744# 近身顾问、内廷顾问和主管们环立在餐桌周围；他们奉首领之命合掌，同时低声向主献上祈愿的赞美。赞美之后，又按首领的示意，在餐桌旁的卧榻上就席。首领对那十位来客说：“你们也同我一同入席吧；看哪，那里是你们的座位。”他们便就席；先前由首领派来服侍他们的宫臣，则站在他们身后。
这时，首领对他们说：“请各人从自己的圆盘中取一个小盘，随后又各人从金字塔上取一个小碟。”他们便取了；看哪，立刻又有新的小盘和小碟显现在原处，补上了先前的位置。他们的杯盏也由那座大金字塔中跃出的泉流注满了酒；于是他们便用餐。
【2】用餐至半饱时，首领对十位受邀者说：“我听说，你们在这天之下的地上，曾被召集，要表明你们关于天堂喜乐以及由此而来的永远幸福的想法；并且你们各自照着自己身体感官的愉悦，以不同方式陈述了这些想法。然而，身体感官的愉悦若没有灵魂的愉悦，又算什么呢？是灵魂使这些感官愉悦成为愉悦。灵魂的愉悦本身，是不可觉知的福乐；但当它们下降到心智的思想中，并由此进入身体的感觉中时，就变得越来越可以觉知；在心智的思想中，它们被觉知为幸运与欢悦；在身体的感觉中，被觉知为愉快；在身体本身中，则被觉知为快感。永远的幸福，就是由这些前者与后者共同构成的；但若只有后者，这幸福就不是永远的，而只是暂时的，终会结束并过去，有时还会变成不幸。
你们现在已经看见，你们所有的喜乐也都是天堂的喜乐，并且比你们所能想到的任何喜乐都更卓越；然而，这些喜乐仍不能更内在地感动我们的心灵。
【3】有三样事物作为一体，从主流入我们的灵魂；这三样作为一体，或说这三一，就是爱、智慧和功用。然而，爱与智慧若不在功用中，就只是观念性地存在，因为它们只在心智的情感和思想中存在；但在功用中，它们才真实地存在，因为它们同时在身体的行动和工作中存在。它们在哪里真实地存在，也就在哪里持续存立。既然爱与智慧在功用中存在并存立，那么，感动我们的便是功用；而功用就是忠信、真诚、勤勉地履行自己职分中的工作。
对功用的爱，以及由此而来的对功用的专注，使心智不致涣散，不致四处游荡，也不致吸纳从身体和世界经由感官、带着诱惑流入的一切欲望；若吸纳这些欲望，宗教的真理和道德的真理，连同其善，就会被吹散到各方。然而，心智对功用的专注，会把这些真理和善保守并结合起来，并把心智安置成一种能够从这些真理接受智慧的形式；于是，它便从两侧驱逐伪谬和虚浮之事的戏谑与幻乐。
不过，关于这些事，你们还会从我们群体中的智慧者那里听到更多；今天下午我会差遣他们到你们那里去。”
说完这些，首领便起身，宾客也一同起身；他向他们致以平安，并吩咐引导他们的天使，把他们带回自己的房间，向他们尽显一切礼仪上的尊荣；又吩咐他召来一些有教养、善交谈的人，用关于这个群体各种喜乐的谈话来使他们欢悦。
744# 贴身顾问、内阁成员和总督站在餐桌周围；在君主的要求下，他们紧握双手，都一起低声祷告赞美和感谢主。然后，在君主的示意下，他们坐在桌旁的软座上。君主对十个新人说：“你们也跟我坐吧；这是你们的座位。”他们就坐下来。君主先前派来伺候他们的侍从站在他们身后。然后，君主对他们说：“你们每人从架子上拿一个盘子，从金字塔上拿一个碟子。”他们照做了；看哪，碟盘被拿走的地方立刻出现了新的碟盘。他们的杯子里盛满了从大金字塔涌出的喷泉流出的美酒；于是，他们一起吃喝。
当他们适当饱足时，君主向十个客人说话，说：“我听说你们被召集到这个天堂下面的地区，以披露你们对天堂的喜乐和由此而来的永恒幸福的看法；你们提出了各种观点，但每种观点都是根据身体感官的快乐而提出的。然而，如果与灵魂的快乐分离，身体感官的快乐是什么呢？正是灵魂将快乐赋予这些身体感官。灵魂的快乐本身是难以察觉的八福；但随着它们降至心智的思维，又从这些思维进入身体感觉，它们变得越来越明显。在心智的思维中，它们被感知为幸福，在身体的感觉中，被感知为快乐，在身体本身中，被感知为愉悦。这三者加在一起就形成了永恒的幸福；而只来自后者的幸福不是永恒的，而是暂时的，因为它会结束，会消失，有时甚至会变成痛苦。你们现在已经看到，你们所有的喜乐也是天堂的喜乐，而且比你们所能想象的还要美妙；然而，这些喜乐不会从内层影响我们的心智。
“有三样东西作为一体从主流入我们的灵魂；作为一体的这三者，即这三位一体，是爱、智慧和功用。但唯独爱和智慧只是理想上的存在，因为它们只存在于心智的情感和思维中；而在功用中，它们有真实的存在，因为那时，它们也存在于身体的行为和运作中；它们在哪里真实存在，就在哪里有永久的存在，或持续存在。由于爱和智慧在功用中存在并持续存在，所以影响我们的，是功用；功用就在于忠实、真诚、勤勉地履行自己的工作职责。对功用的爱和随之对功用的追求会防止心智失去控制或变得消散，并使它保持专注，不让它四处游荡，吸收通过感官从身体和世界流入的一切欲望和诱惑。这些欲望会把宗教和道德的真理及其一切良善，都分散到四风中。但心智致力于功用会保持住这些真理，并把它们结合在一起，使心智成为一种接受来自这些真理的智慧的形式，同时将虚假和虚荣的幻觉和嘲弄驱逐到周边。但关于这些话题，你们会从我们社群的智者那里听到更多，我下午会派他们去见你们。”说完，君主起身，客人们也跟着起身；君主谢恩，然后吩咐他们的天使向导把他们带回到自己的房间，向他们展示所有礼貌的荣誉，也邀请有礼貌、和蔼可亲的人与他们谈论该社群的各种喜乐。
744. The privy councillors, the members of the cabinet, and the governors were now standing by the table. At the prince's request, they joined hands and together softly spoke words of prayer and praise to the Lord. Then the prince gave a nod, and the dignitaries sat down on padded chairs at the table. The prince then said to the ten newcomers, "You too are to sit down with me. These are your places here. " So they sat down. The court attendants whom the prince had originally assigned to them took up positions behind them.
The prince then said to them, "You are each invited to take a plate from its circular stand and also a dish from the pyramid. "
They did so, and immediately fresh plates and dishes appeared and filled the empty spaces. Their goblets were filled with wine from the fountain leaping up from the grand pyramid. They ate and drank.
[2] When they were satisfied but not overly so, the prince spoke to his ten guests and said, "I have heard that down on the plain beneath this heaven you were called on to reveal your thoughts on the joys of heaven and eternal happiness. I understand that you gave various responses on this topic, depending on what particular things your bodily senses took delight in.
"But what delight do the bodily senses feel when the delights of the soul are not present? It is the soul that makes those delights enjoyable. In and of themselves, the delights of the soul are states of blessedness that are beyond our perception; but they become more and more perceptible as they descend into the thoughts of the mind and through these into the sensations of the body. In the thoughts of the mind they are perceived as blissful; in the sensations of the body they are perceived as delightful, and in the body itself they are perceived as pleasurable. These three kinds of joy combine to form eternal happiness. The happiness that comes from the latter feelings alone, however, is not eternal. It is temporary, because it comes to an end and passes away. Sometimes it even becomes unhappiness.
"You have now seen that all the things you listed as joys are in fact joys in heaven, and are superior to anything you could have imagined. Nevertheless these things do not affect our minds all that deeply.
[3] "There are three things that flow as one from the Lord into our souls. These three-in-one, or this trinity, if you will, are love, wisdom, and usefulness. Love and wisdom do not actually take shape, except in some conceptual form, because they reside solely in the feelings and thoughts within our minds; but in usefulness they become real, because then they come together in some activity and work on the part of the body. Where these two come forth into reality, there they also remain. Because love and wisdom take form and find continued existence in usefulness, usefulness itself is what moves us. Usefulness is faithfully, honestly, and diligently carrying out the work involved in our jobs.
"Love of being useful and pursuit of usefulness keep our minds focused so they don't get distracted and wander off and partake of all the lusts and enticements that flow in from the body and the world through our senses, which would drive away to the four winds all religious and moral truths along with the good actions they enjoin. The mind's pursuit of usefulness harnesses these true insights and good impulses and turns the mind into a form that is receptive to the wisdom that comes from them. This pursuit also pushes aside the distortions and absurdities that arise from false and idle thoughts.
"On this topic, however, you will hear more from wise people from our community; I am going to send them to you this afternoon. "
Having said this, the prince stood up from the table (and all the others stood up as well). He wished them all peace. He told the angel who was guiding the guests to take them back to their rooms and show them every honor and civility. He also told the angel to summon some sophisticated and affable people to entertain the guests with conversation about the various modes of recreation enjoyed in that community.
744. The privy councillors, together with the treasury councillors and governors, stood around the table, and at the prince's command clasped their hands and murmured in unison a prayer of praise to the Lord. After this on a gesture from the prince they sat down at table on padded seats. 'You too must sit down with me,' said the prince to the ten newcomers, 'here are your places.' So they sat down, and the people of the court who had earlier been sent by the prince to wait on them stood behind them. Then the prince said: 'Each of you must take a saucer from its ring and then each a dish from the pyramid.' So they helped themselves, and immediately saw new saucers and dishes appear to replace them. Their goblets were filled with wine from the fountain spurting from the great pyramid. So they ate.
[2] When they were reasonably satisfied, the prince addressed the ten guests, and said: 'I have heard that on the earth beneath this heaven you were summoned to assemble, to disclose your thoughts about the joys of heaven, and so about everlasting happiness. I heard that you expressed your thoughts in different ways, each depending on the bodily pleasures you appreciate. But what are bodily pleasures without those of the soul? It is the soul which makes them attractive. The pleasures of the soul are in essence imperceptible states of blessedness, which become more and more perceptible as they come down into the thoughts of the mind, and from these into the feelings of the body. In the thoughts of the mind they are felt as kinds of bliss, in the feelings of the body as pleasures, and in the body itself as gratifications. Everlasting happiness is a compound of all these together. But the latter sort produce a happiness which is not everlasting but temporary; it reaches an end and passes away, sometimes turning into unhappiness. You have seen now that all your joys are also among heaven's joys, and they exceed anything you have ever imagined; none the less they do not exert an inward attraction on our minds.
[3] 'There are three things which flow from the Lord as one into our souls; these three, felt as one, or a triad, are love, wisdom and service. Love and wisdom, however, do not come into existence except as concepts, because they are confined to the affection and thought which exist in the mind. But they are realised in service, because they come together in the act and work done by the body. Where they are realised in practice, they remain in existence. Since love and wisdom come into and remain in existence in service, it is service we find attractive; and service consists in performing the tasks of one's calling faithfully, honestly and diligently. The love of service and thus diligence in service concentrates the mind and keeps it from wandering, and absorbing all the longings which pour in from the body and the world through the senses to titillate them, causing the truths of religion and morality with the kinds of good they produce to be scattered to the four winds. But the earnest devotion of the mind to service keeps them together and binds them, disposing the mind so as to receive wisdom coming from those truths. Then it banishes to one side or the other the mockery and folly of falsities and vanities. But you will hear more on this subject from the wise men of our community, whom I will send to you this afternoon.'
With these words the prince rose from the table and his fellow diners with him, wished them peace, and told the angel who was their guide to take them back to their rooms, and offer them all the honours politeness demands. He was also told to call in polite and agreeable men to entertain them by talking about the varied joys of their community.
744. The privy counselors, the chamberlains, and the governors, stood around the table; and at the command of the prince they folded their hands, and all together in a low tone gave thanks to the Lord; and then, at a nod from the prince, took their places on the cushioned seats at the table. And the prince said to the visitors, "Sit you down with me also; there are your seats." And they sat down. The courtiers before sent by the prince to wait upon them, stood behind them. The prince then said to them, "Take each one of you a plate from its place, and then a dish from the pyramid." They did so; and behold, there instantly appeared fresh plates and dishes in place of those taken away. Their cups were filled with wine from the fountain springing from the great pyramid; and they ate together.
[2] When they were moderately satisfied, the prince addressed the ten guests, saying, "I have heard that you were assembled on the earth that is beneath this heaven to disclose your thoughts respecting the joys of heaven and eternal happiness therefrom; and that you advanced different opinions, each according to the delights of his bodily senses. But what are the delights of the bodily senses apart from the delights of the soul? It is the soul that imparts delight to these. The delights of the soul are in themselves imperceptible beatitudes; but they become more and more perceptible as they descend into the thoughts of the mind, and from these into the sensations of the body. In the thoughts of the mind they are perceptible as joys, in the sensations of the body as delights, and in the body itself as pleasures. From all these together comes eternal happiness; while from the latter alone the happiness is not eternal but temporary, and comes to an end and passes away, and sometimes becomes unhappiness. You have now seen that all your joys are also joys of heaven, and more excellent than you could ever have conceived; and yet our minds are not interiorly affected by them.
[3] There are three things that flow in as one from the Lord into our souls; these three as one, that is, this trine, are love, wisdom, and use; but love and wisdom alone have only an ideal existence, because they exist only in the affection and thought of the mind; while in use they have a real existence, because then they exist also in bodily act and operation, and where they exist really, there they have permanent existence. But as love and wisdom have their existence and permanence in use, it is use that affects us; and use is the faithful, sincere, and diligent discharge of the duties of one's employment.
"The love of use and the consequent pursuit of use prevents the mind from becoming dissipated, and from wandering about and drinking in all the cupidities that flow in with their allurements through the senses from the body and the world, and that scatter to the four winds the truths of religion and morality together with their goods. But the application of the mind to use holds and binds these together, and disposes the mind into a form receptive of wisdom from these truths, and at the same time expels to the circumference the illusions and mockeries both of falsities and vanities. But on these subjects you will hear more from the wise men of our society, whom I will send to you this afternoon."
So saying the prince arose, and with him his guests; he said grace, and then commanded the angelic guide of the strangers to conduct them back to their apartments, and to show them all the honors of courtesy; also to invite courteous and affable men to entertain them with conversation on the various joys of that society.
744. The councilors and rulers stood around the table and, at the direction of the prince, clasped their hands and duly offered in a low voice a prayer of praise and thanks to the Lord. Then at a sign from the prince they took their places at the table. The prince said to the ten strangers: "Sit down with me; there are your seats." They sat down, and the attendants previously sent by the prince to wait upon them, stood behind them. Thereupon, the prince said to them, "Take each of you a plate from its stand and also a small dish from the pyramid." They did so; and instantly new plates and dishes appeared set in the place of those taken away; and their cups were filled with wine from the fountain flowing from the great pyramid, and so they joined in the eating and drinking.
[2] In the course of the feast the prince, addressing the ten guests, said: "I heard that you were called together in the region beneath this heaven to express your ideas concerning the joys of heaven and the eternal happiness arising from them; and that you advanced various opinions, but each according to the delights of the bodily senses. Now what are the delights of the bodily senses, if separated from those of the soul? It is the soul which fills them with delight. The delights of the soul are in themselves imperceptible blessings; but as they descend into the thoughts of the mind, and thence into the sensations of the body, they become more and more perceptible. In the thoughts of the mind they are perceived as happy states, in the sensations of the body as delights, and in the body itself as pleasures. Eternal happiness is the result of all these taken together; but happiness resulting from the gratification of the bodily senses alone is not eternal, but merely temporary: it comes to an end, it passes away, and sometimes it is turned into misery. You now see that all your joys are also joys of heaven, and are even more excellent than you have ever been able to imagine; but such joys do not affect our minds interiorly.
[3] "There are three things that flow as one from the Lord into our souls; and these three, which are as one, or this trine, are love, wisdom and use. Love and wisdom exist ideally, existing only in the affection and thought of the mind; but in use they exist really, because they are then simultaneously in the act and operation of the body; and where they exist really, there they also subsist. Love and wisdom exist and subsist in use, but it is the use which affects us; and use consists in discharging the duties of one's office with fidelity, sincerity and diligence. The love of use, and the devotion to it which thence arises, keep the mind from losing control, from wandering about and absorbing all the lusts which flow in with their allurements through the senses from the body and the world. These lusts dissipate to all the winds of heaven the truths of religion and morality with all that is good in them; but devotion of the mind to use retains and binds those truths together, and disposes the mind to become a form receptive of wisdom from those truths; and then it drives out from their position of vantage the illusions and mockeries of vain falsity. But you will hear more on this subject from wise men of our society whom I will send to you in the afternoon."
Having said this the prince arose, and the guests rose with him; and bidding them farewell he instructed their angel to conduct them to their private apartments, and show them all honor and courtesy; and also to invite courteous and affable men to entertain them with conversation respecting the various joys of their society.
744. Circumstabant mensam Consiliarii a latere, et Consiliarii a cameris, et Moderatores, et ex jussu Principis complicabant manus, et simul susurrabant laudem votivam ad Dominum, et post hanc ex nutu Principis se super toris ad mensam reposuerunt; et dixit Princeps ad decem advenas, discumbite etiam vos mecum, ecce ibi sedes vestrae; et discubuerunt; et aulici prius a Principe missi ad ministrandum illis, adstabant illis a tergo; et tunc dixit illis Princeps, sumite quisque patellam ex orbibus suis, et postea quisque scutellam ex Pyramide; et desumserunt, et ecce illico novae patellae et scutellae loco illarum superimpositae apparebant; ac cyathi illorum ex fonte saliente e magna Pyramide vino implebantur; et comedebant.
[2] Post mediam satietatem alloquebatur Princeps decem invitatos, et dixit, audivi quod in terra, quae sub hoc Coelo est, convocati fueritis ad aperiendum cogitationes vestras de Gaudiis coeli et inde Felicitate aeterna, et quod protuleritis illas diversimode, quisque secundum jucunda sensuum corporis sui; sed quid jucunda sensuum corporis absque jucundis animae; est anima quae jucundat illa; jucunda animae in se sunt beatitudines imperceptibiles, sed fiunt plus et plus perceptibiles, sicut descendunt in cogitationes mentis, et ab his in sensationes corporis; in cogitationibus mentis percipiuntur sicut faustitates, in sensationibus corporis sicut jucunditates, et in ipso corpore sicut voluptates; ex his et illis simul est Felicitas aeterna; at ex solis posterioribus illa Felicitas non est aeterna, sed temporaria, quae finitur et transit, et quandoque fit infelicitas. Vidistis nunc quod omnia gaudia vestra etiam sint gaudia coeli, et excellentiora quam usquam cogitare potuistis, sed usque haec non interius afficiunt animos nostros.
[3] Sunt tria, quae ut unum influunt a Domino in animas nostras; haec tria ut unum, seu hoc trinum, sunt amor, sapientia, et usus, at amor et sapientia non existunt nisi idealiter, quia solum in affectione et cogitatione mentis, sed in usu realiter, quia simul in actu et opere corporis; et ubi realiter existunt, ibi etiam subsistunt; et quia amor et sapientia existunt et subsistunt in usu, est usus qui nos afficit, ac usus est fideliter, sincere et sedule obire suae functionis opera; amor usus, et inde studium in usu, continet mentem ne diffluat, et ne circumvagetur, et hauriat omnes cupiditates, quae e corpore et e mundo per sensus cum illecebris influunt, ex quibus vera Religionis et vera Moralitatis cum suis bonis dissipantur in omnes ventos; at studium mentis in usu continet et colligat illa, et disponit mentem in formam receptibilem sapientiae ex veris illis; et tunc a lateribus exterminat et falsitatum et vanitatum ludibria et ludicra. Sed plura de his audietis ex sapientibus nostrae Societatis, quos post meridiem hanc mittam ad vos. His dictis surrexit Princeps, et una cum illo convivae, ac pacem dixit, et mandavit Angelo illorum ductori, ut reduceret illos in sua conclavia, et illis omnes honores civilitatis exhiberet; et quoque ut vocaret viros urbanitatis et affabilitatis, qui illos sermone de variis gaudiis hujus Societatis oblectarent.