9. The Jinn
9. 精靈

The next type of soul is the jinn. This is characteristic of a soul that keeps in contact with the inner region, which is reflected outwardly in all that is beautiful. While the soul of every person is looking for the beauty which is outward, the attention of the jinn soul is directed not so much to the beauty which is reflected outwardly as it is to the source of that beauty, which is within.

下一種靈魂類型是精靈。這類靈魂的特徵，是始終與內在境域保持聯繫，而這內在境域會在一切美的事物中向外映現。一般人的靈魂都在尋找外在的美；精靈的靈魂所注視的，卻不那麼是向外映現的美，而是那美的內在源頭。

It is among those who live the inner life that these two characteristic types of the deva and the jinn are mostly to be found, because they are less absorbed in the life of this world, and thus more attracted to the inner life. It does not mean that they are not occupied with the worldly life; it does not mean that they take no interest in this world; in fact it is the interest in the external life which brings the soul towards it. If the soul were not interested in the world, it would not come; it is its interest which brings it. But to such a soul, while the external life is of interest, at the same time it is a disappointment. All that interests a free soul in this world only interests it as long as the soul does not touch it; once it has touched it this soul loses interest. Its natural inclination is to withdraw. The things which hold the average soul cannot hold this soul; they can only attract, for this soul is seeking for something, and it sees its reflection outwardly, but when it touches it, it finds it was a shadow and was not real, and it goes back disappointed; and so the life of the deva or jinn is spent in this manner.

Deva 與精靈這兩種靈魂類型，最常見於那些活出內在生命的人之中，因為他們較少沉浸於世間生活，也因此更容易受到內在生命的吸引。這並不是說他們不參與世間生活，也不是說他們對這個世界毫無興趣；事實上，正是對外在生命的興趣，將靈魂吸引到這世界。如果靈魂對世界沒有興趣，它便不會來到這裡；正是這份興趣將它帶來。然而，對這樣的靈魂而言，外在生命既具有吸引力，同時也帶來失望。世間一切能吸引自由靈魂的事物，只在它尚未真正觸及之前具有吸引力；一旦觸及，它便失去了興趣。它自然的傾向是退離。那些能束縛一般靈魂的事物，無法束縛這樣的靈魂，只能暫時吸引它；因為這個靈魂正在尋找某樣東西，也在外在看見那樣東西的映像，可是一旦真正觸及，便發現那只是一道影子，並非真實，於是失望地退回。Deva 或精靈的生命，便如此度過。

The characteristic of the deer, as described by the poets of India, is that when it is thirsty it runs about in the forests looking for water, and it is greatly delighted on hearing the sound of thunder and runs about with a desire to drink; but sometimes there is only thunder and no rain afterwards, or if it rains it is perhaps only a shower and not enough to drink, and the deer still remains thirsty. And so is the thirst of a fine soul in this world. The soul of the spiritually-inclined man is constantly thirsty, looking for something, seeking for something; and when it thinks it has found it, the thing turns out to be different; and so life becomes a continual struggle and disappointment. And the result is that instead of taking interest in all things, a kind of indifference is produced; and yet in the real character of this soul there is no indifference, there is only love.

印度詩人如此描寫鹿的特性：當牠口渴時，便在森林中四處奔走尋找水源；一聽見雷聲，就滿心欣喜，四處奔跑，渴望能喝到水。然而，有時只有雷聲，之後卻沒有下雨；即使下雨，也可能只是一陣短暫的雨，仍不足以解渴，於是鹿依舊口渴。細緻的靈魂在這世上的渴求也是如此。具有靈性傾向之人的靈魂始終處於渴求之中，不斷尋找、不斷追尋；當它以為自己已經找到時，卻發現所找到的並不是自己真正尋求的。於是，生命成了持續不斷的掙扎與失望。結果，它不再對一切事物都懷有興趣，而逐漸產生一種淡然；然而在這靈魂真正的本性之中，並沒有冷漠，只有愛。

Although life seems to make this soul indifferent, it cannot really become indifferent; and it is this state working through this life that gives a man a certain feeling, to which only a Hindu word is applicable, no other language having a word which can render this particular meaning so adequately. The Hindus call it Vairagya from which the term Vairagi has come. Vairagi means a person who has become indifferent; and yet indifference is not the word for it. It describes a person who has lost the value in his eyes of all that attracts the human being. It is no more attractive to him; it no more enslaves him. He may still be interested in all things of this life, but is not bound to them. The first feeling of the Vairagi is to turn away from everything. He shows the nature of the deer, which runs away at the flutter of a leaf; for he becomes sensitive and convinced of the disappointing results that come from the limitation and changeableness of life in the world.

雖然生命似乎使這個靈魂變得淡然，它卻不可能真正變得冷漠。正是這種狀態在生命中的作用，使人產生一種特殊的感受，而只有一個印度語詞足以表達它；其他語言都沒有一個詞能如此恰切地傳達這個特殊的意義。印度人稱之為 Vairagya（離染），而 Vairagi（離染者）一詞便由此而來。Vairagi 可以說是「變得淡然的人」，然而「淡然」仍不足以真正表達其意。它所描述的是這樣一個人：所有原本能吸引人的事物，在他眼中都已失去了價值；它們不再吸引他，也不再奴役他。他或許仍對生命中的一切感興趣，卻不再受其束縛。離染者最初的感受，是想要轉身離開一切。他顯露出鹿的本性，一片樹葉稍有顫動便立即逃開；因為他變得敏感，並已深深明白，世間生命的有限與多變終究會帶來失望。

Hurt within, he becomes sensitive, and the first thing that occurs to his mind is to fly, to hide somewhere, to go into a cave in the mountains, or into the forest where he will meet no one. No affair of this world, no relation, no friendship, no wealth, no rank, position or comfort, nothing holds him. And yet that does not mean that he in any way lacks what is called love or kindness, for if ever he lives in this world it is only out of love. He is not interested in the world and it is only love that keeps him here, the love which does not express itself any more in the way of attachment, but only in the way of kindness, forgiveness, generosity, service, consideration, sympathy, helpfulness, in any way that it can; never expecting a return from the world, but ever doing all that it can, pitying the conditions, knowing the limitations of life and its continual changeability.

內在受了傷，他變得敏感，而首先浮現在頭腦中的念頭，就是逃離：找個地方藏起來，到山中的洞穴，或進入不會遇見任何人的森林。世上的事務、關係、友誼、財富、名望、地位或安逸，沒有任何一樣能留住他。然而，這並不表示他缺乏所謂的愛或仁慈；如果他仍活在這個世界上，那只是出於愛。他對世界本身已沒有興趣，只有愛使他仍留在這裡。這份愛不再以依附的形式表現，而是以仁慈、寬恕、慷慨、服務、體貼、體恤與助人等一切可能的方式表達；它從不期待世界有所回報，只是不斷盡其所能，體恤世間的種種境況，明白生命的有限與不斷變化。

When this Vairagi becomes more developed, then he becomes like a serpent, he becomes wise like a serpent; he seeks solitude as the serpent seeks solitude. The serpent is never interested in moving among the crowd; it always has its home where it hides itself. It only comes out when it is hungry or thirsty; and once it has taken its food it does not hunger or thirst after more as the dogs and cats do. You can give them food again and again, and they still want more. When the serpent is once fed it goes into its hole and stays there until it wants food again; it has lost all voraciousness.

當離染者進一步發展時，他便變得如蛇一般，也如蛇一般具有智慧；他尋求獨處，就像蛇尋求獨處。蛇從不喜歡在人群中活動，總有一個可以藏身的居所。牠只在飢餓或口渴時出來；一旦得到所需的食物，便不像狗與貓那樣，仍不斷渴求更多。狗和貓可以一再得到食物，卻還是想要更多；蛇吃飽之後，便回到洞穴之中，直到再次需要食物才出來。牠已不再有貪食之性。

And so has the soul of the Vairagi; he only wants to live in this world for the sake of others, not for himself. His connection with people in the world is to serve them, not asking for their service; to love them, not asking for love; to be friends with them, not asking for friendship. He never allows himself to be deceived a second time; once disappointed is sufficient. Once the Vairagi has come to realize the falsehood of ordinary life he never allows himself to be deceived again. He sees the world with the eye of experience, and he says, “I do not expect anything from you; if I come to you it is to give to you, not to take from you. I do all things for you, but will not be bound to you.” That is the watchword of the Vairagi.

離染者的靈魂也是如此；他只願為了他人而活在這個世界上，而不是為了自己。他與世人的關係，是服務他們，而不要求他們服務自己；是愛他們，而不要求得到愛；是作他們的朋友，而不要求得到友誼。他不再允許自己第二次受騙；一次失望已經足夠。一旦離染者體認到一般世俗生活的虛幻，就不再讓自己受騙。他以經驗之眼看待世界，並說：「我不再期待從你那裡得到任何東西；如果我來到你面前，是為了給予，而不是索取。我為你做一切，卻不受你的束縛。」這就是離染者的信條。

When the Vairagi is still more developed in this feeling of Vairagya, then he becomes a lion. He is no more the serpent seeking solitude, although he loves it still; he is no more the deer running away from the crowd. He is the lion, who stands and faces all difficulties. No longer sensitive, but with all strength and power, with all balance, with patience, he endures, and with a brave spirit he stands in the crowd in the world. For what? To bear all things that come to him; to endure all the jarring influences that the world offers to a sensitive person; to look into the eyes of all, being brave in spirit and strengthened in truth and clear of conscience.

當離染者在 Vairagya（離染）的感受中進一步發展時，他便成為一頭獅子。他不再是那條尋求獨處的蛇，儘管仍然喜愛獨處；也不再是那隻逃離人群的鹿。他成為獅子，站立著面對一切困難。他不再脆弱敏感，而是以全部的力量、完整的平衡與耐心承受一切，以勇敢的精神站立在世間的人群之中。為了什麼？為了承受一切臨到他的事；為了承受這個世界帶給敏感之人的一切擾動與衝擊；為了能直視每一個人的雙眼，在精神上勇敢，因真理而堅強，並且問心無愧。

It is in this way that the lion-like soul of the deva, the angelman, comes to the rescue of humanity. What is called the Master or Saint or Prophet or Sage is this developed Vairagi. He is like the fruit that has ripened on the tree, helped by the sun. In this way this soul that is ripened by experience in life, and has not allowed itself to become decayed by that experience, but has upheld the truth with balance, with hope and patience, directed by love for humanity and desire to serve God, without any desire for appreciation or return from below or from above. It is this soul of the deva that brings the divine Message, whenever the Message comes, to a community, a nation, or to the world.

正是如此，Deva——也就是天使之人——那如獅子般的靈魂，前來援助人類。人們所稱的大師、聖者、先知或聖哲，就是如此發展成熟的離染者。他如同樹上受到陽光滋養而成熟的果實。同樣地，這個靈魂在人生經驗中成熟，卻不容許自己被這些經驗腐蝕；他以平衡、希望與耐心持守真理，由對人類的愛與服務神的渴望所引導，既不渴求讚賞，也不期待任何來自人間或天上的回報。每當神聖訊息臨到一個社群、一個民族或整個世界時，正是這樣的 Deva 靈魂將它帶來。

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