3. The Education of the Child
孩童的教育
Age 6
六歲
When the child is six years of age babyhood ends and childhood begins. There are cases of earlier or later development, but as a rule the change comes at six or seven years. This is the age of great conflict because the soul is taking a new step forward in life. And this inner conflict very often seems troublesome to the guardian. The child is restless and obstinate, too active and less responsive. At the age of seven this ends and a new life begins. The child naturally becomes calmer, more harmonious, more responsive, and yields to any advice that the guardian would like to give.
當孩子到了六歲，嬰兒期便結束了，而童年開始了。雖然也有較早或較晚發展的情況，但一般來說，這個轉變大約發生在六歲或七歲。這是一個充滿重大衝突的年齡，因為靈魂正在生命中向前跨出新的一步。這種內在衝突，往往在監護者看來顯得很棘手。孩子會坐立不安、固執、過度活躍，也比較不容易回應。到了七歲，這個階段便結束了，一種新的生命開始。孩子自然會變得更平靜、更和諧、更能回應，也更願意接受監護者想給予的任何勸告。
Today many think that at six years old the child should go to school; but this is a mistaken idea. This is the time when the child should be at home, because six years is the time of conflict, and seven is the beginning of a new era for the child. If at that time the child misses home education and is sent to school to be trained with other children, that takes away the distinctive care which should be given to it at that age. If the child has once been sent to school, one should not take it away from the school; but at the same time it would be better if one could manage to keep the child from school and give it home education till it is nine years of age. But if the child would like to go to school should one not send it? One does not send the child to school for its pleasure; and also the guardian can give pleasure to the child by giving it the training which it likes at home. It is not necessary that the guardian should teach the child letters and figures at home. The earlier one teaches a child, the earlier his mentality will wear out in life; and if one does not teach him, it only means that when the mind is mature it will grasp more quickly. Just as the voice producer says that if you begin to sing at a certain age your voice will flourish, and if you sing before that age it is not good, so it is with the mentality of the child. If the child begins before its time, it only means that in the end the mind will wear out before its time.
今天很多人認為，孩子六歲就應該上學；但這是一種錯誤的想法。這正是孩子應當留在家中的時期，因為六歲是衝突的時期，而七歲則是孩子一個新時代的開始。若在這個時候，孩子錯失了家庭教育，而被送到學校與其他孩子一同受訓，那便奪走了這個年齡本應得到的特殊照顧。若孩子一旦已經被送去上學，就不應再把他從學校帶回來；但同時，若能設法讓孩子暫時不去學校，而在家中接受教育直到九歲，那會更好。不過，如果孩子自己想去上學，難道就不該送他去嗎？人並不是為了讓孩子快樂才送他去上學；而且，監護者也可以在家中給孩子他所喜歡的訓練，讓他感到快樂。監護者並不一定要在家裡教孩子認字和數字。越早教導孩子，他的心智能力在人生中就越早耗損；而若不急著教他，那只是表示，等到頭腦成熟時，他會掌握得更快。正如聲樂老師所說，若在適當年齡開始唱歌，聲音就會發展得很好；若太早開始唱，反而不好。孩子的心智能力也是如此。若孩子在時機未到之前就開始，最後只意味著頭腦會比應有的時候更早耗竭。
Where there are many children in the house and the guardian cannot give all his attention to each, this means a little more responsibility; but at the same time it is easier too, because for the guardian with so many children at the same time there is a greater opportunity and greater practice.
若家中有許多孩子，而監護者無法把全部注意力都給予每一個孩子，這固然意味著更多一點的責任；但同時也較為容易，因為對一位同時照顧這麼多孩子的監護者來說，這也代表著更大的機會與更多的練習。
What generally happens is that guardians become so tired taking care of the child that they feel a great burden lifted from their shoulders when the child goes to school, for then they feel comfortable, being quite free for six or eight hours, because one child in the house can be equal to one hundred children. Guardians think that they love the child, and very often they believe that they make all sacrifices; but at the same time when it comes to bearing with an energetic child in the house, then there is a doubt. It does not mean lack of love, but they think, “I would be happier if the child were away for a while.” But they only think so because they do not know what a great opportunity it is to begin to train and to guide the child. It is an opportunity for its whole life; and if the guardian misses it, it means a loss to the child.
一般常見的情形是，監護者照顧孩子照顧得太累了，所以當孩子去上學時，他們便覺得肩上的重擔大大卸下了；因為那時他們就能舒舒服服地，整整六個或八個小時都得到自由，畢竟家裡一個孩子有時簡直等於一百個孩子。監護者以為自己愛孩子，而且往往也真心相信自己為孩子作了所有的犧牲；但同時，一旦要在家中承受一個精力充沛的孩子，他們便開始遲疑了。這並不表示他們沒有愛，只是他們會想：「如果孩子暫時離開一下，我會更快樂。」然而，他們之所以這樣想，只是因為他們不知道，這其實是開始訓練與引導孩子的一個多麼大的機會。這是一個關乎孩子整個生命的機會；若監護者錯過了，對孩子而言便是一種損失。
The reason why the guardians are anxious to send the child to school is that they are conscious of competitive life. They see how there is competition in business and industry and on all sides of life; and in order to train the child soon enough, so that it may take up life’s duties and responsibilities, they wish to do it too early. The consequence is that the child has lost the best time it could have had at home; a time of rest and comfort, and freedom from all anxiety about the work that it has to do at school; so that its mind could have matured properly, and it could have begun the school work at the right time. It is because the generality of people are so competitive in every profession and business, that we make the coming generation suffer; we deprive the children of their freedom, of the time which they ought to have at home to play and to think little and enjoy life more, and to keep away from worries and anxieties. We take away that best time in the life of the child by sending it to school.
監護者之所以急著把孩子送去上學，是因為他們意識到競爭性的生活。他們看見商業、工業，以及生命各個層面都充滿競爭；而為了儘早訓練孩子，好使他能承擔人生的職責與責任，他們便想過早地這麼做。結果便是，孩子失去了本可以在家中度過的最好時光；那原本是一段可以休息、舒適，並且不必為學校功課而焦慮的時間；如此他的頭腦本可以適當地成熟，並在合宜的時候開始學校的課業。正因為大多數人在每一個行業與職業中都如此競爭，我們才使下一代受苦；我們剝奪了孩子的自由，剝奪了他們本應在家中玩耍、少思慮、多享受生命，並遠離憂慮與焦躁的那段時光。我們藉著把孩子送去學校，奪走了孩子生命中那段最美好的時間。
A proper rhythm should be given to the child in babyhood. This is the only training necessary, in order that it may be neither too excitable nor too lethargic; and that its interest may grow, and that, while playing, it may get familiar with nature and gain what knowledge nature can give. When a child is six years of age it is not able to grasp an ideal, and any ideal given to it at that age is wrong. Only evenness of rhythm should be maintained in the everyday life of the child. Its natural tendency is to laugh too much, to play too much. Everything that it is interested in it does more than it should do; and if the guardian can try to keep it normal and balanced it will make a great difference.
在嬰兒期，就應當給予孩子適當的節奏。這是唯一必要的訓練，好使孩子既不會過度興奮，也不會過度遲滯；並使他的興趣得以成長，而且在玩耍的同時，熟悉大自然，並獲得大自然所能給予的知識。當孩子六歲時，他還不能掌握一個理想，因此在那個年齡給他任何理想，都是不恰當的。這時只應當在孩子的日常生活中維持節奏的均衡。他天生的傾向是笑得太多、玩得太多。凡是他感興趣的事，他都會做得超過應有的程度；若監護者能設法讓他保持正常與平衡，那將帶來極大的不同。
At the age of seven the child is ready to conceive any ideal given to it, because that is the beginning of childhood. And now comes the question: what ideal should be given?
到了七歲，孩子便已準備好去領會給予他的任何理想，因為那正是童年的開始。於是，問題來了：應當給予什麼樣的理想呢？
- The first ideal should be the ideal of a respectful attitude towards its elders; because once grown-up without this ideal a soul never learns respect. He only learns the form, but it does not come from within. Among a hundred persons who are compelled to act respectfully there is perhaps one person who is respectful in spirit; ninety-nine persons are compelled by conventionality to act respectfully, and that action gives no joy. But when that attitude comes from within, then it comes with joy; it gives joy to others and it brings joy to oneself.
第一個理想，應當是對長者懷有尊敬態度的理想；因為一個靈魂若在成長過程中沒有形成這個理想，長大之後便永遠學不會真正的尊敬。他只是學會了外在的形式，但那並不是從內在發出的。在一百個被迫表現尊敬的人當中，也許只有一個人是在精神上真正尊敬的；其餘九十九個人，只是出於習俗而被迫表現尊敬，而那樣的行為並不帶來喜悅。但當這種態度是從內在發出的，他便帶著喜悅而來；他帶給別人喜悅，也帶給自己喜悅。
Today we see the general attitude of insolence increasing as time goes on. It is the outcome of negligence on the part of the guardians at the time when it should have been taken in hand. Many think that this attitude ought to be taught in school, but the school is not responsible for it. It belongs to home education, and it is the guardian who is responsible for it. And it is at this particular age of seven that it must be given. Of course if a child has not a respectful attitude, one can very easily accept it. One smiles at the lack of it. One thinks, “It is a little child, what do you expect from it?” One’s love and affection for the child make one think, “Oh, what does it matter? Is it not a child?” But to take it like that is to work against its future. This is just the time when a respectful attitude must be developed. The tendency to argue, the tendency to hit back, the tendency to refuse, to disobey, the tendency to speak in a disagreeable tone, even the tendency to frown and make a disagreeable face, all these disrespectful tendencies grow with the years in childhood. One does not think that they are of any importance, but when they are allowed to grow they grow as enemies, bitter enemies of that child.
今天我們看見，整體上無禮的態度隨著時間愈來愈增長。這是因為監護者在本應著手處理的時期疏忽了所造成的結果。很多人以為，這種態度應該在學校裡教導；但學校並不對此負責。這是屬於家庭教育的範圍，而負責的人是監護者。並且，正是在這個特別的七歲時期，這一點必須被給予。當然，如果孩子沒有尊敬的態度，人很容易就接受了。人會對這種缺乏一笑置之。人會想：「這不過是個小孩子，你還能期待他什麼呢？」人對孩子的愛與疼惜，使人想著：「哦，這有什麼關係？他不就是個孩子嗎？」但若以這樣的方式看待，便是在損害他的未來。這正是必須培養尊敬態度的時候。愛爭辯的傾向、回嘴的傾向、拒絕的傾向、不服從的傾向、用令人不快的口氣說話的傾向，甚至皺眉頭、擺出不悅表情的傾向，所有這些不尊敬的傾向都會隨著童年的歲月而增長。人並不覺得它們有多重要；但當它們被容許長大，它們便會長成這孩子的敵人，成為苦毒的敵人。
And, as Sa’di says, “Ba adab ba nasib, bi adab bi nasib.” “The one who has respect in him, he will be fortunate surely; and the one who lacks it will be unfortunate.”
正如 Sa’di 所說，「Ba adab ba nasib, bi adab bi nasib」，「心中有尊敬的人，必定是有福的；缺少尊敬的人，則將是不幸的。」
The lack of this tendency is a misfortune for man. And besides the man who has no respect for another has no respect for himself. He cannot have it, he has not that sense. Self-respect only comes to the man who has respect for another; you will always find in a disrespectful person a lack of self-respect.
缺少這種傾向，對人而言就是一種不幸。而且，一個對他人沒有尊敬的人，也不會對自己有尊敬。他不可能有，因為他缺少那種感覺。自尊只會來到一個懂得尊敬他人的人身上；你總會在一個不尊敬他人的人身上，看見缺乏自尊。 - Another ideal is a regard for the guardian. By guardians are meant parents or those who take care of the child and take the place of the parents. And regard is not only respect, it is more than respect. It is the feeling that “this is my guardian”, a feeling that “I owe him something”, a feeling that “there is a certain duty by which I am bound to my guardian”, the realization of the sacredness of that duty. And in this feeling there is a joy. If the child is inspired with this sense at that particular time, one will see that it will enjoy that feeling every time it experiences it.
另一個理想，是對監護者的敬重。這裡所說的監護者，是指父母，或那些照顧孩子、代替父母位置的人。而所謂敬重，不只是尊敬，它比尊敬更多。它是一種「這是我的監護者」的感覺，一種「我欠他一些什麼」的感覺，一種「我與我的監護者之間有某種責任將我繫連在一起」的感覺，也是對這份責任之神聖性的體認。而在這種感覺裡，有一種喜悅。若在那個特定的時候，把這種感受啟發在孩子身上，人便會看見，每一次當他經驗到這種感受時，他都會享受其中的喜悅。
When we look at life and see how many grown-up people have lost absolutely all regard for their guardians it makes one feel that the world is really wicked. There are so many souls who have no consideration for those who have brought them up from their childhood when they were helpless. It is very sad to see how many guardians and parents are treated neglectfully. And then in some rare case, when you see the devotion of a daughter to her aged mother, a daughter who has sacrificed everything in her life in order to make her aged mother comfortable and to help her, it seems so beautiful. And when you see a grown-up man who has a regard for his mother and father, so that while managing his affairs and having duties and responsibilities of life, he yet at the same time thinks of his aged parents, it is something so beautiful to see and there is such a blessing in it.
當我們觀看人生，看見有多少成年人完全失去了對自己監護者的敬重，便令人感到這世界實在很邪惡。有這麼多靈魂，對那些在自己幼年無助時把自己撫養長大的人，竟毫無體諒。看見那麼多監護者與父母被忽視地對待，實在令人悲傷。而當你在某些罕見的情況中，看見一個女兒對年老母親的奉獻——那女兒為了使年邁的母親過得舒適、為了幫助她，而犧牲了自己生命中的一切——那就顯得如此美麗。而當你看見一位成年的男子對父親母親懷有敬重，在處理自己事務、承擔人生責任與義務的同時，仍然惦念著年老的父母，這也是如此美麗的景象，其中有著深深的祝福。
One can inspire this beautiful tendency in childhood; but if that time is missed then it becomes difficult. It is not only that it is beautiful to be able to give some pleasure and to render some service to the parents, but those who become considerate in their lives begin to see that this is the greatest privilege and blessing that one could have in life.
人在童年時可以把這種美麗的傾向啟發出來；但若錯過了那個時機，就會變得困難。這不只是因為能夠帶給父母一些快樂、為父母盡一些服事本身很美；那些在人生中變得體貼周到的人，也開始明白，這其實是一個人在生命中所能擁有的最大特權與祝福。
May a child give counsel to its parents? It would be disrespectful if even a grown-up child stood up and gave counsel to its parents, unless it was asked to do so. Besides a child is a child even if it is fifty years old, and if it does not feel a child with its parents it is missing a great deal in its life.
孩子可以對父母提出勸告嗎？即使是一個已經成年的孩子，若不是在被請求的情況下，站出來對父母提出勸告，也會是不尊敬的。而且，孩子就算到了五十歲，依然還是孩子；若一個人在父母面前已經不再感覺自己是個孩子，那麼他在人生中便失去了一些非常重要的東西。
There is a story of the King of Udaipur, who was still very sad a year after his mother’s death. One day his friends told him, “Now you have reached the age of fifty and you are a father, even a grandfather. Nobody’s parents last for ever. As long as she lived it was a privilege, but now she is gone and you must forget your sorrow.” He said, “Yes, I am trying to forget; but there is one thing I cannot forget, and that is the nickname by which she called me. Everyone is respectful towards me, everyone calls me ‘Maharana’, but she alone called me by a nickname, and I loved it so much.”
有一個關於烏代普國王的故事。在母親去世一年後，他仍然十分悲傷。有一天，他的朋友對他說：「如今你已經五十歲了，你自己也是父親，甚至是祖父了。沒有人能永遠擁有父母。當她還活著時，那是一種特權；但如今她已經離開了，你必須忘記你的悲傷。」他說：「是的，我正在努力忘記；但有一件事我無法忘記，那就是她叫我的那個小名。每一個人都尊敬我，每一個人都稱我為『瑪哈拉納』（譯註：統治者頭銜名），只有她一個人用小名叫我，而我是那麼地愛那個稱呼。」
No matter what age one reaches, if one does not feel like a baby, like a child with one’s parents, it is a pity. It is a great joy to feel like a baby, no matter at what age. It is a great privilege, a blessing in life when one’s parents are living, and when one has that chance of acting like a baby. It is the most beautiful thing in the world.
無論一個人到了什麼年紀，若在父母面前已經不再感覺自己像個嬰孩、像個孩子，那實在很可惜。無論在什麼年齡，能夠感覺自己像個嬰孩，都是一種極大的喜悅。當父母仍活著，而你仍有機會像個嬰孩一樣地表現，那是人生中的一大特權，一種祝福。這是世上最美麗的事。
No doubt it is very easy to be insolent, and it is very amusing to teach others; and when a person is grown-up he may also try to teach his parents. They are old and weak now, and perhaps also declining mentally; naturally they give in. But there is no beauty in it. The beauty is to give a counsel without giving counsel, if necessary even without speaking. On the other hand, thoughtful parents, when a child has won their confidence, naturally wish for counsel. But when the child has the right understanding he will have the right attitude, he will never make the counsel seem like a counsel; he will always put it in such a way that it will seem as if it came from the parents and not from himself.
毫無疑問，無禮是很容易的，而教導別人也很有趣；當一個人成年之後，他甚至也可能試著去教導自己的父母。父母如今老了、弱了，也許心智能力也在衰退；自然地，他們會讓步。但這其中並沒有美。真正的美，是在不顯得自己在勸告的情況下給出勸告，若有必要，甚至是不說一句話。另一方面，有思想的父母，當孩子贏得了他們的信任時，自然也會希望得到勸告。但若孩子有正確的理解，他就會有正確的態度；他絕不會讓那勸告看起來像是勸告；他總會用一種方式表達，使之彷彿是出自父母自己，而不是出自他本人。 - The third ideal that one can inspire in the child is a sense of pride, a self-respecting attitude; because this is the time when the child could lose its self-respect and that little sense of pride or honor which is now growing in it. It is natural to see the child pleased with a toy or attracted to a sweet that is placed before it; but it is better still when you offer to the child a toy or a sweet which it likes and it refuses it out of self-respect. It is pleasant to see a child saying to its guardian, “Please get me this,” and “Buy this for me,” or “I would like to have this”; but it is better still to see the child holding back its desire out of self-respect. If pride is not developed at that age, then what is life going to be without pride? Nothing. In the days when communications were not as they are now, it happened that children of good families came to a country far from home and where they were unknown, either because they were exiled or because circumstances or destiny had brought them there. And what made them prove to be what they were was pride, not pearls or jewels or money or anything. A sense of honor is such a great treasure that, in the absence of all jewels and money and wealth, this will prove to be most valuable.
第三個可以啟發給孩子的理想，是一種榮譽感，一種自重的態度；因為這正是孩子可能失去自尊，也可能失去那一點正在成長中的自豪與榮譽感的時期。看見孩子因一個玩具而高興，或被放在面前的一顆糖果所吸引，這是很自然的；但若你把一個他喜歡的玩具或糖果遞給他，而他出於自尊而拒絕，那就更好了。看見孩子對監護者說：「請幫我買這個，」或「幫我買這個給我，」又或「我很想要這個」，固然令人感到可愛；但若能看見孩子出於自尊而克制自己的欲望，那就更好了。若在那個年齡沒有培養出榮譽感，那麼沒有榮譽感的人生又會是什麼呢？什麼都不是。從前在交通不像現在這樣發達的年代，常有一些出身良好家庭的孩子，來到一個離家遙遠而且無人認識他們的國家，或因被放逐，或因情勢與命運把他們帶到那裡。而真正使他們證明自己身分的是榮譽感，不是珍珠，不是珠寶，不是金錢，也不是其他任何東西。榮譽感是一種極大的財富；在沒有珠寶、金錢與財富的時候，它會證明自己是最有價值的。
In what must this pride consist? It must consist in the sense of contentment. If the child understands, “Where I am not wanted I need not be”, or, “No matter how much better an object belonging to another person may be, or how beautiful is the fruit or the flower, or anything that belongs to him, I must not even show that I would like to have it”, that sense of honor is riches itself. How many parents strive all their life to collect money to give comfort to their children afterwards! But how much can they depend on that money, and especially at this time when money is changing so quickly in value that it takes no time for a rich man to become poor? If money makes a person rich, then those riches are not reliable. But the parents can give riches which cannot be taken away from the child; and these riches are in the form of ennobling its spirit.
這種榮譽感應當由什麼構成呢？它必須由知足的感覺所構成。若孩子明白：「在不歡迎我的地方，我不必留下來」，或者「無論別人的東西有多麼好，無論那果子、那花，或任何屬於別人的東西有多美，我甚至都不應該表露出自己想要它」，那麼這種榮譽感本身就是財富。多少父母一生努力積攢金錢，想在之後給孩子舒適的生活！但他們對那筆錢究竟能倚賴多少呢？尤其是在這個金錢價值變動如此迅速的時代，一個富人很快就可能變成窮人。若金錢使人富有，那麼那樣的財富並不可靠。但父母可以給孩子一種無法被奪走的財富；而這種財富，就是以提升其精神性的形式給予的。
May not the feeling of honor develop a false pride, one might ask, and how can one prevent this? This is the guardian’s responsibility. Anything exaggerated and anything carried to the extreme is bad. One can become too proud and one can think too much of honor. But generally the life of the world is so wicked that instead of increasing the sense of honor it does the opposite. There are so many needs, there are so many wants; there are so many conditions and situations which instead of raising a person pull him down. Therefore the effort on the part of the guardian should be to give a hand to the soul to climb upward, instead of letting it go downward. There are many influences which pull downward. One must inspire the child with such pride and honor that in poverty or wealth, and in all conditions it may prove to be a noble soul.
有人或許會問：榮譽感難道不會發展成一種虛假的驕傲嗎？又該如何防止呢？這正是監護者的責任。凡是誇張的，凡是走向極端的，都是不好的。人可能變得太驕傲，也可能把榮譽看得過重。但一般而言，世上的生活是如此邪惡，以致它不是增加人的榮譽感，而是恰恰相反。世上有那麼多需要，有那麼多欲望；有那麼多情況與處境，不但不能提升人，反而把人往下拉。因此，監護者所應努力的，是伸手幫助靈魂向上攀升，而不是任由其向下墜落。世上有許多向下拉扯的影響。人必須把這樣的驕傲與榮譽感啟發在孩子身上，使他無論在貧窮或富有中，無論在任何境況裡，都能證明自己是一個高貴的靈魂。 - Then there is a fourth ideal that one should inspire in the child, That ideal is thoughtfulness in speaking or in doing anything. This means the child must become conscious of its child’s place; it must not try to take the place of the eider one. It is a child; it must keep its place. For instance, if two elderly people are discussing something and the child comes in and says, “No, no, it is not so,” it is out of place. Maybe according to its mind it is not so, but it is not entitled to say so. It must keep its place. That is what is meant by thoughtfulness.
接著，還有第四個應當啟發給孩子的理想。這個理想就是：在說話或做任何事時都要有分寸與體貼。這表示孩子必須意識到自己作為孩子的位置；他不應試圖去取代年長者的位置。他是孩子；他必須守住自己的位置。舉例來說，若兩位年長者正在討論某件事，孩子走進來便說：「不不，不是這樣的。」那就是不合分寸。也許照他的想法，事情的確不是那樣；但他並沒有資格那樣說。他必須守住自己的位置。這就是所謂的體貼與分寸。
Care must be taken of everything; for instance, when the child wants to sit down somewhere, if it does not consider those who must be seated first, but first takes a place for itself, letting others wait; or if when entering a place or leaving it, the child goes forward and keeps back those who should go first; or when at the dinner-table, a child holds out his hand first, before the others have moved; all such things must be taken care of.
在每一件事上都必須細心留意；例如，當孩子要坐下時，若他不考慮那些應當先坐的人，反而先替自己占了位子，讓別人等候；或者在進入一個地方或離開一個地方時，孩子自己搶先往前，卻把那些本應先走的人擋在後面；或者在餐桌上，其他人都還沒有動作之前，孩子就先伸出手去；所有這些事情都必須被留意與教導。
In speech, in movement, in action the child must be conscious of its childhood and must know its place. If not what happens? How few thoughtful people one meets in one’s everyday life! When one sees the ordinary life in the world of today there is no end to the lack of consideration. Why? Because they have left out all those things which are of most importance in education; they have left them out in order to make room for mathematics. The primary cause of the loss of all the finer principles in the education given today is that it has left out the ideal.
在說話、在舉動、在行為上，孩子都必須意識到自己的孩童身分，並且知道自己的位置。否則會怎樣呢？人在日常生活中，真正有分寸、懂體貼的人是多麼少啊！當我們看今日世界中的平常生活時，缺乏體諒與分寸的現象簡直沒有止境。為什麼呢？因為人們把教育中那些最重要的東西全都剔除了；他們把它們剔除掉，好騰出空間給數學。今日教育失去一切更細膩原則的主要原因，正是它把理想排除在外了。 - And the fifth ideal that can be inspired in the child is the ideal of the unknown, of the unseen. If that ideal is not inspired, what does a person live for? Only to earn a loaf of bread? Only to strive in this life of competition day after day, ruining one’s health, weakening one’s mind, humbling one’s spirit? And what does one gain? If earthly gain is all there is, it is a very small gain after all. If a higher ideal, a spiritual ideal, or Go& ideal is not inspired in the child, then it is as you see today, thousands and millions of souls who are lost in the crowd, who do not know anything except living from day to day. Their whole energy is spent in the struggle to live, and there is a still greater struggle to live more comfortably; beyond this there seems nothing else. But how long can they be contented with this ideal? A time comes when they may lose their mind. They may have millions in the bank, and yet they are not satisfied because they cannot see where they are going and whether there is anything to look forward to. It is in childhood that the spirit is responsive, and if the God-ideal is inspired at that time then one has done what Christ has said, “Seek ye first the kingdom of God… and all these things shall be added unto you”; one has given the child a start on the path of God; and that is the first lesson that should be given in childhood.
第五個可以啟發在孩子身上的理想，是那未知者、不可見者的理想。若這樣的理想沒有被啟發，那麼一個人活著又是為了什麼呢？只是為了賺一塊麵包嗎？只是為了在這種競爭的生活中日復一日地奮鬥，損害自己的健康、削弱自己的頭腦、壓低自己的靈性嗎？而人又得到了什麼呢？若地上的所得就是全部，那麼歸根究柢，那只是極小的所得而已。若一個更高的理想，一個靈性的理想，或神的理想，沒有在孩子身上被啟發，那麼情形就正如你今日所見：成千上萬的靈魂迷失在人群之中，除了從一天活到下一天之外，什麼也不知道。他們全部的能量都消耗在求生的掙扎裡，而還有一種更大的掙扎，是想活得更舒適；除此之外，似乎就再沒有別的了。但他們又能對這樣的理想感到滿足多久呢？有一天，他們甚至可能失去心智。他們也許在銀行裡擁有數百萬，卻仍然不滿足，因為他們看不見自己要往哪裡去，也看不見前方是否有任何可盼望之事。正是在童年，聖靈是有回應性的；若在那時把神的理想啟發在孩子身上，那麼人便實行了基督所說的：「你們要先求神的國……這一切都要加給你們了」；人便是讓孩子踏上了神之道路的起點；而這正是童年中應當給予的第一課。
In training children the best way is not to show them that you are teaching them. The best thing is to be the friend of one’s child. In a friendly talk with children one can inspire these things in them. Because as soon as a child knows that it is being taught it takes it heavily. But if you bring out the good that is in the child and the ideal that is in its spirit already, then the child will gladly listen to what you are saying. To rule the child is one thing, and to give loving and friendly counsel to a child is another thing. By ruling one cannot hammer these ideals into the head of a child, but by winning its affection and love you can very well train its spirit and tune it to the higher ideal.
在訓練孩子時，最好的方式，不是讓他看出你正在教導他。最好的事，是成為自己孩子的朋友。在與孩子友善的談話中，人可以把這些東西啟發在他們裡面。因為孩子一旦知道自己正在被教導，他就會覺得很沉重。但若你把孩子裡面原本就有的善，以及已經存在於其靈性之中的理想引發出來，那麼孩子便會很樂意聆聽你所說的。統治孩子是一回事，以充滿愛與友誼的方式給孩子勸告，則是另一回事。靠著管制，人無法把這些理想硬敲進孩子的頭腦裡；但若藉著贏得孩子的孺慕與愛，你便能很好地訓練他的靈，並將之校準向更高的理想。
Ages 7 to 9
7 至 9 歲
The age of seven, eight, and nine years is considered childhood, early childhood. The beginning of this age is the beginning of a new life, a step forward into life. From seven, eight, and nine the child is conscious of the human sphere. Before that a child is conscious of the higher spheres, but at this time it is conscious of the human world. For the guardians this age of the child is of the greatest interest.
七歲、八歲、九歲這個階段，被視為孩童時期，也就是童年的初期。這個年齡的開始，就是一種新生命的開始，是朝向生命邁進的一步。到了七、八、九歲，孩子開始意識到人類的領域。在此之前，孩子所意識到的是較高的領域；但到了這個時期，他所意識到的是人的世界。對監護者而言，孩子的這個年齡是最值得關注的時期。
There was once a man in prison who offered the State all his wealth if he were allowed to come out of prison. It took a long time for the Government to decide. And when the Government decided that he should be released he said, “No, now there is no purpose in coming out. There is a child at home, and this was the time of the greatest interest, to watch it grow, between seven and nine years old. Now that age is passed I prefer to finish my sentence.”
有一次，有一個囚犯向國家表示，如果准許他出獄，他願意獻出自己全部的財富。政府花了很長時間才作出決定。等到政府終於決定釋放他時，他卻說：「不，現在出來已經沒有目的了。我的家裡有一個孩子，而七歲到九歲正是最值得關注的年紀，是看護其成長最重要的時候。如今這個年齡已經過去了，我寧可把刑期服完。」
Early childhood is like soil that is just prepared for sowing the seed. It is such a great opportunity in the life of the child, and an even greater opportunity for the guardian to sow the seed of knowledge and of righteousness in the heart of the child.
童年初期就像一塊剛剛整備好、準備播種的土壤。這是孩子生命中極大的機會，而對監護者來說，更是將知識與正直的種子播在孩子心中的更大機會。
There are three subjects of interest which may not be taught to the child, but the child may be helped to interest itself in them: drawing, music, and dancing. It is at this age that the movements of the child should become graceful. But once the guardian begins to teach the child, then it is a training. This is not the time to train the child, this is the time to give free expression to its soul; to let it dance in any way that it likes to dance, a natural dance; to draw pictures just as it wishes to draw them and paint just as it wishes to paint, without any direction given to it, only interest in its work. Also if the child wishes to play an instrument or sing, let it sing in whatever way it likes. Maybe a word here and there to help it, but not to correct it, not to give it lessons on these subjects, not to let it think it is being taught; the child should only feel that it is being helped.
有三個引人興趣的主題，不必直接教給孩子，但可以幫助孩子對它們自然產生興趣：「畫畫、音樂與舞蹈」。也正是在這個年齡，孩子的動作應當開始變得優美。然而，一旦監護者開始教導孩子，那就成了一種訓練。這不是訓練孩子的時候，而是讓他的靈魂自由表達的時候；讓他用自己喜歡的方式跳舞，那是一種自然的舞；讓他按照自己想畫的方式畫圖，按照自己想塗的方式上色，不給他任何指導，只對他的作品表示興趣。同樣地，如果孩子想彈奏樂器或唱歌，就讓他用自己喜歡的方式去唱。也許可以在這裡那裡給他一句幫助的話，但不是糾正他，不是在這些事情上給他上課，也不要讓他覺得自己正在被教；孩子只應感覺到自己正在被幫助。
When we study life keenly, we find that drawing, singing, and dancing are innate or inner inclinations. A child need not be taught, they come by themselves. Every normal child has a desire to sing, a desire to draw, and also a desire to dance. Only the child begins sometimes by drawing lines and figures on the wall and spoiling the wall. The guardians can check this inclination by giving the child pencil and paper and asking it to draw pictures on it. The child will feel proud to have the material to draw. Very often guardians become cross because a child has been drawing on the wall; but it cannot be helped, it is a natural inclination.
當我們細緻地研究生命時，便會發現，畫畫、唱歌與舞蹈都是天生的、內在的傾向。孩子不需要被教，這些會自己生發出來。每一個正常的孩子都有唱歌的欲望、畫畫的欲望，也有跳舞的欲望。只不過，孩子有時會先從在牆上亂畫線條和圖形開始，把牆弄髒。監護者可以藉著給孩子鉛筆和紙，請他在上面畫圖，來引導這種傾向。孩子會因為自己有材料可以畫畫而感到驕傲。監護者常常因為孩子在牆上塗畫而生氣；但這也是無可避免的，因為那是自然的傾向。
The next inclination is that of singing. Very often an energetic child will show this inclination by shouting, by making a noise, by raising its voice; and this can be controlled. It can be best controlled by showing appreciation for a litle song that the child may sing. And if it does not know one, then let it learn one somewhere. A child who has the inclination to hear its own voice will be very glad to imitate any song it hears.
下一種傾向是唱歌。精力旺盛的孩子常會藉著大叫、發出聲音、提高嗓門來表現這種傾向；而這是可以被引導的。最好的引導方式，是對孩子所唱的一首小歌表示欣賞。如果他還不會唱，那就讓他在某處學一首。凡是有想聽自己聲音這種傾向的孩子，都會很高興去模仿他所聽見的任何歌曲。
The third inclination, that of dancing, the child shows in jumping up and down and turning from one corner to another. This shows restlessness and an inclination to move. And this activity can be controlled by showing appreciation for the dancing movements of little children.
第三種傾向是跳舞。孩子會藉著上下跳動、從一個角落轉到另一個角落來表現這種傾向。這顯示出他的不安定，以及想要活動的傾向。而這種活動也可以藉著欣賞小孩子舞動的動作來加以引導。
There was a time when the ancient people thought very much about movements. And they were right in thinking thus about them; because whenever you see a person with awkward movements you will find something awkward in his character. A person who is deficient in brain will always show it in the awkwardness of his movements. If movements have so much to do with a person’s evolution, with his mentality, then graceful movements will always help the mentality of a person. The child which is naturally inclined to movement, will take interest if it is directed towards moving with rhythm.
古代的人曾經非常重視動作，而他們這樣看待動作是對的；因為每當你看到一個人的動作笨拙時，你往往也會在他的性格中發現某種笨拙。一個頭腦發展不足的人，總會在他動作的笨拙上表現出來。既然動作與一個人的進化、與他的頭腦有這麼深的關聯，那麼優美的動作就總會幫助一個人的頭腦。天生傾向於活動的孩子，若被引導去做有節奏的動作，便會對此產生興趣。
One might think it difficult to teach a child dancing, but one need not teach it dancing. One has only to teach the child action; for instance to turn, to take something from the ground or from the mantelpiece, to move something, any such everyday actions, and naturally all these actions turn into a dance. Besides children are very imitative, and anything that appeals to them they readily imitate. If they see graceful movements they are most eager to imitate them. That is the age when the imitating faculty begins to develop. Is it then good for children of that age to take them to dancing performances and exhibitions of pictures? Sometimes it is good, as long as one knows where one is taking them and what kind of performance it is.
人也許會覺得教孩子跳舞很困難，但其實不需要教他跳舞。人只需要教孩子一些動作；例如轉身、從地上或壁爐架上拿起某樣東西、移動某樣東西，任何這類日常動作，自然地都會轉化成舞蹈。而且孩子是非常會模仿的，凡是吸引他們的東西，他們都很容易模仿。若他們看見優美的動作，便渴望地想去模仿。這正是模仿能力開始發展的年齡。那麼，帶這個年齡的孩子去看舞蹈表演和圖畫展覽好不好呢？有時是好的，只要人知道自己帶他們去的是什麼地方、是什麼樣的表演。
There are three things that a child may be taught at this particular time: perseverance, patience, and endurance. The child may be taught perseverance in anything that it is engaged in doing. Perhaps it is mending a toy, or doing some other work; one should help the child, encourage it to continue and not to leave it before it is finished. For however small this may appear, when this habit is formed, it will show later on in big things. A soul who has learned perseverance in childhood will show a tendency all his life to finish everything that he undertakes.
在這個特別的時期，有三樣東西是可以教給孩子的：「毅力、耐心與堅忍」。孩子可以在自己正在做的任何事情上學會毅力。也許他正在修理一個玩具，或做其他某件小事；人應當幫助孩子，鼓勵他繼續下去，不要在尚未完成之前就放下。因為無論這看起來多麼微小，一旦這種習慣形成了，之後便會在大事上顯現出來。一個在童年學會毅力的靈魂，終其一生都會表現出完成自己所著手之事的傾向。
Frequently we see that this tendency is lacking among grownup people; and this is very often the cause of their failure in life. And if their mind is restless, then it is still worse. They take up something today, and then after a week their interest is gone and there is something else; and they accomplish nothing in their lives. Life is a great opportunity, and the one who does not complete the thing he has undertaken, however small, certainly loses most in life.
我們常常看見，許多成年人缺乏這種傾向；而這往往正是他們人生失敗的原因。若他們的頭腦又是不安定的，那就更糟了。他們今天開始做一件事，一個星期後興趣就消失了，又轉向別的事；結果一生中什麼也完成不了。生命是一個偉大的機會，而那個不去完成自己已經開始之事的人，無論那事多麼微小，人生中失去的必定最多。
Accomplishment is more valuable than what is accomplished. For instance, if a person has loosened a knot in a string, apparently he has not gained anything, the time has been spent on a very small thing; and yet the action of completing it is useful, he has built something in his spirit that will be useful to him when he wants to accomplish great works.
完成這件事本身，比所完成的東西更有價值。舉例來說，如果一個人把一條線上的結解開了，表面看來他並沒有得到什麼，時間似乎花在一件很小的事情上；然而，把他完成的這個行動本身是有益的，他已在自己的靈裡建造了某種東西，而當他將來想要完成偉大的工作時，這會對他有用。
And now coming to the subject of patience, how can a child be taught patience? By teaching it to wait. Because a child is very impatient by nature, and if this tendency remains, then after that child is grown-up it will give it great unhappiness. When a person has no patience life becomes death for him. Patience is like death, but not to have patience is worse than death. Besides patience produces wonderful fruits, and patience is a quality which is beyond comparison with any other qualities in the world. If there is anything that gives kingliness to the soul, it is patience. What was the secret of the masters who have accomplished great things, who have inspired many and who have helped many souls? Their secret was patience. This is the time to sow the seed of patience in the child. In little things you can give the child the habit of patience. In asking for food, in wanting to go out to play, and in many other things a child shows lack of patience; yet if at that time, without hurting it, one gives it the habit of patience, the child will begin to show nobleness of spirit.
現在來到耐心這個主題，要如何教孩子耐心呢？就是教他等待。因為孩子天性上是非常沒有耐心的，而若這種傾向保留下來，那麼等孩子長大之後，便會帶給他很大的不幸。當一個人沒有耐心時，生命對他來說就像死亡。耐心好像死亡，但沒有耐心比死亡更糟。而且，耐心會結出奇妙的果實；耐心是一種無法與世上其他品質相比擬的品質。若有什麼東西能使靈魂帶有王者般的尊貴，那就是耐心。那些成就了偉大之事、啟發了許多人、幫助了許多靈魂的大師們，他們的祕密是什麼？他們的祕密就是耐心。這正是把耐心的種子播在孩子裡面的時候。在許多小事上，你都可以讓孩子養成耐心的習慣。在討要食物時、在想出去玩時，以及其他許多事情上，孩子都會顯出缺乏耐心；然而，若在那些時候，不傷害孩子地讓他養成耐心的習慣，那麼孩子便會開始顯出聖靈的高貴。
The third thing is endurance. One might ask, “We have so much to endure in life when we are grown-up, why must we make a child endure at that age?” But the answer is that for the very reason that life will make it endure when it is grown-up, let it know from this time that there is such a thing as endurance and that every soul has to go through this. No doubt it is painful for the loving guardian to see the child develop the faculty of endurance, but at the same time it would be more painful if the child were to grow up without this faculty. And in what way can one teach the child this? From morning till evening in the life of a child there are a thousand things happening; so many times it falls, and so many times it hurts itself, and so many times it has to swallow a bitter pill; and every time that it is not inclined to go through something that is good for it to go through, one should give it courage and strength and a word of encouragement or of advice, appreciating its endurance. In this way it will develop the enduring faculty.
第三樣是堅忍。有人也許會問：「我們長大後，在人生中已經有那麼多事要忍受了，為什麼還要讓孩子在那個年齡學習堅忍呢？」但答案是：正因為等我們長大後，生命本身就會使我們必須忍，所以應當從現在就讓他知道，世上確實有堅忍這回事，而且每一個靈魂都必須經過這個過程。毫無疑問，對充滿愛的監護者而言，看著孩子發展出堅忍的能力是令人心疼的；但同時，若孩子在沒有這種能力的情況下長大，那將更加令人心痛。而要如何教孩子這一點呢？從早到晚，在一個孩子的生活中，有成千上萬件事情在發生；他跌倒了許多次，也弄痛自己許多次，也常常不得不吞下一顆苦藥；而每一次當他不願經驗某件其實對他有益的事時，我們都應當給他勇氣、力量，以及一句鼓勵或勸告的話，並欣賞他的堅忍。如此一來，他就會發展出堅忍的能力。
In teaching the child, the best method is not to let it know that you are teaching. Teach it without the child knowing it. And that can be done by showing appreciation for the least little thing it does which you wish to develop in its spirit. The ego is born with pride, even in the child; and if you appreciate something, the child likes it too, and even sometimes more than the grownup, because grown-up people have lost faith in words.
在教孩子時，最好的方法，是不要讓他知道你正在教他。要在孩子不知道的情況下教導他。而這可以藉著對他所做的每一件微小之事表示欣賞來達成，特別是那些你希望發展在其心靈裡面的品質。自我天生就帶著驕傲，即使在孩子身上也是如此；若你欣賞某件事，孩子也會喜歡那件事，有時甚至比成年人更喜歡，因為成年人已經失去了對言語的信心。
Very often people teach wrong nursery rhymes. It is not only a waste of time, but it has a bad effect on the child. Sometimes they are useless words, and sometimes they are meaningless words, and sometimes they are words of suggestion which may just as well be kept away from the mind of the child. Every rhyme that only rhymes is not beneficial; it must have some sense in it. And therefore the guardian must know first what he is teaching before teaching the child.
人們常常教孩子一些不好的童謠。那不只是浪費時間，對孩子也有不良的影響。有時那些只是無用的字句，有時是毫無意義的字句，有時則是一些暗示性的語句，而這些其實都應當遠離孩子的頭腦。並不是凡是押韻的童謠都對孩子有益；其中必須有某種意義。因此，監護者在教孩子之前，必須先知道自己正在教的是什麼。
It is the same with stories. The best method of teaching children is to teach them with stories. There are fables that interest children very much, and also there is a meaning to understand. If the guardians will explain to them the meaning that is in that fable the children will become still more interested in it, and at the same time they will learn something. A story need not be always very instructive; even grown-up people do not like that. The most interesting story for children is a funny story; and if one can put some little meaning into a comical story, that is the best thing one can do. They remember it, and at the same time the sense remains concealed in the story; and as they grow the sense begins to emerge, and one day they understand what it means.
故事也是如此。教孩子最好的方法，就是用故事來教。有些寓言非常能引起孩子的興趣，而且其中也有意義可以理解。若監護者能向他們解釋寓言中的意義，孩子便會對它更有興趣，同時也會學到某些東西。故事不一定總是要非常具有教訓意味；連成年人也不喜歡那樣。對孩子來說，最有趣的故事是好笑的故事；而若人能在一個滑稽的故事中放進一點點意義，那就是最好的事。孩子會記住它，而同時，那層意義仍隱藏在故事裡；隨著他們成長，那份意義會開始浮現，終有一天，他們會明白那是什麼意思。
There is a fable of a donkey and a camel. Once a donkey went to a camel and said, “Camel Uncle, I would like very much to go grazing with you.” The camel said, “Yes, I will come with you tomorrow.” And so they went into a field. It took a long time for the camel to feed himself, but the donkey fed himself very quickly. After the donkey had finished his dinner he said, “Camel Uncle, I am so happy, first to have your friendship and then to be here in the field. I feel like singing and I would very much like you to dance.” The camel said, “I have not yet finished my meal but you seem to be ready.” “Well”, said the donkey, “if you are not ready I will try my voice.” And the donkey began to try his voice. And the farmer came with a stick in his hand, but the donkey jumped out of the way and the camel was beaten.
有一則關於驢子與駱駝的寓言。有一次，一隻驢子去找駱駝，說：「駱駝叔叔，我很想和你一起去吃草。」駱駝說：「好啊，我明天和你一起去。」於是牠們走進一塊田裡。駱駝花了很長時間才吃飽自己，但驢子很快就吃飽了。驢子吃完晚餐後說：「駱駝叔叔，我真快樂，先是能得到你的友誼，然後又能和你一起來到這片田裡。我很想唱歌，也很希望你跳舞。」駱駝說：「我還沒有吃完，但你看起來已經準備好了。」「那好吧，」驢子說，「如果你還沒準備好，我就先試試我的嗓子。」於是驢子開始試牠的聲音。農夫手裡拿著棍子跑來了，但驢子一下子跳開了，結果駱駝被打了。
When next day the donkey went to invite Uncle Camel, the camel said, “I am too ill; your way is different and my way is different. From today we will part.”
到了第二天，驢子再去邀請駱駝叔叔時，駱駝說：「我病得太重了；你的路和我的路不同。從今天起，我們就分開吧。」
This story shows the sense of friendship between the one who is dignified and the one who has no sense of dignity.
這個故事顯示出，一個有尊嚴感者與一個毫無尊嚴感者之間的友誼，會是怎樣的一種情形。
If a young child asks a question about his origin, the answer one must give is: God. This question gives one an opening to sow the seed of the God ideal in the heart of the child.
如果一個年幼的孩子問起自己是從哪裡來的，那麼人所應給的答案就是：神。這個問題給了人一個機會，可以把神之理想的種子播在孩子心中。
It is always good to tell children stories from the Bible or other sacred scriptures, but the person who puts them in a form that the child can understand must be very wise. If not, as the stories are, sometimes they are not proper stories to teach children; also the time of the Old Testament was a different time, and there are some stories which do not suit the present time. It is always a good thing for the guardian to make his own stories; to get the ideas out of different books and to put them into his own story and then give them to the children. Once a wise guardian was asked by a child, “But is it a real story?” and he said, “As a story it is real.”
對孩子講《聖經》或其他神聖經典裡的故事，總是好的；但把這些故事轉化成孩子能理解的形式的人，必須非常有智慧。否則，就故事本身而言，有時它們並不是適合教孩子的故事；而且《舊約》的時代是另一個時代，其中有些故事也不適合今天。對監護者來說，自己編故事始終是一件好事；從不同的書中提取觀念，把它們融入自己的故事裡，再把故事講給孩子聽。有一次，一位有智慧的監護者被孩子問到：「可是，這是真實的故事嗎？」他回答說：「作為一個故事，它是真實的。」
It is learning while playing, for no one is so interested in stories as little children; and if one makes use of that interest for their benefit, one has the greatest opportunity to put wonderful ideas into their minds with the stories. In no other way will the child absorb ideals as it will do in the form of stories. The stories told in its early childhood will remain with it all through its life. It will never forget them. Maybe that every year, as the child grows, that story will have another meaning; and so there will be a continual development of the ideal, which will become a great blessing in the life of the child.
這是一種在遊戲中學習的方式，因為沒有誰會像小孩子那樣對故事充滿興趣；若人善用這份興趣來造益他們，便擁有了最好的機會，可以藉著故事把美好的觀念放進他們的頭腦裡。孩子沒有任何其他方式，能像透過故事那樣吸收理想。在童年初期所聽見的故事，會伴其一生。他永遠不會忘記它們。也許每一年，隨著孩子的成長，那個故事都會有另一層意義；於是理想便會持續地發展，而這將成為孩子生命中的一大祝福。
Ages 10 to 12
10 至 12 歲
The time between the ages of ten and twelve years may be called middle childhood. It is in this period that a child begins to be distinguished as a girl-child or a boy-child; and each must be given its particular direction, for a girl a girl’s direction and for a boy a boy’s direction. At home an education can be given which is not to be expected at school. Even if the same subjects were taught at school it would not be the same as what a child learns at home. Therefore even when the child is going to school there still remains a responsibility for the guardians to give it home education apart from its studies in the school.
十歲到十二歲之間，可以稱為童年的中期。就在這個時期，孩子開始明顯地呈現為女孩或男孩；而每一個孩子都必須得到適合其特性的引導，女孩有女孩的方向，男孩有男孩的方向。在家中，能夠給予孩子一種在學校中無法期待得到的教育。即使學校教的是同樣的科目，也不會等同於孩子在家中所學到的。因此，即便孩子已經去上學，監護者仍然有責任，在學校課業之外，給予其家庭教育。
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Five Aspects of Knowledge
知識的五個面向
- For the intellectual development of the child it is of great importance that it becomes familiar with nature. It must not be done as a lesson; it must be done as a friendly talk to explain to the child about plants, trees, insects, birds, animals. And when it is given by the spoken word the effect is quite different from the reading of natural science or any other studies of nature that the child may make. It wakens its interest and it develops its knowledge, it deepens in it a feeling for nature; and it will later culminate in the wakening of the faculty of communicating with nature, which is the principal thing for every soul in his spiritual development.
為了孩子頭腦的發展，熟悉自然是極為重要的。這不應當以課堂教學的方式來進行；而應當以一種親切交談的方式，向孩子說明植物、樹木、昆蟲、鳥類與動物。當這些是透過口語傳達時，其效果與孩子閱讀自然科學，或其他關於自然的學習，是完全不同的。這會喚醒他的興趣，發展其知識，也會加深其對自然的感受；而最後，這將引向一種能力的甦醒——與自然交流的能力——而這正是每一個靈魂在其靈性發展中最主要的事。
A soul who is not close to nature is far away from what is called spirituality. In order to be spiritual one must communicate, and especially one must communicate with nature; one must feel nature. There is so much to be learned from plant life, from birds, animals, insects, that once a child begins to take an interest in that subject, everything becomes a symbolical expression of the inner truth. If the child is deeply interested in the knowledge of nature, that shows that it has taken the first step on the path of philosophical truth.
一個不親近自然的靈魂，便離所謂的靈性十分遙遠。若要成為靈性的人，人就必須能夠交流，尤其必須能夠與自然交流；人必須感受自然。從植物的生命、從鳥類、動物、昆蟲身上，有這麼多東西可以學習，以致一旦孩子開始對這個主題產生興趣，一切都會變成內在真理的象徵性表達。若孩子對自然的知識有深刻的興趣，這就表示他已經踏出了哲學真理之路的第一步。 - The next thing is to acquaint the child with the customs of the country where it was born and has to live. It is the absence of this knowledge that makes people continue their old customs without knowing what they are and why they are; people go on sometimes for thousands of years following the same custom and yet not knowing the meaning of it. People in the East are very keen on their ancient customs, and very often they have followed those customs for more than a thousand years without knowing why and what is in them; they do it only because it is a custom. But it happens also in the West, where in some places there is a festival almost every day. It would be good for a child to know why such a custom exists, what is the good of it, what is the meaning of it, what we derive from it and what it suggests.
接下來的一件事，是讓孩子熟悉其出生並生活於其中的國家的風俗。正是因為缺少這種知識，人們才會一再延續古老的習俗，而不知道那些習俗究竟是什麼、又為什麼存在；有時人們幾千年來都遵循著同樣的習俗，卻仍不知道其中的意義。東方人非常重視古老的習俗，而很多時候，他們遵循那些習俗已超過千年，卻不知道為什麼如此，也不知道其中包含著什麼；他們之所以這樣做，只是因為那是一種習俗。然而在西方也是如此，在某些地方幾乎天天都有節慶。若孩子能知道這樣的習俗為何存在、它有何益處、它的意義是什麼、我們從中得到什麼、它又暗示了什麼，那將是很好的。
It is interesting to celebrate a fete and to be gay and joyous; but one can make merry every day and yet achieve nothing. Besides life is an opportunity and every day and every hour of life is of the greatest importance; and if one allows so much of one’s time to be given to customs of the country there is no end to it.
慶祝節日、歡欣喜樂，固然是有趣的；但一個人也可以天天歡樂，卻一事無成。而且，生命本身就是一種機會，人生中的每一天、每一小時都極其重要；若容許自己把那麼多時間都交給國家的習俗，那就永遠沒有盡頭了。
Every generation must take a step forward in evolution, and it can do it better by understanding life better. The guardians can help the child very much by making it understand life. And the best way of educating the child is not to give one’s opinion about these customs, not to say directly that this is a good or a bad custom; only to explain the psychology of it and the meaning of the custom, and let the child see for itself if it is a custom worth following or better forgotten.
每一代都必須在演化中向前邁進一步，而若能更好地理解生命，也就能更好地做到這一點。監護者若能幫助孩子理解生命，便能極大地幫助他。而教育孩子最好的方式，不是把自己對這些習俗的意見灌輸給他，不是直接說這是好習俗或壞習俗；而只是解釋其中的心理學，以及那習俗的意義，然後讓孩子自己去看，那究竟是值得遵循的習俗，還是更適合被遺忘的習俗。 - The third thing one can help the child to understand is something about the people of its country; what they were and what they are, their characteristics, their inclinations and their aspirations; and let the child imagine what it would like its world to be. This also gives it an opportunity of reconstruction as the world evolves.
第三件可以幫助孩子理解的事，是關於他自己國家人民的一些事情；他們過去是怎樣的人、現在是怎樣的人、他們的特質、他們的傾向，以及他們的嚮往；並且讓孩子去想像，他希望自己的世界成為什麼樣子。這也給了他一個重建的機會，隨著世界的演進而一起向前。 - And the fourth thing is to acquaint the child with its own family. Very often it happens that a child knows about China and Japan, and about Egypt and Persia, having read about them, and it does not know the name of its grandfather. If it knows something about its family, its genealogy, it will be able to control life better. Maybe there are things that the child will follow, that it will adopt for its betterment; and it may be that there are things that it will correct in itself; maybe it wishes to repair some harm that was done before. In both cases the child will be able to manage its life better as it goes on.
第四件事，是讓孩子熟悉自己的家庭。常常會發生這樣的情況：孩子讀過中國、日本、埃及、波斯的事情，卻不知道自己祖父的名字。若他知道一些關於自己家庭、自己家譜的事，其便能更好地掌握生命。也許其中有些事是孩子會去承接、會採納來使自己變得更好的；也可能有些事，是他會在自己身上加以修正的；也許他希望補救某些從前曾造成的傷害。在這兩種情況下，孩子在繼續成長的過程中，都會更能管理自己的人生。
If a soul is not interested in knowing about its own family, when it is grown-up it will not be interested in knowing about the source from whence it comes. Because this is the first point from which it can go further, until it reaches to that source, to that family, from whence it truly comes; and so in reality this is leading the child to God. For instance, a child is interested in knowing about its father, its mother, its grandfather, its grandmother, and perhaps about its great-grandfather; but where does it lead to? It only leads from the world of illusion to the source of reality. It gives the child an excuse to enquire further into life, and where it has come from; and in the end it will come to the conception of the source, which is the Source of all. And in this way it will find one day that the whole of humanity is a family, and that in the end we all meet in the same place where we have come from. When the child is grown-up it will change its whole attitude towards human beings; the narrowness will vanish, and a broad outlook will come to him of itself.
若一個靈魂對認識自己的家庭毫無興趣，那麼等他長大後，也不會對認識自己從何而來的源頭感到興趣。因為這正是他能夠進一步前行的第一個起點，直到他抵達那個源頭、那個真正的家族，也就是他真正所來自之處；因此，事實上，這正是在引導孩子走向神。舉例來說，孩子對知道自己的父親、母親、祖父、祖母，甚至曾祖父的事情感興趣；但這會把他帶到哪裡呢？這只會把他從幻象的世界，引向真實的源頭。這給了孩子一個理由，去更進一步探問生命，以及自己從何而來；而到最後，他會形成對源頭的觀念，那源頭就是一切的源頭。也因此，有一天他會發現，全人類其實是一個家庭，而最終我們都在同一個地方相遇，那地方正是我們所來之處。當孩子長大之後，他對人類的整體態度將會改變；狹隘將會消失，而寬廣的眼界將會自然來到他身上。 - As the fifth aspect of knowledge one should give the child a little introduction to metaphysics, not much, just enough for it to know that there is a soul, that there is a mind, that there is a body; that there is a relation between the soul and the mind, and the mind and the body. For instance, if a child asks, “What is the soul?” the shortest answer will be, “Your innermost being, your invisible self, your self which is covered by your body. But that self is your real self, the body is only a covering.” Very often one little idea about a metaphysical truth goes into the heart of a child like a spark of fire which slowly blazes into a flame, a flame which will guide it through its whole life.
作為第五個知識的面向，人應當給孩子一點形上學的入門，不必很多，只要足夠讓他知道：有靈魂，有頭腦，有身體；也知道靈魂與頭腦之間、頭腦與身體之間都有關聯。譬如，如果孩子問：「什麼是靈魂？」最簡短的回答可以是：「那是你最內在的存在，是你那不可見的自己，是那被你的身體覆蓋著的自己。但那個自己才是真正的你，身體只是一層外衣。」很多時候，一個關於形上真理的小小觀念進入孩子心中，就像一點火星，會慢慢燃成火焰，而那火焰將引導他走過整個人生。
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This is the period in the life of a child when the guardian must find out the trend of its mind, and which way it will take in life. This does not mean which profession it will take or what work it will do, only one should know if the child has a literary, a mechanical, an idealistic, or a religious trend of mind. And once the guardian has understood this it is better to give the child a suitable impression. For instance, when the guardian has found out that the child has a literary trend of mind, and there is a great man lecturing in the city, it is good to take the child there. If it does not understand one word it does not matter. Let it be there, let it look at what is going on, and that impression will remain with the child for its whole life; and maybe that impression will help the child to become like the one it has seen.
這也是孩子生命中的一個時期，在這時監護者必須找出其頭腦的趨向，以及其將在生命中走向哪一條路。這並不是指將來要從事哪一種職業、做哪一種工作；而只是應當知道，孩子的頭腦趨向是文學性的、機械性的、理想性的，還是宗教性的。一旦監護者明白了這一點，最好就給孩子適合的印象。譬如，當監護者發現孩子有文學性的頭腦趨向，而城裡正好有一位偉大人物在演講，那麼帶孩子去那裡就是好的。即使他一個字也聽不懂，也沒有關係。只要讓他在那裡、看見正在發生的事情，那個印象便會陪伴孩子一生；而也許正是那個印象，幫助孩子成為他所見到的那樣的人。
At the age of ten, eleven, and twelve the child is most imitative, and if you know the bent of its mind, and if you give it an impression which it may imitate and which would be good for it to imitate, this means that you are setting it on the road which will lead to its destination. The best thing one can do in the life of a child is to give it good impressions, to show it wonderful personalities and wonderful works. Nothing in the world can help a child more than a good impression.
在十歲、十一歲、十二歲時，孩子最具有模仿性；若你知道其頭腦的傾向，並給其一種他可以模仿、而且值得模仿的印象，這就等於把他放上了一條將會帶他抵達目的地的道路。在孩子的生命中，人所能做的最好的事，就是給他好的印象，使其看見美好的人格與美好的作品。世上沒有任何東西，比一個好的印象更能幫助孩子。
One might ask if one should develop only what is the child’s special trend of mind. Should one not also show him another direction? Yes, but gently. And then one must see if the child has a tendency, an inclination, towards it. For instance, if a child shows more tendency to become a mechanic and if you urge it to become a violinist, in the end this will prove to be disastrous. The child will be neither a mechanic nor a violinist. It is better to watch the bent of the child’s mind.
有人也許會問：是否只應該發展孩子特有的頭腦傾向？難道不也應該讓他接觸其他方向嗎？是的，可以，但必須溫和地進行。然後還要看孩子對那方向是否有傾向、有興趣。譬如，若一個孩子顯示出較傾向成為機械技術者，而你卻強迫他去成為小提琴家，最後這往往會帶來災難性的結果。孩子最終既不是機械技術者，也不是小提琴家。較好的方式，是細心觀察孩子頭腦的傾向。
Regarding the cultivation of different qualities in the child, this can best be done with each child by teaching it to sing and play, and by giving it ear-training and rhythmic movements. If a child is inclined to sing it is best for it to sing; but if the child is not inclined to sing, but wants to play an instrument, it is best to give it an instrument to play. Which instrument is the best? This one cannot say. But an easy instrument should be given first; and afterwards, if the child wants another instrument which he likes better, then one should give it that instrument.
至於孩子各種品質的培養，對每個孩子而言，最好的方式是教他唱歌與演奏，並給他聽覺訓練與節奏性的動作。若孩子傾向唱歌，那麼最好就讓他唱；但若孩子不傾向唱歌，而想演奏樂器，那麼最好就給他一件樂器來演奏。哪一種樂器最好呢？這無法一概而論。但應先給他一種容易上手的樂器；之後，若孩子想換另一種自己更喜歡的樂器，那就應當給他那件樂器。
In the case of a girl it is better that she learns rhythmic movements; in the case of a boy it is better that he learns gymnastics. For a girl rhythmic movements serve the same purpose, and yet they do not hurt her girlish characteristics. For the boy gymnastics suffice, and these keep each in their own direction. The energy in a boy that makes him so restless and uncomfortable will be used in gymnastics, and that will bring about balance of mind.
若是女孩，較好的是讓她學習節奏性的動作；若是男孩，較好的是讓他學習體操。對女孩而言，節奏性的動作能達成同樣的目的，同時又不會損害她作為女孩的特質。對男孩而言，體操就足夠了，而這些方式能讓每一方都保持在自己的方向裡。男孩身上那種使他如此躁動不安、感到不舒服的能量，會在體操中得到運用，而這將帶來頭腦的平衡。
Should every child be taught music? Yes; in the first place there is no child who is not inclined towards music; it is the grown-up who becomes disinclined towards music.
每一個孩子都應當學音樂嗎？是的；首先，沒有一個孩子天性上是不傾向音樂的；失去對音樂傾向的，是長大後的人。
There is an Arabian story that when God commanded the soul to enter the body of clay He had made, the first body of man, the soul refused to enter it. The soul said, “I am free to move about in any sphere I like, and I have the limitless strength and power I derive from Thee; I do not want to enter into this body of clay. To me it looks like a prison.” Then God asked the angels to play on their harps; and the soul on hearing this music began to dance and went into ecstasy. It entered the body unknowingly and was caught in this prison.
有一個阿拉伯故事說，當神命令靈魂進入祂所造的泥土之身，也就是人的第一個身體時，靈魂拒絕進入。靈魂說：「我可以自由地在任何我喜歡的領域中往來，我也擁有從祢而來的無限力量與能力；我不想進入這個泥土做成的身體。對我來說，它看起來像一座監牢。」於是神叫天使彈奏豎琴；靈魂一聽見這音樂，便開始舞動，進入了出神的狀態。它就在不知不覺中進入了這個身體，而被困在這座監牢裡。
Therefore no soul comes on earth without a feeling for music. It is only when souls have become dense after having come to the earth that they lose that feeling. But when someone has lost interest in music one should know that that person is not living; there is something that was living in that person that is now dead.
因此，沒有一個靈魂來到地上時，是不帶著對音樂的感受的。只是當靈魂來到地上之後，變得愈來愈稠密時，才會失去那種感受。然而，當一個人失去了對音樂的興趣，人就應知道，那個人並沒有真正活著；在那個人裡面，曾經活著的某樣東西，如今已經死去了。
It is not necessary for every child to be brought up to be a musician, but elementary teaching of music is necessary for every child. It will help it in every walk of life. Whatever it may do a musical training will help it. And therefore musical training must not be considered as a branch or as one part of education but as the foundation for the child’s whole life.
並不是每一個孩子都必須被培養成音樂家，但音樂的基礎教育對每一個孩子都是必要的。它會在生命的每一條道路上幫助他們。無論他們將來做什麼，音樂的訓練都會有所幫助。因此，音樂訓練不應被視為教育中的一個分支，或其中的一個部分，而應被視為孩子整個生命的基礎。
The End of the First Cycle
第一循環的終點
The time between the ages of ten and twelve years is the period that finishes a cycle, the first cycle in the life of every soul. Mystics consider each cycle as twelve years. Therefore these last three years of the first cycle are of very great importance in the life of the child. During this particular period at the ages of ten, eleven, and twelve, what is taught is like the finishing touch given by an artist after having painted a picture; and after this another cycle begins.
十歲到十二歲之間，是完成一個循環的時期，也就是每個靈魂生命中的第一個循環。祕士認為，每一個循環都是十二年。因此，這第一循環最後的三年，在孩子的生命中具有極大的重要性。在這個特定的時期，也就是十歲、十一歲、十二歲，所教給孩子的一切，就像畫家在一幅畫完成之後所加上的最後點睛之筆；而在這之後，另一個循環便開始了。
The time of preparing children for the next cycle is a most important period. If the child by this time has not been taught, has not been corrected, has not been given that direction which it ought to have taken, then later on it will be difficult; for the most important period has passed. The more guardians understand of their responsibility, the more they will realize that if things were not taught which should have been taught at that time they can never be taught later.
為孩子預備進入下一個循環的這段時間，是極其重要的時期。若孩子到了這時還沒有被教導、沒有被修正、沒有被給予他本應走上的方向，那麼之後就會變得困難；因為最重要的時期已經過去了。監護者越明白自己的責任，就越會體會到：若那些本應在那時教給孩子的事沒有被教導，那麼之後便永遠無法真正教會。
The appropriate direction must be given to the girls and to the boys. One cannot drive both with the same whip. For instance, a word of displeasure will touch the boy on the surface and the girl to the depth; and it is the same with a word of appreciation. Often with the boy it will go in at one ear and out at the other, whereas the girl will keep it with her perhaps for her whole life. Those who think that boys and girls can both be directed in the same way will find in the end that they made a great mistake. The psychology of the boy is quite different from the girl’s, and for each a special method must be used in order to bring them up.
對女孩與男孩，必須給予合宜的方向。不能用同一條鞭子來驅策兩者。譬如，一句表達不悅的話，對男孩只是碰觸表面，對女孩卻會碰觸到深處；一句欣賞的話也是如此。對男孩來說，常常是左耳進、右耳出；而女孩卻可能把它記在心裡一輩子。那些以為男孩和女孩可以用同樣方式引導的人，到最後會發現自己犯了一個很大的錯誤。男孩的心理與女孩的心理是很不相同的，而為了養育他們，每一方都必須使用特別的方法。
If the girl or the boy receives a word of admiration or of blame, it must be given in different terms and in different words; and one should be most lenient towards the girl, whereas it does not matter so much with the boy. Often the boy takes a punishment and after half an hour, or even before half an hour has passed, he forgets it; and often a girl remembers it for months and months; it affects her most deeply.
若女孩或男孩接受一句讚美的話，或一句責備的話，那麼所用的語氣與措辭都必須不同；而且對女孩應當格外溫和，對男孩則不必那麼小心。男孩往往受了處罰，過了半小時，甚至不到半小時，就忘了；而女孩卻常常會記得好幾個月，並且受到極深的影響。
Besides there are certain characteristics to be developed in the boy and certain characteristics to be developed in the girl; and you cannot call them virtues for both. For instance,
此外，男孩身上有某些特質應當被發展，女孩身上也有某些特質應當被發展；而這些並不能在兩者身上同時被稱為美德。譬如：
courage in the boy, modesty in the girl;
common sense in the boy, idealism in the girl;
responsibility in the boy, duty in the girl;
God-ideal in the boy, religion in the girl;
also thought in the boy, consideration in the girl.
男孩的勇氣，女孩的謙遜；
男孩的常識，女孩的理想性；
男孩的承擔責任，女孩的盡責；
男孩的神性理想，女孩的宗教性；
男孩的思考力，女孩的深思熟慮。
One may ask why it is necessary to develop the inherent qualities of boys and girls; why not pay attention first to their opposites? The reason is this, that any quality that is an inherent quality is born in a person because that quality will lead to the purpose of his life. For instance the lion is given the quality of the lion; that is the purpose, that is his destiny; and the deer is given the quality needed for the purpose of his life. But if the lion had the deer quality or the deer had the lion quality, neither would be properly equipped for living in the world. What the deer is shows in its own quality, what the lion is shows in its own quality. One must not think it is not necessary for the other quality to come to the boy or girl; but what should be developed is the particular quality, and the other quality will come by itself. It does not mean that a boy must not have those qualities which have been said to belong to a girl. For instance, if the boy is without any ideal he is useless; but the ideal will come; in the girl, however, it must be planted, it must be developed.
有人也許會問，為什麼有必要發展男孩與女孩所固有的特質？為什麼不先留意它們相反的一面呢？原因就在於：任何一種本具的特質，之所以生來就在一個人身上，是因為那特質會引導他走向其生命的目的。譬如，獅子被賦予獅子的特質；那就是牠的目的，那就是牠的命運；鹿也被賦予牠生命目的所需的特質。但若獅子有了鹿的特質，或鹿有了獅子的特質，兩者都不會被適當地裝備來活在世上。鹿是什麼，便顯現在牠自己的特質中；獅子是什麼，也顯現在牠自己的特質中。人不可認為另一種特質對男孩或女孩是不必要的；但應當被發展的，是那種特定的特質，而另一種特質會自己到來。這並不是說，男孩不可以擁有那些被說成屬於女孩的特質。譬如，若男孩毫無理想，那他便是無用的；但理想會自然到來；然而在女孩身上，它必須被栽種，它必須被發展。
It is the psychology of the boy and the girl which makes it necessary to give certain things to the boy and certain things to the girl; but as they develop they take each other’s qualities; with development it comes naturally. Balance is best, whether in the boy or in the girl; and balance comes through opposite qualities. The work of the teacher is not to teach balance, the work of the teacher is to teach qualities; life will bring about balance by itself, as long as boys and girls are taught that particular quality which belongs to them.
正是男孩與女孩的心理特質，使得某些東西必須給男孩，某些東西必須給女孩；但隨著他們的發展，他們也會吸收彼此的特質；而這會隨著成長自然地發生。無論在男孩或女孩身上，平衡都是最好的；而平衡乃是藉著相反的特質而來。教師的工作不是教導平衡，教師的工作是教導特質；只要男孩與女孩都被教導那屬於他們的特定特質，生命自然會把平衡帶出來。
The question arises how children should answer the different demands of life, such as helping at home, helping outside, seeing friends, seeing strangers. Children often, eleven, and twelve need not be given particular work to do at home, but at the same time they should be made acquainted with the duties of the household and with the work in outside life, so that as they grow up they may understand and appreciate the responsibility and the duties of their guardians.
接著便會出現這樣的問題：孩子應當如何回應生活中各種不同的要求，例如在家裡幫忙、在外面幫忙、與朋友相見、與陌生人相見。十歲、十一歲、十二歲的孩子，不一定需要被分派特定的家務工作；但同時，他們應當被帶著去熟悉家庭中的責任，以及外在生活中的工作，好使他們長大時能夠理解並體會監護者的責任與義務。
With friends of the family children should have a respectful attitude, the same attitude they have towards their own guardians or parents.
對於家庭的友人，孩子應當懷有尊敬的態度，就如同他們對自己的監護者或父母所懷有的態度一樣。
One day the Prophet heard his children calling a servant by his name, and the Prophet said, “No, children, he is older than you. Call him uncle.”
有一天，先知聽見他的孩子直呼一位僕人的名字，先知便說：「不，孩子們，他比你們年長。要叫他叔叔。」
This ideal was taught from the beginning, in order that as they grew up they might attract more friends, instead of offending friends of the house. Also it shows a beautiful manner in the child to have a friendly outlook and a respectful attitude towards the friends of the family. And when children of that age meet strangers, the strangers can understand from the manner of the children what home, what family they belong to, what education, what training they have been given. If they are rude, thoughtless, inconsiderate, or ill-mannered, they represent their family in this way. Therefore it is the responsibility and the duty of the guardian to make the children aware of these rules of everyday life.
這種理想從一開始就應當被教導，好使他們長大時能夠吸引更多朋友，而不是冒犯家中的朋友。並且，當孩子對家中的朋友具有友善的眼光與尊敬的態度時，這也顯出一種美好的儀態。而當這個年齡的孩子遇見陌生人時，陌生人能從孩子的舉止看出他們來自什麼樣的家庭、屬於什麼樣的家族、接受過什麼樣的教育與訓練。若他們粗魯、輕率、不體貼、沒有禮貌，那也是以這樣的方式代表了自己的家庭。因此，使孩子明白這些日常生活的規則，是監護者的責任與義務。
The period between ten and twelve is the period when children must be taught to practice whatever work is given to them, whether it be music, painting, drawing, or anything else. This is the time when they must learn to concentrate upon that work, stick to that work, and not let their minds be disturbed by anything outside; because later on this faculty will prove to be the foundation of spiritual development.
十歲到十二歲之間，是孩子必須學習練習任何交付給他們之工作的時期，不論那是音樂、繪畫、素描，或其他任何事情。這正是他們必須學會專注於那工作、堅持於那工作、不讓外界任何事物擾動自己頭腦的時候；因為到了後來，這種能力將證明是靈性發展的基礎。
And then comes a still more delicate question, and that is that in their food, in their fancies, in their clothes, they must not have too much their own way; because this is not the time when they should be thinking very much about clothes or about the food they eat or about anything like that; it is the time when they should be quite unaware of it. Whatever is given to them they should take gratefully, thankfully; the days of fancy and fantasy will come afterwards. And if care is not taken of that side of children’s nature, it will develop disagreeably and later on it will take the form of a very undesirable spirit.
接著又來到一個更細緻的問題，那就是：在食物、喜好、衣著這些方面，不應當讓孩子太過照自己的意思來；因為這不是他們應當把很多心思放在衣服、所吃的食物，或這類事情上的時候；這正是他們應當幾乎不去意識這些事的時候。無論給他們什麼，他們都應當帶著感恩與感謝來接受；講究與幻想的日子之後自然會到來。若這一面孩子的天性沒有被妥善照顧，它便會發展得令人不快，而到了後來，便會成為一種非常不可取的精神。
How can this be done? It should be done, not by correcting them nor by impressing rules upon them, but by making them see the pleasure of contentment; and the thought must be impressed upon them that this is the time when they must put their mind to work. By gentle counsel and friendly advice they will soon understand.
這要如何做到呢？這應當不是藉著糾正他們，也不是藉著把規則強加在他們身上，而是藉著讓他們看見知足的喜悅；並且要使這個想法深深印在他們心中：這是他們必須把頭腦用在工作上的時期。藉著溫和的勸勉與友善的建議，他們很快就會明白。
A guardian once told a little girl who was very fond of looking in the mirror, “Jinns can peep through the mirror, and you must look out for them; people who look in the mirror too many times will have to meet jinns.” And from that time that little child showed less and less of that tendency.
有一位監護者曾對一個很喜歡照鏡子的小女孩說：「精靈 (Jinn) 可以透過鏡子偷看，你必須留意牠們；照鏡子太多次的人，會遇見精靈。」從那時起，那個小女孩便愈來愈少顯出那樣的傾向。
One may ask if there is any harm in looking in the mirror. There is; looking in the mirror makes one self-conscious, and self-consciousness makes one nervous. And all the tragedy of life comes from self-consciousness when it culminates in self-pity.
有人也許會問，照鏡子有什麼害處嗎？有的；照鏡子會使人變得自我意識，而自我意識會使人變得神經緊張。生命中一切的悲劇，都來自自我意識，當它發展到頂點而成為自憐時，尤其如此。
It is a very delicate work to train the child without its realizing that it is being taught. Everything one teaches it must be in such a way that the child does not know that a certain rule or principle is imposed upon it; that is the way to work with it. In laughter, in smiles, in stories, in friendly conversation, things can be told to children that they will always remember; but as soon as they are corrected and one imposes a certain principle upon them they begin to feel the burden of it.
在孩子沒有察覺自己正被教導的情況下來訓練孩子，是一件極為細緻的工作。你教給他們的每一件事，都必須以一種方式進行，使孩子不知道某一條規則或原則正被加在他們身上；這才是與孩子相處的方式。在笑聲中、在微笑中、在故事中、在友善的談話中，有些事可以告訴孩子，而他們會永遠記得；但只要一開始糾正他們，把某種原則強加於他們，他們立刻就會感覺到那份負擔。
It must be remembered that life is an opportunity, and this particular period often, eleven, and twelve years is a most wonderful opportunity. This is the period when children drink in and assimilate any knowledge, and that knowledge grows with them in their growth. Very often the knowledge of the various rules of life can be given to them in a very mild form by telling stories, because a story gives a wonderful picture of life and yet they do not feel the burden of the teaching. They are interested; and very often after the story children will even ask, “What does it mean, what do we get from it?” And when that happens then one should know that one has the greatest opportunity of tuning the child’s spirit to the knowledge and the consciousness to which one wishes to tune it.
必須記得，生命是一個機會，而這個特別的時期，也就是十歲、十一歲、十二歲，是一個極其美好的機會。這是一段孩子會吸收並同化任何知識的時期，而那些知識會隨著他們的成長而一同成長。很多時候，生命中各種規則的知識，可以藉著講故事，以一種非常溫和的形式傳達給他們，因為故事能呈現出一幅美妙的生命圖像，而他們卻不會感到教導的負擔。他們會感興趣；而且很多時候，故事說完之後，孩子甚至會問：「這是什麼意思？我們能從中得到什麼？」當這樣的情形出現時，人就應當知道，自己正擁有一個最好的機會，能把孩子的靈性校準向自己希望其所校準向的知識與意識。