1387、我曾数次向那些在来世的人谈论感知，他们在世时自以为能洞悉并明了一切。我告诉他们，天使便感知到他们从主思考、说话、意愿和行动。但他们仍无法想象感知是什么，因为他们以为如果一切都以这种方式从主流入，那么他们就会失去一切生命。他们之所以会失去生命，是因为在这种情况下，他们不会从自己，或他们的自我思考任何东西；而他们认为生命就在于此；并且在这种情况下，这意味着是别人在替他们思考，而不是他们自己在思考；那么他们将是没有任何生命在里面的器官或工具。但我告诉他们，就生命而言，有感知和没有感知之间的区别就像黑暗和光明之间的区别；当人们接受这种感知时，他们才第一次开始感觉活着，因为在这种情况下，他们从主活着，并且还有一个自我，这自我与所有幸福快乐一起被赐予他们。大量经历也向他们表明感知到底是怎么回事，在此期间他们承认感知存在的可能性。可过了一会，他们又忘了，并怀疑和否认它的存在。这清楚表明理解何为感知对人来说何等困难。
New Century Edition
Cooper(2008,2013)
[NCE]1387. Several times I have talked about perception with people in the next life who while they were living in the world had imagined they could investigate and understand any subject. "Angels," I said, "perceive that they think and speak and that they will and act from the Lord."
The people I was talking to, though, could not comprehend what perception was. They thought that if everything were the result of outside influence like this, it would rob them completely of life, because it would mean never thinking for themselves, never thinking independently — which for them was life. It would mean that someone else was thinking for them and not they themselves. So they would be mere instruments, devoid of life.
"The difference in quality of life between having perception and not having it," I pointed out, "is like night and day. You first start to live your own life when you receive this perception, because you then live from the Lord. You then enjoy a sense of individuality as well, which comes to you replete with every happiness and joy."
From plentiful experience, I also illustrated for them how perception works, and they then acknowledged that it was possible. After a while, though, they again forgot, doubted, and denied. This showed me how hard it is for people to grasp what perception is.
Potts(1905-1910) 1387
1387. I have several times conversed about perception with those in the other life who, while they lived in the world, had regarded themselves as able to penetrate and understand all things; telling them that angels perceive that they think and speak, and will and act from the Lord. But still they could not conceive what perception is, but supposed that if all things were to inflow in this way, they would be bereaved of all life; because in that case they would think nothing from themselves, or from what is their own; and in this they had made life to consist; and that in that case it would be another who was thinking, and not themselves; so that they would be mere organs devoid of life. But they were told that between having perception, and not having it, the difference of life is like that between light and darkness; and that men first begin to feel alive when they receive such perception; for then they live from the Lord, and also have what is their own, which is given together with all happiness and delight. It was also shown them by varied experience how the case is with perception, and at the time they acknowledged the possibility of it; but after a while they again did not know, doubted, and denied. From this it has been made evident how difficult it is for man to comprehend what perception is.
Elliott(1983-1999) 1387
1387. I have spoken on several occasions about perception to those in the next life who, while they lived in the world, imagined that they had the ability to see into and understand all things. I told them that angels perceive that they think and speak, will and act, from the Lord; but they were still unable to envisage what perception was, for they imagined that if all things flowed in from Him in that way they would be bereft of all life. They would be bereft of it because they would not think anything from themselves or from their proprium - in which activity they made life consist - and so it would be another who did the thinking and not they themselves, so that they would be organs without any life in them. They were told however that so far as life is concerned the difference between having perception and not having it is like the difference between darkness and light, and that people first begin to feel alive when they are receiving such perception, for in that case they live from the Lord yet also have a proprium, which is imparted to them together with every happiness and delight. They were also shown from much experience what perception really was, during which time they acknowledged the existence of it. But after a while they again had no knowledge of it, and doubted and denied its existence. This made clear how difficult it is for man to grasp what perception is.
Latin(1748-1756) 1387
1387. Locutus sum aliquoties de perceptione cum illis in altera vita qui dum vixerunt in mundo, putaverunt se omnia potuisse penetrare et intelligere, quod angeli percipiant, quod cogitent et loquantur, velint et agant a Domino; sed usque non potuerunt concipere quid perceptio, putantes, si influerent omnia ita, quod sic orbarentur omni vita; quia nihil ex semet aut proprio sic cogitarent, in quo posuerunt vitam, et quod sic alius esset qui cogitaret, et illi non, ita quod forent organa nullius vitae; sed illis dictum quod talis vitae differentia sit inter habere perceptionem et non habere qualis est inter tenebras et lucem; et quod tunc primum sibi vivant cum talem perceptionem accipiunt, nam vivunt tunc a Domino, habentes quoque proprium, quod illis datur cum omni felici et jucundo: illis quoque ostensum est pluri experientia quomodo se habeat cum perceptione, et tunc agnoverunt quod dabilis, sed post aliquam temporis moram iterum nesciverunt, dubitarunt, et negaverunt; exinde constare potuit quam aegre homo capere possit quid perceptio.