the dore lectures on mental science(脑科学讲座)-第11章
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whether we reach it by an intellectual process or by simple intuition； we
can make it our starting…point and claim to have our thought permeated by
the creative power of the Spirit on this basis。
But vast as is the conception thus reached we must remember that it is
still a starting…point。 It； indeed； transcends our previous range of ideas and
so presents a culmination of the cosmic creative series which passes
beyond that series and thus brings us to number Eight or the Octave； but
on this very account it is the number One of a new creative series which is
personal to the individual。
Then； because the Spirit is always the same； we may look for a
repetition of the creative process at a higher level； and； as we all know；
that process consists first of the involution of Spirit into Substance； and
consequently of the subsequent evolution of Substance into forms
continually increasing in fitness as vehicles for Spirit： so now we may
look for a repetition of this universal process from its new starting…point in
the individual mind and expect a corresponding externalization in
accordance with our familiar axiom that thoughts are things。
Now it is as such an external manifestation of the Divine ideal that the
Christ of the Gospels is set before us。 I do not wish to dogmatize； but I
will only say that the more clearly we realize the nature of the creative
process on the spiritual side the more the current objections to the Gospel
narrative lose their force； and it appears to me that to deny that narrative as
a point…blank impossibility is to make a similar affirmation with regard to
the power of the Spirit in ourselves。 You cannot affirm a principle and
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deny it in the same breath； and if we affirm the externalizing power of the
Spirit in our own case； I do not see how we can logically lay down a limit
for its action and say that under highly specialized conditions it could not
produce highly specialized effects。 It is for this reason that St。 John puts
the question of Christ manifest in the flesh as the criterion of the whole
matter （I。 John iv。； 2）。 If the Spirit can create at all then you cannot
logically limit the extent or method of its working； and since the basis of
our expectation of individual expansion is the limitless creative power of
the Spirit； to reject the Christ of the Gospels as an impossibility is to cut
away the ground from under our own feet。 It is one thing to say 〃I do not
understand why the Spirit should have worked in that way〃that is merely
an honest statement of our present stage of knowledge； or we may even go
the length of saying that we do not feel convinced that it did work in that
waythat is a true confession of our intellectual difficultybut certainly
those who are professedly relying on the power of the Spirit to produce
external results cannot say that it does not possess that power； or possesses
it only in a limited degree： the position is logically self…destructive。 What
we should do therefore； is to suspend judgment and follow the light as far
as we can see it； and bye…and…bye it will become clearer to us。 There are； it
appears to me； occult heights in the doctrine of Christ designed by the
Supreme Wisdom to counteract corresponding occult depths in the
Mystery of Darkness。 I do not think it is at all necessary； or even possible；
for us to scale these heights or fathom those depths； with our present
infantile intelligence； but if we realize how completely the law of our
being receives its fulfilment in Christ as far as we know that law； may we
not well conceive that there are yet deeper phases of that law the existence
of which we can only faintly surmise by intuition？ Occasionally just the
fringe of the veil is lifted for some of us； but that momentary glance is
enough to show us that there are powers and mysteries beyond our present
conception。 But even there Law reigns supreme； and therefore taking
Christ as our basis and starting…point； we start with the Law already
fulfilled； whether in those things which are familiar to us or in those
realms which are beyond our thought； and so we need have nc fear of evil。
Our starting…point is that of a divinely ordained security from which we
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may quietly grow into that higher evolution which is the fulfilment of the
law of our own being。
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THE STORY OF EDEN。
The whole Bible and the whole history of the world； past； present and
future； are contained in embryo in the story of Eden； for they are nothing
else than the continuous unfolding of certain great principles which are
there allegorically stated。 That this is by no means a new notion is shown
by the following quotation from Origen：〃Who is there so foolish and
without common…sense as to believe that God planted trees in the Garden
of Eden like a husbandman； and planted therein the tree of life perceptible
to the eyes and to the senses； which gave life to the eater； and another tree
which gave to the eater a knowledge of good and evil？ I believe that
everybody must regard these as figures under which a recondite sense is
concealed。〃 Let us； then； follow up the suggestion of this early Father of
the Church； and enquire what may be the 〃recondite sense〃 concealed
under this figure of the two trees。 On the face of the story there are two
roots； one of Life and the other of Death； two fundamental principles
bringing about diametrically opposite results。 The distinctive mark of the
latter is that it is the knowledge of good and evil； that is to say； the
recognition of two antagonistic principles； and so requiring a knowledge
of the relations between them to enable us to continually make the needful
adjustments to keep ourselves going。 Now； in appearance this is
exceedingly specious。 It looks so entirely reasonable that we do not see its
ultimate destructiveness； and so we are told that Eve ate the fruit because
she 〃saw that the tree was pleasant to the eyes。〃 But careful consideration
will show us in what the destructive nature of this principle consists。 It is
based on the fallacy that good is limited by evil； and that you cannot
receive any good except through eliminating the corresponding evil by
realizing it and beating it back。 In this view life becomes a continual
combat against every imaginable form of evil； and after we have racked
our brains to devise precautions against all possible evil happenings； there
remains the chance； and much more than the chance； that we have by no
means exhausted the category of negative possibilities； and that others
may arise which no amount of foresight on our part could have imagined。
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The more we see into this position the more intolerable it becomes；
because from this stand…point we can never attain any certain basis of
action； and the forces of possible evil multiply as we contemplate them。 To
set forth to out…wit all evil by our own knowledge of its nature is to
attempt a task the hopelessness of which becomes apparent when we see it
in its true light。
The mistake is in supposing that Life can be generated in ourselves by
an intellectual process； but； as we have seen in the preceding lectures； Life
is the primary movement of the Spirit； whether in the cosmos or in the
individual。 In its proper order intellectual knowledge is exceedingly
important and useful； but its place in the order of the whole is not that of
the Originator。 It is not Life in itself； but is a function of life； it is an effect
and not the cause。 The reason why this is so is because intellectual study is
always the study of the various laws which arise from the different
RELATIONS of things to one another； and it therefore presupposes that
these things together with their laws are already in existence。
Consequently it does not start from the truly creative stand…point； that of
creating something entirely new； creation ex nihilo as distinguished from
CONSTRUCTION； or the laying…together of existing materials； which is
what the word literally means。 To recognize evil as a force to be reckoned
with is therefore to give up the creative stand…point altogether。 It is to quit
the plane of First Cause and descend into the realm of secondary causation
and lose ourselves amid the confusion of a multiplicity of relative causes
and effects without grasping any unifying principle behind them。
Now the only thing that can release us from the inextricable confusion
of an infinite multiplicity is the realization of an underlying unity； and at
the back of all things we find the presence of one Great Affirmative
principle without which nothing could have existence。 This； then； is the
Root of Life； and if we credit it with being able； not only to supply the
power； but also the form for its manifestation we shall see that we need not
go beyond this SINGLE Power for the production of anything。 It is Spirit
producing Substance out of its own essence； and the Substance taking
Form in accordance with the movement of the Spirit。 What we have to
realize is； not only that this is the way in which the cosmos is brought into
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existence； but also that； because the Spirit finds a new centre i
