38. Five Things Necessary for a Student
38. 學生所需的五件事

May 22, 1924
1924 年 5 月 22 日

My Students, It is not necessary to explain in words the joy that I feel in coming and seeing you again. For in the initiation we are so linked together that distance in reality is not a distance. Nevertheless, in this physical plane to meet together is also necessary.

我的學生們，我再次來到這裡與你們相見，心中的喜悅無須用言語來說明。因為在啟蒙之中，我們彼此如此緊密相連，實際上，距離並不是真正的距離。然而，在這個物質層面上，彼此相聚也是必要的。

1. Practices
練習

And now I wish to explain how many things are necessary for a student. The first thing most necessary for a student is to try to keep up the spiritual exercises which are given, without any break. If you are tired, if you were occupied too much, if conditions were not favorable, I do not mean that it is urged upon you, but I mean that it is for your betterment to keep those exercises without a gap between them.

現在，我想說明一位學生有哪些必需之事。對學生而言，第一件最重要的事，就是努力持續所給予的靈性練習，不使它中斷。如果你很疲倦，如果你太過忙碌，如果情況不允許，我並不是說一定要勉強你去做；我的意思是，能夠不中斷地持續這些練習，對你自己更有益處。

Would you believe, if I may say so, that the effect of certain practices comes even after ten years or twelve years? A person without patience might think, “I did not have immediate results after two, three months.” But he may not think so. If they are seeds which you sow in the ground, they take root and a plant comes. But in order for the plant to be fruitful it takes ten years. This is the spiritual sowing. It might take a much longer time in some cases. In some cases the next day the result might show. There are some plants which come quicker, others which take time to bear fruit. But still the spiritual sowing has its result, and a sure result. Never therefore to doubt, to be discouraged, to give up hope; but to continue, persevering in this path.

如果我說，有些練習甚至要經過十年或十二年之後，效果才會出現，你相信嗎？沒有耐心的人可能會想：「我做了兩三個月，卻沒有立刻得到結果。」但不應這樣想。就像你把種子播進土裡，它會生根，長成植物；然而，要等到這株植物結出果實，可能需要十年。這就是靈性的播種。在某些情況下，它可能需要更長的時間；另一些情況下，也可能第二天就看見結果。有些植物長得很快，有些則需要時間才會結果。然而，靈性的播種終究會有結果，而且是確實的結果。因此，永遠不要懷疑，不要灰心，也不要放棄希望，而要繼續在這條道路上堅持前行。

2. Study
學習

Now the second necessity for the student is the study part. It must not be a study only as the reading of a book: it must be a study of engraving upon one’s heart the Gathas, Gathekas, all the literature that is given, however simple it might seem to grasp it. Because you will find that it is creative in itself. It is a phrase just now; after six months the same phrase will flourish, there will come branches, flowers, and fruits in that phrase. It is a simple phrase, but it is a living phrase. The more you study and grasp it, the more your heart will be creative. Therefore do not consider it a study only, but a meditation, even in your studies.

對學生而言，第二件必需之事是學習。這不應只是像讀一本書那樣的學習；而是要把《嘉語錄》(Gathas)、《嘉談錄》(Gathekas)，以及所給予的一切文獻銘刻在心中，無論它們看起來多麼簡單、多麼容易理解。因為你會發現，它們本身具有創生的力量。現在它只是一句話；六個月之後，同一句話會綻放開來，從其中長出枝葉、花朵與果實。那是一句簡單的話，卻是一句活的話。你愈是學習它、領會它，你的心便愈具有創生力。因此，不要只把它看作學習；即使是在學習之中，也要把它視為一種冥想。

3. Balance
平衡

The third important thing in the life of a student is to live a life of balance between activity and repose, of regularity. Not too much work, nor too much rest: a balance between activity and repose. Because when we put the idea before the world we shall be responsible to show it in our lives. Therefore our lives must be as balanced as possible.

學生生活中的第三件重要之事，是過一種在活動與休息之間保持平衡、具有規律的生活。不要工作過度，也不要休息過度，而要在活動與休息之間取得平衡。因為當我們把這個理念呈現在世人面前時，我們也有責任在自己的生活中展現它。因此，我們的生活必須盡可能保持平衡。

Besides that, in eating, in drinking, there must be a kind of moderation, which I am sure many of us have. And a kind of consideration from the meditative point of view. Because for the spiritual growth a certain food is more recommended than another. Therefore we in the spiritual path cannot always be neglectful of that question.

除此之外，在飲食方面也需要有所節制，我相信我們許多人已經如此。同時，也應從冥想的角度加以考量。因為對靈性成長而言，有些食物比另一些食物更適合。因此，走在靈性道路上的我們，不能總是忽略這個問題。

4. Attitude
態度

And now there comes the fourth question, how must our attitude be towards others? Towards the students our attitude must be affectionate sympathy. Towards non-students our attitude must be tolerant sympathy.

現在來到第四個問題：我們對他人的態度應當如何？對其他學生，我們的態度應當是帶著關愛的同理；對不是學生的人，我們的態度則應當是帶著寬容的同理。

The best thing in the world is not to force upon others what we understand and what we believe. By forcing it upon others we only spoil them. By discussing, arguing with them, we do not accomplish anything.

最好的做法，就是不要把我們所理解的、所相信的強加在別人身上。把這些強加於人，只會把事情弄壞。與人爭論、辯駁，也不會有任何成果。

Besides, for a student it is most advisable that he must keep his conversation limited so as not to say things which might seem to the others too occult, too mystical, too spiritual. Our conversation must be like an ordinary conversation. Things about spirits and ghosts and elementals, apparitions and all sorts of things — people like to talk about their past and present and next incarnation, what they were and what they will be. We must not commit ourselves in talking about these things. These things are for every individual to find out for himself. By talking we neither do good to ourselves nor good to the others.

此外，對學生而言，最適宜的是對自己的談話有所節制，不要談論那些在別人看來可能過於玄祕、過於神祕、過於靈性的事。我們的談話應當像一般人的日常談話。至於靈、鬼魂、元素靈、顯靈等等——人們喜歡談論自己過去、現在和下一世的轉世，談自己曾經是什麼、將來又會成為什麼。我們不應讓自己捲入這些談論。這些事應由每個人自己去發現。談論這些，既無益於自己，也無益於他人。

If we can only talk about simple things of everyday life, there are so many things that we shall have enough subjects to speak over with others. Ideas of the air must be left in the air. Standing on the earth we must talk of everyday life, leaving every individual free for himself as we like to be left free ourselves.

只要談日常生活中簡單的事，就已經有那麼多事情可談，足以讓我們與別人有說不完的話題。空中的想法，就讓它們留在空中。當我們站在大地上，就談日常生活中的事，讓每個人保有自己的自由，就如同我們也希望別人讓我們保有自己的自由。

Besides, the Sufi does not give a definite idea of these things because Sufism is freedom, freedom of conception, of belief. It does not give people any dogmas: that you must believe this or that. It does not present before humanity particular dogmas, and very often for the same reason Sufism is accused of being against certain dogmas. But it is not so. If we do not speak about them it is not that we are against them, but because we do not like to speak about them. We prefer being silent to talking too much about them.

此外，蘇菲對這些事並不提出一套確定的觀念，因為蘇菲之道就是自由——思想觀念的自由、信仰的自由。它不給人任何教條，不會說你必須相信這個或那個。它不在人類面前提出特定的教條；也正因如此，蘇菲之道常被指責為反對某些教條。但事實並非如此。我們不談論那些教條，並不是因為反對它們，而只是因為我們不喜歡談論它們。比起談論太多，我們寧願保持沉默。

These are things of intimate conversation. When a student is conversing with his teacher, with his fellow student, perhaps one talks about it. These are not the things to talk about at the tea table. It would make the inner laws of life and nature ridiculous. When nature, when life itself covers its laws, then it means that they are best covered. When we uncover them we certainly commit a fault against the hidden nature of things. It is therefore it is called Sufism. By the word Sufism is meant keeping the cover over the hidden laws of nature which are meant to be covered. As soon as one uncovers them it means in the first place one does not know their value. Then he goes no further; he cannot go any further. It is the one who knows their value who will go further. Who has no respect for them, who brings them to the market, cannot go any further; he has a setback.

這些屬於私下深入交談的事。當學生與自己的老師或同修交談時，也許會談到這些。但這些並不是茶桌上閒聊的話題。那樣做，會使生命與自然的內在法則變得可笑。當自然、當生命本身將其法則遮蔽起來時，就表示它們最好受到遮蔽。當我們揭開它們時，無疑就是違背了萬物隱祕的本性。這正是它被稱為蘇菲之道的原因。所謂蘇菲之道，就是讓那些原本應被遮蔽的自然祕密法則繼續受到遮蔽。一旦有人揭開它們，首先就表示他不知道它們的價值。這樣的人便無法再往前走；他不能再進一步。唯有知道它們價值的人，才能繼續向前。不尊重它們、把它們拿到市場上公開兜售的人，無法再進一步；他反而會倒退。

As we go further we shall have to face a great trial. As soon as people know that we are interested in these things, they will ask us a lot of questions. They will want us to make a prophecy, want us to say uncommon things that will interest them. We shall be put to test. So you can quite see that it is the path of silence. The more we keep our lips closed the more the way is open, the more doors are open for us. The attitude itself opens them. We do not need to open them. We only need to expect them. What is not common, is not common. When you want to make them common that means putting down Heaven on the earth, instead of raising the earth towards Heaven.

當我們繼續向前時，將會面臨一場很大的考驗。一旦人們知道我們對這些事情有興趣，就會問我們許多問題。他們會要我們預言未來，也會要我們說些不同尋常、足以引起他們興趣的事。我們會受到考驗。因此，你可以很清楚地看見，這是一條沉默之路。我們愈能保持沉默，前方的道路就愈開展，也有愈多扇門為我們開啟。這種態度本身就會把門打開。我們不需要自己去開門，只需要等待它們開啟。本來不尋常的事，就是不尋常的事。當你想把它們變成尋常之事，那就等於把天堂拉到地上，而不是把大地提升向天堂。

Our attitude with others must therefore be humble, unpretentious, and ordinary.

因此，我們對待他人的態度，必須謙遜、不矯飾，而且平常自然。

5. Application
實踐

Now the fifth thing. We must not leave our meditation and prayers just to those fixed times when we do, because that is only the winding of the thing. But in our everyday life we ought to bring the sense of it into our action, in everything we do at home or outside. We must use that latent power and inspiration aroused by our meditations; we should make use of it. By practicing to make use of it we shall benefit ourselves and others by all we are doing.

現在來到第五件事。我們不能只在固定的時間冥想和祈禱，因為那只是為這個機制上緊發條而已。在日常生活中，我們應當把其中的感受帶進自己的行動，帶進我們在家中或外面所做的每一件事。我們必須運用冥想所喚起的潛在力量與靈感；我們應當真正加以運用。藉由不斷練習運用它，我們所做的一切便能使自己與他人都受益。

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