七月一日，星期一
本译文由人工智能辅助工具生成，可能存在不准确之处。如需查阅权威文本，请参考英文原文。
AI-translated. May contain errors. For accurate text, refer to the original English.
中文
（由弟子S·E·瓦尔多小姐记录）
一八九五年七月一日，星期一。（室利·罗摩克里希纳提婆）
室利·罗摩克里希纳（Ramakrishna）是一位极其正统的婆罗门之子，他的父亲甚至拒绝接受除特定种姓的婆罗门以外任何人的馈赠；他既不能工作，不能在寺庙中担任祭司，不能卖书，也不能为任何人服务。他只能依靠"从天而降之物"（施舍）为生，而且即便是施舍，也不能来自"堕落的"婆罗门。寺庙对印度教并无约束力；即使它们全部被毁，宗教也不会受到丝毫影响。一个人只能为"上帝和客人"建造房屋，为自己建造则是自私的；因此他建造寺庙，作为上帝的居所。
由于家境极度贫困，室利·罗摩克里希纳（Ramakrishna）少年时便不得不在一座供奉神圣母亲的寺庙中担任祭司。这位神圣母亲又称为原质或迦梨，以一尊女神脚踏男性身躯的形象来表现，意味着在幻力（Maya）揭开之前，我们什么也无法知晓。梵（Brahman）是中性的，不可知不可识，但为了使自身客体化，祂便以幻力之纱覆盖自己，化为宇宙之母，由此生出万物创造。那俯卧的形象（湿婆（Shiva）或上帝）因被幻力覆盖而成为"尸"（无生命的）。智慧（Jnana）修行者说："我要以力量揭开上帝的面纱"（不二论/Advaita）；而二元论者则说："我要向母亲祈祷，恳求她打开那扇唯有她才拥有钥匙的门。"
对迦梨母神的日常礼拜逐渐在这位年轻祭司心中唤起了如此强烈的虔诚（Bhakti），以至于他再也无法继续执行常规的寺庙仪式。于是他放弃了职责，退隐到寺院庭院中的一片小树林里，将自己完全投入到冥想之中。这片树林坐落在恒河岸边；有一天，湍急的水流将搭建一个小围场所需的材料恰好冲到了他的脚边。他便在这个围场中驻留，在其中哭泣与祈祷，除了他的神圣母亲之外，不顾身体的照料，也不顾其他任何事物。一位亲属每天喂他一顿饭，照看着他。后来，一位女游方僧（Sannyasini），即一位女苦行者，前来帮助他寻找他的"母亲"。凡他所需的导师（Guru）都会不请自来；每个教派都有某位圣者前来提出指导，他对每一位都热切地倾听。但他只崇拜母亲；一切对他而言都是母亲。
室利·罗摩克里希纳（Ramakrishna）从未对任何人说过一句苛刻的话。他的包容是如此美好，以至于每个教派都认为他属于自己。他爱一切人。对他而言，一切宗教都是真实的。他为每一种宗教都找到了位置。他是自由的，但那是在爱中的自由，而非在"雷霆"中的自由。温和的类型创造，雷霆的类型传播。保罗就是传播光明的雷霆型人物。（许多人曾说，斯瓦米·辨喜（Vivekananda）本人就如同室利·罗摩克里希纳（Ramakrishna）的圣保罗。）
然而，圣保罗的时代已经过去了；我们将成为这个时代的新光。一个自我调适的组织，是我们这个时代最大的需要。当我们能够建立起这样一个组织时，那将成为世界上最后的宗教。车轮必须转动，我们应当助其运行，而非阻碍它。宗教思想的浪潮起起伏伏，站在最高浪头上的便是"时代的先知"。罗摩克里希纳（Ramakrishna）来传授当代的宗教——建设性的，而非破坏性的。他必须重新回到自然中去寻求事实，因而获得了一种科学的宗教。这种宗教从不说"相信"，而只说"看"；"我看到了，你也能看到。"使用同样的方法，你就会达到同样的境界。上帝会降临到每个人身上，和谐是人人皆可企及的。室利·罗摩克里希纳（Ramakrishna）的教导是"印度教的精髓"；这些教导并非他一人独有。他本人也从未如此宣称；他对名声毫不在意。
他大约四十岁时开始传道；但他从未出门去做这件事。他等待那些需要他教导的人主动前来。按照印度教的习俗，他的父母在他年幼时便为他娶了一个五岁的小女孩，这女孩留在远方村庄的家中，对她年轻丈夫正在经历的伟大挣扎一无所知。当她成年时，他已深深沉浸于宗教修行之中。她从家乡步行前往他当时所居住的达克希涅什瓦尔寺庙；她一见到他，便认出了他的真实身份，因为她自己也是一个伟大的灵魂，纯洁而神圣，只愿帮助他的事业，而绝不将他拉降到居士（Grihastha，在家人）的层次。
室利·罗摩克里希纳（Ramakrishna）在印度被尊为伟大的化身之一，他的诞辰在那里作为宗教节日来庆祝……
一块奇特的圆石是毗湿奴——那位无所不在者——的象征。每天早晨，一位祭司前来，向神像献祭，在其前挥舞香炉，然后将其安置就寝，并为以此方式崇拜上帝而向上帝致歉，因为他只能通过一个形象或借助某种物质对象来构想上帝。他为神像沐浴，为其穿衣，并将自己内在的神性注入神像之中，"使其活化"。
＊ ＊ ＊
有一个教派宣称："只崇拜善与美是软弱的表现，我们也应当爱并崇拜丑恶与邪恶。"这个教派遍布整个西藏，他们没有婚姻制度。在印度本土，他们不能公开存在，但组建了秘密团体。除非暗中参与，否则没有正派人会加入他们。共产制度在西藏尝试了三次，三次都失败了。他们运用苦行（Tapas），就力量而言取得了巨大的成功。
苦行（Tapas）的字面意思是"燃烧"。它是一种苦修，目的是"加热"更高层次的本性。它有时表现为从日出到日落的誓愿，例如整日不停地持诵唵（Om）。这些行为会产生某种力量，你可以将其转化为你所希望的任何形式——无论是灵性的还是物质的。苦行（Tapas）的理念贯穿了整个印度教。印度教徒甚至说，上帝通过苦行（Tapas）来创造世界。它是一种心灵工具，可以用来成就一切。"三界中的一切都可以通过苦行（Tapas）来获取。"……
那些报道自己不赞同的教派的人，既是有意识的，也是无意识的说谎者。一个教派的信徒很少能在其他教派中看到真理。
＊ ＊ ＊
一位伟大的虔信（Bhakti）修行者（哈奴曼）曾在被问到今天是几号时回答说："上帝是我永恒的日期，我不在意其他任何日期。"
English
(RECORDED BY MISS S. E. WALDO, A DISCIPLE)
MONDAY, July 1, 1895. (Shri Ramakrishna Deva)
Shri Ramakrishna was the son of a very orthodox Brahmin, who would refuse even a gift from any but a special caste of Brahmins; neither might he work, nor even be a priest in a temple, nor sell books, nor serve anyone. He could only have "what fell from the skies" (alms), and even then it must not come through a "fallen" Brahmin. Temples have no hold on the Hindu religion; if they were all destroyed, religion would not be affected a grain. A man must only build a house for "God and guests", to build for himself would be selfish; therefore he erects temples as dwelling places for God.
Owing to the extreme poverty of his family, Shri Ramakrishna was obliged to become in his boyhood a priest in a temple dedicated to the Divine Mother, also called Prakriti, or Kâli, represented by a female figure standing with feet on a male figure, indicating that until Maya lifts, we can know nothing. Brahman is neuter, unknown and unknowable, but to be objectified He covers Himself with a veil of Maya, becomes the Mother of the Universe, and so brings forth the creation. The prostrate figure (Shiva or God) has become Shava (dead or lifeless) by being covered by Maya. The Jnâni says, "I will uncover God by force" (Advaitism); but the dualist says, "I will uncover God by praying to Mother, begging Her to open the door to which She alone has the key."
The daily service of the Mother Kali gradually awakened such intense devotion in the heart of the young priest that he could no longer carry on the regular temple worship. So he abandoned his duties and retired to a small woodland in the temple compound, where he gave himself up entirely to meditation. These woods were on the bank of the river Ganga; and one day the swift current bore to his very feet just the necessary materials to build him a little enclosure. In this enclosure he stayed and wept and prayed, taking no thought for the care of his body or for aught except his Divine Mother. A relative fed him once a day and watched over him. Later came a Sannyasini or lady ascetic, to help him find his "Mother". Whatever teachers he needed came to him unsought; from every sect some holy saint would come and offer to teach him and to each he listened eagerly. But he worshipped only Mother; all to him was Mother.
Shri Ramakrishna never spoke a harsh word against anyone. So beautifully tolerant was he that every sect thought that he belonged to them. He loved everyone. To him all religions were true. He found a place for each one. He was free, but free in love, not in "thunder". The mild type creates, the thundering type spreads. Paul was the thundering type to spread the light. (And it has been said by many that Swami Vivekananda himself was a kind of St. Paul to Shri Ramakrishna.)
The age of St. Paul, however, is gone; we are to be the new lights for this day. A self-adjusting organisation is the great need of our time. When we can get one, that will be the last religion of the world. The wheel must turn, and we should help it, not hinder. The waves of religious thought rise and fall, and on the topmost one stands the "prophet of the period". Ramakrishna came to teach the religion of today, constructive, not destructive. He had to go afresh to Nature to ask for facts, and he got scientific religion which never says "believe", but "see"; "I see, and you too can see." Use the same means and you will reach the same vision. God will come to everyone, harmony is within the reach of all. Shri Ramakrishna's teachings are "the gist of Hinduism"; they were not peculiar to him. Nor did he claim that they were; he cared naught for name or fame.
He began to preach when he was about forty; but he never went out to do it. He waited for those who wanted his teachings to come to him. In accordance with Hindu custom, he was married by his parents in early youth to a little girl of five, who remained at home with her family in a distant village, unconscious of the great struggle through which her young husband was passing. When she reached maturity, he was already deeply absorbed in religious devotion. She travelled on foot from her home to the temple at Dakshineswar where he was then living; and as soon as she saw him, she recognised what he was, for she herself was a great soul, pure and holy, who only desired to help his work, never to drag him down to the level of the Grihastha (householder).
Shri Ramakrishna is worshipped in India as one of the great Incarnations, and his birthday is celebrated there as a religious festival. . . .
A curious round stone is the emblem of Vishnu, the omnipresent. Each morning a priest comes in, offers sacrifice to the idol, waves incense before it, then puts it to bed and apologises to God for worshipping Him in that way, because he can only conceive of Him through an image or by means of some material object. He bathes the idol, clothes it, and puts his divine self into the idol "to make it alive".
* * *
There is a sect which says, "It is weakness to worship only the good and beautiful, we ought also to love and worship the hideous and the evil." This sect prevails all over Tibet, and they have no marriage. In India proper they cannot exist openly, but organise secret societies. No decent men will belong to them except sub rosa. Thrice communism was tried in Tibet, and thrice it failed. They use Tapas and with immense success as far as power is concerned.
Tapas means literally "to burn". It is a kind of penance to "heat" the higher nature. It is sometimes in the form of a sunrise to sunset vow, such as repeating Om all day incessantly. These actions will produce a certain power that you can convert into any form you wish, spiritual or material. This idea of Tapas penetrates the whole of Hindu religion. The Hindus even say that God made Tapas to create the world. It is a mental instrument with which to do everything. "Everything in the three worlds can be caught by Tapas." . . .
People who report about sects with which they are not in sympathy are both conscious and unconscious liars. A believer in one sect can rarely see truth in others.
* * *
A great Bhakta (Hanuman) once said when asked what day of the month it was, "God is my eternal date, no other date I care for."
文本来自Wikisource公共领域。原版由阿德瓦伊塔修道院出版。