pagan and christian creeds-第61部分

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tter　experience；　when　it　happens　that　all　these　trumpery　little　objects　of　life　are　swept　away；　then　occasionally；　with　astonishment；　the　soul　sees　that。　It　is　also　the　soul　of　the　others　around。　Even　if　it　does　not　become　aware　of　an　absolute　identity；　it　perceives　that　there　is　a　deep　relationship　and　communion　between　itself　and　others；　and　it　comes　to　understand　how　it　may　really　be　true　that　to　him　whose　soul　is　purified　the　self　is　literally　the　Self　of　all　creatures。

Ordinary　men　and　those　who　go　on　more　intellectual　and　less　intuitional　lines　will　say　that　these　ideas　are　really　contrary　to　human　nature　and　to　nature　generally。　Yet　I　think　that　those　people　who　say　this　in　the　name　of　Science　are　extremely　unscientific；　because　a　very　superficial　glance　at　nature　reveals　that　the　very　same　thing　is　taking　place　throughout　nature。　Consider　the　madrepores；　corallines；　or　sponges。　You　find；　for　instance；　that　constantly　the　little　self　of　the　coralline　or　sponge　is　functioning　at　the　end　of　a　stem　and　casting　forth　its　tentacles　into　the　water　to　gain　food　and　to　breathe　the　air　out　of　the　water。　That　little　animalcule　there；　which　is　living　in　that　way；　imagines　no　doubt　that　it　is　working　all　for　itself；　and　yet　it　is　united　down　the　stem　at　whose　extremity　it　stands；　with　the　life　of　the　whole　madrepore　or　sponge　to　which　it　belongs。　There　is　the　common　life　of　the　whole　and　the　individual　life　of　each；　and　while　the　little　creature　at　the　end　of　the　stem　is　thinking　（if　it　is　conscious　at　all）　that　its　whole　energies　are　absorbed　in　its　own　maintenance；　it　really　is　feeding　the　common　life　through　the　stem　to　which　it　belongs；　and　in　its　turn　it　is　being　fed　by　that　common　life。

You　have　only　to　look　at　an　ordinary　tree　to　see　the　same　thing　going　on。　Each　little　leaf　on　a　tree　may　very　naturally　have　sufficient　consciousness　to　believe　that　it　is　an　entirely　separate　being　maintaining　itself　in　the　sunlight　and　the　air；　withering　away　and　dying　when　the　winter　comes　onand　there　is　an　end　of　it。　It　probably　does　not　realize　that　all　the　time　it　is　being　supported　by　the　sap　which　flows　from　the　trunk　of　the　tree；　and　that　in　its　turn　it　is　feeding　the　tree；　toothat　its　self　is　the　self　of　the　whole　tree。　If　the　leaf　could　really　understand　itself；　it　would　see　that　its　self　was　deeply；　intimately　connected；　practically　one　with　the　life　of　the　whole　tree。　Therefore；　I　say　that　this　Indian　view　is　not　unscientific。　On　the　contrary；　I　am　sure　that　it　is　thoroughly　scientific。

Let　us　take　another　passage；　out　of　the　'Svetasvatara　Upanishad；'　which；　speaking　of　the　self　says：　〃He　is　the　one　God；　hidden　in　all　creatures；　all　pervading；　the　self　within　all；　watching　over　all　works；　shadowing　all　creatures；　the　witness；　the　perceiver；　the　only　one　free　from　qualities。〃

And　now　we　can　return　to　the　point　where　we　left　the　argument　at　the　beginning　of　this　discourse。　We　said；　you　remember；　that　the　Self　is　certainly　no　mere　bundle　of　qualitiesthat　the　very　nature　of　the　mind　forbids　us　thinking　that。　For　however　fine　and　subtle　any　quality　or　group　of　qualities　may　be；　we　are　irresistibly　compelled　by　the　nature　of　the　mind　itself　to　look　for　the　Self；　not　in　any　quality　or　qualities；　but　in　the　being　that　PERCEIVES　those　qualities。　The　passage　I　have　just　quoted　says　that　being　is　〃The　one　God；　hidden　in　all　creatures；　all　pervading；　the　self　within　all　。　。　。　the　witness；　the　perceiver；　the　only　one　free　from　qualities。〃　And　the　more　you　think　about　it　the　clearer　I　think　you　will　see　that　this　passage　is　correctthat　there　can　be　only　ONE　witness；　ONE　perceiver；　and　that　is　the　one　God　hidden　in　all　creatures；　〃Sarva　Sakshi；〃　the　Universal　Witness。

Have　you　ever　had　that　curious　feeling；　not　uncommon；　especially　in　moments　of　vivid　experience　and　emotion；　that　there　was　at　the　back　of　your　mind　a　witness；　watching　everything　that　was　going　on；　yet　too　deep　for　your　ordinary　thought　to　grasp？　Has　it　not　occurred　to　youin　a　moment　say　of　great　danger　when　the　mind　was　agitated　to　the　last　degree　by　fears　and　anxietiessuddenly　to　become　perfectly　calm　and　collected；　to　realize　that　NOTHING　can　harm　you；　that　you　are　identified　with　some　great　and　universal　being　lifted　far　over　this　mortal　world　and　unaffected　by　its　storms？　Is　it　not　obvious　that　the　real　Self　MUST　be　something　of　this　nature；　a　being　perceiving　all；　but　itself　remaining　unperceived？　For　indeed　if　it　were　perceived　it　would　fall　under　the　head　of　some　definable　quality；　and　so　becoming　the　object　of　thought　would　cease　to　be　the　subject；　would　cease　to　be　the　Self。

The　witness　is　and　must　be　〃free　from　qualities。〃　For　since　it　is　capable　of　perceiving　ALL　qualities　it　must　obviously　not　be　itself　imprisoned　or　tied　in　any　qualityit　must　either　be　entirely　without　quality；　or　if　it　have　the　potentiality　of　quality　in　it；　it　must　have　the　potentiality　of　EVERY　quality；　but　in　either　case　it　cannot　be　in　bondage　to　any　quality；　and　in　either　case　it　would　appear　that　there　can　be　only　ONE　such　ultimate　Witness　in　the　universe。　For　if　there　were　two　or　more　such　Witnesses；　then　we　should　be　compelled　to　suppose　them　distinguished　from　one　another　by　something；　and　that　something　could　only　be　a　difference　of　qualities；　which　would　be　contrary　to　our　conclusion　that　such　a　Witness　cannot　be　in　bondage　to　any　quality。

There　is　then　I　take　itas　the　text　in　question　saysonly　one　Witness；　one　Self；　throughout　the　universe。　It　is　hidden　in　all　living　things；　men　and　animals　and　plants；　it　pervades　all　creation。　In　every　thing　that　has　consciousness　it　is　the　Self；　it　watches　over　all　operations；　it　overshadows　all　creatures；　it　moves　in　the　depths　of　our　hearts；　the　perceiver；　the　only　being　that　is　cognizant　of　all　and　yet　free　from　all。

Once　you　really　appropriate　this　truth；　and　assimilate　it　in　the　depths　of　your　mind；　a　vast　change　（you　can　easily　imagine）　will　take　place　within　you。　The　whole　world　will　be　transformed；　and　every　thought　and　act　of　which　you　are　capable　will　take　on　a　different　color　and　complexion。　Indeed　the　revolution　will　be　so　vast　that　it　would　be　quite　impossible　for　me　within　the　limits　of　this　discourse　to　describe　it。　I　will；　however；　occupy　the　rest　of　my　time　in　dealing　with　some　points　and　conclusions；　and　some　mental　changes　which　will　flow　perfectly　naturally　from　this　axiomatic　change　taking　place　at　the　very　root　of　life。

〃Free　from　qualities。〃　We　generally　pride　ourselves　a　little　on　our　qualities。　Some　of　us　think　a　great　deal　of　our　good　qualities；　and　some　of　us　are　rather　ashamed　of　our　bad　ones！　I　would　say：　〃Do　not　trouble　very　much　about　all　that。　What　good　qualities　you　havewell　you　may　be　quite　sure　they　do　not　really　amount　to　much；　and　what　bad　qualities；　you　may　be　sure　they　are　not　very　important！　Do　not　make　too　much　fuss　about　either。　Do　you　see？　The　thing　is　that　you；　you　yourself；　are　not　ANY　of　your　qualities　you　are　the　being　that　perceives　them。　The　thing　to　see　to　is　that　they　should　not　confuse　you；　bamboozle　you；　and　hide　you　from　the　knowledge　of　yourselfthat　they　should　not　be　erected　into　a　screen；　to　hide　you　from　others；　or　the　others　from　you。　If　you　cease　from　running　after　qualities；　then　after　a　little　time　your　soul　will　become　purified；　and　you　will　KNOW　that　your　self　is　the　Self　of　all　creatures；　and　when　you　can　feel　that　you　will　know　that　the　other　things　do　not　much　matter。

Sometimes　people　are　so　awfully　good　that　their　very　goodness　hides　them　from　other　people。　They　really　cannot　be　on　a　level　with　others；　and　they　feel　that　the　others　are　far　below　them。　Consequently　their　'selves'　are　blinded　or　hidden　by　their　'goodness。'　It　is　a　sad　end　to　come　to！　And　sometimes　it　happens　that　very　'bad'　peoplejust　because　they　are　so　baddo　not　erect　any　screens　or　veils　between　themselves　and　others。　Indeed　they　are　only　too　glad　if　others　will　recognize　them；　or　if　they　may　be　allowed　to　recognize　others。　And　so；　after　all；　they　come　nearer　the　truth　than　the　very　good　people。

〃The　Self　is　free　from　qualities。〃　That　thing　which　is　so　deep；　which　belongs　to　all；　it　eitheras　I　have　already　said　has　ALL　qualities；　or　it　has　none。　You；　to　whom　I　am　speaking　now；　your　qualities；　good　and　bad；　are　all　mine。　I　am　perfectly　willing　to　accept　them。　They　are　all　right　enough　and　in　placeif　one　can　only　find　the　places　for　them。　But　I　know　that　in　most　cases　they　have　got　so　confused　and　mixed　up　that　they　cause　great　conflict　and　pain　in　the　souls　that　harbor　them。　If　you　attain　to　knowing　yourself　to　be　other　than　and　separate　from　the　qualities；　then　you　will　pass　below　and　beyond　them　all。　You　will　be　able　to　accept　ALL　your　qualities　and　harmonize　them；　and　your　soul　will　be　at　peace。　You　will　be　free　from　the　domination　of　qualities　then　because　you　will　know　that　among　all　the　multitudes　of　them　there　are　none　of　any　importance！

If　you　should　happen　some　day　to　reach　that　state　of　mind　in　connection　with　which　this　revelation　comes；　then　you　will　find　the　experience　a　most　extraordinary　one。　You　will　become　conscious　that　there　is　no　barrier　in　your　path；　that　the　way　is　open　in　all　directions；　that　all　men　and　women　belong　to　you；　are　part　of　you。　You　will　feel　that　there　is　a　g