给学校的信，1983年10月1日- 谦卑
谦卑是智慧和爱的精髓，它不是一种成就In every civilization there have been a few who were concerned and desirous of bringing about good human beings; a few who would not be involved in sacred structures or reform, but who would not harm another human being; who would be concerned with the whole of human life, who would be gentle, unaggressive and so would be truly religious entities. In modern civilization throughout the world, the cultivation of goodness has almost disappeared. The world is becoming more brutal, harmful, full of violence and deception. Surely it is our function as educators to bring about a quality of mind that is fundamentally religious. We do not mean belonging to some orthodox religion with all its fantastic beliefs, its repetitive rituals. Man has always tried to find something beyond this world of anxiety, suffering and endless conflict.
在每一种文明里，都曾有少数几个人去关心和渴求如何能使人类变得更美好；他们将不再关心宗教的结构或是改革，而是如何可以不去伤害他人；他们关心的将是整个人类的生活；他们将是和善的，不带攻击性的，也因此是真正具有宗教精神的。在全世界现有的文明里，这种善良的培育几乎已经消失。这个世界变得更加的残忍和具有攻击性，充满了暴力和欺骗。确实，这正是我们作为教育者的职责，去带来一种在根本上具宗教性的内心品质。这当然并不意味着我们要去归属于某种正统的宗教，连同它那些空想的信仰和繁琐的仪式。人们一直试图在这个充满焦虑、苦难和不尽冲突的世界之外，去寻找些什么。
In his search for that which is not of the world, he has invented, probably unconsciously, god and many forms of divinity, and the interpreters between himself and that which he has projected. There have been many interpreters, highly sophisticated, talented, learned. Historically from ancient of times this cycle has continued: god, the interpreter and the man. This is the real trinity in which human gullibility has been held. The world has been too much and each human being wants some comfort, security and peace. So humans have projected the essence of all this into an outside agency and that too we are discovering to be an illusion. Not being able to go beyond and above all the limitations of human struggle, we are returning to barbarism, destroying each other inwardly and outwardly.
当他在寻找不属于这个世界的东西时，他便很有可能是无意识的，发明了上帝以及各种各样的神，并制造了他自己和他所投射的东西之间的诠释者。已经有了那么多的诠释者，是那么能言善辩，才华横溢和博学多闻。在历史上，从古时候起这个循环便在持续——上帝、诠释者和人。正是这个三位一体的循环承载着人类的轻信。我们对于这个世界是那么的无能为力，而每个人都想要舒适，安全和平静。所以人们将所有这些的核心投射到一个外在东西上，而我们也发现这其实是一种幻觉。无法超越所有这些人类挣扎的局限性，我们便回到野蛮，相互毁灭，无论是内在地还是外在地。
Can we as a small group begin to think upon these things and, freeing ourselves from all the invented superstitions of religion, discover what is a religious life and thus prepare the soil for the flowering of goodness? Without the religious mind there can be no goodness.
作为一个小的群体，我们是否能够开始去思考这些事情，解放自己，从所有这些被发明出来的宗教的迷信里，去发现宗教的生活是什么样的，并且为善的绽放准备土壤？没有宗教的心灵，便不可能有善。
There are three factors in understanding the nature of religion: austerity, humility and diligence.
Austerity does not mean reducing all of life to ashes by severe discipline, suppressing every instinct, every desire and even beauty. Outward expression of this in the Asiatic world is the saffron robe and a loincloth. In the Western world it is taking vows of celibacy, utter obedience and becoming a monk. Simplicity of life was expressed in outer garments and a restricted, narrow cellular life, but inwardly the flame of desire and its conflict was burning steadily. That flame was to be put out by strict adherence to a concept, to an image. The book and the image became the symbols of a simple life.
理解宗教的本质需要具备三个要素：自律，谦卑和勤奋。自律并不意味着要通过严苛的戒律——压抑每一种本能，每一个欲望甚至是美——使我们的生命枯萎成为灰烬。在亚洲种种压抑的外在表现便是藏红色的长袍和缠腰带；而在西方世界则是成为僧侣并发誓独身以及完全的顺从。简单的生活也许可以在外在表现为斗室里的节衣缩食，但内心里，欲望的火焰一刻也没有熄灭，还在制造着冲突。这火焰要通过严格遵循某个观念，某个图像来扑灭。书本和图像变成了简单生活的象征。
Austerity is not the outward expression of a conclusion based on faith but to understand the inward complexity, the confusion and the agony of life. This understanding, not verbal or intellectual, requires a very careful, watchful perception, a perception which is not the complexity of thought but clarity this clarity brings about its own austerity.
自律并非基于信念的结论的外在表现，而是对生活内在的复杂性，混乱和苦恼的理解。这种理解，不是语言上或智力上的，需要非常仔细和警觉地去感知，这种感知不是思想的复杂性，而是一种明晰，这种明晰将会带来它自身的自律。
Humility is not the opposite of vanity, is not bowing one's head to some abstract authority or to the high priest. It is not the act of surrender to a guru or to an image, which are both the same. It is not the total denial, a sacrifice, of oneself to some imaginary or physical being. Humility is not associated with arrogance. Humility has no sense of possessiveness inwardly. Humility is the essence of love and intelligence, it is not an achievement.
谦卑不是自负的反面，也不是对某些抽象的权威或对高高在上的主教鞠躬。它不是对于某个咕噜或是某个形象——他们是一样的——的臣服。它不是对自己彻底的否定并将自己奉献给某个虚幻的或实际存在的人物。谦卑与傲慢无关。谦卑没有任何意义上的内心的占有。谦卑是爱与智慧的精髓；它不是一种成就。
And the other factor is diligence: it is for thought to be aware of its activities, its deceptions, its illusions; it is to discern the actual and the false in which what is actual is transformed into what it should be. It is to be aware of reactions to the world outside and to the inner whispering responses. It is not self-centred watchfulness, but to be sensitive to all relationship. Above and beyond all this is intelligence and love. When these exist all the other qualities will follow. It is like opening the gate to beauty.
另一个要素是勤奋，即思想去觉知它自身的行为，它的自欺和它所制造的幻觉。它是去分清现实和将现实转化成“应然”的错误。它是去觉知对外在世界的反应，以及内心的微妙反应。它不是以自我为中心的警觉，而是对于所有的关系的敏感。
在所有这些之上和之外是智慧和爱。当它们存在时，所有其他的品质也便随之出现。就像是打开了一扇通向美的大门。
Now I come back as an educator and a parent to my stumbling question. My students and my children have to face the world which is everything other than intelligence and love. This is not a cynical statement but it is so, palpable and evident. They have to face corruption, brutality and utter callousness. They are frightened. Being responsible (I am using that word very carefully, and with deep intention), how are we to help them to face all this? I am not asking the question of anyone but I am putting it to myself so that in questioning I become clear. I am greatly troubled by this and I certainly do not want a comforting answer. In questioning myself, sensitivity and clarity are showing their beginnings. I feel very strongly about the future of these students and children, and by helping them to use words, intelligence and love, I am gathering strength. To help one boy or one girl to be like this is sufficient for me, for the river begins in the high mountains as a very small stream, lonely and far away, but it gathers momentum into a huge river. So one must begin with the very few.
作为一个教育者和一名家长，我又回到这个困扰着我的问题。我的孩子和我的学生他们不得不面对这个世界，形形色色不同于智慧和爱的东西。这并非愤世嫉俗的言论；这是触手可及，显而易见的事实。他们不得不面对堕落，残忍和彻底的麻木不仁。他们被吓倒了。要负责的话——我很小心地用这个词，带着真切的愿望——我们将如何帮助他们面对这些？我不是在问别人；我把问题提给自己，让自己在提问中变得清晰。这个问题让我感觉很困惑，当然我不会想要一个安慰性的答案。
在向自己提问时，敏感和明晰开始显露它们的端倪。我非常关注这些学生和孩子们的未来，在帮助他们使用词汇，还有爱和智慧，在这个过程中，我在聚集力量。像这样地去帮助一个男孩子或女孩子，对我来说已经足够了，就如同河流起于高山里的一条孤独，遥远的小溪。但它蓄势而发，终成大河。所以我们必须从少数人做起。
绿草园翻译工作室
页:
[1]