24 相信自己

Enclosed you will find Part Twenty-four, your final lesson of this course. 隨函附上第二十四週的課程，也是這套課程的最後一堂課。

If you have practiced each of the exercises a few minutes every day, as suggested, you will have found that you can get out of life exactly what you wish by first putting into life that which you wish, and you will probably agree with the student who said: "The thought is almost overwhelming, so vast, so available, so definite, so reasonable and so usable." 如果你聽從建議，每天花幾分鐘練習每一堂課，你就會發現，當你將所思、所想的一切融入生活中，真的就可以心想事成；而且你也會同意一名學員所說：「思想幾乎所向披靡，它是如此浩大、真切、明確、合情合理、可行可用。」

The fruit of this knowledge is, as it were, a gift of the Gods; it is the "truth" that makes men free, not only free from every lack and limitation, but free from sorrow, worry and care, and, is it not wonderful to realize that this law is no respector of persons, that it makes no difference what your habit of thought may be, the way has been prepared. 這顆知識結成的果實正是上天恩賜。正是這個「真理」使人獲得自由，不只是從匱乏、局限情境中獲得解脫，更是從悲傷、憂懼與掛念中解放出來。一旦你明白這法則不會因人而異，而且過往的思維習慣、走過的路也沒有任何影響，難道不會連連稱道真是太神奇了嗎？

If you are inclined to be religious, the greatest religious teacher the world has ever known made the way so plain that all may follow. If your mental bias is toward physical science, the law will operate with mathematical certainty. If you are inclined to be philosophical, Plato or Emerson may be your teacher, but in either case, you may reach degrees of power to which it is impossible to assign any limit. 如果你傾心宗教信仰，這位舉世皆知最偉大的宗教導師已經為你鋪平道路，所有人都可以踏上這條坦途；如果你的心智偏好物理科學，這法則也具備數學的準確性運行；如果你醉心哲學，可以拜柏拉圖或愛默生為師。但無論選擇哪一位，終究你都可以伸手觸及這一股無限力量。

An understanding of this principle, I believe, is the secret for which the ancient Alchemists vainly sought, because it explains how gold in the mind may be transmuted into gold in the heart and in the hand. 我相信，充分理解這法則正是古代鍊金術士長久追尋卻不得其門而入的祕密所在，因為它才能充分解釋，如何使頭腦中的黃金化為心中、手中的真金。

PART TWENTY-FOUR

1. When the scientists first put the Sun in the center of the Solar System and sent the earth spinning around it, there was immense surprise and consternation. The whole idea was self- evidently false; nothing was more certain than the movement of the Sun across the sky, and anyone could see it descend behind the western hills and sink into the sea; scholars raged and scientists rejected the idea as absurd, yet the evidence has finally carried conviction in the minds of all. 當科學家第一次把太陽當作太陽系的中心點，讓地球繞著太陽旋轉，全天下的人都目瞪口呆、驚駭不已。這一整個以太陽為中心的概念分明就是謬論，畢竟沒有比太陽劃過天空更讓人確信的事實，而且任何人也都看得到，太陽西落，沉入大海。古代的學者暴怒、科學權威唾棄這個新觀點，然而事實證明一切，最終所有人都心服口服。
2. We speak of a bell as a "sounding body," yet we know that all the bell can do is to produce vibrations in the air. When these vibrations come at the rate of sixteen per second, they cause a sound to be heard in the mind. It is also possible for the mind to hear vibrations up to the rate of 38,000 vibrations per second. When the number increases beyond this, all is silence again; so that we know that the sound is not in the bell, it is in our own mind. 我們定義鈴鐺為「發出響聲的物體」，但我們也知道，它之所以能發出響聲是因為共振周遭的空氣，當振動頻率達到每秒十六次，我們就能聽到聲音；振動頻率達到每秒三萬八千次，我們的心智就能感受到共振。當振動次數超過這個頻率，一切就會歸於寂靜，由此可知，響聲並非鈴鐺產生，而是我們的心智。
3. We speak and even think of the Sun as "giving light." Yet we know it is simply giving forth energy which produces vibrations in the ether at the rate of four hundred trillion a second, causing what are termed light waves, so that we know that we call light is simply a form of energy and that the only light there is, is the sensation caused in the mind by the motion of the waves. When the number increases, the light changes in color, each change in color being caused by shorter and more rapid vibrations; so that although we speak of the rose as being red, the grass as being green, or the sky as being blue, we know that the colors exist only in our minds, and are the sensations experienced by us as the result of the vibrations of light waves. When the vibrations are reduced below four hundred trillion a second, they no longer affect us as light, but we experience the sensation of heat. It is evident, therefore, that we cannot depend upon the evidence of the senses for our information concerning the realities of things; if we did we should believe that the sun moved, that the world was flat instead of round, that the stars were bits of light instead of vast suns. 我們稱呼、相信太陽是「發光的物體」，但其實我們知道，太陽不過是藉由乙太這種介質以每秒四百兆的共振頻率傳遞能量，這種形式的能量即為「光波」。這樣一來我們就知道，所謂的光就只是一種能量形式，僅僅是因為光波產生共振，讓我們的心智產生一種感覺。一旦共振的頻率增加，光的色彩就隨之變化，這些變化源於共振頻率增加或減少所致。由此可知，雖然我們會說，玫瑰是紅色、青草是綠色，或者天空是藍色，但其實我們知道，這些顏色單單存在我們心智中，不過就只是光波共振讓我們體會到的某種感受。當振動的頻率降至每秒四百兆以下，光就不再是光，我們感受到的是熱能。因此很顯然的是，我們不能單單倚賴感官的證據認知具體實物，如果我們堅持這麼做，那就應該會相信太陽繞著地球旋轉；地球是平的、不是圓的；星辰不是超大恆星，而是微弱光點。
4. The whole range then of the theory and practice of any system of metaphysics consists in knowing the Truth concerning yourself and the world in which you live; in knowing that in order to express harmony, you must think harmony; in order to express health you must think health; and in order to express abundance you must think abundance; to do this you must reverse the evidence of the senses. 形而上學的一切理論和實務，都是為了讓你瞭解自身，以及你生存其中的整體世界的真理；明白和諧的思想才能帶來和諧的生命；你得先想到健康，才能得到健康；先想到富足，才能得到富足；你若想做到這一切，絕不能單單依賴感官提供的證據。
5. When you come to know that every form of disease, sickness, lack and limitation are simply the result of wrong thinking, you will have come to know "the Truth which shall make you free." You will see how mountains may be removed. If these mountains consist only of doubt, fear, distrust or other forms of discouragement, they are none the less real, and they need not only to be removed but to be "cast into the sea." 當你真正明白，每一種疾厄、病痛、匱乏與局限都只是錯誤思維的結果，才會真正領悟「真理得以使你自由」，相信愚公移山實為可能。倘若眼前的高山盡是懷疑、恐懼、不信任，或是其他令人氣餒的形式所堆積而成，你理應知道，它們不過就是虛假幻影，不僅應該被移除，更應該「拋入海中」。
6. Your real work consists in convincing yourself of the truth of these statements. When you have succeeded in doing this you will have no difficulty in thinking the truth, and as has been shown, the truth contains a vital principle and will manifest itself. 你的真正任務就是確實感知這些事實。倘若你已經辦到，就能毫無阻礙地思考真理。當你在思考真理的過程中，真理會使自身化育成形。
7. Those who heal diseases by mental methods have come to know this truth, they demonstrate it in their lives and the lives of others daily. They know that life, health and abundance are Omnipresent, filling all space, and they know that those who allow disease or lack of any kind to manifest, have as yet not come into an understanding of this great law. 那些採用心理療法治癒疾病的人其實都明白這個道理，並在自己及他人的日常生活中親身實踐。他們知道，生命、健康和富足無處不在、盈滿天地之間；但那些放任疾病、匱乏等各種負面境遇纏身的人，到現在都一直不曾領悟這偉大的法則。
8. As all conditions are thought creations and therefore entirely mental, disease and lack are simply mental conditions in which the person fails to perceive the truth; as soon as the error is removed, the condition is removed. 所有境遇都是思想的產物，因此全然屬於精神層面；疾病、匱乏都只是精神狀態，但當事人無法體察這真理。只要他們拋開錯誤認知，負面境遇也就隨之煙消雲散。
9. The method for removing this error is to go into the Silence and know the Truth; as all mind is one mind, you can do this for yourself or anyone else. If you have learned to form mental images of the conditions desired, this will be the easiest and quickest way to secure results; if not, results can be accomplished by argument, by the process of convincing yourself absolutely of the truth of your statement. 拋開錯誤認知的方法就是進入平靜狀態，在此尋求真理。所有心智都源一處，你可以自求，也可以為他人求。假使你已經學會為你渴望的境遇繪製精神圖像，這就會是你確保成果最簡單、快捷的路徑；若你還沒學會，請展開自我辯論、完全說服自己確信自我主張的真理，這樣就能實現成果。
10. Remember, and this is one of the most difficult as well as most wonderful statements to grasp.... remember that no matter what the difficulty is, no matter where it is, no matter who is affected, you have no patient but yourself; you have nothing to do but to convince yourself of the truth which you desire to see manifested. 請記住，這是最難以掌握卻也最神奇的主張──無論眼前有何困難、無論將在何處遭逢困難、無論誰可能受到影響，你唯一要應付的對象只有你自己；你唯一必須做的事就是說服自己相信真理，亦即，你渴望的結果終將實現。
11. This is an exact scientific statement in accordance with every system of Metaphysics in existence, and no permanent results are ever secured in any other way. 這是一句完全符合現行形而上學體系的科學主張，沒有任何永恆成果是採取其他方法產出的。
12. Every form of concentration, forming Mental Images, Argument, and Auto-Suggestion are all simply methods by which you are enabled to realize the Truth. 集中注意力、描繪精神圖像、論證和自我暗示都只不過是諸多你能夠實現真理的簡單方法。
13. If you desire to help someone, to destroy some form of lack, limitation or error, the correct method is not to think of the person whom you wish to help; the intention to help them is entirely sufficient, as this puts you in mental touch with the person. Then drive out of your own mind any belief of lack, limitation, disease, danger, difficulty or whatever the trouble might be. As soon as you have succeeded is doing this the result will have been accomplished, and the person will be free. 假使你渴望幫助他人、打破匱乏、局限和謬誤，正確的做法不是一心想著你希望幫助的對象。你只要心存想助人一臂之力的善念就綽綽有餘，因為這個意識能讓你在精神上與對方契合。然後你驅趕自己心中的匱乏、局限、病痛、危險、困難或任何其他的煩惱。只要你能夠成功辦到，你希望實現的結果就能實現，而且你渴望幫助的對象就會得到自由。
14. But remember that thought is creative and consequently every time you allow your thought to rest on any inharmonious condition, you must realize that such conditions are apparent only, they have no reality, that spirit is the only reality and it can never be less than perfect. 但請記住，思想具有創造性，每當你的想法聚焦某些看起來不甚諧和的情境時，都要明白，這些情境都只是暫時表象，並非真實存在；唯一真實的存在就是精神，它永遠都完美無瑕。
15. All thought is a form of energy, a rate of vibration, but a thought of the Truth is the highest rate of vibration known and consequently destroys every form of error in exactly the same way that light destroys darkness; no form of error can exist when the "Truth" appears, so that your entire mental work consists in coming into an understanding of the Truth. This will enable you to overcome every form of lack, limitation or disease of any kind. 所有思想都是一種能量形式、一種振動頻率，但是思考真理才是世人所知最高頻率的共振，因此足以消除謬誤，一如光明驅逐黑暗。一旦真理彰顯，任何謬誤都將遁逃無蹤。由此可知，你的這項精神任務就在於領會何謂真理。這項任務可以讓你克服各式各樣的匱乏、局限或疾病等。
16. We can get no understanding of the truth from the world without; the world without is relative only; Truth is absolute. We must therefore find it in the "world within." 我們領悟真理不可能向外緣木求魚，外在世界只是相對存在，真理卻是絕對存在。我們必須在「內在世界」尋求真理。
17. To train the mind to see Truth only is to express true conditions only, our ability to do this will be an indication as to the progress we are making. 訓練自己的心智認識唯一真理，外在世界就會展現真理；從我們實現這個目標的能力，可以得知我們進步的狀況如何。
18. The absolute truth is that the "I" is perfect and complete; the real "I" is spiritual and can therefore never be less than perfect; it can never have any lack, limitation, or disease. The flash of genius does not have origin in the molecular motion of the brain; it is inspired by the ego, the spiritual "I" which is one with the Universal Mind, and it is our ability to recognize this Unity which is the cause of all inspiration, all genius. These results are far reaching and have effect upon generations yet to come; they are the pillars of fire which mark the path that millions follow. 絕對純粹的真理就是，「我」代表完美與完整；真正的「我」屬於精神層次，因此絕對是完美無瑕。它不會匱乏、局限或患疾。天才不是源自腦細胞的運動發達，而是受到自我激發，也就是與宇宙心智和諧一致的精神層次的「我」，這種精神的一致性才是所有靈感、一切天才的起源；而且最終成果會創造深遠的意義，影響未來的世世代代。它們可說是熊熊火柱，照亮千百萬人循序前進的道路。
19. Truth is not the result of logical training or of experimentation, or even of observation; it is the product of a developed consciousness. Truth within a Caesar, manifests in a Caesar's deportment, in his life and his action; his influence upon social forms and progress. Your life and your actions and your influence in the world will depend upon the degree of truth which you are enabled to perceive, for truth will not manifest in creeds, but in conduct. 真理不是邏輯訓練或研究實驗的結果，甚至也不是觀察所得的結論。它是自覺意識開發的產物。凱撒心中的真理彰顯他獨裁統治的欲望，並體現在他的生命、行動中，也體現在他促進社會進步、影響社會變革的過程中。你的生命、行動與對全世界的影響力都取決於你認知真理的程度，因為它不是在教條中體現，而是在行為中體現。
20. Truth manifests in character, and the character of a man, should be the interpretation of his religion, or what to him is truth, and this will in turn be evidenced in the character of his possession. If a man complains of the drift of his fortune he is just as unjust to himself as if he should deny rational truth, though it stand patent and irrefutable. 真理體現在性格中，每個人的性格應該就是本人對於宗教信仰，或是所有他稱為真理之事的詮釋，而且真理會繼而反過來體現在他所擁有的性格中。假使一個人老是開口就抱怨自己時運不濟，這樣他對自己是不公平的，因為他否定了真理，儘管真理是如此清楚明瞭、無可辯駁。
21. Our environment and the innumerable circumstances and accidents of our lives already exist in the subconscious personality which attracts to itself the mental and physical material which is congenial to its nature. Thus our future being determined from our present, and if there should be apparent injustice in any feature or phase of our personal life, we must look within for the cause, try to discover the mental fact which is responsible for the outward manifestation. 我們的環境及生活中數不清的境況、遭遇都是先存在於自己的潛意識，之後才顯現於外在世界；我們的潛意識人格會吸引符合自己性情的精神和物質原料。由此可知，我們的過去決定未來，所以，如果我們的個人生活中有任何不公平處境或階段，首先就應該自我省察內心，試圖找出為我們招致這些外在結果的精神事實。
22. It is this truth which makes you "free" and it is the conscious knowledge of this truth which will enable you to overcome every difficulty. 正是真理能夠使你「自由」，能自覺地領悟到真理，可以讓你戰勝一切困難。
23. The conditions with which you meet in the world without are invariably the result of the conditions obtaining in the world within, therefore it follows with scientific accuracy that by holding the perfect ideal in mind you can bring about ideal conditions in your environment. 你在外在世界中所遭遇的境況都只是在反映你內在世界的境況，因此，你應該謹守心智所擁有的完美理想，就能在外在環境中遇見理想的機遇和條件。這一點禁得起科學的考驗。
24. If you see only the incomplete, the imperfect, the relative, the limited, these conditions will manifest in your life; but if you train your mind to see and realize the spiritual ego, the "I" which is forever perfect and complete, harmonious; wholesome, and healthful conditions only will be manifested. 如果，你總是只看到缺憾、不滿、比較、限制等諸多負面境遇，它們就越會在你的生命中不斷冒出來。但是，如果你願意訓練自己的心智看見、實現精神的自我，也就是永遠完美、完整、和諧的這個「我」，就能擁有有益身心健康的外部境遇。
25. As thought is creative, and the truth is the highest and most perfect thought which anyone can think, it is self-evident that to think the truth is to create that which is true and it is again evident that when truth comes into being that which is false must cease to be. 思想具有創造性，真理又是最高境界、最完美無瑕的思想，而且屬於任何人，因此，思考真理就可以創造真實事物；當真理得以彰顯，謬誤必將退散，這一點同樣是極為明顯的事實。
26. The Universal Mind is the totality of all mind which is in existence. Spirit is Mind, because spirit is intelligent. The words are, therefore, synonymous. 宇宙心智是所有心智的匯聚。精神即心智，因為精神自有智慧，因此它們都是同義詞。
27. The difficulty with which you have to contend is to realize that mind is not individual. It is omnipresent. It exists everywhere. In other words, there is no place where it is not. It is, therefore, Universal. 心智並非個體存在，它無處不在，充盈各個角落。換句話說，沒有任何角落看不到它的蹤跡。也因此，它就是宇宙。
28. Men have, heretofore, generally used the word "God" to indicate this Universal, creative principle; but the word "God" does not convey the right meaning. Most people understand this word to mean something outside of themselves; while exactly the contrary is the fact. It is our very life. Without it we would be dead. We would cease to exist. The minute the spirit leaves the body, we are as nothing. Therefore, spirit is really, all there is of us. 人們一向喜好使用「上帝」一詞代表宇宙的創造性法則，但「上帝」一詞並不能準確傳達真實的意義。多數人認為，「上帝」意指自身以外的某樣事物，但是事實截然相反。它就是我們的生命，如果沒有它，我們早已不復存在。當靈魂脫離軀殼的那一瞬間，我們就什麼都不是了，因此，精神是真實的存在，也是我們的全部。
29. Now, the only activity which the spirit possesses is the power to think. Therefore, thought must be creative, because spirit is creative. This creative power is impersonal and your ability to think is your ability to control it and make use of it for the benefit of yourself and others. 現在，精神唯一的活動就是思考，因此，思考必定具有創造性，因為精神本身就具有創造性。這種創造力就是一股非人格的力量，你的思考能力就是你控制、發揮這種創造力，以便造福自己與他人的能力。
30. When the truth of this statement is realized, understood, and appreciated, you will have come into possession of the Master-Key, but remember that only those who are wise enough to understand, broad enough to weigh the evidence, firm enough to follow their own judgment, and strong enough to make the sacrifice exacted, may enter and partake. 一旦你認識、理解並接受這個真理，就可以真正擁有一把「萬能金鑰」，不過請記住，唯有智者才足以理解、唯有心胸開闊的人才足以權衡證據、唯有意志堅定的人才足以依循自身的判斷，而且唯有強者才足以在必要時勇於犧牲。他們才夠格擁有並分享一切。
31. This week, try to realize that this is truly a wonderful world in which we live, that you are a wonderful being that many are awakening to a knowledge of the Truth, and as fast as they awake and come into a knowledge of the “things which have been prepared for them” they, too, realize that "Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither hath it entered into the heart of man," the splendors which exist for those who find themselves in the Promised Land. They have crossed the river of judgment and have arrived at the point of discrimination between the true and the false, and have found that all they ever willed or dreamed, was but a faint concept of the dazzling reality. 本週，請認識我們生活的這個世界，它千真萬確是一個美妙的世界，你本身也正是奇妙的存在，而且許多人正慢慢覺醒，想要認識真理；一旦他們徹底覺醒，體認到那些「為他們準備已久的事物」，他們也就會隨即明白那些「眼睛未曾看見，耳朵未曾聽見，人心也未曾想到的事情」（譯註：《聖經》哥林多前書 2：9），這般輝煌境界只為那些發現自己置身「天堂」的人存在。他們橫跨判斷之河，抵達明辨是非的彼岸，並因此發現，所有自己過往希望、夢想的一切都只不過是炫人表象下不起眼的觀念。

"Though an inheritance of acres may be bequeathed, an inheritance of knowledge and wisdom cannot. The wealthy man may pay others for doing his work for him, but it is impossible to get his thinking done for him by another or to purchase any kind of self-culture." —— S. Smiles

「良田豪宅可以傳承給後代，而知識和智慧則不能。富人可以花錢讓別人給他幹活，但想要得出自己的思想，卻無法由他人代勞。而且，他也買不來任何種類的自我修養」。S·斯邁爾斯

Study Questions with Answers

1. Upon what principle does the theory and practice of every system of Metaphysics in existence depend? Upon a knowledge of the "Truth" concerning yourself and the world in which you life. Q1：形而上學的理論和實踐依據什麼原則存在？A：依據認識自己與賴以為生的世界的「真理」。
2. What is the "Truth" concerning yourself? The real "I" or ego is spiritual and can therefore never be less than perfect. Q2：關於你自己的「真理」為何？A：真實的「我」或自我屬於精神層面，因此永遠完美無瑕。
3. What is the method of destroying any form of error? To absolutely convince yourself of the "Truth" concerning the condition which you wish to see manifested. Q3：破壞任何形式的謬誤有何方法可消除？A：絕對說服自己相信「真理」，意即，你渴望的結果終將實現。
4. Can we do this for others? The Universal Mind in which "we live and move and have our being" is one and indivisible, it is therefore just as possible to help others as to help ourselves. Q4：我們可以為別人服務嗎？A：宇宙心智是不可分割的整體；由此可知，幫助他人一如自助，這是確實可能的境界。

5. What is the Universal Mind? The totality of all mind in existence. Q5：何謂宇宙心智？A：所有心智的匯聚。

6. Where is the Universal Mind? The Universal Mind is omnipresent, it exists everywhere. There is no place where it is not. It is therefore within us. It is "The World within." It is our spirit, our life. Q6：宇宙心智位於何處？A：宇宙心智無所不在、充盈所有角落。沒有任何角落會看不到它的蹤跡。因此它存在我們心中；它就是「內在世界」；它就是我們的精神、我們的生命。

7. What is the nature of the Universal Mind? It is spiritual and consequently creative. It seeks to express itself in form. Q7：宇宙心智的本質為何？A：它屬於精神層面，因而具有創造性。它不斷透過有形實體展現自身。
8. How may we act on the Universal Mind? Our ability to think is our ability to act on the Universal Mind and bring it into manifestation for the benefit of ourselves or others. Q8：我們如何依據宇宙心智採取行動？A：我們的思考能力就是促使宇宙心智採取行動的能力，而且當我們發揮這股能力，就能造福自己與他人。
9. What is meant by thinking? Clear, decisive, calm, deliberate, sustained thought with a definite end in view. Q9：何謂思考？A：清晰、果斷、冷靜、深思熟慮、具有明確目標的想法。
10. What will be the result? You will also be able to say, "It is not I that doeth the works, but the ‘Father’ that dwelleth within me, He doeth the works." You will come to know that the "Father" is the Universal Mind and that He does really and truly dwell within you, in other words, you will come to know that the wonderful promises made in the Bible are fact, not fiction, and can be demonstrated by anyone having sufficient understanding. Q10：（承上題）結果如何？A：你會發現宇宙心智千真萬確住在你裡面。換句話說，你會發現《聖經》所提出的美好承諾都是事實，不是空談，而且任何充分理解其中真義的人都可以證明。

"Temples have their sacred images, and we see what influence they have always had over a great part of mankind; but, in truth, the ideas and images in men's minds are the invisible powers that constantly govern them; and to these they all pay universally a ready submission." —— Jonathan Edwards