Chapter 2: Possessions

Possessions – What Do I Really Need?
财产——我真正需要什么？

As revealed to God’s Messenger Marshall Vian Summers on March 9, 1992 in Boulder, CO
1992年3月9日，在科罗拉多州博尔德(Boulder, CO)，向上帝的信使马歇尔・维安・萨默斯(Marshall Vian Summers)揭示

Now we shall speak about owning things and having things in the world. First of all, let us say that there is nothing you could possibly possess that is nearly as valuable or that in any way can compare with the value of Knowledge and Wisdom. You must develop Wisdom in order to experience Knowledge and carry it with you. When we speak of possessions, do not think we are giving them this value. Do not think that they hold this esteem in our view.

现在，我们来谈谈在这个世界上拥有东西和拥有财富的问题。首先，让我们说一下，你可能拥有的任何东西都无法与内识和智慧的价值相提并论，也无法与其价值相比。你必须发展智慧，才能体验内识并随身携带它。当我们谈到财产时，不要认为我们赋予它们这个价值。不要认为它们在我们眼中受到尊重。

We speak of possessions because owning things is part of being in the world. There are things that are useful and beneficial and provide comfort and joy to a certain degree. And of course there are many things that are quite useless and merely serve as distractions or are damaging in and of themselves. Since you all have to own things, let us talk about ownership and give you the understanding that what is most important is that you set your sights on the reclamation of Knowledge and on developing the relationships that can express Knowledge effectively.

我们谈论财产是因为拥有东西是在这个世界上的一部分。有些东西是有用的，有益的，在一定程度上提供舒适和快乐。当然，也有许多东西是非常无用的，只是作为分散注意力的工具，或者本身就有损害。既然你们都要拥有东西，让我们谈谈所有权，让你明白，最重要的是你把目光放在内识的开垦上，放在发展能够有效表达内识的关系上。

In your world, there seem to be almost unlimited things to own and to do. Certainly, there is enough to fill up your time completely, and this is occurring all around you. People are obsessed with things. They are consumed by things. They purchase things. They own things. They fix things. They trade things. They sell things. They buy more things. Then they buy things to fix the things they already have, and it goes on and on and on. And of course the more you own, the more you must support what you own and, therefore, you must work harder in order to keep what you have and, hopefully, to buy more. So, this buying and owning becomes totally dominating. It overshadows the greater questions of life and seems to ameliorate the suffering individuals feel as a result of living a life that is unknown to them and to others. The abuse of ownership is everywhere. Its manifestations are there for you to see. The ways that people relate to their possessions and how they relinquish themselves to their possessions can be recognized in many, many forms of expression.

在你的世界里，似乎有几乎无穷无尽的东西可以拥有和做。当然，有足够的东西可以完全填满你的时间，这种情况正在你周围发生。人们对物质着迷。他们被物质所消耗。他们购买东西。他们拥有东西。他们修理东西。他们交易东西。他们出售东西。他们购买更多的东西。然后他们购买东西来修理他们已经拥有的东西，这个循环不断重复。当然，你拥有的越多，你就必须支持你所拥有的东西，因此，你必须更努力地工作，以保留你所拥有的，并希望购买更多。因此，这种购买和拥有变得完全支配一切。它掩盖了生活中更重要的问题，并似乎减轻了个体因生活在自己和他人不熟悉的生活中而感受到的痛苦。对所有权的滥用无处不在。它的表现形式就在你面前。人们与他们的财产建立关系的方式，以及他们如何将自己放弃给他们的财产，可以用许多形式来识别。

Is it bad to have things while so much great abuse is going on? Is it bad? The answer to this requires some explanation. The answer is yes, it can be bad. Having many things is a great disadvantage, not because it is bad in and of itself, but because it takes your mind away from other things which are more important, and it keeps you disassociated from yourself. The world in which you live is devoted to owning and affording things. Indeed, people are esteemed by how much they have, how hard they work for it, how they have accumulated it, and so forth. The accumulation of possessions is an ever-increasing burden and an ever-dominating focus, overshadowing the possibility of living a true life.

在这么多的滥用行为正在发生时拥有东西是坏事吗？这不好吗？这个问题的答案需要一些解释。答案是肯定的，它可能是坏的。拥有许多东西是一个巨大的劣势，不是因为它本身是坏的，而是因为它把你的注意力从其他更重要的事情上移开，它让你与自己脱离关系。你生活的世界专注于拥有和负担物品。事实上，人们受人尊敬的程度取决于他们拥有多少，他们为此努力工作了多少，他们积累了多少等等。物质财富的积累是一个不断增加的负担和一个不断支配的焦点，掩盖了过上真实生命的可能性。

Owning things can be bad. However, owning things is a fact of life, and you must own some things in order to function successfully in the world. Here you recognize that you are not an ascetic. You have not chosen an ascetic life, nor do you live in monasteries. You have to own many things in order to function in the world, so where do you draw the line? That is the question. The question is not whether it is good or bad to have things. The question is where to draw the line.

拥有东西可能是坏事。然而，拥有东西是生活的一个事实，你必须拥有一些东西，以便在这个世界上成功运作。在这里，你认识到你不是一个苦行者。你没有选择苦行僧的生活，也没有住在寺院里。你必须拥有许多东西，以便在这个世界上发挥作用，那么你的界限在哪里？这就是问题所在。问题不在于拥有东西是好是坏。问题是在哪里划清界线。

Here we must once again return to Knowledge, for only Knowledge knows what you need and what you don’t need. If you can open yourself to Knowledge, wait for Knowledge and abide with Knowledge, then you will have an opportunity to know where to draw the line for yourself. Without this, you will attempt to imitate other people based upon whatever values you hold to be more virtuous. You will try, once again, to live out a set of standards based upon your own value system or based upon the value system of someone else which you think is better than yours. But you cannot draw the line here. Here you are again functioning purely from trial and error. When you are functioning from trial and error, disappointment is with you constantly. It is very hard to sort things out if this is the only means you are choosing.

在这里，我们必须再次回到内识，因为只有内识知道你需要什么，你不需要什么。如果你能向内识开放自己，等待内识并与内识共存，那么你将有机会知道在哪里为自己划定界限。如果没有这一点，你将试图根据你认为更有德行的价值观来模仿其他人。你将再次尝试根据你自己的价值体系或根据你认为比你更好的其他人的价值体系来实现一套标准。但你不能在这里划清界限。在这里，你又是在纯粹地从试验和错误中运作。当你从试验和错误中运作时，失望就会一直伴随着你。如果这是你选择的唯一手段，那就很难把事情理清。

By ownership, I am not only speaking of physical things. I am also talking about ideas. So, let me speak about this so that we can have a larger view of what ownership really is. Some people collect objects. Others collect ideas. Part of the attraction of collecting ideas is having exciting thoughts and having the thrill of having an insight, which is like the thrill of buying a new thing—perhaps a new garment, which you have the thrill of wearing for a few days, and then it just becomes a garment, one more thing. People often value insights in the same way. They have an insight, and oh, they are excited, and they think it is so meaningful. They walk around proudly with it and share it eagerly with their friends. Then after a few days, well, it’s just another thought to add to millions of other thoughts that are already there. So, having insights is like buying a new dress or a new pair of shoes. The thrill is gone quickly and you have one more thing.

我所说的所有权，不仅仅是指物质的东西。我也在谈论想法。因此，让我谈谈这个，以便我们能对所有权的真正含义有一个更大的看法。有些人收集物品。其他人则收集想法。收集想法的部分吸引力是拥有令人兴奋的想法和拥有洞察力的快感，这就像买一件新东西的快感——也许是一件新衣服，你有穿几天的快感，然后它只是变成一件衣服，多了一件东西。人们常常以同样的方式重视洞察力。他们有一个洞察力，哦，他们很兴奋，他们认为它是如此有意义。他们带着它骄傲地走来走去，并热切地与他们的朋友分享。然后过了几天，好了，这只是在已经存在的数百万个其他想法中增加的另一个想法。所以，有洞察力就像买一件新衣服或一双新鞋。兴奋感很快就消失了，你又多了一件东西。

Owning things is not merely collecting objects; it is also collecting ideas. Many people collect ideas. They are always searching for new ideas, and when they find new ideas they say, “Oh, this is so interesting! What an interesting idea! Fantastic!” They read a new book and say, “Oh, a great book! Oh, what tremendous insights!” They are excited about this book for a few days, and then they go on to other new, exciting and interesting things. It is like buying bric-a-brac. The only difference is one is physical and the other is mental. But it is all accumulation. People can have a great many ideas they have collected, even an enormous collection of ideas on a particular subject. There are always more to collect, of course, because in the realm of ideas you don’t run out. But what you find in the realm of ideas is that after awhile most ideas are like other ideas. The differences between them are not so great. It is the same with objects. After awhile, one is like another—it is all stuff!

拥有东西不仅仅是收集物品；它也是收集想法。许多人收集想法。他们总是在寻找新的想法，当他们找到新的想法时，他们会说：”哦，这太有趣了！”。多么有趣的想法啊!太棒了！”他们读了一本新书后说：”哦，一本好书！”。哦，多么巨大的洞察力！”他们为这本书兴奋了几天，然后就去做其他新的、令人兴奋的、有趣的事情。这就像买古董一样。唯一的区别是一个是物质的，另一个是心理的。但这都是积累。人们可以有很多他们收集的想法，甚至在某个特定主题上有大量的想法。当然，总是有更多的东西可以收集，因为在想法的领域里，你不会用完。但是你在想法领域里的发现，过了一段时间，大多数想法都和其他想法一样。它们之间的差异并不很大。物品也是如此。一段时间后，一个就像另一个——都是东西！”。

Some people think owning things is disdainful, and so they go and collect ideas. Some people collect spiritual practices. Other people collect spiritual artifacts. Collect, collect, collect—whether it is objects or ideas—collect, collect, collect, until you are swollen and glutted with all this, and it all seems to fill up the emptiness within you that is a calling for Knowledge.

有些人对拥有东西是不屑一顾的，所以他们去收集想法。有些人收集精神练习。其他人则收集精神文物。收集、收集、收集——不管是物品还是想法——收集、收集、收集，直到你被这些东西弄得肿胀不堪，而这一切似乎都填补了你内心的空虚，那是对内识的召唤。

When someone comes to study The Greater Community Way of Knowledge, often they are eager for new ideas. “Oh, I want new ideas!” They read Wisdom from the Greater Community. “Oh, new insights! New ideas! Fantastic!” Or they say, “Oh, I’ve heard this before.” It is like their other collection of insights. It is all more ideas to them. More ideas, more ideas. Or perhaps it is more insightful experiences. “Oh, I had a great experience!” And then when the experience wears off they say, “There’s nothing left here for me. I’ll go on to new things.”

当有人来学习大社区内识之路时，他们往往渴望得到新的想法。”哦，我想要新的想法！”他们阅读大社区的智慧。”哦，新的洞察力!新的想法!太棒了!”或者他们说，”哦，我以前听过这个。”这就像他们的其他见解集。对他们来说，这都是更多的想法。更多的想法，更多的想法。或者也许是更多的洞察力的经历。”哦，我有一个很好的经历！”然后当经历消失后，他们说：”这里没有什么留给我的。我要继续去做新的事情。”

Many people approach the Teaching in this way, with the idea of collecting more things. Or perhaps their pursuit is more desperate. Perhaps they are looking for an answer. They must have the answer. They are not interested in collecting ideas, but they must have something that will give them relief. So, they read Wisdom from the Greater Community, and they find something that gives them relief, but it only gives relief for a few days. Then their pain returns, and they say, “Oh, well. This program is not for me. I have to find something else. It has not taken my pain away. It has not given me relief.” So they go on to new things.

许多人以这种方式接近教学，抱着收集更多东西的想法。或者，他们的追求是更加绝望的。也许他们正在寻找一个答案。他们必须有答案。他们对收集想法不感兴趣，但他们必须有能让他们解脱的东西。因此，他们阅读大社区的智慧，他们找到了能让他们得到缓解的东西，但它只缓解了几天。然后他们的疼痛又回来了，他们说，”哦，好吧。这个项目不适合我。我必须找别的东西。它没有带走我的痛苦。它没有给我缓解。”所以他们继续寻找新的东西。

Some people approach this Teaching to collect new ideas, new insights, and so forth. Some people even think that if they have these ideas, they will be able to make more money and buy more things. Other people come because they seek relief, an escape from their difficulties, and they are desperately looking. The strange thing is that they will all be disappointed. The Way of Knowledge is not about accumulating things or escaping things, not at all. That is why we make Steps to Knowledge, the first level of study, available to people. It contains enough Wisdom to exceed most needs, if it is studied adequately, applied wisely and brought into the realm of relationships.

有些人接近这个教学，是为了收集新的想法、新的见解，等等。有些人甚至认为，如果他们有这些想法，他们就能赚更多的钱，买更多的东西。另一些人则是因为寻求解脱，逃避困难而来，他们拼命寻找。奇怪的是，他们都会感到失望。内识之路不是为了积累东西或逃避东西，根本不是。这就是为什么我们向人们提供内识的阶梯，即第一级学习。它所包含的智慧足以超过大多数人的需求，如果它被充分研究，明智地应用并带入关系领域。

What it also does, interestingly enough, is expose people’s motives for studying it. If you are studying Steps to Knowledge in order to have more ideas, new insights or to keep the excitement going and if you continue in the preparation, you will be able to become aware of your motives. At some point, you will come to realize that your motives and the offering of Steps to Knowledge are not the same, so either you must abandon the preparation in order to serve your motives or abandon your motives in order to participate in the preparation. At some point, people reach this juncture and their whole motivation for study has to be completely re-evaluated.

有趣的是，它还暴露了人们学习它的动机。如果你学习内识的阶梯是为了有更多的想法、新的见解或保持兴奋，如果你继续准备，你将能够意识到你的动机。在某些时候，你会意识到你的动机和内识的阶梯的提供是不一样的，所以要么你必须放弃准备工作，以便为你的动机服务，要么放弃你的动机，以便参与准备。在某些时候，人们到了这个关口，他们的整个学习动机必须被完全重新评估。

The real motivation for studying Steps to Knowledge is mysterious. The real reason you do it is that you must do it. That is Knowledge. Only Knowledge can motivate you to find Knowledge. Other interests—accumulation, acquisition, escape, excitement, love—cannot take you to Knowledge. Even love, which in most people’s minds is an exciting experience rather than a living Spiritual Presence, will not take you to Knowledge because you find out on the Path of Knowledge that you have some very unloving and difficult experiences. It is not all wonderful, glorious, exciting and spiritual. It is hard. “Oh, my God! What is happening to me? I was a nice person; now I don’t know what I am!”

学习内识的阶梯的真正动机是神秘的。你做这件事的真正原因是你必须做这件事。这就是内识。只有内识才能激励你去寻找内识。其他的兴趣——积累、获取、逃避、刺激、爱——不能带你找到内识。即使是爱，在大多数人的心目中是一种令人兴奋的经历，而不是一种持续的精神临在，也不会带你找到内识，因为你在内识之路上发现你有一些非常不爱和困难的经历。它并不都是美妙的、光荣的、令人兴奋的和精神的。它是艰难的。”哦，我的上帝!我身上发生了什么？我是一个好人；现在我不知道我是什么！”

All of these other motivations for studying The Way of Knowledge must be re-evaluated because they do not take you to Knowledge. You go to Knowledge because you must go to Knowledge. It is like a deep, deep instinct beyond your wants, fears and personal preferences. It is like a homecoming. You are drawn in and are willing to make the sacrifices. You are willing to take on the challenges and are willing to make the re-evaluations. Why? Because you must do it. The preparation is not promising you a great love life, abundance, a new car or a new personality, where you trade in the old personality for a new personality, one that is more fun. No! That is acquiring possessions.

所有这些学习内识之路的其他动机都必须重新评估，因为它们并不能带你走向内识。你去学习内识是因为你必须去学习内识。它就像一种深沉的直觉，超越你的愿望、恐惧和个人喜好。它就像一个归宿。你被吸引过来，愿意做出牺牲。你愿意接受挑战，愿意进行重新评估。为什么？因为你必须这样做。准备工作不是承诺给你一个伟大的爱情生命、丰富的财富、一辆新车或一个新的人格，你用旧的人格换取一个新的人格，一个更有趣的人格。不！这是不可能的。那是获取财物。

Acquiring possessions is like eating food: If you eat too much, you’ll get stuffed and have stomach problems. If you buy too many things or ideas, you’ll get stuffed and you will have health problems and mental problems, and so forth. Whether you are trying to find truth or stimulation, acquiring things begins to make you sick and you must return to simplicity, which is abiding with Knowledge. Abiding with Knowledge is so simple that it utterly confounds people because they are trying to get something, have something, escape something or experience something. Knowledge is. It is not a commodity. It is not a set of thrilling ideas. It is not a group of spiritual objects.

获取财物就像吃东西：如果你吃得太多，你会被塞满，有胃病。如果你买了太多的东西或想法，你会被塞满，你会有健康问题和心理问题，等等。无论你是想找到真理还是刺激，获取东西开始让你生病，你必须回到简单，也就是与内识相守。与内识相守是如此简单，以至于它完全迷惑了人们，因为他们试图得到什么，拥有什么，逃避什么或经历什么。内识是。它不是一种商品。它不是一套激动人心的想法。它不是一组精神上的对象。

At the beginning of Steps to Knowledge, it says, “Knowledge is with me. Where am I?” If you could fully understand this lesson, you would learn half of the entire preparation right there. “Where am I? What am I doing?” So, when we speak of possessions, we are talking about everything that everyone is trying to get out of life. As you try to get things out of life, life escapes you. This is frustrating!

在内识的阶梯的开头，它说：”内识与我同在。我在哪里？”如果你能完全理解这一课，你就会在那里学到整个准备工作的一半。”我在哪里？我在做什么？”因此，当我们谈到财产时，我们正在谈论每个人试图从生命中得到的一切。当你试图从生命中得到东西时，生命就会逃离你。这是令人沮丧的!

Some night when it is clear and the stars are shining brightly, look up at the sky and ask yourself, “What do I want to get out of that?” Speak to the stars and say, “Okay. Give it to me! I want the experience of Universal Wisdom or complete affinity with life. Give it to me!” And the stars are just there. They neither come towards you nor go away from you. They neither yield nor retreat. They are there for you.

在一个晴朗星空璀璨的夜晚，抬头仰望天空，问自己，“我想从中得到什么？”与星星交谈，说，“好的。给我吧！我想要体验宇宙智慧或与生命完全和谐的感受。给我吧！”星星就在那里。它们既不朝你靠近也不远离你。它们既不屈服也不退缩。它们就在那里等待着你。

People do Steps to Knowledge and they say, “Okay! When am I going to get it? Where is the reward? I’m here! I’m practicing, sort of. Where is the reward?” At some point, if they persist in their preparation, they will come to realize that the problem is not with the preparation; the problem is with their motives. You see, without its possessions, your personal mind literally has nothing to hold it together. Its whole sense of identity is based on what it owns, what it thinks, and what it is associated with. Because it is artificial, it must have all these things and keep renewing them or it begins to shrink and fall apart. So, we let it shrink, not drastically but slowly, not to punish it, but simply to redirect the mind to develop a different set of abilities and to gradually gain a different focus and orientation—an orientation away from accumulation towards profound experience, so that one day when you look up at the stars, the stars are there for you and you are there for them.

人们对内识做步骤，他们说，”好吧！我什么时候才能得到它？我什么时候能得到它？奖励在哪里？我在这里!我正在练习，有点像。奖励在哪里？”在某些时候，如果他们坚持准备，他们会意识到问题不在准备上；问题在他们的动机上。你看，如果没有财产，你的个人心智实际上没有任何东西可以支撑它。它的整个身份感是基于它所拥有的东西，它所想的东西，以及它与之相关的东西。因为它是人造的，所以它必须拥有所有这些东西，并不断地更新它们，否则它就会开始萎缩和崩溃。因此，我们让它萎缩，不是急剧地，而是慢慢地，不是为了惩罚它，而只是为了重新引导心灵，发展一套不同的能力，并逐渐获得不同的焦点和方向——一个远离积累的方向，走向深刻的经验，以便有一天当你抬头看星星时，星星在你那里，你也在它们那里。

The possession issue, by the way, accounts for much of the difficulty that people experience in relationships. Here people enter relationships and they have all these expectations about what they are going to get and how they are going to get it and what they deserve, and so forth. So, their ability to actually experience another person and to experience kinship becomes very limited. After all, how can you have the experience of kinship if you have this huge agenda about what you are going to have and who you are going to be and how it is going to work out, and so forth?

顺便说一下，占有问题是人们在关系中所经历的大部分困难的原因。在这里，人们进入关系，他们有所有这些期望，关于他们将得到什么，他们将如何得到它，以及他们应该得到什么，等等。因此，他们实际经历另一个人和经历亲情的能力变得非常有限。毕竟，如果你有关于你将拥有什么，你将成为谁，以及它将如何运作等等的巨大议程，你怎么能有亲属关系的经历？

Having all of these expectations and this motive for accumulation disables you from being able to experience another. It disables your discernment; it disables your perception; it disables real evaluation based upon compatibility and shared direction. If you enter the relationship without all of these motives for accumulation, things could be clear for you, very clear. But for the person who is governed by these motives, it takes years to come around to the obvious—and then only after many expectations and desires have been disappointed. So, you can see that disappointment is an important part of learning, but it cannot be the only part of learning.

拥有所有这些期望和积累的动机，使你无法经历另一个人。它阻碍了你的辨别力；它阻碍了你的感知；它阻碍了基于兼容性和共同方向的真正评估。如果你进入关系时没有所有这些积累的动机，关系对你来说可能是清楚的，非常清晰。但是对于受这些动机支配的人来说，要花很多年才能明白过来——而且是在许多期望和欲望都失望了之后。所以，你可以看到，失望是学习的一个重要部分，但它不能成为学习的唯一部分。

Let us come back now to see where to draw the line in owning things. If you are following me thus far and are thinking about what I am telling you, thinking about it as it relates to you and not to other people, then you can say, “Where do I draw the line? I have to have a certain number of things in order to function well in the world, and I have to have a certain number of ideas, insights and good experiences in order to function in the world. Now, where do I draw the line because I know I can keep buying things and bringing them home until my home is stuffed to the ceiling with things. I can keep accumulating ideas, insights and happy experiences until my mind is filled to the ceiling, stuffed with things. I know I can do that. Where do I draw the line? Where is the balance?”

现在让我们回过头来看看在拥有事物的过程中应该在哪里划清界限。如果你跟随我到目前为止，正在思考我告诉你的东西，思考它与你有关而不是与其他人有关，那么你可以说，”我在哪里划线？我必须拥有一定数量的东西，才能在这个世界上很好地发挥作用，我必须拥有一定数量的想法、洞察力和良好的经验，才能在这个世界上发挥作用。现在，我的界限在哪里，因为我知道我可以不断地买东西，把它们带回家，直到我的家被东西塞得满满的。我可以不断积累想法、见解和快乐的经历，直到我的心灵被塞满东西，塞到天花板上。我知道我可以做到这一点。我的底线在哪里？平衡点在哪里？”

First of all, find out what you really need and what you really use. What you really use and what you really need are very related. This applies both to the possession of objects as well as to the possession of ideas. What do you really use? What do you really need? People assess their needs for things that give them comfort and often they think some of their possessions will be needed some day, but not today or anytime soon. What do you need now? When you begin to ask this question and seriously consider it, you will see that you don’t need a great deal. Yet, the things that you do need should be very good. The objects in your possession should be well made and durable. The ideas with which you associate should be abiding and helpful, so much so that you cannot exhaust them easily. Many of the ideas and insights that people accumulate for their own edification are easily exhausted and have no abiding value; they have no depth and cannot provide meaning. They are either self-gratifying or are only initially stimulating, and beyond that they can offer no more.

首先，找出你真正需要的东西和你真正使用的东西。你真正使用的东西和你真正需要的东西是非常相关的。这既适用于对物品的拥有，也适用于对想法的拥有。你真正使用的是什么？你真正需要的是什么？人们评估自己对那些给他们带来安慰的东西的需求，往往他们认为他们的一些财产在某一天会被需要，但不是今天或很快。你现在需要什么？当你开始问这个问题并认真考虑时，你会发现你不需要很多东西。然而，你所需要的东西应该是非常好的。你所拥有的物品应该是制作精良、经久耐用的。与你有联系的想法应该是持久的和有帮助的，以至于你不能轻易耗尽它们。人们为自己的启迪而积累的许多想法和见解很容易被耗尽，没有持久的价值；它们没有深度，不能提供意义。它们要么是自我满足，要么只是最初的刺激，除此之外，它们不能提供更多。

What you need is based on what you use. That is the first criterion. If you own thirty garments, and you only use five, then what are the other twenty-five for? And why are they occupying time and energy in your life? This also carries over into relationships because certain people collect relationships the same way that other people collect books, coins, plants, paintings, clothes, or whatever. What relationships are really important to you? This fundamental question requires an honest response.

你所需要的是基于你所使用的。这是第一个标准。如果你拥有三十件衣服，而你只用了五件，那么其他二十五件衣服有什么用？它们为什么在你的生命中占据时间和能量？这也延续到关系中，因为某些人收集关系的方式与其他人收集书籍、硬币、植物、绘画、衣服或其他东西一样。哪些关系对你来说是真正重要的？这个基本问题需要一个诚实的回答。

Next, ask yourself if owning this thought, this object or this insight or being in this relationship feels correct to you? Not “Can I justify it because of its benefits?” but “Does it feel correct?” This is calling upon your experience now, not simply your ideas, because many things can be justified that are not good for you and only prove to be a burden.

接下来，问问自己，拥有这种思维、这种物品或这种见解或处于这种关系中对你来说是否感觉正确？不是”我可以因为它的好处而为它辩护吗？”而是”它感觉正确吗？”这是在呼唤你现在的经历，而不仅仅是你的想法，因为许多事情可以被证明是合理的，但对你没有好处，只会被证明是一种负担。

The third criterion is to appeal to Knowledge to show you what to do. This is important if the first two do not yield a decisive decision. Here you are asking to be shown. “Show me what I need to do. Show me what is important.” Remember, you only need a certain number of objects, ideas and relationships, but they must all be very important and must have great value because they will be sustaining you mentally and physically. So, it is not a question of denying all possessions, all relationships and all ideas or opening yourself to everything that comes your way. Those are two extremes. Neither is a healthy path. Learning discernment and discrimination is a major part of every person’s development, if it is based upon true association. I am speaking of true association.

第三个标准是求助于内识来告诉你该怎么做。如果前两个标准不能产生决定性的决定，这就很重要。在这里，你要求别人告诉你。”告诉我我需要做什么。告诉我什么是重要的”。记住，你只需要一定数量的物品、想法和关系，但它们必须都非常重要，必须有很大的价值，因为它们将在心理上和身体上支撑你。因此，这不是一个否认所有财产、所有关系和所有想法的问题，也不是一个向一切来路开放的问题。那是两个极端。两者都不是健康的道路。学习辨别力和区别对待是每个人发展的主要部分，如果它是基于真实的联系。我说的是真实的关联。

What possessions do you really use? Which ones do you really need? Why own anything else? What ideas are really helping you? Which ideas have depth and are important? Why do you need to entertain other ideas? What relationships are really essential for your development and support your spiritual growth? What are you doing in relationships that cannot do this? This sorting out creates real economy. Economy is essential because it gives you enough reserves of vitality—time, energy and motivation—to direct yourself towards greater things.

你真正使用的是什么财产？哪些是你真正需要的？为什么要拥有其他东西？哪些想法真正在帮助你？哪些想法是有深度的，是重要的？为什么你需要接受其他想法？哪些关系对你的发展真正至关重要，支持你的精神成长？你在关系中做了什么，不能做到这一点？这种梳理创造了真正的经济。节约是必要的，因为它使你有足够的活力储备——时间、能量和动机——来引导你走向更伟大的事情。

People who are dominated by too many ideas, too many relationships or too many possessions cannot enter a greater arena of understanding or accomplishment. They are carrying too much baggage. Their lives are full. Their concerns have overtaken them. There is nowhere for them to go. All they can do is service their possessions. They will go no further. They will be identified with their possessions, whether they are objects, ideas or people. They will be filled up 100%. You cannot add anything to them. Nothing new can enter. They are closed to life. They are, in a sense, taking care of the museum of their life. They are museum curators of their own life, keeping track of everything that has been collected so far. What a dusty and dismal existence! They look at the sky and they don’t see it. After all, if your life is about preserving your personal museum, why have a universe anyway? It is just scenery. Why ask greater questions? Why feel your pain and your yearning for greater things?

被太多想法、太多关系或太多财产支配的人，无法进入一个更大的理解或成就的领域。他们带着太多的包袱。他们的生活很充实。他们的关切已经超过了他们。他们无处可去。他们所能做的就是为他们的财产服务。他们不会走得更远。他们将认同他们的财产，无论它们是物品、想法还是人。他们将100%地被填满。你不能给他们增加任何东西。没有任何新东西可以进入。它们对生命是封闭的。从某种意义上说，他们是在照顾自己的生命博物馆。他们是自己生命的博物馆馆长，记录着迄今为止所收集的一切。多么尘土飞扬和令人沮丧的存在啊！他们看着天空，却不知道该怎么办。他们看着天空，却没有看到。毕竟，如果你的生命是为了保存你的个人博物馆，为什么还要有一个宇宙呢？它只是风景而已。为什么要问更大的问题？为什么要感受你的痛苦和你对更大事物的渴望？

The man and woman of Knowledge want economy because they need time to focus on Knowledge and on learning greater things. They cannot be bogged down with objects, ideas or people that are not part of their greater pursuit. This is economy, and this is important. As you progress and study The Greater Community Way of Knowledge, gradually things fall away, not because they are bad but simply because they are no longer needed. You cannot use them. You don’t want to carry a lot of extra baggage. Your life, in a sense, is becoming streamlined. Your burden is getting lighter. Now you can assume greater responsibilities.

内识的男人和女人希望经济独立，因为他们需要时间专注于内识和学习更伟大的事物。他们无法被与他们的追求无关的物质、观念或人所困扰。这就是经济独立，也是非常重要的。随着你不断进步并学习大社区的内识之道，渐渐地一些事物会逐渐消失，不是因为它们不好，而只是因为它们不再需要。你不能使用它们。你不想携带太多额外的负担。在某种意义上，你的生活正在变得更加简约。你的负担正在变得更轻。现在，你可以承担更大的责任。

As you can see from my presentation, the idea of possessions is much more inclusive than what you may have considered before. This new understanding is very important because The Greater Community Way of Knowledge represents the transformation of relationships and the entrance into a new life and a new kind of experience. You cannot make this journey if you are carrying too much baggage. You can only carry what you really need. Then you can step faster and more lightly and feel less oppressed by what you are leaving behind.

正如你从我的演讲中所看到的，财产的概念比你以前所考虑的要包容得多。这种新的理解非常重要，因为大社区内识之路代表了关系的转变，以及进入新的生命和一种新的经历。如果你带着太多的包袱，你就无法完成这个旅程。你只能携带你真正需要的东西。然后你就可以走得更快、更轻，并对你要留下的东西感到不那么压抑。

When you are presented with new objects or given opportunities to buy new things, acquire new ideas, meet new people, or participate in new activities, ask yourself, “What do I really need and what do I really use? What is essential?” Part of this you can answer yourself. Sometimes you must appeal to Knowledge, not simply to tell you the answer because Knowledge does not engage in a lot of conversation, but to demonstrate it. Particularly in very important decisions, the way to go must be demonstrated because an idea is not enough. You must see it, know its value and see that it is totally relevant to your life and to your needs. This comes through demonstration.

当你遇到新的物品或有机会购买新的东西，获得新的想法，遇到新的人，或参加新的活动时，问问自己，”我真正需要什么，我真正使用什么？什么是必不可少的？”这其中有一部分你可以自己回答。有时你必须求助于内识，不是简单地告诉你答案，因为内识不参与大量的对话，而是要证明它。特别是在非常重要的决定中，必须证明要走的路，因为一个想法是不够的。你必须看到它，知道它的价值，看到它与你的生命和需求完全相关。这要通过示范来实现。

People pester Knowledge with all kinds of questions. Often they want to accumulate more insight, more ideas, and more people. More, more, more! But Knowledge is silent. What Knowledge will do is set up a learning situation that will help the person come to terms with the real issues at stake. This is because Knowledge is not like a little errand boy that brings you everything you want—like room service! Knowledge is the Master. You are the student. Yet, people often begin their study acting like they are the master and Knowledge is the student. Somewhere in the process the entire order of authority becomes reversed—often very gradually and sometimes with very big steps.

人们用各种问题来纠缠内识。他们往往想积累更多的洞察力，更多的想法，和更多的人。更多，更多，更多!但内识是沉默的。内识会做的是设置一个学习情境，帮助人们认识到真正的关键问题。这是因为内识并不像一个小差事，给你带来你想要的一切，就像客房服务一样！内识是主人。内识是大师。你是学生。然而，人们在开始学习时往往表现得好像他们是大师，而内识是学生。在这个过程中的某个地方，整个权威的顺序被颠倒了——往往是非常缓慢的，有时是非常大的步骤。

Wisdom from the Greater Community: Volume I states that God’s first purpose is to unburden you. That sounds like a nice idea. But think about what it really means. What it really means is that the whole acquisition motive must become reversed. If you are going somewhere in life, you cannot take everything with you. You can only take what you need, and this unburdens you. This gives you time, energy, mental freedom and the ability to establish new ideas and new alliances. This redefines and redirects your entire relationship with objects in the physical world. This new relationship is not based on fantasy and past association now. It is based on usefulness and real value. This creates a healthy relationship with the physical world, with people and with ideas.

来自大社区的智慧。第一卷指出，上帝的第一个目的是解除你的负担。这听起来是个好主意。但请想想它的真正含义。它的真正含义是，整个获取动机必须变得颠倒。如果你要去生命中的某个地方，你不能把所有东西都带走。你只能带着你需要的东西，而这能减轻你的负担。这给了你时间、能量、心理自由和建立新想法和新联盟的能力。这重新定义和调整了你与物理世界中物质的整个关系。这种新的关系现在不是基于幻想和过去的关联。它是基于有用性和真正的价值。这创造了一种与物质世界、与人和与想法的健康关系。

Some people have wondered, “Why would I study The Greater Community Way of Knowledge? I do not really want to read books anymore.” The reason is that The Way of Knowledge gives you a few things to deeply consider, rather than simply pumping more ideas into your mind and keeping it stimulated. Consider the idea, “Knowledge is with me. Where am I?” You could spend many years on this one idea alone. One idea! You cannot exhaust that idea. It is revolutionary. “Alone I can accomplish nothing.” This is another revolutionary idea. It could change the world if it were contemplated and allowed to alter your experience of yourself and the world. Then you are no longer what you own. You are aligned with something invisible and mysterious which is the guiding principle of all life.

有些人想知道，”我为什么要学习大社区内识之路？我真的不想再看书了”。原因是内识之路给了你一些需要深入思考的想法，而不是简单地把更多的想法灌输到你的心灵中，让它保持刺激。考虑一下这个想法，”内识与我同在。我在哪里？”仅仅在这一个想法上，你就可以花很多年时间。一个想法!你无法穷尽这个想法。它是革命性的。”我一个人无法完成任何事情”。这是另一个革命性的想法。它可以改变世界，如果它被思考并允许改变你对自己和世界的经历。然后，你不再是你所拥有的东西。你与某种看不见的、神秘的内识保持一致，这是所有生命的指导原则。