2. Some Aspects of Sufism
2. 蘇菲主義的若干面向

The Purpose of Life
生命的目的

Every soul at times asks itself, “Why am I here?” This question arises according to the development of one’s intelligence. A man may say, “I am here to eat, drink, and to make merry,” but this even the animals do; therefore what more has he accomplished by being human? Another might affirm that the attainment of power and position is important, but he must know that both of these are transitory. Power of any kind has its fall as well as its rise. All things we possess are taken from others, and others in their turn await with outstretched hands to seize them.

每一個靈魂有時都會問自己：「我為什麼在這裡？」這個問題會隨著一個人智能的發展而生起。有人可能會說：「我在這裡，是為了吃、喝、享樂。」但這些連動物也會做；那麼，他成為人，又多成就了什麼？另一個人可能會主張，獲得權力與地位很重要；但他必須知道，這兩者都是短暫的。任何一種權力都有上升，也都有衰落。我們所擁有的一切，都是從別人那裡取得的，而其他人也依次伸著手等待，要將它們奪去。

A man may say, “We are here to gain honor.” In this case someone has to be humbled in order to give him the honor he seeks; but he in his turn may have to be humbled by a still more ardent seeker of honor.

有人可能會說：「我們在這裡，是為了獲得榮耀。」如此一來，就必須有人被貶低，才能給他所追求的榮耀；但輪到他時，他也可能被另一個更熱切追求榮耀的人貶低。

We may think that being loved is all-important, but we should know that the beauty in ourselves which makes another love us is transient. Furthermore the beauty we possess may pale in comparison with the beauty of another. When we seek the love of another we are not only dependent upon their love, but are ourselves devoid of love. If we think that it is desirable to love someone who deserves our love, we are mistaken, for we are always liable to be disappointed in the object of our love, who may perhaps never prove to be our ideal.

我們或許認為，被愛是最重要的；但我們應當知道，使別人愛上我們的自身之美，是短暫的。更何況，我們所擁有的美，與另一個人的美相比，可能便黯然失色。當我們尋求別人的愛時，我們不僅依賴著對方的愛，我們自己也是缺乏愛的。如果我們認為，去愛一個值得我們愛的人是可取的，那麼我們便錯了，因為我們始終可能對所愛的對象失望，而那個人也許永遠都無法證明自己是我們的理想。

One is led to suppose and believe that virtue is the only thing that matters in life, but it will be found that the greater number of sufferers from moral hallucination are to be met with among the self-righteous.

人也會因此設想並相信，德行是生命中唯一重要的事；但我們會發現，在那些自以為正義的人當中，反而可以遇見更多受道德幻覺所苦的人。

Then the only purpose of our life here on earth, if there be any, is the successful attainment of life’s demands. It may seem strange at first sight that all which life demands should be allowable and worth-while attaining; but on a closer study of life we see that the demands of our external self are the only ones we know, and we are ignorant of the demands of the true self, our inner life.

那麼，我們在這世上的生命若真有一個目的，唯一的目的便是成功達成生命的要求。乍看之下，認為生命所要求的一切都應當被允許，也都值得去獲得，或許顯得奇怪；然而，當我們更仔細地研究生命時便會看見，我們所知道的只有外在自我的要求，而對於真實自我——我們內在生命的要求——我們卻一無所知。

For instance, we know that we want good food and nice clothes, comfort of living and every convenience for moving about; honor, possessions, and all necessary means for the satisfaction of our vanity, all of which for the moment appear to us as our life’s only demands; but neither they nor their joy remain with us constantly. We then come to think that what we had was but a little and that perhaps more would satisfy us, and still more would suffice our need; but this is not so. Even if the whole universe were within our grasp it would be impossible fully to satisfy our life’s demands.

例如，我們知道自己想要美食、好看的衣服、舒適的生活，以及行動上的種種便利；想要榮耀、財物，以及滿足我們虛榮所必需的一切手段。此刻，這些看來彷彿就是生命唯一的要求；然而，這些東西以及它們所帶來的喜悅，都不會一直與我們同在。於是我們開始認為，自己原先所擁有的只是太少，也許更多便能使我們滿足，再多一些便足以滿足我們的需要；但事實並非如此。即使整個宇宙都掌握在我們手中，也不可能完全滿足我們生命的要求。

This shows that our true life has quite different demands from those with which we are familiar. It does not want the joy experienced by this individual self only; it desires joy from all around. It does not wish for a momentary peace, but for one that is everlasting. It does not desire to love a beloved held in the arms of mortality. It needs a beloved to be always before it. It does not want to be loved only for today and perhaps not tomorrow. It wishes to float in the ocean of love.

這顯示，我們真實的生命有著與我們所熟悉的完全不同的要求。它要的，不只是這個個別自我所經驗到的喜悅；它渴望從四面八方得到喜悅。它要的不是片刻的平安，而是永恆的平安。它不渴望去愛一位被抱在必死之軀臂彎中的摯愛者；它需要一位始終都在它面前的摯愛者。它不要只在今天被愛，而到了明天也許便不再被愛。它渴望漂浮在愛的海洋之中。

It is therefore that the Sufi seeks God as his love, lover and beloved, his treasure, his possession, his honor, his joy, his peace; and this attainment in its perfection alone fulfills all demands of life both here and hereafter.

因此，蘇菲尋求神，以神為他的愛、愛者與摯愛者，以神為他的珍寶、所有、榮耀、喜悅與平安；唯有當這一成就達至圓滿，才能滿足生命在此世與來世的一切要求。

Then again it may be said, there is a purpose above each purpose, and there is again a purpose under each purpose; and yet beyond and beneath all purposes there is no purpose. The creation is, because it is.

再者，也可以說，每一個目的之上都有一個目的，而每一個目的之下也還有一個目的；然而，在一切目的之上與之下，卻沒有目的。創造之所以存在，只因它存在。

Life is a journey from one pole to another, and the perfection of the conscious life is the final destiny of the imperfect life. In other words, every aspect of life in this world of variety gradually evolves from imperfection to perfection; and if life’s evolution were not so in its nature, there would be no difference between life and death, for life on the surface is nothing but the phenomena of contrast. This, then, is another way of expressing what is the purpose of life.

生命是一段從一極走向另一極的旅程，而有意識生命的圓滿，是不圓滿生命最終的歸宿。換句話說，在這個多樣性的世界中，生命的每一個面向都逐漸從不圓滿演化至圓滿；如果生命的演化本質上並非如此，那麼生命與死亡之間便不會有任何差別，因為表面上的生命不過就是對比的現象。這便是另一種表達生命目的的方式。

Life In This World
世間生活

• One may try to see from the point of view of another as well as from one’s own, and so give freedom of thought to everybody because one demands it oneself.
  一個人可以試著既從自己的觀點，也從別人的觀點來看事情，因而給予每一個人思想的自由，因為自己也要求這樣的自由。
• One may try to appreciate what is good in another, and overlook what one considers bad.
  一個人可以試著欣賞別人身上的好，而不去計較自己認為不好的地方。
• If somebody behaves selfishly towards one, one may take it naturally, because it is human nature to be selfish, and so one is not disappointed; but if one appears oneself to be selfish, one should take oneself to task and try to improve.
  如果有人以自私的態度對待自己，可以將它視為自然之事，因為自私是人的本性，如此便不至於失望；但如果自己顯得自私，就應當責問自己，並試著改進。
• There is not anything one should not be ready to tolerate, and there is nobody whom one should not forgive.
  沒有什麼事情是我們不應準備去包容的，也沒有任何人是我們不應寬恕的。
• Never doubt those whom you trust; never hate those whom you love.
  永遠不要懷疑你所信任的人；永遠不要憎恨你所愛的人。
• Never cast down those whom you once raise in your estimation.
  對於曾經被你看重的人，永遠不要又將他貶低。
• Wish to make friends with everyone you meet; make an effort to gain the friendship of those you find difficult; become indifferent to them only if you cannot succeed in your effort.
  願意與每一個你遇見的人交朋友；對那些你覺得難以相處的人，也努力贏得他們的友誼；唯有在努力不能成功時，才對他們淡然處之。
• If anyone causes harm, one should try to think it is because one has deserved it in some way, or else it is that the one who harms knows no better.
  如果有人造成傷害，應當試著想，也許自己在某方面應得如此；否則，便是那個造成傷害的人不知道還能有更好的做法。
• Remember that every soul that raises its head in life gets much opposition from the world. It has been so with all the prophets, saints and sages, so one cannot expect to be exempt. In this is the law of nature, and also God’s plan working and preparing something desirable.
  要記得，每一個在生命中抬起頭來的靈魂，都會遭遇來自世界的許多反對。所有的先知、聖者與聖哲都是如此，因此一個人不能期待自己能夠例外。這其中有自然的法則，也有神的計畫正在運作，並預備某種值得期盼的事物。
• No one is either higher or lower than oneself.
  沒有任何人比自己更高，也沒有任何人比自己更低。
• In all sources that fulfill one’s need, one may see one source, God, the only source; and in admiring and in bowing before and in loving anyone, one may consider one is doing it to God.
  在一切滿足自己需要的來源之中，一個人可以看見那唯一的源頭——神；而當自己欣賞任何人、向任何人鞠躬，或愛任何人時，可以認為自己是在對神如此做。
• In sorrow one may look to God, and in joy one may thank Him.
  在悲傷中，可以仰望神；在喜悅中，可以感謝祂。
• One does not bemoan the past, nor worry about the future; one tries only to make the best of today.
  我們不哀嘆過去，也不憂慮未來；只試著將今天活到最好。
• One should know no failure, for even in a fall there is a stepping-stone to rise; but to the Sufi the rise and fall matter little.
  我們不應知道什麼叫失敗，因為即使在跌落之中，也有一塊可以再次上升的踏腳石；然而對蘇菲而言，上升與跌落都沒有多大關係。
• One does not repent for what one has done, since one thinks, says, and does what one means.
  我們不為自己做過的事懊悔，因為所想、所說、所做的，都是自己真正的意思。
• One does not fear the consequences of performing one’s wish in life, for what will be, will be.
  我們不害怕在生命中實現自己願望所帶來的後果，因為將要發生的，終究會發生。

Vocation
天職

Every being has a definite vocation, and his vocation is the light which illuminates his life. The man who disregards his vocation is a lamp unlit. He who sincerely seeks his real purpose in life is himself sought by that purpose. As he concentrates on that search a light begins to clear his confusion, call it revelation, call it inspiration, call it what you will. It is mistrust that misleads. Sincerity leads straight to the goal.

每一個存有都有一個明確的天職，而他的天職，就是照亮他生命的光。忽視自己天職的人，是一盞未曾點亮的燈。真誠尋求自己生命真正目的的人，也會被那個目的所尋找。當他專注於這份尋求時，一道光開始驅散他的迷惑；你可以稱它為啟示，可以稱它為靈感，隨你怎麼稱呼。使人誤入歧途的是不信任；真誠則直接引向目標。

Each one has his circle of influence, large or small; within his sphere so many souls and minds are involved; with his rise, they rise; with his fall, they fall. The size of a man’s sphere corresponds with the extent of his sympathy, or we may say, with the size of his heart. His sympathy holds his sphere together. As his heart grows, his sphere grows; as his sympathy is withdrawn or lessened, so his sphere breaks up and scatters.

每一個人都有自己的影響範圍，或大或小；在他的範圍之內，有許多靈魂與頭腦牽涉其中；隨著他的上升，他們也上升；隨著他的跌落，他們也跌落。一個人的範圍有多大，與他的同理之心有多廣相應；或者我們也可以說，與他的心有多大相應。是他的同理之心將這個範圍維繫在一起。當他的心成長，他的範圍便成長；當他的同理之心收回或減少，他的範圍也就瓦解、四散。

If he harms those who live and move within his sphere, those dependent upon him or upon his affection, he of necessity harms himself. His house or his palace or his cottage, his satisfaction or his disgust in his environment, are the creation of his own thought. Acting upon his thoughts, and also part of his own thoughts, are the thoughts of those near to him; others depress him and destroy him, or they encourage and support him, in proportion as he repels those around him by his coldness, or attracts them by his sympathy.

如果他傷害那些生活、活動於他範圍之內的人，那些依賴他或依賴他情感的人，他也必然傷害了自己。他的房屋、宮殿或小屋，他對環境的滿足或厭惡，都是他自己思想的創造。那些親近他的人的思想，既作用於他的思想，也成為他自己思想的一部分；別人會使他消沉、摧毀他，或鼓勵、支持他，而這取決於他是以冷漠排斥身邊的人，還是以同理之心吸引他們。

Each individual composes the music of his own life. If he injures another, he brings disharmony. When his sphere is disturbed, he is disturbed himself, and there is a discord in the melody of his life. If he can quicken the feeling of another to joy or to gratitude, by that much he adds to his own life; he becomes himself by that much more alive. Whether conscious of it or not, his thought is affected for the better by the joy or gratitude of another, and his power and vitality increase thereby, and the music of his life grows more in harmony.

每一個人都在譜寫自己生命的音樂。如果他傷害別人，他便帶來不和諧。當他的範圍受到擾動，他自己也受到擾動，而他的生命旋律中便出現不協和。如果他能喚起另一個人的喜悅或感恩，他便以同樣的程度增添了自己的生命；他自己也因此變得更加有生命力。無論他是否意識到這一點，他的思想都會因別人的喜悅或感恩而向好的方向受到影響，他的力量與生命力也因此增加，而他生命的音樂便變得更加和諧。

Nur-Zahur
Nur-Zahur 光之顯現

To the view of a Sufi this universe is nothing but a manifestation of the divine Being, and this divine manifestation is called in Sufi terms Nur-Zahur. The supreme God, from His existence as the single and only Being, has, so to speak, journeyed as far as He could towards the surface. Through His activity and His will behind it, He has manifested on the surface; from the heavens He has descended upon earth. From the most unconscious state of existence, blind, unaware of His being, as is the rock, He has gradually awakened to consciousness of the surroundings on the surface.

在蘇菲看來，這個宇宙無非是神聖存有的一種顯現，而這種神聖的顯現在蘇菲術語中稱為 Nur-Zahur。至高的神，從祂作為單一且唯一存有的存在狀態中，可以說，已經盡可能向表層行進。藉著祂的活動，以及在活動背後的意志，祂顯現在表層；祂從諸天降臨大地。從最無意識的存在狀態，像岩石一般盲目、對自己的存在毫無覺知，祂逐漸甦醒，開始意識到表層周遭的一切。

Also in the Qur’an, one finds the idea that the world was created out of darkness. The gradual progress of the journey brings the Inner Being to the condition of a plant, flower and fruit, then to the state of worm, germ, and animal, until He manifests as man, Ashraf al-Makhluqat, the ruler of this universe and the controller of the heavens. In man He reaches the final goal of His destiny, when He realizes Himself as the whole being, which He has not done hitherto. God has made man in His image, as is said in the Bible.

在《古蘭經》中，也可以找到世界從黑暗中被創造出來的觀念。這段旅程逐步向前，使內在的存有進入植物、花朵與果實的狀態，接著進入蟲、細菌與動物的狀態，直到祂顯現為人——Ashraf al-Makhluqat，萬物中最高貴者，這個宇宙的統治者與諸天的掌管者。在人之中，祂抵達自身命運的最終目標，在那裡，祂證悟自己就是完整的存有，而在此以前祂尚未如此。如《聖經》所說，神按照祂自己的形象創造了人。

Hazrat Ali says, “The secret of God can be studied in His nature.”

Hazrat Ali 說：「神的祕密，可以在祂的本性之中研究。」

Every traveller on foot as a rule lights his torch at the approach of night. So also this heavenly traveller. Seeing darkness overwhelming Him in the lower spheres on His path, He lights a torch. It is the light of this torch, which is called in the Qur’an, Nur-i Muhammadi, that has guided Him to the surface, whence He could clearly discern and find His path back. To the knower’s eye, this Nur, this light, is the real Mohammed. This light it is which has beamed forth through all the Masters of humanity and is known as the Light of Guidance.

每一個徒步的旅人，通常在夜晚將近時都會點起火炬。這位天上的旅人也是如此。祂看見黑暗在自己道路較低的層界中籠罩著祂，便點起一支火炬。正是這火炬的光——《古蘭經》中稱為 Nur-i Muhammadi，穆罕默德之光——引導祂來到表層，使祂能從那裡清楚辨認並找到返回的道路。在知者眼中，這個 Nur，這道光，才是真正的穆罕默德。正是這道光，透過所有人類的聖師放射而出，並被稱為「引導之光」。

It is the nature of every luminous object to shed light all around, and yet a particular beam of light coming forth from it gives more illumination than light spread all around. This may be seen in the light of the sun. The souls which happen to be in the zone of that beam of the Light of Guidance, whether by intention or accident, have been known to the world as the chosen ones of God. They saw God sooner, they heard Him more quickly than others, they have been nearer to Him than others. They may be called the elect of God as it is said in the Song to the Soul of the Saint:

每一個發光物體的本性，都是向四周散發光芒；然而，從它射出的一束特定光線，會比散佈四周的光帶來更多照明。從太陽的光中便可以看見這一點。那些恰好位於這一束「引導之光」範圍內的靈魂，無論是出於有意還是偶然，都被世人稱為神所揀選的人。他們比別人更早看見神，更快聽見祂，也比別人更接近祂。他們可以稱為神所揀選的人，正如〈聖者靈魂之歌〉中所說：

Before the righteous soul,
Servant of God, even the angels bend;
His lotus feet the long-desired goal
Where weary pilgrims find their journeys end
In pardon for their sin.
Thus, as the saint God comes, and man is healed,
And fortunate that happy one, within
Whose heart the mystic vision is revealed.

在正直的靈魂面前，
神的僕人面前，甚至天使也俯身；
他的蓮足，是長久渴望的終點，
疲憊的朝聖者在那裡走完旅程，
在罪過得蒙寬恕之中。
如此，神以聖者而來，人便得到療癒；
而那幸福的人何其有福，
祕士的視見在他的心中顯露。

All souls since the creation of man who have been in this light have been Masters, coming one after the other connected by the link of the one current which first springs from the innermost being and broadens and expands in this universe.

自從人被創造以來，所有曾處於這道光中的靈魂，都是聖師；他們一位接著一位而來，由同一股流的連結彼此相繫。這股流最初從最內在的存有中湧出，而後在這宇宙中逐漸拓寬、擴展。

The saints, sages, and mystics, who fare forth from the highest spheres are attracted by this light and they seek refuge in it from life’s dark clouds. The invisible ones, who floated in this light even before man was created, are the angels.

從最高層界而來的聖者、聖哲與祕士，都受到這道光吸引，並在其中躲避生命的烏雲。那些在人尚未被創造以前便漂浮在這道光中的無形者，就是天使。

The divine light has shone upon the mineral and vegetable kingdoms; and there too it has shown its phenomena, although its full radiance has been reached only in man. It can be seen in the developed intelligence, and this can be observed in the cosmic system as well as in the mineral and vegetable kingdoms. It is the light of the sun which shines upon the moon and the planets; each star is but a reflection of the same light; thus the whole cosmic system is illuminated by the sun alone.

神聖之光也曾照耀礦物界與植物界；在那裡，它同樣顯出了它的現象，雖然它完整的光輝唯有在人之中才得以達成。它可以在發展成熟的智能中看見，而這一點在宇宙系統以及礦物界與植物界中也都可以觀察到。照耀月亮與行星的是太陽的光；每一顆星都只是同一道光的反映；因此，整個宇宙系統都由太陽獨自照亮。

In the vegetable kingdom we see one little plant, a fruit or flower, spreading its influence around it, covering that part of the forest in time with the same sweet fruit or with the same fragrant flower.

在植物界中，我們看見一株小小的植物、一個果實或一朵花，將它的影響散播到四周；隨著時間過去，森林的那一部分便覆滿同樣甜美的果實，或同樣芬芳的花朵。

When we watch the animal kingdom closely, we see the special gift of intelligence in some animals.

當我們仔細觀察動物界時，會看見某些動物具有特殊的智能天賦。

• We find that among all birds there is a leader for every flock.
  我們發現，在鳥類之中，每一個鳥群都有一位領導者。
• Among the elephants of the forest specially, there is the wise elephant who walks in front of the herd, carefully carrying the stem of a tree with his trunk. He uses it as a stick, and examines with it the path he walks upon to discover whether there are any pits in that way, for his own safety as well as that of his followers.
  尤其在森林中的象群裡，有一頭有智慧的象走在象群前方，小心地用鼻子攜著一根樹幹。他把它當作手杖，用它探查自己所走的道路，看看途中是否有坑洞，既為了自己的安全，也為了跟隨者的安全。
• In the jungle a troop of monkeys can be seen following the command of one among them; after he has jumped, they all jump.
  在叢林裡，可以看見一群猴子服從其中一隻的指揮；牠一跳，其他猴子便全都跟著跳。
• The foxes and dogs in the jungle have among them one who is most wary, who gives the alarm before every coming danger.
  叢林裡的狐狸與狗之中，也有一隻最為警覺，會在每一個即將到來的危險之前發出警報。
• In a flock of birds one wise and courageous bird leads the whole flock. And this is the case with many other birds and beasts also.
  在鳥群中，一隻有智慧而勇敢的鳥會帶領整個鳥群。許多其他鳥獸也是如此。

This faculty of guidance, with the maturity of intelligence, fulfills the purpose of manifestation in the evolution of man.

這種引導的能力，隨著智能成熟，在人的演化中完成了顯現的目的。

The Qur’an tells that man was destined to be the Khalif of all beings, which can be rightly understood when we see that all beings in the world serve man, are being controlled and ruled by him, obeying his command. The secret of their nature is disclosed to him, that he may use them for the purpose for which they are meant.

《古蘭經》說，人被註定成為一切存有的 Khalif——代治者。當我們看見世上一切存有都服務於人，受人控制、統治，服從人的命令時，便能正確理解這一點。它們本性的祕密向人揭露，使人能為它們原本被賦予的目的而運用它們。

Moreover it is man who may rightly be called the seed of God, for in him alone intelligence develops so perfectly that he not only appreciates God’s works and worships Him, but he is even enabled to attain self-sufficiency and all-pervading consciousness of the everlasting life of God. Man realizes his perfection in God, and God realizes His perfection in man.

此外，人可以恰當地被稱為神的種子，因為唯有在人之中，智能發展得如此圓滿，使他不僅能欣賞神的作品並敬拜祂，甚至還能達到自足，以及對神永恆生命那遍及一切之意識。人在神之中證悟自己的圓滿，而神在人之中證悟祂的圓滿。

We see this tendency of guidance in a small degree in parents, who, whatever their own life may have been, yet wish their children to benefit by their experience, that the children may live rightly. There are some people to be found, in this world of selfishness, who warn their friends against going astray; and we find a leader in a community who sacrifices his own life and welfare for the benefit of his fellow-men, uniting them in the bond of love and harmony.

我們在父母身上可以看見較小程度的這種引導傾向；無論他們自己的生命曾經如何，他們仍希望孩子能從自己的經驗中受益，使孩子能正確地生活。在這個自私的世界裡，也能找到一些人，會警告朋友不要誤入歧途；我們也會在一個群體中看見一位領導者，為了同伴的福祉而犧牲自己的生命與幸福，並以愛與和諧的連結將他們團結起來。

The same attribute of self-sacrifice, in its higher grade of evolution, is seen among the Masters of humanity, who act as officials of the infinite government and are known in the world as messengers. Among them are holy beings of different grades, designated by Sufis as Wali, Ghauth, Qutb, Nabi, and Rasul. They differ one from the other in degree, according to the depth to which they penetrate into the world unseen, or to the breadth of the space they occupy in the universal consciousness, and also according to the width of the circle of humanity that is placed in their charge for its guidance. Nabi is the guide of a community, Rasul has a message for the whole of humanity, and each has a certain cycle of time for his message.

同樣的自我犧牲特質，在更高階段的演化中，可以在人類的聖師身上看見；他們如同無限政府中的官員，在世上被稱為使者。其中有不同等級的神聖存有，蘇菲稱之為 Wali、Ghauth、Qutb、納比（Nabi） 與 拉蘇爾（Rasul）。他們彼此的等級不同，取決於他們深入無形世界的深度，或他們在宇宙意識中所占空間的廣度，也取決於被交託給他們引導的人類範圍有多廣。納比（Nabi）是一個群體的先知；拉蘇爾（Rasul）是為全人類帶來訊息的使者；而每一位都有其訊息所屬的一段特定時間週期。

This can be seen by an intelligent study of the cosmos. The laws of nature teach us and prove to the knower the influence of each planet upon souls, both individually and collectively, as families, nations, and races; and even upon the whole world, the condition of each and all being in accordance with the nature of the planet under whose influence they are. Over birth, death, and every rise and fall, and over all life’s affairs the planet acts as ruler.

透過對宇宙明智的研究，可以看見這一點。自然的法則教導我們，也向知者證明，每一顆行星都會影響靈魂——無論個別地，還是集體地，如家庭、國家與種族；甚至影響整個世界，而每一者與全體的狀況，都依照它們所受影響之行星的本性而定。在出生、死亡，以及每一次上升與跌落之上，也在生命的一切事務之上，行星都如統治者般發揮作用。

If planets, the reflections of the sun, have power upon the external affairs of humanity, how much greater must be the power of the God-conscious, the reflections of the divine light, of which the sun is merely a shadow! These are the Awatads, whom the Hindus call Avatars, who are not in power, as the earthly kings are, only for the time of their life on earth, but remain in power even after they have passed from this earthly plane. The knower therefore sees in the Masters of humanity, not only the deliverers of the divine message, but also the spiritual sovereigns, controllers of the universe during their cycles.

如果行星——太陽的反映——對人類外在的事務都有力量，那麼具有神之意識者——神聖之光的反映，而太陽不過是這道光的一個影子——其力量又該有多麼巨大！這些就是 Awatads，印度人稱之為 Avatars（神聖化身）。他們不像世間的君王，只在自己活於世上的那段時間掌權；即使離開這個塵世層面之後，他們仍然保有力量。因此，知者在人類的聖師身上所看見的，不只是神聖訊息的傳遞者，也是靈性的君王，在他們各自的週期之中掌管宇宙。

The Masters
聖師們

Every aspect of the life of an individual and of the life of the world has its cycle. In the life of an individual the period from his birth to his death is the first part, and from death to assimilation in the Infinite the second part. The sub-cycles in man’s life are from infancy to youth, where one part ends and from youth to old age, which is the close. There are again under-cycles: infancy, childhood, youth, maturity, senility; and there are the cycles of man’s rise and fall.

個人的生命以及世界的生命，每一個面向都有它的週期。在個人的生命中，從出生到死亡這段期間是第一部分，從死亡到歸融於無限則是第二部分。人的生命中還有次週期：從嬰兒期到青年期，一個部分在此結束；再從青年期到老年期，這便是終結。其下又有更小的週期：嬰兒期、童年、青年、成熟、衰老；也有人上升與跌落的週期。

So there is a cycle of the life of the world, and the cycle of the creation of man and his destruction, the cycles of the reign of races and nations, and cycles of time, such as a year, a month, a week, day, and hour.

同樣地，也有世界生命的週期，有人的創造與毀滅的週期，有種族與國家統治的週期，也有時間的週期，例如一年、一個月、一週、一天與一個小時。

The nature of each of these cycles has three aspects, the beginning, the culmination and the end, which are named Uruj, Kemal and Zeval; like, for example, new moon, full moon, and waning moon; sunrise, zenith and sunset. These cycles, sub-cycles and under-cycles, and the three aspects of their nature, are divided and distinguished by the nature and course of light.

這些週期中，每一個週期的本性都有三個面向：開始、頂點與結束，分別稱為 Uruj、Kemal 與 Zeval；例如新月、滿月與殘月；日出、日中與日落。這些週期、次週期與更小的週期，以及它們本性的三個面向，都是由光的本性與運行加以劃分與區別。

As the light of the sun and moon and of the planets plays the most important part in the life of the world, individually and collectively, so the light of the Spirit of Guidance also divides time into cycles. And each cycle has been under the influence of a certain Master with many controllers under him, working as the spiritual hierarchy which controls the affairs of the whole world, mainly those concerning the inward spiritual condition of the world. The Masters have been numberless since the creation of man; they have appeared with different names and forms; but He alone was disguised in them who is the only Master of eternity.

正如太陽、月亮與行星的光，在世界的生命中——無論個別或集體——都扮演極為重要的角色，引導之靈的光也同樣將時間劃分為不同週期。每一個週期都受到某一位聖師的影響，在他之下又有許多掌管者，共同形成靈性階序，掌管整個世界的事務，主要是那些關乎世界內在靈性狀態的事務。自從人被創造以來，聖師多得不可勝數；他們以不同的名字與形貌出現；然而，隱身於他們之中的，唯有那一位永恆唯一的聖師。

Rejection of the stranger, and belief only in the one whom he has once acknowledged, has kept man in darkness for ages. If he believed one message he would not accept the succeeding message, brought by another Master, who was perhaps a stranger to him. This has caused many troubles in the lives of all the Masters. Man refused to believe the Masters and their teachings, whether of the past or future, if their names were not written in the particular tradition he believed, or if he had not heard their names in the legends handed down for ages among his people.

排斥陌生者，只相信自己曾經承認過的那一位，使人類長久以來停留在黑暗之中。如果有人相信了一個訊息，便不願接受隨後而來的訊息，因為帶來它的是另一位聖師，而那位聖師對他而言也許是陌生人。這在所有聖師的生命中造成了許多困難。如果某位聖師的名字沒有寫在一個人所相信的特定傳統裡，或他的名字不曾出現在自己民族世代流傳的傳說中，人便拒絕相信那位聖師及其教導，無論他屬於過去還是未來。

Therefore the people of that part of the world who have acknowledged the Hebrew prophets do not for instance recognize Avatars such as Rama and Krishna, or Vishnu and Shiva simply because they cannot find these names in their scriptures. The same thing occurs in the other part of humanity, which does not count Abraham, Moses or Jesus among its Devatas, as it does not find those names written in the legends with which it is familiar. Even if it were true that Brahma was the same Devata whom the Hebrews called Abraham, and if Christ was the same Master whom the Hindus have called Krishna, yet man would not recognize as one those whom he has distinguished as different, having a higher opinion of one of them and a lower opinion of the other.

因此，世界上承認希伯來先知的那部分人，例如便不承認羅摩、克里希納這些 Avatar，或毗濕奴與濕婆，只因他們無法在自己的經典裡找到這些名字。同樣的情形也發生在人類的另一部分；他們不把亞伯拉罕、摩西或耶穌列在自己的 Devata——神聖存有——之中，因為在自己熟悉的傳說裡找不到這些名字。即使梵天其實就是希伯來人所稱的亞伯拉罕，而基督就是印度人所稱的克里希納，人仍不會把自己區分為不同者的他們認作同一，因為他對其中一位評價較高，對另一位評價較低。

If the Masters were not the same in their mortal garb, yet in spirit they were one; if it were not so, how could one and the same truth be disclosed by them all? The Masters of humanity have been the elder brothers who guided the younger ones out of their brotherly love, and owing to their love of the Father. It is humane to sympathize with one’s fellow-man when he is striving for something and cannot gain it, and to help him to the attainment of the ideal for which he strives.

即使這些聖師以不同的肉身形貌出現，在靈裡他們卻是一；若非如此，同一個真理又怎可能由他們所有人共同揭示？人類的聖師就像兄長，出於手足之愛，也出於對父親的愛，引導年幼的兄弟。當一個同伴努力追求某樣事物卻無法得到時，對他懷有同理之心，並幫助他達到自己所追求的理想，這是合乎人性的。

This is very well illustrated by the myth of Ramachandra. It is said in the Purana that once Sita, the consort of Ramachandra, was staying in the guardianship of Vashista Rishi with her sons. The younger son, Lahu, one day went to see the neighboring town. He saw Kalanki, a most beautiful horse, running about the city without a rider. When he enquired whose the horse was, people told him that this horse had been let loose so that whoever was able to catch it should be made the king of that kingdom. This tempted the youth, and he ran after the horse in order to catch it. He continued running a long time, and met with nothing but disappointments. Every time he came close to the horse, thinking now he would catch it, it slipped from his hand. When he reached the point of utter disappointment, he saw his brother coming in search of him, sent by his mother, and he told him that he would not come back till he had caught the horse.

羅摩占陀羅的神話很好地說明了這一點。《往世書》中說，有一次，羅摩占陀羅的妻子悉多帶著兒子們，住在婆私吒仙人的監護之下。小兒子拉胡有一天到鄰近的城鎮去。他看見一匹名叫卡蘭基、極其美麗的馬，沒有騎士地在城中奔跑。他詢問這匹馬屬於誰，人們告訴他，這匹馬被放出去，是為了讓任何能抓住牠的人，成為那個王國的國王。這誘惑了這名青年，於是他為了抓住馬而追了上去。他跑了很久，所遇到的卻只有一次又一次的失望。每當他接近那匹馬，以為這次終於可以抓住牠時，牠又從他手中溜走。當他陷入徹底失望時，看見哥哥奉母親之命前來尋找他；他告訴哥哥，在抓到那匹馬以前，他不會回去。

The brother said, “That is not the way to catch a horse; in this way you will perhaps run for ever and will not be able to catch it. Therefore, instead of running after the horse, run to meet it.” This caused the younger brother to succeed in a moment’s time. Then both brothers were taken to the presence of Ramachandra, their father, who embraced both, acknowledging the guidance of the one and the achievement of the other.

哥哥說：「抓馬不是這樣抓的；如果用這種方法，你也許會永遠追下去，卻始終抓不到牠。所以，不要在馬後面追，而要朝著牠迎面跑去。」小弟因此轉眼之間便成功了。後來兩兄弟被帶到父親羅摩占陀羅面前；父親擁抱了兩人，承認其中一人的引導，也承認另一個人的成就。

All the Teachers who came before taught for whatever community or group of people they were born, and prophesied the coming of the next Teacher, foreseeing the possibility and the necessity of the continuation of the Message until its fulfillment.

所有先前來到世上的老師，都為自己出生其中的群體或人群而教導，並預言下一位老師的到來，預見神聖訊息必須持續傳遞，直到它完成，而這既有可能，也是必要的。

That the Messengers came successively did not mean that they were to give different Messages, but that they should correct the corruptions made in the message of the past by its followers; and also to revive principles in order to suit the evolution of the period, and to recall the same truth to the human mind which had been taught by the past Masters but had become lost from memory. It was not their personal message, but the divine message. They were obliged to correct the errors made by the misinterpretation of the religions, thereby renewing the same truth given by the past Masters, which had in the course of time been changed from its real character. Man has ignorantly quarrelled about the names and forms of Masters, traditions, principles, and their limited groups, forgetting that they are one in that which unites them.

使者一位接一位地到來，並不表示他們要帶來不同的訊息，而是要修正過去訊息被其追隨者造成的腐化；也要重新喚醒一些原則，使之適合那個時代的演化，並使人類的頭腦再次想起同一個真理——這真理曾由過去的聖師教導，卻已從記憶中失落。那不是他們個人的訊息，而是神聖訊息。他們不得不修正因宗教被錯誤詮釋而造成的錯誤，藉此更新過去聖師所給予的同一真理；那真理隨著時間流逝，已從其真正的性質被改變。人無知地為聖師的名字與形貌、傳統、原則，以及各自有限的群體而爭吵，忘記了在那使他們相連之處，他們本是一體。

Their messages differ from one another in their outer appearance, each message being given in accordance with the age of man’s evolution, and also in order to add a particular part in the course of divine wisdom. Certain laws and principles were prescribed by them to suit the country where the message was given, the climate, the period, customs, manners and requirements.

他們的訊息在外在面貌上彼此不同；每一個訊息都是依照人類當時所處的演化階段而給予，也是在神聖智慧的進程中加入某一個特定的部分。他們所制定的某些律法與原則，是為了適合訊息傳遞所在的國家、氣候、時代、習俗、生活方式與需要。

It was most necessary for the Messengers to claim some exceptional position which might attract humanity to receive the message they had to give. Some were called Avatar, an incarnation of Brahma, such as Vishnu, Shiva, Rama, and Krishna, while others were called Payghambar, prophet, intercessor. Their followers have had foolish disputes about the greatness of their assumption, or about what they did and taught, or about the sort of life they led while admiring and hating according to their personal liking.

使者非常有必要宣稱某種特殊的地位，好吸引人類接受他們必須傳遞的訊息。有些被稱為 Avatar，梵天的化身，例如毗濕奴、濕婆、羅摩與克里希納；另一些則被稱為 Payghambar，先知、代求者。他們的追隨者愚蠢地爭論這些身分宣稱孰高孰低，或爭論他們做過什麼、教導過什麼，以及他們過著什麼樣的生活，同時依照個人的喜好而崇敬或憎恨。

The divine message has always been sent through those fitly endowed. For instance,

神聖訊息始終透過那些具有適當天賦的人傳遞。例如：

• When wealth was esteemed the message was delivered by King Solomon;
  當財富受到尊崇時，訊息由所羅門王傳遞；
• when beauty was worshipped, Joseph, the most handsome, gave the message;
  當美受到崇拜時，由最俊美的約瑟傳遞訊息；
• when music was regarded as celestial David gave his message in song;
  當音樂被視為天上的事物時，大衛以歌唱傳遞他的訊息；
• when there was curiosity about miracles Moses brought his message;
  當人們對奇蹟充滿好奇時，摩西帶來他的訊息；
• when sacrifice was highly esteemed Abraham gave the message;
  當犧牲受到高度尊崇時，亞伯拉罕傳遞訊息；
• when heredity was recognized, Christ gave his message as the Son of God;
  當血統受到重視時，基督以「神之子」的身分傳遞他的訊息；
• and when democracy was necessary, Mohammad gave his message as the Servant of God, one like all and among all.
  而當民主成為必要時，穆罕默德以「神的僕人」身分傳遞他的訊息——一個與眾人相同、身在眾人之中的人。

This put an end to the necessity for more prophets, because of the democratic nature of his proclamation and message. He proclaimed “la illaha illa ‘llah” (none exists but God). God constitutes the whole being, singly, individually and collectively, and every soul has the source of the divine message within itself. This is the reason why there is no longer the need for mediation, for a third person as a savior between man and God. For man has evolved enough to conceive the idea of God being all and all being God, and has become tolerant enough to believe in the divine message given by one like himself, who is liable to birth, death, joy, and sorrow, and all the natural vicissitudes of life.

這使更多先知出現的必要性告一段落，因為他的宣告與訊息具有民主的性質。他宣告：「la illaha illa ‘llah——除神之外，無一存在。」神構成完整的存有，無論單一地、個別地或集體地；而每一個靈魂自身之內，都有神聖訊息的源頭。因此，人與神之間不再需要中介，也不再需要第三者作為救主。因為人已經演化到足以理解「神是一切，一切皆是神」這個觀念，也已足夠寬容，能夠相信由一個與自己相同的人所帶來的神聖訊息——一個同樣會經歷出生、死亡、喜悅、悲傷，以及生命一切自然變遷的人。

All Masters from the time of Adam till the time of Mohammad have been the one embodiment of the Master-ideal.

從亞當的時代直到穆罕默德的時代，所有聖師都是同一個「聖師理想」的化身。

• When Jesus Christ is represented as saying, “I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end,” it is not meant that either the name or the visible person of Jesus Christ is the Alpha and Omega, but the Master-spirit within. It was this spirit which proclaimed this, moved by its realization of past, present, and future life, confident of its eternity.
  當耶穌基督被記述為說：「我是阿爾法，也是奧米伽，是開始，也是終結。」其意並不是耶穌基督這個名字或可見的人格本身就是阿爾法與奧米伽，而是指內在的聖師之靈。正是這個靈作出了這項宣告；它由於證悟過去、現在與未來的生命而受到推動，並確信自身的永恆。
• It is the same spirit which spoke through Krishna, saying, “We appear on earth when Dharma is corrupted,” which was long before the coming of Christ.
  在基督到來很久以前，同一個靈也曾透過克里希納說：「當 Dharma——正法——受到敗壞時，我們便顯現在世上。」
• During his divine absorption Mohammad said, “I existed even before this creation and shall remain after its assimilation.” In the holy traditions it is said, “We have created thee of Our light and from thy light We have created the universe.” This is not said of the external person of Mohammad as known by this name. It refers to the spirit which spoke through all the blessed tongues and yet remained formless, nameless, birthless and deathless.
  在神聖的忘我之境中，穆罕默德說：「甚至在這個創造以前，我便已存在；在它歸融之後，我仍將存在。」聖傳中說：「我們由我們的光創造了你，又由你的光創造了宇宙。」這並不是在說那位以穆罕默德之名為人所知的外在人格。它所指的是那個透過一切蒙福之舌說話的靈，而它本身始終無形、無名、無生亦無死。

But the blind world, absorbed in its phenomena and impressed by a certain name and form, has clung to the name, forgetting the true being. It is this ignorance which has divided the children of men into so many divisions and separated one from the other by their own delusions: whereas in reality there exists one religion and one single Master, the Only God. Man has considered his faithfulness to the Master in whom he believed his true religion; and to believe in the next teacher he considered a breach of faith. This is pictured in the following allegory.

然而，盲目的世界沉浸於現象之中，又受到某個特定名字與形貌的影響，於是緊抓著那個名字，忘記了真實的存有。正是這份無知，把人類的子女分成如此眾多的派別，又以他們自己的幻覺使彼此分離；然而事實上，只存在一個宗教、一位聖師——唯一的神。人把忠於自己所相信的聖師視為真正的宗教，並把相信下一位老師看成對信仰的背叛。以下這則寓言描繪了這一點。

The Spirit Of Prophecy
先知之靈

There was a man living with his wife and children in a little village. He was called away by the inner voice of his soul, and he renounced his life with his wife and children and went into the wilderness, to a mountain called Sinai, taking with him his eldest son, the only one of his children who was grown up. The children having a faint remembrance of their father wondered at times where he was, and longed to see him; they were then told by their mother that he had gone away long ago, and perhaps had passed from this earth. At times in answer to their longing she would say, “Perhaps he will come or send word, for so he promised before his departure.” Sometimes the children grieved at their father’s absence, their father’s silence; and whenever they felt the need for him to be among them they would comfort themselves with the hope, “perhaps some day he will be with us as he has promised.”

有一個男人與妻子和孩子住在一座小村莊裡。他被自己靈魂內在的聲音召喚，於是放下與妻兒共同的生活，進入荒野，前往一座名叫西奈的山，並帶著他的長子同行——那是他的孩子中唯一已經長大的一個。孩子們對父親還有模糊的記憶，有時會想父親去了哪裡，渴望見到他；母親便告訴他們，他很久以前已經離開，也許已經離開這個世界。有時，面對孩子們的想念，她會說：「也許他會回來，或捎來消息，因為他離開以前曾這樣承諾。」有時孩子們因父親不在、因父親的沉默而悲傷；每當他們感到需要父親在身邊時，便以這份希望安慰自己：「也許有一天，他會像自己承諾的那樣，回到我們身邊。」

After some time the mother also passed away, and the children were left with guardians who were entrusted with their care, together with the care of the wealth left by their parents.

過了一段時間，母親也離世了，孩子們便被交給監護人照顧，而父母留下的財產也一併委託給這些監護人管理。

After some years, when their brother’s smooth face had become bearded and when his cheerful look had given place to a serious expression, and his fair skin, now in the strong sun for years, had turned brown, he came home. He went away with his father in grandeur; he returns in poverty and knocks at the door. The servants do not recognize him, and do not allow him to enter. His language is changed, the long stay in a foreign country has made him forget all. He says to the children, “Come, O brothers, ye are my father’s children; I have come from my father, who is perfectly peaceful and happy in his retirement in the wilderness, and has sent me to bring you his love and his message, that your life may become worth while, and that you may have the great happiness of meeting your father, who loved you so greatly.”

幾年之後，他們那位兄長原本光滑的臉龐已長出了鬍鬚，原本開朗的神情也被嚴肅的表情取代，而多年曝曬在強烈陽光下，原本白皙的皮膚也變成了棕色，他回家了。他當年與父親離去時十分風光；如今卻一貧如洗地回來，敲著家門。僕人認不出他，也不讓他進門。他的語言已經改變，長久住在異國使他把一切都忘了。他對孩子們說：「來吧，弟弟們，你們都是我父親的孩子；我是從父親那裡來的。他退隱在荒野中，十分平安而幸福；他差我來，把他的愛與訊息帶給你們，使你們的生命能夠值得度過，也使你們能得到那莫大的幸福，去與那位如此深愛你們的父親相見。」

They answered, “How can it be that thou comest from our father who has been gone so long, and has given us no sign?” He said, “If ye cannot understand, ask your mother. She will be able to tell you.” But the mother had already passed away; only her grave was left, which could never tell. He said, “Then consult your guardians. Perhaps they will be able to tell you from the recollections of the past; or things that our mother may have said to them might bring to their memory the words of our father about my coming.” The guardians had grown careless, indifferent, blind, quite happy in the possession of all the wealth, and enjoying the treasured gold left in their charge, and using their undisputed power and complete hold over all the children.

他們回答：「我們的父親已經離開這麼久，又從未給我們任何訊號，你怎麼可能是從他那裡來的？」他說：「如果你們不能明白，就去問你們的母親。她會告訴你們。」然而母親早已離世，只剩下她的墳墓，而墳墓永遠無法說話。他說：「那麼去問你們的監護人。也許他們能從過去的記憶中告訴你們；或者，我們的母親過去對他們說過的某些事情，能使他們想起父親曾說過關於我將回來的話。」那些監護人早已變得怠慢、冷漠、盲目；他們擁有所有財產，十分滿足，享用著交由他們保管的珍藏黃金，也運用著無人爭議的權力，完全控制著所有孩子。

Their first thought on hearing he had come was of annoyance; but when they saw him they were quite heedless, for they found in him no trace of what he had been like before, and as they saw he was without power or wealth, and was altered in looks, in dress, in everything, they cared not for him. They said, “By what authority claimest thou to be the son of our father, of our master, who has long since passed away, and may perhaps be dwelling in the heavens by now?” He then said to the children, “I love you, O children of my father, although you cannot recognize me, and even if you do not acknowledge me as your brother, take my helping word for your father’s word, and do good in life and avoid evil, for every work has its reward like unto it.”

他們聽說他來了，第一個念頭便是惱怒；然而等到看見他時，他們根本不把他放在眼裡，因為在他身上已經找不到昔日的任何痕跡，又看見他既無權力，也無財富，容貌、衣著、一切都已改變，因此根本不在乎他。他們說：「你憑什麼權柄聲稱自己是我們父親、我們主人之子？他早已離世，如今也許已經住在天上了。」他於是對孩子們說：「我愛你們，我父親的孩子們，儘管你們認不出我；即使你們不承認我是你們的兄長，也請把我這些幫助你們的話當成父親的話。在生命中行善、遠離惡行，因為每一個行為都會得到與它相稱的回報。」

The older ones, who were hardened in their ways, paid no heed, and the little ones were too young to understand; but the middle ones who hearkened to his words followed him quietly, won by his magnetism and charmed by his loving personality.

年長的孩子早已固守於自己的生活方式，毫不理會；年幼的孩子又太小，無法理解；但那些年紀居中的孩子聽進了他的話，安靜地跟隨他，被他的磁力所吸引，也被他充滿愛的人格所打動。

The guardians became alarmed at the thought that the children in their charge might be tempted and carried off. They thought, “Some day even the remaining ones may be charmed by his magic; and our control over them, with the possession of their wealth and our comfort in their home, and our importance and honor in their eyes will all be lost if we let this go on any longer.” They made up their minds to kill him and incited the remaining brothers against him, declaring before them the pity of their dear brothers being led astray and carried away from their home and comfort, and how unfounded was the claim he made.

監護人想到自己照管的孩子可能受到誘惑、被帶走，便開始恐慌。他們想：「總有一天，連剩下的人也可能受到他的魔力迷惑；如果再讓這樣的事情繼續下去，我們對他們的控制、我們所掌握的財富、我們在他們家中享受的舒適，以及我們在他們眼中的重要性與榮耀，統統都會失去。」於是他們決定殺死他，並煽動剩下的兄弟反對他，在他們面前宣稱，他們親愛的兄弟被引入歧途、被帶離自己的家園與舒適生活，是多麼可悲；又說這個人的身分宣稱毫無根據。

They came up to this man and arrested him, and bound his arms and legs and threw him into the sea. But those children who had looked upon him as their guide and brother grieved and lamented at this. The brother consoled them, saying, “I will come to you again, O children of my father. Do not give up hope, and the things that you have not understood, being young, will be taught to you fully; and as these people have behaved so harshly towards me, it will be shown them what it is to be heedless of our father’s message brought by his own son; and you will be enlightened, O children of my father, with the same light with which I came to help you.”

他們走向這個人，把他逮捕起來，綁住他的手腳，將他丟進海裡。然而，那些曾把他視為引導者與兄長的孩子，為此悲傷哀哭。兄長安慰他們說：「我會再次回到你們身邊，我父親的孩子們。不要放棄希望；那些你們因年幼而尚未明白的事，將會完整地教導給你們。而這些人如此殘酷地對待我，他們也將明白，漠視由父親親生兒子帶來的父親之訊息，究竟意味著什麼；而你們，我父親的孩子們，將被我前來幫助你們時所帶來的同一道光照亮。」

This man was a master swimmer. The sea had no power to drown him. He seemed to them to have sunk, but then he drew his hands and feet out of the knots, rose upon the water and began to swim in a masterly way, as he had been taught. He went to the father in the wilderness and told him all his experiences on his long journey, and showed his love and desire to obey his father’s will and fulfil all his commandments; to go to the children of his father again with renewed strength and power, in order to bring them to that ideal which was the only desire of the father.

這個人是一名游泳高手，海沒有力量淹死他。在他們眼中，他似乎已經沉沒；然而他把手腳從繩結中掙脫，浮上水面，並按照自己受過的教導，以高超的方式游了起來。他回到荒野中的父親那裡，把自己漫長旅途中所有的經歷告訴父親，也表明自己對父親的愛，以及服從父親意志、完成他一切命令的願望；他願意帶著重新獲得的力量，再度前往父親的孩子那裡，使他們走向那個理想——那也是父親唯一的願望。

A bearer of the message of their father appeared again after a few years. He did not insist on proving himself to be the son of their father, but tried to guide them and help them towards the ideal set for them by their father. The guardians, disturbed already by one who came and went, insulted him, stoned him, and drove him out of their sight; but he, renewed in his power, strength, and courage, and coming fresh from the mighty influence of his father, withstood it courageously with sword and shield, and sought refuge among those of the brothers who responded to him and sympathized with him on his last coming.

幾年之後，又有一位帶著他們父親訊息的人出現。他不堅持證明自己就是父親的兒子，而只是試著引導他們，幫助他們走向父親為他們所立的理想。監護人先前已被那位來而又去的人擾亂，因此侮辱他、拿石頭打他，把他趕出視線之外；然而，他重新獲得了力量、能力與勇氣，又剛從父親強大的影響中歸來，於是以劍與盾勇敢抵抗，並在那些曾於他上次到來時回應他、同情他的兄弟之中尋求庇護。

They said, “Surely he who came before was from our father, whom our brothers did not recognize and have sunk in the sea, but we are awaiting his coming, for he promised us that he would come.” He answered, “It is myself who promised, and went to our father, and now I have come, for the promise given to you was of two natures: ‘I will come again’ was said to those who could recognize me in a different garb, suited to the time and the situation; and ‘I will send another’ or ‘Another will come’ was said to those who were likely to be confused by the external garb. It was said to them so that they might not refuse the word of guidance sent by our most loving father.”

他們說：「先前來的那個人一定是從父親那裡來的；我們的兄弟沒有認出他，把他沉入海中。但我們正等著他回來，因為他曾答應我們，他會再來。」他回答：「作出那個承諾的人就是我；我去了我們父親那裡，如今又回來了。因為給你們的承諾有兩種性質：『我會再來』，是對那些能夠認出穿著不同外衣、符合不同時代與情勢的我的人所說；而『我會派另一個人來』或『另一個人會來』，則是對那些可能被外在衣著混淆的人所說。如此對他們說，是為了使他們不會拒絕我們最慈愛的父親所送來的引導之語。」

They understood his word better, but refused to acknowledge him to be the same as the first, whom they had formerly seen and now expected. He spoke, and he showed in his works the signs of their father, but they clung to the person whom they had seen at first, forgetting his word and their father.

他們更能理解他的話了，卻仍拒絕承認他就是先前那個人——那個他們曾經見過、如今正在等待的人。他說話，也在自己的作為中顯出父親的徵象；然而他們仍緊抓著自己最初見過的那個人格，忘記了他的話，也忘記了自己的父親。

But the little ones, who had not known him before, felt the tie of the blood relationship, for neither were their hearts hardened nor were they set strongly in their ideas. They loved him, and they recognized him more than had ever been his experience at his former coming, while the other brothers, under the influence of the guardians, fought and rebelled against all that this man did. But, in spite of all their resistance and the suffering caused to him, he guided the children of his father, as many as he could, until the name of his father was again glorified and his brothers were guided, directly or indirectly, through the puzzles of the world and the secrets of the heavens.

但是那些年幼的孩子，以前並不認識他，卻感受到血緣的連結，因為他們的心尚未變得僵硬，觀念也還沒有牢牢定型。他們愛他，也比他上一次到來時所經歷的，更能認出他；而其他兄弟則受到監護人的影響，反抗並抵制這個人所做的一切。然而，儘管他們百般抵抗，也使他承受許多痛苦，他仍盡可能引導父親的孩子，直到父親的名再次得到榮耀，而他的兄弟們也直接或間接地受到引導，穿越世界的謎團與諸天的祕密。

This story illustrates what has happened in the lives of the messengers, especially of Jesus Christ and Mohammad, though the terms Father, Son, Brother, are merely metaphorical. There has been one Teacher only, and He alone will be. All the names which the world has fought over are His names, and all the physical forms that have won the adoration of the truth-seeking world are His forms. Therefore, though the foolish reject the message, there are wise ones who accept it.

這個故事說明了使者們生命中所發生的事，尤其是耶穌基督與穆罕默德，儘管「父親」、「兒子」、「兄弟」這些詞都只是比喻。始終只有一位老師，未來也只會有祂一位。世人為之爭鬥的一切名字，都是祂的名字；一切曾贏得尋求真理之世界敬拜的肉身形貌，也都是祂的形貌。因此，雖然愚昧的人拒絕訊息，仍有智慧的人會接受它。

Some Esoteric Terms
一些祕傳術語

There are two aspects of intelligence: intellect, and wisdom.

智能有兩個面向：理智與智慧。

Intellect is the knowledge of names and forms, their character and nature, gathered from the external world. It shows in an infant from birth, when he begins to be curious about all he sees; then, by storing in his mind the various forms and figures he sees, he recognizes them as an addition to his knowledge of variety. Man thus gathers the knowledge of numberless forms of the whole world in his mind and holds them; some of them stand out luminously and predominate over, and cover, others. He also retains those forms which interest him. The nature of forms is to overpower one another in proportion to their material concreteness. The more concrete they are, the more luminous they appear; so the intellectual person takes an interest in their variety and law of change, and as knowledge is the food of the soul, he at least becomes increasingly interested in the knowledge of names and forms, and calls that learning. This becomes his world, although it neither gives him a sense of unchanging comfort, nor does he thereby gain an everlasting peace.

「理智」是從外在世界收集而來，對名字與形貌，以及它們特徵與本性的知識。從嬰兒出生、開始對自己看見的一切產生好奇時，理智便顯現出來；接著，他將所看見的各種形貌與圖像儲存在頭腦裡，把它們認作自己對多樣性之知識的增加。人就這樣在頭腦裡收集整個世界無數形貌的知識，並將它們保留下來；其中一些會明亮地突出，凌駕其他形貌，並將它們遮蓋。他也會保留那些使自己感興趣的形貌。形貌的本性，是按照它們物質上的具體程度彼此壓過；越具體的形貌，看起來便越鮮明。因此，理智型的人對它們的多樣性以及變化的法則產生興趣；而由於知識是靈魂的食糧，他至少會對名字與形貌的知識越來越感興趣，並把它稱為學問。這便成為他的世界，儘管它既不能給他一種不變的安適感，也不能使他因此獲得永恆的平安。

Wisdom is contrary to the above-named knowledge. It is the knowledge which is illumined by the light within; it comes with the maturity of the soul, and opens up the sight to the similarity of all things and beings, as well as the unity in names and forms. The wise man penetrates the spirit of all things; he sees the human in the male and female, and the racial origin which unites nations; and he sees the human in all people and the divine immanence in all things in the universe, until the vision of the whole being becomes to him the vision of the One Alone, the most beautiful and beloved God.

「智慧」與上述的知識相反。它是受到內在之光照亮的知識；它隨著靈魂成熟而來，使視野向一切事物與存有之間的相似性敞開，也向名字與形貌之中的合一敞開。有智慧的人能深入一切事物的靈；他在男性與女性之中看見「人」，看見使各民族相連的種族起源；他也在所有人身上看見人，在宇宙一切事物中看見神聖的內在臨在，直到對完整存有的視見，在他眼中成為對「唯一者」的視見——那最美、最受愛的神。

In giving a definition for some terms used in esotericism, one may say that
consciousness is the wakeful state of the knowing faculty;
knowledge is that of which the consciousness is conscious;
conscience is a sense which is born when consciousness holds before itself a scale, on the one side an action and on the other side an ideal; and
intelligence is the grasping faculty of consciousness, which by every means recognizes, distinguishes, perceives, and conceives all that is around it.

若要為祕傳學中使用的一些術語下定義，可以說：
「意識」是認知能力處於清醒的狀態；
「知識」是意識所意識到的事物；
「良知」是一種感受，當意識在自己面前放置一座天秤，一邊放著一個行為，另一邊放著一個理想時，它便由此產生；而
「智能」則是意識的掌握能力，它透過各種方式，辨認、區別、感知並構想周遭的一切。

Ignorance is the state of the mind when it is in darkness.

「無知」是頭腦處於黑暗中的狀態。

When mental vibrations flow into the astral plane, without conscious direction, it is called imagination;
when they do so under conscious direction, it is called thought. When the imagination is experienced during sleep it is called a dream.

當心智的振動在沒有意識引導的情況下流入星光界時，稱為「想像」；
當它們在有意識的引導下如此流動時，稱為「思想」。當想像在睡眠中被經驗到時，則稱為「夢」。

Impression is a feeling which rises as a reaction on receiving a reflection coming from the external world (physical, mental, or astral).

「印象」是一種感受，是在接收到來自外在世界——物質、心智或星光層面——的反映之後，作為反應而生起。

Intuition is an inner message, given in the nature of warning or guidance, perceived by the mind independently of any external source.

「直覺」是一個內在的訊息，以警告或引導的性質而來，由頭腦感知，並不依賴任何外在來源。

Inspiration is the rising of a stream from the depth of the heart of the jinns and manifests in the realm of poetry, music, painting, sculpture, or any art.

「靈感」是一股從精靈之心的深處升起的流，並顯現在詩歌、音樂、繪畫、雕塑或任何藝術的領域之中。

Vision is a spiritual dream which is witnessed either when awake or asleep. It is called a dream because the radiance of the vision brings about a semi-sleep to the seer, even when awake.

「視見」是一種靈性的夢，無論清醒或睡眠時都可能被看見。之所以稱它為夢，是因為視見的光輝會使觀看者進入半睡眠的狀態，即使他仍然清醒。

Revelation is the disclosing of the inner self. The consciousness throughout manifestation facing towards the surface, turns its back to the world within, the sight of which is therefore lost to it. But when it begins to look within, the world unseen is disclosed, and Choudatabaq, the fourteen planes, consisting of the seven heavens and the seven earths, are revealed.

「啟示」是內在自我的揭露。意識在整個顯現過程中朝向表層，因此背對著內在世界，也就失去了對內在世界的視見。然而，當它開始向內觀看時，無形的世界便會顯露，而 Choudatabaq——十四層界，由七重天與七重地構成——也會被揭示。

“The veil shall be lifted from thine eyes and thy sight shall be keen”, as it is said in Qur’an.

正如《古蘭經》所說：「帷幕將從你的眼前揭去，你的目光將變得銳利。」

And annihilation (Fana) is equivalent to “losing the false self” (Nafs), which again culminates in what is called Eternal Life (Baqa).

而「消融」（Fana）等同於「失去虛假的我」（Nafs），而這又最終達至所謂的「永恆生命」（Baqa）。

Alif
阿拉伯字第一個字母的故事

In the life of Bullah Shah, the great saint of Panjab, one reads a most instructive account of his early training when he was sent to school with boys of his own age. The teacher taught him Alif, the first letter of the Arabic alphabet. The other boys in his class finished the whole alphabet while he was mastering the same letter. When weeks had passed, and the teacher saw that the child did not advance any further than the first letter Alif, he thought that he must be deficient and sent him home to his parents, saying, “Your boy is deficient, I cannot teach him.”

在旁遮普偉大聖者布勒・沙阿的生平中，可以讀到一則極具啟發性的故事，講述他早年的學習。當時他被送到學校，與同齡男孩一起上課。老師教他 Alif——阿拉伯字母的第一個字母。班上的其他男孩已經學完整套字母，他卻仍在學同一個字母。幾個星期過去後，老師看見這個孩子始終沒有超越第一個字母 Alif，便認為他一定有所缺陷，把他送回父母身邊，說：「你們的孩子有所缺陷，我教不了他。」

The parents did all in their power for him, placing him under the tuition of various teachers, but he made no progress. They were disappointed, and the boy in the end escaped from home, so that he should no longer be a burden to his own people. He then lived in the forest and saw the manifestation of Alif which has taken form in the forest as the grass, the leaf, the tree, branch, fruit, and flower; and the same Alif was manifested as the mountain and hill, the stones and rocks; and he witnessed the same as a germ, insect, bird and beast, and the same Alif in himself and others. He thought of one, saw one, felt one, realized one, and none else besides.

父母為他竭盡所能，讓他跟隨各種不同的老師學習，但他始終毫無進展。他們感到失望，最後這男孩離家出走，使自己不再成為家人的負擔。此後他住在森林裡，看見 Alif 的顯現：它在森林中化為草、葉、樹、枝、果實與花朵；同一個 Alif 又顯現為山岳與丘陵、石頭與岩石；他也在細菌、昆蟲、鳥與野獸之中看見同樣的 Alif，又在自己與他人之中看見同一個 Alif。他想著一，看見一，感受一，證悟一，除此之外別無其他。

After mastering this lesson thoroughly he returned to pay his respects to his old teacher who had expelled him from school. The teacher, absorbed in the vision of variety, had long ago forgotten him; but Bullah Shah could not forget his old teacher who had taught him his first and most inspiring lesson which had occupied almost all his life. He bowed most humbly before the teacher and said, “I have prepared the lesson you so kindly taught me; will you teach me anything more there may be to learn?” The teacher laughed at him and thought to himself, “After all this time this simpleton has remembered me.”

徹底掌握這一課之後，他回去向那位曾把他逐出學校的年長老師致敬。老師沉浸在多樣性的視見之中，早已把他忘得一乾二淨；然而布勒・沙阿卻無法忘記這位老老師，因為正是他教給自己第一堂、也是最富啟發的一課，而這堂課幾乎占據了他整個生命。他極其謙卑地向老師鞠躬，說：「您如此慈愛地教給我的那一課，我已經準備好了；還有什麼可以學的，您願意再教我嗎？」老師笑了，心裡想：「過了這麼久，這個傻子竟然還記得我。」

Bullah Shah asked permission to write the lesson, and the teacher replied in jest, “Write on this wall.” He then made the sign of Alif on the wall, and it divided into two parts. The teacher was astounded at this wonderful miracle and said, “Thou art my teacher! That which thou hast learnt in the one letter Alif, I have not been able to master with all my learning,” and Bullah Shah sang this song:

布勒・沙阿請求允許他把這堂課寫下來，老師開玩笑地回答：「就寫在這面牆上吧。」於是他在牆上畫出 Alif 的符號，牆便裂成了兩半。老師被這個驚人的奇蹟震懾，說：「你才是我的老師！你從一個 Alif 中學會的東西，我用自己所有的學問都未能掌握。」於是布勒・沙阿唱了這首歌：

Oh! friend now quit thy learning,
One Alif is all thou dost need.
By learning thou hast loaded my mind,
With books thou hast filled up thy room.
But the true knowledge was lost by pursuing the false,
So quit now, O friend, the pursuit of thy learning.

哦，朋友，如今放下你的學問，
一個 Alif，就是你所需要的一切。
你用學問把我的頭腦裝得沉重，
用書籍塞滿了你的房間。
然而，在追逐虛假之中，真正的知識卻失落了，
所以，朋友，如今放下你對學問的追逐。

Every form seems to be derived from another, all figures being derived from Alif, which is originally derived from a dot and represents zero, nothingness. It is that nothingness which creates the first form Alif. It is natural for everyone when writing to make a dot as soon as the pen touches the paper, and the letters forming the words hide the origin. In like manner the origin of the One Being is hidden in His manifestation. That is why Allah, whose name comes from Alif, is hidden under His own manifestation. The same form of Alif is the figure one in English, and in both aspects this form reveals its meaning. This meaning in its various forms is seen in all aspects of nature. As Omar Khayyam says:

每一個形貌似乎都由另一個形貌衍生而來，而一切圖形都由 Alif 衍生；Alif 原本又由一個點衍生，而這個點代表零、代表空無。正是這個空無創造出第一個形貌 Alif。每個人在書寫時，筆一碰到紙面自然便會先形成一個點，而組成文字的字母則把這個起源遮蔽起來。同樣地，唯一存有的起源也隱藏在祂自己的顯現之中。因此，Allah 這個名字由 Alif 開始，而祂自己則隱藏在自己的顯現之下。Alif 的同一種形貌，在英文中也是數字一；在這兩種面向中，這個形貌都揭示了它的意義。這個意義以各種不同的形貌出現在自然的一切面向中。正如奧瑪・海亞姆所說：

A hair perhaps divides the false and true;
Yes, and a single Alif were the clue,
Could you but find it — to the treasure house, And, peradventure, to the Master too.
My soul said, “I desire the mystic knowledge: Teach me if it be in thy power.”
I said, “Alif.”
She answered, “Say no more; If one is at home, a single letter is enough.”

也許只隔一根髮絲，便分開了虛假與真實；
是的，一個 Alif 就是線索，
只要你能找到它——通往寶庫，也或許通往聖師。
我的靈魂說：「我渴望祕士的知識；若你有能力，就教導我。」
我說：「Alif。」
她回答：「不必再說；若『一』就在家中，一個字母便已足夠。」

Sama, the Music of the Sufis
觀想性的音樂集會，蘇菲的音樂

It is very well known to all who have any knowledge of Sufis and Sufism, that music plays a great part in their spiritual attainment. The Chishtis, a particular school of Sufis, take a special interest in music. They call it Ghiza-i-ruh, the food of the soul, and they listen to the Qawwali, the special songs sung at their Sama, the contemplative musical assembly. It seems as if some potent life were there which is rarely met with elsewhere.

凡是對蘇菲與蘇菲主義稍有了解的人都十分清楚，音樂在他們的靈性成就中扮演著重要角色。奇什蒂派——蘇菲的一個特定傳承——尤其重視音樂。他們稱它為 Ghiza-i-ruh「靈魂的食糧」；他們在 Sama——觀想性的音樂集會——中聆聽卡瓦力 (Qawwali)，也就是特別在這些集會中吟唱的歌曲。那裡彷彿存在著某種強而有力的生命，而這在別處很少能夠遇見。

The atmosphere is charged with magnetism, harmony, and peace which are emitted by the illuminated souls present. The Shaikh, the teacher, sits in the midst, and the other Sufis sit around him, and invoke one after the other the sacred names of God, and repeat suras of the Qur’an turn by turn. This is an introduction which tunes the heart of each one present to its proper pitch, the hearts that are already prepared by Zikr, the esoteric contemplation.

整個氣氛充滿磁力、和諧與平安，這些都是由在場那些受到光啟的靈魂所散發出來。Shaikh——謝赫，也就是老師——坐在中央，其他蘇菲圍坐在他身旁，一個接一個召請神的神聖名號，並輪流誦念《古蘭經》的章節。這是一段前導，使在場每一個人的心調到適合自己的音高；而這些心，早已由 Zikr——祕傳的憶念觀想——預備好。

Their way of contemplation sets the heart in rhythm, which makes even the circulation of the blood regular, and the pulsation and the whole mechanism of the body become rhythmic. When the mind is also set in rhythm by its awakened response to tone, the Sufi’s whole being becomes musical. This is why the Sufi can harmonize with each and all. Music makes all things in the world living to him and makes him alive to all things, and he begins to realize how life is dead to many in the world, and how many are dead to life.

他們的觀想方式使心進入節律，甚至令血液循環變得規律，使脈動以及身體的整個機制都具有節奏。當頭腦也因對音調甦醒的回應而進入節律時，蘇菲整個存有便化為音樂。這正是為什麼蘇菲能夠與每一個人、與一切和諧共振。音樂使世界中的一切對他而言都活了起來，也使他對一切事物都活了起來；於是他開始明白，對世上許多人而言，生命是多麼死寂，又有多少人對生命而言如同死去。

There are different grades of progress, and the verses that are sung by the Qawwals are also of different kinds.

進展有不同的階段，而卡瓦力歌者 (Qawwal) 所吟唱的詩句也有不同種類。

• Some verses are in praise of the beauty of the ideal which Sufis in the grade of Fana-fi-Shaikh enjoy. In this grade are those who see the divine immanence as the ideal, walking on earth.
  有些詩句讚頌理想的美，供處於 Fana-fi-Shaikh——消融於謝赫——階段的蘇菲體驗。在這個階段的人，將行走於世上的神聖內在臨在視為自己的理想。
• There are verses which speak about the high merits of the “ideal-in-name-and-not-in-form,” which appeals to those who are in the grade of Fana-fi-Rasul. These have not seen the ideal, neither have they heard its voice, but they have known and loved that ideal which alone exists as far as they know.
  有些詩句談到「有名而無形的理想」所具有的崇高德性，這吸引著那些處於 Fana-fi-Rasul——消融於使者——階段的人。他們沒有見過這個理想，也沒有聽過它的聲音；然而，就他們所知，他們已經認識並愛上了那個唯一存在的理想。
• Then there are verses which speak of the ideal beyond name and form. To these verses those respond who are in the grade of Fana-fi-Allah; these are conscious of their ideal as beyond name and form, qualities and merits, which cannot even be confined in knowledge, being beyond all limitations.
  接著還有一些詩句，談的是超越名字與形貌的理想。對這些詩句產生回應的，是處於 Fana-fi-Allah——消融於神——階段的人；他們意識到自己的理想超越名字與形貌、品質與德性，甚至無法被知識所框限，因為它超越一切限制。
• Sometimes the coming of the ideal is pictured in verses which describe the sweetness of voice, the beauty of countenance, the grace of movement, the praise, the merits, the qualities, and the winning ways of the ideal.
  有時，詩句會描繪理想的到來，描述其聲音的甜美、容貌的美麗、動作的優雅，以及理想的讚美、德性、品質與迷人之處。
• There are verses also in which are pictured the lover in love, his agony in separation, his caution in the presence of the beloved, his humility, his envy and rivalry, and all the natural vicissitudes of a lover.
  也有一些詩句描繪愛中的愛者：他在分離中的痛苦，在摯愛者面前的謹慎，他的謙卑、嫉妒與競爭，以及一個愛者所自然經歷的一切變化。

It is poetry, music, and art combined. It is not a simple song; it creates the whole vision in the realm of music before the mind of the Sufi who is capable of visualizing it against positive environments. In other words the Sufi produces his ideal vision in his imagination, by the help of music.

這是詩、音樂與藝術的結合。它不是一首簡單的歌曲；它在音樂的領域中，在那能夠於具體環境背景下觀想它的蘇菲頭腦面前，創造出完整的視景。換句話說，蘇菲藉著音樂的幫助，在自己的想像中產生理想的視見。

In the Qawwali the nature of love, lover, and beloved is expressed. In this the poetry of the Sufi excels the love poems known to the world, for in it is revealed the secret of love, lover and beloved, the three in one. Apart from the philosophy of the whole being, one can see the delicacy and complexity of their poems, rich with conventions and adorned with metaphor. Hafiz, Rumi, Jami, and many others among the Sufi poets, have expressed the secret of the inner and outer being in the terminology of love.

在卡瓦力 (Qawwali)中，愛、愛者與摯愛者的本性得到表達。在這一點上，蘇菲的詩超越世人所熟知的愛情詩，因為其中揭露了愛、愛者與摯愛者三者合一的祕密。除了完整存有的哲學之外，也可以看見他們詩歌的細膩與複雜，其中充滿慣用的象徵，又以隱喻裝飾。哈菲茲、魯米、賈米，以及許多其他蘇菲詩人，都以愛的語彙表達了內在與外在存有的祕密。

The Qawwals, the singers, sing these verses distinctly; so that every word may become clear to the hearers, that the music may not hide the poetry; and the tabla players who accompany the singers emphasize the accents and keep the rhythm even, so that the being of the Sufi, already set to music, joins with the rhythm and harmony of the music. On these occasions the condition of the Sufi becomes different. His emotional nature at this time has its full play; his joy and feeling cannot be explained and language is inadequate to express them. This state is termed Hal or Wajd, the sacred ecstasy, and is regarded with respect by all present in the assembly. Wajd means “presence”, Hal means “condition.”

卡瓦力歌者 (Qawwal) 會清楚地吟唱這些詩句，使聽者能聽清楚每一個字，不讓音樂遮住詩；而為歌者伴奏的塔布拉鼓手則強調重音，維持均勻的節奏，使那已經進入音樂狀態的蘇菲之存有，與音樂的節奏與和諧結合。在這些時刻，蘇菲的狀態會變得不同。他的情感本性此時得到完全的發揮；他的喜悅與感受無法解釋，語言也不足以表達。這種狀態稱為 Hal 或 Wajd，也就是神聖的狂喜，集會中所有在場的人都以敬意看待它。Wajd 的意思是「臨在」，Hal 的意思是「狀態」。

This state of ecstasy is not different from the natural condition of man when touched on hearing a kind word spoken, or moved to tears either on separation from the one he loves, or on the departure of his object of love, or when overjoyed on the arrival of his long-expected beloved. In the case of a Sufi the same feeling becomes sacred, his ideal being higher.

這種狂喜的狀態，與人自然的情況並沒有不同：例如聽到一句善意的話而深受感動；或因與自己所愛的人分離、因所愛的對象離去而流淚；或因長久等待的摯愛者終於到來而欣喜若狂。對蘇菲而言，同樣的感受成為神聖的，因為他的理想更高。

A pilgrimage is the same as an ordinary journey, the only difference being in the aim; in a journey the aim is earthly, whereas the pilgrimage is made for a sacred purpose. Sometimes on hearing music, the Sufi is seen to be deeply touched, sometimes his feeling finds vent in tears, sometimes his whole being, filled with music and joy, expresses itself in motion, which in Sufi terms is called Raqs.

朝聖與普通的旅程其實相同，唯一的差別在於目的；一般旅程的目的是世俗的，而朝聖則為了一個神聖的目的。有時，蘇菲聽到音樂時會深受感動；有時，他的感受會透過淚水宣洩；有時，他整個存有充滿音樂與喜悅，並以動作表達出來，在蘇菲術語中稱為 Raqs——舞動。

When man analyses the objective world and realizes the inner being, what he learns first and last is that this whole vision of life is created of love; love itself being life, all will in time be absorbed in it.

當人分析客觀世界，並證悟內在存有時，他最初也是最終所學到的，就是生命的整個視景都是由愛創造的；愛本身就是生命，而一切終將隨著時間被吸收於愛中。

It is the lover of God whose heart is filled with devotion, who can commune with God; not the one who makes an effort with his intellect to analyze God. In other words, it is the lover of God who can commune with Him, not the student of His nature. It is the “I” and “you” which divide, and yet it is “I” and “you” which are the necessary conditions of love. Although “I” and “you” divide the one life into two, it is love that connects them by the current which is established between them; and it is this current which is called communion, which runs between man and God.

能夠與神相通的，是那位心中充滿奉獻的神之愛者；而不是那個努力以理智分析神的人。換句話說，能與神相通的是愛神的人，而不是研究神之本性的人。使彼此分開的是「我」與「你」，然而「我」與「你」又是愛所必需的條件。雖然「我」與「你」把同一個生命分成兩者，卻是愛以建立於兩者之間的流將它們連結起來；這股流便稱為相通，它運行於人與神之間。

To the question, “What is God?” and “What is man?” the answer is that the soul, conscious of its limited existence, is “man”, and the soul reflected by the vision of the unlimited, is “God.” In plain words man’s self-consciousness is man, and man’s consciousness of his highest ideal is God. By communion between these two, in time both become one, as in reality they are already one. And yet the joy of communion is even greater than the joy of at-one-ment, for all joy of life lies in the thought of “I” and “you.”

對於「神是什麼？」以及「人是什麼？」這兩個問題，答案是：意識到自己有限存在的靈魂，就是「人」；而被無限之視見所映照的靈魂，就是「神」。簡單地說，人的自我意識就是人，而人對自己最高理想的意識就是神。透過這兩者之間的相通，隨著時間，它們都成為一，正如它們在實相中本來就是一。然而，相通的喜悅甚至比合一的喜悅更大，因為生命的一切喜悅，都存在於「我」與「你」這個念頭之中。

All that man considers beautiful, precious and good, is not necessarily in the thing or the being; it is in his ideal; the thing or being causes him to create the beauty, value and goodness in his own mind. Man believes in God by making Him an ideal of his worship, so that he can commune with someone whom he can look up to; in whom he can lay his absolute trust, believing Him to be above the unreliable world; on whose mercy he can depend, seeing selfishness all round him.

人所認為美麗、珍貴與善好的事物，未必真的存在於那件事物或那個存有本身；它存在於他的理想之中。那件事物或那個存有，使他在自己的頭腦中創造出美、價值與善。人藉著將神塑造成自己敬拜的理想而相信神，如此他便能與一位自己可以仰望的存在相通；他可以把絕對的信任交給祂，相信祂超越這個不可靠的世界；當他看見四周盡是自私時，仍可以依靠祂的慈悲。

It is this ideal when made of a stone, and placed in a shrine, which is called an idol of God; and when the same ideal is raised to the higher plane and placed in the shrine of the heart, it becomes the ideal of God with whom the believer communes and in whose vision he lives most happily, as happily as could be, in the company of the sovereign of the whole universe.

當這個理想被做成石頭、放進聖龕時，就稱為神的偶像；而當同一個理想被提升到更高的層面，放進心的聖龕時，它便成為神的理想形象，信仰者與祂相通，並活在祂的視見之中，享有最大的幸福，如同陪伴著整個宇宙的君王一般幸福。

When this ideal is raised still higher it breaks into the real, and the real light manifests to the godly; the one who was once a believer now becomes the realizer of God.

當這個理想被提升得更高時，它便突破而進入實相，真正的光向敬神者顯現；那個曾經只是信仰者的人，如今成為證悟神的人。

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