10236.“和一个铜座”表属世层的最末层，也就是感官层的良善。这从盆“座”和“铜”的含义清楚可知：用来盛水洗濯的盆“座”是指属世层级的最末层，被称为感官层；“铜”是指良善，如前所述（10235节）。“底座”之所以表示被称为外在感官层的属世层级的最末层，是因为它上面的“盆”表示属世层级，洁净便发生在这属世层级，因此下面的东西表示那占据最低层，也就是最末位的东西，它就是人里面的外在感官层。人里面的属世层级或属世层有一个外在层面，一个中间层面和一个内在层面。属世层的外在层面是那与这个世界相接触的，被称为外在感官层；属世层的内在层面是那与住在天堂的内在人相接触的；属世层的中间层面则是那将这二者联结起来的，因为凡有一个外在和一个内在存在的地方，就必有一个将它们联结起来的中间。人的心智拥有一个包含外在、中间和内在层面的属世层级（4009，4570，5118，5126，5649，9215节）。
严格来说，形成属世层的最末和最低层的感官层是指那被称为“肉体”，并且当人死亡时就消亡的东西，因而是指那能使此人在世上发挥功能即视觉、听觉、嗅觉、味觉和触觉的东西。显然，感官可以说存在于人生命的底层，形成生命止于其上的终端和底座；因为它们直接向世界开放，世界经由它们进入，天堂则经由它们出来。这些感觉是人与动物共有的，而人并不怎么与动物共享，但仍是感官的一个外在方面的外在感官层则是从世界所获得的印象在人之记忆中的存储，这些印象纯由世俗、肉体和地上的形像构成。思维和推理唯独基于这些印象而非基于更内在的观念之人就被称为心智感官化的人，或感官人。该感官层在人死后仍与他同在，尽管处于休眠状态。严格来说，“底座”所表示的，正是这外在感官层。
该感官层的性质由安在圣殿旁的十个盆座来代表。这些盆座被描述如下：
所罗门用铜制造十个盆座；每座长四肘，宽四肘，高三肘。框架之间的镶板上有狮子和牛并基路伯，在框架上也是一样。另外，每盆座有四个铜轮和铜轴；其四角有盆架。盆以下有铸成的盆架。轮子的作法像车轮的作法；轴、辋、辐、毂都是铸的。他按着这个样式造了十个盆座，它们都是一样的铸法、一样的尺寸、一样的对称。他又用铜制造十个盆，每盆可容四十罢特，每盆四肘。（列王纪上7:27-39）
此处的代表物体描述了人里面的外在感官层的性质，尤其描述了主所提供的保护，以防止人从心智的感官层、因而从世界进入天堂或教会的事物，这样做违反神性秩序。因为世界无法进入天堂，而天堂却能进入世界；当经由天堂而来的主通过圣言流入一个人，并住在他里面，从而启示或光照、教导和引领他时，这种情况就会发生。从世界进入天堂的事物违反神生秩序，这一点从以下考虑可以看出来：那些从其心智的感官层，因而从源于世界的记忆知识进入天堂事物的人根本没有信仰。
为防止这一点而提供的保护由“狮子和牛并基路伯”来表示。“狮子”表示为防止真理进入而提供的保护，因为“狮子”是指在其能力中的真理（6367，6369节）；“牛”表示为防止良善进入而提供的保护，因为“牛”是指在其能力中的良善（参看2781节）。“基路伯”则表示主的保护，以免这种事情发生（参看308，9509节）；所提及的“盆架”（shoulders，即肩）表示能力和抵制（参看1085，4931-4937，9836节）。“像车轮的轮子”表示当一切事物从天堂那里进入时，变得智慧的能力，因为一切事物都以这种方式照秩序行进；“车轮”就表示行进、因而学习的能力（8215，9872节）；“战车”表示天堂和教会所拥有的教义（5321，8215节）。
必须再次简要说一说何为感官人或心智感官化的人。思维唯独基于诸如记忆中源于世界的那类观念，并且心智无法被提升到更内在的层面之人就被称为感官人，或心智感官化。那些因没有看见天堂或神性而根本不信它们的人尤其是这种情形，因为他们只信靠感官，凡未通过感官感知到的东西，他们都认为不存在。这种人最接近野兽的本性，野兽也唯独由外在感官引领。然而，他们在行动和推理方面既狡猾又灵巧；不过，他们并未在真理之光中看见真理。在过去，这种人被称为知识树上的蛇，地狱团伙绝大部分就属这类。至于何为感官人或心智感官化的人，何为心智的感官层，可参看前面提及它们的地方（9331，9726，9730，9731，9922e，9996节）；何为被提升到感官层之上，或从感官层退出（参看9922e节提到的地方）。
“铜作的盆座”所表示的感官层的良善，就是那被称为影响想象思维的欢愉和快乐的东西，这种思维唯独基于地上、肉体和世俗的事物；或说这种良善是一个表述词语，用来表示影响唯独基于地上、肉体和世俗事物的思维和想象的欢愉和快乐。它因以下事实而有别于其它快乐：它只关注放纵自我或有利于自我的功用。因为感官人或心智感官化的人沉浸于对自己的爱和对世界的爱，他的快乐属于这些爱。由于感官人或心智感官化的人具有这种性质，所以很明显，他在为了利益和地位而推理和行动方面比其他人更精明。因为他的身体燃烧着这爱之火，而这火产生一种被称为属世之光的光。当这光被点亮时，属于内层人的天堂之光就完全被遮蔽了。因此，属于天堂之光的事物陷入幽暗，故被说成不存在。那些出于天堂之火行动，出于这火之光思想的人不是这种情形。由此可见“铜作的盆座”所表示的感官层的良善是什么意思。
Potts(1905-1910) 10236
10236. And its base of brass. That this signifies the good of the ultimate of the natural, which is the good of the sensuous, is evident from the signification of the "base" of the laver wherein was water for washing, as being the ultimate of the natural, which is called the sensuous; and from the signification of "brass," as being good (see above, n. 10235). That the "base" denotes the ultimate of the natural, which is called the external sensuous, is because by the laver which is above it is signified the natural in which is purification, consequently by that which is beneath is signified what is in the lowest place; that is, in the ultimate, thus the external sensuous of man. The natural of man is external, middle, and internal; the external of the natural communicates with the world, and is called the external sensuous; the internal natural is what communicates with the internal man, which is in heaven; the middle natural is that which conjoins the two; for where there are an external and an internal, there must be a conjoining intermediate. (That man has an external, a middle, and an internal natural, see n. 4009, 4570, 5118, 5120, 5649, 9216.) [2] By the sensuous, which is the ultimate of the natural, is properly meant that which is called the "flesh," and which perishes when man dies, thus what has served man for his functions in the world; as the sensuous of sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch. That this sensuous is the ultimate plane, in which the life of man terminates, and on which it reposes as a base, is evident, for it stands forth directly in the world, and through it as the outermost the world enters, and heaven departs. But this sensuous is common to man with brute animals, whereas the external sensuous which man has not so much in common with them, and yet is an external sensuous, is that which man has in his memory from the world, and is constituted of merely worldly, bodily, and earthly things there. The man who thinks and reasons from these things alone, and not from interior things, is called a sensuous man. This sensuous remains with man after death, but is quiescent; and this external sensuous is what is properly signified by the "base." [3] The nature of this sensuous was represented by the bases of the ten lavers, which were set near the temple, and which are thus described:
Solomon made the ten bases of brass; four cubits the length of each base, and four cubits the breadth; three cubits the height. Upon the closures that were between the flights of steps were lions, oxen, and cherubs; and upon the flights of steps in like manner above. Moreover, each base had four wheels and tables of brass; and its four corners had shoulders: beneath the laver were the shoulders molten. The work of the wheels was like the work of a chariot wheel; their hands, and their backs, and their tires, and their spokes, were all molten. After this manner he made the ten bases; all of them had one casting, one measure, one proportion. Then he made the ten lavers of brass; each laver contained forty baths; each laver was four cubits (1 Kings 7:27-39). [4] The nature of the external sensuous in man is here described by representatives, and especially the protection of the Lord lest man should enter into the things of heaven or of the church from his sensuous, thus from the world, because this is contrary to Divine order. For the world cannot enter into heaven, but heaven can enter into the world, which comes to pass when the Lord inflows through heaven with man, and enlightens him, teaches him, and leads him, by means of the Word. That to enter from the world into the things of heaven is contrary to Divine order, can be seen from those who enter from their sensuous, thus from the memory-knowledges which enter from the world, in that they believe nothing whatever. [5] Protection to prevent this is signified by the lions, the oxen, and the cherubs, for by "lions" is signified protection lest truths enter, "lions" denoting truths in their power (n. 6367, 6369); by "oxen" is signified protection lest goods enter, for "oxen" denote goods in their power (see n. 2781). That by "cherubs" is signified the protection of the Lord lest this be done, see n. 308, 9509; also that the "shoulders" of which mention is made denote power and resistance, n. 1085, 4931-4937, 9836. By the "wheels as of a chariot" is signified the capacity of being wise when all things enter from heaven, for thus all things advance according to order, because the "wheels" of a chariot denote the capacity of advancing, thus of learning (n. 8215, 9872); and "chariots" denote what belongs to the doctrine of heaven and the church (n. 5321, 8215). [6] What the sensuous man is, may again be briefly told. He is called a sensuous man who thinks only from such things as are in the memory from the world, and who cannot be raised toward interior things; such especially are they who believe nothing about heaven and the Divine because they do not see them, for they trust solely in the senses; and what does not appear before the senses they believe to be nothing. Such people closely approach the nature of brute animals, which also are led solely by the external senses; nevertheless they are cunning and skilful in acting and reasoning; but they do not see truth from the light of truth. Such were formerly called serpents of the tree of knowledge, and such for the most part is the infernal crew. (But what the sensuous man is, and what the sensuous itself, may be seen in the places cited in n. 9331, 9726, 9730, 9731, 9922, 9996; and what it is to be raised above sensuous things, or to be withdrawn from them, in those cited in n. 9922.) [7] The good of the sensuous, which is signified by the "base of brass," is what is called the pleasure and delight that affect the imaginative thought, which thought is merely from what is earthly, bodily, and worldly; and it is distinguished from other delights by the fact that it looks to no other uses than those of self, or for the sake of self. For the sensuous man is in the love of self and of the world, and his delights belong to these loves. And because the loves of the sensuous man are of this nature, it is evident that he is more skilful than others in reasoning and in acting for the sake of profits and honors. For his body burns with the fire of this love, and this fire kindles a light which is called natural light; and when this has been kindled to brightness, then the light of heaven, which is of the interior man, is completely obscured; consequently the things of this light, being in thick darkness, are said to be nothing. It is otherwise with those who act from the fire of heaven, and think from the light of this fire. From all this it can be seen what is meant by the good of the sensuous, which is signified by the "base" of the laver.
Elliott(1983-1999) 10236
10236. 'And its pedestal from bronze' means good on the last level of the natural, which is that of the senses. This is clear from the meaning of 'the pedestal' of the laver, containing the water for washing, as the last level of the natural degree, which is called the level of the senses; and from the meaning of 'bronze' as good, dealt with above in 10235. The reason why 'the pedestal' means the last level of the natural, which is called the external level of the senses, is that 'the laver' which is above means the natural degree, in which purification takes place, and therefore that which is below means that which occupies the lowest, that is, the last place, which is the external level of the senses within a person. The natural degree within a person has an external level, a middle level, and an internal level. The external level of the natural degree is that which comes in contact with the world and is called the external level of the senses; the internal level of the natural degree is that which comes in contact with the internal man residing in heaven; and the middle level of the natural degree links the two together, for where an external and an internal exist there must be a middle linking them together. The human mind has a natural degree containing external, middle, and internal levels, see 4009, 4570, 5118, 5126, 5649, 9215.
[2] Strictly speaking, the level of the senses forming the last and lowest of the natural degree should be taken to mean that which is called the flesh and perishes when a person dies, thus that which has enabled the person to function in the world, namely the senses of sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch. It may be recognized that the senses exist on the ground-level so to speak of a person's life, forming the terminus and base on which it rests; for they open out directly onto the world, and through them the world comes in and heaven goes out. These senses the human being shares with animals. But an external aspect of the senses which the human being does not share so much with them, though still an external aspect of the senses, is the deposit in the human memory of impressions received from the world, consisting solely of worldly, bodily, earthly images. The person whose thought and reasoning are based on these alone and not on more internal ideas is called a sensory-minded person. This level of the senses remains with a person after death, though it becomes dormant. It is the external level of the senses that is meant, strictly speaking, by 'the pedestal'.
[3] The nature of this level of the senses was represented by the pedestals of the ten lavers which were placed next to the temple. These pedestals are described as follows,
Solomon made ten pedestals from bronze. Four cubits was the length of each pedestal, and four cubits the breadth; three cubits was the height. On the panelsa which were between the frames there were lions, oxen, and cherubs, and on the frames in like manner above. In addition each pedestal had four wheels, and boards of bronzeb; but its four corners had shouldersc. Under a laver there were shouldersc of cast [bronze]. The workmanship of the wheels was like the workmanship of a chariot wheel; their axlesd, and their rimse, and their tires, and their spokes were all of cast [bronze]. After this manner he made the ten pedestals. They were all of one casting, one measure, one symmetry. Therefore he made ten lavers from bronze; each laver contained forty baths, four cubits was each laver. 1 Kings 7:27-39.
[4] Here representative objects serve to describe the nature of the external level of the senses in a person, and in particular protection provided by the Lord to prevent a person from entering from the sensory level of his mind, thus from the world, into things of heaven or the Church. To do so is contrary to Divine order. For the world cannot enter into heaven, but heaven can into the world, which happens when the Lord coming by way of heaven flows into a person by means of the Word and resides in him, and so enlightens, teaches, and leads him. The fact that entering from the world into the things of heaven is contrary to Divine order may be recognized from the consideration that those who enter into them from the sensory level of their mind, thus who do so from factual knowledge derived from the world, have no belief at all.
[5] Protection against this is meant by 'lions, oxen, and cherubs'. By 'lions' protection to prevent truths from entering is meant, for lions are truths in their power, 6367, 6369, and by 'oxen' protection to prevent forms of good from entering, for oxen are forms of good in their power, 2781. By 'cherubs' the Lord's protection against such an occurrence is meant, see 308, 9509; and by 'the shoulders' of which also mention is made power and resistance are meant, see 1085, 4931-4937, 9836. By 'the chariot-like wheels' the ability to be made wise when everything enters from heaven is meant, for in this way everything moves on according to order, 'chariot wheels' being the ability to move on, thus to learn, 8215, 9872, and chariots being doctrinal teachings which heaven and the Church possess, 5321, 8215.
[6] What a sensory-minded person is must again be stated briefly. A person is called sensory-minded whose thought is based solely on such ideas in the memory as are derived from the world and whose mind cannot be raised to more internal levels. Such is the situation with those in particular who have no belief at all in heaven or in the Deity because they do not see them; for they trust solely in the senses, and what they do not perceive through these is not thought by them to have any existence. Such people come near to having a mind no different from that of animals, which too are led solely by their external senses. They are still wily and clever in action and reasoning, but they do not see truth in its own light. In former times such people were referred to as serpents of the tree of knowledge. Most of the hellish crew are of that sort. But what a sensory-minded person is and what the sensory level of the mind is, see the places referred to in 9331(end), and also 9726, 9730, 9731, 9922(end), 9996; and what it is to be raised above or drawn away from the level of the senses, the places referred to in 9922(end).
[7] Good on the level of the senses, meant by 'a pedestal made from bronze', is an expression which denotes the pleasure and delight that influence thought and imagination based solely on such things as are earthly, bodily, and worldly. It is distinguishable from other kinds of delight by the fact that it sees no other purposes to be served apart from those indulging the self or benefiting the self. For the sensory-minded person is steeped in self-love and love of the world, and the delights that are his go with those loves. And since the loves of a sensory-minded person are such as these, it is evident that he is cleverer than others in reasoning and in doing things for the sake of gain and position. For his body is burning with the fire of that love, and that fire produces a light that is called natural illumination. And when this light flares into brightness the light of heaven which belongs to the interior man is altogether blotted out. So it is that because the things belonging to the light of heaven are in thick darkness they are said not to exist. It is different in the case of those whose actions are burning with the fire of heaven and whose thoughts are lit by the light from it. All this shows what should be understood by good on the level of the senses, meant by the pedestal of the laver made from bronze.
Latin(1748-1756) 10236
10236. `Et basin ejus aere': quod significet bonum ultimi naturalis, quod est sensualis, constat ex significatione `baseos' labri in quo aqua pro lavatione, quod sit ultimum naturalis, quod vocatur sensuale, et ex significatione `aeris' quod sit bonum, de qua supra n. 10,235; quod `basis' sit ultimum naturalis, quod {1}vocatur sensuale externum, est quia per `labrum' quod supra est, significatur naturale in quo purificatio {2};inde per id quod infra est significatur quod in infimo loco, {3}hoc est, in ultimo est, ita sensuale externum hominis; naturale hominis est externum, est medium, et est internum; externum naturalis communicat cum mundo et vocatur sensuale externum, naturale internum est quod communicat cum interno homine, qui est in caelo, {4} naturale medium est conjungens utrumque, nam ubi externum et internum, erit medium conjungens; quod homini sit naturale externum, medium, et internum {5}, videatur n. 4009, 4570, 5118, (x)5126, 5649, (x)9215. Per sensuale quod ultimum naturalis {6}, intelligitur proprie id [2] quod caro vocatur, et perit cum homo moritur, ita quod inservivit homini pro ejus functionibus in mundo, sicut sensuale visus, auditus, olfactus, gustus, et tactus; quod id sensuale sit planum ultimum in quo vita hominis terminatur et super quo ut super basi se reponit, constare potest, nam immediate exstat mundo, {7}et per illud ut extremum intrat mundus et exit caelum; (m)sed hoc sensuale {8} est homini commune cum brutis animalibus, at sensuale externum quod non ita homini {9}commune est cum illis, et usque est sensuale externum, est quod homini in memoria est ex mundo, {10}et constituitur ex solis rebus mundanis, corporeis, et terrestribus ibi; homo qui {11}ex illis solum cogitat et ratiocinatur, et non ex interioribus, vocatur (t)homo sensualis; hoc sensuale manet homini {12} post mortem, sed quiescit; {13}hoc sensuale externum(n) {14}est quod proprie significatur per `basin'; [3] quale hoc sit, repraesentatum est per bases decem labrorum, quae juxta templum erant posita; bases illae ita describuntur, Salomo fecit bases decem ex aere, quattuor cubiti longitudo basis cujusvis, et quattuor cubiti latitudo; tres cubiti altitudo. Super clausuris quae inter scalas, leones, boves, et cherubi; ac super scalis similiter superius. Insuper quattuor rotae basi cuique, et tabulae aeris; at quattuor angulis ejus umeri; subter labro umeri fusi: opus rotarum sicut opus rotae curtus; manus earum, et terga earum, et canthi earum, et radii earum omnia fusile: juxta hoc fecit decem bases; fusura una, mensura una, proportio una omnibus illis. Inde fecit decem labra ex aere; quadraginta bathos continebat unumquodque labrum; quattuor cubiti labrum unumquodvis, 1 Reg. vii 27-39;[4] (s)quale sensualis externi apud hominem hic per repraesentativa describitur, ac imprimis tutela Domini, ne homo ex (t)suo sensuali, ita ex mundo, intret in illa quae caeli {15}seu Ecclesiae sunt; hoc enim est ordini Divino contrarium, nam mundus in caelum {16}intrare nequit, sed caelum in mundum; quod fit cum Dominus per caelum influit apud hominem, illustrat illum, docet illum, et ducit illum, per Verbum; {17}quod e mundo intrare in illa quae caeli sunt sit contra Divinum ordinem, constare potest ex illis qui ex sensuali suo, ita qui ex scientificis quae ex mundo intrant, quod prorsus nihil credant; tutela ne hoc fiat significatur per [5] `leones,' `boves,' et `cherubos'; per `leones' enim significatur tutela ne vera intrent, nam leones sunt vera in sua potentia, n. 6367, 6369, per `boves' significatur tutela ne bona intrent, boves enim sunt bona in sua potentia, n. 2781; quod per `cherubos' significetur tutela Domini ne id fiat, videatur n. 308, 9509, {18} quod `umeri' quorum etiam mentio fit, sint potentia, (c)ac resistentia, videatur n. 1085, 4931-4937, 9836; per `rotas sicut currus' significatur facultas sapiendi cum intrant omnia e caelo, sic enim omnia secundum ordinem progrediuntur, rotae enim currus sunt facultas progrediendi, ita discendi, n. (x)8215, 9872, et currus sunt {19} quae doctrinae caeli et Ecclesiae {20}, n. 5321, 8215.(s) [6] Quid sensualis homo, iterum paucis dicetur: homo sensualis dicitur qui cogitat solum ex talibus quae in memoria sunt ex mundo, et qui versus interiora elevari non potest; tales imprimis sunt qui nihil de caelo et de Divino credunt quia non vident illa, fidunt enim solum sensibus; et quae non coram illis apparent, nihil esse (d)credunt; accedunt tales prope ad genium brutorum animalium, quae etiam solum (c)ex sensibus externis ducuntur; {21}sunt usque astuti et sollertes in agendo et ratiocinando, sed non vident verum ex luce veri; dicti fuerunt tales olim serpentes arboris scientiae; turba infernalis pleraque talis est. {22}Sed quid sensualis homo et quid sensuale, videatur in locis citatis, n. 9331 fin., tum n. 9726, 9730, 9731, 9922 fin., 9996, et quid sit elevari supra sensualia, seu abduci ab illis, {23}in locis citatis n. 9922 fin. Bonum sensualis, quod significatur per `basin ex aere,' est quod [7] vocatur volupe et {24} jucundum afficiens cogitationem imaginativam, quae cogitatio est ex meris talibus, quae sunt {25}terrestria, corporea, et mundana, et dinoscitur ab aliis jucundis per id quod non spectet alios usus quam qui sunt {26}sui aut propter se, nam sensualis homo est in amore sui et mundi {27}, et jucunda quae ei, sunt illorum amorum; (s){28}et quia amores sensualis hominis tales sunt, patet quod ille prae aliis sollers in ratiocinando sit, et in agendo propter lucra et honores; corpus enim ejus flagrat ex igne illius amoris, ac ille ignis accendit lumen, quod vocatur lumen naturale; et cum hoc usque ad splendorem accensum est, tunc lux caeli, quae interioris hominis est, prorsus obscuratur; inde quae {29}hujus lucis sunt, quia in caligine, dicuntur nihil esse; aliter apud illos qui ex igne caeli agunt, et ex luce inde cogitant.(s) Ex his constare potest quid intelligitur per bonum sensualis, quod significatur per basin labri ex aere. @1 est sensuali$ @2 i, ut mox supra ostensum$ @3 seu ultimo, quod id sit sensuale externum constat ex illis quae de sensuale externo hominis passim ostensa est$ @4 i et$ @5 i sit$ @6 i est$ @7 d et i quare$ @8 i externum$ @9 cum brutis commune est$ @10 ita$ @11 inde solum cogitur$ @12 i etiam$ @13 inde patet quod$ @14 describitur ulterius per bases labrorum, quae juxta Templum posita erant, quae describuntur, ideo super clausuris decem labra juxta Templum$ @15 et$ @16 Before mundus$ @17 quod contrarium sit Divino ordini, constare potest ex illis qui ex sensuali suo, hoc est, ex se et non ex Domino in illa quae coeli sunt, intrant$ @18 i et$ @19 i talia$ @20 i sunt$ @21 sunt plerique ex illis, sicut quidem bestiae, astuti et solertes in agendo et ratiocinando; et solertes sed usque non vident aliquid verum ex luce veri$ @22 In A all that is written from here to illorum amorum in the last line of the page is crossed through. In m is written apart blad ( = on a separate sheet) but no rewriting of this section appears in A. Differences between the deleted section of A and what appears in I are shown here in notes 6-10.$ @23 loci citati$ @24 i est$ @25 ex corpore$ @26 proprii appetitus et voluptates$ @27 i est propter se,$ @28 Et quia amor illorum talis est, et inde voluptas, patet, quod prae aliis solertes in ratiocinando sint$ @29 illius$