P.23II.EARTH-BOUND

        (II.土的牵绊)

        1.Thesituationthenisthis:manwantstolive,buthestillmustliveuponthisearth.Allquestionsoflivinginheavenmustbebrushedaside.Letnotthespirittakewingsandsoartotheabodeofthegodsandforgettheearth.Arewenotmortals,condemnedtodie?Thespanoflifevouchsafedus,threescoreandten,isshortenough,ifthespiritgetshaughtyandwantstoliveforever,butontheotherhand,itisalsolongenough,ifthespiritisalittlehumble.Onecanlearnsuchalotandenjoysuchalotisseventyyears,andthreegenerationsisalong,longtimetoseehumanfolliesandacquirehumanwisdom.Anyonewhoiswiseandhaslivedlingenoughtowitnessthechangesoffashionandmortalsandpoliticsthroughtheriseandfallofthreegenerationsshouldbeperfectlysatisfiedtorisefromhisseatandgoawaysaying,“Itwasagoodshow,”whenthecurtainfalls.

        1.(情况是这样的:人们想要活着,可是人们只能在地上活着。所以,关於在天国活着的疑惑,先让我们放在一边。我们先不要去想怎样抛却大地,让灵魂飞翔,与众神同活。我们不是不朽的,而是终须一Si的活物。不管我们的生命有多长,都是恩赐,上帝赐我们七十年的寿命,说短不短,足够我们谦卑地活;要是我们的灵魂傲慢一点,想得永生,就另当别论。在七十个寒暑里,我们能够学习、能够享乐、能够见证整整三代人的兴衰;作为人类,七十年足够我们增长智慧,足够我们活得丰盛,也足够我们见证cHa0流、道德标准、政治,和人类社会的各种变迁。而当人生的布幕落下来,我们可以满足地为这出人类发展史站立鼓掌,说:「真JiNg彩!」。)

        2.Forweareoftheearth,earth-bornandearth-bound.Thereisnothingtobeunhappyaboutthefactthatweare,asitwere,delivereduponthisbeautifulearthasitstransientguests.Evenifitwereadarkdungeon,westillwouldhavetomakethebestofit;itwouldbeungratefulofusnottodosowhenwehave,insteadofadungeon,suchabeautifulearthtoliveonforagoodpartofacentury.Sometimeswegettooambitiousanddisdainthehumbleandyetdangerousearth.YetsentimentforthisMotherEarth,afeelingoftrueaffectionandattachment,onemusthaveforthistemporaryadobeofourbodyandspirit,ifwearetohaveasenseofspiritualharmony.

        2.(我们是地上的造物,和土地紧密地连结在一起,从尘土而生,终须回归尘土。所以我们作为地上的过客,不应为人生不如意的琐事烦心,应该为曾经寄居在这美丽的地球感恩。即使我们处於漆黑的牢室,也要努力寻找光明;我们绝不可以辜负生命,生命让我们活在最好的时代里,活在万物丰盛的土壤上,我们必须珍惜所有。有时候,我们因为得到太多而想要苛索更多,贪婪让我们忘记了谦卑,忘记了大地的恩典;可是我们还是依附着大地,受大地之母孕育,我们的灵与r0U,连同我们的情感,和大地紧密相连;这是我们的灵和万物之间的一种共相。)

        3.Wehavetohave,therefore,akindofanimalskepticismaswellasanimalfaith,takingthisearthlylifelargelyasitis.AndwehavetoretainthewholenessofnaturethatweseeinThoreauwhofelthimselfkintothesodandpartooklargelyofitsdullpatience,inwinterexpectingthesunofspring,whoinhischeapestmomentswasapttothinkthatitwasnothisbusinesstobe“seekingthespirit,”butasmuchthespirit’sbusinesstoseekhim,andwhosehappiness,ashedescribedit,wasagooddeallikethatofthewoodchucks.Theearth,afterallisreal,astheheaveisunreal:howfortunateismanthatheisbornbetweentherealearthandtheunrealheaven!

        3.(因此,我们也有近乎动物X的怀疑JiNg神,以及动物X的原始信仰,能够觉知大地上万物的生命同样伟大。我们要保守自己的心X,像梭罗一样坚忍,像梭罗那样和大地紧密连系在一起,在寒冬里等待春日的yAn光;梭罗在最不被重用的日子里,仍然坚守着他的信念,确信:不是人寻找灵,而是灵住进了我的心房。而梭罗认为,快乐该如同土拨鼠钻洞一样轻松自得。大地上的一切,终究是切实的,天国却是遥不可及;要是人能够生在大地和天国之间,活在真实和虚妄之间,你说,那该是有多好!)

        4.Anygoodpracticalphilosophymuststartwiththerecognitionofourhavingabody.Itishightimethatsomeamongusmadethestraightadmissionthatweareanimals,anadmissionwhichisinevitablesincetheestablishmentofthebasictruthoftheDarwiniantheoryandthegreatprogressofbiology,especiallybio-chemistry.Itwasveryunfortunatethatourteachersandphilosophersbelongedtobeso-calledintellectualclass,withacharacteristicprofessionalprideofintellect.Themenofthespiritwereasproudofthespiritastheshoemakerisproudofleather.Sometimeseventhespiritwasnotsufficientlyremoteandabstractandtheyhadtousethewords,“essence”or“soul”or“idea”,writingthemwithcapitalletterstofrightenus.Thehumanbodywasdistilledinthisscholasticmachineintoaspirit,andthespiritwasfurtherconcentratedintoakindofessence,forgettingthatevenalcoholicdrinksmusthavea“body”–mixedwithplainwater–iftheyaretobepalatableatall.Andwepoorlaymenweresupposedtodrinkhatconcentratedquintessenceofspirit.Thisover-emphasisonthespiritwasfatal.Itmadeuswarwithournaturalinstincts,andmychiefcriticismisthatitmadeawholeandroundedviewofhumannatureimpossible.Itproceededalsofromaninadequateknowledgeofbiologyandpsychology,andoftheplaceofthesense,emotionsand,aboveall,instinctsinourlife.Manismadeoffleshandspiritboth,anditshouldbephilosophy’sbusinesstoseethatthemindandbodyliveharmoniouslytogether,thattherebeareconciliationbetweenthetwo.

        4.(所有优秀的实践哲学必须从「承认我们是血r0U之躯」这点出发。在生物化学的层面看,当达尔文提出物种起源的进化理论成为基本事实,我们无法避免,必须直截了当地承认「我们是动物」。而我为称之为「知识份子」的教师和哲学家们──自恃智力超群的专业人士,感到遗憾。因为那些自恃睿智,为拥有高度JiNg神修养感到骄傲的人,其实与鞋匠为他的皮革自豪一样──不外如是。有时候即使是「JiNg神」这个词语,也不足够描述那些既cH0U象又遥远的想像,於是那些睿智的人们便用「本质」、「灵魂」、「概念」等等沉重的字眼来吓唬我们。人类的R0UT在学术研究的层面上昇华成虚无的「JiNg神」,而「JiNg神」这个词语又被深化成「本质」一类的形容,研究人员几乎忘记了,即使是酒JiNg饮料也必须有真实的「R0UT」──用以掺和的YeT──使它变成使人愉悦的饮料。而这些研究人员,却认为我们这些不幸的世俗人,应是要喝下这经过昇华和内化的「JiNg神」。这种过度强调「JiNg神」的想法是致命的。它让我们和自然的直觉与本能割裂、对立,而我认为,这致命的错误,使我们无法好好认识人X,建立对人类的全面的认知和审视。这个错误也使到心理学和生物学的发展济後,无法正确认识我们的感官和情绪。更要命的是,它使我们无法觉知生命。人类是由灵和r0U组成的,哲学家务必结合这两种要素思考,才能修好长久以来的灵r0U割舍。)

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