6. The Law of the Inner Life
6. 內在生活的律法

Adult 成人

Those who live the inner life begin to see a law which is hidden from the average man. There is the law of nature which is known as science, and that of life which is called moral law; but beyond science and morals there is another law. It may be called occult law, or in other words inner law; a law which can be understood by an open heart and an awakened soul.

那些過內在生活的人，開始看見一種一般人看不見的律法。世上有自然的律法，被稱為科學；也有關於生命的律法，被稱為道德律。然而，在科學與道德之上，還有另一種律法。它可以被稱為「隱秘的律法」，或者說是「內在的律法」；這是一種只有敞開的心與甦醒的靈魂才能理解的律法。

This law manifests to the view of the seer in many and varied forms; sometimes it appears in a quite contrary form to the effect that it has later on in its manifestation. The eye of the seer becomes a sword which cuts open, so to speak, all things, including the hearts of men, and sees clearly through all they contain; but it is a cutting open which is at the same time healing.

在觀見者的眼中，這條律法以許多不同的形式顯現；有時，它顯現出來的樣子，和它後來在果報中所產生的作用，甚至看起來是相反的。在這樣的人眼裡，他的眼就好像一把劍，可以劈開一切——可以這麼說，連人的心也在其中——而看清裡面所包含的一切；然而這種劈開，同時也是一種療癒。

In the Qur’an it is said, “He who taught with the pen, taught man that which he knew not.”

《古蘭經》中說：「祂以筆教人，教人所不知道的事。」

And what does that mean? It means that to the man who lives the inner life, everything that he sees becomes a written character and this whole visible world a book. He reads it as plainly as a letter written by his friend. And besides this, he hears a voice within which becomes to him a language. It is an inner language; its words are not the same as the words of the external language. It is a divine language. It is a language without words, which can only be called a voice, and yet it serves as a language. It is like music, which is as clear as a language to the musician. Another person enjoys music, but only the musician knows exactly what it says, what every note is, how it is expressed and what it reveals. Every phrase of music to him has a meaning; every piece of music is a picture to him. But this is so only with a real musician.

那這句話是什麼意思呢？意思是說，對一個過內在生活的人來說，他所看見的一切，都成為一個個文字，而整個可見的世界就是一本書。他讀這本書，就像讀一封朋友寫來的信一樣清楚。除此之外，他還聽到一個內在的聲音，對他而言，那成了一種語言。那是一種內在的語言；它的「詞」與外在世界的語言並不相同。那是神性的語言，一種無字的語言，只能被稱為一種「聲音」，卻起著語言的作用。這很像音樂——對音樂家而言，音樂就像一種語言那樣清晰。別人可以享受音樂，但只有音樂家真正知道音樂在說什麼、每一個音符是什麼、是如何被表達、又揭露了什麼。對他來說，音樂的每一句樂句都有意義，每一首音樂都是一幅畫。但這只發生在真正的音樂家身上。

Some people profess to have clairvoyance and clairaudience, and very often delude others by giving false prophecies; but the one who lives the inner life does not need to prophecy; he does not need to tell others what he sees and what he hears. It is not only that he is not inclined to do so, but also he sees no necessity for it. Besides, he cannot fully express himself. How difficult it is to translate fully the poetry of one language into the poetry of another! Yet it is only interpreting the ideas of one part of the earth to the people of another part of the same earth. How much more difficult, then, it must be to translate or to interpret the ideas of the divine world to the human world! In what words can they be given? what phrases can be used for them? and after being given even in words and phrases, who would understand them? It is the language of a different world.

有些人自稱擁有「透視」或「靈聽」的能力，並且常常藉著虛假的預言誤導他人；但那個過內在生活的人，並不需要預言，也不需要告訴別人他看見了什麼、聽見了什麼。這不只是因為他不傾向這麼做，而是因為他看不出這樣做有何必要。此外，他也無法完整地表達自己。要把一種語言的詩，完全翻譯成另一種語言的詩，是多麼困難啊！而那只是把地球某一部分的人所構成的意念，轉譯給同一個地球上另一部分的人而已。那麼，要把神聖世界的意念翻譯、詮釋給人類世界，又要困難多少倍呢？要用什麼字來表達？用什麼句子來說？而就算勉強用言語和句子說出來，又有誰真能理解？那是一種屬於另一個世界的語言。

Therefore, when the prophets and seers of all ages have given to humanity a certain message and law, it was only the giving of a drop from the ocean which they received into their hearts. And this also is a great difficulty, for even this drop is not intelligible. Does every Christian understand the Bible? Does every Muslim know the Qur’an, or every Hindu the Vedanta? No, they may know the words of the verses, but not always the real meaning. Among the Muslims there are some who know the whole Qur’an by heart, but that does not fulfill the purpose. The whole of nature is a secret book, yet it is an open book to the seer. How can man translate it? how can man interpret it? It is like trying to bring the sea on to the land; one can bring it, but how much?

因此，歷代先知與觀見者所給人類的訊息與律法，只不過是他們從大海中接受到、灌注在自己心裡的那一小滴而已。而這本身就已是個大難題，因為即使這一滴，人們都未必聽得懂。是不是每一位基督徒都真正理解《聖經》？每一位穆斯林都真正明白《古蘭經》？每一位印度教徒都真正懂得《吠檀多》？不，許多人頂多只知道那些經文的字句，卻不一定懂得真正的涵義。在穆斯林當中，有些人能把整部《古蘭經》背起來，但這並沒有達成最初的用意。整個自然是一本祕密的書，然而對觀見者而言，它同時是一部打開的書。人要怎麼翻譯它？人要如何詮釋它？這就像試圖把整片海水搬上陸地——你可以帶來一點，但又能帶多少呢？

The understanding of this law gives quite a different outlook on life to the seer; it makes him more inclined to appreciate all that is good and beautiful, to admire all that is worth admiring, to enjoy all that is worth enjoying, to experience all that is worth experiencing. It awakens the sympathy of the seer to love, to tolerate, to forgive, to endure and to sympathize; it gives the inclination to support, to protect, and to serve those in need. But can he say what he really feels, how he really feels? No, he cannot say it even to himself.

對觀見者而言，理解這條律法會使他看待生命的角度完全不同；這使他更傾向於欣賞一切美善的事物，對一切值得欽佩的東西生出讚賞之心，享受一切值得享受的，以及親身經驗一切值得經驗的。這種理解喚醒了觀見者心中的同理，讓他去愛、去包容、去寬恕、去忍受、去憐憫；也讓他傾向去扶持、去保護、去服務那些有需要的人。然而，他能說出自己真正的感受嗎？能說出自己究竟是如何感受的嗎？不能，他甚至無法向自己說清楚。

Therefore the one who lives the inner life is all things;

因此，那個過內在生活的人，是一切的一切；

he is as a physician who knows things that a physician cannot know;an astrologer who knows much more than the astrologer;an artist who knows that which an artist could not know;a musician who knows what a musician does not know;a poet who knows what the poet cannot perceive.

他像是一位醫者，知道醫者所不知道之事；像是一位占星家，比一般占星家懂得更多；像是一位藝術家，了解一般藝術家所不能知的；像是一位音樂家，明白一般音樂家所不明白的；像是一位詩人，領會那是一般詩人所無法洞見的。

For he becomes the artist of the entire world, the singer of the divine song; he becomes an astrologer of the entire cosmos, which is hidden from the sight of men. He does not need outer things as the signs of knowing the eternal life. His very life is the evidence of the everlasting life. To him death is a shadow; it is a change; it is turning the face from one side to the other.

因為他成了整個世界的藝術家，是神聖之歌的歌者；他成了整個宇宙的占星家，而這宇宙對人眼而言是隱藏著的。他不需要外在的標記來當作他認識永恆生命的證據。他的生命本身，就是永恆生命的明證。對他來說，死亡只是一道影子，只是一種改變——就像把臉轉向另一邊而已。

To him all things have their meaning, every movement in this world: the movement of the water, of the air, of the lightning and the thunder and the wind. Every movement has a message for him, it brings to him some sign. To another person it is only the thunder, it is only a storm, but to him every movement has its meaning. And when he rises in his development, not only has every movement its meaning, but in and above every movement there is his command. It is that part of his life which brings him mastery.

對他而言，一切事物都有其意義，世界裡每一個動作皆然：水的流動、空氣的流轉、閃電與雷聲、風的吹拂。每一種運動對他都有一個訊息，都帶來某種徵兆。對別人來說，它只不過是雷聲、只不過是一場暴風雨，但對他而言，每一個動作都有其意義。而當他在發展中更進一步時，不只是每一個動作都有意義，更在每一個動作之中與之上，都有他的指令的成分在其中。正是這一部分，使他進入了「主宰」的境界。

Besides this, in all affairs of this world, of individuals and multitudes, which confuse people, which bring them despair and cause them depression, which give joy and pleasure, which amuse them, he sees through all. He knows why it comes, whence it comes, what is behind it, what is the cause of it, and behind the seeming cause what is the hidden cause; and if he wished to trace the cause behind the cause he could trace back to the primal cause, for the inner life is lived by living with the primal cause, by being in unity with the primal cause.

除此之外，關於這世界一切的事——無論是個人的、群體的——那些讓人困惑、使人絕望、令人氣餒的事，那些帶來歡樂與愉悅、使人覺得有趣的事，他都能看透。他知道為什麼會這樣，知道這一切從何而來，知道背後有什麼，知道它的原因是什麼；甚至在表面的原因背後，那個隱藏的根源又是什麼。如果他願意追溯這一層又一層的因由，他可以一直追尋到「最初之因」，因為內在生活，就是與「最初之因」同在的生活，是與那最初之因合一而活。

Therefore the one who lives the inner life, in other words, who lives the life of God, God is in him and he is in God.

因此，那個過內在生活的人——換句話說，那個過著神之生活的人——是神在他裡面，而他也在神之中。

Youth 青年期

For instance, in the spiritual path a person goes backwards, he experiences youth again, for spirituality gives health to the mind and to the body, it being the real life. He experiences vigor, strength, aspiration, enthusiasm, energy, and a living spirit that makes him feel youthful, whatever be his age.

舉例來說，在靈性的道路上，一個人有如倒著走，他會再次經驗「青春」，因為靈性會為心靈與身體帶來健康——靈性才是真正的生命。他會重新感受到活力、力量、渴望、熱情、能量，以及一種讓他無論年紀多大都仍覺得清新的生命之 Spirit。

Childhood 童年期

Then he becomes as a little child, eager to play, ready to laugh, happy among children; he shows in his personality childlike traits, especially that look one sees in children, where there is no worry, anxiety, or bitter feeling against anyone, where there is a desire to be friendly with all, where there is no pride or conceit, but readiness to associate with anybody, whatever be his class or caste, nation or race. So the spiritual person becomes like a child. The tendency to tears, the readiness for laughter, all these are found in the spiritual person.

接著，他變得像個小孩，渴望玩耍、隨時準備好大笑，與孩子們在一起就感到快樂；他的性格裡顯露出孩童般的特質，尤其是那種在孩子臉上才能看到的神情——沒有憂慮、沒有焦慮、對任何人沒有苦澀的感覺；他只想與所有人做朋友，沒有驕傲與自負，隨時準備好與任何人交往，不論對方的階級、種姓、國籍或人種為何。所以靈性之人會變得像孩子一樣。容易流淚、容易大笑，這些特徵在靈性之人身上都可以看見。

Infancy 嬰兒期

As the spiritual person goes further he shows in his nature infancy. This can be perceived in his innocence. His heart may be lighted with wisdom, yet he is innocent; he is easily deceived, even knowingly, besides being happy under all conditions, like an infant. As the infant has no regard for honor or for insult, neither has the spiritual person. When he arrives at this stage, he answers insult with a smile. Honors given to him are like honors given to a little baby, who does not know to whom they are offered. Only the person who has given the honors knows that they have been given to somebody. The spiritual one is not conscious of it, nor happy in it, nor proud of it. It is nothing to him. The one who has honored him has honored himself, since to the baby it is nothing if somebody should speak in favor of him or against him; the baby does not mind, he is ready to smile at both; so is the spiritual soul.

當靈性之人走得更遠時，他在本性中開始呈現出「嬰兒期」的特質。這可以從他的「天真」裡看出來。他的心也許被智慧照亮，然而他仍保持天真；他很容易被欺騙，甚至有時是「心裡知道卻仍然讓自己受騙」，並且像嬰兒一樣，在任何處境中都能感到快樂。正如嬰兒不把「榮耀」或「羞辱」放在心上一樣，靈性之人也不放在心上。當他來到這個階段時，他用微笑回應侮辱。別人給他的榮耀，就像對一個小嬰兒所頒的榮耀——嬰兒並不知道那些榮耀是給誰的，只有那個付出榮耀的人知道，他把榮耀給了「某個人」。靈性之人並沒有意識到這些榮耀，也不會因為這些榮耀而高興，更不會因此而自滿。對他而言，那什麼也不是。那個榮耀他的人，其實是榮耀了他自己；就像對嬰兒而言，別人稱讚他或批評他，對他都無所謂，他會對兩者一樣露出微笑；靈性之魂也是如此。

Humanity 真正的人性

As the spiritual soul proceeds further he begins to show the real traits of humanity, for here humanity really begins. One can see in such a soul the signs which are the pure characteristics of the human being, devoid of the animal traits.

當靈性之魂再向前推進時，他開始顯出「真正的人性」的特徵；也只有到這裡，人性才真正開始。你可以在這樣的靈魂身上，看見一些徵兆，那是人類純粹的特質，已不再帶有動物性的痕跡。

For instance, there is a tendency in him to appreciate every little good deed done by anyone, to admire good wherever he sees it in any person;a tendency to sympathize, whatever be the condition of the person, saint or sinner;a tendency to take interest in the affairs of his friends when called upon to do so;a tendency to sacrifice, not considering what he sacrifices, as long as he is moved to do that action.

例如，他有一種傾向：對任何人所做的每一件小小善行，都懂得欣賞；無論在誰身上看見善，都會生出讚歎；他有一種傾向：無論對方的處境如何，不管是聖者或罪人，都能生出同情、同理；他有一種傾向：當朋友在事務上需要他時，他會真誠地投入、關心；他還有一種傾向：願意犧牲，而不去計較自己犧牲了什麼，只要他心中被觸動，認為該這麼做，他就會去做。

Respect, gratitude, sincerity, faithfulness, patience, endurance, all these qualities begin to show in the character of that man. It is in this stage that truly he can judge, for at this stage the sense of justice awakens.

尊重、感恩、真誠、忠實、耐心、忍受——這一切品質都開始在這個人的性格中清楚顯現。也正是在這個階段，他才真正有能力作出判斷，因為在這裡，「正義感」在他裡面甦醒了。

Animal Kingdom 動物王國的品質

But as he grows he continues also to grow backward. He now shows the signs of the animal kingdom; for instance, such a quality as that of the elephant, which, with all its strength and power of giant bulk, is ready to take the load put upon it; the horse, which is ready to serve the rider; and the cow, which lives in the world harmoniously, comes home without being driven, gives milk which is the right of her calf. These qualities come to the spiritual person. The same thing is taught by Christ.

但是，當他繼續成長時，他同時也在「向後成長」。此時，他開始顯現出「動物王國」的徵兆；例如：像大象那樣的特質——擁有龐大的身軀與巨大力量，卻願意承受加諸在它身上的重擔；像馬一樣的特質——隨時準備好服務牠的騎士；像牛一樣的特質——與世界和諧共處，不用人驅趕也會自己回家，把本該屬於小牛的奶給出來。這些特質會在靈性之人身上出現。基督的教導中也有同樣的意涵。

Vegetable Kingdom 植物王國的品質

When he goes on further still there develops in him the quality of the vegetable kingdom, of the plants which bring forth fruit and flowers; patiently waiting for the rain from above; never asking any return from those who come to gather flowers and fruit, giving and never expecting a return, desiring only to bring forth beauty according to the capability which is hidden in them, and letting it be taken by the worthy or unworthy, whoever it be, without any expectation of appreciation or thanks.

當他再更往前走時，他裡面開始發展出「植物王國」的品質——就像植物結出花與果實；耐心等候從天而降的雨水；對前來採摘花朵與果實的人，從不要求回報，只是一味地給予、毫無所求；它們只渴望把自己內在所蘊藏的美展現出來，任憑配得與不配得的人——無論是誰——前來取用，而不期待任何感謝或讚賞。

Mineral Kingdom 礦物王國的品質

And when the spiritual person advances still further he arrives at the stage of the mineral kingdom. He becomes as a rock; a rock for others to lean on, to depend upon; a rock that stands unmoved amidst the constantly moving waves of the sea of life; a rock to endure all things of this world whose influence has a jarring effect upon sensitive human beings; a rock of constancy in friendship, of steadfastness in love, of loyalty to every ideal for which he has taken his stand. One can depend upon him through life and death, here and hereafter. In this world where nothing is dependable, which is full of changes every moment, such a soul has arrived at the stage where he shows through all these changes that rock-like quality, proving thereby his advancement to the mineral kingdom.

當靈性之人再更進一步時，他來到「礦物王國」的階段。他成了一塊岩石——一塊可以讓別人倚靠、信賴的岩石；在生命之海變動不息的浪潮之中，他是一塊屹立不搖的岩石；面對這世上一切會讓敏感的人心感到震盪的衝擊，他是一塊能承受一切的岩石；在友誼中，他是一塊恆久不變的岩石；在愛裡，他是一塊堅定不移的岩石；在他所立足的每一個理想上，他是一塊忠誠的岩石。人可以在生死之間、在今生與來世，都倚靠他。在這個瞬息萬變、沒有任何東西真的可靠的世界裡，這樣的靈魂卻來到一個境界——經過所有變化，他仍展現出「岩石般」的品質，藉此顯明他已經進展到礦物王國的層次。

Jinn
Jinn的品質

（譯註：在蘇菲原意裡，Jinn 是一類「肉眼不可見、具自由意志的存有」，介於人與天使之間。中文並未有相似概念的名詞可直譯，故保留原文 Jinn。）

His further advancement is into the jinn quality, which represents the all-knowing, all-understanding.

當他再更向前時，他進入「Jinn 的品質」——這一層代表「全知、全然理解」。

There is nothing he cannot understand; however difficult the situation, however subtle the problem, whatever be the condition of those around him, he understands it all.

沒有任何事是他不能理解的；無論處境多困難、問題多微妙，不管身邊的人處於什麼樣的狀態，他都能理解。

A person may come to him hardened with faults that he has committed all his life; before this understanding he melts, for whether it be a friend or an enemy, he understands both.

一個人可能帶著自己一生反覆犯錯所形成的僵硬、來到他面前；但在這樣的理解之下，那個人會融化，因為無論是朋友或敵人，他都同樣理解。

Not only has he the knowledge of human nature, but of objects as well, of conditions of life in general in all its aspects.

他不僅對人性有認識，也對萬物有認識，對生命各個層面的境況都有所了解。

Angel
天使的品質

And when he advances still further his nature develops into that of an angel. The nature of the angel is to be worshipful.

當他再更往前進時，他的本性開始發展出「天使」的樣貌。天使的本質，是「敬拜」。

He therefore worships God in all creatures; he does not feel to be any greater or better or any more spiritual himself than anybody else.

因此，他在所有受造物之中敬拜神；他不覺得自己比任何人更偉大、更好，或在靈性上更高。

In this realization he is the worshipper of all the names and forms there are, for he considers them all the names and forms of God.

在這樣的體認裡，他成了「一切名與形」的敬拜者，因為在他看來，萬有的名與形，全都是神的名與形。

There is no one, however degenerate or looked down upon by the world, who is any less in his eyes.

在他眼中，沒有任何人——無論多墮落，或多麼被世人看輕——比別人更低賤。

In his eyes there is no one but the divine Being; and in this way every moment of his life is devoted to worship.

在他眼裡，除了神聖存有之外，沒有別的；因此，他生命中的每一刻，都奉獻在敬拜之中。

For him it is no longer necessary that he must worship God at a certain time, or in a certain house, or in a certain manner.

對他來說，他不再需要在某一個特定時間、特定場所、用特定方式來敬拜神。

There is not one moment that he is not in worship. Every moment of his life he is in worship, he is before God.

沒有一刻他不是在敬拜；他生命中的每一刻都在敬拜中，他每一刻都站在神面前。

And being before God at every moment of his life he becomes so purified that his heart becomes a crystal where everything is clear. Everything is reflected there, no one can hide his thoughts from him, nothing is hidden from him; all is known as clearly as it is known to the other person, and more so. For every person knows his own condition and yet not the reason, but the spiritual being at this stage knows the condition of the person and the reason behind it. Therefore he knows more about every person than that person knows himself.

而既然他生命中的每一刻都站在神面前，他就被煉淨到一個地步，他的心成了一塊水晶，在其中一切都清晰可見。一切都在那裡被映照出來，沒有人能把自己的想法藏起來，沒有任何事能向他隱藏；所有事情在他面前都如同當事人自己所知那樣清楚，甚至更清楚。因為每個人只知道自己的處境，卻不一定知道背後的原因；而在這個階段的靈性之人，既知道一個人的處境，也知道其背後的原因。因此，他對每一個人的了解，都比那個人自己對自己的了解更多。

Perfection 圓滿的境界

It is in this stage that his progress culminates and comes to its fullness; and Christ has spoken concerning this in the words: “Be ye perfect, as your Father in heaven is perfect.” When that stage arrives, it is beyond all expression. It is a sense, it is a realization, it is a feeling, which words can never explain. There is only one thing that can be said, that when a person has touched that stage which is called perfection, his thought, speech, action, his atmosphere, everything becomes productive of God; he spreads God everywhere. Even if he did not speak, still he would spread God; if he did not do anything, still he would bring God. And thus God-realized ones bring to the world the living God. At present there exists in the world only a belief in God; God exists in imagination, in the ideal.

正是在這個階段，他的進展達到頂點、進入圓滿；基督曾用這句話說明這個境界：「你們要完全，像你們在天上的父完全一樣。」當這個階段真正臨到時，它已經超越一切言語所能描述。那是一種感受、一種體認、一種深層的體會，是語言永遠無法解釋的。我們只能說一件事：當一個人觸及這個被稱為「圓滿」的境界時，他的思想、言語、行動，他的氣場與整個人，都成了神的產生者——他把神散播到每一個地方。即使他一言不發，他仍然在散播神；即使他什麼也不做，他仍然把神帶來。如此，這些在神裡覺悟的人，把「活生生的神」帶到世上。現今世界上所存在的，多半只是對神的信念；神往往只存在於想像和理想之中。

It is such a soul which has touched divine Perfection that brings to the earth a living God, who without him would remain only in the heavens.

正是這樣一個觸及神聖圓滿的靈魂，把「活著的神」帶到人間——若不是藉由這樣的靈魂，這位神原本只會停留在諸天之上。