phenomenology of mind-第113章

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the　self；　and　in　so　far　as；　in　pure　consciousness；　it　has　the　significance　of　absolute　Being　dwelling　in
its　purity　beyond　actual　reality；　this　Being　descends；　through　this　mediating　process　of　the　cult；
from　its　universality　into　individual　form；　and　thus　combines　and　unites　with　actual　reality。

The　way　the　two　sides　make　their　appearance　in　the　act　is　of　such　a　character　that　the
self…conscious　aspect；　so　far　as　it　is　actual　consciousness；　finds　the　absolute　Being　manifesting　itself
as　actual　nature。　On　the　one　hand；　nature　belongs　to　self…consciousness　as　its　possession　and
property；　and　stands　for　what　has　no　existence　per　se。　On　the　other　hand；　nature　is　its　proper
immediate　reality　and　particularity；　which　is　equally　regarded　as　not　essential；　and　is　superseded。
At　the　same　time；　that　external　nature　has　the　opposite　significance　for　its　pure　consciousness　—
viz。　the　significance　of　being　the　inherently　real；　for　which　the　self　sacrifices　its　own　＇relative＇
unreality；　just　as；　conversely；　the　self　sacrifices　the　unessential　aspect　of　nature　to　itself。　The　act　is
thereby　a　spiritual　movement；　because　it　is　this　double…sided　process　of　cancelling　the　abstraction
of　absolute　Being　（which　is　the　way　devotion　determines　the　object）；　and　making　it　something
concrete　and　actual；　and；　on　the　other　hand；　of　cancelling　the　actual　（which　is　the　way　the　agent
determines　the　object　and　the　self　acting）；　and　raising　it　into　universality。

The　practice　of　the　religious　Cult　begins；　therefore；　with　the　pure　and　simple　〃offering　up〃　or
〃surrender〃　of　a　possession；　which　the　owner；　apparently　without　any　profit　whatsoever　to　himself；
pours　away　or　lets　rise　up　in　smoke。　By　so　doing　he　renounces　before　the　absolute　Being　of　his
pure　consciousness　all　possession　and　right　of　property　and　enjoyment　thereof；　renounces
personality　and　the　reversion　of　his　action　to　his　self；　and　instead；　reflects　the　act　into　the　universal；
into　the　absolute　Being　rather　than　into　himself。　Conversely；　however；　the　objective　ultimate　Being
too　is　annihilated　in　that　very　process。　The　animal　offered　up　is　the　symbol　of　a　god；　the　fruits
consumed　are　the　actual　living　Ceres　and　Bacchus。　In　the　former　die　the　powers　of　the　upper　law
the　＇Olympians＇　which　has　blood　and　actual　life；　in　the　latter　the　powers　of　the　lower　law　＇the
Furies＇　which　possesses　in　bloodless　form　secret　and　crafty　power。

The　sacrifice　of　the　divine　substance；　so　far　as　it　is　active；　belongs　to　the　side　of
self…consciousness。　That　this　concrete　act　may　be　possible；　the　absolute　Being　must　have　from　the
start　implicitly　sacrificed　itself。　This　it　has　done　in　the　fact　that　it　has　given　itself　definite　existence；
and　made　itself　an　individual　animal　and　fruit　of　the　earth。　The　self　actively　sacrificing　demonstrates
in　actual　existence；　and　sets　before　its　own　consciousness；　this　already　implicitly　completed
self…renunciation　on　the　part　of　absolute　Being；　and　replaces　that　immediate　reality；　which　absolute
Being　has；　by　the　higher；　viz。　that　of　the　self　making　the　sacrifice。　For　the　unity　which　has　arisen；
and　which　is　the　outcome　of　transcending　the　singleness　and　separation　of　the　two　sides；　is　not
merely　negative　destructive　fate；　but　has　a　positive　significance。　It　is　merely　for　the　abstract　Being
of　the　nether　world　that　the　sacrifice　offered　to　it　is　wholly　surrendered　and　devoted；　and；　in
consequence；　it　is　only　for　that　Being　that　the　reflexion　of　personal　possession　and　individual
self…existence　back　into　the　Universal　is　marked　distinct　from　the　self　as　such。　At　the　same　time；
however；　this　is　only　a　trifling　part；　and　the　other　act　of　sacrifice　is　merely　the　destruction　of　what
cannot　be　used；　and　is　really　the　preparation　of　the　offered　substance　for　a　meal；　the　feast　that
cheats　the　act　out　of　its　negative　significance。　The　person　making　the　offering　at　that　first　sacrifice
reserves　the　greatest　share　for　his　own　enjoyment；　and　reserves　from　the　latter　sacrifice　what　is
useful　for　the　same　purpose。　This　enjoyment　is　the　negative　power　which　cancels　the　absolute
Being　as　well　as　the　singleness；　and　this　enjoyment　is；　at　the　same　time；　the　positive　actual　reality　in
which　the　objective　existence　of　absolute　Being　is　transmuted　into　self…conscious　existence；　and
the　self　has　consciousness　of　its　unity　with　its　Absolute。

This　cult；　for　the　rest；　is　indeed　an　actual　act；　although　its　meaning　lies　for　the　most　part　only　in
devotion。　What　pertains　to　devotion　is　not　objectively　produced；　just　as　the　result　when　confined
to　the　feeling　of　enjoyment（5）　is　robbed　of　its　external　existence。　The　Cult；　therefore；　goes　further；
and　replaces　this　defect；　in　the　first　instance　by　giving　its　devotion　an　objective　subsistence；　since
the　cult　is　the　common　task…or　the　individual　takes　for　each　and　all　to　do…which　produces　for　the
honour　and　glory　of　God　a　House　for　Him　to　dwell　in　and　adornment　for　His　presence。　By　so
doing；　partly　the　external　objectivity　of　statuary　is　cancelled；　for　by　thus　dedicating　his　gifts　and　his
labours　the　worker　makes　God　well　disposed　towards　him　and　looks　on　his　self　as　detached　and
appertaining　to　God。　Partly；　too；　this　action　is　not　the　individual　labour　of　the　artist；　this
particularity　is　dissolved　in　the　universality。　But　it　is　not　only　the　honour　of　God　which　is　brought
about；　and　the　blessing　of　His　countenance　and　favour　is　not　only　shed　in　idea　and　imagination　on
the　worker；　the　work　also　has　a　meaning　the　reverse　of　the　first　which　was　that　of　self…renunciation
and　of　honour　done　to　what　is　alien　and　external。　The　Halls　and　Dwellings　of　God　are　for　the　use
of　man；　the　treasures　preserved　there　are　in　time　of　need　his　own；　the　honour　which　God　enjoys　in
his　decorative　adornment；　is　the　honour　and　glory　of　the　artistic　and　magnanimous　nation。　At　the
festival　season；　the　people　adorn　their　own　dwellings；　their　own　garments；　as　well　as　God's
establishments　with　furnishings　of　elegance　and　grace。　In　this　manner　they　receive　a　return　for　their
gifts　from　a　responsive　and　grateful　God；　and　receive　the　proofs　of　His　favour…wherein　the　nation
became　bound　to　the　God　because　of　the　work　done　for　Him…not　as　a　hope　and　a　deferred
realization；　but　rather；　in　testifying　to　His　honour　and　in　presenting　gifts；　the　nation　finds　directly
and　at　once　the　enjoyment　of　its　own　wealth　and　adornment。



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　



1。　v。　sup。；　p。　706。　

2。　e。g。　the　eagle　as　the　〃bird　of　Zeus〃。　

3。　e。g。　Athene。　

4。　Socrates。　

5。　i。e。　at　the　feast。　




b
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　The　Living　Work　of　Art

THAT　nation　which　approaches　its　god　in　the　cult　of　the　religion　of　art　is　an　ethically　constituted
nation；　knowing　its　State　and　the　acts　of　the　State　to　be　the　will　and　the　achievement　of　its　own
self。　This　universal　spirit；　confronting　the　self…conscious　nation；　is　consequently　not　the
〃Light…God〃；　which；　being　selfless　does　not　contain　the　certainty　of　the　individual　selves；　but　is　only
their　universal　ultimate　Being　and　the　dominating　imperious　power；　wherein　they　disappear。　The
religious　cult　of　this　simple　unembodied　ultimate　Being　gives　back；　therefore；　to　its　votaries　in　the
main　merely　this：　that　they　are　the　nation　of　their　god。　It　secures　for　them　merely　their　stable
subsistence；　and　their　simple　substance　as　a　whole；　it　does　not　secure　for　them　their　actual　self；　this
is　indeed　rejected。　For　they　revere　their　god　as　the　empty　profound；　not　as　spirit。　The　cult；
however；　of　the　religion　of　art；　on　the　other　hand；　is　without　that　abstract　simplicity　of　the　absolute
Being；　and　therefore　without　its　〃profundity〃。　But　that　Being；　which　is　directly　at　one　with　the　self；
is　inherently　spirit　and　comprehending　truth；　although　not　yet　truth　known　explicitly；　in　other　words
not　knowing　the　〃depths〃　of　its　nature。　Because　this　Absolute；　then；　implies　self；　consciousness
finds　itself　at　home　with　it　when　it　appears；　and；　in　the　cult；　this　consciousness　receives　not　merely
the　general　title　to　its　own　subsistence；　but　also　its　self…conscious　existence　within　it：　just　as；
conversely；　the　Absolute　has　no　being　in　a　despised　and　outcast　nation　whose　mere　substance　is
acknowledged；　whose　reality　is　selfless；　but　in　the　nation　whose　self　is　acknowledged　as　living　in
its　substance。

From　the　ceremonial　cult；　then；　self…consciousness　that　is　at　peace　and　satisfied　in　its　ultimate
Being　turns　away；　as　also　does　the　god　that　has　entered　into　self…consciousness　as　into　its　place　of
habitation。　This　place　is；　by　itself；　the　night　of　mere　〃substance〃；　or　its　pure　individuality；　but　no
longer　the　strained　and　striving　individuality　of　the　artist；　which　has　not　yet　reconciled　itself　with　its
essential　Being　that　is　striving　to　become　objective；　it　is　the　night　＇substance＇　satisfied；　having　its
〃pathos〃　within　it　and　in　want　of　nothing；　because　it　comes　back　from　intuition；　from　objectivity
which　is　overcome　and　superseded。

This　〃pathos〃　is；　by　itself；　the　Being　of　the　Rising　Sun；（1）　a　Being；　however；　which　has　now　〃set〃
and　disappeared　within　itself；　and　has　its　own　〃setting〃；　self…consciousness；　within　it；　and　so
contains　existence　and　reality。

It　has　here　traversed　the　process　of　its　actualization。　Descending　from　its　pure　essentiality　and
becoming　an　objective　force　of　nature　and　the　expressions　of　this　force；　it　is　an　existence　relative
to　an　other；　an　objective　existence　for　the　self　by　which　it　is　consumed。　The　silent　inner　being　of
selfless　nature　attains　in　its　fruits　the　stage　where　nature；　duly　self…prepared　and　digested；　offers
itself　as　material　for　the　life　which　has　a　self。　In　its　being　useful　for　food　and　drink　it　reaches　its
highest　perfection。　For　therein　it　is　the　possibility　of　a　higher　existence；　and　comes　in　touch　with
spiritual　existence。　In　its　metamorphosis　the　spirit　of　the　earth　has　developed　and　become　partly　a
silently　energizing　substance；　partly　spiritual　ferment；　in　the　first　case　it　is　the　feminine　principle；　the
nursing　mother；　in　the　other　the　masculine　principle；　the　self…driving　force　of　self…conscious
existence。

In　this　enjoyment；　then；　that　orient　〃Light〃　of　the　world　is　discovered　for　what　it　really　is：
Enjoyment　is　the　Mystery　of　its　being。　For　mysticism　is　not　concealment　of　a　secret；　or　ignorance；
it　consists　in　the　self　knowing　itself　to　be　one　with　absolute　Being；　and　in　this　latter；　therefore；
becoming　revealed。　Only　the　self　is　revealed　to　itself　；　or　what　is　manifest　is　so　merely　in　the
immediate　certainty　of　itself。　But　it　is　just　in　such　certainty　that　simple　absolute　Being　has　been
placed　by　the　cult。　As　a　thing　that　can　be　used；　it　has　not　only　existence　which　is　seen；　felt；　smelt；
tasted；　it　is　also　object　of　desire；　and；　by　actually　being　enjoyed；　it　becomes　one　with　the　self；　and
thereby　disclosed　completely　to　this　self；　and　made　manifest。

When　we　say　of　anything；　〃it　is　manifest　to　reason；　to　the　heart〃；　it　is　in　point　of　fact　still　secret；　for
it　still　lacks　the　actual　certainty　of　immediate　existence；　both　the　certainty　regarding　what　is
objective；　and　the　certainty　of　enjoyment；　a　certainty　which　in　religion；　however；　is　not　only
immediate　and　unreflecting；　but　at　the　same　time　purely　cognitive　certainty　of　self。