21 善惡源頭的奧秘

It is my privilege to enclose Part Twenty-One. In paragraph 7 you will find that one of the secrets of success, one of the methods of organizing victory, one of the accomplishments of the Master Mind is to think big thoughts. 很榮幸隨函附上第二十一週課程。在課文的第七段，你會瞭解：獲取成功的祕訣、取得勝利的方法、過往先賢們的共同成就即：抱持偉大的想法。

In paragraph 8 you will find that everything which we hold in our consciousness for any length of time becomes impressed upon our subconsciousness and so becomes a pattern which the creative energy will wave into our life and environment. This is the secret of the wonderful power of prayer. 你會在第八段看到，進入意識的任何思想，無論駐留的時間長短，都會在我們的潛意識烙下印記，創造性能量就會以這個印記為樣本，建構出我們的生活與環境。「禱告」的神奇力量就源自此。

We know that the universe is governed by law; that for every effect there must be a cause, and that the same cause, under the same conditions, will invariably produce the same effect. Consequently, if prayer has ever been answered, it will always be answered, if the proper conditions are complied with. This must necessarily be true; otherwise the universe would be a chaos instead of a cosmos. The answer to prayer is therefore subject to law, and this law is definite, exact and scientific, just as are the laws governing gravitation and electricity. An understanding of this law takes the foundation of Christianity out of the realm of superstition and credulity and places it upon the firm rock of scientific understanding. 我們知道，法則掌控宇宙。所謂事出必有因，只要是相同的起因，在相同的條件下必定產生相同的後果。因此，倘若祈禱曾經獲得回應，那麼只要遵循合適的條件，禱告將會永遠獲得回應。這一點必然真實不虛，否則宇宙將一片混沌，而非井然有序的運作體系。因此，祈禱獲得回應必定是受到法則的支配，而且這法則必然絕對、準確、科學，就好比重力與電力法則一般。前人充分理解這法則，因此基督教的基礎得以脫離迷信的範疇，從此奠基於科學的堅實基石上。

But, unfortunately, there are comparatively few persons who know how to pray. They understand that there are laws governing electricity, mathematics, and chemistry, but, for some inexplicable reason, it never seems to occur to them that there are also spiritual laws, and that these laws are also definite, scientific, exact, and operate with immutable precision. 然而，遺憾的是，鮮少有人明白應該如何祈禱。他們知道有所謂電力、數學與化學的原理，卻不知箇中原因為何，他們從來沒想過，這世界上有精神法則存在，這些法則也同樣明確、科學、精準，一直以來都分毫不差地運行著。

PART TWENTY-ONE

1. The real secret of power is consciousness of power. The Universal Mind is unconditional; therefore, the more conscious we become of our unity with this mind, the less conscious we shall become of conditions and limitations, and as we become emancipated or freed from conditions we come into a realization of the unconditional. We have become free! 力量的真正奧祕在於覺察力量的存在。宇宙心智毫不保留，因此我們越能清楚認知自己與宇宙心智一致，就越不易受到外在的條件和限制所困；當我們掙脫條件和限制的枷鎖，我們就能實現隨心所欲的境界。我們便獲得自由！
2. As soon as we become conscious of the inexhaustible power in the world within, we begin to draw on this power and apply and develop the greater possibilities which this discernment has realized, because whatever we become conscious of, is invariably manifested in the objective world, is brought forth into tangible expression. 一旦我們認識內心世界這取之不盡、用之不竭的力量，就能開始從中擷取力量和勇氣，然後應用它為我們帶來的許多可能性。這是因為，不管我們意識到什麼，它都會在客觀世界中彰顯，並以有形的方式呈現在外。
3. This is because the Infinite mind, which is the source from which all things proceed, is one and indivisible, and each individual is a channel whereby this Eternal Energy is being manifested. Our ability to think is our ability to act upon this Universal substance, and what we think is what is created or produced in the objective world. 正因為無限心智是萬事萬物之源，萬物生成只有一個源頭，不可分割，任何個體都是這永恆能量得以展現的管道之一。我們的思考能力就是影響宇宙實體的能力，我們思考什麼，就會在客觀世界中創造什麼結果。
4. The result of this discovery is nothing less than marvelous, and means that mind is extraordinary in quality, limitless in quantity, and contains possibilities without number. To become conscious of this power is to become a "live wire"; it has the same effect as placing an ordinary wire in contact with a wire that is charged. The Universal is the live wire. It carries power sufficient to meet every situation which may arise in the life of every individual. When the individual mind touches the Universal Mind it receives all the power it requires. This is the world within. All science recognizes the reality of this world, and all power is contingent upon our recognition of this world. 這個發現堪比奇蹟，意味著心智的特質超凡、數量無限，而且還蘊含無窮無盡的可能性。我們若能意識到這股力量，就能成為「通電線路」，它的效果就跟把一條普通的電線接上帶電的線路一樣。宇宙本身就是帶電的線路，其乘載的能量足以供你應付個人生活中層出不窮的問題。一旦個人的心智觸及宇宙心智，就能接收到所需的全部能量。這就是內在世界的作用。所有科學都認同這事實，所有力量都取決於我們認知這個世界的程度。
5. The ability to eliminate imperfect conditions depends upon mental action, and mental action depends upon consciousness of power; therefore, the more conscious we become of our unity with the source of all power, the greater will be our power to control and master every condition. 消除不完美境遇的能力仰賴心理活動，心理活動則仰賴你認知力量的程度。因此，我們若是越能自發自覺地認識到自己與所有力量之源的一致性，就越有力量可以控制所有的外部環境。
6. Large ideas have a tendency to eliminate all smaller ideas so that it is well to hold ideas large enough to counteract and destroy all small or undesirable tendencies. This will remove innumerable petty and annoying obstacles from your path. You also become conscious of a larger world of thought, thereby increasing your mental capacity as well as placing yourself in position to accomplish something of value. 大規模的理念會消滅低微的想法，只要心中常存恢弘的偉大理念，就可以抵消、摧毀一切渺小且不良的障礙。這麼做可以讓你掃除前方的障礙，自發自覺地意識到一個更寬闊的思想領域，進而提升精神能耐，同時也讓自己能在適當的位置上，實現更有價值的任務。
7. This is one of the secrets of success, one of the methods of organizing victory, one of the accomplishments of the Master-mind. He thinks big thoughts. The creative energies of mind find no more difficulty in handling large situations, than small ones. Mind is just as much present in the Infinitely large as in the Infinitely small. 懷抱偉大的想法，是成功的一大祕訣、取得勝利的一大途徑、成就聖賢的一大條件。心智的創造性能量在應對大狀況時，也能和應對小狀況時一樣遊刃有餘，無論是無限大或無限小的事物，心智都存在其中。
8. When we realize these facts concerning mind we understand how we may bring ourselves any condition by creating the corresponding conditions in our consciousness, because everything which is held for any length of time in the consciousness, eventually becomes impressed upon the subconscious and thus becomes a pattern which the creative energy will wave into the life and environment of the individual. 一旦我們理解到關於心智的諸多事實，就會明白可以如何在意識中創造相對應的狀態，然後為自己創造那樣的現實。因為事物無論在我們意識駐留的時間長短，都會在潛意識中烙下印記，進而形成一幅藍圖，創造性能量則會依照這幅藍圖織就我們的生活和環境。
9. In this way conditions are produced and we find that our lives are simply the reflection of our predominant thoughts, our mental attitude; we see then that the science of correct thinking is the one science, that it includes all other sciences. 我們的境遇由此而生，我們發現，生活不過就是自身思想和心態的映射作用；然後我們也看到，正確思考是一門科學，它廣納了所有學問在內。
10. From this science we learn that every thought creates an impression on the brain, that these impressions create mental tendencies, and these tendencies create character, ability and purpose, and that the combined action of character, ability and purpose determines the experiences with which we shall meet in life. 我們研究這門科學後得知，每一個想法都會在大腦中烙下印記，這些印記會創造心靈傾向，所有的傾向會創造性格、能力和意圖。由性格、能力和意圖組合而成的行動則決定了我們在生活中遭遇的一切經歷。
11. These experiences come to us through the law of attraction; through the action of this law we meet in the world without the experiences which correspond to our world within. 這些經歷透過吸引力法則來到我們的生活中，然後體現在我們身上，透過宇宙法則的作用，我們在外在世界的經歷，會與我們的內在世界和諧一致。
12. The predominant thought or the mental attitude is the magnet, and the law is that “like attracts like”, consequently the mental attitude will invariably attract such conditions as correspond to its nature. 主導思維或心態就像一塊磁石，這個法則就是「同性相吸」。因此心態總會為你吸引與其本質相應一致的外在境遇。
13. This mental attitude is our personality and is composed of the thoughts which we have been creating in our own mind; therefore, if we wish a change in conditions all that is necessary is to change our thought; this will in turn change our mental attitude, which will in turn change our personality, which will in turn change the persons, things and conditions, or, the experiences with which we meet in life. 這種心態就是我們所謂的人格，是由我們心智產生的想法組成；因此，假使我們期盼自己的境遇改變，唯一必要之舉就是改變我們的想法。只要改變想法，就會改變我們的心態、人格、周遭事物與環境，以及我們生活中的境遇。
14. It is, however, no easy matter to change the mental attitude, but by persistent effort it may be accomplished; the mental attitude is patterned after the mental pictures which have been photographed on the brain; if you do not like the pictures, destroy the negatives and create new pictures; this is the art of visualization. 儘管改變心態並非易事，不過你若是可以堅持不懈地努力，終有一天仍會實現。當我們的大腦中攝下精神圖像，心態就此成形，要是你不喜歡眼前的圖像，那就除去其間帶有負面作用的成分，然後重新繪製一張新圖像。這就是具象化的藝術。
15. As soon as you have done this you will begin to attract new things, and the new things will correspond to the new pictures. To do this: impress on the mind a perfect picture of the desire which you wish to have objectified and continue to hold the picture in mind until results are obtained. 只要你完成這個步驟，就會開始磁吸一些新事物，這些新事物將和你的新圖像相互應和。請試著這麼做：將你期盼在客觀世界中實現的目標化為圖像，烙印心中，然後持之以恆地守護這幅圖像，直到終有一天它化為現實。
16. If the desire is one which requires determination, ability, talent, courage, power or any other spiritual power, these are necessary essentials for your picture; build them in; they are the vital part of the picture; they are the feeling which combines with thought and creates the irresistible magnetic power which draws the things you require to you. They give your picture life, and life means growth, and as soon as it beings to grow, the result is practically assured. 如果說實現願望需要決心、能力、天分、勇氣、力量或任何其他精神能量，那麼渴望也應該是其中不可或缺的要素。這些都是你的精神圖像所需的必要關鍵元素，請將它們融入其中，讓它們成為精神圖像至關重要的成分。它們是情感和思想的結合，由此創造出不可抗拒的魔力，進而為你吸引所需要的各種元素。它們會在你的精神圖像中注入生命力，這股生命力意味著成長，只要它開始成長，必然就會結實蕾纍纍。
17. Do not hesitate to aspire to the highest possible attainments in anything you may undertake, for the mind forces are ever ready to lend themselves to a purposeful will in the effort to crystallize its highest aspirations into acts, accomplishments, and events. 無論你投入什麼事業，都應該毫不猶豫地追求自己所能達成的最高境界，因為心智力量隨時隨地都願意伸出援手，協助你將這最崇高的志願化為行動、成就與事件。
18. An illustration of how these mind forces operate is suggested by the method in which all our habits are formed. We do a thing, then do it again, and again, and again, until it becomes easy and perhaps almost automatic; and the same rule applies in breaking any and all bad habits; we stop doing a thing, and then avoid it again, and again until we are entirely free from it; and if we do fail now and then, we should by no means lose hope, for the law is absolute and invincible and gives us credit for every effort and every success, even though our efforts and successes are perhaps intermittent. 有關心智力量如何運作，有個具體例子足以適切說明，它其實非常類似我們養成習慣的模式。我們動手做一件事，然後一而再、再而三地反覆實踐，而且一再從頭來過，直到有一天它變得易如反掌，甚至是習慣成自然。反之，如果想破除任何壞習氣，道理如出一轍。我們只要停止繼續做同一件事，甚至一而再，再而三地繞道而行，終有一天我們也可完全擺脫陋習。倘若我們偶爾失敗，也絕不應該從此灰心喪志，因為這條法則顛撲不破、無往不利，還會嘉許我們的每一次努力、每一次成功，即使我們的努力和成功偶爾會進一步、退兩步。
19. There is no limit to what this law can do for you; dare to believe in your own idea; remember that Nature is plastic to the ideal; think of the ideal as an already accomplished fact. 這個法則可以為你服務的範圍毫無限制，你要相信自己的理念，記住，人的天性可以被理想形塑，你只要持續抱持著理想已是既定事實的想法即可。
20. The real battle of life is one of ideas; it is being fought out by the few against the many; on the one side is the constructive and creative thought, on the other side the destructive and negative thought; the creative thought is dominated by an ideal, the passive thought is dominated by appearances. On both sides are men of science, men of letters, and men of affairs. 生命中唯一的戰爭就是為理念奮戰，這可說是一場少數對決多數的戰爭。其中一方是具有建設性、創造性的思想，另一方則是具有破壞性、負面的想法。創造性思想受理想支配，而破壞性與負面的想法則受表象操弄。兩派各有代表陣營，包括科學家、文學家和實業家。
21. On the creative side are men who spend their time in laboratories, or over microscopes and telescopes, side by side with the men who dominate the commercial, political, and scientific world; on the negative side or men who spend their time investigating law and precedent, men who mistake theology for religion, statesmen who mistake might for right, and all the millions who seem to prefer precedent to progress, who are eternally looking backward instead of forward, who see only the world without, but know nothing of the world within. 創造性思想這一方的代表就是那些花時間埋首實驗室，或緊盯著顯微鏡和望遠鏡觀察細節的人；與他們並肩的戰友則是商界、政界以及科學界的權威人士；負面消極思想這一方的代表就是那些花時間鑽研法律與前例的人、誤把神學當宗教的人、錯把權力當權利的政客，還有成千上萬喜歡舊規勝過進步的普通老百姓，他們總是回顧而非前瞻、只看表象，卻對內在世界一無所知。
22. In the last analysis there are but these two classes; all men will have to take their place on one side or the other; they will have to go forward, or go back; there is no standing still in a world where all is motion; it is this attempt to stand still that gives sanction and force to arbitrary and unequal codes of law. 說到底，我們共可區分成兩大派，所有人都得選邊站；要不是向前走，就是向後退。在這個瞬息萬變的世界裡，沒有所謂靜止不動。正是因為有太多想要維持原狀的人，才為那些專橫霸道、不公不義的陳規陋習，提供了諸多保障和力量。
23. That we are in a period of transition is evidenced by the unrest which is everywhere apparent. The complaint of humanity is as a roll of heaven's artillery, commencing with low and threatening notes and increasing until the sound is sent from cloud to cloud, and the lightning splits the air and earth. 我們置身一個日新月異的時代，隨處可見的騷動局面就是明證。沖天的民怨就像是天空中的轟隆雷鳴，始自低沉而威嚇的悶響，逐次加大聲響，終至穿透層層烏雲，同時閃電也劃破長空、劈裂大地。
24. The sentries who patrol the most advanced outposts of the Industrial, Political, and Religious world are calling anxiously to each other. What of the night? The danger and insecurity of the position they occupy and attempt to hold is becoming more apparent every hour. The dawn of a new era necessarily declares that the existing order of things cannot much longer be. 所有在產業、政治和宗教世界前線巡邏站崗的哨兵們焦慮難安地互相探詢：「守望的啊，夜裡如何？」（譯註：《聖經》以賽亞書21：11）他們試圖保有守護的領域，如今正迎來一天比一天強烈的危機和不安。全新時代的黎明必將宣告，現存的秩序即將告終。
25. The issue between the old regime and the new, the crux of the social problem, is entirely a question of conviction in the minds of the people as to the nature of the Universe. When they realize that the transcendent force of spirit or mind of the Cosmos is within each individual, it will be possible to frame laws that shall consider the liberties and rights of the many instead of the privileges of the few. 舊體制與新時代之間的角力、社會問題的癥結，完全就是人類智慧對宇宙的信念問題。一旦他們體認到，宇宙心智的超級力量原本就根植於每個人心中，很可能就會制定出相關的律法，亦即應當尊重多數人的自由和權利，而不是少數人的特權。
26. As long as the people regard the Cosmic power as a power non-human and alien to humanity, so long will it be comparatively easy for a supposed privileged class to rule by Divine right in spite of every protest of social sentiment. The real interest of democracy is therefore to exalt, emancipate and recognize the divinity of the human spirit. To recognize that all power is from within. That no human being has any more power than any other human being, except such as may willingly be delegated to him. The old regime would have us believe that the law was superior to the law-makers; herein is the gist of the social crime of every form of privilege and personal inequality, the institutionalizing of the fatalistic doctrine of Divine election. 儘管社會氛圍鼓動一波波的抗議浪潮，但只要每個人依舊認為宇宙力量是一種人類所不能及的力量，少數的特權階級就很容易假借神權來確立他們統治的正當性。因此，民主的真正要義便在於提升、解放並認知人類精神的神聖性，以及去理解所有力量都源於內在，沒有人會擁有比其他人更多的權力，除非人們自願雙手奉上。舊體制讓我們相信，立法者的地位高於法律；當「上帝揀選之人」的宿命論成為約定俗成的教條，特權和不平等所帶來的形形色色社會犯罪便根源於此。
27. The Divine Mind is the Universal Mind; it makes no exceptions, it plays no favorites; it does not act through sheer caprice or from anger, jealousy or wrath; neither can it be flattered, cajoled or moved by sympathy or petition to supply man with some need which he thinks necessary for his happiness or even his existence. The Divine Mind makes no exceptions in favor any individual; but when the individual understands and realizes his Unity with the Universal principle he will appear to be favored because he will have found the source of all health, all wealth, and all power. 神聖心智就是宇宙心智，它不允許任何例外、不允許偏袒任何一方；它不會順著心血來潮或一時憤慨、嫉妒和忿恨就胡作非為；它無視討好逢迎、甜言蜜語，也不會因為同情或憐憫他人的要求，就隨便提供人們幸福或生存所需之物。神聖心智對所有人都是一視同仁，絕無例外，如果有人能夠理解並體悟自己與宇宙心智的一致性，他就很可能受到眷顧，因為他已經找到所有健康、財富和力量的泉源。
28. 【本週練習】For your exercise this week, concentrate on the Truth. Try to realize that the Truth shall make you free, that is, nothing can permanently stand in the way of your perfect success when you learn to apply the scientifically correct thought methods and principles. Realize that you are externalizing in your environment your inherent soul potencies. Realize that the Silence offers an ever available and almost unlimited opportunity for awakening the highest conception of Truth. Try to comprehend that Omnipotence itself is absolute silence, all else is change, activity, limitation. Silent thought concentration is therefore the true method of reaching, awakening, and then expressing the wonderful potential power of the world within. 本週，你的練習作業就是集中心念思考你所學到的真理。請理解，真理會帶給你自由，也就是說，當你學會善用正確的科學方法與精神法則，就會發現自己在邁向成功的道路上，沒有任何事情可以成為永遠的障礙。你得明白，你正在利用內在心靈的力量具體化外部環境；你也得知道，平靜提供你無窮無盡的機會，喚醒你對真理的最高認識。試著理解，全能力量本身就是絕對的平靜，其他一切都是變、動與局限。因此，當你集中心念進入平靜之境，才是探索、召喚，進而表現內在世界非凡潛力的唯一正道。

"The possibilities of thought training are infinite, its consequence eternal, and yet few take the pains to direct their thinking into channels that will do them good, but instead leave all to chance." —— Marden

訓練思想帶來的機遇是無窮無盡的，它的益處是長存不息的。然而，卻很少有人願意下功夫把自己的思想導入讓自己受益的正確渠道，而是一切都聽憑運氣的擺佈。—— 馬登

Study Questions with Answers

1. What is the real secret of power? The consciousness of power, because whatever we become conscious of, is invariably manifested in the objective world, is brought forth into tangible expression. Q1：獲得力量的真正祕訣為何？A：對力量的認知。因為無論我們意識到什麼事物，總是會體現在客觀世界中，繼而在有形世界化為實體。
2. What is the source of this power? The Universal Mind, from which all things proceed, and which is one and indivisible. Q2：這股力量的來源為何？A：宇宙心智，萬事萬物都是源於此處，且不可分割。
3. How is this power being manifested? Through the individual, each individual is a channel whereby this energy is being differentiated in form. Q3：這股力量如何對外表現？A：由個體發揮，每個人都是一條通道。
4. How may we connect with this Omnipotence? Our ability to think is our ability to act on this Universal Energy, and what we think is what is produced or created in the objective world. Q4：我們如何與無所不能的力量連結？A：透過我們的思想。我們的思考能力讓我們影響這股宇宙能量；而我們的所想，都會在客觀世界中創造成形。
5. What is the result of this discovery? The result is nothing less than marvelous, it opens unprecedented and limitless opportunity. Q5：這個發現帶來了什麼結果？A：這個發現的結果堪比奇蹟，因為它開啟前所未有、無窮無盡的機會。
6. How, then, may we eliminate imperfect conditions? By becoming conscious of our Unity with the source of all power. Q6：若此，我們如何消除不完美的境遇？A：自發自覺地意識到我們與所有力量之源具有一致性。
7. What is one of the distinctive characteristics of the Master Mind? He thinks big thoughts, he holds ideas large enough to counteract and destroy all petty and annoying obstacles. Q7：聖賢們與一般人相比，最大的差異為何？A：他們擁有偉大的思想。強大的信念足以抵消、摧毀所有微小、令人煩憂的障礙。
8. How do experiences come to us? Through the law of attraction. Q8：人生的經驗如何來到我們身邊？A：依循吸吸引力法則。
9. How is this law brought into operation? By our predominant mental attitude. Q9：這法則如何運行？A：聽命我們的主導心態。
10. What is the issue between the old regime and the new? A question of conviction as to the nature of the Universe. The old regime is trying to cling to the fatalistic doctrine of Divine election. The new regime recognizes the divinity of the individual, the democracy of humanity. Q10：新、舊體制之間的爭議為何？A：對宇宙本質的信念不同。舊體制堅持「上帝揀選之人」的宿命論教條，但新體制卻認同個人的神聖性而提倡民主。