如何获得对更高世界的认知
鲁道夫·斯坦纳 · 1904年原著
为什么选这篇
这是斯坦纳最重要的修炼实践著作(GA 10)的第一章。我在阅读到「聆听练习」的时候,被触动。留个悬念,这次只展示第一章节。
这一章是全书的地基。它回答了一个根本的问题:通向更高知识的路,究竟从哪里开始?
答案出乎意料:不从技巧开始,从崇敬开始。
每个人体内都蕴藏着能够让人领悟更高境界的知识的能力。神秘主义者、诺斯替主义者、神智学者们都在谈论一个由灵魂与精神构成的世界——对他们来说,这个世界与我们用肉眼所见、双手所触碰到的现实世界一样真实。听众随时都可以对自己说:只要激发自己体内那些尚未被开发的潜能,我也能学到他们所讲述的知识。现在唯一的问题是:如何着手开发这些能力。而要回答这个问题,只有那些已经拥有这些能力的人才能给出建议。只要人类存在,就一直存在着一种培养方式:那些拥有这些超常能力的人会教导那些渴望获得这些能力的人。这种培养方式被称为“神秘学训练”,而由此获得的知识则被称为“神秘学教义”或“灵性科学”。不过,这样的称谓很容易引发误解——听到这个词的人可能会误以为,这种训练是某个特权阶层所独有,他们故意将自己的知识隐藏起来,不让他人知晓。
他甚至可能会认为这种知识并无真正的价值,因为如果它真是宝贵的知识——他会这样想——
从某一方面来看,这里的情况与获取外在知识及技能的条件有所不同。一个人可能因为贫困或所处文明的制约而无法掌握写作技巧;但对于那些真心寻求更高境界的知识与能力的人来说,是没有任何障碍的。
许多人认为,必须到某个地方去寻找那些拥有高深知识的大师,才能获得启迪。首先,凡是真心追求高深知识的人,在寻找能引导自己领悟世间高深智慧的导师时,绝不会懈怠,也不会畏惧任何障碍。另一方面,只要一个人展现出真诚而不懈的努力,那么无论在何种情况下,启蒙都一定会降临到他身上。所有入门者都应遵循的自然法则之一,就是不拒绝将应得的知识传授给他人;但同样自然的另一条法则则是:绝不能将奥秘知识传授给那些不具备接受能力的人。越是严格遵守这些法则,一个入门者就越完美。连接所有入门者的纽带是精神上的而非外在的,而这里提到的两条法则,则如同坚固的锁扣,将这一纽带的各个组成部分紧密地结合在一起。
你可以与一位入门者保持亲密的友谊,但只要你自己尚未成为入门者,就有一道隔阂将你与他内在的本质分隔开来。你可以充分享受他内心的真诚与爱,但他只会在你具备接受能力时才会将知识传授给你。无论你如何奉承或折磨他,都无法让他透露任何秘密——因为在你目前的成长阶段,你还无法以正确的方式将这些知识融入自己的灵魂之中。
让学生为接受更高智慧做好准备的方法都有详细的规定。他们应遵循的道路,以永恒不变的符号被标示在灵界之中,而那些掌握着高深秘密的导师们则守护着这些道路。在远古时代,也就是我们的历史记载之前,这些灵殿也是肉眼可见的;但如今,由于人类的生活变得如此缺乏灵性,它们已不再存在于肉眼可及的世界里。不过,从灵性层面来看,它们无处不在,任何寻求它们的人都能找到。
他必须首先具备某种基本的灵魂态度。在灵性科学中,这种基本态度被称为“对真理与知识的崇敬与虔诚之道”。没有这种态度,任何人都不可能成为求知者。那些后来寻求更高智慧的人,在童年时期所表现出的态度,是熟悉这类事务的人所熟知的。有些孩子会以虔诚敬畏的态度仰视他们所尊敬的人。对于这样的人,他们的尊敬之情使他们即使在内心深处也无法产生任何批评或反对的念头。这样的孩子长大后会成为年轻人,当他们能够仰慕那些令自己心生崇敬的事物时,便会感到幸福。许多追求高深知识的人正是从这类孩子中产生的。你是否曾站在某位受人尊敬之人的门外,在初次造访时,按下门把手准备进入那个对你而言神圣的房间时,感受到一种虔诚的敬畏之情?如果是这样,那么在你内心深处已经萌生了未来踏上求知之路的种子。对于每一个正在成长中的人来说,拥有这样的感受并以此为基础继续前进,实在是一种福分。但绝不能认为这种特质会使人变得顺从或奴性十足。最初对某些人的孩童般崇敬,后来会转变为对真理与知识的崇敬。
经验告诉我们,那些懂得在适当之处表达敬意的人,才能最昂首挺胸地生活;而当敬意发自内心深处时,这种敬意才是恰当的。
如果我们内心没有建立起“存在比自己更崇高的东西”这一根深蒂固的信念,就永远无法获得向更高境界进发的力量。只有将心灵引向虔诚与敬仰的深处,人才能获得提升自我、迈向智慧之境的力量。唯有通过谦逊之门,才能攀登到精神的巅峰。
拥有这种情感的学生,或者那些有幸在适当的教育中培养出这种情感的人,在日后寻求更高层次的知识时,会具备巨大的优势。如果没有这样的准备,他们将在最初阶段就遇到困难,除非通过严格的自我教育,在内心建立起这种虔诚的情感。在我们这个时代,尤其需要重视这一点。我们的文明更倾向于批判与否定,而非虔诚与无私的崇敬。现在的孩子们,批评的意愿远远超过崇拜的意愿。但每一条批评、每一个负面评价,都会削弱灵魂获取更高知识的能量;而所有的崇敬与敬畏则能增强这种能力。我们并非要借此贬低我们的文明——这里绝不是要对文明进行批判。正是这种批判能力、这种自觉的人类判断力,以及“检验一切、坚守最善”的精神,才造就了我们文明的伟大。倘若人类不对一切事物运用批判性的判断标准,就不可能取得当今的科学成就、工业发展、商业繁荣以及各种社会关系。但我们因此在外在文化中所获得的,却不得不付出相应的代价,即丧失了对精神生活的更高认识。必须强调的是,高等知识并不涉及对人的崇拜,而是对真理和知识的崇拜。
因此,任何想要成为高等知识学习者的人,都必须孜孜不倦地培养这种内在的虔诚之心。在所处的环境中以及各种经历中,都应寻找值得钦佩和敬仰的事物。如果我指责一个人的缺点,就会失去获得高等知识的契机;而如果我能以慈爱之心去欣赏他的优点,就能获得这样的力量。学习者必须始终牢记这一教诲。那些有灵性体验的人深知:面对一切事物时,能够重新回归善良、避免负面评判,是多么重要的事情。但这不应只是外在的生活准则,而必须深入我们的灵魂深处。人类有能力完善自我,并最终实现彻底的自我转变。但这种转变必须发生在内心深处,发生在思想领域。仅仅在行为上表现出尊重是不够的,我的思想中也必须充满尊重之情。修行者应首先将这种虔诚之心融入自己的思想之中。他必须警惕意识中那些不敬或批评的念头,并立即努力培养虔诚的思想。
每当我们努力在意识中察觉那些对世界和生活的负面、贬低性的批判性判断时,这样的每一刻都会让我们更接近更高的智慧。而当我们在这些时刻用能激发我们对世界与生活之钦佩、尊敬与崇敬的思想来填充自己的意识时,我们就能迅速进步。熟悉这些道理的人都知道,在这样的时刻,那些原本处于休眠状态的力量会被唤醒。如此一来,人的灵性之眼便被打开,他便能看见以前无法看到的周围事物。他开始明白,此前自己只看到了周围世界的一部分。现在,站在他面前的人呈现出一种全新而不同的面貌。当然,仅凭这一生活准则还不足以让他看到所谓的“人类光环”,因为这需要更高层次的修炼。但如果他之前经历过严格的虔诚修行,就能达到这种更高的修行境界。(在《神智学》一书的最后一章中,作者详细描述了“知识之路”;此处则旨在提供一些具体的实践要点。)
走在通往知识的道路上时,不会被外界察觉到任何变化。学生无需做出任何改变,依然可以像往常一样履行自己的职责、处理自己的事务。真正的转变发生在灵魂的内在层面,是外人无法看到的。起初,学生的内心会被对一切值得尊敬的事物的虔诚之情所充满。整个灵魂生活都以此种虔诚之情为核心。正如阳光能照亮一切生物一样,这种虔诚之心也能激活灵魂中的所有情感。
起初,很难相信敬畏与尊重之类的情感与认知能力有关。这是因为我们倾向于将认知能力视为一种独立于灵魂其他活动之外的能力。但事实上,正是灵魂在运用认知能力;而情感对灵魂而言,就如同食物对身体一样重要。如果我们用石头代替面包喂饱身体,身体的机能就会停止运转。灵魂也是如此。敬畏、崇敬和虔诚的情感就像营养品,能让灵魂保持健康与强大,尤其是有助于提升认知能力。不尊重、反感以及低估那些值得认可的事物,都会对这种认知能力产生抑制和削弱作用。对于有灵性体验的人来说,这一现象在气场上显而易见。怀有敬畏与虔诚之心的灵魂,其气场会发生变化:那些可以称之为“灵性色彩”的黄红色与棕红色会消失,取而代之的是蓝红色调。这样一来,认知能力便得到提升,灵魂能够感知到此前未曾了解的环境中的各种事实。
敬畏能在灵魂中唤起一种共鸣之力,让我们能够吸引周围那些原本隐藏着的美好特质。
当情感生活因另一种品质而得到丰富时,通过虔诚所获得的力量便会变得更加有效。
这就意味着要逐渐减少对外界印象的依赖,转而培养丰富的内心世界。那些总是被外界各种印象所干扰、不断寻求消遣的人,是无法通往更高层次智慧的。
学生被要求在日常生活中抽出时间,独自安静地沉浸于自我之中。在这些时刻,他不应让自我的欲望占据心神,因为那样只会适得其反。相反,他应让外界的体验与讯息在自己的内心深处回响。在这样的宁静时刻,每一朵花、每一个动物、每一个行为都会向他揭示意想不到的秘密。如此一来,他就能以全新的视角去感知外部世界。一味追求接连不断的感官享受只会削弱认知能力;而如果让已体验到的愉悦释放出其中的启示,认知能力反而会得到滋养与提升。因此,修行者不仅要让这种愉悦在内心回荡,更要摒弃进一步的享乐念头,深入反思过往的体验。不过这其中的风险极大:很容易陷入相反的误区,试图利用这种愉悦感来满足私欲。切不可低估修行者在此过程中将面临的种种错误诱惑,他必须战胜灵魂深处的种种考验。它们都会强化他的自我意识,将其囚禁于自身之中。他反而应该敞开心扉迎接整个世界。他必须去寻求快乐,因为唯有通过快乐,外部世界才能与他相连。
如果他拒绝享受生活,就如同植物无法从环境中汲取养分一般。但若只停留在享乐层面,他又会将自己封闭起来。那样一来,他只属于自己,而与世界毫无关联。无论他在自我世界里活得多么充实,无论如何强化自己的自我意识——世界都会排斥他。对世界而言,他已如同死人一般。追求更高智慧的人将享乐视为提升自我、服务世界的手段。享乐对他而言就像向导,指引他了解世界;但在获得启示后,他便会继续前行去奉献自己的所学。他学习并非为了积累知识作为个人的财富,而是为了将所学用于服务世界。
在所有灵性科学中,都有一条不可违背的基本原则,违背这一原则就会导致无法取得成功。这一点必须在各种神秘学培训中反复向学员强调。其核心内容如下:那些仅仅为了个人知识的积累或谋取私利而追求的知识,会使人偏离正道;而那些有助于人在人类进步与宇宙发展过程中不断成长、走向成熟的知识,则能让人不断前进。这条法则必须严格遵守,只有真正将其作为自己一生的指导原则的人,才能称得上是真正的学者。这一真理可以用以下简短的话来概括:任何不能成为你理想的理念,都会削弱你灵魂中的力量;而任何成为你理想的理念,则能在你体内激发生命力。
英文原文
THERE slumber in every human being faculties by means of which he can acquire for himself a knowledge of higher worlds. Mystics, Gnostics, Theosophists—all speak of a world of soul and spirit which for them is just as real as the world we see with our physical eyes and touch with our physical hands. At every moment the listener may say to himself: that, of which they speak, I too can learn, if I develop within myself certain powers which today still slumber within me. There remains only one question—how to set to work to develop such faculties. For this purpose, they only can give advice who already possess such powers. As long as the human race has existed there has always been a method of training, in the course of which individuals possessing these higher faculties gave instruction to others who were in search of them. Such a training is called occult (esoteric) training, and the instruction received therefrom is called occult (esoteric) teaching, or spiritual science. This designation naturally awakens misunderstanding. The one who hears it may very easily be misled into the belief that this training is the concern of a special, privileged class, withholding its knowledge arbitrarily from its fellow-creatures.
He may even think that nothing of real importance lies behind such knowledge, for if it were a true knowledge—he is tempted to think—
In one respect only do the conditions here differ from those that apply to external knowledge and proficiency. The possibility of acquiring the art of writing may be withheld from someone through poverty, or through the conditions of civilization into which he is born; but for the attainment of knowledge and proficiency in the higher worlds, there is no obstacle for those who earnestly seek them.
Many believe that they must seek, at one place or another, the masters of higher knowledge in order to receive enlightenment. Now in the first place, whoever strives earnestly after higher knowledge will shun no exertion and fear no obstacle in his search for an initiate who can lead him to the higher knowledge of the world. On the other hand, everyone may be certain that initiation will find him under all circumstances if he gives proof of an earnest and worthy endeavor to attain this knowledge. It is a natural law among all initiates to withhold from no man the knowledge that is due him but there is an equally natural law which lays down that no word of esoteric knowledge shall be imparted to anyone not qualified to receive it. And the more strictly he observes these laws, the more perfect is an initiate. The bond of union embracing all initiates is spiritual and not external, but the two laws here mentioned form, as it were, strong clasps by which the component parts of this bond are held together.
You may live in intimate friendship with an initiate, and yet a gap severs you from his essential self, so long as you have not become an initiate yourself. You may enjoy in the fullest sense the heart, the love of an initiate, yet he will only confide his knowledge to you when you are ripe for it. You may flatter him; you may torture him; nothing can induce him to betray anything to you as long as you, at the present stage of your evolution, are not competent to receive it into your soul in the right way.
The methods by which a student is prepared for the reception of higher knowledge are minutely prescribed. The direction he is to take is traced with unfading, everlasting letters in the worlds of the spirit where the initiates guard the higher secrets. In ancient times, anterior to our history, the temples of the spirit were also outwardly visible; today, because our life has become so unspiritual, they are not to be found in the world visible to external sight; yet they are present spiritually everywhere, and all who seek may find them.
He must begin with a certain fundamental attitude of soul. In spiritual science this fundamental attitude is called the path of veneration, of devotion to truth and knowledge. Without this attitude no one can become a student. The disposition shown in their childhood by subsequent students of higher knowledge is well known to the experienced in these matters. There are children who look up with religious awe to those whom they venerate. For such people they have a respect which forbids them, even in the deepest recess of their heart, to harbor any thought of criticism or opposition. Such children grow up into young men and women who feel happy when they are able to look up to anything that fills them with veneration. From the ranks of such children are recruited many students of higher knowledge. Have you ever paused outside the door of some venerated person, and have you, on this your first visit, felt a religious awe as you pressed on the handle to enter the room which for you is a holy place? If so, a feeling has been manifested within you which may be the germ of your future adherence to the path of knowledge. It is a blessing for every human being in process of development to have such feelings upon which to build. Only it must not be thought that this disposition leads to submissiveness and slavery. What was once a childlike veneration for persons becomes, later, a veneration for truth and knowledge.
Experience teaches that they can best hold their heads erect who have learnt to venerate where veneration is due; and veneration is always fitting when it flows from the depths of the heart.
If we do not develop within ourselves this deeply rooted feeling that there is something higher than ourselves, we shal never find the strength to evolve to something higher. The initiate has only acquired the strength to lift his head to the heights of knowledge by guiding his heart to the depths of veneration and devotion. The heights of the spirit can only be climbed by passing through the portals of humility.
The student who is gifted with this feeling, or who is fortunate enough to have had it inculcated in a suitable education, brings a great deal along with him when, later in life, he seeks admittance to higher knowledge. Failing such preparation, he will encounter difficulties at the very first step, unless he undertakes, by rigorous self-education, to create within himself this inner life of devotion. In our time it is especially important that ful attention be paid to this point. Our civilization tends more toward critical judgment and condemnation than toward devotion and selfless veneration. Our children already criticize far more than they worship. But every criticism, every adverse judgment passed, disperses the powers of the soul for the attainment of higher knowledge in the same measure that all veneration and reverence develops them. In this we do not wish to say anything against our civilization. There is no question here of leveling criticism against it. To this critical faculty, this self-conscious human judgment, this “test all things and hold fast what is best,” we owe the greatness of our civilization. Man could never have attained to the science, the industry, the commerce, the rights relationships of our time, had he not applied to all things the standard of his critical judgment. But what we have thereby gained in external culture we have had to pay for with a corresponding loss of higher knowledge of spiritual life. It must be emphasized that higher knowledge is not concerned with the veneration of persons but the veneration of truth and knowledge.
Whoever, therefore, wishes to become a student of higher knowledge must assiduously cultivate this inner life of devotion. Everywhere in his environment and his experiences he must seek motives of admiration and homage. If I meet a man and blame him for his shortcomings, I rob myself of power to attain higher knowledge; but if I try to enter lovingly into his merits, I gather such power. The student must continually be intent upon following this advice. The spiritually experienced know how much they owe to the circumstance that in face of all things they ever again turn to the good, and withhold adverse judgment. But this must not remain an external rule of life; rather it must take possession of our innermost soul. Man has it in his power to perfect himself and, in time, completely to transform himself. But this transformation must take place in his innermost self, in his thought-life. It is not enough that I show respect only in my outward bearing; I must have this respect in my thoughts. The student must begin by absorbing this devotion into this thought-life. He must be wary of thoughts of disrespect, of adverse criticism, existing in his consciousness, and he must endeavor straightaway to cultivate thoughts of devotion.
Every moment that we set ourselves to discover in our consciousness whatever there remains in it of adverse, disparaging and critical judgement of the world and of life; every such moment brings us nearer to higher knowledge. And we rise rapidly when we fill our consciousness in such moments with thoughts evoking in us admiration, respect and veneration for the world and for life. It is well known to those experienced in these matters that in every such moment powers are awakened which otherwise remain dormant. In this way the spiritual eyes of man are opened. He begins to see things around him which he could not have seen before. He begins to understand that hitherto he had only seen a part of the world around him. A human being standing before him now presents a new and different aspect. Of course, this rule of life alone will not yet enable him to see, for instance, what is described as the human aura, because for this still higher training is necessary. But he can rise to this higher training if he has previously undergone a rigorous training in devotion. (In the last chapter of his book Theosophy, the author describes fully the Path of Knowledge; here it is intended to give some practical details.)
It is not easy, at first, to believe that feelings like reverence and respect have anything to do with cognition. This is due to the fact that we are inclined to set cognition aside as a faculty by itself—one that stands in no relation to what otherwise occurs in the soul. In so thinking we do not bear in mind that it is the soul which exercises the faculty of cognition; and feelings are for the soul what food is for the body. If we give the body stones in place of bread, its activity will cease. It is the same with the soul. Veneration, homage, devotion are like nutriment making it healthy and strong, especially strong for the activity of cognition. Disrespect, antipathy, underestimation of what deserves recognition, all exert a paralyzing and withering effect on this faculty of cognition. For the spiritually experienced this fact is visible in the aura. A soul which harbors feelings of reverence and devotion produces a change in its aura. Certain spiritual colorings, as they may be called, yellow-red and brown-red in tone, vanish and are replaced by blue-red tints. Thereby the cognitional faculty is ripened; it receives intelligence of facts in its environment of which it had hitherto no idea.
Reverence awakens in the soul a sympathetic power through which we attract qualities in the beings around us, which would otherwise remain concealed.
The power obtained through devotion can be rendered still more effective when the life of feeling is enriched by yet another quality.
This consists in giving oneself up less and less to impressions of the outer world, and to develop instead a vivid inner life. A person who darts from one impression of the outer world to another, who constantly seeks distraction, cannot find the way to higher knowledge.
The student is told to set apart moments in his daily life in which to withdraw into himself, quietly and alone. He is not to occupy himself at such moments with the affairs of his own ego. This would result in the contrary of what is intended. He should rather let his experiences and the messages from the outer world re-echo within his own completely silent self. At such silent moments every flower, every animal, every action will unveil to him secrets undreamt of. And thus he will prepare himself to receive quite new impressions of the outer world through quite different eyes. The desire to enjoy impression after impression merely blunts the faculty of cognition; the latter, however, is nurtured and cultivated if the enjoyment once experienced is allowed to reveal its message. Thus the student must accustom himself not merely to let the enjoyment reverberate, as it were, but rather to renounce any further enjoyment, and work upon the past experience. The peril here is very great. Instead of working inwardly, it is very easy to fall into the opposite habit of trying to exploit the enjoyment. Let no one underestimate the fact that immense sources of error here confront the student. He must pass through a host of tempters of his soul. They would all harden his ego and imprison it within itself. He should rather open it wide to all the world. It is necessary that he should seek enjoyment, for only through enjoyment can the outer world reach him.
If he blunts himself to enjoyment he is like a plant which cannot any longer draw nourishment from its environment. Yet if he stops short at the enjoyment he shuts himself up within himself. He wil only be something to himself and nothing to the world. However much he may live within himself, however intensely he may cultivate his ego—the world will reject him. To the world he is dead. The student of higher knowledge considers enjoyment only as a means of ennobling himself for the world. Enjoyment is to him like a scout informing him about the world; but once instructed by enjoyment, he passes on to work. He does not learn in order to accumulate learning as his own treasure, but in order that he may devote his learning to the service of the world.
鲁道夫·斯坦纳(Rudolf Steiner,1861—1925),奥地利哲学家、神秘学家,人智学创始人。本文为《如何获得对更高世界的认知》(Wie erlangt man Erkenntnisse der höheren Welten? GA10,1904年)第一章。