31. The Messenger
31. 使者

The souls who believe in a Messenger in any age because of his miraculous powers or by seeing the belief of his adherents, are the followers; but the souls to whom the presence of the Messenger is the evidence and to whom his words are a proof, and whose own belief is their conviction, they are the foundation of the world’s new Temple.

在任何時代，因為看見一位使者的神奇力量，或因為看見其追隨者的信仰，而相信這位使者的靈魂，是追隨者；但有些靈魂，使者的臨在本身就是他們的證據，他的話語就是他們的明證，而他們自身的信仰就是他們的確信；這些人是世界新聖殿的根基。

The disciples of the Teacher are as all objects of heaven and earth are to the sun. Some are respondent to the light of the sun, become hot and cold, some grow and thrive and bring out their color and fragrance. Some close their eyes and become blind in the light of the sun. In the heart of some arises cheerfulness with the rising of the sun. Some begin their life’s activities as the sun rises, some await the rising of the sun during dark depressing night, in pain and suffering. Some look forward to the clearing of the clouds and to see the smiles of the sun.

老師的弟子，就如天地萬物之於太陽。有些會回應太陽的光，隨之變暖或變冷；有些生長茁壯，展現自己的色彩與芬芳。有些閉上眼睛，在太陽的光中反而成了盲者。有些人的心，隨著太陽升起而生出喜悅。有些人在太陽升起時開始一天的活動；有些則在黑暗、令人低沉的夜裡，於痛苦與受難之中等待太陽升起。有些期待雲層散去，看見太陽的微笑。

But the stars and planets in heaven are still more respondent and are connected with the special current of the sun, their greatness is in their nearness to the sun. So are the disciples who are close to the Spirit of the Teacher; they are his special planets. They give out the light of the sun that is reflected in their heart.

然而，天上的星辰與行星對太陽的回應更加敏銳，並與太陽特殊的流動相連；它們的偉大，在於它們與太陽的接近。那些接近老師之靈的弟子也是如此；他們是屬於他的特殊行星。他們散發出反映在自己心中的太陽之光。

The Messenger has five aspects to his being.

使者的存在具有五個面向。

1. The first the Divine,
   第一是神聖，
2. the second the Ideal,
   第二是理想，
3. the third the Prophet,
   第三是先知，
4. the fourth the Message-Bearer,
   第四是神聖訊息的承載者，
5. the fifth the Teacher.
   第五是老師。

Four of these aspects have been terminated so that they may not be distinguished except one, the fifth, which is the Teacher.

這五個面向中的四個已經不再顯明為可辨識的面向；唯一仍然如此顯明的，是第五個面向——老師。

The absence of the ideal makes it easier for the idealistic devotee to make his ideal greater, but the presence of the ideal most often hinders the devotee in strengthening his ideal, for the ideal that grows and expands in the imagination of the devotee will always excel the ideal personality who is living on earth the life of limitations.

理想對象不在眼前時，反而更容易讓懷有理想的奉獻者將自己的理想提升得更加崇高；然而，當理想對象實際存在於眼前時，往往反而妨礙奉獻者強化自己的理想，因為在奉獻者想像中不斷成長、擴展的理想，總會超越那位活在世間、受有限生命所限的理想人物。

The Message is the answer to the cry of the individual and collective souls.

神聖訊息，是對個別靈魂與集體靈魂呼喊的回應。

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