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中文
1→目标 2→ 3→（1900年3月27日讲于旧金山） 4→ 5→我们发现，人仿佛始终被某种比 6→自身更伟大的事物所围绕，他试图把握这其中的意义。人将永远〔追寻〕 7→最高的理想。他知道它的存在，宗教就是对 8→最高理想的寻求。起初，他的一切寻求皆在外部 9→领域——置于天堂，置于不同的地方——恰恰依据〔他 10→对〕人之完整本性的把握程度。 11→ 12→〔其后，〕人开始更仔细地审视自身，开始发现 13→那真实的"我"并非他通常所代表的"我"。他 14→在感官面前的显现，并非他真实的样子。他开始〔寻求〕 15→深入自身，并发现……他〔曾置于〕 16→自身之外的同一理想，始终就在内里；他在外面所崇拜的 17→，正是他自己真实的内在本性。二元论与一元论的区别是： 18→当理想被置于〔自身〕之外，便是二元论。当神被 19→〔寻求〕于内，便是一元论。 20→ 21→首先，古老的为何与何故之问……人是如何变得 22→有限的？无限如何变为有限，纯净如何变为不净？在 23→首要之处，你须永远不忘，这个问题永远无法 24→被任何二元论假设所回答。 25→ 26→为何神创造了不净的宇宙？为何人如此痛苦，竟由一位 27→完美、无限、慈悲的父所造？为何有这天地，凝视 28→它，我们得出了我们的法则观念？没有人能想象他未曾 29→见过的事物。 30→ 31→我们在此生中所感受的一切折磨，我们将其置于另一个地方，那便是 32→我们的地狱…… 33→ 34→为何无限的神创造了这个世界？〔二元论者说：〕正如 35→陶匠制造陶罐。神是陶匠，我们是陶罐……在更哲学化的 36→语言中，问题是：人的真实本性是纯净、完美、无限的， 37→这是如何被视为理所当然的？这是一元论任何体系中所发现的唯一困难。 38→其他一切皆清晰明了。这个问题 39→无法回答。一元论者说，问题本身便是一个矛盾。 40→ 41→取二元论体系——问及神为何创造了 42→世界。这是自相矛盾的。为何？因为——神的观念是什么？祂是 43→一个无法被任何外部事物所作用的存在。 44→ 45→你我皆不自由。我渴了。有一种叫做口渴的东西，对此 46→我没有控制，〔它〕迫使我饮水。我身体的每一个行动 47→乃至我心灵的每一个思想都是被迫而出的。我不得不 48→去做。这便是我受缚的原因……我被迫做这，拥有这， 49→如此等等……何谓为何与何故？〔即受制于 50→外力。〕你为何饮水？因为口渴迫使你。你是 51→奴隶。你从未凭自己的意志做任何事，因为你被迫 52→做一切。你行动的唯一动机是某种力量…… 53→ 54→大地本身绝不会运动，除非有什么迫使它。为何 55→光在燃烧？它不会燃烧，除非有人划上一根火柴。 56→整个自然，一切皆受缚。奴役，奴役！与自然和谐 57→便是〔奴役〕。做自然的奴隶，住在一个黄金牢笼里，有什么可取之处？ 58→最伟大的法则与秩序在于〔认识 59→到人本质上是自由而神圣的〕。现在我们看到，为何与何故之问只能在〔无知中〕被提出。 60→我只能通过别的某物被迫去做 61→某事。 62→ 63→〔你说〕神是自由的。你又问神为何创造世界。 64→你自相矛盾。神的含义是完全的自由意志。 65→用逻辑语言提出的问题是这样的：是什么迫使祂，那永远无法被 66→任何人所迫的祂，去创造世界？你在同一问题中说，是什么 67→迫使祂？这问题毫无意义。祂就其本性而言是无限的；祂 68→是自由的。当你能以逻辑语言提问，我们便来回答。 69→理性将告诉你，只有一个实在，别无其他。 70→凡二元论兴起之处，一元论终将占据主导而驱逐之。 71→ 72→理解这一点只有一个困难。宗教是 73→一件常识性的、日常的事物。街上的人，若你用 74→他的语言而非〔用〕哲学家的语言来说，他便能明白。 75→人类本性中有一种共同的倾向——〔投射自身〕。想想你对 76→孩子的感受。〔你认同自身与它。那么〕你有了两个身体。 77→〔同样地，〕你可以经由你丈夫的心灵去感受。你能在哪里停下来？你 78→可以在无限的身体中感受。 79→ 80→自然每天被人所征服。作为一个种族，人正在显现其 81→力量。试在想象中为人的这种力量设定一个极限。你承认 82→作为一个种族，人拥有无限的力量，拥有〔一个〕无限的身体。唯一的 83→问题是你是谁。你是那个种族还是某一个〔个体〕？当你 84→孤立自身，一切皆伤害你。当你扩展，为他人 85→而感受，你便获得帮助。自私之人是世界上最痛苦的人。 86→最快乐的人是完全不自私的人。他已成为 87→整个造化，整个种族，神〔就〕在他之内……故在二元论 88→——基督教、印度教及一切宗教——的伦理规范中……是：不要 89→自私……为他人！扩展！…… 90→ 91→无知者可以很容易地被使其理解〔这一点〕，而有学识者 92→可以更容易地被使其理解。但那刚刚略懂皮毛的人， 93→神本身也无法使他理解。〔真理是，〕 94→你并非独立于〔这个宇宙之外〕；正如你的〔灵〕是〔不〕 95→独立于你其余部分的。若〔不〕如此，你什么也看不见， 96→什么也感受不到。我们的身体不过是物质之洋中的 97→小旋涡。生命正在转弯并以另一种形态继续前行…… 98→太阳、月亮、星辰，你我不过是些旋涡。为何我 99→选择〔某一特定心灵为己有？它不过〕是心灵之洋中的 100→一个精神旋涡。 101→ 102→我的振动如何能在此刻触达你？若你向湖中投石， 103→它激起振动，〔那振动使〕水进入 104→振动状态。我将自己的心灵投入喜乐之境，那趋势便是 105→在你的心灵中激起同样的喜乐。在你的心灵或心中，你曾多少次 106→〔想到某事〕，而无需〔言语〕沟通，〔他人便得到了你的 107→思想〕？我们处处合一……这便是我们永远无法理解的。整 108→个〔宇宙〕由时间、空间与因果构成。神〔显现为 109→这宇宙〕……自然从何时开始？当你〔忘记自己的真实 110→本性而〕变得〔受缚于时间、空间与因果之时〕。 111→ 112→这便是你的身体的〔旋转〕圆，然而那是你的无限 113→本性……那确实是自然——时间、空间与因果。那便是 114→自然的全部含义。时间始于你开始思考之时。空间始于 115→你得到身体之时；否则不可能有任何空间。因果始于 116→你变得有限之时。我们必须有某种回答。答案就在这里。 117→〔我们的限制〕是游戏。只为了乐趣。没有任何事物束缚你； 118→没有任何事物〔强迫你。你从〕未受缚。我们都在扮演 119→我们自己创造的〔这场游戏〕中的角色。 120→ 121→但让我们提出另一个关于个性的问题。有些人如此 122→害怕失去其个性。若猪能成为神，失去其猪的个性不是更好吗？是的。但可怜的猪在当时 123→并不这么想。我的个性是哪个状态？当我是个婴儿 124→趴在地板上试图吞进自己的拇指？那便是 125→我应为之惋惜的个性？五十年后，我将回顾 126→这个现在的状态并发笑，正如我〔现在〕回顾婴儿状态一样。 127→这些个性中，我该保留哪一个？…… 128→ 129→ 130→我们须理解这个个性究竟意味着什么……〔有 131→两种相反的倾向：〕一是保护个性， 132→另一是强烈的牺牲个性的渴望……母亲 133→为需要照料的婴儿牺牲了一切自己的意志……当她将 134→婴儿抱在臂弯里，个性的呼唤，自我保存的呼唤已不再 135→被听见。她自己会吃最差的食物，但她的孩子将享有最好的。所以 136→为了我们所爱的人，我们都准备赴死。 137→ 138→〔一方面〕我们正在努力维护这种个性；另一方面，试图消灭它。结果如何？汤姆·布朗可能努力 139→挣扎。他正在〔为〕他的个性〔而战〕。汤姆死去，地球表面 140→甚至没有泛起一丝涟漪。十九 141→百年前诞生了一个犹太人，他从未动一根手指来维护自己的个性。 142→……想想吧！那个犹太人从未挣扎以保护他的个性。 143→ 144→这便是他成为世界上最伟大之人的原因。这是世界所 145→不知道的。 146→ 147→终将，我们将成为个体。但在什么意义上？人的 148→个性是什么？不是汤姆·布朗，而是人中之神。那是〔真实的〕 149→个性。人越是接近那个，他越是放弃了 150→他的虚假个性。他越是试图为〔自己〕积累与获取一切， 151→他便越不是一个个体。他越少想到 152→〔自己〕，他在一生中越多牺牲了一切个性， 153→……他便越是一个个体。这是世界所不 154→了解的一个秘密。 155→ 156→我们须首先理解个性的含义。它是达到 157→理想。你现在是男人，〔或〕你是女人。你将不断改变。 158→你能停下来吗？你想保持你现在的心灵状态——那些愤怒、 159→憎恨、嫉妒、争吵，心灵中所有千百种事物？ 160→你的意思是你将保留它们吗？……你无法在任何地方停下来， 161→……直到完美的征服已经实现，直到你是纯净的，你是 162→完美的。 163→ 164→当你完全是爱、喜乐、无限的存在时，你不再有愤怒…… 165→你将保留哪个身体？你无法在任何地方停下来，直到你 166→来到永不终结的生命。无限的生命！你停在那里。你现在有 167→一点知识，并始终试图获取更多。你将在哪里停下来？ 168→无处可停，直到你与生命本身合而为一…… 169→ 170→许多人以快乐〔为〕目标。为了那快乐，他们只寻求 171→感官。在更高的领域中有更多的快乐可以寻求。然后在 172→灵性领域。然后在自身之内——神在他之内。其快乐 173→在〔自身〕之外的人，当那外部事物消逝，便变得痛苦。你 174→无法将这种快乐依托于宇宙中的任何事物。若我所有的 175→快乐皆在自身之内，我必定时刻都有快乐，因为我 176→永远无法失去我的真我……母亲、父亲、孩子、妻子、身体、财富—— 177→除了真我，一切我都可以失去……真我中的喜乐，一切渴望 178→皆包含于真我之中……这是永不改变的个性， 179→这是完美的。 180→ 181→……那么如何得到它？他们发现世界上的伟大灵魂——所有 182→伟大男女——所发现的〔通过持续的辨别〕……那些二十神、三十神的二元论理论又如何？无所谓。 183→ 184→他们都拥有这一个真理，即这虚假的个性必须消逝……故 185→这自我——它越少，我便越接近我真正 186→所是的：宇宙之身。我越少思及自己的个体心灵， 187→我便越接近那宇宙心灵。我越少思及自己的灵魂， 188→我便越接近宇宙灵魂。 189→ 190→我们住在一个身体里。我们有些痛苦，有些快乐。就为了居住在这个身体中所拥有的这一点 191→快乐，我们准备杀死宇宙中的一切 192→以保全自身。若我们有两个身体，那不是好得多吗？ 193→如此继续，直至喜乐。我在每个人之中。借所有的双手我 194→劳作；借所有的双脚我行走。我借每一张口说话；我居住于每一个 195→身体之中。无限是我的身体，无限是我的心灵。我曾居住于拿撒勒人耶稣、 196→佛陀、穆罕默德之中——居住于过去与当下所有伟大善良的人之中。 197→我将继续居住于此后〔可能〕到来的一切之中。这是 198→理论吗？〔不，这是真理。〕 199→ 200→若你能实现这一点，那将是无限更多的喜乐。多么 201→狂喜的喜悦！哪一个身体是如此伟大，以至于我们在这里需要任何 202→〔关于〕身体〔的东西〕……在居住于他人所有的身体、这世界上所有的身体之后，我们会怎样？〔我们将与 203→无限合为一体。而〕那便是目标。那是唯一的方式。一〔位人〕说，"若我 204→知道真理，我将如黄油一般融化。"我真希望人们能够如此， 205→但他们太顽固，无法那么迅速地融化！ 206→ 207→ 208→我们该如何才能自由？你已经自由了……自由者怎么可能 209→被束缚？这是谎言。〔你〕从未受缚。无限者怎么可能 210→被任何事物所限制？无限除以无限，加上 211→无限，乘以无限，〔仍是〕无限。你是无限的；神 212→是无限的。你们一切皆是无限的。不可能有两种存在，只有一种。 213→无限永远无法被变为有限。你从未受缚。就是这样…… 214→你已经自由了。你已达到目标——一切可达之物。 215→永远不要让心灵认为你还未达到目标…… 216→ 217→我们〔思〕什么，我们便成为什么。若你认为自己是可怜的罪人，你 218→便催眠了自己："我是个可怜、爬行的虫。"那些相信 219→地狱的人，死时便在地狱；那些说他们将去天堂的人 220→〔便去天堂〕。 221→ 222→一切皆是游戏……〔你或许说，〕"我们必须做些事；让我们 223→行善。"〔但〕谁在乎善与恶？游戏！全能的神在游戏。就是 224→这样……你是在游戏的全能之神。若你想在旁边游戏 225→并扮演乞丐的角色，你〔不该责怪他人逼迫你做出 226→那个选择〕。你享受做乞丐。你知道自己的真实本性〔是 227→神圣的〕。你是国王，而你在游戏自己是乞丐……这都是乐趣。 228→知道它并游戏。这便是其中的全部。然后去实践它。整个 229→宇宙是一场宏大的游戏。一切皆好，因为一切皆是乐趣。这颗星来了， 230→与我们的地球相撞，我们都死了。〔那也是乐趣。〕你只 231→把令感官愉悦的那些小事称为乐趣！……
1→〔我们被告知，〕这里有一个善神，那里有一个恶神，时刻 2→守候，一旦我犯错便来抓住我……当我还是一个 3→孩子时，有人告诉我神观察一切。我上床睡觉， 4→抬头仰望，期待房间的天花板会打开。〔什么都没发生。〕 5→没有人在看我们，除了我们自己。没有主，除了我们〔自己的真我〕；没有 6→自然，除了我们所感受的。习惯是第二天性；它也是第一天性。它 7→就是自然的全部。我重复〔某事〕两三次；它 8→便成为我的天性。不要悲苦！不要悔恨！已做之事已经做了。 9→若你灼伤了自己，〔承担后果〕。 10→ 11→……理智一点。我们犯错；那又如何？这都是游戏中的事。他们 12→为自己的过往罪孽如此发狂，哀叹、哭泣，凡此种种。不要 13→悔恨！做了工作之后，不要再想它。继续前行！不要停下！不要 14→回头看！回头看你能得到什么？你什么也不失去，什么也不 15→得到。你不会像黄油一样融化。天堂、地狱与 16→轮回[Samsara]——都是无稽之谈！ 17→ 18→谁生谁死？你正在嬉戏，玩弄诸世界及 19→诸如此类。你想保留这个身体多久就保留多久。若你不喜欢它，就不要 20→拥有它。无限是真实的；有限是游戏。你是 21→无限之身与有限之身合而为一。知道它！但知识不会 22→带来任何改变；游戏仍将继续……两个词——灵魂与身体 23→——已被联结在一起。〔片面的〕知识是其原因。知道你始终 24→是自由的。知识的火焰燃尽一切〔杂质与 25→限制〕。我就是那无限…… 26→ 27→你在开始时是多么自由，现在是，将来也永远是。 28→知道自己自由的人便是自由的；知道自己受缚的人便是 29→受缚的。 30→ 31→神与礼拜及所有这些又将如何？它们各有其位。我已 32→将自己分为神与我；我成为被礼拜者，而我礼拜 33→我自己。为何不？神即是我。为何不礼拜我的真我[Atman]？宇宙之神——祂 34→也是我的真我。这都是乐趣。没有其他目的。 35→ 36→生命的终结与目标是什么？没有，因为我〔知道我是 37→无限的〕。若你是乞丐，你可以有目标。我没有目标、没有欲求、 38→没有目的。我来到你们的国家，演讲——不过是为了乐趣。没有其他 39→含义。能有什么含义呢？只有奴隶才为别人而行动。 40→你不为任何他人而行动。当它适合你，你礼拜。你 41→可以加入基督徒、穆罕默德信徒、中国人、日本人。你可以 42→礼拜所有曾经存在的和将要存在的神…… 43→ 44→我在太阳、月亮与星辰之中。我与神同在，我在所有 45→神之中。我礼拜我的真我。 46→ 47→还有另一面。我将它保留在心中。我就是那将被绞死的人。我是所有的邪恶者。我在地狱中受惩。 48→那〔也〕是乐趣。这便是哲学的目标〔——知道我是 49→无限的〕。目标、动机、目的与责任皆退居幕后…… 50→ 51→这个真理首先要被聆听，然后要被思考。推理， 52→用一切方式来辩论它。启悟者所知不过如此。 53→确知你在一切之中。这便是你不应 54→伤害任何人的原因，因为伤害他们便是伤害你自己……〔最后，〕 55→这要被冥想。思念它。你能否意识到将有一个时刻，一切都将化为尘土，而你将独自站立？ 56→那狂喜喜悦的时刻将永远不会离开你。你将实际发现 57→你是没有身体的。你从未拥有过身体。 58→ 59→ 60→我是独一，孤然，贯穿整个永恒。我该惧怕谁？这一切皆是我的真我。 61→这要持续地被冥想。通过那冥想而来觉悟[Samadhi]。 62→正是通过觉悟，你才成为对他人的〔祝福〕…… 63→ 64→ 65→"你的面容闪耀着〔如〕一位认识了神之人〔的光芒〕。"那便是目标。这不该像我正在做的这样被宣讲。"在一棵 66→树下，我看见一位老师，一个十六岁的少年；弟子是一个八十岁的 67→老人。老师在寂静中教导，弟子的疑惑 68→消散了。"谁在说话呢？谁点燃一支蜡烛 69→来看太阳？当真理〔显现〕，无需任何见证。你知道它 70→……那便是你将要做的：……去实现它。〔首先思考 71→它。推理它。满足你的好奇心。然后〔只〕思考别无其他。我 72→真希望我们从未读过任何东西。主啊，帮助我们一切人！看看〔一个有学识的〕人 73→变成了什么。 74→ 75→"这样说了，那样说了……" 76→ 77→"你说什么，我的朋友？" 78→ 79→"我什么都不说。"〔他引用〕别人的一切思想；但他自己什么都不 80→思考。若这是教育，什么是疯狂？看看所有写作的人！ 81→……这些现代作家，连两句话都不是自己的！全是 82→引用…… 83→ 84→书本没有多大价值，而在〔二手的〕宗教中没有 85→任何价值。这就像饮食。你的宗教不能满足我。 86→耶稣见到了神，佛陀见到了神。若你未曾见到神，你并不 87→比无神论者好多少。只不过他是安静的，而你说了许多，扰乱了 88→世界。书本、圣经与经典都没有用处。我在少年时遇见了 89→一位老人；〔他没有研习任何经典，但他 90→以一触而传达了神的真理〕。 91→ 92→沉默吧，世界的教师们。沉默吧，书本们。主啊，唯你独自说话， 93→而你的仆人在倾听……若真理不在那里，这 94→生命有何用？我们都以为会抓住它，但我们没有。我们大多数人只 95→抓住尘土。神不在那里。若没有神，生命有何用？宇宙中有 96→任何安息之所吗？〔这有赖于我们去找到它〕；只是我们 97→不〔努力寻求它。我们〕如同一小片海草，被 98→激流所载。 99→ 100→若有这个真理，若有神，它必定在我们内部……〔我必须 101→能够说，〕"我亲眼见过祂，"否则我没有 102→宗教。信仰、教义、布道并不构成宗教。是 103→觉悟，对神的感知〔，才是宗教〕。世界所礼拜的所有这些人的荣耀是什么？对他们而言，神不再是一种教义 104→〔。他们相信〕是因为他们的祖父相信它吗？不是。那是 105→对无限的觉悟，高于他们自己的身体、心灵与 106→一切。这个世界是真实的，在于它包含了一点点〔那〕 107→神的映照。我们爱善良的人，因为在他的面容上映照得 108→更多一些。我们必须自己去抓住它。没有其他方式。 109→ 110→ 111→那便是目标。为之奋斗！有你自己的圣经。有你自己的 112→基督。否则你并不是宗教的。不要空谈宗教。人们说啊说， 113→"他们中的一些人，沉浸在黑暗中，在其内心的骄傲里，认为 114→他们拥有光明。不仅如此，他们还愿意将他人 115→扛在肩上，结果二者皆坠入陷阱。"…… 116→ 117→没有任何教会靠自身得救。生于庙宇是好的，但死于庙宇或教堂则祸哉 118→那人。走出它！……那曾是 119→一个好的开始，但离开它！那是童年的地方……但就让它 120→如此吧！……直接去向神。不要理论，不要教义。唯有那时才会 121→一切疑惑消散。唯有那时一切弯曲才会变得笔直…… 122→ 123→在万象之中，那见到那个唯一者的人；在这无限的死亡之中， 124→那见到那一个生命的人；在万象之中，那 125→在自己灵魂中见到那永不改变者的人——于他，永恒的 126→平安。
English
THE GOAL
(Delivered in San Francisco, March 27, 1900)
We find that man, as it were, is always surrounded by something greater than himself, and he is trying to grasp the meaning of this. Man will ever [seek] the highest ideal. He knows that it exists and that religion is the search after the highest ideal. At first all his searches were in the external plane — placed in heaven, in different places — just according to [his grasp] of the total nature of man.
[Later,] man began to look at himself a little closer and began to find out that the real "me" was not the "me" that he stands for ordinarily. As he appears to the senses is not the same as he really is. He began to [search] inside of himself, and found out that . . . the same ideal he [had placed] outside of himself is all the time within; what he was worshipping outside was his own real inner nature. The difference between dualism and monism is that when the ideal is put outside [of oneself], it is dualism. When God is [sought] within, it is monism.
First, the old question of why and wherefore . . . How is it that man became limited? How did the Infinite become finite, the pure become impure? In the first place, you must never forget that this question can never be answered [by] any dualistic hypothesis.
Why did God create the impure universe? Why is man so miserable, made by a perfect, infinite, merciful Father? Why this heaven and earth, looking at which we get our conception of law? Nobody can imagine anything that he has not seen.
All the tortures we feel in this life, we put in another place and that is our hell . . . .
Why did the infinite God make this world? [The dualist says:] Just as the potter makes pots. God the potter; we the pots. . . . In more philosophical language the question is: How is it taken for granted that the real nature of man is pure, perfect, and infinite? This is the one difficulty found in any system of monism. Everything else is clean and clear. This question cannot be answered. The monists say the question itself is a contradiction.
Take the system of dualism — the question is asked why God created the world. This is contradictory. Why? Because — what is the idea of God? He is a being who cannot be acted upon by anything outside.
You and I are not free. I am thirsty. There is something called thirst, over which I have no control, [which] forces me to drink water. Every action of my body and even every thought of my mind is forced out of me. I have got to do it. That is why I am bound . . . . I am forced to do this, to have this, and so on . . . . And what is meant by why and wherefore? [Being subject to external forces.] Why do you drink water? Because thirst forces you. You are a slave. You never do anything of your own will because you are forced to do everything. Your only motive for action is some force. . . .
The earth, by itself, would never move unless something forced it. Why does the light burn? It does not burn unless somebody comes and strikes a match. Throughout nature, everything is bound. Slavery, slavery! To be in harmony with nature is [slavery]. What is there in being the slave of nature and living in a golden cage? The greatest law and order is in the [knowledge that man is essentially free and divine] Now we see that the question why and wherefore can only be asked [in ignorance]. I can only be forced to do something through something else.
[You say] God is free. Again you ask the question why God creates the world. You contradict yourself. The meaning of God is entirely free will. The question put in logical language is this: What forced Him, who can never be forced by anybody, to create the world? You say in the same question, What forced Him? The question is nonsense. He is infinite by His very nature; He is free. We shall answer questions when you can ask them in logical language. Reason will tell you that there is only one Reality, nothing else. Wherever dualism has risen, monism came to a head and drove it out.
There is only one difficulty in understanding this. Religion is a common-sense, everyday thing. The man in the street knows it if you put it in his language and not [if it is put] in a philosopher's language. It is a common thing in human nature to [project itself]. Think of your feeling with the child. [You identify yourself with it. Then] you have two bodies. [Similarly] you can feel through your husband's mind Where can you stop? You can feel in infinite bodies.
Nature is conquered by man every day. As a race, man is manifesting his power. Try in imagination to put a limit to this power in man. You admit that man as a race has infinite power, has [an] infinite body. The only question is what you are. Are you the race or one [individual]? The moment you isolate yourself, everything hurts you. The moment you expand and feel for others, you gain help. The selfish man is the most miserable in the world. The happiest is the man who is not at all selfish. He has become the whole creation, the whole race and God [is] within him. . . . So in dualism — Christian, Hindu, and all religions — the code of ethics . . . . is: Do not be selfish . . . . things for others! Expand! . . . .
The ignorant can be made to understand [this] very easily, and the learned can be made to understand still more easily. But the man who has just got a speck of learning, him God himself cannot make understand. [The truth is,] you are not separate [from this universe]; Just as your Spirit] is [not] separate from the rest of you. If [not] so, you could not see anything, could not feel anything. Our bodies are simply little whirlpools in the ocean of matter. Life is taking a turn and passing on, in another form . . . . The sun, the moon, the stars, you and I are mere whirlpools. Why did I select [a particular mind as mine? It is] simply a mental whirlpool in the ocean of mind.
How else is it possible that my vibration reaches you just now? If you throw a stone in the lake, it raises a vibration and [that stirs] the water into vibration. I throw my mind into the state of bliss and the tendency is to raise the same bliss in your mind. How often in your mind or heart [you have thought something] and without [verbal] communication, [others have got your thought]? Everywhere we are one. . . . That is what we never understand. The whole [universe] is composed of time, space, and causation. And God [appears as this universe]. . . . When did nature begin? When you [forgot your true nature and] became [bound by time, space, and causation].
This is the [rotating] circle of your bodies and yet that is your infinite nature. . . . That is certainly nature — time, space, and causation. That is all that is meant by nature. Time began when you began to think. Space began when you got the body; otherwise there cannot be any space. Causation began when you became limited. We have to have some sort of answer. There is the answer. [Our limitation] is play. Just for the fun of it. Nothing binds you; nothing forces [you. You were] never bound. We are all acting our parts in this [play] of our own invention.
But let us bring another question about individuality. Some people are so afraid of losing their individuality. Wouldn't it be better for the pig to lose his pig-individuality if he can become God? Yes. But the poor pig does not think so at the time. Which state is my individuality? When I was a baby sprawling on the floor trying to swallow my thumb? Was that the individuality I should be sorry to lose? Fifty years hence I shall look upon this present state and laugh, just as I [now] look upon the baby state. Which of these individualities shall I keep ? . . .
We are to understand what is meant by this individuality. . . . [There are two opposite tendencies:] one is the protection of the individuality, the other is the intense desire to sacrifice the individuality. . . . The mother sacrifices all her own will for the needy baby. . . . When she carries the baby in her arms, the call of individuality, of self-preservation is no more heard. She will eat the worst food, but her children will have the best. So for all the people we love we are ready to die.
[On the one hand] we are struggling hard to keep up this individuality; on the other hand, trying to kill it. With what result? Tom Brown may struggle hard. He is [fighting] for his individuality. Tom dies and there is not a ripple anywhere upon the surface of the earth. There was a Jew born nineteen hundred years ago, and he never moved a finger to keep his individuality. . . . Think of that! That Jew never struggled to protect his individuality. That is why he became the greatest in the world. This is what the world does not know.
In time we are to be individuals. But in what sense? What is the individuality of man? Not Tom Brown, but God in man. That is the [true] individuality. The more man has approached that, the more he has given up his false individuality. The more he tries to collect and gain everything [for himself], the less he is an individual. The less he has thought of [himself], the more he has sacrificed all individuality during his lifetime, . . . the more he is an individual. This is one secret the world does not understand.
We must first understand what is meant by individuality. It is attaining the ideal. You are man now, [or] you are woman. You will change all the time. Can you stop? Do you want to keep your minds as they are now — the angels, hatreds, jealousies, quarrels, all the thousand and one things in the mind? Do you mean to say that you will keep them? . . . You cannot stop anywhere . . . until perfect conquest has been achieved, until you are pure and you are perfect.
You have no more anger when you are all love, bliss, infinite existence. . . . Which of your bodies will you keep? You cannot stop anywhere until you come to life that never ends. Infinite life! You stop there. You have a little knowledge now and are always trying to get more. Where will you stop? Nowhere, until you become one with life itself. . . .
Many want pleasure [as] the goal. For that pleasure they seek only the senses. On the higher planes much pleasure is to be sought. Then on spiritual planes. Then in himself — God within him. The man whose pleasure is outside of [himself] becomes unhappy when that outside thing goes. You cannot depend for this pleasure upon anything in this universe. If all my pleasures are in myself, I must have pleasure there all the time because I can never lose my Self. . . . Mother, father, child, wife, body, wealth — everything I can lose except my self . . . bliss in the Self All desire is contained in the Self. . . . This is individuality which never changes, and this is perfect.
. . . And how to get it? They find what the great souls of this world — all great men and women — found [through sustained discrimination]. . . . What of these dualistic theories of twenty gods, thirty gods? It does not matter. They all had the one truth, that this false individuality must go. . . . So this ego — the less there is of it, the nearer I am to that which I really am: the universal body. The less I think of my own individual mind, the nearer I am to that universal mind. The less I think of my own soul, the nearer I am to the universal soul.
We live in one body. We have some pain, some pleasure. Just for this little pleasure we have by living in this body, we are ready to kill everything in the universe to preserve ourselves. If we had two bodies, would not that be much better? So on and on to bliss. I am in everybody. Through all hands I work; through all feet I walk. I speak through every mouth; I live in every body. Infinite my bodies, infinite my minds. I lived in Jesus of Nazareth, in Buddha, in Mohammed — in all the great and good of the past, of the present. I am going to live in all that [may] come afterwards. Is that theory [No, it is the truth.]
If you can realise this, how infinitely more pleasurable that will be. What an ecstasy of joy! Which one body is so great that we need here anything [of] the body. . . After living in all the bodies of others, all the bodies there are in this world, what becomes of us? [We become one with the Infinite. And] that is the goal. That is the only way. One [man] says, "If I know the truth, I shall be melted away like butter." I wish people would be, but they are too tough to be melted so quickly!
What are we to do to be free? Free you are already. . . . How could the free ever be bound? It is a lie. [You were] never bound. How could the unlimited ever be limited by anything? Infinite divided by infinite, added to infinite, multiplied by infinite [remains] infinite. You are infinite; God is infinite. You are all infinite. There cannot be two existences, only one. The Infinite can never be made finite. You are never bound. That is all. . . . You are free already. You have reached the goal — all there is to reach. Never allow the mind to think that you have not reached the goal. . . .
Whatever we [think] that we become. If you think you are poor sinners you hypnotise yourselves: "I am a miserable, crawling worm." Those who believe in hell are in hell when they die; those who say that they will go to heaven [go to heaven].
It is all play. . . . [You may say,] "We have to do something; let us do good." [But] who cares for good and evil? Play! God Almighty plays. That is all. . . .You are the almighty God playing. If you want to play on the side and take the part of a beggar, you are not [to blame someone else for making that choice]. You enjoy being the beggar. You know your real nature [to be divine]. You are the king and play you are a beggar. . . . It is all fun. Know it and play. That is all there is to it. Then practice it. The whole universe is a vast play. All is good because all is fun. This star comes and crashes with our earth, and we are all dead. [That too is fun.] You only think fun the little things that delight your senses! . . .
[We are told that there is] one good god here, and one bad god there always on the watch to grab me the moment I make a mistake. . . . When I was a child I was told by someone that God watches everything. I went to bed and looked up and expected the ceiling of the room to open. [Nothing happened.] Nobody is watching us except ourselves. No Lord except our [own Self]; no nature but what we feel. Habit is second nature; it is first nature also. It is all there is of nature. I repeat [something] two or three times; it becomes my nature. Do not be miserable! Do not repent! What is done is done. If you burn yourself, [take the consequences].
. . . Be sensible. We make mistakes; what of that? That is all in fun. They go so crazy over their past sins, moaning and weeping and all that. Do not repent! After having done work, do not think of it. Go on! Stop not! Don't look back! What will you gain by looking back? You lose nothing, gain nothing. You are not going to be melted like butter. Heavens and hells and incarnations — all nonsense!
Who is born and who dies? You are having fun, playing with worlds and all that. You keep this body as long as you like. If you do not like it, do not have it. The Infinite is the real; the finite is the play. You are the infinite body and the finite body in one. Know it! But knowledge will not make any difference; the play will go on. . . . Two words — soul and body — have been joined. [Partial] knowledge is the cause. Know that you are always free. The fire of knowledge burns down all the [impurities and limitations]. I am that Infinite. . . .
You are as free as you were in the beginning, are now, and always will be. He who knows that he is free is free; he who knows that he is bound is bound.
What becomes of God and worship and all that? They have their place. I have divided myself into God and me; I become the worshipped and I worship myself. Why not? God is I. Why not worship my Self? The universal God — He is also my Self. It is all fun. There is no other purpose.
What is the end and aim of life? None, because I [know that I am the Infinite]. If you are beggars, you can have aims. I have no aims, no want, no purpose. I come to your country, and lecture — just for fun. No other meaning. What meaning can be there? Only slaves do actions for somebody else. You do actions for nobody else. When it suits you, you worship. You can join the Christians, the Mohammedans, the Chinese, the Japanese. You can worship all the gods that ever were and are ever going to be. . . .
I am in the sun, the moon, and the stars. I am with God and I am in all the gods. I worship my Self.
There is another side to it. I have kept it in reserve. I am the man that is going to be hanged. I am all the wicked. I am getting punished in hells. That [also] is fun. This is the goal of philosophy [to know that I am the Infinite]. Aims, motives, purposes, and duties live in the background. . . .
This truth is first to be listened to then to be thought about. Reason, argue it out by all manner of means. The enlightened know no more than that. Know it for certain that you are in everything. That is why you should not hurt anybody, because in hurting them you hurt yourself. . . . [Lastly,] this is to be meditated upon. Think upon it. Can you realise there will come a time when everything will crumble in the dust and you will stand alone? That moment of ecstatic joy will never leave you. You will actually find that you are without bodies. You never had bodies.
I am One, alone, through all eternity. Whom shall I fear? It is all my Self. This is continuously to be meditated upon. Through that comes realisation. It is through realisation that you become a [blessing] to others. . . .
"Thy face shines like [that of] one who has known God." That is the goal. This is not to be preached as I am doing. "Under a tree I saw a teacher, a boy of sixteen; the disciple was an old man of eighty. The teacher was teaching in silence, and the doubts of the disciple vanished." And who speaks? Who lights a candle to see the sun? When the truth [dawns], no witness is necessary. You know it . . . . That is what you are going to do: . . . realise it. [first think of it. Reason it out. Satisfy your curiosity. Then [think] of nothing else. I wish we never read anything. Lord help us all! Just see what [a learned] man becomes.
"This is said, and that is said. . . ."
"What do you say, my friend?"
"I say nothing." [He quotes] everybody else's thought; but he thinks nothing. If this is education, what is lunacy? Look at all the men who wrote! . . . These modern writers, not two sentences their own! All quotations. . . .
There is not much value in books, and in [secondhand] religion there is no value whatsoever. It is like eating. Your religion would not satisfy me Jesus saw God and Buddha saw God. If you have not seen God, you are no better than the atheist. Only he is quiet, and you talk much and disturb the world with your talk. Books and bibles and scriptures are of no use. I met an old man when I was a boy; [he did not study any scripture, but he transmitted the truth of God by a touch].
Silence ye teachers of the world. Silence ye books. Lord, Thou alone speak and Thy servant listeneth. . . . If truth is not there, what is the use of this life? We all think we will catch it, but we do not. Most of us catch only dust. God is not there. If no God, what is the use of life? Is there any resting-place in the universe? [It is up to us to find it]; only we do not [search for it intensely. We are] like a little piece of maw carried on in the current.
If there is this truth, if there is God, it must be within us. . . . [I must be able to say,] "I have seen Him with my eyes," Otherwise I have no religion. Beliefs, doctrines, sermons do not make religion. It is realisation, perception of God [which alone is religion]. What is the glory of all these men whom the world worships? God was no more a doctrine [for them. Did they believe] because their grandfather believed it? No. It was the realisation of the Infinite, higher than their own bodies, minds, and everything. This world is real inasmuch as it contains a little bit [of] the reflection of that God. We love the good man because in his face shines the reflection a little more. We must catch it ourselves. There is no other way.
That is the goal. Struggle for it! Have your own Bible. Have your own Christ. Otherwise you are not religious. Do not talk religion. Men talk and talk. "Some of them, steeped in darkness, in the pride of their hearts think that they have the light. And not only [that], they offer to take others upon their shoulders and both fall into the pit." . . .
No church ever saved by itself. It is good to be born in a temple, but woe unto the person who dies in a temple or church. Out of it! . . . It was a good beginning, but leave it! It was the childhood place . . . but let it be! . . . Go to God directly. No theories, no doctrines. Then alone will all doubts vanish. Then alone will all crookedness be made straight. . . .
In the midst of the manifold, he who sees that One; in the midst of this infinite death, he who sees that one life; in the midst of the manifold, he who sees that which never changes in his own soul — unto him belongs eternal peace.
文本来自Wikisource公共领域。原版由阿德瓦伊塔修道院出版。