣大的工作空間。在德國，這項工作才剛剛開始，需要大量的幫助，也有許多工作要做。慕尼黑的工作正因為缺乏工作者而受阻。如果有一位資深的工作者曾在慕尼黑停留一段時間，那裡原本可以有很大的進展。在瑞士與斯堪地那維亞的一些地方，工作也才剛開始。那裡非常需要能夠前往工作、推進這項志業的門徒協助。

We must therefore become conscious of our need. Our greatly felt need is the workers. Never think for one moment that I have ever had anxiety about the means. When we began there was nothing. At that time I had no anxiety; neither today have I any anxiety about it. If my heart has any anxiety, it is for the workers. All else will come. If we had a business, an industry, it would be different; then I would be thinking about something else. Our work is the service of humanity. If we have no roof to begin with, we shall do it outside the roof; the roof will come next.

因此，我們必須意識到自己真正的需要。我們最迫切的需要，是工作者。千萬不要以為，我曾經有哪怕一刻為物質上的方法與資源憂慮過。當我們開始時，什麼都沒有。那時我並不憂慮，今天我也不為此憂慮。如果我心中有任何憂慮，那就是工作者。一切其他的東西都會來。如果我們經營的是一門生意或一項產業，那情況就不同，我就會去思考別的問題。但我們的工作，是服務人類。如果一開始連屋頂都沒有，我們就在露天做；屋頂之後自然會來。

If we have no money to advertise, we shall call our friends first. If there are five or ten or twenty gathered together, we shall begin doing it in the park. What is necessary is that enthusiasm, that consciousness of our need in furthering the Cause. And in what way will my friends, my mureeds show their sympathy, their devotion to their teacher? I will always appreciate most their sympathy, their devotion, their love, their friendship in helping me further the Cause, because this is the greatest burden. And if in this burden the mureeds will help in every way they can, that is the help that will be valued and most appreciated.

如果我們沒有錢做宣傳，那就先邀請朋友。如果有五個人、十個人或二十個人聚在一起，我們就到公園裡開始。真正需要的，是那份熱忱，以及對我們必須推進這項志業之需要的清楚認知。那麼，我的朋友、我的門徒，要用什麼方式向他們的老師表達同理心與奉獻呢？我最珍視的，永遠是他們透過幫助我推進這項志業而展現的同理、奉獻、愛與友誼，因為這是最大的重擔。如果門徒們能在這份重擔上，以自己所能做到的每一種方式來幫助，那就是最有價值、也是最令我感激的幫助。

God Bless You.

願神祝福你們。

---