宗教的修习
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中文
宗教的修炼
（1900年4月18日，于加利福尼亚州阿拉米达演讲）
我们阅读了许多书籍，许多典籍。我们从童年起便接受各种观念，并不时加以改变。我们自以为理解了理论性宗教的含义。我们自以为理解了实践性宗教的含义。而今，我要向你们呈现我关于实践性宗教的理解。
我们在周围无处不听到关于实践性宗教的论说，分析所有这些，我们发现它可以归结为一个概念——对同类的慈善。这就是宗教的全部吗？我们每天都在这个国家听到关于实践性基督教的论说——某人为同类做了些好事。这就是全部吗？
生命的目标是什么？这个世界就是生命的目标吗？仅此而已吗？我们是否只能维持现状，一无所增？人难道只是一台平稳运转、毫无障碍的机器吗？他今日所经历的种种苦难，难道就是他所能拥有的全部，而他不渴望任何更多的东西吗？
许多宗教的最高梦想，不过是这个世界……绝大多数人梦想着那样一个时代的到来，届时不再有疾病、贫困或任何形式的苦难。他们将拥有四面皆宜的美好时光。所谓实践性宗教，因此不过是说："清扫街道！把它弄得漂漂亮亮！"我们看到所有人都在享受其中。
享乐是生命的目标吗？若果如此，成为人类便是一个天大的错误。有哪个人进食时的津津有味能够胜过狗或猫？去动物园看看那些野兽如何从骨上撕扯肉块。干脆回去做一只鸟吧！……成为人类是多么大的错误！我耗费数百年挣扎奋斗，不过是成为一个感官享乐之人，真是枉费心机。
因此，仔细审视这种实践性宗教的通常理论，看看它通向何处。慈善是伟大的，但当你说那就是全部时，你便有堕入唯物主义的危险。那不是宗教，那并不比无神论好多少——甚至稍逊一筹……你们基督徒，难道在《圣经》中没有找到任何其他东西，只有为同类服务、兴建医院？……这里站着一个店主，说耶稣本该如何经营这家店！耶稣既不会开酒馆，也不会开商店，也不会编辑报纸。那种实践性宗教是好的，不是坏的；但那只是宗教的幼稚园阶段，通向虚无……若你们信仰神，若你们是基督徒，且每日复诵"愿你的旨意成就"，试想那意味着什么！你们每时每刻都在说"愿你的旨意成就"，实则是在说"哦，神啊，愿你来成就我的旨意。"无限者正在实现祂自己的计划。连祂也犯了错误，而你我却要去纠正！宇宙的建筑师要向木匠们学习！祂把世界留成了一个肮脏的窟窿，而你们要把它变成一个美丽的地方！
这一切的目标究竟是什么？感官难道能够成为目标？享受快乐难道能够成为目标？这种生命难道能够成为灵魂的目标？若果真如此，此刻便死去倒更好；不需要这种生命！若人的命运就是成为一台更完美的机器，那无异于说我们要退回去成为树木、石块之类的东西。你可曾听见一头牛说谎，或看见一棵树偷窃？它们是完美的机器。它们不会犯错。它们生活在一个万事皆已完成的世界里……
那么，若实践性宗教不可能是这些，宗教的理想又是什么？它确实不可能是这些。我们来到这里是为了什么？我们来这里是为了自由，为了知识。我们渴望知识，以便使自身获得自由。这就是我们的生命：对自由的一声普遍呼唤。种子在地下萌发、掀开泥土、高举自身向着天空，究竟是什么原因？太阳献给大地的是什么？你的生命是什么？同样是对自由的挣扎。自然界四处试图压制我们，而灵魂渴望表达自身。与自然的搏斗正在进行。在这自由的挣扎中，许多事物将被压碎、被打破。那是你真实的苦难。战场上必然扬起大量的尘土与污物。自然说："我将征服。"灵魂说："我必是征服者。"自然说："等等！我给你一点享乐，让你安静下来。"灵魂稍享其乐，片刻间被迷惑，但下一刻它再度渴望自由。你是否注意到那亘古不息、贯穿诸世的永恒呼声，在每一个心灵深处涌动？我们被贫困所欺骗。我们获得财富，又被财富所欺骗。我们原本无知，我们读书学习，又被知识所欺骗。没有任何人是满足的。那是苦难的原因，但也是一切福祉的原因。那是确凿的征兆。你怎么能对这个世界感到满足呢？……若明天这个世界变成了天堂，我们将说："把这个带走，给我们别的东西。"
无限的人类灵魂，除无限本身之外，永不会得到满足……无限的渴望，只能由无限的知识来满足——别无他途。世界将来去更迭，那又如何？灵魂永活，永远扩展。世界必须进入灵魂之中。世界必须在灵魂中消逝，犹如海洋中的水滴。而这个世界竟要成为灵魂的目标！若我们拥有常识，便无法满足于此，尽管历代诗人皆以此为主题，总是告诉我们要知足。然而迄今还没有人真正满足！数百万先知告诫我们："安于你的本分吧"；诗人们歌咏。我们告诫自己要平静知足，然而我们依然无法如此。这是永恒的设计——这个世界中没有任何东西能够满足我的灵魂，在上面的诸天中没有，在下面也没有。在我灵魂的渴望面前，星辰与世界，上界与下界，整个宇宙，不过是一场令人憎厌的病，仅此而已。这就是其含义。若非如此，一切都是恶。若不理解这含义，每一种欲望都是恶；若不理解其真正的重要性、其目标，欲望便是恶。整个自然界通过每一个原子呼唤着同一件事——它完全的自由。
那么，实践性宗教是什么？达到那种状态——自由，获得解脱（Moksha）。这个世界，若它帮助我们趋向那个目标，那很好；若不然——若它开始在已有的千层缠缚之上再加一层，它便成为恶。财富、学问、美貌，其他一切——只要它们帮助我们趋向那个目标，便具有实际价值。当它们不再助我们趋向自由那个目标，便成为真实的危险。那么，实践性宗教是什么？将此世与来世的事物，都用于同一个目标——获得自由。每一种享乐、每一分快乐，都要以无限的心灵与精神的付出来换取。
看看这个世界中善与恶的总量。它改变了吗？诸多时代过去，实践性宗教运作了数个时代。世界每次都以为问题将得到解决。却永远是同样的问题。充其量，它不过是改换了形式……它以两万家商店取代了肺结核和神经疾病……就像陈年的风湿：把它从一处驱走，它转移到另一处。一百年前，人们步行或购置马匹。如今他乘火车，感到快乐；然而他不快乐，因为他不得不更加辛勤劳作、赚取更多。每一台节省劳动的机器，都给劳动带来更大的压力。
这个宇宙、自然，或你们所称呼的任何名称，都必定是有限的；它永远无法成为无限的。绝对者要成为自然，必须受到时间、空间与因果律的限制。我们可用的能量是有限的。你在一处消耗它，便在另一处失去它。总量永远相同。无论哪里有一道波峰，另一处必有一道波谷。若某个民族变得富裕，其他民族便变得贫穷。善与恶相互平衡。此刻站在浪头顶端的人以为万事皆好；处于底部的人说世界充满邪恶。然而那超然旁观的人看见了神圣的游戏正在展开。有些人哭泣，有些人欢笑。后者将在他们的轮次上哭泣，而前者则欢笑。我们能做什么？我们知道我们无能为力……
我们之中有多少人是因为想行善而去行善的？少之又少！屈指可数。其余人也行善，但那是因为我们被迫如此……我们无法停止。我们只是向前走，被从一处推搡至另一处。我们能做什么？世界将是同样的世界，大地依然如故。它将从蓝色变为棕色，从棕色变为蓝色。一种语言翻译成另一种语言，一组恶事替换为另一组恶事——这就是正在发生的一切……大同小异而已。森林中的美洲印第安人无法像你们一样参加形而上学的讲座，但他能消化他的餐食。把他切成碎片，下一刻他已浑然如故。你我若被划破，要在医院里养上六个月……
有机体越低等，感官快乐就越强烈。想想最低等的动物与触觉的力量。一切皆是触觉……当你来到人类，你会看到，人的文明越低，感官的力量便越强。……有机体越高等，感官快乐便越少。一条狗能够吃一顿饭，却无法理解思索形而上学时那精妙的愉悦。他被剥夺了你们借助智识所获得的那奇妙的愉悦。感官的快乐是伟大的，然而比感官快乐更伟大的，是智识的愉悦。当你在巴黎享用那精致的五十道菜肴大餐时，那确实是快乐。但在天文台中，凝望星辰，看见诸世的诞生与演化——想想那！那必定更为伟大，因为我知道你们会忘记进食这回事。那种快乐必定大于你从尘世事物中所得到的。你忘记了妻子、儿女、丈夫以及一切；你忘记了感官的层面。那是智识的愉悦。常识告诉我们，它必定大于感官的愉悦。为了获得更大的喜悦而放弃更小的喜悦，这是永恒的规律。这就是实践性宗教——获得自由，舍弃。舍弃！
舍弃较低之物，以获得较高之物。社会的基础是什么？道德、伦理、法律。舍弃。舍弃一切占有邻人财产的诱惑，舍弃一切伸手于邻人的冲动，舍弃一切凌弱欺压之乐，舍弃一切以谎言欺骗他人的快感。道德难道不是社会的基础吗？婚姻是什么，不过是对淫乱的舍弃？野蛮人不婚配，人类之所以婚配，是因为他舍弃。如此一再，舍弃！舍弃！牺牲！放下！不是为了虚无。不是为了一无所得。而是为了获得更高之物。但谁能做到这一点？除非你已获得了较高之物，否则你无法做到。你可以空谈。你可以挣扎。你可以努力做许多事情。然而当你获得了较高之物，舍弃便会自然而来。那时，较低之物自然脱落。
这就是实践性宗教。此外还有什么？清扫街道和兴建医院？它们的价值仅在于这种舍弃。舍弃是没有终点的。困难在于人们试图为它设定一个限度——至此为止，不再更多。然而舍弃没有界限。
神所在之处，没有其他。世界所在之处，没有神。这两者永远不会合一。犹如光明与黑暗。这便是我从基督教与那位导师的生命中所理解的。这不正是佛教吗？这不正是印度教吗？这不正是伊斯兰教吗？这不正是所有伟大圣贤与导师的教导吗？那必须被舍弃的世界是什么？就在这里。我随身携带着它。我自己的身体。正是为了这具身体，我自愿将手置于同类身上，只是为了使它舒适、给它一点快乐；正是为了这具身体，我伤害他人，犯下过错……
伟大的人已经逝去。软弱的人已经逝去。诸神也已逝去。到处是死亡——无处不死。这个世界是无限过去的一处坟场，然而我们仍然执着于这具身体："我永远不会死。"明明确知身体必定死亡，却仍然执着于它。这其中也有其深意，因为在某种意义上我们确实不死。错误在于我们执着于肉身，而灵性才是真正不朽的。
你们都是唯物主义者，因为你们相信自己是身体。若一人狠狠地打了我一拳，我会说是我被打了。若他击打我，我会说我被击打了。若我不是身体，我为何要这么说？无所谓我说自己是灵性与否。我此刻就是身体。我已将自身转化为物质。这就是为何我必须舍弃身体，回归我真正所是之物。我是灵性——那灵魂，没有任何器械能够刺穿，没有任何宝剑能够砍断，没有任何火焰能够焚烧，没有任何风能够使之枯竭。无生无创，无始无终，不死不生，无所不在——这就是我所是；而所有的苦难，不过是因为我以为这一小块黏土就是我自己。我将自身与物质等同，承担了所有的后果。
实践性宗教就是将自身与真我（Atman）认同。停止这错误的认同！你在这方面进展了多少？你也许建造了两千所医院，修筑了五万条道路，然而若你没有证悟自己是灵性，那又有何意义？你将死得像一条狗一样，带着与狗相同的感受。狗嚎叫哭泣，因为它知道自己不过是物质，即将消散于无形。
到处都有死亡，你知道，无可逃避的死亡，在水中，在空气中，在宫殿里，在监狱中——无处不是死亡。是什么使你无惧？当你证悟了你所是之物——那无限的灵性，无死无生。没有火焰能够焚烧祂，没有器械能够杀害祂，没有毒药能够伤害祂。不是理论，要注意。不是读书……不是鹦鹉学舌。我的老导师曾经说过："教导鹦鹉时时说'主啊，主啊，主啊'固然好；但让猫来抓住它的脖子，它便把这一切都忘了。"你可以时刻祈祷，读遍世界上所有的典籍，礼拜所有存在的神明，但除非你证悟灵魂，就没有自由。不是空谈，不是立论，不是辩论，而是证悟。那才是我所说的实践性宗教。
关于灵魂的这个真理，首先要被听闻。若你已听闻，要去思考它。思考之后，要去冥想它。不要再有无益的争论！一旦确信你是无限的灵性，那么你是身体这一说法必然是谬误的。你是真我（Self），而这必须被证悟。灵性必须将自身看作灵性。如今灵性将自身看作身体，这必须停止。你一旦开始证悟这一点，你便获得了解脱。
你们看见这只玻璃杯，你们知道那不过是一种幻觉。某些科学家告诉你们，那是光与振动……看见灵性必定比那无限地更为真实；那必定是唯一真实的状态，唯一真实的感觉，唯一真实的视觉。所有这些你们所见之物，不过是梦境。你们如今知道这一点了。不仅仅是古代的唯心主义者，现代物理学家也告诉你们：光就在那里，只是多一点振动便造就了一切差别……
你们必须看见神。灵性必须被证悟，那才是实践性宗教。基督所宣扬的——你们称之为实践性宗教的那些——并非这个："虚心的人有福了，因为天国是他们的。"那是一句玩笑吗？你们所想的实践性宗教是什么？上主帮助我们吧！"清心的人有福了，因为他们必得见神。"那意味着清扫街道、兴建医院以及诸如此类吗？行善事，当你以纯净的心去做时。不要给那人二十美元，然后购买旧金山所有的报纸来宣扬你的名字！你们难道没有在自己的典籍中读到，没有人能够帮助你吗？要以礼拜主自身的心情，在贫苦之人、悲惨之人、软弱之人中服务于主。这样去做，结果是次要的。那种不带任何利益之念而做出的工作，益于灵魂。天国正是属于这样的人。
天国就在我们内心。祂就在那里。祂是一切灵魂之灵魂。在你自己的灵魂中看见祂。那才是实践性宗教。那才是自由。让我们彼此问问，我们在这方面进展了多少：我们在多大程度上是身体的崇拜者，还是神与灵性的真实信仰者；我们在多大程度上相信自己是灵性。那才是无私的，那才是自由，那才是真正的礼拜。证悟自身。除此之外，别无他事可做。认识你的本来面目——无限的灵性。那才是实践性宗教。其余一切皆不实际，因为其余一切都将消逝。唯有那，永不消逝。它是永恒的。医院终将坍塌。铁路的捐建者都将死去。这颗地球将被炸成碎片，太阳也将熄灭。灵魂永恒长存。
哪个更高尚，追逐那些会消逝的事物，还是……礼拜那永恒不变的？哪个更实际，将生命的全部精力耗费于获取事物，而在你还未得到它们之前死亡便已来临，你不得不将它们全部抛下？——犹如那位征服了一切的伟大帝王，死亡降临之时说："把所有宝物排列在我面前。"他说："把那颗大钻石带来。"他把钻石放在胸口，哭泣起来。就这样哭泣着，他死去了，与那条狗的死如出一辙。
人说："我活着。"他不知道，正是对死亡的恐惧使他奴役般地依附于生命。他说："我享乐。"他从未梦想到，自然界已将他奴役。
自然界碾磨着我们所有人。数一数你所得到的那一点点快乐。到头来，自然界借助你完成了它的工作，当你死去，你的身体将滋养其他植物的生长。然而我们一直以为自己在享受快乐。于是轮子继续转动。
因此，将灵性证悟为灵性，才是实践性宗教。其余一切，只要引向这一宏大理念，便是好的。那证悟要通过舍弃、通过冥想来达到——舍弃一切感官，斩断那些将我们束缚于物质的绳结与锁链。"我不想获得物质生命，不想要感官的生活，而想要更高的东西。"那是舍弃。然后，凭借冥想的力量，消除已造成的损害。
我们处于自然界的召唤与驱使之下。若外面有声音，我不得不去听它。若有什么事情在发生，我不得不去看它。犹如猴子。我们每人都是两千只猴子的集合体。猴子极其好奇。所以我们无法自主，却把这称为"享受"。这语言多么奇妙！我们在享受这个世界！我们无法不享受它。自然界要我们如此。一种美妙的声音：我正在聆听它。仿佛我能够选择去听还是不听！自然界说："堕入苦难的深渊。"我立刻变得悲惨……我们谈论感官的快乐与财产。一个人认为我博学多识。另一人认为："他是个蠢货。"如此堕落，如此被奴役，却对此一无所知！我们在黑暗的房间里相互碰撞着脑袋。
冥想是什么？冥想是使我们能够抵御这一切的力量。自然界也许会呼唤我们："看那里，多美丽的东西！"我不看。现在她说："那里有一种美妙的气味，闻一闻！"我对我的鼻子说："不要去闻它"，鼻子就不闻了。"眼睛，不要去看！"自然界做出如此可怕之事——夺走我的一个孩子，然后说："现在，臭小子，坐下来哭吧！沉入深渊！"我说："我不需要如此。"我站起来跃起。我必须是自由的。有时试试吧……在冥想中，片刻之间，你可以改变这种自然的束缚。如今，若你自身拥有那种力量，那岂不是天堂，是自由？那就是冥想的力量。
如何获得它？有十几种不同的方式。每种气质都有其自己的方式。但总的原则是：把持住心智。心智犹如一座湖，每一块投入湖中的石块都激起波纹。这些波纹使我们无法看清自身是何物。满月映照在湖水中，然而湖面如此动荡，我们看不清那倒影。让它平静下来。不要让自然界激起波纹。保持宁静，不一会儿，她便会放开你。然后我们认识到自己是什么。神早已在那里，然而心智如此动荡，总是追逐感官。你关闭了感官，却仍然旋转翻腾不已。就在此刻，我以为一切都好，我要冥想于神，随即我的心智在一分钟内飞到了伦敦。若我把它从那里拉回，它又跑到纽约，去思索我过去在那里所做的事情。这些波纹必须借助冥想的力量加以平息。
我们要慢慢地逐步修炼自己。这绝非儿戏——这不是一天或数年的问题，也许要许多世的修行。无论如何！这牵引必须持续。要有意识地、自愿地持续这牵引。我们将一寸一寸地赢得地盘。我们将开始感受并获得真实的财富，那是没有任何人能从我们身上夺走的——没有人能夺走的财富，没有人能毁灭的财富，没有任何苦难能再伤害的喜悦……
这些年来，我们一直依赖他人。若我有一点快乐，而那个人离开了，我的快乐也随之消逝……看看人类的愚痴：他为了快乐而依赖人！一切分离都是苦难。这是自然的。依赖财富获得快乐？财富是起伏不定的。依赖健康或依赖任何事物，除了那不变的灵性，都必然在今日或明日带来苦难。
除了无限的灵性之外，其余一切都在变化。一切都在变易的旋涡之中。唯有你自身之中才有永恒。那里有无限的喜悦，不变的喜悦。冥想是向我们开启那扇门的。祈祷、礼仪以及所有其他形式的礼拜，不过是冥想的幼稚园。你祈祷，你献供。曾经有一种理论认为，每一种行为都能提升人的灵性力量。使用某些言辞、鲜花、图像、庙宇、礼仪——如摇曳的灯火——都能使心智趋向那种境界，然而那种境界永远存在于人的灵魂之中，而非他处。人们都在这样做；然而他们在无意识中所做的，要有意识地去做。那就是冥想的力量。你所拥有的一切知识——它从何而来？从冥想的力量而来。灵魂从自身的深处提炼出知识。它之外曾有过什么知识吗？长久以往，这冥想的力量将我们与身体分离，此时灵魂认识到自身——那无生的、无死的、无创的存在。不再有任何苦难，不再有在这地球上的生死轮回，不再有演化。灵魂认识到自身永远是完满的、自由的。
English
THE PRACTICE OF RELIGION
(Delivered at Alameda, California, on April 18, 1900)
We read many books, many scriptures. We get various ideas from our childhood, and change them every now and then. We understand what is meant by theoretical religion. We think we understand what is meant by practical religion. Now I am going to present to you my idea of practical religion.
We hear all around us about practical religion, and analysing all that, we find that it can be brought down to one conception — charity to our fellow beings. Is that all of religion? Every day we hear in this country about practical Christianity — that a man has done some good to his fellow beings. Is that all?
What is the goal of life? Is this world the goal of life? Nothing more? Are we to be just what we are, nothing more? Is man to be a machine which runs smoothly without a hitch anywhere? Are all the sufferings he experiences today all he can have, and doesn't he want anything more?
The highest dream of many religions is the world. ... The vast majority of people are dreaming of the time when there will be no more disease, sickness, poverty, or misery of any kind. They will have a good time all around. Practical religion, therefore, simply means. "Clean the streets! Make it nice!" We see how all enjoy it.
Is enjoyment the goal of life? Were it so, it would be a tremendous mistake to become a man at all. What man can enjoy a meal with more gusto than the dog or the cat ? Go to a menagerie and see the [wild animals] tearing the flesh from the bone. Go back and become a bird! . . . What a mistake then to become a man! Vain have been my years — hundreds of years — of struggle only to become the man of sense-enjoyments.
Mark, therefore, the ordinary theory of practical religion, what it leads to. Charity is great, but the moment you say it is all, you run the risk of running into materialism. It is not religion. It is no better than atheism - a little less. ... You Christians, have you found nothing else in the Bible than working for fellow creatures, building . . . hospitals ? . . . Here stands a shopkeeper and says how Jesus would have kept the shop! Jesus would neither have kept a saloon, nor a shop, nor have edited a newspaper. That sort of practical religion is good, not bad; but it is just kindergarten religion. It leads nowhere. . . . If you believe in God, if you are Christians and repeat everyday, "Thy will be done", just think what it means! You say every moment, "Thy will be done", really meaning, "My will be done by Thee, O God." The Infinite is working His own plans out. Even He has made mistakes, and you and I are going to remedy that! The Architect of the universe is going to be taught by the carpenters! He has left the world a dirty hole, and you are going to make it a beautiful place!
What is the goal of it all? Can senses ever be the goal? Can enjoyment of pleasure ever be the goal? Can this life ever be the goal of the soul? If it is, better die this moment; do not want this life! If that is the fate of man, that he is going to be only the perfected machine, it would just mean that we go back to being trees and stones and things like that. Did you ever hear a cow tell a lie or see a tree steal? They are perfect machines. They do not make mistakes. They live in a world where everything is finished. ...
What is the ideal of religion, then, if this cannot be practical [religion]? And it certainly cannot be. What are we here for? We are here for freedom, for knowledge. We want to know in order to make ourselves free. That is our life: one universal cry for freedom. What is the reason the . . . plant grows from the seed, overturning the ground and raising itself up to the skies? What is the offering for the earth from the sun? What is your life? The same struggle for freedom. Nature is trying all around to suppress us, and the soul wants to express itself. The struggle with nature is going on. Many things will be crushed and broken in this struggle for freedom. That is your real misery. Large masses of dust and dirt must be raised on the battlefield. Nature says, "I will conquer." The soul says, "I must be the conqueror." Nature says, "Wait! I will give you a little enjoyment to keep you quiet." The soul enjoys a little, becomes deluded a moment, but the next moment it [cries for freedom again]. Have you marked the eternal cry going on through the ages in every breast? We are deceived by poverty. We become wealthy and are deceived with wealth. We are ignorant. We read and learn and are deceived with knowledge. No man is ever satisfied. That is the cause of misery, but it is also the cause of all blessing. That is the sure sign. How can you be satisfied with this world? . . . If tomorrow this world becomes heaven, we will say, "Take this away. Give us something else."
The infinite human soul can never be satisfied but by the Infinite itself .... Infinite desire can only be satisfied by infinite knowledge — nothing short of that. Worlds will come and go. What of that? The soul lives and for ever expands. Worlds must come into the soul. Worlds must disappear in the soul like drops in the ocean. And this world to become the goal of the soul! If we have common sense, we cannot be satisfied, though this has been the theme of the poets in all the ages, always telling us to be satisfied. And nobody has been satisfied yet! Millions of prophets have told us, "Be satisfied with your lot"; poets sing. We have told ourselves to be quiet and satisfied, yet we are not. It is the design of the Eternal that there is nothing in this world to satisfy my soul, nothing in the heavens above, and nothing beneath. Before the desire of my soul, the stars and the worlds, upper and lower, the whole universe, is but a hateful disease, nothing but that. That is the meaning. Everything is an evil unless that is the meaning. Every desire is evil unless that is the meaning, unless you understand its true importance, its goal. All nature is crying through all the atoms for one thing — its perfect freedom.
What is practical religion, then? To get to that state — freedom, the attainment of freedom. And this world, if it helps us on to that goal, [is] all right; if not — if it begins to bind one more layer on the thousands already there, it becomes an evil. Possessions, learning, beauty, everything else — as long as they help us to that goal, they are of practical value. When they have ceased helping us on to that goal of freedom, they are a positive danger. What is practical religion, then? Utilise the things of this world and the next just for one goal — the attainment of freedom. Every enjoyment, every ounce of pleasure is to be bought by the expenditure of the infinite heart and mind combined.
Look at the sum total of good and evil in this world. Has it changed? Ages have passed, and practical religion has worked for ages. The world thought that each time the problem would be solved. It is always the same problem. At best it changes its form. ... It trades consumption and nerve disease for twenty thousand shops. . . . It is like old rheumatism: Drive it from one place, it goes to another. A hundred years ago man walked on foot or bought horses. Now he is happy because he rides the railroad; but he is unhappy because he has to work more and earn more. Every machine that saves labour puts more stress upon labour.
This universe, nature, or whatever you call it, must be limited; it can never be unlimited. The Absolute, to become nature, must be limited by time, space, and causation. The energy [at our disposal] is limited. You can spend it in one place, losing it in another. The sum total is always the same. Wherever there is a wave in one place, there is a hollow in another. If one nation becomes rich, others become poor. Good balances evil. The person for the moment on top of the wave thinks all is good; the person at the bottom says the world is [all evil]. But the man who stands aside sees the divine play going on. Some weep and others laugh. The latter will weep in their turn and the others laugh. What can we do ? We know we cannot do anything. ...
Which of us do anything because we want to do good? How few! They can be counted on the fingers. The rest of us also do good, but because we are forced to do so. ... We cannot stop. Onward we go, knocked about from place to place. What can we do? The world will be the same world, the earth the same. It will be changed from blue to brown and from brown to blue. One language translated into another, one set of evils changed into another set of evils — that is what is going on. ... Six of one, half a dozen of the other. The American Indian in the forest cannot attend a lecture on metaphysics as you can, but he can digest his meal. You cut him to pieces, and the next moment he is all right. You and I, if we get scratched, we have to go to the hospital for six months. ...
The lower the organism, the greater is its pleasure in the senses. Think of the lowest animals and the power of touch. Everything is touch. ... When you come to man, you will see that the lower the civilization of the man, the greater is the power of the senses. ... The higher the organism, the lesser is the pleasure of the senses. A dog can eat a meal, but cannot understand the exquisite pleasure of thinking about metaphysics. He is deprived of the wonderful pleasure which you get through the intellect. The pleasures of the senses are great. Greater than those is the pleasure of the intellect. When you attend the fine fifty-course dinner in Paris, that is pleasure indeed. But in the observatory, looking at the stars, seeing . . . worlds coming and developing — think of that! It must be greater, for I know you forget all about eating. That pleasure must be greater than what you get from worldly things. You forget all about wives, children, husbands, and everything; you forget all about the sense-plane. That is intellectual pleasure. It is common sense that it must be greater than sense pleasure. It is always for greater joy that you give up the lesser. This is practical religion — the attainment of freedom, renunciation. Renounce!
Renounce the lower so that you may get the higher. What is the foundation of society? Morality, ethics, laws. Renounce. Renounce all temptation to take your neighbour's property, to put hands upon your neighbour, all the pleasure of tyrannising over the weak, all the pleasure of cheating others by telling lies. Is not morality the foundation of society? What is marriage but the renunciation of unchastity? The savage does not marry. Man marries because he renounces. So on and on. Renounce! Renounce! Sacrifice! Give up! Not for zero. Not for nothing. But to get the higher. But who can do this? You cannot, until you have got the higher. You may talk. You may struggle. You may try to do many things. But renunciation comes by itself when you have got the higher. Then the lesser falls away by itself.
This is practical religion. What else? Cleaning streets and building hospitals? Their value consists only in this renunciation. And there is no end to renunciation. The difficulty is they try to put a limit to it — thus far and no farther. But there is no limit to this renunciation.
Where God is, there is no other. Where the world is, there is no God. These two will never unite. [Like] light and darkness. That is what I have understood from Christianity and the life of the Teacher. Is not that Buddhism? Is not that Hinduism? Is not that Mohammedanism? Is not that the teaching of all the great sages and teachers? What is the world that is to be given up? It is here. I am carrying it all with me. My own body. It is all for this body that I put my hand voluntarily upon my fellow man, just to keep it nice and give it a little pleasure; [all for this body] that I injure others and make mistakes. ...
Great men have died. Weak men have died. Gods have died. Death — death everywhere. This world is a graveyard of the infinite past, yet we cling to this [body]: "I am never going to die". Knowing for sure [that the body must die] and yet clinging to it. There is meaning in that too [because in a sense we do not die]. The mistake is that we cling to the body when it is the spirit that is really immortal.
You are all materialists, because you believe that you are the body. If a man gives me a hard punch, I would say I am punched. If he strikes me, I would say I am struck. If I am not the body, why should I say so? It makes no difference if I say I am the spirit. I am the body just now. I have converted myself into matter. That is why I am to renounce the body, to go back to what I really am. I am the spirit — the soul no instrument can pierce, no sword can cut asunder, no fire can burn, no air can dry. Unborn and uncreated, without beginning and without end, deathless, birthless and omnipresent — that is what I am; and all misery comes just because I think this little lump of clay is myself. I am identifying myself with matter and taking all the consequences.
Practical religion is identifying myself with my Self. Stop this wrong identification! How far are you advanced in that? You may have built two thousand hospitals, built fifty thousand roads, and yet what of that, if you, have not realised that you are the spirit? You die a dog's; death, with the same feelings that the dog does. The dog howls and weeps because he knows that he is only matter and he is going to be dissolved.
There is death, you know, inevitable death, in water, in air, in the palace, in the prison - death everywhere. What makes you fearless? When you have realised what you are — that infinite spirit, deathless, birthless. Him no fire can burn, no instrument kill, no poison hurt. Not theory, mind you. Not reading books. . . . [Not parroting.] My old Master used to say, "It is all very good to teach the parrot to say, 'Lord, Lord, Lord' all the time; but let the cat come and take hold of its neck, it forgets all about it" [You may] pray all the time, read all the scriptures in the world, and worship all the gods there are, [but] unless you realise the soul there is no freedom. Not talking, theorising, argumentation, but realisation. That I call practical religion.
This truth about the soul is first to be heard. If you have heard it, think about it. Once you have done that, meditate upon it. No more vain arguments! Satisfy yourself once that you are the infinite spirit. If that is true, it must be nonsense that you are the body. You are the Self, and that must be realised. Spirit must see itself as spirit. Now the spirit is seeing itself as body. That must stop. The moment you begin to realise that, you are released.
You see this glass, and you know it is simply an illusion. Some scientists tell you it is light and vibration. ... Seeing the spirit must be infinitely more real: than that, must be the only true state, the only true sensation, the only true vision. All these [objects you see], are but dreams. You know that now. Not the old idealists alone, but modern physicists also tell you that light is there. A little more vibration makes all the difference. ...
You must see God. The spirit must be realised, and that is practical religion. It is not what Christ preached that you call practical religion: "Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven." Was it a joke? What is the practical religion you are thinking, of? Lord help us! "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God." That means street-cleaning, hospital-building, and all that? Good works, when you do them with a pure mind. Don't give the man twenty dollars and buy all the papers in San Francisco to see your name! Don't you read in your own books how no man will help you? Serve as worship of the Lord Himself in the poor, the miserable, the weak. That done, the result is secondary. That sort of work, done without any thought of gain, benefits the soul. And even of such is the Kingdom of Heaven.
The Kingdom of Heaven is within us. He is there. He is the soul of all souls. See Him in your own soul. That is practical religion. That is freedom. Let us ask each other how much we are advanced in that: how much we are worshippers of the body, or real believers in God, the spirit; how much we believe ourselves to be spirit. That is selfless. That is freedom. That is real worship. Realise yourself. That is all there is to do. Know yourself as you are — infinite spirit. That is practical religion. Everything else is impractical, for everything else will vanish. That alone will never vanish. It Is eternal. Hospitals will tumble down. Railroad givers will all die. This earth will be blown to pieces, suns wiped out. The soul endureth for ever.
Which is higher, running after these things which perish or. . . . worshipping that which never changes? Which is more practical, spending all the energies of life in getting things, and before you have got them death comes and you have to leave them all? — like the great [ruler] who conquered all, [who when] death came, said, "Spread out all the jars of things before me." He said "Bring me that big diamond." And he placed it on his breast and wept. Thus weeping, he died the same as the dog dies.
Man says, "I live." He knows not that it is [the fear of] death that makes him cling slavishly to life. He says "I enjoy." He never dreams that nature has enslaved him.
Nature grinds all of us. Keep count of the ounce of pleasure you get. In the long run, nature did her work through you, and when you die your body will make other plants grow. Yet we think all the time that we are getting pleasure ourselves. Thus the wheel goes round.
Therefore to realise the spirit as spirit is practical religion. Everything else is good so far as it leads to this one grand idea. That [realization] is to be attained by renunciation, by meditation — renunciation of all the senses, cutting the knots, the chains that bind us down to matter. "I do not want to get material life, do not want the sense-life, but something higher." That is renunciation. Then, by the power of meditation, undo the mischief that has been done.
We are at the beck and call of nature. If there is sound outside, I have to hear it. If something is going on, I have to see it. Like monkeys. We are two thousand monkeys concentrated, each one of us. Monkeys are very curious. So we cannot help ourselves, and call this "enjoying". Wonderful this language! We are enjoying the world! We cannot help enjoying it. Nature wants us to do it. A beautiful sound: I am hearing it. As if I could choose to hear it or not! Nature says, "Go down to the depths of misery." I become miserable in a moment. ... We talk about pleasures [of the senses] and possessions. One man thinks me very learned. Another thinks, "He is a fool." This degradation, this slavery, without knowing anything! In the dark room we are knocking our heads against each other.
What is meditation? Meditation is the power which enables us to resist all this. Nature may call us, "Look there is a beautiful thing!" I do not look. Now she says, "There is a beautiful smell; smell it! " I say to my nose, "Do not smell it", and the nose doesn't. "Eyes, do not see!" Nature does such an awful thing - kills one of my children, and says, "Now, rascal, sit down and weep! Go to the depths!" I say, "I don't have to." I jump up. I must be free. Try it sometimes. ... [In meditation], for a moment, you can change this nature. Now, if you had that power in yourself, would not that be heaven, freedom? That is the power of meditation.
How is it to be attained? In a dozen different ways. Each temperament has its own way. But this is the general principle: get hold of the mind. The mind is like a lake, and every stone that drops into it raises waves. These waves do not let us see what we are. The full moon is reflected in the water of the lake, but the surface is so disturbed that we do not see the reflection clearly. Let it be calm. Do not let nature raise the wave. Keep quiet, and then after a little while she will give you up. Then we know what we are. God is there already, but the mind is so agitated, always running after the senses. You close the senses and [yet] you whirl and whirl about. Just this moment I think I am all right and I will meditate upon God, and then my mind goes to London in one minute. And if I pull it away from there, it goes to New York to think about the things I have done there in the past. These [waves] are to be stopped by the power of meditation.
Slowly and gradually we are to train ourselves. It is no joke — not a question of a day, or years, or maybe of births. Never mind! The pull must go on. Knowingly, voluntarily, the pull must go on. Inch by inch we will gain ground. We will begin to feel and get real possessions, which no one can take away from us — the wealth that no man can take, the wealth that nobody can destroy, the joy that no misery can hurt any more. ...
All these years we have depended upon others. If I have a little pleasure and that person goes away, my pleasure is gone. ... See the folly of man: he depends for happiness upon men! All separations are misery. Naturally. Depending upon wealth for happiness? There is fluctuation of wealth. Depending upon health or upon anything except the unchangeable spirit must bring misery today or tomorrow.
Excepting the infinite spirit, everything else is changing. There is the whirl of change. Permanence is nowhere except in yourself. There is the infinite joy, unchanging. Meditation is the gate that opens that to us. Prayers, ceremonials, and all the other forms of worship are simply kindergartens of meditation. You pray, you offer something. A certain theory existed that everything raised one's spiritual power. The use of certain words, flowers, images, temples, ceremonials like the waving of lights brings the mind to that attitude, but that attitude is always in the human soul, nowhere else. [People] are all doing it; but what they do without knowing it, do knowingly. That is the power of meditation. All knowledge you have — how did it come? From the power of meditation. The soul churned the knowledge out of its own depths. What knowledge was there ever outside of it? In the long run this power of meditation separates ourselves from the body, and then the soul knows itself as it is — the unborn, the deathless, and birthless being. No more is there any misery, no more births upon this earth, no more evolution. [The soul knows itself as having] ever been perfect and free.
文本来自Wikisource公共领域。原版由阿德瓦伊塔修道院出版。