Chapter 34: Religion as Education

As revealed to God’s Messenger Marshall Vian Summers on December 9, 1988 in the USA
1988年12月9日，在美国(USA)，向上帝的信使马歇尔・维安・萨默斯(Marshall Vian Summers)揭示

We are going to treat the subject of religion with a particular emphasis—as an arena of education rather than as a system of belief or a set of ideas or hopeful expectations. As education, religion requires the introduction of new ideas and their application to real life situations and the adoption of certain practices for personal development.

我们要特别强调对待宗教这个主题——作为一个教育的领域，而不是作为一个信仰体系或一套想法或希望的期望。作为教育，宗教需要引入新的想法，并将其应用于现实生活中，同时为个人发展采取某些做法。

In education, you maintain goals for your own development and for their possible use in the future. Yet when people think of religion, they often do not think of education. They think of adopting, defending or struggling with belief. We do not wish to treat religion in this manner. Simply said, religion is practice. It is what you use to develop and to improve yourself and from this the world around you.

在教育中，你为自己的发展设定目标，也为将来可能的目标设定目标。然而当人们想到宗教时，他们通常不会想到教育。他们会想到接受、捍卫或与信仰斗争。我们不希望以这种方式对待宗教。简单来说，宗教是实践。它是你用来发展和改善自己以及从中改善周围世界的工具。

Therefore, let us leave conjecture and arguments behind and look at what can be done for you and what you can do for others. This Teaching is religious in nature because it deals with applying a greater truth to the world. What is a greater truth? A greater truth is something people do not make up for themselves for their personal reassurance, comfort or for any other reason. It is something that is inherent within people. They either choose to acknowledge it or not, to use it or not.

因此，让我们抛开猜想和争论，看看能为你做什么，你能为他人做什么。这项教学具有宗教性质，因为它涉及到将更大的真理应用于世界。什么是更大的真理？更大的真理是人们不是为了个人的安心、舒适或任何其他原因而为自己编造的内识。它是人们内心固有的内识。他们要么选择承认它，要么选择不承认，要么选择使用它。

People experience and interpret truth differently, but the truth is beyond interpretation. What people think of as their experience of the truth is their interpretation of the truth. The truth always beckons you to go beyond your ideals and your philosophy. As a great attraction that is beyond your own grasp, it keeps engaging you to move forward.

人们以不同的方式经历和解释真理，但真理是无法解释的。人们所认为的对真理的经验是他们对真理的解释。真理总是在召唤你去超越你的理想和哲学。作为一种超越你自己掌握的巨大吸引力，它不断吸引你前进。

Therefore, when people say, “I know the truth here,” and they argue with others, they are arguing over interpretations and approaches. That is because the same truth appears to be different things at different stages of development. It has different value and application in these different stages. When someone at one stage argues with someone at another stage, they may not understand one another because their experiences are determined by their stages of development as well as their own personal preferences, fears and psychological make-up.

因此，当人们说：”我知道这里的真理”，并与他人争论时，他们是在为解释和方法争论。这是因为同样的真理在不同的发展阶段看起来是不同的解释。它在这些不同的阶段有不同的价值和应用。当一个阶段的人与另一个阶段的人争论时，他们可能无法理解对方，因为他们的经验是由他们的发展阶段以及他们自己的个人偏好、恐惧和心理构成决定的。

Why is the truth important for people to know? Because it is the source of purpose, meaning and direction in life. Purpose, meaning and direction are what all human pursuit is for. Even in the worst error or the most foolish behavior, someone is trying to experience purpose, meaning and direction. Beyond fundamental survival, this is the human quest—to know why you are here, what you serve, where you must go and what you must do. Purpose, meaning and direction. This is what religion is for.

为什么真理对人们来说很重要？因为它是生命目的、意义和方向的来源。目的、意义和方向是人类所有追求的目的。即使在最糟糕的错误或最愚蠢的行为中，也有人在试图经历目的、意义和方向。除了基本的生存之外，这就是人类的追求——知道你为什么在这里，你服务于什么，你必须去哪里，你必须做什么。目的、意义和方向。这就是宗教的意义所在。

We speak about religion in terms of practice and not in terms of theological ideas or God. It does not matter if you think God is real or not. That just determines your form of education and what terminology must be selected for you to proceed. You are all religious people because you are involved in education. School is not out. It is moving forward. When you cease to learn, your mind begins to shrink. It is like a muscle in your body. It must be exercised and employed and given new challenges. That is why the goal of life is not to achieve complete understanding. The goal of life is to be educated and to share your education with others. Here you have come very far and are at the beginning all at once because the truth is still beyond you. What does this yield to you? It yields purpose, meaning and direction—something the world itself cannot provide. This is the source of your inspiration, enthusiasm and experience of life.

我们从实践的角度来谈论宗教，而不是从神学思想或上帝的角度来谈论。你是否认为上帝是真实的，这并不重要。这只是决定了你的教育形式和必须选择什么术语来进行。你们都是宗教人士，因为你们参与了教育。学校并没有退出。它正在向前发展。当你停止学习时，你的心智开始萎缩。它就像你身体里的一块肌肉。它必须得到锻炼和运用，并得到新的挑战。这就是为什么生命的目标不是要达到完全的理解。生命的目标是接受教育，并与他人分享你的教育。在这里，你已经走了很远，但同时又处于起点，因为真理仍然超越你。这对你有什么好处？它产生了目的、意义和方向——这是世界本身无法提供的。这是你的灵感、热情和生命经历的来源。

So first of all: God is real. Everywhere, real! But so what? What good does that do you today and tomorrow? The important contribution of religion is the development of the human mind and the advancement of the human spirit. Growth involves friction, confrontation, success, failure—everything. When people lose enthusiasm and vigor for life, it means their ability to learn in this environment has diminished or is complete. If it is complete, then it is time for them to leave. If they can do so in a conscious manner, it means that they can leave with very little regret, and that is good.

因此，首先。上帝是真实的。到处都是，都是真实的!但那又怎样？这对你今天和明天有什么好处？宗教的重要贡献是发展人类的心灵和提升人类的精神。成长涉及摩擦、对抗、成功、失败——一切。当人们对生活失去热情和活力时，这意味着他们在这种环境中的学习能力已经减弱或已经完成。如果已经完成，那么就是他们离开的时候了。如果他们能有意识地这样做，就意味着他们可以带着很少的遗憾离开，这很好。

Most people are not in this position. They have lost vigor because they do not see their life as education. They do not see religion as practice. Solving dilemmas, within yourself and externally as well, is not the issue. Problems are healthy for you but can only be valued if you are involved in your development. Development means you are assuming a preparation that you did not invent for yourself. If you invent a preparation for yourself, you will merely entertain yourself with your past learning. That is not advancement. It takes great trust to engage in a curriculum you did not create for yourself. People say, “I do not want to learn this. It affronts my ideas. I do not believe in this, so I do not wish to study it or investigate it.” That is not progressing.

大多数人不在这个位置上。他们已经失去了活力，因为他们没有把自己的生活看作是教育。他们不把宗教看成是实践。解决困境，在你自己内部和外部也是如此，这不是问题。问题对你来说是健康的，但只有当你参与到你的发展中时才能得到重视。发展意味着你正在承担一个你没有为自己发明的准备。如果你为自己发明了一个准备，你将只是用你过去的学习来娱乐自己。这不是进步。参与一个你没有为自己创造的课程需要极大的信任。人们说，”我不想学这个。它冒犯了我的想法。我不相信这个，所以我不希望研究它或调查它。这不是在进步。

We could speak about gratitude, but to do that We would need to talk about education, for it is the only thing you can be truly grateful for. Everything you see around you, people have worked to create to give you an opportunity, but the opportunity is not for comfort alone. It is for advancement. Everything you see, be it agreeable or disagreeable, is for advancement. But if you do not see advancement as your fundamental aim, then you will judge things merely on whether they please you or not or whether they provide comfort or not.

我们可以谈论感恩，但要做到这一点，我们需要谈论教育，因为它是你唯一可以真正感恩的东西。你所看到的周围的一切，都是人们努力创造出来的，给你一个机会，但这个机会不仅仅是为了舒适。它是为了进步。你所看到的一切，不管是令人满意的还是令人不满意的，都是为了进步。但是，如果你不把进步看作是你的根本目标，那么你将仅仅根据它们是否让你高兴，或者它们是否提供舒适来判断事物。

In The Greater Community Way of Knowledge, We teach the reclamation of Knowledge, the greatest and most fundamental use of the mind. As Knowledge becomes developed in the individual, it provides a sound demonstration of the mind’s true capabilities and of the assistance that is necessary, both from certain individuals in the world and from forces beyond the world. This solves the question about God but not in an ultimate sense. It just means that you can experience a greater Presence that you cannot account for and which you must in time acknowledge as a necessary part of your advancement.

在大社区内识之路中，我们教授内识的开垦，这是心智最大和最根本的用途。随着内识在个人身上的发展，它为心智的真实能力和必要的援助提供了良好的证明，包括来自世界上某些人和来自世界以外的力量。这解决了关于上帝的问题，但不是终极意义上的。它只是意味着你可以经历到一个你无法解释的更大的存在，你必须及时承认它是你进步的一个必要部分。

Therefore, education is for advancement, and religion is for education. Now let Us make another important point so that you can understand what this means. Your advancement is not for you. This must be understood. Your advancement is not for you. Your advancement is your contribution because from it will come all the actions, words and demonstrations that are necessary. The advancing student of Knowledge will use both the greatest inspiration as well as the most foolish act for advancement.

因此，教育是为了进步，而宗教是为了教育。现在让我们提出另一个重要观点，以便你能够理解这意味着什么。你的进步不是为了你自己。这一点必须被理解。你的进步不是为了你自己。你的进步是你的贡献，因为它将带来所有必要的行动、语言和示范。内识的进步者既会使用最大的灵感，也会使用最愚蠢的行为来进步。

Now people do not usually enter preparation with the idea of serving anything but their own personal interests. They want more pleasure and less pain. At least, that is the avowed goal. Genuine education seems to be confusing here because it provides challenge and asks you to apply yourself in the situations where you are needed the most, yet which may also be the greatest areas of avoidance. Here you may feel more pain. “I thought this education was to escape pain, to become a happy person, to finally answer the most important questions.”

现在，人们在进入准备阶段时，通常不会有为任何东西服务的想法，而是为他们自己的个人利益服务。他们想要更多的快乐和更少的痛苦。至少，那是公开的目标。真正的教育在这里似乎是混乱的，因为它提供了挑战，要求你在最需要你的情况下应用自己，但这也可能是最大的回避领域。在这里，你可能会感到更多的痛苦。”我以为这种教育是为了逃避痛苦，成为一个快乐的人，最终回答最重要的问题。”

When We say that your education is not for you, it is very important that this be a tacit understanding. This requires asking the question, “What is my education for? If it is not for me, who is it for? Am I merely to be sacrificed for another will, even if it is greater than my own?” In truth, your education is for you and not for you both because you need to discern a greater reality in life, give yourself to it and participate with it through all the stages of your development. That is your greatest opportunity. Therefore, We aim to take people to the greatest pleasure, not to little pleasures to merely ameliorate their sense of loneliness, but to the greatest pleasure where loneliness is never thought of.

当我们说你的教育不适合你时，非常重要的是这是一种默契。这需要问一个问题：”我的教育是为了什么？如果它不是为我，那是为了谁？我是否只是为了另一个意志而被牺牲，即使它比我自己的意志更大？事实上，你的教育是为了你，而不是为了你俩，因为你需要在生命中辨别一个更大的现实，把自己交给它，并通过你发展的所有阶段参与其中。这是你最大的机会。因此，我们的目标是带人们去享受最大的快乐，而不是去享受仅仅改善他们的孤独感的小快乐，而是去享受最大的快乐，在那里孤独感永远不会被想到。

When you leave this world, you will return to your Spiritual Family, and this will all become so obvious to you. Your memory will then return to you, and there will be no question. But while you are here, this memory seems buried. It does not seem relevant to the world you see.

当你离开这个世界时，你将回到你的精神家庭，这一切对你来说将变得如此明显。那时你的记忆将回到你身边，不会有任何问题。但是当你在这里时，这段记忆似乎被埋没了。它似乎与你看到的世界没有关系。

People who are not beset by personal tragedy are in a position to contribute a great deal to the world. Their contribution is their reward and produces satisfaction, purpose, meaning and direction not only for them but for everyone who can perceive them. What did the great teachers in this world do? Is there anything tangible left behind but their recorded words? Yet their impact is greater than standing armies and natural disasters. You are still feeling the reverberation of their contribution. That is how great their contribution was. That is how great their satisfaction was.

没有被个人悲剧困扰的人，有能力为世界做出巨大的贡献。他们的贡献是他们的回报，不仅为他们，而且为每一个能感知到他们的人产生满足感、目的、意义和方向。这个世界上伟大的老师都做了些什么？除了他们记录下来的话语，还有什么实实在在的东西被留下吗？然而他们的影响比常备军和自然灾害还要大。你仍然感受到他们的贡献所带来的回响。这就是他们的贡献有多大。这就是他们的满足感有多大。

You were created to give because you are an extension of God. You may not like the idea of God, but that is all right because you are a religious person. You may substitute your own words for Ours if you find them too difficult.

你被创造来给予，因为你是上帝的延伸。你可能不喜欢上帝的想法，但这没有关系，因为你是一个宗教人士。如果你觉得我们的话太难，你可以用你自己的话来代替我们的话。

Therefore, your education is not for you. It is for the world. The greatest satisfaction a human being can experience is being a vehicle for something greater that loves the world. All individuals who have contributed greatly to the world in any capacity, in any arena—by thought, word, action or deed—always felt a greater power behind them. Your greatness is to give the greatness which you yourself have not created for personal aims. People become engaged in the study of Knowledge and they often say, “I don’t know why I am studying this.” As they advance, they realize that their desire for personal power, personal control, management of their lives and personal protection from pain or adversity is perhaps not being fully satisfied, but that something else is happening in its place that seems far more substantial, sound and reliable.

因此，你的教育不是为了你自己。它是为了世界。一个人能够经历到的最大的满足是成为爱世界的更伟大的关系的载体。所有以任何身份、在任何领域通过思想、语言、行动或行为对世界做出巨大贡献的人，总是感觉到他们背后有一种更伟大的力量。你的伟大之处在于给予你自己没有为个人目的而创造的伟大之处。人们从事内识的研究，他们经常说：”我不知道我为什么要研究这个”。随着他们的进步，他们意识到，他们对个人力量、个人控制、管理自己的生活和个人保护免受痛苦或逆境的愿望也许没有得到充分的满足，但其他的东西正在其位置上发生，似乎更有实质意义，更健全和可靠。

People want God to make their lives easy, and God wants to make their lives genuine, so sometimes there is a misunderstanding here. When your life is genuine and you are doing something you believe to be truly important, then you will have a foundation for confidence and self-worth. Then you will realize that your ability to communicate with others and the need to maintain a healthy body and mind are simply necessary. When you do not do what you know you must do for your well-being, it is because you do not yet value your own life. You cannot simply create value by telling yourself you are worth it. Value comes because your life is for something greater, perhaps beyond definition, but for something greater nonetheless.

人们希望上帝让他们的生活变得简单，而上帝希望让他们的生活变得真实，所以有时这里会有一个误解。当你的生命是真实的，你正在做你认为真正重要的事情，那么你将有一个自信和自我价值的基础。然后你会意识到，你与他人沟通的能力和保持健康的身体和心灵的需要只是必要的。当你不做你知道你必须为你的幸福而做的事时，那是因为你还不重视自己的生命。你不能简单地通过告诉自己你是值得的来创造价值。价值的产生是因为你的生命是为了更伟大的东西，也许无法定义，但还是为了更伟大的东西。

People are often very eager to have information about their future. That is all they want. “How will all this work out? Will I win?” Sometimes they are disappointed because God offers education. What is the value of an answer if it cannot be fully embodied? You already possess enough answers to enlighten a thousand people, but you do not have the desire or capacity yet to fully embody them.

人们往往非常渴望得到关于他们未来的信息。这就是他们想要的一切。”这一切将如何解决？我会赢吗？”有时他们会感到失望，因为上帝提供了教育。如果答案不能完全体现出来，那么它的价值何在？你已经拥有足够的答案来启迪一千个人，但你还没有愿望或能力来完全体现它们。

When We speak of education, We have to speak of practice because practice is what people do. It is the practical expression of their devotion and adherence to their pursuit. People say, “I want to know my purpose,” and We say, “Do this. When you do this, you will find out.” Now practice takes a long time. It is not quick and easy, and its rewards come in their own way. People do many foolish things with practice, but you cannot judge a teaching by the behavior of its students. How can the students’ behavior be exemplary if they are being honest?

当我们谈及教育时，我们必须谈及实践，因为实践是人们所做的。它是他们对自己的追求的奉献和坚持的实际表现。人们说，”我想知道我的目的，”而我们说，”做这个。当你这样做时，你会发现。现在，实践需要很长的时间。它不是快速和容易的，它的回报以自己的方式出现。人们在实践中做了很多愚蠢的事情，但你不能通过学生的行为来判断一个教学。如果学生是诚实的，他们的行为怎么可能是模范的？

The greater the teaching, the worse the abuse will be because fewer will be able to use it and progress. The more simple, basic and short lived the education, the more people can exemplify it, but over time it will not meet their overall need. The education that We are speaking of is not for everyone because not everyone is ready for it. In fact, everyone does not need to be ready for it, only certain individuals. If you are not satisfied with the normal range of things, this may qualify you. If you are looking for something greater, this may indicate that you require a greater education, which means a greater responsibility.

教学越大，滥用的情况就越严重，因为能够使用它并取得进步的人就越少。教育越简单、越基本、越短暂，越多的人能够以身作则，但随着时间的推移，它将无法满足他们的整体需要。我们所说的教育并不适合每个人，因为不是每个人都准备好接受它。事实上，每个人都不需要为它做好准备，只有某些人需要。如果你对正常范围的事情不满意，这可能会使你有资格。如果你在寻找更伟大的东西，这可能表明你需要更大的教育，这意味着更大的责任。

When people speak of religion and argue about which one is the best or truest or has God’s blessing to the greatest degree, We must always ask, “What do you do for practice? What are you doing that is advancing yourself and enabling you to be exemplary to others?” That is the only question you need to ask about religion. God is not interested in religion, only in advancement. That is all that matters. If you think of it like this, it will make sense to you. You can leave all sectarian controversies behind for those who cannot practice. It is like learning anything, is it not? To learn a musical instrument or a physical talent, you must practice. It is like that. But practice must be specific and have guidance from someone who is competent. It also has a mysterious aspect which engages parts of you which are beyond your understanding. It is appropriate that education have a mysterious aspect that cannot be logically approached.

当人们谈到宗教并争论哪种宗教是最好的或最真实的，或在最大程度上得到上帝的祝福时，我们必须始终问：”你为实践做了什么？你在做什么，使你自己进步，使你能成为别人的模范？”这是你需要问的关于宗教的唯一问题。上帝对宗教不感兴趣，只对进步感兴趣。这是最重要的。如果你这样想，你就会明白了。对于那些不能实践的人，你可以把所有教派的争论抛在脑后。这就像学习任何东西，不是吗？要学习一种乐器或一种身体天赋，你必须练习。这就像那样。但练习必须是特定的，并且有能力者的指导。它也有一个神秘的方面，涉及到你的一些超出你理解的部分。教育有一个神秘的方面，不能从逻辑上接近，这是合适的。

Many people celebrate Jesus. Jesus is still having an impact because his education has a resonating effect throughout the world. It is actually a call to education. When he said, “Come follow me,” which is the essence of his Teaching, he was saying, “Engage in the form of education in which I am engaged.” But Christianity as a religion usually does not teach education. It teaches the necessity of belief and the fundamentals of moral behavior. Rarely does it actually engage people in fundamental education, particularly beyond the realm of simple personal behavior. Christianity’s past errors are manifest, but that is not a reason to discount it as a real form of education.

许多人庆祝耶稣。耶稣仍然在产生影响，因为他的教育在全世界产生了共鸣的效果。这实际上是对教育的一种召唤。当他说”来跟随我”，这是他教学的本质，他是在说，”参与我所从事的教育形式”。但基督教作为一种宗教通常不教教育。它教的是信仰的必要性和道德行为的基本原理。它很少真正让人们参与根本的教育，特别是超越简单的个人行为领域。基督教过去的错误是显而易见的，但这并不是将其作为一种真正的教育形式打折扣的理由。

Why are you being educated? You do not really know. Then why do it? Because you must. Understanding the purpose of your education is based completely on your advancement. Let Us give this idea for you to consider. People who are not satisfied with the normal range of things ask very great questions that other people may find foolish or unnecessary, such as “What is the meaning of my life? Is there life beyond death of the body? What is the purpose of my life, if it has a purpose at all?” These things can only be known in hindsight. At the end of your life, you will look back and see what has transpired. Then you will have a much more substantial view of your life’s purpose than someone who is looking into the future and trying to speculate.

你为什么要接受教育？你并不真正知道。那为什么要这样做？因为你必须这样做。理解你的教育目的完全是基于你的进步。让我们给出这个想法供你考虑。对正常范围内的事情不满意的人，会问一些非常大的问题，其他人可能觉得这些问题很愚蠢或没有必要，比如”我生命的意义是什么？是否有超越身体死亡的生命？我生命的目的是什么，如果它有目的的话？”这些事情只有在事后才能知道。在你的生命结束时，你将回首往事，看看发生了什么。然后你就会对你的人生目的有一个更实质性的看法，而不是那些展望未来并试图推测的人。

What is important about purpose is that it is something you wake up with in the morning and go to bed with at night. It is not a definition that you attempt to live by. It is a living experience in your life—perhaps fleeting, not experienced every moment, but consistent enough that it provides consistency for your life. Here you realize that the truth does not fluctuate. You do.

关于目的，重要的是，它是你早上醒来和晚上睡觉时都会想到的东西。它不是一个你试图生活的定义。它是你生活中的一种持续的经历——也许是转瞬即逝的，不是每时每刻都能经历到的，但却足够稳定，为你的生命提供了一致性。在这里你意识到，真理并不波动。你才是。

Therefore, We tell people, “Follow Knowledge once you can learn to identify it within yourself.” Very simple, but not easy to do. Here you will have more power than having mere answers. This is a very vital form of education in all the ways that it manifests itself to you. Regarding great questions about life, these things are seen in hindsight and rarely understood in the moment. You may ask, “What am I doing now? Why am I doing this?” Look back. Without regret or disappointment, your past illustrates your preparation for education.

因此，我们告诉人们，”一旦你能学会在自己的内心识别它，就跟随内识”。非常简单，但不容易做到。在这里，你将拥有比拥有单纯的答案更多的力量。这是一种非常重要的教育形式，它以各种方式表现在你身上。关于生命的伟大问题，这些答案都是事后看到的，很少在当下理解。你可能会问，”我现在在做什么？我为什么要这样做？”回顾一下。没有遗憾或失望，你的过去说明了你对教育的准备。

Education has three levels. The first is education for physical survival, which is development of the body. The second is education of the personality for social survival, which is the development of personal behavior and forms of communication. Ninety-nine percent of the education that you can recognize has been for these two purposes. Your body has survived, and you are able, to some degree, to function in society. Very good.

教育有三个层次。第一是身体生存的教育，也就是身体的发展。第二是为社会生存的人格教育，也就是个人行为和交流形式的发展。你能认识到的百分之九十九的教育都是为了这两个目的。你的身体已经存活下来，而且你在某种程度上能够在社会上发挥作用。非常好。

The third arena of education is the development of Knowledge. This is a whole new category of education. People often think that education in this category is completely mysterious and cannot be described, that it is all by chance. Some people think that this means that they can be passive and hope that some day God will do something for them—hopefully tomorrow, not today, and that if they sit back, God will give them some great avenue to travel. However, in actuality, education in the realm of Knowledge, though it is mysterious and has a mysterious destiny, is as fundamental in its daily application as learning to tie your shoes or read books. It requires that you develop stillness, mental concentration, discernment in relationship, sensitivity to communication, patience, perseverance, self-application, trust, and tolerance—all fundamental things that are actually part of your learning in the other two categories.

教育的第三个领域是内识的发展。这是一个全新的教育类别。人们常常认为这一类的教育完全是神秘的，无法描述，它都是偶然的。有些人认为，这意味着他们可以被动地等待，希望有一天上帝会为他们做些什么——希望是明天，而不是今天，如果他们坐视不管，上帝会给他们一些伟大的途径来旅行。然而，实际上，内识领域的教育，尽管它是神秘的，有一个神秘的命运，但在日常应用中就像学习系鞋带或阅读书籍一样，是最基本的。它要求你发展静止、精神集中、对关系的辨别、对沟通的敏感、耐心、毅力、自我应用、信任和宽容——所有这些基本的东西实际上都是你在其他两类学习中的一部分。

In terms of practice, the experience of Knowledge is not so mysterious and can be quantified and applied. Therefore, do not confuse the Mystery with the application. We are speaking of the practice. It is very simple: Do this and this once a day or once a week or whatever. Nothing mysterious. What is mysterious is that you do not understand how it works. But you do not need to understand how it works, unless you have experienced it sufficiently and are preparing to teach it to others. When you are learning to tie your shoes, it does not matter to you how the educational process works. It simply matters that you accomplish the task. Then, if necessary, you can study the methodology of learning this so you can teach it to another.

就实践而言，内识的经历并不那么神秘，可以被量化和应用。因此，不要把”神秘”和”应用”混为一谈。我们说的是实践。它非常简单。每天做一次这样的事，或者每周做一次这样的事，或者其他什么事。没有什么神秘的。神秘的是你不明白它是如何运作的。但你不需要理解它是如何运作的，除非你已经充分经历了它，并准备把它教给别人。当你学习系鞋带时，教育过程如何运作对你来说并不重要。重要的是，你要完成这项任务。然后，如果有必要，你可以研究学习这个的方法，以便你能把它教给别人。

The Teaching in The Greater Community Way of Knowledge is in the third arena of education, but the third arena of education completes the first two. This means that as you begin to study Knowledge and experience it as an active living force in your life, it provides information, direction and discernment for you. In other words, it provides inner guidance. Here you realize that you will have to further develop your physical vehicle. You will also have to further develop your personality—who you think you are.

大社区内识之路中的教学处于教育的第三个领域，但第三个领域的教育完成了前两个领域。这意味着，当你开始学习内识，并经历到它是你生活中活跃的生命力，它为你提供信息、方向和辨别力。换句话说，它提供内在指导。在这里，你会意识到，你将不得不进一步发展你的身体载体。你也将不得不进一步发展你的人格——你认为你是谁。

Knowledge will take you beyond these two arenas, but it will require their sound development as well. You cannot escape worldly problems and have any hope of true advancement in the realm of Knowledge. Knowledge will always bring you back to exactly where you need to be. Those who engage with it with a desire to avoid the irresolutions that have plagued them thus far will find little relief here, for there is little relief without the completion of past and present problems. This enables you to go into new territory because the past has been completed. Education is always for advancement. Advancement is always to take you beyond where you are today. This is religion.

内识将带你超越这两个领域，但它也需要它们的健全发展。你无法逃避世俗的问题，也没有希望在内识的领域里获得真实的进步。内识总是会把你带回到你需要的地方。那些参与内识的人，如果想避免迄今为止困扰他们的不解之谜，就会发现这里没有什么缓解，因为没有完成过去和现在的问题，就没有什么缓解。这使你能够进入新的领域，因为过去的问题已经完成。教育总是为了进步。进步总是为了使你超越你今天的位置。这就是宗教。

Do not look to the world and say, “Give me purpose, meaning and direction.” It is you who must give these to the world because the world is asking this of you. The world is asking you, “Give me purpose, meaning and direction.” There is a great gulf between these two approaches. You are not the source of truth, but you are possibly a vehicle for its full expression, which will elevate you so far beyond your current self-evaluation that it will almost look like you are Godlike. You will be Godlike, but God is much greater.

不要望着世界说：”给我目的、意义和方向”。是你必须把这些给世界，因为世界正在要求你这样做。世界在问你，”给我目的、意义和方向”。这两种方法之间存在着巨大的鸿沟。你不是真理的来源，但你可能是充分表达真理的载体，这将使你的位置远远超过你目前的自我评价，几乎看起来你是神一样的。你将是神一样的人，但上帝要更伟大得多。

If you are truly a vehicle for the Creator, the Creator will express itself through you. Here you will be required to both acknowledge your advancement and to maintain a very healthy form of humility because you will always feel small compared to the greatness that is at hand. Though you may seem greater than you were in the past, something will always be overshadowing you, and from this you will derive your inspiration and your unique individual contribution to life.

如果你真的是创造的载体，创造将通过你来表达自己。在这里，你将被要求既要承认你的进步，又要保持一种非常健康的谦逊，因为与眼前的伟大相比，你将永远感到渺小。虽然你可能看起来比过去更伟大，但总有一些存在笼罩着你，你将从中获得你的灵感和你对生活的独特个人贡献。

Everyone has personal needs. Everyone has greater possibilities. When you truly entertain a greater possibility, your personal needs will be satisfied. If you entertain only your personal needs, nothing will be satisfied—not even your personal needs.

每个人都有个人需求。每个人都有更大的可能性。当你真正接受了更大的可能性，你的个人需求就会得到满足。如果你只考虑你的个人需要，那么什么都不会得到满足，甚至你的个人需求也不会得到满足。

There are two arenas of learning that exist in people: They either learn through ideas or through feeling. They will learn predominantly in one avenue. Therefore, the preparation must be unique and have specific applications to different types of people with different orientations. Anyone who is advanced as a teacher will have learned this and will be flexible enough to administer it. Yet because the education is not only for you but for the whole world, it has a uniformity that does not always conform itself to the personal preferences and idiosyncrasies of the individuals involved, and that is good as well.

人们有两个学习的领域。他们要么通过想法学习，要么通过感觉学习。他们将主要在一个途径中学习。因此，准备工作必须是独特的，对不同类型的人有不同取向的特定应用。任何先进的老师都会学到这一点，并能灵活地管理它。然而，因为教育不仅仅是为你，而是为整个世界，所以它有一个统一性，并不总是符合相关个人的个人喜好和特质，这也是好事。

The first thing that is important to learn, and which seems so simple that people do not even think of it, is how to learn. People think they already know how to learn. You remember—study for a test and pass the exam. Yet if you are learning something that is very important which you will be using for the rest of your life, you will want to learn it in a whole different manner.

学习的第一件事很重要，而且似乎很简单，人们甚至没有想到这一点，就是如何学习。人们认为他们已经知道如何学习。你记得——为考试而学习，并通过考试。然而，如果你学习的是非常重要的内识，你将在你的余生中使用，你会想以一种完全不同的方式来学习它。

Therefore, one of the first challenges in education is for people to learn how to be students. It is required for a student to have an open mind and to assume the responsibility of practice. This requires a very honest evaluation of your current skills. In other words, you must find out what your real starting point is, not the starting point that you wish for or hope for. Many people try to live as if they were living the life they want and not the life they have. Very few people are genuinely aware of their strengths and weaknesses at any given moment, so these things must be discovered to a great degree. That is part of the education.

因此，教育的首要挑战之一是让人们学会如何做学生。这就要求学生有一个开放的心态，并承担起实践的责任。这需要对你目前的技能进行非常诚实的评估。换句话说，你必须找出你真正的起点是什么，而不是你希望的或期望的起点。许多人试图活得像他们想要的生活，而不是他们拥有的生活。很少有人真正意识到自己在任何时候的优势和劣势，所以这些东西必须在很大程度上被发现。这就是教育的一部分。

It is absolutely necessary to teach the education once you have progressed in it. The first thing the teacher must learn is how to discern genuine interest and ability in students. The second thing the teacher must learn is how to be flexible in the teaching in order to reach people. The third thing the teacher must learn is how to be uniform in the teaching so that all people can be aimed in the proper direction.

一旦你在教育中取得了进展，就绝对有必要进行教育。老师必须学习的第一件事是如何辨别学生的真正兴趣和能力。教师必须学会的第二件事是如何在教学中灵活运用，以达到人的目的。老师必须学会的第三件事是如何在教学中保持统一，以便所有的人都能被引导到正确的方向上。

Yet the first goal of education is learning how to be a student. Then the advancement can happen more quickly. Here you must learn each step. Each step is very clear. What you do not understand is why it works or where it came from, but it is clear because it is practical, and you can in time see its direct relevance to your situation.

然而，教育的第一个目标是学习如何做一名学生。然后，进步可以更快发生。在这里，你必须学习每一步。每一步都是非常清晰的。你不理解的是它为什么有效，或者它从哪里来，但它是清晰的，因为它是实际的，而且你可以及时看到它与你的情况直接相关。

Since you are religious people, you have come here for education. Education is to satisfy your deeper need for purpose, meaning and direction. Everyone must begin by learning to be a student, which means having an open mind, not claiming things that are not present and not denying things that are present. Students must accept the responsibility of training in a curriculum that they did not create for themselves. In this way, they are able to go where they could never take themselves.

既然你们是宗教人士，你们来这里是为了接受教育。教育是为了满足你们对目的、意义和方向的深层需要。每个人都必须从学会做一名学生开始，这意味着要有一个开放的心态，不主张不存在的东西，不否认存在的东西。学生必须接受在一个不是他们自己创造的课程中进行训练的责任。这样一来，他们就能去到他们自己所不能去的地方。

The preparation in The Greater Community Way of Knowledge begins with the development of Knowledge, which develops your ability to have profound insight in your current situations, beyond your personal preferences or fears. The preparation also develops your ability to act upon these insights in an effective manner. This is the education that We are here to represent, though it has been presented in other forms throughout human history, and indeed throughout the history of all races in the universe. Your advantage here is that the preparation is presented without the burden of human superstition, so it does not have the residue of the past to make access to it more difficult.

大社区内识之路的准备工作从内识的发展开始，发展你对当前情况的深刻洞察力，超越你的个人喜好或恐惧的能力。准备工作还发展了你的能力，以有效的方式对这些见解采取行动。这就是我们在这里所代表的教育，尽管它在整个人类历史上，甚至在整个宇宙所有种族的历史上都以其他形式呈现过。你在这里的优势是，准备工作是在没有人类迷信负担的情况下提出的，所以它没有过去的残留物，使你更难获得它。

Superstition is the belief in something that is not there. If you think of your religious customs, consider how difficult it is to get to the real education. What is the real education? What is the practice? Superstition is when people attempt to use religion to gain power over one another, to ameliorate their own sense of guilt or blame or to satisfy their personal goals. The real preparation seems to be very difficult, so people wish to have ideas only and will accept whatever is most gratifying.

迷信是对不存在事物的信仰。如果你想到你们的宗教习俗，考虑一下进入真正的教育是多么困难。什么是真正的教育？什么是实践？迷信是指人们试图利用宗教来获得对彼此的权力，改善自己的内疚感或责备感，或满足个人目标。真正的准备工作似乎非常困难，所以人们只希望有想法，来接受任何最令人满意的东西。

One of the first tasks in teaching is to bring people back to what they do not know. Then they can know something directly. People often say, “I thought I was going to know more as a result of studying The Way of Knowledge and now I know less!” We say that is very good. At least now they have an opportunity to know something that is worth knowing because they are becoming unfettered from trying to know things that have no value.

教学的首要任务之一是让人们回到他们不知道的地方。然后他们就能直接知道一些事情。人们经常说：”我以为学习内识之路会让我知道得更多，现在我知道得更少！”我们说这是非常好的。至少现在他们有机会知道一些值得知道的东西，因为他们正变得不受约束，不再试图知道那些没有价值的东西。

Superstition is the result of making conclusions without understanding. It permeates all of human thought. When people first encounter religion, that is often what they encounter—superstition. So We have given you a new approach to religion by asking, “What is its practice?” and not “Is this truth?” Truth is beyond religion. Religion is an approach to truth. The approach is practice. Therefore, ask, “What is the practice?”

迷信是在不了解的情况下做出结论的结果。它渗透在人类所有的思维中。当人们第一次遇到宗教时，这往往是他们遇到的——迷信。所以我们给了你一个新的方法来对待宗教，问：”它的做法是什么？”而不是”这是真理吗？”真理是超越宗教的。宗教是通向真理的一种方法。这个方法就是实践。因此，要问：”实践是什么？”

When you try to believe things that are beyond your experience, you run into problems. It is better simply to practice something that is useful and learn to become a student and a practitioner. Do you want to find out what you really know within yourself? That is the starting point of preparation in The Way of Knowledge.

当你试图相信那些超越你经验的事物时，你会遇到问题。最好是简单地实践一些有用的东西，学会成为一名学生和实践者。你想找出你自己内心真正知道的东西吗？这就是内识之路中准备的起点。

Approaching Knowledge is like climbing a great mountain. On the way up the mountain, you find beautiful places to rest and to find comfort. You lie down and sleep for a few thousand years. “This is it! It is more beautiful than I ever thought! More wondrous! I can see! Now I can see the valleys below. I have true perspective. It is so beautiful here. I shall reside here.” But the student must press on.

接近内识就像攀登一座大山。在上山的路上，你会找到美丽的地方来休息，找到舒适。你躺下，睡上几千年。”就是这里了!它比我想象的更美!更加奇妙!我可以看到了!现在我可以看到下面的山谷。我有了真正的视角。这里是如此美丽。我将住在这里。”但学生必须继续前进。

At some point you will ask, “What is it all for? Why am I doing this? Why not just find a nice place to live, get married and have a simple life? Why not do that? So simple. Other people are doing it. They are happy, somewhat. Why do I need more?” But you must take the next step. The preparation is mysterious because you do not know where it comes from or how it works, but it is not intangible in what it asks of you. We say, “Practice. Keep practicing.” You may say, “But there are so many other things to do.” We say, “Keep practicing. It will take you there.” The practice is sufficient to take you there. Go with that. The way is not difficult. It seems confusing because people want other things.

在某些时候，你会问：”这一切是为了什么？我为什么要这样做？为什么不直接找一个好地方住，结婚，过简单的生活？为什么不这样做？如此简单。其他的人也在这样做。他们很快乐，多少有点。为什么我需要更多？”但你必须采取下一步行动。准备工作是神秘的，因为你不知道它从哪里来，也不知道它如何运作，但它对你的要求并不是无形的。我们说，”练习。继续练习。”你可能会说，”但是有那么多其他的事情要做。”我们说，”继续练习。它将带你到那里。练习足以带你到那里。跟着它走。这条路并不难。它似乎令人困惑，因为人们想要其他东西。

The preparation in The Greater Community Way of Knowledge is very simple to do and very hard to understand because understanding is not necessary. Understanding comes naturally when you are progressing. Forget about understanding. Do the practice. Involve yourself in education. Like learning a musical instrument, one day you are able to play. But until then, you are working on it. Who knows when that day will be when you can sit down and play the piece?

大社区内识之路中的准备工作做起来非常简单，也很难理解，因为理解是不必要的。当你在进步的时候，理解是自然而然的。忘记理解。做练习。让自己参与到教育中。就像学习乐器，有一天你能够演奏。但在那之前，你一直在努力。谁知道那一天会是什么时候，你能坐下来演奏这首曲子呢？

We should like to make a point about practice. If you are to engage in a practice, you should give it a minimum of one year. If you begin and you find it is a practice that is good for you and you are making progress, give it at least a year. If you quit too soon, you will not find out. People are often getting new practices. They get tired of this one, and they go on to that one. Then they become tired of that one, and they go on to the next one. They never get very far.

我们应该提出一个关于练习的观点。如果你要从事一项练习，你应该至少给它一年的时间。如果你开始了，而且你发现这是一个对你有好处的练习，你正在取得进展，那么至少要给它一年的时间。如果你过早退出，你就不会发现。人们经常得到新的做法。他们厌倦了这个，就去找那个。然后他们厌倦了那一个，又去做下一个。他们从未走得很远。

A practice is like a relationship; it is something you give yourself to. The practice does not wave a magic wand over your head and say, “Now you are wonderful!” You have a relationship with practice. Sometimes practice is boring. Particularly after the initial excitement wears down, it can become monotonous. That is when the real work begins. If it is the right practice for you, it will take you very far because you will have a greater relationship with it. Practice is like marriage. Do you throw a marriage away because things are becoming dull or difficult? It ceased to be a thrilling love affair, and now it is all work! Do you then say, “This marriage is over. I will find a new marriage”? No, this is something that requires devotion and persistence.

练习就像一段关系；它是你自己付出的东西。练习不会在你头上挥动魔杖，说：”现在你很出色！”。你与实践有一种关系。有时练习是枯燥的。特别是在最初的兴奋消退后，它可能会变得单调乏味。这就是真正的工作开始的时候。如果它是适合你的练习，它将带你走得很远，因为你将与它有更大的关系。练习就像婚姻。你会因为事情变得乏味或困难而丢弃婚姻吗？它不再是惊心动魄的爱情，而现在全是工作！你会说：”这段婚姻是我的。那么你是否说：”这段婚姻结束了。我将找到一个新的婚姻”？不，这是需要奉献和坚持的事情。

The practices that We give are very simple to do. They require very little time but must be done consistently, regardless of what you think of them. They will work, regardless of whether you like them or not, if you keep doing them. These practices prepare the mind so that the mind can become a vehicle for a greater reality. Preparation can seem monotonous. But people do not prepare; they stimulate themselves. Anything that is important or that was made required skill and training. Someone did not wake up one day and build a piano. They prepared to do it.

我们给出的做法是非常简单的做法。它们只需要很少的时间，但必须坚持做，不管你怎么想。无论你是否喜欢它们，只要你坚持做，它们就会起作用。这些练习使心灵做好准备，以便心灵能够成为更大的现实的载体。准备工作可能看起来很单调。但人们并不准备；他们刺激自己。任何重要的东西或被制造的东西都需要技巧和训练。有人不是在某一天醒来就造了一架钢琴。他们是准备好了才去做的。

Do you want to have the experience of Knowledge? Do you want to see God in everything? Then you must prepare. Then you will feel grateful to God. “Thank you for giving me this.” Then you will know God is there because God has given you something to work on. This is not mysterious. Every day you get up and you do your practice. This is not mysterious. You just do it.

你想拥有内识的经历吗？你想在一切事物中看到上帝吗？那么你必须做好准备。然后你会感到对上帝的感激。”谢谢你给我这个。”然后你就会知道上帝在那里，因为上帝给了你一些事情来做。这并不神秘。每天你起床，做你的练习。这并不神秘。你只是做它。

One of the most simple practices is to sit quietly and repeat the word “Rahn.” Repeat that. “Rahn.” That practice is enough to elevate your mind to a phenomenal level, but to get to that phenomenal level, you will go through all your attitudes, feelings and beliefs about the practice. One day it will thrill you. The next day it will bore you. The practice will take you through everything that you are already going through. If you do it consistently, it will provide consistency for you. It will empower your mind over time. Not everyone can do that practice. Some people are so mentally active, they cannot sit still for anything, so they have to do something. Other people are more contemplative and more introverted. That practice is easier for them. Anything you do that consistently engages your mind with something greater will yield a result you could not produce for yourself.

最简单的练习之一是安静地坐着，重复”Rahn”这个词。重复这个词。”Rahn”。这种练习足以将你的心灵提升到一个惊人的水平，但为了达到这个惊人的水平，你将经历你对练习的所有态度、感觉和信仰。有一天它将使你兴奋。第二天它将使你感到厌烦。练习将带你经历你已经在经历的一切。如果你坚持做，它将为你提供一致性。随着时间的推移，它将增强你的心灵。不是每个人都能做这种练习。有些人精神上非常活跃，他们不能静坐着做任何事情，所以他们必须做一些事情。另一些人则更善于沉思，更内向。这种练习对他们来说更容易。你所做的任何事情，只要能让你的心智持续参与到更大的事情中，就会产生你自己无法产生的结果。

Why do people get involved in religion? Because they are looking for a result they realize they cannot produce for themselves. God becomes real when you need God. When you realize you need God everyday and not just when things are bad, then you begin to acknowledge a greater relationship.

为什么人们会参与到宗教中？因为他们正在寻找一种他们意识到自己无法产生的结果。当你需要上帝时，上帝就变得真实。当你意识到你每天都需要上帝，而不仅仅是在事情不好的时候，那么你就开始承认一种更伟大的关系。

If you want to see God in everything, then you must see everything as it really is and feel God while you are seeing everything as it really is. Otherwise, you will attempt to turn everything into a beautiful experience and become ridiculously dishonest about your life. If you look at a table and feel God, it is still a table. There is nothing magical about the table, but you can feel something greater while you are experiencing this. It has nothing to do with the table.

如果你想在一切事物中看到上帝，那么你必须看到一切事物的真实情况，在你看到一切事物的真实情况时感受到上帝。否则，你将试图把一切变成美好的经历，并对你的生活变得可笑的不诚实。如果你看着一张桌子并感受到上帝，它仍然是一张桌子。桌子没有什么神奇之处，但你在经历这个的时候可以感觉到更伟大的临在。它与桌子没有关系。

God is like an invisible substance that permeates everything. It does not make things look better. That is why when you are experiencing God like this, which is called “practicing the Presence,” you are not disavowing physical reality; you are simply experiencing something else while you are watching it.

上帝就像一种无形的物质，渗透到一切事物中。它不会使事情看起来更好。这就是为什么当你像这样经历上帝时，也就是所谓的”练习临在”，你并不是在否定物理现实；你只是在观察它的同时经历其他存在。

We teach practices such as this to help people develop this sensitivity while they are engaged with physical life. But do you know what the greatest practice of all is and the hardest to do? It is to follow what you know you must do, regardless. To do that you need to have a powerful mind. You need a strong body. You need to establish confidence within yourself and to learn about the possible mistakes that you can make. This all requires training and preparation.

我们教授这样的练习，以帮助人们在参与物质生活时发展这种敏感性。但你知道最伟大的实践是什么吗，也是最难做到的？它是遵循你知道你必须做的事情，无论如何。要做到这一点，你需要有一个强大的心智。你需要一个强大的身体。你需要在自己内心建立信心，并学习你可能犯的错误。这都需要训练和准备。

Saying the word “Rahn” is very good if you have an active mind. “Rahn” gives you something to think about. When you practice using a mantra like this, it brings up everything that your mind is already engaged in. You keep coming back to the practice—back, back, back—because the practice is more important than your thoughts or feelings or attitudes. Here your practice is like your God for awhile. It is the closest part of God to you, your practice. That is why We speak of religion in terms of practice. After all, God is the end. We are talking about the means. The means are what is important in religion, not the end. You will only know God when you get there, but you must do something to get there.

如果你有一个活跃的心灵，说”Rahn”这个词是非常好的。”Rahn”给你一些思考的东西。当你用这样的咒语练习时，它会唤起你心灵中已经参与的一切。你不断地回到练习中来——回来，回来，回来——因为练习比你的思维、感觉或态度更重要。在这里，你的练习就像你的上帝一样，有一段时间。它是上帝离你最近的部分，你的练习。这就是为什么我们从实践的角度来谈论宗教。毕竟，上帝是目的。我们谈论的是手段。手段是宗教中最重要的，而不是目的。你只有到了那里才会认识上帝，但你必须做一些事情才能到达那里。