205、离散层级既存在于先后秩序中，也存在于同步秩序中。这些层级的先后秩序是从最高到最低，或从上到下。天使天堂就处于这种秩序；处于该秩序的第三层天堂是最高的，第二层天堂是中间的，第一层天堂则是最低的；这就是它们的相对位置。在众天堂，天使里面的爱和智慧的状态，还有他们的热和光的状态，以及属灵大气的状态也处于相同的先后秩序。在那里，形式和力的一切完美同样处于相同的秩序。
当高度层级或离散层级处于先后秩序时，它们好比分为三层的圆柱，人通过这三层可升可降。最完美、最漂亮的事物在顶层；不怎么完美、漂亮的事物在中层；更不完美、漂亮的事物在底层。
但由相同层级构成的同步秩序则有另一番景象。其中，先后秩序的最高成分(如前所述，它们是最完美、最漂亮的)在核心；其较低成分在中间；最低成分在周边。它们就像在一个这些层级所组成的固体中：最好的元素在中间或核心；不怎么好的元素在这核心周围；由这些构成、因而更粗糙的元素在构成表面或周边的最外围。这就像是刚才所提到的圆柱下沉为一个平面，其最高部分形成该平面的最内层，中间部分形成中间层，最低部分形成最外层。
205. In a sequential arrangement, the first level is the highest and the third the lowest, while in a simultaneous arrangement, the first level is the center and the third level is the circumference. There is a sequential arrangement and a simultaneous one. The sequential arrangement of these levels is from highest to lowest or from top to bottom. This is the arrangement of the angelic heavens, with the third heaven 1 as the highest, the second in between, and the first as the lowest. These are their relative locations.
The same sequential arrangement applies to states of love and wisdom among angels in heaven, to warmth and light, and to spiritual atmospheres. The same arrangement applies to all the processes of perfection of events and forms there.
When the vertical or distinct levels are in this sequential arrangement, they are like a tower divided into three floors so that one can go up or down. The most perfect and lovely things are on the top floor, less perfect and lovely things on the middle floor, and still less perfect and lovely things on the lowest floor.
In a simultaneous arrangement of the same levels, though, it looks different. Then the highest elements of the sequential arrangement--as I have mentioned, the most perfect and lovely ones--are in the center, the lower ones in an intermediate region, and the lowest on the outside. It is as though there were a solid object made up of these three levels with the finest substances in the middle or center, less fine particles around that, and on the outside, forming a kind of envelope, parts composed of these and therefore coarsest. It is as though the tower we were talking about had settled into a plane, with the top floor becoming the center, the middle floor an intermediate region, and the lowest floor the outside.
Footnotes:
1. Swedenborg uses the term "third heaven" here because (counting upward from the perspective of the material world) that was the conventional biblical designation of the heaven on the first or highest level. See 2 Corinthians 12:2.
205. In sequential order the first degree constitutes the highest element, and the third the lowest; but in concurrent order the first degree constitutes the inmost element, and the third the outmost. Discrete degrees exist in sequential order and in concurrent order. The sequential order of these degrees extends from highest to lowest, or from top to bottom. In such an order are the angelic heavens. The third heaven in this order is the highest, the second heaven is intermediate, and the first heaven is the lowest. That is their situation in relation to each other.
In a like sequential order in the heavens are the states of love and wisdom in angels, and likewise their states of warmth and light, and also those of the spiritual atmospheres. In a like order are all perfections of the forms and forces there.
[2] When degrees of height or discrete degrees are in sequential order, they may then be likened to a column or tower divided into three levels through which one may ascend or descend, whose uppermost story contains things most perfect and beautiful, the intermediate story things less perfect and beautiful, and the lowest story things still less perfect and beautiful.
[3] Concurrent order, on the other hand, which consists of like degrees, has a different appearance. In it the highest constituents of sequential order - which, as we said, are the most perfect and beautiful - are at the core, its lower constituents in an interjacent area surrounding that, and its lowest constituents on the periphery. They are like concentric layers in a solid object consisting of three such degrees, whose core or center contains the finest elements, round about which are elements less fine, and in the outmost parts which form the surface, elements composed of these, and thus cruder. It may be likened to the column or tower referred to just above sinking down into a single plane, whose highest level then forms the inmost degree, its intermediate level the interjacent degree round about, and its lowest level the outmost degree.
205. IN SUCCESSIVE ORDER THE FIRST DEGREE MAKES THE HIGHEST, AND THE THIRD THE LOWEST; BUT IN SIMULTANEOUS ORDER THE FIRST DEGREE MAKES THE INMOST, AND THE THIRD THE OUTERMOST
There is successive order and simultaneous order. The successive order of these degrees is from highest to lowest, or from top to bottom. The angelic heavens are in this order. There the third heaven is the highest, the second is the middle, and the first is the lowest. Such is their relative situation. In like successive order are the states of love and wisdom with the angels there, also states of heat and light and of the spiritual atmospheres. In like order are all the perfections of forms and forces there. When degrees of height, that is, discrete degrees, are in successive order, then they may be compared to a column divided into three stages through which ascent and descent are made. In its upper storey are things most perfect and most beautiful; in the middle one, things less perfect and beautiful; in the lowest, things still less perfect and beautiful. Simultaneous order, however, which consists of like degrees has another appearance. In it the highest things of successive order which are, as was said above, the most perfect and the most beautiful are in the inmost, the lower things in the middle, and the lowest on the circumference. They are as if in a solid composed of these three degrees, in the middle or centre of which are the finest parts, round about this are parts less fine, and in the extremes which constitute the circumference are the parts composed of these and which are therefore grosser. It is like the column mentioned just above subsiding into a plane, the highest part of which forms the inmost, the middle forms the middle and the lowest the outermost.
205. IN SUCCESSIVE ORDER THE FIRST DEGREE MAKES THE HIGHEST, AND THE THIRD THE LOWEST; BUT IN SIMULTANEOUS ORDER THE FIRST DEGREE MAKES THE INNERMOST, AND THE THIRD THE OUTERMOST.
There is successive order and simultaneous order. The successive order of these degrees is from highest to lowest, or from top to bottom. The angelic heavens are in this order; the third heaven there is the highest, the second is the middle, and the first is the lowest; such is their relative situation. In like successive order are the states of love and wisdom with the angels there, also states of heat and light, and of the spiritual atmospheres. In like order are all the perfections of the forms and forces there. When degrees of height, that is, discrete degrees, are in successive order, they may be compared to a column divided into three stories, through which ascent and descent are made. In the upper rooms are things most perfect and most beautiful; in the middle rooms, things less perfect and beautiful; in the lowest, things still less perfect and beautiful. But simultaneous order, which consists of like degrees, has another appearance. In it, the highest things of successive order, which are (as was said above) the most perfect and most beautiful, are in the inmost, the lower things are in the middle, and the lowest in the circumference. They are as if in a solid body composed of these three degrees: in the middle or center are the finest parts, round about this are parts less fine, and in the extremes which constitute the circumference are the parts composed of these and which are therefore grosser. It is like the column mentioned just above subsiding into a plane, the highest part of which forms the innermost of the plane, the middle forms the middle, and the lowest the outermost.
205. QUOD IN ORDINE SUCCESSIVO PRIMUS GRADUS FACIAT SUPREMUM, AC TERTIUS INFIMUM; AT QUOD IN ORDINE SIMULTANEO PRIMUS GRADUS FACIAT INTIMUM, AC TERTIUS EXTIMUM. Est Ordo successivus et Ordo simultaneus; Ordo successivus horum graduum est a supremo ad infimum, seu a summo ad imum; in hoc Ordine sunt Coeli angelici[;] Coelum tertium ibi est supremum, secundum est medium, ac primum est infimum; situs eorum inter se talis est: In simili Ordine successivo sunt ibi status amoris et sapientiae apud Angelos, tum etiam caloris et lucis, ut et athmosphaerarum spiritualium; in simili Ordine sunt omnes perfectiones formarum et virium ibi.
[2] Cum Gradus altitudinis seu discreti in Ordine successivo sunt, tunc illi comparari possunt Columnae divisae in tres gradus, per quos fit ascensus et descensus, in cujus superiore mansione sunt perfectissima et pulcherrima; in media minus perfecta et pulchra; in infima autem adhuc minus perfecta et pulchra.
[3] Ordo autem simultaneus, qui ex similibus gradibus consistit, in alia apparentia est; in hoc sunt suprema Ordinis successivi, quae ut dictum est, perfectissima et pulcherrima sunt, in intimo, inferiora in medio, et infima in ambitu; sunt sicut in solido ex tribus illis gradibus constante, in cujus medio seu centro sunt partes subtilissimae, circum circa illud partes minus subtiles, et in extremis, quae ambitum faciunt, sunt partes ex illis compositae, et inde crassiores: est sicut columna illa, de qua nunc supra, subsidens in planum, cujus supremum facit intimum, ac medium facit medium, ac infimum facit extremum.