7. Attaining the Inner Life
7. 內在生活的達成

In the attainment of the inner life, there are five things necessary.

在達成內在生活的歷程中，有五項必要的條件。

(1) Unlearning 放下已學習的

The first thing that is necessary is the mastery of mind; and this is done by unlearning all that one has learned. The inner knowledge is not gained by adding to the knowledge one has already achieved in life, for it requires a rock foundation. One cannot build a house of rocks on a foundation of sand. In order to make the foundation on rocks, one has to dig into the sand and build the foundation on the rocks below.

第一個必要的條件，是能夠掌握自己的頭腦；而做到這一點的方法，就是放下已學習的一切。內在的知識，並不是在一個人今生已獲得的知識上再加上去就能得到的，因為它需要的是「岩石」般的地基。沒有人能在沙地上蓋一棟石頭的房子。要把地基建在岩石上，就必須先往沙裡掘深，直到找到下面的岩石，再把地基築在那上面。

Very often therefore it becomes difficult for an intellectual person, who through life has learned things and understood them by the power of intellect, to attain to the inner life. For these two paths are different: the one goes to the north and the other goes to the south. When a person says, “I have now walked so many miles to the south, shall I therefore reach sooner something that exists in the north?” he must know that he will not reach it sooner, but later, because as many hours as he has walked to the south he must walk back in order to reach the north.

因此，對一個以頭腦的力量終其一生不斷學習、理解種種事物的知識分子來說，要達到內在生活往往是困難的。因為這兩條路本身就是不同的：一條向北，一條向南。當一個人說：「我已經往南走了這麼多里路，那麼我是否就比較快能抵達在北方的那個目標？」他必須明白，他不但不會比較快，反而會更晚，因為他往南走了多少時辰，之後就得再花多少時辰折返，才有可能抵達北方。

Therefore it must be understood that all man learns and experiences in this life in the world, all that he calls learning or knowledge, is only used in the world where he is learning, and bears the same relation to himself as the eggshell does to the chick; but when he takes the path to the inner life that learning and knowledge are of no use to him. The more he is capable of forgetting that knowledge, of unlearning it, the more capable he is of attaining the object for which he treads the spiritual path. It has been a great struggle for those learned and experienced in the outer life, to think that after their great advancement in worldly knowledge they have to go back again. Often they cannot understand; many among them think it is strange, and are therefore disappointed.

因此，我們必須了解：一個人在這個世界上、在今生所學的一切、所經驗的一切——也就是他所稱為「學問」或「知識」之物——只在他學習的這個世界有用，它與人的關係，就像蛋殼之於小雞一般；可是當他踏上通往內在生活的道路時，那些學問與知識對他就失去了功用。他愈能忘記那些知識、愈能放下已學習的東西，他就愈有能力達成自己踏上靈性之路所追求的目標。對那些在外在人生中博學多聞、經驗豐富的人來說，要接受這一點一直是個很大的掙扎：在世間知識上已經大幅進步之後，竟然還得再「走回頭路」。他們往往無法理解，許多人因此覺得不可思議，於是感到失望。

It is like learning the language of a certain country, when wanting to go into another country where that language is not understood, nor the language of the latter country understood by oneself.

這就好像學會了一個國家的語言，卻打算前往另一個國度，而那裡的人聽不懂這個語言，而自己也聽不懂那個國度的語言。

Just as there is the north pole and the south pole, so there is the outward and the inward life. The difference is still vaster, because the gap between the inner life and the outer life is vaster than the distance between the north pole and south pole. The one who advances to the south is not getting nearer to the north pole, but on the contrary he is going further from it; in order to reach it he must turn right round.

正如世界上有北極與南極一樣，人生也有外在生活與內在生活。兩者的差異更為巨大，因為內在生活與外在生活之間的距離，比北極和南極之間的距離還要遙遠。向南走的人並不會因此較接近北極，反而是越走越遠；要抵達北極，他就必須徹底轉身。

However, it is not difficult for the soul that is an earnest traveller on the path. It is only using the enthusiasm in the opposite direction; to turn the enthusiasm one has for learning something of the world into forgetting and unlearning it, in order to learn something of the inner life.

然而，對一個真正誠心走在這條道路上的靈魂來說，這並非難事。這只是把原本用在「學習世間之事」上的熱忱，轉向相反的方向——把那股熱忱用在忘卻、用在放下已學習的事物上，好讓自己得以學習關於內在生活的東西。

Now the question is, how does one unlearn? Learning is forming a knot in the mind. Whatever one learns from experience or from a person, one makes a knot of it in the mind; and there are as many knots found as there are things one has learned. Unlearning is unravelling the knot; and it is as hard to unlearn as it is to untie a knot. How much effort it requires, how much patience it requires, to unravel when one has made a knot and pulled it tight from both sides!

那麼問題來了：人要如何「放下已學習的」呢？所謂學習，就是在頭腦裡打上一個結。無論是從經驗中學到的，還是從別人那裡學到的，每一樣東西都會在頭腦裡結成一個結；而一個人學得越多，頭腦裡的結就越多。所謂「放下已學習的」，就是去解開這些結；而要放下，和解開繩結一樣不容易。當一個人把繩子打了結，又從兩頭越拉越緊，要把這個結慢慢解開，是多麼費力、多麼需要耐心的一件事啊！

So it requires patience and effort to unravel the knots in the mind. And what helps the process? The light of reason working with full power unravels the mental knots. A knot is a limited reason. When one unravels it, its limitation is taken away, it is open.

因此，要解開頭腦裡的結，需要極大的耐心與努力。那麼，什麼能幫助這個過程呢？是「理性之光」全力運作，來鬆解心中的結。每一個結，其實是某一種「被局限了的理性」；當一個人去解開它，那個局限也就被移除了，於是頭腦對那件事變得開放。

And when the mind becomes smooth by unlearning and by digging out all impressions, of good and bad, of right and wrong, then the ground of the heart becomes as cultivated ground, just as the land does after ploughing. All the old stumps and roots and pebbles and rocks are taken off, and it is made into ground which is now ready for the sowing of the seed. But if there are rocks and stones and bricks still scattered there, and still some of the old roots lying there, then it is difficult for the seed to be sown; the ground is not in the condition the farmer wishes it to be.

當一個人藉著放下已學習的，將頭腦裡關於善與惡、對與錯的一切印象掘出來、清理乾淨，頭腦就會變得平滑、柔軟；而「心」的土壤也就如同被好好耕犁過的大地一樣。所有舊的樹根、樹樁、小石子、大石塊都被移走了，這塊土地便成了可以播種種子的良田。但如果地上仍散落著石塊、磚塊，地下還埋著舊的根，那麼種子就很難真正播下去——這片土地還沒有達到農夫心中理想的狀態。

(2) A Spiritual Guide 一位靈性導師

The next thing in the attainment of the inner life is to seek a spiritual guide, someone whom a man can absolutely trust and have every confidence in; someone to whom he can look up, and with whom he is in sympathy, which would culminate in what is called devotion. And if once he has found someone in life whom he considers his Guru, his Murshid, his guide, then to give to him all confidence, so that not a thing is kept back. If there is something kept back, then what is given might just as well be taken away, because everything must be done fully, either have confidence or not have confidence, either have trust or no trust. On this path of perfection all things must be done fully.

在達成內在生活的歷程中，第二件必要的事，是尋找一位靈性導師——一位可以讓人全然信任、完全交付信心的人；一位可以仰望、與之心有相通、最後在內心自然產生「奉獻之情」的人。如果有一天，他在生命中找到一位他認為是自己的 Guru、自己的 Murshid、自己的引導者，那麼他就要把自己所有的信任交給這位導師，讓自己不再有所保留。若是心中還藏有某些保留，那已經交出去的那一部分，其實等於沒有給，因為在這條圓滿之路上，一切都必須是「完全的」——不是有點信任、也有點不信任；而是要麼信任，要麼不信任，要麼交付，要麼不交付。

Now there are the particular ways of the guide, which depend upon his temperament and upon his discrimination in finding for everyone who is being guided a special way. He may lead them to their destination by the royal road, or through the streets and lanes; down to the sea or through the town, by land or by water; the way that to him seems the best under certain circumstances.

至於導師的帶領方式，則各有其特別之處，取決於他的性情，也取決於他如何運用辨識力，替每一位受引導的人找到那個「專屬的道路」。他可能帶領弟子走一條寬廣的「大道」，也可能帶他穿過巷弄小路；可能帶他走向海邊，也可能穿過城市；可能在陸地上前行，也可能經由水路；總之，他會選擇在當時情況下，他認為對這個人最好的那一條路。

(3) Receiving of Knowledge 領受知識

The third thing necessary for spiritual attainment is the receiving of knowledge. This being the knowledge of the inner world, it cannot be compared with the knowledge one has learned before. That is why it is necessary to unlearn the former. Man cannot adjust what he receives in this path to the ideas which he has held before; the two things cannot go together. Therefore there are three stages of receiving knowledge which the one being guided has to go through.

在靈性成就上，第三件必要的事，是「領受知識」。既然這裡所說的是「內在世界的知識」，它就無法和一個人先前所學的知識相提並論。這也正是為什麼必須先放下舊有知識的原因。人不能把他在這條路上所領受的一切，硬套進他原本的觀念裡；這兩者無法並存。因此，一個受引導者在「領受知識」的過程中，必須經歷三個階段。

The first stage is the receiving of the knowledge, when he does nothing but receive.

第一個階段，是單純「領受」知識——在這個階段，他只需要接受，不需要做任何別的事。

The next stage is the period after this; and that stage is the assimilating of what has been learned. Man thinks upon it, he ponders upon It, in order that it may remain in his mind. It is just like eating food and then assimilating it.

接下來的階段，是在這之後的一段時期；這個階段，是「消化所學」的階段。人在此時會反覆思量、細細琢磨，為的是讓所領受的東西真正留在心中。這就如同吃下食物之後，還要經過吸收與消化一樣。

The third stage is the reasoning it out by oneself. Man does not reason it out as soon as he has received it; if he did, he would lose the whole thing. Because it is like a person who has learned A and B and C at one stage, and then would ask how about words that did not begin with those letters. He would reason it out much sooner than he ought, For he has not yet learned the other letters. There is a time which must necessarily be given to receiving, as one gives time to eating. While one is eating one does not run about in the street in order to assimilate the food. After a person has finished his dinner, then he does everything possible to help digest it. Assimilating is clearly understanding, feeling and memorizing knowledge within oneself; not only that, but waiting until its benefit and its illumination come as a result of achievement.

第三個階段，是「自己來推敲、論證」所領受的內容。人在剛領受之後，不會立刻用頭腦去推論；因為若那樣做，他反而會失去整個內涵。這就好比一個人在只學會 A、B、C 三個字母時，就急著問：「那其他不是用這三個字母開頭的字怎麼辦？」這樣他就過早地開始推論，而他其實尚未學完整套字母。在「領受」這件事上，一定要保留一段時間，就像吃飯時要留出時間好好吃一樣。人吃飯的時候，不會一邊吃一邊跑到街上去幫助消化；而是在吃完之後，再設法讓食物好好被消化。「消化」知識，就是在自己裡面將它理解清楚、在情感中體會它、在記憶裡抓住它；不只是如此，還要耐心等候，直到它所帶來的益處與光照，隨著實際的修行而逐漸顯現。

The third part, then, to the receiving of knowledge is reasoning, to reason it through: why was it like that? what benefit has come to me from it? how can it be made practicable in life? how can it benefit myself and others? That is the third stage.

因此，在「領受知識」這件事上，第三個部分才是「推理」：去把它想透——為什麼它是這樣？它為我帶來什麼益處？我要如何在生活中實際運用？它又如何能造福自己與他人？這就是第三個階段。

If these stages are confused, then the whole process becomes confused, and one cannot get that benefit for which one treads the spiritual path.

如果這幾個階段被混在一起，整個過程就會變得混亂，而人也無法真正得到自己踏上靈性之路所應得的益處。

(4) Meditation 冥想

In the first place meditation is done mechanically, at an hour which one has fixed upon as the hour for devotion or concentration.

一開始，冥想是依照固定形式進行的——在自己訂下的某個時段裡，把那段時間當成奉獻或專注的時刻來練習冥想。

The next step is to think of that idea of meditation at other times during the day.

下一步，是在一天裡的其他時刻，也經常想起「冥想」這個意念。

And the third stage is continuing meditation throughout the day and night. Then one has attained to the right meditation. If a person does meditation only for fifteen minutes in the evening and then forgets altogether about it all day, he does the same thing as going to church on Sunday and the other days of the week forgetting all about it.

第三個階段，則是晝夜不斷地處於冥想中。到了那個時候，才真正達到「正確的冥想」。如果一個人只是晚上花十五分鐘冥想，接著一整天都把這件事完全拋在腦後，那就好比星期天去一次教堂，接著在一週其他日子完全忘記教堂的一切一樣。

Intellectual training no doubt has its use in the achievement of the inner life, but the principal thing is meditation. That is the real training. The study of one year and the meditation of one day are equal. By this meditation is meant the right kind of meditation. If a person closes his eyes and sits doing nothing, he may just as well go to sleep. Meditation is not only an exercise to be practiced; in meditation the soul is charged with new light and life, with inspiration and vigor; in meditation there is every kind of blessing.

頭腦上的訓練，無疑對達成內在生活有它的用處，但其中最核心的關鍵是「冥想」。冥想才是真正的訓練。一年的研讀，若與一天真正的冥想相比，其實是等量的。這裡所說的冥想，是指「正確的冥想」。如果一個人只是閉上眼睛坐著，什麼也不做，那他乾脆去睡覺也一樣。冥想並不只是一種練習而已；在冥想中，靈魂會被注入新的光與生命、新的靈感與活力；在冥想中，各種祝福都在其中。

Some become tired of meditation, but that does not mean that they meditate, they become tired before having arrived at a stage where they really experience the effect of meditation, like those who become weary of practicing the violin. They are tired because they have not yet played the violin; if once they played, they would never be weary. The difficulty is in playing the violin, and the difficulty is having patience with one’s own playing.

有些人會覺得冥想很累，但那並不表示他們真正「在冥想」；而是他們在還沒達到那個真正能體驗到冥想效果的階段前，就先累了——就像有人練小提琴練到厭煩一樣。他們之所以疲倦，是因為他們還沒有真正「拉出音樂」；如果有一次真的拉出來了，他們就再也不會覺得厭煩。真正的困難在於「把琴拉出聲」，另一個困難則在於：要對自己不成熟的演奏保持耐心。

Patience is required in meditation; a person gets tired because he is accustomed to activity throughout the day. His nerves are all inclined to go on and on in that activity which is not really for his benefit, and yet it is giving him the inclination to go on; and when he sits with his eyes closed he feels uncomfortable, for the mind which has been active all day becomes restive, just like a horse after having had a long run. Then if you want that horse to stand still, it is restive. It cannot stand still, because every nerve has been active, and it becomes almost impossible to keep that horse still. And so it is with man.

在冥想中，非常需要耐心。一個人會覺得疲倦，是因為他習慣了整天都在活動。他的神經慣於不停地往外奔跑——那些活動其實未必真的對他有益，卻讓他愈來愈停不下來；於是當他一坐下來、閉上眼睛，他就感到不舒服，因為那整天活躍不已的心變得焦躁不安，就像一匹跑了一整天的馬一樣。如果你要那匹馬立刻安靜站好，它會非常躁動，無法站定，因為牠全身的每一條神經都還處在活動狀態中，要讓牠靜下來幾乎是不可能的。人也是如此。

Once I was with a man who was in the habit of meditating, and while we were sitting near the fire and talking about things he went into the silence, and I had to sit quiet until he opened his eyes. I asked him, “It is beautiful, is it not?” and he said, “It is never enough.”

有一次，我和一位有冥想習慣的人在一起，我們坐在火邊談話，說著說著，他忽然進入靜默，而我只好安靜坐在一旁，等他睜開眼睛。我問他：「很美好，不是嗎？」他回答說：「永遠不會覺得夠。」

Those who experience the joy of meditation, for them there is nothing in this world which is more interesting and enjoyable. They experience the inner peace and the joy that cannot be explained in words; they touch perfection, or the spirit of light, of life and of love, all is there.

那些真正體驗過冥想之樂的人，對他們而言，世上再也沒有任何事比這更有趣、更令人享受。他們在其中經驗到一種無法以言語形容的內在平安與喜悅；在那裡，他們觸及圓滿，觸及光、生命與愛的 Spirit——一切都在那裡。

(5) Loving Life 愛著日常生活

The fifth necessity in the spiritual path is the loving of the everyday life. There are no strict morals which a spiritual guide enforces upon a person, for that work has been given to the outward religions. It is to the exoteric side of spiritual work that the outer morals belong, but the essence of morals is practiced by those treading the spiritual path.

在靈性之路上，第五個必要條件，是「愛著日常生活」。靈性導師不會強加一套非常嚴苛的道德規條在一個人身上，因為那份工作已經交給外在的宗教去做了。外在的道德規範，是屬於靈性工作「顯相的一面」；然而道德的「本質」，則是由那些真正行走在靈性之途上的人來實踐。

Their first moral principle is constantly to avoid hurting the feeling of another.

他們的第一項道德準則，是不斷地避免傷害他人的感受。

The second principle is to avoid allowing themselves to be affected by the constantly jarring influences which every soul has to meet in life.

第二項準則，是避免讓自己被生命中那些不斷撞擊人心、擾亂人魂的各種影響所左右。

The third principle is to keep their balance under all different situations and conditions which upset this tranquil state of mind.

第三項準則，是在各種足以擾亂內心寧靜的情境與條件之下，仍然維持自己的平衡。

The fourth principle is to love unceasingly all those who deserve love, and to give to the undeserving their forgiveness; and this is continually practiced by them.

第四項準則，是不斷地愛一切值得被愛的人，並將寬恕給予那些看似不配得的人——而他們持續不斷地這樣練習。

The fifth principle is detachment amidst the crowd; but by detachment I do not mean separation. By detachment is only meant rising above those bondages which bind man and keep him back from his journey towards the goal.

第五項準則，是在群眾當中仍然保持不執著；但我在這裡所說的「不執著」，並不是指「把自己隔離開來」。這裡所說的不執著，是指超越那些把人綁住、拖住他，使他無法朝目標前進的種種束縛。