进化
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中文
进化
在虚空与气（Prana）从未显化态投射为显化形式并回归精微状态这一问题上，印度思想与现代科学之间有着相当大的相似之处。现代人有他们的进化论，瑜伽（Yoga）行者也有自己的。但我认为瑜伽行者对进化的解释更为优越。"一个物种向另一个物种的转变，是由自然的充盈所达成的。"其基本观念是，我们正从一个物种转变为另一个物种，而人类是最高的物种。波颠阇利（Patanjali）以农民灌溉田地的比喻来解释这种"自然的充盈"。我们的教育与进步，不过意味着移除障碍，而神性将凭其自身本性自然显现。这就消除了一切生存竞争。生命中那些苦难的经历不过是途中的障碍，可以被彻底消除。它们对进化并非必需。即便没有它们，我们仍然会进步。事物依其本性自然显现，这是万物的天性。推动力不是来自外部，而是来自内在。每个灵魂都是已经卷藏于其内的宇宙经验的总和；在所有这些经验中，只有那些找到适宜环境的经验才会显现出来。
因此，外在事物只能为我们提供环境。我们所见的那些竞争、挣扎和罪恶，既不是内卷的结果，也不是其成因，而不过是途中的障碍。即便它们不存在，人类仍然会进化为神，因为显现自身正是那神性的本然天性。在我看来，这一观点比那可怕的竞争观念要令人振奋得多。我越研究历史，就越发现那种观念是错误的。有人说，如果人不与人争斗，就不会进步。我过去也曾这样认为；但现在我发现，每一场战争都将人类的进步推迟了五十年，而非加速了它。终有一天，人们将以不同的目光审视历史，发现竞争既非原因也非结果，不过是途中之物，对进化完全不是必需的。
波颠阇利的理论是我认为理性之人唯一能够接受的理论。现代体制造成了多大的罪恶！每一个邪恶之人都在其中获得了作恶的许可。我在这个国家（美国）见过一些物理学家声称，所有罪犯都应当被消灭，而且这是从社会中根除犯罪的唯一途径。那些环境可以造成阻碍，但对于进步而言并非必需。竞争最可怕之处在于，一个人或许能够征服环境，但在一个人征服之处，成千上万的人被排挤出局。所以竞争充其量也是一种罪恶。只帮助一人却阻碍大多数人的事物，不可能是善的。波颠阇利说，这些挣扎之所以存在，仅仅是因为我们的无明（Avidya），它们并非必需，也不是人类进化的组成部分。正是我们的急躁创造了它们。我们没有耐心去一步步走出困境。例如，剧院里发生了火灾，只有少数人逃了出来。其余的人在争相涌出时彼此践踏。那场践踏对于建筑的安全或者那两三个逃出者的获救都不是必需的。如果所有人都缓慢有序地走出去，没有一个人会受伤。生命中的情形正是如此。门已经为我们敞开，我们所有人无需竞争和挣扎便可走出去；然而我们偏要挣扎。我们通过自身的无明、通过急躁制造了这些挣扎；我们太过匆忙。力量的最高表现，乃是保持内心的平静，稳立于自身的根基之上。
English
EVOLUTION
In the matter of the projection of Akâsha and Prâna into manifested form and the return to fine state, there is a good deal of similarity between Indian thought and modern science. The moderns have their evolution, and so have the Yogis. But I think that the Yogis' explanation of evolution is the better one. "The change of one species into another is attained by the infilling of nature." The basic idea is that we are changing from one species to another, and that man is the highest species. Patanjali explains this "infilling of nature" by the simile of peasants irrigating fields. Our education and progression simply mean taking away the obstacles, and by its own nature the divinity will manifest itself. This does away with all the struggle for existence. The miserable experiences of life are simply in the way, and can be eliminated entirely. They are not necessary for evolution. Even if they did not exist, we should progress. It is in the very nature of things to manifest themselves. The momentum is not from outside, but comes from inside. Each soul is the sum total of the universal experiences already coiled up there; and of all these experiences, only those will come out which find suitable circumstances.
So the external things can only give us the environments. These competitions and struggles and evils that we see are not the effect of the involution or the cause, but they are in the way. If they did not exist, still man would go on and evolve as God, because it is the very nature of that God to come out and manifest Himself. To my mind this seems very hopeful, instead of that horrible idea of competition. The more I study history, the more I find that idea to be wrong. Some say that if man did not fight with man, he would not progress. I also used to think so; but I find now that every war has thrown back human progress by fifty years instead of hurrying it forwards. The day will come when men will study history from a different light and find that competition is neither the cause nor the effect, simply a thing on the way, not necessary to evolution at all.
The theory of Patanjali is the only theory I think a rational man can accept. How much evil the modern system causes! Every wicked man has a licence to be wicked under it. I have seen in this country (America) physicists who say that all criminals ought to be exterminated and that that is the only way in which criminality can be eliminated from society. These environments can hinder, but they are not necessary to progress. The most horrible thing about competition is that one may conquer the environments, but that where one may conquer, thousands are crowded out. So it is evil at best. That cannot be good which helps only one and hinders the majority. Patanjali says that these struggles remain only through our ignorance, and are not necessary, and are not part of the evolution of man. It is just our impatience which creates them. We have not the patience to go and work our way out. For instance, there is a fire in a theatre, and only a few escape. The rest in trying to rush out crush one another down. That crush was not necessary for the salvation of the building nor of the two or three who escaped. If all had gone out slowly, not one would have been hurt. That is the case in life. The doors are open for us, and we can all get out without the competition and struggle; and yet we struggle. The struggle we create through our own ignorance, through impatience; we are in too great a hurry. The highest manifestation of strength is to keep ourselves calm and on our own feet.
文本来自Wikisource公共领域。原版由阿德瓦伊塔修道院出版。