灵魂、自然与神
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中文
1→灵魂、自然与上帝 2→ 3→依据吠檀多哲学，人由三种物质构成，可以这样说。最外层是 4→身体，是人粗糙的形态，其中有感觉器官，如眼、鼻、耳等。 5→眼睛并非视觉的器官，它只是工具。器官在其后。同样，耳朵 6→不是听觉的器官，它们是工具，器官在其后；在现代生理学中 7→称之为神经中枢。这些器官在梵文中称为因陀利亚（Indriyas）。 8→若统管眼睛的中枢遭到破坏，眼睛便不能视；其他感官亦同此理。 9→器官本身不能单独感知任何东西，除非有另一物与之相连。 10→那另一物便是心意。你们曾多次体验到：你全神贯注于某一 11→思想时，时钟报时你却未曾听见。为何如此？耳朵就在那里， 12→振动传入其中并传至大脑，然而你未曾听见，因为心意并未 13→与感觉器官相连接。外部对象的印象传至器官，当心意与之 14→相连时，它接受这些印象，并为其赋予一种色彩， 15→即所谓"我"的色彩——自我意识。以蚊子叮咬我手指为例， 16→当时我正专注于某项工作，我感受不到它，因为我的心意 17→与其他事物相连。此后，当我的心意与传至感官的印象相连时， 18→便产生了反应。伴随这一反应，我意识到了蚊子的叮咬。 19→可见即便心意与感官相连，仍非充分条件；还必须有意志形式的反应。 20→产生反应的这种能力，即知识或智识之能力，称为"菩提"（Buddhi）。 21→首先须有外在工具，其次是感觉器官，然后心意须与器官相连， 22→继之以智识的反应，当这一切完备，便立即闪现出"我与外物"的观念， 23→随之产生感知、概念与认识。外在器官不过是工具，位于身体之中， 24→其后是更精细的内在器官；再后是心意，然后是智识官能， 25→再后是自我意识，说"我"——我见、我闻，如此等等。 26→这整个过程由某些力量运作；你可以称之为生命力量； 27→在梵文中称为普拉纳（Prâna）。人的这个粗大部分，即身体， 28→其中有外在工具，在梵文中称为斯图拉·沙里拉（Sthula Sharira）， 29→即粗身；在其后是一系列：以感觉器官为始，然后是心意、 30→智识、自我意识。这些加上生命力量构成一个复合体， 31→称为精细身体，苏克什玛·沙里拉（Sukshma Sharira）。 32→这些力量由极精细的元素构成，精细到对粗身的任何伤害 33→都无法摧毁它们；它们能承受一切施加于粗身的冲击而安然无恙。 34→我们所见的粗身由粗大物质构成，因此它始终在更新与持续变化之中。 35→但内在器官、心意、智识与自我意识由最精细的物质构成， 36→精细到足以历经无数劫而不朽。它们如此精细， 37→以至于任何东西都无法阻碍它们；它们能穿透一切障碍。 38→粗身是非智性的，精细身亦然，因为它也是由精细物质构成的。 39→尽管其中一部分称为心意，另一部分称为智识，第三部分 40→称为自我意识，但我们一眼便可看出，它们中没有一个 41→能够成为"知者"。它们中没有一个能成为感知者、见证者， 42→那为其而行动、那观照行动者。心意中的这一切运动， 43→或智识官能，或自我意识，必然是为了另一个存在。 44→这些由精细物质构成者不能自我光明；它们的光明不能在其自身之中。 45→比如桌子的这种显现，不能归因于任何物质之物。因此， 46→在它们一切之后，必然有一个存在，是真正的显现者， 47→真正的见者，真正的享受者；在梵文中，祂被称为阿特曼（Atman）， 48→人的灵魂，人的真实真我[Atman]。真正看见事物的，是祂。 49→外在工具和器官捕捉印象并传递给心意，心意传递给智识， 50→智识如镜般映照它们，在其后是灵魂，祂观照这一切， 51→发出祂的命令与指示。祂是这一切工具的统治者， 52→身体中的主人，那端坐宝座的王。自我意识官能、 53→智识官能、思维官能、各种器官、工具、身体， 54→这一切都服从祂的命令。是祂在显现这一切。 55→这便是人的阿特曼（Atman）。同样，我们可以看到， 56→在宇宙的一个小部分中存在的，必然也在整个宇宙中存在。 57→若和谐一致是宇宙的法则，那么宇宙的每一部分必然都是 58→按照与整体相同的规划建造的。因此我们自然认为， 59→在我们称之为宇宙的这个粗大物质形态之后，必然有一个 60→精细物质的宇宙，我们称之为思想；在其后必然有一个灵魂， 61→使这一切思想成为可能，它发出命令，是这个宇宙中端坐宝座的王。 62→在每个心意和每个身体之后的灵魂称为帕拉提亚格阿特曼 63→（Pratyagâtman），即个体阿特曼；而作为宇宙的引导者、 64→统治者与主宰，在宇宙之后的那个灵魂，便是上帝。 65→ 66→下一个要考虑的问题是，这一切从何而来。答案是： 67→"来"意味着什么？若它意味着某物可以从虚无中产生， 68→这是不可能的。这一切创造、显现，不可能从零中产生。 69→无物能在没有原因的情况下产生，果不过是因的再现。 70→这里有一个玻璃杯。假设我们将它打碎成粉，用化学方法 71→几乎将它消灭。它会回归虚无吗？当然不会。形态会破碎， 72→但构成它的粒子仍在那里；它们超出了我们的感官范围， 73→但它们仍然存在，而且很可能从这些材料中又能制造出 74→另一个玻璃杯。若这在一个情况下为真，在每个情况下 75→皆如此。某物不可能从虚无中造出。也不可能使某物 76→回归虚无。它可以变得愈来愈精细，然后再次变得愈来愈粗大。 77→雨滴以水蒸气的形式从海洋中被提取，飘荡于空中至山间； 78→在那里它再次变为水，流经数百英里回归母亲之海。 79→种子产生树木。树木死去，只留下种子。它又长为另一棵树， 80→那棵树又终于种子，如此循环。看一只鸟，它从蛋中孵化， 81→成为一只美丽的鸟，活完它的生命，然后死去，只留下 82→其他的蛋，包含未来鸟的胚芽。动物亦如此；人亦如此。 83→万物仿佛都从某些种子、某些雏形、某些精细形态开始， 84→随着发展变得愈来愈粗大；然后它又回归那精细形态并沉寂下去。 85→整个宇宙就以这种方式运行。终将来临一个时刻，整个宇宙 86→融化并变得精细，最终仿佛完全消失，但以超精细物质的 87→形态存留。我们通过现代科学与天文学知道，这个地球正在 88→冷却，假以时日，它将变得极冷，然后破裂成碎片， 89→变得愈来愈精细，直到再次成为以太。然而所有粒子 90→都将存续，形成另一个地球被投射出来的材料。那个地球 91→将再次消失，另一个将出现。因此，这个宇宙将回归其本因， 92→其材料将再次汇聚成形，如那沉落、再次升起、重新成形的波浪。 93→回归本因与再次涌现成形，在梵文中称为桑科恰 94→（Sankocha）与维卡夏（Vikâsha），意为收缩与扩张。 95→整个宇宙，可以说，收缩，然后再次扩张。用现代科学 96→更为人接受的术语，它们是内卷（involved）与外化（evolved）。 97→你们听说过进化，一切形态如何从低级形态中缓慢成长演化。 98→这非常正确，然而每一次进化都以内卷为前提。我们知道， 99→宇宙中显现的能量总和在任何时候都是相同的，物质是不可 100→摧毁的。你绝不能消除一粒物质，也不能消减或增添 101→一英尺磅的能量。总量始终相同。只有显现在变化， 102→处于内卷与外化之中。因此，这个循环是从上一个循环 103→的内卷中外化出来的，而这个循环将再次内卷，变得愈来 104→愈精细，从中将涌现出下一个循环。整个宇宙就以这种方式 105→运行。因此我们发现，在某物从虚无中被创造出来的意义上 106→并不存在创造。用一个更好的词，存在的是显现，而上帝 107→是宇宙的显现者。宇宙，可以说，从祂中被呼出，再收缩 108→回归于祂，祂再次将它呼出。吠陀中给出了一个极为优美的 109→比喻——"那永恒者呼出这宇宙，再将它吸入。" 110→正如我们可以吹出一粒小小的尘埃，再将它吸回。这一切 111→很好，但问题或许会被提出：最初的循环是如何开始的？ 112→答案是：第一个循环意味着什么？根本不存在第一个。 113→若你能为时间设定一个开始，整个时间的概念就将被摧毁。 114→试图想象时间开始之处，你不得不想象那个界限之外的时间。 115→试图想象空间开始之处，你将不得不想象那之外的空间。 116→时间与空间是无限的，因此既无始端，也无终端。这比 117→"上帝在五分钟内创造了宇宙然后就去睡觉，此后一直在睡觉" 118→的观念要好得多。另一方面，这个观念将给予我们作为 119→永恒创造者的上帝。这里有一系列浪涛起伏，而上帝在 120→引导这一永恒的过程。正如宇宙没有始端也没有终端， 121→上帝亦然。我们看到这必然如此，因为若我们说存在过 122→一个无论以粗大或精细形态都没有创造的时刻，那时便 123→没有上帝，因为上帝以萨克希（Sâkshi）——即宇宙的见证者 124→——为我们所知。当宇宙不存在时，祂也不存在。一个概念 125→随另一个概念而来。我们从结果的观念中得到原因的观念， 126→若没有结果，便不会有原因。由此自然得出结论：宇宙是 127→永恒的，上帝也是永恒的。 128→ 129→灵魂也必然是永恒的。为何如此？首先我们看到灵魂不是 130→物质。它既非粗身，也非我们称之为心意或思想的精细身， 131→它既非物质之身，也非基督教中所谓的灵性之身。正是 132→粗身与灵性之身会发生变化。粗身几乎每分钟都在变化 133→并走向死亡，但灵性之身历经漫长时期，直到人获得解脱 134→[Moksha]，届时它也消散而去。当人获得解脱，灵性之身消散。 135→粗身在人每次死亡时崩解。灵魂既非由任何粒子构成， 136→必然是不可摧毁的。我们所说的毁灭意味着什么？毁灭是 137→构成任何事物的材料的瓦解。若这玻璃杯碎成碎片， 138→材料将瓦解，那便是玻璃杯的毁灭。粒子的瓦解便是 139→我们所说的毁灭。由此自然得出结论，凡非由粒子构成者， 140→皆不可被摧毁，永不能被瓦解。灵魂不由任何材料构成。 141→它是不可分割的统一体。因此它必然是不可摧毁的。 142→出于同样的原因，它也必然没有任何开始。因此灵魂是 143→无始无终的。 144→ 145→我们有三种实体。这里是自然，它是无限的，然而会变化。 146→整个自然是无始无终的，但其中有多种多样的变化。 147→它如同一条流向大海数千年的河流。它始终是同一条河， 148→然而每分钟都在变化，水的粒子不断变换位置。然后有 149→上帝，不变者，统治者；还有灵魂，与上帝同样不变， 150→永恒，但处于统治者的管辖之下。一者是主人，另一者是 151→仆从，第三者是自然。 152→ 153→上帝既是宇宙的投射、延续与消解之因，此因必须存在才能 154→产生果。不仅如此，因成为果。玻璃杯由某些材料和制造者 155→使用的某些力量制成。玻璃杯中有那些力量加上那些材料。 156→所使用的力量已成为粘合力，若那力量消失，玻璃杯便会 157→碎成碎片；材料也无疑在玻璃杯中。只是其形态发生了变化。 158→因已成为果。无论你在哪里看见果，都可以将它分析回因， 159→因以果的形式显现自身。由此得出结论，若上帝是宇宙的因， 160→宇宙是果，那么上帝已成为宇宙。若灵魂是果，上帝是因， 161→那么上帝已成为灵魂。因此每个灵魂都是上帝的一部分。 162→"正如从一团火中飞出无数火花，甚至从那永恒者中涌现出 163→这整个灵魂的宇宙。" 164→ 165→我们已看到有那永恒的上帝，有那永恒的自然。也有无数永恒的 166→灵魂。这是宗教的第一个阶段，称为二元论——人看见自己 167→与上帝永恒分离的阶段，那时上帝是独立于祂自身的单独实体， 168→人独立于他自身是单独的实体，自然独立于它自身是单独的实体。 169→这便是二元论，它认为主体与客体在一切方面彼此对立。 170→当人观察自然，他是主体，自然是客体。他看见主体与客体 171→之间的二元性。当他看上帝，他看上帝为客体，他自己为主体。 172→他们是完全分离的。这是人与上帝之间的二元性。这通常是 173→宗教的第一种观点。 174→ 175→然后出现了另一种观点，我方才已向诸位展示。人开始发现， 176→若上帝是宇宙的因，宇宙是果，那么上帝本身必已成为宇宙 177→与灵魂，而他不过是上帝是整体的一粒微粒。我们只是那团 178→火焰中的小小火花，整个宇宙是上帝本身的显现。这是下一步。 179→在梵文中称为毗湿奴限制性不二论（Vishishtadvaita）。 180→正如我有此身，此身覆盖着灵魂，灵魂遍在于此身之中， 181→同样地，由无数灵魂与自然形态构成的整个宇宙， 182→如同构成上帝的躯体。当内收时期来临，宇宙变得愈来愈精微， 183→然仍是上帝的躯体。当粗显显现来临，宇宙亦仍是上帝的躯体。 184→正如人的灵魂是人体与人心的灵魂，上帝便是我们灵魂的灵魂。 185→诸位在每一种宗教中都听说过这一表达："我们灵魂的灵魂"。 186→这便是其含义所在。祂，可以说，居于其中，引导它们， 187→是万有的统治者。在第一种观点——二元论中，我们每个人 188→都是个体，与上帝和自然永恒分离。在第二种观点中， 189→我们是个体，但不与上帝分离。我们如同漂浮于一团物质中 190→的小微粒，那团物质便是上帝。我们是个体，却在上帝之中 191→合而为一。我们都在祂之中。我们都是祂的部分，因此我们 192→是一体。然而在人与人之间、人与上帝之间存在着严格的 193→个体性，分离而又不分离。 194→ 195→然后出现了一个更为精微的问题。问题是：无限能有部分吗？ 196→无限的"部分"意味着什么？若你加以推理，便会发现这是 197→不可能的。无限不能被分割，它永远保持无限。若能分割， 198→则每个部分都将是无限的。而不可能存在两个无限。假设 199→存在两个无限，其一必将限定另一个，两者皆将成为有限。 200→无限只能是一，不可分割。由此将得出结论：无限是一而非多，
1→随后出现了另一种观点，我方才已为诸位展示。人开始发现， 2→若上帝是宇宙的因，宇宙是其果，那么上帝本身必已成为 3→宇宙与灵魂，而人不过是上帝这整体中的一粒微尘。 4→我们只是那团火焰中的小小火花，整个宇宙是上帝本身的显现。 5→这是下一个层次。在梵文中，称之为毗湿奴限制性不二论 6→（Vishishtadvaita）。正如我有此身，此身覆盖着灵魂，灵魂遍在 7→于此身之中；同样地，由无数灵魂与自然形态构成的整个宇宙， 8→构成了上帝的躯体。当内收（involution）时期来临，宇宙变得 9→愈来愈精微，然仍是上帝的躯体。当粗显显现来临，宇宙 10→亦仍是上帝的躯体。正如人的灵魂是人体与人心的灵魂， 11→上帝便是我们灵魂的灵魂。诸位在各种宗教中都听说过 12→这个说法："我们灵魂的灵魂。"这便是其含义。祂， 13→可以说，居于其中，引导它们，是万有的统治者。 14→在第一种观点——二元论中，我们每个人都是个体， 15→与上帝和自然永恒分离。在第二种观点中，我们是个体， 16→但不与上帝分离。我们如同漂浮于一团物质中的小微粒， 17→那团物质便是上帝。我们是个体，却在上帝之中合而为一。 18→我们都在祂之中。我们都是祂的部分，因此我们是一体。 19→然而在人与人之间、人与上帝之间，存在着严格的个体性—— 20→分离而又不分离。 21→ 22→此后出现了一个更为精微的问题：无限能有部分吗？无限的 23→"部分"意味着什么？若你加以推理，便会发现这是不可能的。 24→无限不能被分割，它永远保持无限。若能分割，则每个部分 25→都将是无限的；而不可能存在两个无限。假设存在两个无限， 26→其一必将限定另一个，两者皆将成为有限。无限只能是一， 27→不可分割。由此将得出结论：无限之灵魂是一而非多， 28→那同一个无限灵魂在千万面镜子中映照自身，显现为众多不同的灵魂。 29→这同一个无限灵魂是宇宙的背景，我们称之为上帝。这同一个 30→无限灵魂也是人类心意的背景，我们称之为人的灵魂。
English
SOUL, NATURE, AND GOD
According to the Vedanta philosophy, man consists of three substances, so to say. The outermost is the body, the gross form of man, in which are the instruments of sensation, such as the eyes, nose, ears, and so forth. This eye is not the organ of vision; it is only the instrument. Behind that is the organ. So, the ears are not the organs of hearing; they are the instruments, and behind them is the organ, or what, in modern physiology, is called the centre. The organs are called Indriyas in Sanskrit. If the centre which governs the eyes be destroyed, the eyes will not see; so with all our senses. The organs, again, cannot sense anything by themselves, until there be something else attached to them. That something is the mind. Many times you have observed that you were deeply engaged in a certain thought, and the clock struck and you did not hear it. Why? The ear was there; vibrations entered it and were carried into the brain, yet you did not hear, because the mind was not joined to the organ. The impressions of external objects are carried to the organs, and when the mind is attached to them, it takes the impressions and gives them, as it were, a colouring, which is called egoism, "I". Take the case of a mosquito biting me on the finger when I am engaged in some work. I do not feel it, because my mind is joined to something else. Later, when my mind is joined to the impression conveyed to the Indriyas, a reaction comes. With this reaction I become conscious of the mosquito. So even the mind joining itself to the organs is not sufficient; there must come the reaction in the form of will. This faculty from which the reaction comes, the faculty of knowledge or intellect, is called "Buddhi" First, there must be the external instrument, next the organ, next the mind must join itself to the organ, then must come the reaction of intellect, and when all these things are complete, there immediately flashes the idea, "I and the external object", and there is a perception, a concept, knowledge. The external organ, which is only the instrument, is in the body, and behind that is the internal organ which is finer; then there is the mind, then the intellectual faculty, then egoism, which says, "I" — I see, I hear, and so forth. The whole process is carried on by certain forces; you may call them vital forces; in Sanskrit they are called Prâna. This gross part of man, this body, in which are the external instruments, is called in Sanskrit, Sthula Sharira, the gross body; behind it comes the series, beginning with the organs, the mind, the intellect, the egoism. These and the vital forces form a compound which is called the fine body, the Sukshma Sharira. These forces are composed of very fine elements, so fine that no amount of injury to this body can destroy them; they survive all the shocks given to this body. The gross body we see is composed of gross material, and as such it is always being renewed and changing continuously. But the internal organs, the mind, the intellect, and the egoism are composed of the finest material, so fine that they will endure for aeons and aeons. They are so fine that they cannot be resisted by anything; they can get through any obstruction. The gross body is non-intelligent, so is the fine, being composed of fine matter. Although one part is called mind, another the intellect, and the third egoism, yet we see at a glance that no one of them can be the "Knower". None of them can be the perceiver, the witness, the one for whom action is made, and who is the seer of the action. All these movements in the mind, or the faculty of intellection, or egoism, must be for some one else. These being composed of fine matter cannot be self-effulgent. Their luminosity cannot be in themselves. This manifestation of the table, for instance, cannot be due to any material thing. Therefore there must be some one behind them all, who is the real manifester, the real seer, the real enjoyer and He in Sanskrit is called the Atman, the Soul of man, the real Self of man. He it is who really sees things. The external instruments and the organs catch the impressions and convey them to the mind, and the mind to the intellect, and the intellect reflects them as on a mirror, and back of it is the Soul that looks on them and gives His orders and His directions. He is the ruler of all these instruments, the master in the house, the enthroned king in the body. The faculty of egoism, the faculty of intellection, the faculty of cogitation, the organs, the instruments, the body, all of them obey His commands. It is He who is manifesting all of these. This is the Atman of man. Similarly, we can see that what is in a small part of the universe must also be in the whole universe. If conformity is the law of the universe, every part of the universe must have been built on the same plan as the whole. So we naturally think that behind the gross material form which we call this universe of ours, there must be a universe of finer matter, which we call thought, and behind that there must be a Soul, which makes all this thought possible, which commands, which is the enthroned king of this universe. That soul which is behind each mind and each body is called Pratyagâtman, the individual Atman, and that Soul which is behind the universe as its guide, ruler, and governor, is God.
The next thing to consider is whence all these things come. The answer is: What is meant by coming? If it means that something can be produced out of nothing, it is impossible. All this creation, manifestation, cannot be produced out of zero. Nothing can be produced without a cause, and the effect is but the cause reproduced. Here is a glass. Suppose we break it to pieces, and pulverise it, and by means of chemicals almost annihilate it. Will it go back to zero? Certainly not. The form will break, but the particles of which it is made will be there; they will go beyond our senses, but they remain, and it is quite possible that out of these materials another glass may be made. If this is true in one case, it will be so in every case. Something cannot be made out of nothing. Nor can something be made to go back to nothing. It may become finer and finer, and then again grosser and grosser. The raindrop is drawn from the ocean in the form of vapour, and drifts away through the air to the mountains; there it changes again into water and flows back through hundreds of miles down to the mother ocean. The seed produces the tree. The tree dies, leaving only the seed. Again it comes up as another tree, which again ends in the seed, and so on. Look at a bird, how from; the egg it springs, becomes a beautiful bird, lives its life and then dies, leaving only other eggs, containing germs of future birds. So with the animals; so with men. Everything begins, as it were, from certain seeds, certain rudiments, certain fine forms, and becomes grosser and grosser as it develops; and then again it goes back to that fine form and subsides. The whole universe is going on in this way. There comes a time when this whole universe melts down and becomes finer and at last disappears entirely, as it were, but remains as superfine matter. We know through modern science and astronomy that this earth is cooling down, and in course of time it will become very cold, and then it will break to pieces and become finer and finer until it becomes ether once more. Yet the particles will all remain to form the material out of which another earth will be projected. Again that will disappear, and another will come out. So this universe will go back to its causes, and again its materials will come together and take form, like the wave that goes down, rises again, and takes shape. The acts of going back to causes and coming out again, taking form, are called in Sanskrit Sankocha and Vikâsha, which mean shrinking and expanding. The whole universe, as it were, shrinks, and then it expands again. To use the more accepted words of modern science, they are involved and evolved. You hear about evolution, how all forms grow from lower ones, slowly growing up and up. This is very true, but each evolution presupposes an involution. We know that the sum total of energy that is displayed in the universe is the same at all times, and that matter is indestructible. By no means can you take away one particle of matter. You cannot take away a foot-pound of energy or add one. The sum total is the same always. Only the manifestation varies, being involved and evolved. So this cycle is the evolution out of the involution of the previous cycle, and this cycle will again be involved, getting finer and finer, and out of that will come the next cycle. The whole universe is going on in this fashion. Thus we find that there is no creation in the sense that something is created out of nothing. To use a better word, there is manifestation, and God is the manifester of the universe. The universe, as it were, is being breathed out of Him, and again it shrinks into Him, and again He throws it out. A most beautiful simile is given in the Vedas — "That eternal One breathes out this universe and breathes it in." Just as we can breathe out a little particle of dust and breathe it in again. That is all very good, but the question may be asked: How we, it at the first cycle? The answer is: What is the meaning of a first cycle? There was none. If you can give a beginning to time, the whole concept of time will be destroyed. Try to think of a limit where time began, you have to think of time beyond that limit. Try to think where space begins, you will have to think of space beyond that. Time and space are infinite, and therefore have neither beginning nor end. This is a better idea than that God created the universe in five minutes and then went to sleep, and since then has been sleeping. On the other hand, this idea will give us God as the Eternal Creator. Here is a series of waves rising and falling, and God is directing this eternal process. As the universe is without beginning and without end, so is God. We see that it must necessarily be so, because if we say there was a time when there was no creation, either in a gross or a fine form, then there was no God, because God is known to us as Sâkshi, the Witness of the universe. When the universe did not exist, neither did He. One concept follows the other. The idea of the cause we get from the idea of the effect, and if there is no effect, there will be no cause. It naturally follows that as the universe is eternal, God is eternal.
The soul must also be eternal. Why? In the first place we see that the soul is not matter. It is neither a gross body, nor a fine body, which we call mind or thought. It is neither a physical body, nor what in Christianity is called a spiritual body. It is the gross body and the spiritual body that are liable to change. The gross body is liable to change almost every minute and dies, but the spiritual body endures through long periods, until one becomes free, when it also falls away. When a man becomes free, the spiritual body disperses. The gross body disintegrates every time a man dies. The soul not being made of any particles must be indestructible. What do we mean by destruction? Destruction is disintegration of the materials out of which anything is composed. If this glass is broken into pieces, the materials will disintegrate, and that will be the destruction of the glass. Disintegration of particles is what we mean by destruction. It naturally follows that nothing that is not composed of particles can be destroyed, can ever be disintegrated. The soul is not composed of any materials. It is unity indivisible. Therefore it must be indestructible. For the same reasons it must also be without any beginning. So the soul is without any beginning and end.
We have three entities. Here is nature which is infinite, but changeful. The whole of nature is without beginning and end, but within it are multifarious changes. It is like a river that runs down to the sea for thousands of years. It is the same river always, but it is changing every minute, the particles of water are changing their position constantly. Then there is God, unchangeable, the ruler; and there is the soul unchangeable as God, eternal but under the ruler. One is the master, the other the servant, and the third one is nature.
God being the cause of the projection, the continuance, and the dissolution of the universe, the cause must be present to produce the effect. Not only so, the cause becomes the effect. Glass is produced out of certain materials and certain forces used by the manufacturer. In the glass there are those forces plus the materials. The forces used have become the force of adhesion, and if that force goes the glass will fall to pieces; the materials also are undoubtedly in the glass. Only their form is changed. The cause has become the effect. Wherever you see an effect you can always analyze it into a cause, the cause manifests itself as the effect. It follows, if God is the cause of the universe, and the universe is the effect, that God has become the universe. If souls are the effect, and God the cause, God has become the souls. Each soul, therefore, is a part of God. "As from a mass of fire an infinite number of sparks fly, even so from the Eternal One all this universe of souls has come out."
We have seen that there is the eternal God, and there is eternal nature. And there is also an infinite number of eternal souls. This is the first stage in religion, it is called dualism, the stage when man sees himself and God eternally separate, when God is a separate entity by Him, self and man is a separate entity by himself and nature is a separate entity by itself. This is dualism, which holds that the subject and the object are opposed to each other in everything. When man looks at nature, he is the subject and nature the object. He sees the dualism between subject and object. When he looks at God, he sees God as object and himself as the subject. They are entirely separate. This is the dualism between man and God. This is generally the first view of religion.
Then comes another view which I have just shown to you. Man begins to find out that if God is the cause of the universe and the universe the effect, God Himself must have become the universe and the souls, and he is but a particle of which God is the whole. We are but little beings, sparks of that mass of fire, and the whole universe is a manifestation of God Himself. This is the next step. In Sanskrit, it is called Vishishtâdvaita. Just as I have this body and this body covers the soul, and the soul is in and through this body, so this whole universe of infinite souls and nature forms, as it were, the body of God. When the period of involution comes, the universe becomes finer and finer, yet remains the body of God. When the gross manifestation comes, then also the universe remains the body of God. Just as the human soul is the soul of the human body and minds so God is the Soul of our souls. All of you have heard this expression in every religion, "Soul of our souls". That is what is meant by it. He, as it were, resides in them, guides them, is the ruler of them all. In the first view, that of dualism, each one of us is an individual, eternally separate from God and nature. In the second view, we are individuals, but not separate from God. We are like little particles floating in one mass, and that mass is God. We are individuals but one in God. We are all in Him. We are all parts of Him, and therefore we are One. And yet between man and man, man and God there is a strict individuality, separate and yet not separate.
Then comes a still finer question. The question is: Can infinity have parts? What is meant by parts of infinity? If you reason it out, you will find that it is impossible. Infinity cannot be divided, it always remains infinite. If it could be divided, each part would be infinite. And there cannot be two infinites. Suppose there were, one would limit the other, and both would be finite. Infinity can only be one, undivided. Thus the conclusion will be reached that the infinite is one and not many, and that one Infinite Soul is reflecting itself through thousands and thousands of mirrors, appearing as so many different souls. It is the same Infinite Soul, which is the background of the universe, that we call God. The same Infinite Soul also is the background of the human mind which we call the human soul.
文本来自Wikisource公共领域。原版由阿德瓦伊塔修道院出版。