phenomenology of mind-第109章

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is　at　the　same　time　self…existence　（Fürsichsein）。　It　is　for　itself；　it　is　the　aspect　of
self…consciousness；　and　is　so　in　contrast　to　the　aspect　of　its　consciousness；　the　aspect　by　which　it
relates　itself　to　itself　as　object。　In　its　consciousness　there　is　the　opposition　and　in　consequence　the
determinateness　of　the　form　in　which　it　appears　to　itself　and　knows　itself。　It　is　with　this
determinateness　of　shape　that　we　have　alone　to　do　in　considering　religion；　for　its　essential
unembodied　principle；　its　pure　notion；　has　already　come　to　light。　The　distinction　of　consciousness
and　self…consciousness；　however；　falls　at　the　same　time　within　this　notion。　The　form　or　shape　of
religion　does　not　contain　the　existence　of　spirit　in　the　sense　of　its　being　nature　detached　and　free
from　thought；　nor　in　the　sense　of　its　being　thought　detached　from　existence。　The　shape　assumed　by
religion　is　existence　contained　and　preserved　in　thought　as　well　as　a　something　thought　which　is
consciously　existent。

It　is　by　the　determinate　character　of　this　form；　in　which　spirit　knows　itself；　that　one　religion　is
distinguished　from　another。　But　we　have　at　the　same　time　to　note　that　the　systematic　exposition　of
this　knowledge　about　itself；　in　terms　of　this　individual　specific　character；　does　not　as　a　fact　exhaust
the　whole　nature　of　an　actual　religion。　The　series　of　different　religions；　which　will　come　before　us；
just　as　much　sets　forth　again　merely　the　different　aspects　of　a　single　religion；　and　indeed　of　every
single　religion；　and　the　imagery；　the　conscious　ideas；　which　seem　to　mark　off　one　concrete　religion
from　another；　make　their　appearance　in　each。　All　the　same　the　diversity　must　also　be　looked　at　as
a　diversity　of　religion。　For　while　spirit　lives　in　the　distinction　of　its　consciousness　and　its
self…consciousness；　the　process　it　goes　through　finds　its　goal　in　the　transcendence　of　this
fundamental　distinction　and　in　giving　the　form　of　self…consciousness　to　the　given　shape　which　is
object　of　consciousness。　This　distinction；　however；　is　not　eo　ipso　transcended　by　the　fact　that　the
shapes；　which　that　consciousness　contains；　have　also　the　moments　of　self　in　them；　and　that　God　is
presented　as　self…consciousness。　The　consciously　presented　self　is　not　the　actual　concrete　self。　In
order　that　this；　like　every　other　more　specific　determination　of　the　shape；　may　in　truth　belong　to
this　shape；　it　has　partly　to　be　put　into　this　shape　by　the　action　of　self…consciousness；　and　partly　the
lower　determination　must　show　itself　to　be　cancelled　and　transcended　and　comprehended　by　the
higher。　For　what　is　consciously　presented　（vorgestellt）　only　ceases　to　be　something　〃presented〃
and　alien　to　spirit's　knowledge；　by　the　self　having　produced　it；　and　so　viewing　the　determination　of
the　object　as　its　own　determination；　and　hence　seeing　itself　in　that　object。　By　this　operation；　the
lower　determination　＇that　of　being　something　〃presented〃＇　has　at　once　vanished；　for　doing　anything
is　a　negative　process　which　is　carried　through　at　the　expense　of　something　else。　So　far　as　that
lower　determination　still　continues　to　appear；　it　has　withdrawn　into　the　condition　of　unessentiality：
just　as；　on　the　other　hand；　where　the　lower　still　predominates；　while　the　higher　is　also　present；　the
one

coexists　in　a　self…less　way　alongside　of　the　other。　While；　therefore；　the　various　ideas　falling　within　a
single　religion　no　doubt　exhibit　the　whole　course　taken　by　the　forms　of　religion；　the　character　of
each　is　determined　by　the　particular　unity　of　consciousness　and　self…consciousness；　that　is　to　say；
by　the　fact　that　the　self…consciousness　has　taken　into　itself　the　determination　belonging　to　the
object　of　consciousness；　has；　by　its　own　action；　made　that　determination　altogether　its　own；　and
knows　it　to　be　the　essential　one　as　compared　with　the　others。

The　truth　of　belief　in　a　given　determination　of　the　religious　spirit　shows　itself　in　this；　that　the　actual
spirit　is　constituted　after　the　same　manner　as　the　shape　in　which　spirit　beholds　itself　in　religion；　thus
e。g。　the　incarnation　of　God；　which　is　found　in　Eastern　religion；　has　no　truth；　because　the　concrete
actual　spirit　of　this　religion　is　without　the　reconciliation　this　principle　implies。

It　is　not　in　place　here　to　return　from　the　totality　of　specific　determinations　back　to　the　individual
determination；　and　show　in　what　shape　the　plenitude　of　all　the　others　is　contained　within　it　and
within　its　particular　form　of　religion。　The　higher　form；　when　put　back　under　a　lower；　is　deprived　of
its　significance　for　self…conscious　spirit；　belongs　to　spirit　merely　in　a　superficial　way；　and　is　for　it　at
the　level　of　presentation。　The　higher　form　has　to　be　considered　in　its　own　peculiar　significance；　and
dealt　with　where　it　is　the　principle　of　a　particular　religion；　and　is　certified　and　approved　by　its
actual　spirit。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　1。　GOD　AS　LIGHT　（2）

SPIRIT；　as　the　absolute　Being；；　which　is　self…consciousness…or　the　self…conscious　absolute　Being；
which　is　all　truth　and　knows　all　reality　as　itself　—　is；　to　begin　with；　merely　its　notion　and　principle　in
contrast　to　the　reality　which　it　gives　itself　in　the　process　of　its　conscious　activity。　And　this　notion　is；
as　contrasted　with　the　clear　daylight　of　that　explicit　development；　the　darkness　and　night　of　its
inner　life；　in　contrast　to　the　existence　of　its　various　moments　as　independent　forms　or　shapes；　this
notion　is　the　creative　secret　of　its　birth。　This　secret　has　its　revelation　within　itself；　for　existence　has
its　necessary　place　in　this　notion；　because　this　notion　is　spirit　knowing　itself；　and　thus　possesses　in
its　own　nature　the　moment　of　being　consciousness　and　of　presenting　itself　objectively。　We　have
here　the　pure　ego；　which　in　its　externalization；　in　itself　qua　universal　object；　has　the　certainty　of
self；　in　other　words；　this　object　is；　for　the　ego；　the　interfusion　of　all　thought　and　all　reality。

When　the　first　and　immediate　cleavage　is　made　within　self…knowing　Absolute　Spirit；　its　shape
assumes　that　character　which　belongs　to　immediate　consciousness　or　to　sense…certainty。　It　beholds
itself　in　the　form　of　being；　but　not　being　in　the　sense　of　what　is　without　spirit；　containing　only　the
contingent　qualities　of　sensation　—　the　kind　of　being　that　belongs　to　sense…certainty。　Its　being　is
filled　with　the　content　of　spirit。　It　also　includes　within　it　the　form　which　we。　found　in　the　case　of
immediate　self…consciousness；　the　form　of　lord　and　master；（3）　in　regard　to　the　self…consciousness
of　spirit　which　retreats　from　its　object。

This　being；　having　as　its　content　the　notion　of　spirit；　is；　then；　the　shape　of　spirit　in　relation　simply　to
itself　…　the　form　of　having　no　special　shape　at　all。　In　virtue　of　this　characteristic；　this　shape　is　the
pure　all…containing；　all…suffusing　Light　of　the　Sunrise；　which　preserves　itself　in　its　formless
indeterminate　substantiality。　Its　counterpart；　its　otherness；　is　the　equally　simple　negative　…
Darkness。　The　process　of　its　own　externalization；　its　creations　in　the　unresisting　element　of　its
counterpart；　are　bursts　of　Light。　At　the　same　time　in　their　ultimate　simplicity　they　are　its　way　of
becoming　something　for　itself；　and　its　return　from　its　objective　existence；　streams　of　fire　consuming
its　embodiment。　The　distinction；　which　it　gives　itself；　no　doubt　thrives　abundantly　on　the　substance
of　existence；　and　shapes　itself　as　the　diverse　forms　of　nature。　But　the　essential　simplicity　of　its
thought　rambles　and　roves　about　inconstant　and　inconsistent；　enlarges　its　bounds　to　measureless
extent；　and　its　beauty　heightened　to　splendour　is　lost　in　its　sublimity。（4）

The　content；　which　this　state　of　pure　being　evolves；　its　perceptive　activity；　is；　therefore；　an　unreal
by…play　on　this　substance　which　merely　rises；　without　setting　into　itself　to　become　subject　and
secure　firmly　its　distinctions　through　the　self。　Its　determinations　are　merely　attributes；　which　do　not
succeed　in　attaining　independence；　they　remain　merely　names　of　the　One；　called　by　many　names。
This　One　is　clothed　with　the　manifold　powers　of　existence　and　with　the　shapes　of　reality；　as　with　a
soulless；　selfless　ornament；　they　are　merely　messengers　of　its　mighty　power；（5）　claiming　no　will　of
their　own；　visions　of　its　glory；　voices　in　its　praise。

This　revel　of　heaving　life（6）　must；　however；　assume　the　character　of　distinctive　self…existence；　and
give　enduring　subsistence　to　its　fleeting　shapes。　Immediate　being；　in　which　it　places　itself　over
against　its　own　consciousness；　is　itself　the　negative　destructive　agency　which　dissolves　its
distinctions。　It　is　thus　in　truth　the　Self；　and　spirit　therefore　passes　on　to　know　itself　in　the　form　of
self。　Pure　Light　scatters　its　simplicity　as　an　infinity　of　separate　forms；　and　presents　itself　as　an
offering　to　self…existence；　that　the　individual　may　take　sustainment　to　itself　from　its　substance。

　　　　　　　　　　　　2。　PLANTS　AND　ANIMALS　AS　OBJECTS　OF　RELIGION　（7）

SELF…CONSCIOUS　spirit；　passing　away　from　abstract；　formless　essence　and　going　into　itself…or；
in　other　words；　having　raised　its　immediacy　to　the　level　of　Self　—　makes　its　simple　unity　assume　the
character　of　a　manifold　of　self…existing　entities；　and　is　the　religion　of　spiritual　sense…perception。
Here　spirit　breaks　up　into　an　innumerable　plurality　of　weaker　and　stronger；　richer　and　poorer
spirits。　This　Pantheism；　which；　to　begin　with；　consists　in　the　quiescent　subsistence　of　these　spiritual
atoms；　passes　into　a　process　of　active　internal　hostility。　The　innocence；　which　characterizes　the
flower　and　plant　religions；　and　which　is　merely　the　selfless　idea　of　Self；　gives　way　to　the
seriousness　of　struggling　warring　life；　to　the　guilt　of　animal　religions；　the　quiescence　and　impotence
of　contemplative　individuality　pass　into　the　destructive　activity　of　separate　self…existence。

It　is　of　no　avail　to　have　removed　the　lifelessness　of　abstraction　from　the　things　of　perception；　and
to　have　raised　them　to　the　level　of　realities　of　spiritual　perception：　the　animation　of　this　spiritual
kingdom　has　death　in　the　heart　of　it；　owing　to　the　determinateness　and　the　negativity；　which
overcome　and　trench　upon　the　innocent　indifference　＇of　the　various　species　of　plants＇　to　one
another。　Owing　to　this　determinateness　and　negativity；　the　dispersion　of　spirit　into　the　multiplicity　of
the　passive　plant…forms　becomes　a　hostile　process；　in　which　the　hatred　stirred　up　by　their
independent　self…existence　rages　and　consumes。

The　actual　self…consciousness　at　work　in　this　dispersed　and　disintegrated　spirit；　takes　the　form　of　a
multitude　of　individualized　mutually…antipathetic　folk…spirits；　who　fight　and　hate　each　other　to　the
death；　and　consciously　accept　certain　specific　forms　of　animals　as　their　essential　being　and
nature：（8）　for　they　are　nothing　else　than　spirits　of　animals；　or　animal　lives　separate　and　cut　off　from
one　another；　and　with　no　universality　consciously　present　in　them。

The　characteristic　of　purely　negative　independent　self…existence；　however；　consumes　itself　in　this
active　hatred　towards　one　another；　and　through　this　process；　involved　in　its　very　principle；　spirit
enters　into　another　shape。　Independent　self…existence　cancelled　and　abolished　is　t