基督徒

《愛的四百句箴言》
St. Maximus the confessor著

《400 sayings about love》
by St. Maximus the confessor


76、謙卑與苦惱使人脫離罪惡，獲得自由。
謙卑使人斷除靈魂的情欲，苦惱使人斷除肉身的情欲。
受上帝祝福的David，以他所作的其中一首祈禱文，
向眾人顯示他的親體實證：「請看我的謙卑與苦惱，並且赦免我的罪過。」
76. Humility and distress free man from every sin, the former by cutting out the passions of the soul, the latter those of the body. The blessed David shows that he did this in one of his prayers to God, "Look upon my humility and my trouble and forgive all my sins."

77、藉由聖誡，上帝將那些實踐聖誡的人分離出來，藉由神聖的教理，上帝授予那些人開悟的知識。
77. By means of the commandments the Lord renders detached those who carry them out; by means of the divine doctrines he bestows on them the enlightenment of knowledge.

78、一切的教義，不是涉及上帝、感官界、理智界或神意，就是涉及與以上主題相關的審判。
78. All doctrines are concerned either with God or with visible and invisible things or with Providence and judgment about them.

79、 布施治療了靈魂中暴怒的部分，禁食撲滅了欲望的部分，祈禱則淨化了我們的心，讓它準備好進行實相的靜觀。
因為上帝賜予靈魂大能，也賜予我們他的聖誡。
79. Almsgiving heals the irascible part of the soul; fasting extinguishes the concupiscible part, and prayer purifies the mind and prepares it for the contemplation of reality. For the powers of the soul the Lord has granted us the commandments as well.

80、他說：「跟我學吧! 因為我是良善心謙的。」良善使性情穩定，謙卑使心靈解脫驕傲與自大。
80. "Learn of me," he says, "because I am meek and humble of heart." Meekness keeps the temper steady, and humility frees the mind from conceit and vainglory.

81、對上主的敬畏有兩個面向。
第一個面向的敬畏，是我們內心創造的，我們認為上主的懲罰威脅著我們，
因此，我們學會自律和耐心，並且對上帝滿懷希望，超脫情欲，這些作為讓「愛」在我們心中升起。
第二個面向的敬畏，是要讓我們在「愛」的同時，持續在靈魂中創造敬意，
否則，我們很容易在熟悉了「愛」之 後，在上帝面前升起傲慢心。
81. The fear of the Lord is twofold. The first type is produced in us from threats of punishment, and from it arise in proper order self-control, patience, hope in God, and detachment, from which comes love. The second is coupled with love itself and constantly produces reverence in the soul, lest through the familiarity of love it become presumptuous of God.

82、圓滿的愛將驅逐靈魂中的第一層畏懼，擁有圓滿的愛的人，將不再害怕遭受懲罰。
正如同我們之前說過的，此時，圓滿的愛往往保有第二層畏懼。
下面兩段文字，可以讓我們瞭解第一層敬畏的作用：
「藉著對上主的敬畏，眾人遠離罪惡」；「對上主的敬畏，是智慧的開端」。
而以下兩段文字，則是告訴我們第二層敬畏的作用：
「敬畏永恆主的道理是潔淨的，它立定到永遠」，「你們要敬畏永恆主，因為敬畏他的一無所缺」。
82. Perfect love casts out the first fear from the soul which by possessing it no longer fears punishment. The second fear it has always joined to it, as was said. The following passages apply to the first fear: "By the fear of the Lord everyone turns away from evil"; and, "The beginning of wisdom is fear of the Lord." And to the second fear: "The fear of the Lord is pure and remains forever and ever," and, "There is no want in those who fear him."

83、「所以你們要處死在塵世的肢體：就如淫亂，污穢，邪情，惡欲，和貪婪。」
他把對肉體的煩惱牽掛稱作「塵世」； 把真正的罪惡稱作「淫亂」；把對情欲的贊同稱作「污穢」，
把充滿情欲的思想稱作「邪情」， 把唯獨接受貪欲思想稱作「惡欲」，把維持生命並助長情欲的事物稱作「貪婪」。
這所有的事，都被視為賢人的「肢體」，神聖的宗徒命令我們要將它們處死。
83. "Put to death your members which are on earth: fornication, uncleanness, lust, evil concupiscence, and greed." He names the care of the flesh "earth"; he speaks of actual sinning as "fornication"; consent he calls "uncleanness"; passionate thoughts he names "lust"; the mere acceptance of a lustful thought is "evil concupiscence"; the matter which gives life and growth to passion he calls "greed." All of these things as members of the wisdom of the flesh the divine Apostle ordered us to put to death.

84、起初，回憶只在心中引起一個單純的想法，但是， 如果它在心中徘徊不去，就會引起欲望。
如果我們沒有去除心中的欲望，它就會動搖我們的心智，此時，真正的罪就形成了。
因此，智慧俱足的宗徒，在寫給原本為異教徒，之後改信基督教的人的信中，
首先要求他們，追溯至以往最早的罪，盡力去除罪在心中的一 切影響，以求在根源上完全斷絕罪惡。
正如前文中所提到的，罪的根源是「貪」，它使人心生欲望。
我想，這裡有必要特別強調口腹之欲，它滋養了性欲的生成。
一切涉及佔有欲和口腹之欲的貪，沒有不「惡」的。
同樣的，面對佔有欲和口腹之欲時，如果還能夠保持自律，就是一種「善」。
84. First the memory brings up a simple thought to the mind, and when it lingers about it arouses passion. When it is not removed it sways the mind to consent, and when this happens the actual sinning finally takes place. Thus the all-wise Apostle, in writing to Gentile converts, bids them to remove first of all the effect of the sin, then to backtrack in order to end up at the cause. As previously mentioned, the cause is greed which gives life and growth to passion. And I think that here it signifies gluttony, which is the mother and nurse of fornication. Now greed is evil not only in regard to possessions but also in regard to food, in the same way that self-control is good not only in regard to food but also in regard to possessions.

85、就好像一隻腳被綁住的小麻雀，當他試著飛向天空時，它就會被腳上的線拉回地面，
這就好像一個人的心，如果尚未超脫情欲，那麼當它想要飛向天堂的知識時，就會被拉回塵世。
85. As a little sparrow whose foot is tied tries to fly but is pulled to earth by the cord to which it is bound, so does the mind which does not yet possess detachment get pulled down and dragged to earth when it flies to the knowledge of heavenly things.

86、當一個人的心靈完全的從情欲中解脫出來，就能開始靜觀一切受造物的旅程，並使自己通向聖三位一體的真理。
86. When the mind is completely freed from the passions, it journeys straight ahead to the contemplation of created things and makes its way to the knowledge of the Holy Trinity.

87、 一顆純淨的心靈，單純地呈現出事物的概念時，就開始轉向靈性的靜觀了。
然而，如果因為疏忽，讓心靈受到染汙時，心靈就會想著其它事物，
進而接受人類的概念，變回那種充滿羞愧與邪惡思想的狀態。
87. When the mind is pure and takes on ideas of things it is moved to a spiritual contemplation. But when it has become impure by carelessness, it imagines mere ideas of other things, so that receiving human ideas it turns back to shameful and evil thoughts.

88、在祈禱的時候，沒有任何世俗概念可以擾亂我們的心靈。
如果心靈受到世俗概念的擾亂，就是尚未達到完全超然的境 界。
88. When in time of prayer no ideas of the world ever disturb the mind, then know that you are not outside the limits of detachment.

89、 當靈魂開始感覺到自己的圓滿時，它是如此的單純，且完全不受夢境中的影像所干擾。
89. When the soul begins to feel its own good health, then does it regard as simple and undisturbing the imaginings which take place in dreams.

90、就好像那些肉眼可見的美麗事物，吸引著眼睛去感知，就好像那些超越感官的事物，也吸引著我們純淨的靈魂。
所謂超越感知的事物，我指的乃是沒有形體的事物。
90. Just as the beauty of visible things attracts the eye of sense, so also the knowledge of invisible things attracts the pure mind to itself; by invisible things I mean those without a body.

91、不受事物的影響是一件了不起的事，然而，能夠保持這種超脫的態度，更是了不起。
由此可知，惡魔藉由思想對我們進行的攻擊遠比行為還要來得猛烈。
91. It is a great thing not to be affected by things; but it is much greater to remain detached from the thought of them. Therefore, the demons' battle against us through thoughts is more severe than that through deeds.

92、 一個成功的人如果擁有美德又學富五車，能夠透過本性來辨別事物，依循正確的道理來思考事物，終究不會走錯路。
這是因為我們在運用事物的時候， 如果不合於天理，就會變得缺德，如果合於天理，就會貞潔。
92. The one who has had success with the virtues and has become rich in knowledge as at last discerning things by their nature does and considers everything according to right reason and is in no way misled. For it is on the basis of whether we make use of things rationally or irrationally that we become either virtuous or wicked.

93、無論身體是醒著或是沉睡，那些由心而生的種種事物，都不過是一種思想罷了。
而這就是心靈達到崇高的超然狀態的徵兆。
93. A sign of lofty detachment is that the ideas of the things which are always arising in the heart are just mere thoughts, whether the body is awake or asleep.

94、透過用心的持守誡命，心靈就會擺脫情欲。
透過靈性靜觀來洞察感官界的事物，一個人就能擺脫激起情欲的思維。
透過非感官界的知識，就可以放下對感官界的靈性靜觀。
最終，透過聖三位一體的知識，就可以放下非感官界的知識。
94. Through the working out of the commandments the mind puts off the passions. Through the spiritual contemplation of visible realities it puts off impassioned thoughts of things. Through the knowledge of invisible realities it puts off contemplation of visible things. And finally this it puts off through the knowledge of the Holy Trinity.

95、 那公正無私的太陽，從純淨的心靈中升起，不但照亮了自己，也照亮了藉由它而存在的法則，
這就好像在清晨升起的太陽，點亮了這個世界，不但照亮了自己，也照亮了萬物。
95. Just as the sun in rising and lighting up the world manifests both itself and the things which it lights up, so the sun of justice in rising on a pure mind manifests both itself and the principles which have been and will be brought to existence by it.

96、 我們無法從上帝的存有本身認識上帝，而是要從他在受造物身上展現的神意和無與倫比的作用，來認識上帝。
就好像透過鏡子，我們可以照見他的至善，還有無限的智慧與權能。
96. We do not know God from his being but from his magnificent works and his Providence for beings. Through these as through mirrors we perceive his infinite goodness and wisdom and power.

97、 除了在人性的單純思想中，可以找到純淨心靈之外，在對感知界或理性界的自然靜觀中，
或是在聖三位一體的光芒中，也可以找到純淨心靈。
97. The pure mind is found either in simple ideas of human things or in the natural contemplation of visible realities, or in that of invisible realities, or in the light of the Holy Trinity.

98、在對感官界的靜觀當中，心靈尋求事物的自然「因」，以及它所代表的的意義，心靈也尋求它們的「果」。
98. The mind which is settled in the contemplation of visible realities searches out either the natural reasons of things or those which are signified by them, or else it seeks the cause itself.

99、住於靜觀的人，不但看到了自然界一切事物的 「理」，一切他們所行之事的「因」，也看到了這一 切事的「果」，
更看到了他們與天意和審判的關係。
99. Dwelling in the contemplation of the invisible it seeks both the natural reasons of these things, the cause of their production, and whatever is consequent upon them, and also what is the Providence and judgment concerning them.

100、靈魂一旦處於上帝之內，就 會受到渴望的鼓舞，去尋求上帝存在的至高真理，
然而，靈魂往往找不到足以形容上帝的話語。
由此可知，上帝是不可能，也無法以任何受造的自然事物來加以比擬的。
而靈魂卻會被屬靈的事物所鼓舞，也就是說，透過上帝的創造、主宰和審判，
靈魂經驗到關於上帝的永恆、無限和廣大無邊，還有上帝的善，智慧、和大能；
「除了上帝之外，一無所知」的真正涵義，指的是要超越心智的力量去認識上帝，
就好像神學家Gregory與 Dionysius都曾在某處提出同樣的說法。
100. Once it is in God, it is inflamed with desire and seeks first of all the principles of his being but finds no satisfaction in what is proper to himself, for that is impossible and forbidden to every created nature alike. But it does receive encouragement from his attributes, that is, from what concerns his eternity, infinity, and immensity, as well as from his goodness, wisdom, and power by which he creates, governs, and judges beings. "And this alone is thoroughly understandable in him, infinity"; and the very fact of knowing nothing about him is to know beyond the mind's power, as the theologians Gregory and Dionysius have both said somewhere.