15. The Call from Above
15. 來自上方的召喚

August 25, 1925

1925 年 8 月 25 日

My Blessed Mureeds,

我蒙福的門徒們：

I should like to speak this evening on the subject, “Call from Above.” This subject is no doubt in connection with the Message, but at the same time it can be understood by understanding the nature of everyday life.

今晚我想談的主題是「來自上方的召喚」。這個主題無疑與神聖訊息有關，但同時，我們也可以藉由理解日常生活的本質來理解它。

We read in the Qur’an that, “Nothing moves, even an atom, without the command of God.”

我們在《古蘭經》中讀到：「沒有任何事物在移動時——即使是一個原子——能離開神的命令。」

In other words, there is only one power that moves things and beings towards a certain purpose, and that power is the source of the different degrees of strength which we see in different persons. And it is by that power that everything that happens is accomplished. Therefore it would not be an exaggeration if I quoted a poet before you who says that, “God speaks to every man, but every man does not listen to the word of God.” This deafness of the heart is a natural outcome of our life in the world. If by the help of meditation we raise the heart to a certain pitch, then the word of God becomes manifest.

換句話說，只有一種力量，推動一切事物與眾生朝向某個目的；而我們在不同的人身上所看見的不同程度的力量，都源自這一力量。所有發生的事，也都是藉著這力量而完成。因此，如果我在你們面前引用一位詩人的話，也並不誇張。他說：「神對每一個人說話，但並不是每一個人都聆聽神的話語。」心的這種耳聾，是我們生活在這個世界中自然產生的結果。如果藉由冥想的幫助，我們將心提升、調整到某一個音高，那麼神的話語便會自行顯明。

To have the clear idea of this subject one may study it in the Hebrew scriptures, where it is said in two different ways. It is said that God spoke to Jacob, that God spoke to Abraham, that God spoke to Moses. And in the other form it is said that the angel Gabriel brought the Message of God to Moses. These are two different forms in which it is put. In one form it is said, “God spoke to the prophet.” That form is a plain form, that when the heart of the prophet was lifted and was raised to that pitch where it can hear the Word of God, it heard the Word of God. The idea of an angel bringing the Message of God is more symbolical.

若要清楚理解這個主題，可以從希伯來經典中加以探究，其中以兩種不同的方式來表達這件事。一種說法是：神對雅各說話，神對亞伯拉罕說話，神對摩西說話。另一種說法則是：天使加百列將神的訊息帶給摩西。這是兩種不同的表達方式。其中一種說：「神對先知說話。」這是一種直接的說法，也就是說，當先知的心被提升，提升到能夠聽見神之話語的那個音高時，他便聽見了神的話語。至於天使帶來神的訊息這個觀念，則更具象徵性。

It is easier for man to understand an angel bringing the Message than God speaking directly. As soon as one says, “God spoke,” then a person says, “Has God lips to speak, has He then a form, is He then like a human being, is He then an entity, separate from our being?” And if these questions were answered, “Yes, it is so,” that means that every possibility of a person coming to the understanding of God was covered by a pacifying answer. But if it is said, “An angel brought the Message,” then people begin to think, “Yes, it is an entity who brought the Message.” The postman could come from God to the earth and bring the Message. It’s just like saying a dove brought a letter. One can quite understand that a dove could fly and bring a letter.

對人而言，比起神直接說話，更容易理解的是由天使帶來神的訊息。只要一說「神說話了」，人便會問：「神有嘴唇可以說話嗎？那麼祂有形相嗎？祂像人類一樣嗎？那麼祂是一個與我們的存在分離的個別存在者嗎？」如果對這些問題回答：「是的，就是如此。」那就意味著，人所有可能進一步理解神的機會，都被這個令人安心的答案遮蔽了。但如果說：「一位天使帶來了神的訊息。」人們便開始想：「是的，是一個存在者帶來了這個訊息。」彷彿有一位郵差可以從神那裡來到世上，把訊息帶來。這就像說，一隻鴿子帶來了一封信。我們很容易理解，一隻鴿子能夠飛來並帶著一封信。

Besides, for a mystic, for the prophet, God is not only a person of his belief, nor for him is God an abstract Being, as for a cold philosopher. For a mystic God is everything, God is as much abstract as He is a person. It is in this person of God, which has become a reality to a mystic, that the Message of truth comes.

此外，對祕士、對先知而言，神不只是他信仰中的一位人格存在；神對他而言，也不像對一位冷峻的哲學家那樣，只是一個抽象的存在者。對祕士而言，神是一切；神既是抽象的，也同樣具有位格。正是在神的這一位格中——它對祕士而言已經成為實相——真理的訊息由此而來。

But it is not an easy thing to make a God of imagination and make out of Him a reality. For every person it is like making an idol, a statue, and trying to make the statue live. The other thing is even more difficult than making the statue live.

然而，要從想像中塑造出一位神，並使祂成為實相，並不是容易的事。對每一個人而言，這就像塑造一尊偶像、一座雕像，然後試著使這座雕像活起來。而另一件事，甚至比使雕像活起來更加困難。

But if ever anyone has reached God, he has not reached by finding God in the abstract, something where nothing is to be found. But he had to make God, and then through that God, which was once made, that God of abstract spoke. This was the vehicle through which God gave His Message.

然而，任何真正曾經到達神的人，都不是藉由在抽象之中尋找神而到達祂——在那裡，沒有任何東西可供尋得。他必須先塑造出神；然後，透過那位被塑造出來的神，那位抽象的神才開口說話。這就是神傳達祂的訊息所藉由的載體。

In other words, electricity is all over, everywhere. In order to bring it to manifestation it was necessary to produce dense material to attract it, and to bring about that light. In order to make the abstract God speak, one has to make first a vehicle; that is the form of God of which the prophets spoke.

換句話說，電遍布於一切地方。若要使它顯現出來，就必須有稠密的物質將它吸引過來，從而產生那道光。若要使抽象的神開口說話，首先必須造出一個載體；那就是先知們所說的神之形相。

There is a saying of Sa’adi that, “Every soul in this world is born for a certain purpose, and the light of that purpose is kindled in his soul.”

薩迪有一句話說：「世上的每一個靈魂，都是為了某一個目的而出生，而那個目的之光已在他的靈魂中點燃。」

Prophetic message therefore is distinct, and it has its definite work to accomplish.

因此，先知性的訊息有其獨特之處，也有它明確要完成的工作。

Now the difference between God’s Message is as powerful as God Himself, as living as God Himself, as expanding as God Himself, and as fulfilling of its Purpose on earth as God Himself. What the servants of the Sufi Message, who have joined together hand in hand to render service in time of need to humanity, must not for one moment think is, “How could a handful of people be able to fulfill the service for which they are called?” If according to the scriptures as we read, “God commenced the human race with two persons first: Adam and Eve;” if that is possible, this is possible also. We are more than that. If ever any Message that was intended for the welfare of humanity has ever grown even as great and as wide as the world, it has begun with one or two or three persons.

神的訊息如神自身一般有力量，如神自身一般充滿生命，如神自身一般不斷擴展，也如神自身一般，在世上成就它的目的。那些彼此攜手、在這個人類需要的時刻投入服務的蘇菲訊息之僕人，絕不可有一刻這樣想：「區區這麼幾個人，怎麼可能完成我們蒙召去做的服務？」如果正如我們在經典中讀到的：「神最初以兩個人開始了人類——亞當與夏娃」；如果那是可能的，那麼這件事也是可能的。而我們的人數還不只如此。任何為了人類福祉而來的神聖訊息，如果後來曾經成長得如此廣大，甚至遍及世界，它起初也都是從一個、兩個或三個人開始的。

It never began with hundreds and thousands. But the number of persons was not to be considered; it was the power that was behind it, that was the mystery behind it all. Our confidence and trust in the Sufi Message must strengthen us to stand firm in the service of God and humanity, and never let ourselves be discouraged by the lack of things that everyone experiences in this limited world, always keeping before us God and His Perfection. He calls us to render our service to our fellowmen, sincerely and earnestly, without doubt, without fear, in the little way we can. It is by this method that we shall be able to do our duty.

它從來不是由數百、數千人開始的。真正需要考量的並不是人數，而是在它背後的那股力量；那才是這一切背後的奧祕。我們對蘇菲訊息的信心與信賴，必須使我們更加堅定地站立於服務神與人類之中；不要因為每一個人在這個有限的世界裡都會經歷的種種匱乏而灰心，始終將神與祂的圓滿放在我們眼前。祂召喚我們，以真誠而懇切的心，不懷疑、不恐懼，在我們力所能及的小小範圍內，服務我們的人類同胞。藉著這樣做，我們便能盡到自己的責任。

And now the question of those who work with us. Sometimes we see their errors, their faults, their limitations. But at the same time we see their merits, their virtues, their goodness. The best thing is to overlook the other part, not be discouraged by it, not be dissatisfied by it, with a hope that in the end all will be well, since it is a service which is intended for humanity at large. We must keep before our view that high ideal, that great ideal, instead of thinking of the little faults and errors of our brothers and sisters in the Movement. For we all have limitations, and since we are human beings we can expect to be tolerated, to be forgiven. We ourselves must do it; when we forgive, then others forgive us.

接下來，是關於那些與我們一同工作的人。有時候，我們會看見他們的錯誤、缺點與限制；但同時，我們也看見他們的長處、美德與善良。最好的做法，就是忽略前者，不因它而灰心，也不因它而不滿，並懷著希望，相信最後一切都會安好，因為這是一項為廣大人類而做的服務。我們必須始終把那崇高的理想、那偉大的理想放在眼前，而不是一直想著運動中弟兄姊妹那些小小的缺點與錯誤。因為我們每個人都有自己的限制；既然我們都是人，我們自然也期望別人能寬容我們、原諒我們。因此，我們自己也必須如此去做；當我們原諒別人時，別人也會原諒我們。

It is a harmonious cooperation in the work that is needed. And it is in the Sufi Movement that we must practice tolerance and forgiveness towards one another. It is in our Movement that we must practice sympathy and forget antipathy, to throw it away when it comes. When among ourselves we shall make a real brotherhood, naturally we shall be able to give the example to others, not in word but in action. We need not be discouraged, we need not be hopeless, whatever may be the condition.

我們所需要的，是工作中和諧的合作。而正是在蘇菲運動之中，我們必須練習彼此寬容、彼此原諒。正是在我們自己的運動中，我們必須實踐同理，忘卻反感；當反感出現時，就把它丟開。當我們在彼此之間真正建立起人類手足情誼，我們自然就能成為別人的榜樣——不是藉著言語，而是藉著行動。無論情況如何，我們都不必灰心，也不必失去希望。

For we must know that we have before us a high ideal, a great ideal to accomplish. And even the least little service that we can render to the Cause will be our satisfaction.

因為我們必須知道，在我們面前有一個崇高的理想、一個偉大的理想等待我們去完成。即使我們只能為這項志業盡上一點最微小的服務，那也將成為我們的滿足。

God Bless You.

願神祝福你們。

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