5. The Prophetic Tendency
5. 先知的傾向

文獻典藏資訊

原著作者:Hazrat Inayat Khan

卷冊:Vol.08-3 Sufi Teachings 蘇菲教導

章節:5. The Prophetic Tendency 先知的傾向

中譯:Qahira 卡希拉醫師

英文底本:Hazrat Inayat Khan Study Database

最後更新日期:2026-09-15

Heavenly Beings
天界的存有們

The prophetic tendency exists throughout the whole of manifestation. It exists among the jinns and the heavenly beings, and also in every part of nature, in the mineral and vegetable kingdoms and among the animals as well as among men.

先知性的傾向存在於整個顯化世界之中。它存在於精靈 (jinns) 與天界眾生之中,也存在於自然界的每一個部分——礦物界、植物界、動物之中,以及人類之中。

Mineral Kingdom
礦物界

There would be no diamond mines if there were not a spark in the diamond. One spark of a diamond may cause any other atom of the earth with which it comes in contact to become a diamond; it is the same with the ruby. The diamond wants to make everything else become a diamond, and the ruby wants to make every other atom into a ruby.

如果鑽石之中沒有那一點火花,世上便不會有鑽石礦。一顆鑽石的火花,可以使它所接觸到的其他任何土壤原子也成為鑽石;紅寶石也是如此。鑽石想使周圍的一切都成為鑽石,紅寶石也想使其他每一個原子都成為紅寶石。

Plant Kingdom
植物界

As for the plants, if one goes into the jungle – not where man has planted and sowed, but in the real jungle which has not been touched – one will see that where there is one mango tree, many mango trees will grow. If there is one fragrant flower, a thousand fragrant flowers will be near it; if there is a sweet fruit, there will be hundreds of sweet fruits.

至於植物,如果一個人走進叢林——不是人為栽種播植之處,而是真正未經人手觸及的叢林——便會看見,有一棵芒果樹的地方,周圍往往生長著許多芒果樹;有一朵芬芳的花,附近便有成千芬芳的花朵;有一顆甘甜的果實,便會有數百顆甘甜的果實生長在那裡。

Animal Kingdom
動物界

Among the animals too there are many examples of this phenomenon. For instance, in India the monkeys sometimes come to a village from the forest and destroy all the roofs of the houses. There is always one among them which is the leader. When he jumps, all the other monkeys jump after him. When he wants to go back to the forest, they all go back to the forest.

在動物之中,也有許多這種現象的例子。例如在印度,猴群有時會從森林來到村莊,把房屋的屋頂全都破壞掉。牠們之中總有一隻是領袖。牠一跳,其他猴子便跟著跳;牠想回森林,所有猴子也都跟著回去。

In the northern provinces near Nainital and Nepal, at the foot of the Himalayas, there is jungle in which there are elephants. The natives have many different ways of catching these elephants, and one way is to dig a pit and cover it over with a net and branches; then they hang their hammocks up in the trees, and there they stay for some days watching for the elephants. They are quite happy in the trees, because the climate is pleasant. If a herd of elephants happens to go that way, one elephant puts his foot in the net and falls into the pit; he cannot help himself. When he cries out, the other elephants look on from a distance, but are afraid to go near, and the men have a kind of firework with which they frighten them away if they do.

在北方靠近奈尼塔爾與尼泊爾、喜馬拉雅山麓一帶,有著大象棲息的叢林。當地人有許多捕捉大象的方法,其中一種是挖一個坑洞,再用網子與樹枝覆蓋起來;接著,他們把吊床掛在樹上,在那裡待上幾天,等待象群出現。由於氣候宜人,他們待在樹上倒也十分自在。如果恰好有一群大象從那裡經過,其中一隻踩上網子,便會掉進坑中,無法自行脫困。當牠發出叫聲時,其他大象只敢站在遠處觀望,不敢接近;如果牠們試圖靠近,人們便用一種煙火把牠們嚇走。

Now in a troop of elephants there is always one which walks in front. He holds a stout branch in his trunk, and he knocks on the ground with it before every step to see whether there is a pit. Then, if the ground is safe, he goes forward and all the others follow him. He knows about a thousand other dangers. The herd have such confidence in him that wherever he goes, they go too. This shows that the quality of leadership exists among elephants, and also the tendency to self-sacrifice. The elephant that is the leader goes first, realizing that if there is a pit he may fall in and the other elephants will be safe. He is careful, however, not to go anywhere where it is not safe, and if an elephant is caught it is generally some small elephant which has no sense and does not follow the leader.

而在象群之中,總有一隻走在最前面。牠用象鼻捲著一根粗壯的樹枝,每走一步之前,都先用樹枝敲擊地面,確認前方是否有坑洞。如果地面安全,牠才繼續向前,其他大象便跟隨其後。牠還知道許多其他的危險。整個象群對牠如此信任,以至於牠走到哪裡,其他大象便跟到哪裡。這顯示大象之中也存在著領導的特質,以及自我犧牲的傾向。作為領袖的大象走在最前面,明白如果前方真有坑洞,自己可能會先掉進去,其他大象便能因此安全。不過,牠也十分謹慎,不會走向不安全的地方;所以真正被捕獲的,通常是那些年幼、還不懂事,又不跟隨領袖的小象。

In Nepal, the Maharaja had an elephant which was just such a leader. He lived in the Maharaja’s palace, and the Maharaja gave orders that no one should ride him but himself, because he honored the elephant, recognizing his qualities. I have seen this myself. Whenever Maharaja Bir Shamsher went into the forest elephant hunting, this elephant was taken too. The Maharaja had named him Bijili, which means ‘lightning’. He was very small, but if they failed to make a catch, Bijili was sent out, and he always came back with another elephant, such was his magnetism. He did not like to catch elephants, because he possessed the quality of mercy, he would never go unless he was forced by the mahouts, and when he saw the other elephants, at first he turned his head away. This shows that even among animals the prophetic tendency exists.

在尼泊爾,君王有一頭大象,正是這樣的領袖。牠住在君王的宮殿裡,而君王下令,除了自己之外,任何人都不得騎牠,因為他敬重這頭大象,也看見了牠所具有的特質。這是我親眼所見。每當比爾‧沙姆謝爾君王 (Maharaja Bir Shamsher) 進入森林捕捉大象時,也都會帶上這頭象。君王為牠取名「比吉利」(Bijili),意思是「閃電」。牠的體型很小,但如果其他人捕象失敗,只要派比吉利出去,牠總能帶另一頭大象回來,可見牠具有多麼強大的磁力。牠其實不喜歡捕捉大象,因為牠具有慈悲的特質;除非受到象夫 (mahouts) 強迫,否則牠絕不肯去。而當牠看見其他大象時,起初總會把頭轉開。這顯示即使在動物之中,也存在著先知性的傾向。

Parents
父母

Sometimes we see this prophetic tendency in parents. Whatever way they themselves have had to follow, they wish to train their child for the best way, for a higher way. Sometimes we see it in a friend. Whatever undesirable experiences he may have had himself, he wishes to save his friend from them. It is only the chosen ones, the blessed souls who have this tendency; it is not found in all parents, nor in every friend. To have such parents, such a friend, is the greatest blessing.

有時,我們也會在父母身上看見這種先知性的傾向。無論他們自己曾走過怎樣的道路,都希望把孩子培養得能走上最好、更高的道路。有時,我們也會在朋友身上看見這種傾向;無論他自己曾經歷過多少不好的遭遇,都希望自己的朋友能免於這些經歷。只有被揀選的人、蒙福的靈魂才具有這種傾向;並非所有父母都有,也並非每一位朋友都有。能擁有這樣的父母、這樣的朋友,是最大的福分。

Prophets
先知

What was the object of the prophetic mission? The evolution of man has been such that he was very much nearer to the animals in ancient times than now. Then he thought only of eating and drinking and his chief aim was to take whatever he wanted from other people, caring nothing about the result of his actions, until he was awakened from this animal existence.

先知使命的目的究竟是什麼?人類在遠古時代的發展程度,比現在更接近動物。那時,人只想到吃喝,主要的目標就是從別人那裡取得自己想要的一切,完全不顧自己的行為會造成什麼後果,直到他從這種動物性的生存狀態中被喚醒。

The prophets were sent to awaken man; just as someone who cannot wake up of his own accord in the morning is wakened by the alarm-clock. The prophets were this alarm. Sometimes power was needed to arouse people, and in such a case the prophet was a king, like Solomon. Sometimes beauty appealed, and thus Joseph came, whose appearance, whose face was so beautiful that all hearts were melted by his magnetism.

先知被差遣而來,就是為了喚醒人類;正如一個早晨無法自行醒來的人,需要鬧鐘把他喚醒。先知就是這樣的鬧鐘。有時,人們需要力量才能被喚起,於是先知便以君王的身份出現,如所羅門;有時,能打動人心的是美,於是約瑟來到世上,他的容貌如此美麗,所有人的心都因他的磁力而融化。

It has always been the way of the divine Power to send that prophet who was needed at the time. When a venerable life was needed there was Jacob, in whom everything was so worthy of veneration that all bowed before him. At a time when music was deeply felt and admired David came; gifted with a beautiful voice and playing the harp, he gave his message in songs. In this way every prophet came in the guise that the people of the age could understand. At first, however, the people’s intelligence would not be sufficiently developed for this, and their self was too much before their eyes. The prophets had renewed their own self, and that is why they were prophets. When the self is before the eyes of the soul, then the soul is blinded.

神性力量一向如此:在每一個時代,差遣當時最需要的先知。當人們需要一種令人崇敬的生命典範時,雅各便出現了;他的一切都如此值得敬重,使所有人都在他面前低首。當音樂深受人們感動與珍愛的時代來臨,大衛便出現了;他有美妙的歌聲,又能彈奏豎琴,以歌唱傳達他的訊息。就這樣,每一位先知都以那個時代的人所能理解的形象出現。然而起初,人們的智性往往還沒有發展到足以理解這一點,而他們眼前又充滿了自己的自我。先知已更新了自己的自我,因此他們才成為先知。當自我擋在靈魂眼前時,靈魂便看不見了。

There is a saying that the words of the prophet are as seals on the secret of God. This means that just as the seal protects the contents of a letter, and when that seal is broken the matter which one wants to read is disclosed, so it is with the words of the prophet. The seal is not a letter; it is only a seal; and so are the prophet’s words. And again there comes a moment in one’s life when one is able to open that seal. It may be opened after one month, after five months, five years, or more, but the time will come; and when the seal is opened, then everything is disclosed, just as in an opened letter.

有一句話說,先知的話就像封住神之祕密的印記。它的意思是:正如封印保護著信件的內容,當封印被拆開,人想閱讀的內容便顯露出來;先知的話也是如此。封印本身並不是信,它只是一道封印;先知的話同樣如此。而在人生之中,終究會有一個時刻,我們有能力打開這道封印。也許是一個月之後,也許五個月、五年,甚至更久;但那個時刻終究會來臨。一旦封印打開,一切便會顯露出來,就像一封被拆開的信。

For everything there is an appointed time; and when that time comes it is revealed. That is why, although on one hand we may be eager to attain to a certain revelation, yet on the other hand we must have patience to wait for the moment of its coming.

每一件事都有其注定的時刻;當那個時刻來臨,它便會顯露。因此,一方面我們或許渴望得到某種啟示,另一方面也必須有耐心,等待它自行來臨的時刻。

Although the tongue of God is continually speaking through all things, yet in order to speak to the deaf ears of many among us, it is necessary for Him to speak through the lips of man. He has done this all through the history of man, every great teacher of the past having been this guiding spirit living the life of God in human guise. In other words, their human guise has been various coats worn by the same being, who only appeared to be different in each. Shiva, Buddha, Rama, Krishna on the one side; Abraham, Moses, Jesus, Muhammad on the other; and many more, known or unknown to history, have always been in reality one and the same person.

雖然神的舌始終透過萬物說話,但為了向我們之中許多聽不見的耳朵說話,祂仍有必要藉著人的雙唇發聲。整部人類歷史中,祂始終如此行。過去每一位偉大的老師,都是這同一個引導之靈,以人的形貌活出神的生命。換句話說,他們不同的人類形貌,只是同一個存在穿上的不同外衣,因此看起來彼此不同。這一邊有濕婆、佛陀、羅摩、克里希納;另一邊有亞伯拉罕、摩西、耶穌、穆罕默德;此外還有許多為歷史所知或不為歷史所知的人物,而實際上,他們始終是同一位。

Those who knew the messenger when they saw him, recognized him in whatever form or guise; those who could only see the coat went astray. To the Sufi, therefore, there is only one teacher, whatever name he may be given at different periods in history; and he comes constantly to awaken humanity from the slumber of this life of illusion and to guide man onward towards divine protection. As the Sufi progresses in this view he recognizes his Master not only in the holy ones, but in the wise and in the foolish, in the saint and in the sinner, and he has never allowed the Master, who is the one and only Master and who alone can be and who ever will be, to disappear from his sight.

那些看見使者時便認出他的人,無論他以何種形貌出現,都能認出他;那些只看見外衣的人,便迷失了。因此,對蘇菲而言,老師只有一位,無論歷史不同時期賦予他什麼名字;他不斷來到世間,把人類從這幻象人生的沉睡中喚醒,引領人走向神性的護佑。當蘇菲在這種觀點上進一步發展,他不只在聖者身上認出他的大師,也在智者與愚者、聖者與罪人身上認出他;而那位大師——唯一的大師,唯一真正存在、並將永遠存在的大師——從未從他的視野中消失。

Is not the source of all truth hidden in every man’s heart, whether he be Christian, Muslim, Buddhist, or Jew? Are we not all part of that life which we call spiritual or divine? To be only this or that, is the same as not going further than this or that. The bliss found in the solitude is hidden within every human being; he has inherited it from his heavenly Father. In mystical terms it is called the All-pervading Light. Light is the source and origin of every human soul and of every mind.

無論一個人是基督徒、穆斯林、佛教徒或猶太人,一切真理的源頭,不都隱藏在每個人的心中嗎?我們不都是那個被稱為靈性或神性之生命的一部分嗎?若只把自己限定為這個或那個,就等於永遠無法超越這個或那個。在獨處中所能發現的至福,其實隱藏在每一個人之內;那是他從天上的父所承繼而來的。在神祕主義的語言中,它被稱為「遍及一切之光」(All-pervading Light)。光,是每一個人類靈魂與每一個頭腦的源頭與起源。

The Sufi looks upon all life as one life, upon all religions as his religion: call him a Christian and he seeks to be that, call him a Muslim and he is that, a Hindu and he feels he is that; call him whatever you like, he does not mind. A Sufi does not desire to be called anything. Who calls him a Sufi? It is not he. But if he does not call himself something, someone else is sure to find a name for him.

蘇菲將所有生命視為同一個生命,也將一切宗教視為自己的宗教。稱他為基督徒,他便努力成為基督徒;稱他為穆斯林,他就是穆斯林;稱他為印度教徒,他也感到自己正是如此。無論你如何稱呼他,他都不介意。蘇菲並不渴望自己被稱為任何名稱。是誰稱他為「蘇菲」?並不是他自己。只是如果他不給自己一個名稱,別人總會替他找出一個名字。

Man is the aim of creation, and he is the highest being because he is man. He alone knows the purpose for which he was manifested, the reason why he is here. Cats and dogs do not know this. Every other being in manifestation wants to become man. The jinns want to become man, and also the rocks, the plants, and the animals.

人是創造的目標,也是最高的存在,因為他是人。只有人能知道自己為何被顯化、為何來到這裡。貓和狗並不知道這些。顯化世界中的其他一切存在,都想要成為人。精靈想成為人,岩石、植物與動物也都如此。

But it is not man as he usually is that the divine Power wishes to produce; the man that God wants is not the man who only eats, drinks, and sleeps like the animals. If a man wishes to know what he should be he should compare himself with the animals. If he eats, they also eat; if he drinks, they also drink; if he sleeps, they also sleep. They have their passions and hatred and anger just as he has. If he is only that, then he is not man. Only in man do we find kindness, sympathy, discipline, self-sacrifice, meekness and such qualities; and if we see any of them in the animals, in dogs and cats or horses and cattle, such as faithfulness in the dog, and obedience and courage in the horse, it is only through the reflection of man, through association with man. If we go to a river-bed and pick up pebbles, how many pebbles do we not find that show the likeness of a human face! Sometimes the nose is absent, sometimes the lips, but we very often find marks and lines resembling a face. What a wonderful thing this is, for it shows us that everything is striving to become like the human face, in fact to become man.

然而,神性力量所要成就的,並不是人通常所呈現的樣子;神所要的人,也不是像動物一樣只會吃、喝、睡的人。如果一個人想知道自己應該成為什麼,他就應該把自己與動物相比。他會吃,動物也會吃;他會喝,動物也會喝;他會睡,動物也會睡。動物和他一樣,也有情欲、憎恨與憤怒。如果人只有這些,那麼他還不能真正稱為人。只有在人身上,我們才看得到仁慈、體恤、紀律、自我犧牲、溫順等特質;即使我們在動物——狗、貓、馬或牛——身上看見其中某些特質,例如狗的忠誠、馬的服從與勇氣,那也是人性的映照,是牠們與人相處之後所受到的影響。如果我們走到河床,撿起一顆顆卵石,會發現多少石頭竟帶著人臉的樣貌!有時少了鼻子,有時少了嘴唇,但我們經常能在石頭上看見近似人臉的痕跡與線條。這是多麼奇妙的事,因為它向我們顯示,一切都在努力成為近似人的面貌,事實上,也就是努力成為人。

It is also true that man alone has the sense of responsibility. The animals do not have it.

同樣真實的是,只有人具有責任感,動物並沒有。

Regarding this the Quran says, ‘We offered our burden to the heavens, to the earth, and to the mountains, but they refused to bear it and were afraid of it; then we offered our burden to man, and he accepted it.’ This means that only man has accepted the responsibility for his actions. Then the sura goes on to say, ‘Verily, man is cruel and foolish.’

《古蘭經》談到這一點時說:「我們曾將這份重擔交給諸天、大地與群山,但它們拒絕承擔,並且畏懼它;後來我們將這份重擔交給人,而人接受了。」這表示只有人接受了為自己行為負責的責任。接著,這一章又說:「人確實是殘酷而愚昧的。」

Foolish, because he has taken upon himself that which is God’s. There are, for instance, many who run away from marriage, because they think a wife and children are a responsibility. They do not realize that a wife and children are God’s, and that He takes care of what is His. And man is cruel because he uses his will and power, which in reality are God’s, to harm others. Our will, our strength, are God’s and yet we say ‘my’ and ‘mine’; we claim them for ourselves.

之所以愚昧,是因為人把原本屬於神的事物攬到自己身上。例如,有許多人逃避婚姻,因為他們認為妻子與孩子都是自己的責任;他們沒有明白,妻子與孩子屬於神,而神自會照料屬於祂的一切。人之所以殘酷,則是因為他運用自己的意志與力量去傷害別人,而這些意志與力量實際上也都屬於神。我們的意志、我們的力量都是神的,然而我們卻說「我的」「屬於我的」,把它們據為己有。

The watchman calls from evening till morning. In the day the alarm-clock is not needed, because it is day. The prophets were sent during the night. They came with the same message under different names; the same divine wisdom spoke in each of them. But if a Hebrew had been asked, ‘Do you recognize Krishna and Rama?’ he would have said, ‘I never heard of Krishna and Rama; I recognize Moses, because that is written in my book.’ If a Hindu were asked, ‘Do you recognize Moses or Christ?’ he would say, ‘No, I recognize Rama and Krishna and Vishnu and the Vedanta. You may keep Christ and Moses, I will keep Rama and Krishna and Vishnu.’ There are some who prefer the Kabbala to the Bible and recognize only the Kabbala. If you ask a Roman Catholic, he will say, ‘There is only one Church, and that is mine.’ They have all recognized the name, the personality, but they have not recognized the truth. They want to keep Krishna in the temple, Christ in the church, and Moses shut up in the synagogue. That is why there are so many now seeking for truth.

守夜人從傍晚一直呼喊到清晨。白天並不需要鬧鐘,因為天已經亮了。先知是在黑夜中被差遣而來的。他們以不同的名字帶來同一個訊息;在每一位先知之中說話的,都是同一份神性智慧。然而,如果問一位希伯來人:「你承認克里希納與羅摩嗎?」他也許會說:「我從未聽過克里希納和羅摩;我承認摩西,因為我的經典裡寫著他的名字。」如果問一位印度教徒:「你承認摩西或基督嗎?」他可能會說:「不,我承認羅摩、克里希納、毗濕奴與吠檀多。你們可以留下基督和摩西,我要留下羅摩、克里希納和毗濕奴。」也有人偏愛卡巴拉勝過《聖經》,只承認卡巴拉。如果你去問一位羅馬天主教徒,他會說:「世上只有一個教會,那就是我的教會。」他們認出的都是名字、人格,卻沒有認出真理。他們想把克里希納留在神廟裡,把基督留在教堂裡,把摩西關在猶太會堂裡。正因如此,如今才有這麼多人開始尋找真理。

In each age the message was revealed more and more clearly according to the capacity of the world to bear it; and this went on until the last and clearest revelation, the message of Muhammad, the seal of the prophets. After this no more prophets were needed; the world was awakened to the understanding of true reality. This is not the time to wait for the coming of another prophet; now is the time to awaken to the truth within ourselves. And if there is a friend who has gone this way already, now is the time to ask his advice.

每一個時代,訊息都依照當時世界所能承受的程度,被揭示得愈來愈清楚;直到最後、也最清晰的一次啟示——穆罕默德的訊息,他是眾先知的封印。此後便不再需要新的先知,因為世界已被喚醒,開始理解真正的實相。現在不是等待另一位先知來臨的時候,而是我們喚醒自身內在真理的時候。如果已有一位朋友走過這條道路,那麼現在正是向他請益的時候。

It is not the Sufi’s work to interfere with anyone’s religion, nor to force a belief upon anyone. He does not tell one to believe this or that. The murshid is a friend and guide. He advises, he does not force anything upon one. I was not born in a Christian family, but no Christian could be more touched than I am by the words of Christ that I read. If they are rightly understood, they alone are enough to make one a saint. It is written that finally he was crucified; but from his birth onward every moment of his life was a crucifixion. The world is too rough for the souls of the prophets; their hearts are too tender for it.

蘇菲的工作,不是干涉任何人的宗教,也不是把某種信仰強加在別人身上。他不會告訴一個人必須相信這個或那個。穆希德(導師中的導師)是朋友,也是指引者;他給予勸告,卻不把任何事強加於人。我並非出生在基督徒家庭,但我讀到基督的話語時所受到的感動,不會少於任何一位基督徒。如果能真正理解那些話,僅僅它們,就足以使一個人成為聖者。經文記載,他最後被釘上十字架;然而從他出生的那一刻起,他生命中的每一刻其實都是十字架上的受難。對先知的靈魂而言,這個世界太過粗礪;而他們的心,又太過柔軟。

No Brahmin has studied the Vedanta with more interest than I have. If one knows Brahma one knows God, and one is in fact Brahmin, although whether the Brahmin recognizes this or not is another matter. The Sufi says, ‘You wish to know about revelation? You wish to know about inspiration? This is the way for you to follow: believe as much as your intelligence allows you to believe, as much as you can reach; do not believe what your intelligence does not allow you to believe.’

沒有哪一位婆羅門比我更有興趣研究吠檀多。若一個人認識梵 (Brahma),他便認識神,而事實上他也就是婆羅門;至於婆羅門自己是否承認這一點,則是另一回事。蘇菲說:「你想了解啟示嗎?你想了解靈感嗎?那麼這就是你應走的道路:你的智性能容許你相信多少,就相信多少;你能抵達多遠,就相信到多遠。凡是你的智性無法容許你相信的,就不要勉強自己相信。」

He recognizes one divine wisdom in all the prophetic messages. He sees the same infinite Being through all, in different forms through all ages. It is just as if one had the photographs of one’s sweetheart at different ages: at twelve years, at twenty, at thirty, at forty. The photographs are different, but it is the same sweetheart.

他在所有先知的訊息之中,認出同一份神性智慧;他透過一切,看見同一個無限的存在,在不同時代以不同形相顯現。這就像一個人保存著自己所愛之人在不同年齡的照片:十二歲、二十歲、三十歲、四十歲。照片彼此不同,但其中始終是同一位所愛之人。