8. Destiny and Free Will
8. 命運與自由意志

There are two points of view: very often people either believe in destiny or in free will. Those who believe in destiny do not believe in free will; it is a question of temperament, and it also depends upon the experience they had in their lives. Some people have worked and had some success and recognized it as the outcome of their work. Then they think, “If there is anything it is free will. What we have done shows it: we have achieved results.” And there are others who have worked but did not succeed. In that case they begin to see that something is keeping them back from getting results, and then they think, “There is something destiny-which is holding us back.” Many think, “It is a sort of laziness to be fatalist; after all it is a superstition.” And others think, “Free will is just a name, a conception, an idea a person may have, but really it is all destiny.”

有兩種觀點：人們往往不是相信命運，就是相信自由意志。相信命運的人不相信自由意志；這與一個人的性情有關，也取決於他一生中的經驗。有些人努力過，也獲得了一些成功，並認為那是自己努力的成果。於是他們會想：「如果真有什麼力量，那就是自由意志。我們所做的事已經證明了這一點：我們取得了成果。」另一些人同樣努力過，卻沒有成功。在這種情況下，他們開始看見，似乎有某種東西阻礙著他們取得成果，於是便想：「有一種東西叫做命運，是它阻礙著我們。」許多人認為：「相信宿命是一種懶惰；說到底，那只是一種迷信。」而另一些人則認為：「自由意志只是一個名稱、一種概念、一個人可能抱持的想法，實際上一切都是命運。」

Nevertheless, their idea of free will has its meaning and this belief has its peculiar benefit in life, while at the same time the idea of destiny is profound. Whether a person believes in it or does not believe in it, there is always an attraction about it. One who reads the future will always attract the believer in destiny as well as the unbeliever. The believer goes to him with faith, the unbeliever with smiles.

然而，自由意志這個觀念自有它的意義，而這種信念在人生中也有其獨特的益處；與此同時，命運這個觀念卻十分深奧。不論一個人相信命運與否，它總帶著某種吸引力。能解讀未來的人，總會同時吸引相信命運的人與不相信命運的人；相信的人帶著信念前去，不相信的人則帶著微笑前去。

Whether they believe that it is true or not, both are attracted to know about destiny because it is the greatest mystery there is. One’s own life, in which one is most interested, always remains a secret and a mystery, and this mystery is greater than any other mystery in the world. No one can say, “I have no interest in knowing about my life, in knowing why I have that past, why I have this present and what future I shall have.” That is the greatest desire one has, to know about it.

不論他們是否相信這是真的，兩者都會被命運的奧祕所吸引，因為命運是最大的祕密。人最關切的是自己的人生，然而自己的人生始終是一個祕密、一個奧祕，而這個奧祕比世上任何其他奧祕都更深。沒有人會說：「我對了解自己的人生毫無興趣，不想知道自己為什麼有那樣的過去、為什麼有現在這樣的處境，也不想知道將來會如何。」想要知道這一切，是人最深的欲望之一。

Concerning the idea of destiny one may ask whether a plan is laid out so that every occurrence in life must be according to that plan. And if it is laid out, on what ground? Who has laid it out? If it is God who laid it out, how far could it be just on the part of God to make one happy and another miserable, one great and another small, to let one enjoy and at the same time make another suffer-living under the same sun, walking on the same earth? If it is man’s action, is it in the first place the action of the past or is it the action of the present and, if it is man’s action, to what degree is he responsible for it? These questions take a person to the depths of life’s mystery, and once they are solved a great philosophical problem has been solved.

談到命運這個觀念，人可能會問：是否早已有一個計畫安排妥當，使生命中發生的每一件事都必須依照這個計畫進行？如果確實如此，這個計畫又是基於什麼而訂定？是誰訂定了它？如果是神訂定的，那麼神使一個人幸福、另一個人痛苦，使一個人偉大、另一個人渺小，讓一個人享受，同時又讓另一個人受苦——他們明明生活在同一個太陽之下，行走在同一片大地上——這對神而言又能有多少公正可言？如果這是人的行動造成的，那麼首先要問，這是過去行動的結果，還是現在行動的結果？而如果是人的行動造成的，他又應該為此負起多大程度的責任？這些問題會把一個人帶入生命奧祕的深處；一旦這些問題得到解答，一個重大的哲學問題也就得到了解答。

Most often a person has a preconceived idea, and this idea he keeps as a wall before him; content with what he knows about it, he does not try to inquire any further.

然而大多數時候，人都有一個先入為主的觀念，並把這個觀念像一道牆一樣立在自己面前；他滿足於自己已經知道的那些事，不再試圖深入探究。

There is no doubt that a man is born with a plan to be accomplished in life-not only with instincts, with merits or gifts, but with the whole plan of how his life is to be. There is a saying in the East that one can read the life of an infant from looking at its feet; even the little feet of the infant show the sign of the plan that it is to follow through life.

毫無疑問，一個人出生時便帶著一個此生要完成的計畫——他所帶來的不只是本能、資質或天賦，而是整個人生將如何展開的計畫。東方有一種說法，認為從嬰兒的腳便能看出他的一生；即使是嬰兒小小的雙腳，也顯示著他一生將要循行的計畫之徵象。

There is a story that explains a little more the relation between destiny and free will. A seer was working as a porter in a rich man’s house. Now there is a belief in the East that no sooner a child is born than angels come and write on its forehead the whole plan of destiny. But this seer-porter was a wonderful man. At the door, as soon as the angels came, he said, Stop, where are you going? I am the porter here! You cannot go in unless you promise to tell me about the plan.” The angels told him; he was a strong porter, he would not let them go without telling him. And so every time a child was born in that house he took down the notes of what was going to happen. Then the parents passed away. Theirs had been a rich house, but for some reason or other the money was lost. The children were left without shelter, and it fell upon the shoulders of the old porter to look after them with what little means he had.

有一個故事，可以更進一步說明命運與自由意志之間的關係。有一位靈視者在一個富有人家擔任門房。東方有一種信念，認為孩子一出生，天使便會前來，把他完整的命運計畫寫在額頭上。但是這位身為門房的靈視者是個非凡的人。每當天使來到門口，他便說：「站住，你們要去哪裡？我是這裡的門房！除非你們答應告訴我這個計畫，否則不能進去。」天使只好告訴他；這位門房意志堅定，不肯讓他們在沒有告訴他的情況下離開。於是，這個家每出生一個孩子，他都會把將來要發生的事情記錄下來。後來，孩子們的父母去世了。這原本是一個富裕的家庭，但不知由於什麼原因，家產都失去了。孩子們無家可歸，照顧他們的責任便落在這位年老門房的肩上，而他只能以自己僅有的一點資源來照料他們。

As soon as they were old enough the children went to different countries with what little they had to spend. One day this servant of the house thought that it was his duty to go and see how they were getting on. Also for a seer it is most interesting to see the material phenomenon of the same thing he had seen inwardly as a vision. That comes as a satisfaction to a seer; it is naturally amusing for him when he sees on the outer plane the same things he had felt inside himself. It gives him the greatest fun, the greatest amusement.

等到孩子們年紀夠大了，他們便帶著僅有的一點盤纏，各自前往不同的國家。有一天，這位老僕人覺得自己有責任去看看他們過得如何。對一位靈視者而言，看見自己曾在內在異象中所見的事物，後來實際顯現在物質世界，也是極其有趣的。這會帶給靈視者一種滿足；當他在外在層面看見與自己內在曾經感知的一模一樣的事情時，自然會覺得十分有趣，也帶給他莫大的樂趣。

So the porter went and saw one child of the house working as a horse groom. He was very sorry to see the child of a house, where so many horses had been kept, in this situation. He went to the young man and told him, It could not be avoided, it was meant that you should be so. Only, I want to give you one advice, because it makes me sad to think that you, in whose house were so many horses, now have to work as a horse groom. Here is a little money, take it and go to another city and try to work as a horse trainer. Horses of rich men may be given to you to train them, and I am sure you will be successful.” The young man asked, “Can I do anything else?” “No, that is the only door out. Perhaps you would have been a horse groom all your life if I had not told you this. Anything else you cannot do; this is the only path for you. Do your work in a different way and you will have success.” The young man did so and was successful.

於是，門房前去探望其中一個孩子，發現他正在當馬伕。想到這個孩子原本出生在一個養著那麼多馬匹的家庭，如今竟落到這種處境，他感到十分難過。他走到年輕人面前說：「這是無法避免的，你的命運本來就要你與馬為伍。不過，我想給你一個建議。想到你家從前養了那麼多馬，如今你卻得替人當馬伕，我實在感到難過。這裡有一點錢，你拿去，到另一座城市試著做馴馬師。富人也許會把他們的馬交給你訓練，我相信你一定會成功。」年輕人問：「我不能做別的事嗎？」門房說：「不能，這是唯一的出路。如果我沒有告訴你這件事，你或許一輩子都會當馬伕。你做不了別的；這是你唯一的道路。用另一種方式做同一件事，你就會成功。」年輕人依言而行，果然成功了。

The porter then went to the other son and asked, “What is your condition?” “My condition is that I wander about in the forest and bring back some birds. I sell them in the city and hardly get any money to live.” In those days there was a fashion among kings to keep a certain bird as a pet; that bird was called Shahbaz, the king’s bird. The porter said, “You must not look for game birds, look for this bird Shahbaz.” The boy replied, “But if I cannot find it, should I then rather starve and die?”

接著，門房去探望另一個兒子，問他：「你現在過得如何？」他回答：「我每天在森林裡四處尋找，捕一些鳥回來，到城裡把牠們賣掉，但賺到的錢幾乎不足以維生。」在那個時代，君王之間流行飼養一種特定的鳥作為寵物，那種鳥叫作王隼 (Shahbaz)，也就是「王者之鳥」。門房說：「你不要再捕一般的獵鳥了，要找的就是王隼。」年輕人回答：「可是，如果我找不到，難道我就要餓死嗎？」

“Do you know what your father was and what you are?”

「你知道你的父親從前是什麼身分，而你現在又是什麼處境嗎？」

“Yes, I had bad luck.”

「知道，我只是運氣不好。」

“You will have better luck if only you listen to me. You need not change your profession of catching birds, but catch Shahbaz. You can sell it for millions. That is the bird you ought to catch.”

「只要你聽我的話，你的運氣就會變好。你不必改變捕鳥這個行業，只要改捕王隼。那種鳥可以賣到極高的價錢。那才是你應該捕捉的鳥。」

This story makes us realize what the seer does. A definite plan was made for those two young men; at the same time there was scope for free will to work-but within that plan. If one did not think of this scope one would go on in the lines of the plan and continue to live miserably. Seeing changes the scope. It is a great lesson and those who can understand this lesson can benefit immensely by it: seeing there is a plan and at the same time that there is scope to do better, and much better-yet within the plan.

這個故事讓我們明白靈視者所看見的是什麼。這兩個年輕人的人生確實有一個既定的計畫；然而與此同時，在這個計畫之內，自由意志仍有發揮的空間。如果一個人看不見這個空間，他便只會沿著既定計畫的軌道繼續走下去，繼續過著困苦的生活。「看見，便改變了可運作的空間。」這是一個極為重要的教導；能理解它的人，可以從中獲益良多：看見生命確實有一個計畫，同時也看見其中仍有空間，讓人做得更好，甚至好得多——但仍是在這個計畫之內。

Sa’adi, the great poet of Persia, has said, “Every soul is born for a certain purpose and the light of that purpose is kindled in his soul.”

波斯大詩人薩迪 (Sa’adi) 曾說：「每一個靈魂都是為了某個特定的目的而出生，而那個目的之光，就點燃在他的靈魂之中。」

Now the question arises if a person is born with what the Hindus call karma: some action of the past, or something he has brought with him on earth, a good influence or a bad influence, something that he has to pay. No doubt there is truth in it and we can see that truth very often: a person is placed in a situation where he has to give, where he has to serve, where he has to sympathize without any intention on his part, as if he has to pay a debt to someone. He may not have the slightest desire to do so-at the same time it falls on his shoulders, he cannot help it. It is as if a higher atonement has determined that it must be so. Whether the person does it willingly or unwillingly he must give his time, thought, sympathy and service to someone else.

於是又產生一個問題：一個人出生時，是否已帶著印度人所謂的業力 (karma)，也就是過去某些行動的結果，或某些隨他來到世上的東西——好的影響或壞的影響，以及某種他必須償還的東西？毫無疑問，其中確有真理，而我們也經常可以看見這種情形：一個人被置於某種處境，不得不付出、不得不服務、不得不對某個人表示體恤，儘管他自己原本完全沒有這樣的意圖，就好像他欠了某個人一筆債，必須償還。他也許絲毫不想這麼做，但責任卻落在他的肩上，使他無法迴避。彷彿有一種更高的償還法則已經決定事情必須如此。無論他願不願意，他都必須把自己的時間、思想、體恤與服務給予另一個人。

Then one sees that a person receives money or comfort or love and sympathy from someone else. Whether he deserves it or does not deserve it is not the question to be thought about: one is in a certain situation and cannot help it. Whether people are willing or not willing, there is something that compels them, they cannot help it. This shows that one is born with that relation of give and take, one cannot help it. Among Hindus some people are accustomed to say that to them others are like children who have nothing to pay, just like parents will say, “We have nothing to get from our children.”

另一方面，我們也會看見，有一個人從別人那裡得到金錢、安慰、愛與體恤。他究竟配不配得到這些，並不是這裡要考慮的問題；事實只是，他處在某種關係與處境之中，事情自然如此。無論人們願不願意，都有某種東西驅使著他們，使他們無法不如此。這說明，一個人出生時便帶著某種施與受的關係，無從逃避。印度有些人習慣說，對他們而言，某些人就像自己的孩子一樣，並不欠他們什麼；正如父母會說：「我們沒有什麼需要從孩子身上討回來。」

This makes it clear that man is born with certain obligations which willingly or unwillingly he must fulfill. It also shows that, however powerful and however great a person may be, however good circumstances may seem, when there is to be a difficulty it cannot be helped; the difficulty will be there. And then at other times in life, in spite of all things lacking, a way is open; you have not to do much and it is all smooth. This also shows that there is a plan. It is not only qualification and cleverness that make successful, but a plan is to be accomplished. There are times when you are meant to have an easy life, success and all you wish, and other times when you cannot have these.

這使我們明白，人出生時便帶著某些義務，無論願不願意，都必須完成。這也顯示出，無論一個人多麼有力量、多麼偉大，外在條件看來多麼良好，當困難注定要出現時，就無法避免；困難仍然會來。反過來，在人生另一些時刻，即使樣樣條件都不足，眼前卻自然開出一條路；你不必費多少力氣，一切便進行得十分順利。這同樣顯示，生命中確實有一個計畫。使一個人成功的，不只是能力與聰明才智，還有一個必須完成的計畫。有些時候，你的生命本來就會較為順遂，擁有成功以及你所願的一切；另一些時候，你卻無法擁有這些。

One may ask, “Is it so that something is born with a person, or is it the effect of a person’s action on the earth?” The answer is, “Both.” Suppose an artist first made in his mind a design of a certain picture and then, as he made that Picture, so he was inspired by it. This suggested him to change the design and, as he went along making the picture, it changed to such an extent that it became quite different from the picture he had made before. He had thought of putting two horns on a particular figure and now he made two wings: instead of an animal it became a bird. Even to that extent life may be changed by action. A right action, a good action is productive of power; it is creative and can help much more than man can imagine.

人或許會問：「那麼，是有某種東西隨著人一起出生，還是人在世上的行動造成了後來的結果？」答案是：「兩者都是。」假設一位藝術家先在頭腦中構思了一幅畫的設計，接著開始作畫；然而在畫的過程中，他又受到作品本身的啟發，於是改變了原來的設計。隨著作品逐步完成，它甚至可能改變到與最初設想的圖畫完全不同。他原本打算在某個形象上畫兩隻角，後來卻畫成了兩隻翅膀；原本是一隻動物，最後變成了一隻鳥。人的行動甚至可以把生命改變到這種程度。正確的行動、良善的行動會產生力量；它具有創造性，其所能帶來的幫助遠超過人的想像。

Then arises the question to what extent man can help himself. The answer is that man has two aspects in him. One aspect is his mechanical being where he is but a machine controlled by conditions, by his impressions, by outer influences, by cosmic influences, by his actions. Everything working mechanically turns his life accordingly: he has no power over conditions, he is just a tool of influences. The more this aspect is pronounced in man, the less evolved he is. It is a sign of less evolution.

於是又出現一個問題：人究竟能在多大程度上幫助自己？答案是，人具有兩個面向。其中一個面向是他的機械性存在；在這個面向中，他只是一部機器，受到環境、自己的印象、外在影響、宇宙影響以及自身行動的控制。所有這些機械性運作都會相應地左右他的人生；他無法掌握環境，只是各種影響力的工具。一個人身上這個面向愈突出，就表示他的成長程度愈低。這是尚未高度成長的徵象。

Another aspect in man is creative, in which he shows the sign of being representative of the Creator, in which he shows that he is not only linked with God but part of God: his innermost self is God. Be not surprised therefore if you hear those amazing stories of sages, masters, saints and prophets whose command worked in the cosmos and by whose will a generality, a collectivity moved as they wished it to move. It is nothing to be surprised at. Outwardly every man is almost of the same size; no man is as high as a camel, or as stout as an elephant. Outwardly men differ little, but inwardly there is no comparison in the size of the spirit, no comparison between the understanding, the power and insight of one man and that of another.

人的另一個面向則具有創造性；在這個面向中，他顯示出自己是造物主之代表的徵象，也顯示出他不只是與神相連，更是神的一部分：他最內在的自我就是神。因此，當你聽見那些關於聖哲、大師、聖者與先知的驚人故事——他們的命令能作用於宇宙，他們的意志能使群眾、集體依其所願而行動——不必感到驚訝。這沒有什麼值得驚訝的。從外在來看，每個人的身形大小都差不多；沒有人像駱駝那麼高，也沒有人像大象那麼壯碩。人的外在差異不大，但在內在，靈的廣大程度卻不可同日而語；一個人的理解、力量與洞察力，與另一個人之間，也可能完全無法相比。

One walks, one runs, one flies and one creeps; yet all walk on the same earth, live under the same sun, all called men. Nevertheless, there is no man who has not a spark of this power, who has not the possibility of changing conditions by his free will, if only he realized what he is. It is the absence of this realization which makes man a machine.

有人行走，有人奔跑，有人飛翔，有人匍匐；然而所有人都行走在同一片大地上，生活在同一個太陽之下，也都被稱為人。儘管如此，沒有一個人身上不存在這種力量的火花；只要他能認識自己真正是什麼，每個人都具有以自由意志改變環境與處境的可能。正是因為缺乏這份認識，人才成為一部機器。

The Dome
穹頂

Now coming to the causes that change man’s life, man’s destiny: these are not only his own actions, but also the thoughts of another. For instance I have seen many cases where a loving mother was not pleased with her growing child who did not satisfy her. This must always make the child suffer in one way or another; it is never otherwise. He may become a qualified and capable man, but not having satisfied his mother is quite enough for him to quit luck.

現在談到那些會改變一個人的生命與命運的因素：其中不只有他自己的行動，也包括別人的思想。例如，我曾經看過許多這樣的情形：一位充滿愛的母親，對逐漸長大的孩子感到不滿，因為孩子沒有使她滿意。這總會以某種方式使孩子受苦，幾乎沒有例外。他也許後來成為一個很有才能、很有能力的人，但僅僅是未能使母親滿意這件事，就足以使好運離開他。

A keen study will make us understand how these things work, but from childhood we have been so absorbed in our own life and interest that we do not think much about how the thought and feeling of those around us act upon us. A rich man, displeased with his porter or servant, may speak roughly to him or insult him, not realizing at the time that perhaps the feeling of the servant, who is dependent and bound to that particular place, who thinks that his situation keeps him in that position, is hurt. Then, when the rich man goes to his office, to his affairs, he gets that pinprick there; he does not know why. He thinks that he has given a pinprick to a servant who could not return it, but someone else returns it. He feels it but does not know that it is the answer of the same thing he has done.

若仔細觀察，我們便能了解這些作用是如何發生的。然而從小到大，我們一直太專注於自己的生命與利益，因此很少去想，周遭之人的思想與感受究竟如何作用在我們身上。一個富人如果對自己的門房或僕人不滿，可能會粗暴地斥責他，甚至羞辱他，卻沒有意識到：這位僕人依賴著這份工作，被現實處境束縛在那個位置上，心裡也認為自己的環境使他不得不留在那裡，因此他的感受受到了傷害。之後，當這位富人到了辦公室、處理自己的事務時，他也會在那裡受到一下針刺般的傷害，卻不知道原因。他以為自己刺傷了一個無力還擊的僕人，但結果卻由另一個人把這一刺還給了他。他感受到了傷害，卻不知道那正是自己所做之事的回響。

The more we think about this the more we shall believe that God works through all beings-not only human beings but even through animals and birds. And when we are able to believe this we cannot help believing the words of Buddha, “The essence of all religion is harmlessness.” Harmlessness does not mean refraining from killing: one can kill many without killing. In order to kill a person one does not need to murder him; a glance, a word, a thought can kill a person, and that is worse torture than death. It is this experience that will make us say, “My very feet, be conscientious lest you tread on the thorns lying on your path, lest they complain: You have crushed me.”

我們愈深入思考這件事，就愈會相信神透過一切眾生運作——不只是透過人類，也透過動物與鳥類。當我們能夠相信這一點時，便無法不相信佛陀所說的話：「一切宗教的本質，就是不傷害。」不傷害並不只是指不殺生；人甚至可以在沒有奪取生命的情況下殺死許多人。要殺死一個人，並不一定要謀殺他；一個眼神、一句話、一個念頭，都可能殺死一個人，而這甚至是比死亡更深的折磨。正是這種體會，會使我們對自己說：「就連我的雙腳也要謹慎，不要踩上道路上的荊棘，以免它們抱怨：『你把我踩碎了。』」

There is no end to consideration once a person begins applying this principle.

一旦一個人開始實踐這個原則，他對他人的體察與顧念便沒有止境。

If there is any religion it is in having consideration for everyone: earnestly to consider what feeling can be touched by a moment’s mistake. If there is any abode of God it is in the heart of man. If the heart is touched wrongly it has an effect upon destiny, and we do not know to what extent destiny can be changed by the feeling of another person: it can change it more than our own feeling could. One always wishes good for oneself, no one wishes to be unhappy.

如果真有所謂宗教，那就在於對每一個人都有體察與顧念：認真想到自己一時的過失，可能觸傷別人什麼樣的感受。如果真有神的居所，那就是人的心。當一顆心受到錯誤的傷害時，它會對命運產生影響；而我們並不知道，另一個人的感受究竟能在多大程度上改變我們的命運——它所造成的改變，甚至可能超過我們自己的感受。因為每個人總是希望自己過得好，沒有人希望自己不幸。

Planetary Influences
行星的影響

Then there are planetary influences, and one may ask, “What are these planetary influences? What relation do they have with us?” The answer is that man also is a planet and, as one planet is related to another, so in the same way planets are related to mankind. Naturally the changing of the condition of a planet and what is produced by it, and what effect is produced by the planet, have an effect upon man’s life.

此外，還有行星的影響。人可能會問：「什麼是行星的影響？它們與我們有什麼關係？」答案是，人本身也是一顆星體；正如一顆行星與另一顆行星彼此相關，行星也同樣與人類相關。因此，一顆行星狀態的改變、由此產生的作用，以及這顆行星所造成的影響，自然也會影響人的生命。

One might ask, “Is man so small as to be under the influence of a planet?” Yes, outwardly. Outwardly man is so small as to be a drop in the ocean. If the planet is the ocean, then the individual is a drop. But inwardly the planet is a drop in the ocean of man’s heart. As if, the great philosopher says, “My ignorance, the day you will have vanished my heart will be open, and this whole universe will become a bubble in the ocean of my heart.” Smallness and imperfection are the outcome of ignorance and relate the heart to limitation. The day when the heart is open the whole universe will be in it, and the source of destiny, its secret and its mystery will be in the hand of man.

人或許會問：「人竟如此渺小，以至於必須受到一顆行星的影響嗎？」是的，從外在而言確實如此。就外在而言，人渺小得如同大海中的一滴水。如果行星是大海，個體便只是一滴水。然而從內在而言，行星反而只是人心之海中的一滴水。正如一位偉大的哲人彷彿在說：「我的無明啊，當你消失的那一天，我的心將會敞開，而整個宇宙都將成為我心之海中的一個氣泡。」渺小與不圓滿都是無明的結果，是無明使心與限制相連。當心真正敞開的那一天，整個宇宙都會在其中；而命運的源頭、命運的祕密與奧祕，也都將掌握在人手中。

What is the manner in which we should believe in destiny and free will? The best way of believing in destiny is to think that all disagreeable things we have gone through belong to destiny; they are past, we are free from them. The way how to look at free will is to think that all that is before us, all that is to come, is the outcome of free will, and to keep before us as a concentration the thought: nothing wrong will touch us, but all that is good for us, all that is best, lies before us. It is wrong to think that worse things are in store for us because destiny has kept our karma and intends that we must suffer, that we have to pay for our karma, for the one who is conscious of his karma will have to pay a high interest; the more he is conscious of it, the more interest he will have to pay.

那麼，我們應該以什麼方式看待命運與自由意志？看待命運最好的方式，是把我們已經歷過的一切不愉快，都看作屬於命運；它們已經過去了，我們也已經從中解脫。至於自由意志，則應當把眼前的一切、未來將要發生的一切，都視為自由意志所能創造的結果，並把這個念頭持續作為自己的專注：「沒有不好的事物會觸及我們；真正對我們有益的、最美好的事物，都在前方等待著我們。」如果認為更糟糕的事情正在前面等著自己，因為命運保存著自己的業力，打算讓自己受苦，讓自己償還業力，這種想法是錯誤的；因為一個人愈執著地意識到自己的業力，就彷彿愈要為它支付高額的利息；他愈把注意力放在它上面，所支付的利息便愈多。

In conclusion we come to understand that there are two aspects of will working through all things in life. One is the individual will, the other the divine will. When a person goes against the divine will, naturally his human will fails and he finds difficulties, because he is swimming against the tide. The moment a person works in consonance, in harmony with the divine will, things become smooth.

最後，我們逐漸明白，在生命的一切事物之中，都有兩種意志在運作：一種是個體意志，另一種是神聖意志。當一個人與神聖意志背道而馳時，他個人的意志自然容易失敗，也會遭遇困難，因為他是在逆流而行。當一個人的行動與神聖意志一致、與之和諧時，事情便會變得順遂。

“But” one will say, “life has not been smooth for great personalities such as Christ.” From childhood there were difficulties; his parents had to flee to the desert, and when the young Jesus was brought among the people there were still greater difficulties. The great saints and sages had great difficulties all through life; all was not smooth for them. Did they work against destiny, against the will of God?”

然而，有人會說：「像基督這樣的偉大人物，他的一生也並不順遂。」從童年開始便充滿困難；他的父母不得不逃往荒野，而當年輕的耶穌走入人群之中時，又遇到更大的困難。偉大的聖者與聖哲一生也都經歷許多艱難；他們的道路並非一帆風順。難道他們是在違抗命運、違抗神的意志嗎？

This question shows that to realize the will of God is difficult on the material plane. In the Bible we read, “Thy will be done on earth as in heaven.” This makes us understand that it is not as easy for His will to be done on earth as it is in heaven. And this is a suggestion which teaches us a great lesson: there is a conscious will working and an unconscious will working. That unconscious working is abstract working, but the conscious working is divine working; it may be called divine will. It may have difficulties, but at the same time these difficulties have a meaning. In other words, success or failure of God, of godly power, means nothing: it is success in the end. And the success or failure of man also is nothing: it is failure in the end. If a man succeeds in collecting so much wealth or in attaining such a high position as he wants, what is the end of it? It will belong to someone else who will snatch it out of his hand. Therefore whether we have success or failure in life, if it is individual, in the end it is failure. But in the case of a godly purpose, whether it is failure or success, it is success in the end. It cannot be otherwise; it is only gain that is there.

這個問題顯示，在物質層面上，要真正認識神的意志並不容易。《聖經》中說：「願祢的旨意行在地上，如同行在天上。」這使我們明白，神的意志要在地上成就，並不像在天上那樣容易。這句話暗示了一項深刻的教導：有一種有意識的意志在運作，也有一種無意識的意志在運作。無意識的運作是一種抽象的運作，而有意識的運作則是神聖的運作；我們可以稱它為神聖意志。它也許會遭遇困難，但這些困難本身具有意義。換句話說，神或神聖力量在人看來是成功或失敗，其實都不重要：最終都是成功。而人的成功或失敗，同樣也算不了什麼：若只屬於個人，最終仍是失敗。一個人即使成功累積了大量財富，或取得了自己渴望的崇高地位，最後又如何？終究會歸於別人，被別人從他手中取走。因此，我們在人生中無論成功或失敗，只要那是純粹個人的，最終都是失敗。然而，若是為了一個神聖的目的，無論眼前看來是失敗還是成功，最終都是成功。不可能有別的結果；其中只有所得，沒有真正的損失。

Nanak says, “The grain that takes refuge near the center of the grinding mill is saved.” So is the man who keeps close to God and draws his power and inspiration from God. When his life is directed by that power and inspiration, whether he has difficulties or ease, his way is always smooth and the end is what it ought to be.

那納克 (Nanak) 說：「靠近磨心的穀粒，能免遭碾碎。」一個親近神、從神汲取力量與啟發的人，也是如此。當他的生命由這股力量與啟發所引導時，無論他所經歷的是艱難還是順遂，他的道路始終是通達的，而最終的結果也必然如其所應然。

---