1. What Is My Purpose?
1. 我的目的為何？
One Purpose
唯一的目的
The first thing that a seeker after truth must realize, is the purpose of life. No sooner does a soul begin to feel sober from the intoxication of life, than the first thing it asks itself is, “What is the purpose of my life?” Each soul has its own purpose, but in the end all purposes resolve into one purpose, and it is that purpose which is sought by the mystic. For all souls, by the right and the wrong path, either sooner or later, will arrive at that purpose, a purpose which must be accomplished, a purpose for which the whole creation has been intended.
一個追尋真理的人，首先必須明白生命的目的。當一個靈魂從生命的迷醉中稍稍清醒過來，第一個會問自己的問題便是：「我的生命目的為何？」每個靈魂都有其自身的目的，但最終所有目的都歸於同一個目的，而這正是祕士所追尋的目的。因為所有靈魂，不論走的是正途或歧路，早晚都將抵達那個目的──一個必須完成的目的，也是整個創造存在的根本意圖。
But the difference between the seeking soul and the soul who blindly works towards that purpose is like that between the material and the maker of it. The clay works towards the purpose of forming a vessel and so does the potter; but it is the potter’s joy and privilege to feel the happiness of the accomplishment of the purpose, not the clay’s; and so it is with the beings who are unconsciously striving towards that purpose and the souls who are consciously striving towards it, both in the end corning towards the same accomplishment; the difference is in the consciousness.
然而，追尋之靈與盲目趨向此目的的靈魂，其差別猶如材料與匠人之別。泥土的確是朝著成為陶器的目的而存在，陶匠亦是如此；但感受並享有完成目的之喜悅與榮幸的，是陶匠，而非泥土。同樣地，那些無意識地邁向此目的的生命，與那些有意識地追尋此目的的靈魂，最終都將達成同一結果；差別只在於「意識」。
Outer Purpose
外在的目的
The first step on the spiritual path is when a soul realizes its outer purpose in life. For it is not every soul in the world which even realizes its outer mission in life. And the soul who does not realize it, may go on, perhaps, for its whole life and may not realize it even to the end of its life, but the one who cares to realize it, must sooner or later realize it. For the answer to his question is continually being heard in his own heart.
靈魂踏上靈性之途的第一步，就是覺悟到自己在生命中的外在目的。因為並非世上的每一個靈魂，都能意識到自己生命中的外在使命。而一個未曾覺悟此使命的靈魂，或許可以這樣過完一生，直至生命終結，仍未曾明白。但只要一個人真心渴望去明白，他遲早必將覺悟。因為這問題的答案，其實不斷在他心中迴響。
As Sa’di says, “Every soul is created for a certain purpose and the light of that purpose has been kindled in that soul.”
正如薩阿迪（Sa’di）所說：「每一個靈魂都是為某個特定目的而被創造的，那目的之光早已點燃在靈魂之中。」
If there is already a flame lit even before the person was born on earth, it remains for the person to find out for himself the purpose of his life, although everything outside himself also points to that purpose.
若在一個人降生人世之前，就已有那火焰點燃，那麼這一生便是要由他自己去尋覓、明白其生命的目的，雖然在他之外的一切，也同樣都在指向那個目的。
One may ask,” What is the best way for a person to understand his life’s purpose?” If one follows the bent of one’s own mind, if one follows the track to which one is attracted, if one follows one’s inner inclination, which is not satisfied with anything else, one feels, “There is something waiting for me (which one does not know at the time), which will bring me satisfaction.” Besides, if one is intuitive and mystical, it is easier still, because then one is continually told what is the purpose of one’s life.
或許有人會問：「一個人要如何才能理解自己生命的目的？」若能追隨自己心靈的傾向，順著那條內心深處最強烈吸引自己的道路前行，若能聆聽那份不願為任何事物所滿足的內在渴望，人便會隱約感受到：「有某樣東西正等待著我（雖然當下我還無法確知），它將帶給我圓滿與滿足。」此外，若一個人天性直覺敏銳，甚至帶著神祕氣質，那麼要理解自己生命的目的便更加容易，因為在他的心靈深處，這目的幾乎是無時無刻不被告知。
For nature has such a perfection of wisdom. One sees that the insects are given the sense to make their little houses and to protect themselves and to make a store of their food. The bees, who have the gift of making honey, are taught how to make honey.
因為大自然本身蘊含著至臻的智慧。我們看見昆蟲被賦予本能，懂得築起小小的家園，懂得保護自己，也懂得儲藏食物。蜜蜂既蒙受釀蜜的天賦，也同時被教導如何去釀造蜂蜜。
So nature has taught every soul to seek its purpose. It has made every soul for that purpose, and it is continually calling that soul to see that purpose. If the soul does not hear the call and sleeps, it is not the fault of nature, which is continually calling. Therefore, if I were to say in a few words how to find one’s purpose, I would say: by waking from sleep.
自然教導每一個靈魂去尋找其目的。自然造就每一個靈魂就是為了那個目的，並不斷呼喚靈魂去認識它。如果靈魂沒有聽到這召喚而沉睡，並不是自然的錯，因為自然不斷在呼喚。因此，如果我要用簡短的話說如何找到生命的目的，我會說：從沉睡中甦醒。
Inner Purpose
內在的目的
One might ask, “Would the outer purpose lead to the inner purpose of life?” Certainly it would. Everything a person does, spiritual or material, is only a stepping-stone for him to arrive at the inner purpose, if he can only take it to be so. If he is mistaken, the mistake is in himself; he is working towards the inner purpose just the same. For all is created to work as one scheme, and therefore each individual is acting towards the accomplishment of the divine purpose. If there is a difference, the difference is of that particular individual.
有人或許會問：「外在的目的能引領我抵達生命的內在目的嗎？」答案是肯定的。人的一切行為，無論屬於靈性還是物質，能被理解為都是抵達內在目的的墊腳石。若有錯誤，錯誤是在於自身；即便如此，靈魂仍在向內在目的邁進。因為一切創造都作為同一計畫運作，因此每個個體的行動都在促成神聖目的的實現。若有差異，那差異僅在於個別的靈魂。
Five Desires
五種渴望
There are five aspects which give one the tendency towards the accomplishment of the inner purpose:
有五個面向，使人傾向於完成內在目的：
desire to live,desire to know,desire for power,desire for happiness anddesire for peace.
生存的渴望求知的渴望力量的渴望幸福的渴望平靜的渴望
These five things work consciously or unconsciously in the profound depth of every soul. Working within one, they prompt one either to do right or to do wrong, and yet these five aspects belong to the one purpose in the accomplishment of which the purpose of the whole creation is fulfilled.
這五種渴望，無論在意識或潛意識中，都深深存在於每一個靈魂的深處。在靈魂內部運作時，它們促使人行善或作惡。然而，這五種面向皆屬於同一個目的；整個創造的目的，正是在這一目的中得以實現。
- When the desire to live brings one in touch with one’s real life, a life which is not subject to death, then the purpose of that desire is accomplished.
當生存的渴望將人引向真實的生命──不受死亡支配的生命──時，生存的渴望的目的便已實現。 - When one has been able to perceive fully the knowledge of one’s own being, in which is to be found divine knowledge and the mystery of the whole manifestation, then the purpose of knowledge is attained.
當一個人能完全洞察自身的本質，並從中獲得神性知識與整個顯現的奧秘時，求知的渴望的目的便達成。 - When one is able to get in touch with the Almighty Power, then the desire for power is achieved.
當一個人能與全能的力量相連時，力量的渴望得以實現。 - When one has been able to find one’s happiness in one’s own heart, independent of all things outside, the purpose of the desire for happiness is fulfilled.
當一個人能在自己的心中找到不囿於於外在一切的幸福時，幸福的渴望得以圓滿。 - When one is able to rise above all conditions and influences which disturb the peace of the soul and has found one’s peace in the midst of the crowd and away from the world, in him the desire for peace is satisfied.
當一個人能超越一切干擾靈魂平靜的條件與影響，在人群中或遠離世俗之處找到內心的安寧時，平靜的渴望便得以滿足。
It is not in one or the other of these five desires that there is the accomplishment of the purpose; it is in the fulfillment of [all] these five desires that one’s purpose is accomplished, the purpose for which every soul was born on earth.
生命的目的不在於單一渴望的實現，而在於這所有五種渴望的圓滿實現。唯有如此，靈魂的目的──每一個靈魂降生於世的目的──才算達成。