Chapter 25: Escaping Fear

As revealed to God’s Messenger Marshall Vian Summers on June 4, 1988 in Los Angeles, CA
1988年6月4日，在加州洛杉矶(Los Angeles, CA)，向上帝的信使马歇尔・维安・萨默斯(Marshall Vian Summers)揭示

We would like to talk about escaping fear because fear is so much a part of your experience. There is a way to escape fear so that you may become much more effective and present in life. It is not an empty promise to say that you can escape fear, but you must enter a different state of mind. You must enter the state of Knowledge, a state of profound knowing. You cannot escape fear when you are living in your personal side, or personal mind. There are many attempts to do this, and they end up being extremely difficult, requiring great amounts of energy with little success.

我们想谈谈逃离恐惧的问题，因为恐惧在很大程度上是你经历的一部分。有一种方法可以摆脱恐惧，这样你就可以在生活中变得更加有效和在场。说你能摆脱恐惧并不是一个空洞的承诺，但你必须进入一种不同的心智状态。你必须进入内识的状态，一种深刻知道的状态。当你生活在你个人的一面，或个人的心智中时，你无法逃避恐惧。有很多人试图这样做，最后都是非常困难的，需要大量的能量，但成功率不高。

To understand how to escape from fear you must understand something about fear itself—where it comes from and how much it governs and determines your thinking, actions and experience. It is very difficult to define fear, although there are many definitions. Definitions are limited. You cannot simply have an explanation that will really serve you because this is something you must recognize in your experience. When you are very upset, very distressed or very angry, stop and say, “Ah! I am afraid right now.” It is this recognition that is important. “I am afraid.” Often this is enough to disengage you from your distress or to give you a greater perspective while you are in distress. You recognize you are afraid. “At this moment I am afraid.” Having this recognition brings you into your experience. Otherwise, you will simply demonstrate the results of your fear because fear is very captivating.

要理解如何摆脱恐惧，你必须理解一些关于恐惧本身的情况——它来自哪里，它在多大程度上支配和决定你的思维、行动和经历。要定义恐惧是非常困难的，尽管有很多定义。定义是有限的。你不能简单地有一个真正为你服务的解释，因为这是你必须在你的经历中认识到的经验。当你非常不安、非常苦恼或非常愤怒时，停下来说：”啊！我现在很害怕”。正是这种承认是重要的。”我很害怕”。通常这足以使你脱离你的苦恼，或者在你处于苦恼时给你一个更大的视角。你承认你在害怕。”在这一刻，我很害怕。”有了这种认识，你就会进入你的经历。否则，你将简单地展示你的恐惧的结果，因为恐惧是非常吸引人的。

Why can’t you give up fear in a normal state of mind? Does that not seem like a worthy objective? When you are in a normal state of mind, you are identified with temporary things that are easily lost or destroyed. You want to protect what you have and acquire more and at the same time give up all the discomfort of doing this. Protect this body. Protect this mind. Protect these ideas. Protect these beliefs. Protect these possessions. Protect these affiliations. Protect this wealth. And protect all the things that will lead to further security in these areas. Can you achieve this without anxiety? Can it be done? You are not a monastic. You do not give up all things and live in a monastery. Only very few people can do that. You are a person in the world. How can you escape fear? That is what we will be addressing.

为什么你不能在正常的心智状态下放弃恐惧？这看起来不是一个值得的目标吗？当你处于正常心智时，你认同那些容易丢失或毁坏的暂时性事物。你想保护你所拥有的并获得更多，同时放弃这样做的所有不适。保护这个身体。保护这个心灵。保护这些想法。保护这些信仰。保护这些财产。保护这些隶属关系。保护这些财富。并保护所有会导致这些领域进一步安全的事物。你能在不焦虑的情况下实现这些吗？能做到吗？你不是一位僧侣。你不会放弃所有的东西，住在一个修道院里。只有极少数人能够做到这一点。你是世界上的一个人。你如何能摆脱恐惧？这就是我们要解决的问题。

What about fear itself? So prevalent it is, so much a part of your thinking and your behavior. Your priority is fear. It is so fundamental to your experience here that only through self-observation can you begin to realize what a dominant force it is. So, even my words can arouse fear. Something new? Fear! Your first response? Fear! My words, if they are true, what will they challenge? This response is very important to understand because if you undertake the reclamation of Knowledge—the very essence of all true individual development—you will begin to have a new relationship with fear. As a result, you will begin to understand the impact of fear on your life in the world.

恐惧本身呢？它是如此盛行，如此成为你的思维和行为的一部分。你的首要任务是恐惧。它对你在这里的经历是如此根本，只有通过自我观察，你才能开始意识到它是一种多么重要的力量。所以，甚至我的话也能引起恐惧。新的东西？恐惧!你的第一反应？恐惧!我的话，如果是真的，它们将挑战什么？这个反应是非常重要的，因为如果你进行内识的开垦——所有真实的个人发展的本质——你将开始与恐惧有一个新的关系。因此，你将开始理解恐惧对你在世界上的生命的影响。

This is not something that can be accomplished only with definitions or explanations. Fear is too prevalent. It underlies most of your thinking, even your desire for a better world and your desire for peace. Many of your efforts to improve humanity’s situation or circumstances are governed by fear. Your longing for relationship, your anxiety about death—it is all fear! So, when you begin to really encounter all this, it becomes ominous. It seems like too much.

这不是仅靠定义或解释就能完成的事情。恐惧太普遍了。它是你大部分思维的基础，甚至是你对一个更好的世界的渴望和对和平的渴望。你为改善人类的状况或环境所做的许多努力都是受恐惧支配的。你对关系的渴望，你对死亡的焦虑——这都是恐惧。因此，当你开始真正遇到这一切时，它变得不祥。它似乎太多了。

When people begin preparation in Steps to Knowledge, they learn to become objective about these things and as a result are able to see them more thoroughly. This is important in enabling them to experience their true nature. They become observant in their lives. All true religions must teach this, for you cannot attain greater skill or ability or have access to greater intelligence if you are thoroughly identified with your emotions or your ideas.

当人们开始在内识的阶梯中做准备时，他们学会了对这些事情变得客观，结果是能够更彻底地看到它们。这对于使他们能够经历自己的真实本性很重要。他们在生活中变得善于观察。所有真实的宗教都必须教导这一点，因为如果你完全认同你的情绪或想法，你就无法获得更大的技巧或能力，也无法获得更大的智慧。

You have your experiences of fear, and if you have been observant of yourself, you will see how much fear impairs you and how much it holds you back. You begin to see what is possible and necessary and you say, “Ah, I could do that, but I am too afraid.” However, it is not enough to say that all that is standing between you and your goal is your fear.

你有你的恐惧经历，如果你一直在观察自己，你会看到恐惧对你的损害有多大，它对你的阻碍有多大。你开始看到什么是可能的和必要的，你说：”啊，我可以这样做，但我太害怕了”。然而，仅仅说在你和你的目标之间的所有障碍是你的恐惧是不够的。

People often think that without fear they could be magnificent. This is not true! It is a very prevalent idea in many teachings on personal growth that without this demon called fear or early childhood memories or society’s programming, you would be such a great magnificent being, you could do anything and have anything. This is a very prevalent idea and very stupid. It is not based on Wisdom but on idealism. So, people attempt to attack their obstacles like great warriors and slay the dragon that stands on the bridge. And, of course, they wage war upon themselves. This is not the way.

人们常常认为，没有恐惧，他们就可以变得宏伟。这是不正确的!在许多关于个人成长的教导中，有一个非常普遍的想法，那就是如果没有这个叫做恐惧的恶魔，没有幼年的记忆，没有社会的编程，你会成为一个伟大的宏伟的存在，你可以做任何事情，拥有任何东西。这是一个非常普遍的想法，而且非常愚蠢。它不是基于智慧，而是基于理想主义。所以，人们试图像伟大的战士一样攻击他们的障碍，杀死站在桥上的龙。当然，他们也向自己开战。这不是办法。

Fear is indigenous to your personal side. It is like trying to have a body without aches, pains, bruises or cuts. You need to have compassion so that you do not place impossible demands upon yourself or upon other people. This is very important if you seek to become a teacher. People can become fiercely involved in improving their personal side, but this is not the way.

恐惧是你个人方面的土著。这就像试图拥有一个没有痛楚、疼痛、瘀伤或伤口的身体。你需要有同情心，这样你就不会对自己或其他人提出不可能的要求。如果你想成为一名教师，这一点是非常重要的。人们可以激烈地参与到改善个人方面，但这不是办法。

Fear is escaped because you are cultivating Knowledge. There is no place for fear in Knowledge. Knowledge, then, must become your focal point. Here you are not at war with the world or with yourself. You are cultivating something greater. You see, your mind and body are like the house, and Knowledge is like the garden. So, you go out in the garden to grow your food and you bring it back into the house. You cannot sit in the house saying, “Where’s the food? Where’s the food?” No food arrives. So, you look all over the house and you decide, “Let’s change the house.” But the garden is outside. You must bring the food in.

恐惧是可以逃避的，因为你在培养内识。在内识中没有恐惧的地方。那么，内识必须成为你的焦点。在这里，你不是在与世界或与你自己交战。你正在培养更伟大的生命。你看，你的心灵和身体就像房子，而内识就像花园。所以，你到花园里去种植你的食物，然后把它带回房子里。你不能坐在房子里说：”食物在哪里？食物在哪里？”没有食物到达。所以，你看遍了整个房子，你决定，”让我们改造房子。”但花园在外面。你必须把食物带进来。

It is like serving the world. People are very indignant that the world is the way it is. Yet, how could it be otherwise? It is exactly the way it is because it is the product of where people are in their lives. So, to say, “The world should be very different than it is,” means that you intend to declare war on the world. This is not the way because sooner or later, you will become an adversary in the world, and you will become violent, governed by fear and not by Knowledge. “If the world does not change soon, it will blow up!” Can you teach peace if that is your motivation? Can you be a force for peace or reconciliation if your motivating force is profound anxiety? Can you raise a child thinking, “I must protect this child from becoming a criminal”? Can you raise a child effectively with that point of view? You cannot tend the world with this point of view and hope to give a true benefit. Besides, the world is frustrating to change. People are very entrenched.

这就像为世界服务。人们对世界是这样的情况非常愤慨。然而，它怎么可能不是这样呢？它之所以是这样的，是因为它是人们在生活中的产物。因此，说”世界应该与现在大不相同”，意味着你打算向世界宣战。这不是办法，因为你迟早会成为世界的对手，你会变得暴力，被恐惧而不是内识所支配。”如果世界不尽快改变，它就会爆炸！”如果这是你的动机，你能教导和平吗？如果你的动机是深刻的焦虑，你能成为和平或和解的力量吗？你能在养育孩子时想：”我必须保护这个孩子不成为罪犯”吗？你能用这种观点有效地抚养一个孩子吗？你不能用这种观点倾向于世界，并希望给予真实的益处。此外，这个世界的变化是令人沮丧的。人们是非常根深蒂固的。

There is one way to escape fear and that is by cultivating Knowledge. In this way, you do not declare war on yourself. You do not dissect yourself with a knife. You do not become cruel towards your personal side. You do not cast out your feelings or your little thoughts. You have compassion for that which is weak and respect for that which is strong.

有一种方法可以摆脱恐惧，那就是培养内识。通过这种方式，你不会向自己宣战。你不会用刀子解剖自己。你不会对你个人的一面变得很残忍。你不会抛弃你的感觉或你的小想法。你对弱者有同情心，对强者有尊重。

Here we take a complex situation, and we provide a simple direction. Yet, to cultivate Knowledge, you will go through a lot of fear and by going through it, you will weaken it. Fear is a master. It is the master of the worldly mind. I do not call it an entity because that gives it a significance that it does not have. Yet, it is a force that people share and generate. When people stop doing that, of course, fear will disappear. You cannot say the same for love because you are not the source of love. But you are the source of fear. If everyone stopped loving, love would still permeate the world. That is why people have been unable to get rid of it.

在这里，我们把一个复杂的情况，提供一个简单的方向。然而，为了培养内识，你将经历很多恐惧，通过经历恐惧，你将削弱它。恐惧是一个主人。它是世俗心智的主人。我不称它为实体，因为这给了它一个它不具备的意义。然而，它是一种人们分享和产生的力量。当人们停止这样做时，当然，恐惧会消失。你不能对爱说同样的话，因为你不是爱的来源。但你是恐惧的来源。如果每个人都停止爱，爱仍然会弥漫在这个世界上。这就是为什么人们一直无法摆脱它。

We do not recommend, then, a prescription for removing fear by simply saying, “I will get rid of the fear and all there will be is love, happiness and peace of mind.” You know what? It does not work! Fear is too strong. You cannot say fear is nothing if it dominates the world. In a Greater Reality, fear is nothing, but in your reality it dominates the world. It is quite wise, then, to give due respect to the strength of something you must face. When I say you must go through some fear to reach Knowledge, well, that is true. In doing this, though, you will find out what the source of fear is because Knowledge takes you directly to God. Then you will begin to understand why people hold onto their fear, as painful as it is. But this is a mystery you individually must discover for yourself. Definitions and explanations will not carry you through.

那么，我们不建议通过简单地说：”我将摆脱恐惧，所有的一切都将是爱、幸福和心灵的宁静”来消除恐惧的处方。你知道吗？它不起作用!恐惧太强大了。如果恐惧主宰了世界，你就不能说它是虚无的。在一个更大的现实中，恐惧不算什么，但在你的现实中，它主宰了世界。那么，对你必须面对恐惧的力量给予应有的尊重是相当明智的。当我说你必须经历一些恐惧以达到内识，嗯，这是真的。不过，在这样做的过程中，你会发现恐惧的来源是什么，因为内识会把你直接带到上帝那里。然后你将开始理解为什么人们坚持他们的恐惧，尽管它是痛苦的。但这是一个你必须自己发现的奥秘。定义和解释不会带你度过难关。

In the reclamation of Knowledge, you will have to override your fear again and again. You are not at war here. You are simply choosing another way. “I choose to go this way, afraid or not. I follow Knowledge in this situation, no matter what.” Then you pass through fear as if you were passing through a great black cloud. To do this, you must realize that your fear is not you. There must be some objectivity here. “This fear—it is not evil, it is not bad, but it is not me. I will be attentive to it, but it is not me.”

在内识的开垦中，你将不得不一次又一次地克服你的恐惧。你在这里不是在打仗。你只是在选择另一种方式。”我选择走这条路，不管害怕与否。在这种情况下，我遵循内识，无论如何。”然后你穿过恐惧，就像穿过一片巨大的黑云一样。要做到这一点，你必须意识到，你的恐惧不是你。这里必须有一些客观性。”这种恐惧——它并不邪恶，它并不坏，但它不是我。我将关注它，但它不是我。”

Now, we must make a very important distinction here that many people forget: Caution is different from fear. Caution can arise from Knowledge. Caution means that you are being very attentive because there is a possibility that something may go wrong, or you may have to make an important decision, even if nothing goes wrong. So you are very attentive—like a mountain-climber, very attentive. Mountain-climbers are very attentive to where they put their hands and feet. Would you call that fear? Mountain-climbers would become very afraid if they thought about falling off the mountain. They would panic; they would make poor decisions. That is why people like to climb mountains—they become very fearless and they can experience Knowledge, momentarily.

现在，我们必须在这里做一个非常重要的区分，很多人都忘记了。警惕与恐惧是不同的。警惕可以从内识中产生。警惕意味着你非常注意，因为有可能会出错，或者你可能必须做出一个重要的决定，即使什么都不出错。所以你非常专注，就像爬山者一样，非常专注。爬山者非常注意他们的手和脚放在哪里。你说这是恐惧吗？如果爬山者想到要从山上掉下来，他们会变得非常害怕。他们会惊慌失措；他们会做出错误的决定。这就是为什么人们喜欢爬山——他们变得非常无畏，他们可以经历到内识，瞬间。

So, you must learn the difference between caution and fear. They are very different, but you must have the experience. To be able to experience caution in its real sense, you must separate yourself from fear within yourself. You must be able to identify it increasingly because fear is very blinding. It dominates your perception. You must see that reality is not based upon your perception.

因此，你必须学习警惕和恐惧之间的区别。它们是非常不同的，但你必须有这种经历。为了能够经历真正意义上的警惕，你必须将自己与自己内心的恐惧分开。你必须能够越来越多地识别它，因为恐惧是非常盲目的。它支配着你的感知。你必须看到，现实并不是基于你的感知。

Now, you do not need to become a therapist with yourself to do this because the emphasis here is on keeping your eye on Knowledge, not on the obstacles to Knowledge. Here I must make another very important point: If you become concerned with fear or any of its manifestations, it will dominate you. If you study evil, it will claim you. Why? Because without Knowledge, it is more powerful than you are.

现在，你不需要成为自己的治疗师来做到这一点，因为这里的重点是保持你对内识的关注，而不是对内识的障碍。在这里，我必须提出另一个非常重要的观点：如果你关注恐惧或其任何表现形式，它将支配你。如果你研究邪恶，它就会要求你。为什么？因为没有内识，它就比你更强大。

Therefore, Knowledge must be the emphasis. It starts with recognizing what you truly know about your life and about the decisions that you must make. It requires that you develop the ability to be still internally through practice. This is important because with a certain degree of stillness, you are able to become observant. You cannot be observant if your mind is always on the go, running from thing to thing and going from thought to thought. How can you be attentive? How can you see anything? The reclamation of Knowledge requires stillness of mind, it requires cooperation with others, and it requires the development of true discernment. This is all extremely practical and will have a direct bearing on everything you do in life. Because there are so few people who can demonstrate Knowledge in life, if you have even a little bit of ability, you are a tremendous asset.

因此，内识必须是重点。它开始于认识到你对你的生命和你必须做出的决定真正知道什么。它要求你通过练习发展内在静止的能力。这一点很重要，因为有了一定程度的静心，你就能成为观察者。如果你的心灵总是在运转，从一件事到另一件事，从一个想法到另一个想法，你就不能成为观察者。你怎么能专心致志呢？你怎么能看到任何东西呢？内识的开垦需要静心，需要与他人合作，需要发展真实的辨识力。这一切都非常实用，将直接影响到你生活中的一切。因为能在生活中展示内识的人太少了，如果你有哪怕一点点能力，你就是一笔巨大的财富。

You have things that you can lose that you feel are truly yours. There is so much regarding your social and physical survival. I can say, “Well, give it all up! It is not worth anything, anyway! You’ll be out of this world in a few years, and what is it worth then?” But it is not enough for me to say that because you are meant to be in the world. You have a purpose in being here, a purpose that you cannot find either in your personal mind or in your fear.

你有可以失去的东西，你觉得是真正属于你的。有这么多关于你的社会和身体生存的事情。我可以说，”好吧，放弃这一切吧!反正也不值钱!几年后你就会离开这个世界，那时它又有什么价值呢？”但我这样说是不够的，因为你注定要在这个世界上存在。你在这里有一个目的，这个目的是你在个人心智或恐惧中都找不到的。

Knowledge is planted in you like a seed. If you begin to cultivate it, it will begin to grow and take its own form. It has its own life, like a seed in the ground. You do not need to tell it how to grow. Just provide the necessary environment, nutrients and conditions, and it will grow. While this is happening, you are a person in the world who is still concerned about physical, mental and social survival, but there is something else in your life now, and you are giving it increasing attention. You cannot neglect the world because you have to live here, and you must be responsible. You cannot neglect the world to become a student of Knowledge. “All I want to do is practice all day long and have great experiences!” That is not a good idea. It will cause much distress. So, you must be responsible as a person in the world and also develop your capacity for Knowledge. Knowledge develops very slowly because people are very afraid of Knowledge. They are very afraid of the one thing that will take them beyond pain.

内识就像种子一样种植在你心里。如果你开始培养它，它就会开始成长并有自己的形式。它有自己的生命，就像地里的种子。你不需要告诉它如何生长。只要提供必要的环境、养分和条件，它就会生长。当这一切发生时，你是世界上的一个人，仍然关注身体、心理和社会的生存，但现在你的生活中还有别的东西，你对它的关注越来越多。你不能忽视这个世界，因为你必须生活在这里，而且你必须负责任。你不能为了成为内识的学生而忽视了这个世界。”我想做的就是整天练习，有伟大的经历！”这不是一个好主意。它将导致很多困扰。所以，你必须作为一个人在这个世界上负责任，也要发展你的内识能力。内识的发展非常缓慢，因为人们对内识非常恐惧。他们非常害怕那件可以让他们超越痛苦的事情。

Some people will ask, “Well, that is all very good, but what do you do about the world in its difficult state? I feel I must do something.” What do you do about the world? Well, there are two motivations for serving the world: one is where you are moved by Knowledge and the other is where you are moved by fear. For this reason, many students of Knowledge must temporarily withdraw from political or social involvements because fear still captivates them, captivates their minds. They do not permanently withdraw; they only need time because they must learn to become observant and discerning. They must develop some very fundamental and useful abilities.

有些人会问：”嗯，这都是很好的，但你对这个处于困难状态的世界做什么？我觉得我必须做点什么。”你对这个世界做了什么？嗯，为世界服务有两个动机：一个是你被内识所推动，另一个是你被恐惧所推动。由于这个原因，许多内识的学生必须暂时退出政治或社会活动，因为恐惧仍然吸引着他们，吸引着他们的心智。他们不会永久退出；他们只是需要时间，因为他们必须学会变得有观察力和辨别力。他们必须发展一些非常根本和有用的能力。

Sometimes my answers seem rational and people say, “Oh, this is very good.” And sometimes they are not rational and people say, “I do not understand this.” But answers are temporary expedients. Not everyone wants to become a person of Knowledge. Very few do. Yet, the person who will help your life to be beneficial is the person of Knowledge, whom you may never meet.

有时我的答案看起来很理性，人们会说：”哦，这很好。”而有时他们并不理性，人们会说：”我不明白这个。”但答案是暂时的权宜之计。不是每个人都想成为拥有内识的人。很少有人这样做。然而，能够帮助你的生活获得益处的人是内识的个人，你可能永远不会遇到他们。

Why has the world kept going in spite of all of its tribulations? Twenty years ago, people were saying, “My God! We are on the verge of total destruction.” Today people say we are on the verge of total destruction. Twenty years from now, people will say, “We are really on the verge of total destruction! We must do something quick!” Who is holding us all together? The animal nature in people is quite capable of destroying the race, yes? Any of you could be murderers or criminals! So, who’s holding it together? Why have human beings persisted? There must be a force. Something is doing this.

为什么世界在所有的磨难中仍能继续前进？二十年前，人们还在说：”我的天啊！我们正处于全面崩溃的边缘。我们正处于完全毁灭的边缘”。今天，人们说我们正处于彻底毁灭的边缘。20年后，人们会说：”我们真的处于完全毁灭的边缘！我们必须迅速采取行动！我们必须迅速采取行动！”谁在支撑我们所有人？人的动物本性很有能力摧毁这个种族，不是吗？你们中的任何一个人都可能是杀人犯或罪犯!那么，是谁在支撑着它？为什么人类一直在坚持？一定有一种力量。有什么人在做这件事。

You only need relatively few people with Knowledge to preserve life here. Everyone drinks from their wellspring, yet only a few know where the water comes from and who brought it here. That is why the Wise go unseen. If someone of true ability pronounces themselves, it causes a lot of trouble. That is why advancing students of Knowledge must give up all ambitions, even to save the world, even to use their newfound skills to bring good to a suffering world. A few individuals will need to make a presentation to change the course of religion or history or to effect change in human thought, but for the most part, the truly adept individuals in the world remain hidden. In this way, their work will be unimpeded.

你们只需要相对较少的拥有内识的人就能在这里维持生活。每个人都喝他们的井水，但只有少数人知道水从哪里来，谁把它带到这里。这就是为什么智者不露面的原因。如果有真实能力的人宣称自己，就会引起很多麻烦。这就是为什么进步的内识学生必须放弃所有的野心，甚至是拯救世界，甚至是用他们新发现的技能给这个痛苦的世界带来益处。少数人需要进行演讲，以改变宗教或历史的进程，或影响人类思维的变化，但在大多数情况下，世界上真正有能力的人仍然隐藏着。这样一来，他们的工作就会不受阻碍。

What we are doing here, you see, has been done for thousands of years. It is not a new phenomenon. Yet, for thousands of years it was done in extreme secrecy. You have such freedoms now! Of course, the disadvantage of your time is that people respond without a great deal of intention. In earlier times, you risked your life to receive a teaching such as this. Therefore, it would have been very important to you and not a casual curiosity. So, in your world now, you have greater freedoms, such great freedoms. Few of the advanced worlds in this part of the galaxy have such freedoms. But along with such freedoms, people suffer from very poor motivation. People are without direction.

我们在这里做的事情，你看，已经做了几千年了。这不是一个新现象。然而，几千年来，它是在极端秘密的情况下进行的。你们现在有这样的自由。当然，你们这个时代的缺点是，人们的回应没有很大的意图。在早期，你们冒着生命危险接受这样的教导。因此，它对你来说是非常重要的，而不是一个偶然的好奇心。所以，在你们现在的世界，你们有更大的自由，如此大的自由。在银河系这一部分的先进世界中，很少有这样的自由。但是伴随着这样的自由，人们遭受着非常差的动机。人们没有方向。

Everyone of course wants to minimize difficulty and conflict in their lives. “I don’t want trouble! I don’t want to run out of money or have anything bad happen!” You want to be comfortable so that you will be free to enjoy your personal pursuits as much as possible, yes? However, it is usually the uncommon and even extreme circumstances that spark Knowledge in people. Not that pain should be a prerequisite for Knowledge, but sometimes when things happen that are really different, people have new experiences.

当然，每个人都希望在他们的生活中尽量减少困难和冲突。”我不想有麻烦!我不想把钱花光，也不想有什么坏事发生！”你想要舒适，这样你就可以自由地尽可能地享受你的个人追求，是吗？然而，通常是不常见的甚至是极端的情况才会在人们心中引发内识。并不是说痛苦应该是内识的先决条件，但有时当事情发生得非常不同时，人们会有新的经历。

Sometimes I must talk about the “house on fire.” If the house you were living in were on fire, everyone would forget their personal reasons for being here and pitch in and do what is necessary. This situation would put you in a different state of mind. And you know, when these kinds of things happen, people sometimes respond without fear. But after it is all over, they become very afraid. “Oh, my God! What could have happened! Oh, I just barely escaped!” But in the moment, they were without fear.

有时我必须谈一谈”着火的房子”。如果你住的房子着火了，每个人都会忘记他们在这里的个人原因，投其所好，做必要的事情。这种情况会使你处于不同的心境。而且你知道，当这类事情发生时，人们有时会毫无畏惧地做出反应。但在这一切结束后，他们会变得非常害怕。”哦，我的天啊!会发生什么事!哦，我只是勉强逃过一劫！”但在那一刻，他们是没有恐惧的。

So, while people are trying their very best to make all their circumstances very agreeable, at the same time they are also trying to make circumstances very severe to give themselves an opportunity to experience Knowledge and to wake up. Isn’t that interesting? I think that is very interesting. Why do people do such stupid things? To wake themselves up. If everything were wonderful, if you had Heaven on earth right now, wouldn’t that be grand? Wouldn’t it be beautiful with everyone loving and no one having to work unless they wanted to? But how long would it last? If you did not return to Knowledge, it would not last but a moment.

因此，当人们竭力使他们的所有环境非常顺心时，同时他们也在努力使环境变得非常严峻，以使自己有机会经历到内识和醒悟。这难道不有趣吗？我认为这非常有趣。为什么人们会做这样的蠢事？为了唤醒自己。如果一切都很美好，如果你现在在地球上有了天堂，那不是很好吗？每个人都有爱，没有人需要工作，除非他们愿意，这不是很美吗？但它会持续多久呢？如果你不返回内识，它不会持续，只是一瞬间。

You cannot have stillness in your environment if you cannot be still within yourself. You could not tolerate it. How many of you could sit quietly for eight hours and not move? How many of you can sit still for twenty minutes and not move? Being still. Everyone wants a world that is still and lovely, but who could tolerate it? That would be the most fearful thing of all. That is why Heaven is not wanted. Who wants Heaven? People want to know there is a Heaven, just in case the world does not work out, but who wants it now?

如果你的内心不能静默，你就不能在你的环境中拥有静止。你不能容忍它。你们有多少人能够安静地坐八个小时而不动？你们有多少人能够静坐二十分钟而不动？静静地做人。每个人都希望有一个静止而可爱的世界，但谁能容忍它呢？这将是最令人恐惧的事情。这就是为什么天堂不被需要。谁想要天堂？人们想知道有一个天堂，以防世界不顺利，但现在谁想要它？

I am not saying this to frustrate you but to allow you to have compassion for the world. The world is doing pretty well, considering that human beings are only a few years away from being tribes people and that you have so many newfound skills and abilities. You are doing fairly well, as far as societies at this stage of development go.

我这么说不是为了让你沮丧，而是为了让你对这个世界抱有同情心。考虑到人类离部落人只有几年的时间，而且你们有这么多新发现的技能和能力，这个世界做得相当好。就处于这个发展阶段的社会而言，你们做得相当好。

Now, the man and woman of Knowledge are concerned with Knowledge, but they are also concerned with what Knowledge is directing them to do. This is where your calling in life begins to arise. People, of course, want to find their calling without Knowledge, which means they simply want a new definition for themselves. Your calling in life emerges from your Knowledge. Here you feel that you must do certain things. It is not a matter of personal preference. It is not even driven by fear. “I just must do this!” You are able to do these tasks with such strength and conviction, such single-mindedness. You will not be a pure and immaculate person, but you must do this one thing. Then you become able to do things in the world very effectively, without fear. You will have concern, and your personal side, what’s left of it, will have its usual kinds of anxieties, but there is something more important now.

现在，内识的男人和女人关心的是内识，但他们也关心内识在指导他们做什么。这就是你在生命中的召唤开始出现的地方。当然，人们想在没有内识的情况下找到自己的召唤，这意味着他们只是想给自己一个新的定义。你在生命中的召唤是从你的内识中产生的。在这里，你觉得你必须做某些事情。这不是一个个人偏好的问题。它甚至不是由恐惧驱动的。”我就是必须做这个！”你能够以这样的力量和信念，这样的一心一意来完成这些任务。你不会成为一个纯洁无瑕的人，但你必须做这一件事。然后你就能非常有效地在世上做事，没有恐惧。你会有担忧，你的个人方面，也就是剩下的，会有其通常的各种焦虑，但现在有更重要的事情。

Fear is escaped because there is something more important! If the house were on fire, who would be sitting around worrying about when they will find a relationship? Something now is more important. There is purpose now, for a little while, to preserve life in a dangerous situation. Fear is escaped because there is something more important than fear that takes you out of it.

恐惧被逃避了，因为有更重要的事情！如果房子着火了，谁会来救你？如果房子着火了，谁会坐在那里担心什么时候能找到关系？现在的事情更重要。现在有了目的，暂时在危险的情况下保存生命。恐惧被逃避了，因为有比恐惧更重要的事情带你走出恐惧。

You do not need dire circumstances if the source of your Wisdom is being attended to. It will grow slowly, and it will bring about gradual change in your life because for the vast majority of people it must be very slow. Some people want it to move very fast, and so they do extreme and difficult spiritual practices, the hardest they can find—the “path of fire,” they call it. But those who follow the slow, methodical way go faster.

如果你的智慧之源受到关注，你不需要可怕的环境。它将慢慢成长，它将在你的生活中带来渐进的变化，因为对绝大多数人来说，它必须非常缓慢。有些人希望它发展得非常快，所以他们做极端和困难的精神修行，他们能找到的最难的修行——他们称之为”火之路”。但那些遵循缓慢、有条不紊的方式的人走得更快。

One of the most important qualities is stillness. In developing stillness, you are able to see things you could not have seen otherwise regarding yourself and subsequently the world. You are increasingly able to look at situations, individuals and even objects and see what is actually there, not what you are interpreting to be there. All students of Knowledge must develop some degree of stillness so that they can start to see things. This also develops their desire for peace because peace is very still. Peace is not simply the absence of conflict in the world. Peace is stillness. As long as stillness is greatly feared, there will be war because the struggle for stimulation will produce conflict.

最重要的品质之一是静止。在发展静止的过程中，你能够看到关于你自己和随后的世界的你不可能看到的事情。你越来越能看清情况、个人甚至物体，看到实际存在的事物，而不是你所解释的事物。所有学习内识的学生都必须发展某种程度的静止，以便他们能够开始看到事物。这也发展了他们对和平的渴望，因为和平是非常安静的。和平不仅仅是世界上没有冲突。和平就是静止。只要人们非常害怕静止，就会有战争，因为争取刺激的斗争会产生冲突。

When you are cultivating Knowledge, you are always facing fear and choosing either to go with Knowledge or not to go with Knowledge. When you go with Knowledge, something happens that is wonderful. But when you do not go with Knowledge—well, you find out that going with Knowledge would have been a better idea.

当你在培养内识时，你总是面对恐惧，选择要么与内识同行，要么不与内识同行。当你与内识同行时，会发生一些奇妙的事情。但是，当你不随内识而去时，你会发现随内识而去会是一个更好的主意。

In developing stillness, you also develop patience because Knowledge does not reveal itself upon demand. If you feel you must make a decision and Knowledge is silent, well, maybe you do not need to make a decision. Maybe you cannot make a decision. Maybe any decision you make will have no true potency. So, patience naturally must arise. With patience come tolerance, faith and trust—all very fundamental things. When you are still, the Presence is with you, your Teachers are with you, and the power of your Spiritual Family begins to emanate through you. When you are still, you become more a mirror or a window than a wall.

在发展静止的过程中，你也会发展出耐心，因为内识不会在要求下显露出来。如果你觉得你必须做一个决定，而内识却沉默不语，那么，也许你不需要做一个决定。也许你无法做出决定。也许你做出的任何决定都不会有真正的效力。所以，耐心自然必须产生。有了耐心，就有了宽容、信心和信任——所有非常基本的品质。当你静止时，临在与你同在，你的老师与你同在，你的精神家庭的力量开始通过你散发出来。当你静止时，你更多地成为一面镜子或窗户，而不是一堵墙。

You must recognize at this point that I am talking about you, not about your husband or wife or friend or client. You are the subject. So, the idea is not, “How can I make this other person have these qualities?” or “What can I do for this person?” It is you.

在这一点上你必须认识到，我说的是你，而不是你的丈夫、妻子、朋友或客户。你是主体。所以，这个想法不是，”我怎样才能让这个人拥有这些品质？”或 “我能为这个人做什么？” 它是你。

Another aspect of escaping from fear I would like to mention is that you must begin to think about your life beyond the world. I can say that I am without fear because my foundation is not in the world. That does not mean that I do not take my role in the world seriously. I am not free from the world totally. I have to work here. There are better places to work! But I am fed by my life beyond. I am a rich person. I have relationship. The world cannot hurt me. So, you must have a foundation beyond the world.

我想提到的摆脱恐惧的另一个方面是，你必须开始思考你在世界之外的生命。我可以说我没有恐惧，因为我的基础不在这个世界上。这并不意味着我不认真对待我在这个世界上的角色。我并没有完全从世界中解放出来。我必须在这里工作。有更好的地方可以工作!但是，我的生活是由我的生命所养活的。我是一个富有的人。我有关系。世界无法伤害我。所以，你必须有一个超越世界的基础。

Because of their early religious training, some people cannot say the word God. So, whatever word you need to use to give yourself permission to think about your life beyond the world, please use it because your role in the world is dependent upon where you have come from. People look to the world saying, “Give me meaning. Give me purpose. Give me direction. I have come looking for the truth of my life.” But the world cannot do that. That is like a doctor walking into the patient’s room saying, “Who am I, please? Tell me!” The world needs the truth you have within yourself. The world cannot give it to you. But once you give it, the world will bear witness to Knowledge because Knowledge is everywhere. A mind without fear can see this. A mind with fear can only see its own thoughts and interpretations. It is not free to see or to know. It is out of relationship with life. Your life must be beyond this world for you to experience this because you are here such a short time. It is very important, then, to think about your life beyond the world.

因为他们早期的宗教训练，有些人不能说上帝这个词。所以，无论你需要用什么词来让自己思考你超越世界的生命，请使用它，因为你在世界的角色取决于你来自哪里。人们看着世界说：”给我意义。给我目的。给我方向。我是来寻找我生命的真理的”。但世界无法做到这一点。这就像一个医生走进病人的房间说：”请问我是谁？告诉我！”世界需要你自己内在的真理。世界不能把它给你。但是一旦你给了它，世界就会为内识作证，因为内识无处不在。一个没有恐惧的心智可以看到这一点。有恐惧的心智只能看到自己的想法和解释。它没有自由去看或知道。它与生命没有关系。你的生命必须超越这个世界，你才能经历到这一点，因为你在这里的时间太短了。那么，思考你在世界之外的生命是非常重要的。

It is very important to associate with individuals who have devoted themselves to Knowledge. Knowledge is good. You cannot find it and misuse it. As soon as you claim it for yourself, you lose it because it works through you. If you can become still and open, you will begin to shine like a beacon. You will feel moved to be with certain people and to do certain things. Your life will be very simple. That is why we say you must take time to become still, or you will be as frantic as the world and as unhappy. Increasingly, your happiness and your relationship with others will come from Knowledge.

与那些致力于内识的人交往是非常重要的。内识是好的。你不能找到它并滥用它。一旦你把它据为己有，你就会失去它，因为它通过你发挥作用。如果你能变得安静和开放，你将开始像灯塔一样闪耀。你会感到被推动，要和某些人在一起，要做某些事。你的生活将变得非常简单。这就是为什么我们说你必须花时间变得静默，否则你会像世界一样疯狂，一样不快乐。越来越多地，你的幸福和你与他人的关系将来自于内识。

Therefore, you can escape from fear. And you will see your fear, oh yes! It will be standing in your way and saying, “You cannot enter here.” Fear can be identified because it has no depth. It is very superficial, though it can be very strong in its inducements. It does not have substance. In this, it is very different from Knowledge. Knowledge is quiet but has tremendous Presence. It is extremely intelligent, but it does not think all the time. It is a different state of mind. The world is kept going because there is a sufficient number of men and women of Knowledge in the world, and Knowledge moves other people who do not know anything about it.

因此，你可以从恐惧中逃脱。而你将看到你的恐惧，哦，是的！它将阻挡你的道路，而你将看到它。它将站在你的路上，说：”你不能进入这里”。恐惧可以被识别，因为它没有深度。它是非常肤浅的，尽管它的诱导力可能非常强。它没有实质内容。在这一点上，它与内识非常不同。内识是安静的，但有巨大的存在感。它是非常聪明的，但它不是一直在思考。这是一种不同的心智状态。世界之所以能继续发展，是因为世界上有足够数量的内识男女，而内识则能推动其他对它一无所知的人。