238、只要人活在世上，他对这些层级的打开便一无所知，因为这时他还处在属世层，也就是最表层，并照着该层级思考、意愿、说话和行动。此外，属灵层，即内层，与属世层的交流，并非通过与它的连续性联系，而是通过对应；通过对应的交流不为感官所感知。但当人死亡脱去属世层时，他便进入在世时在他里面所打开的层级。属灵层在里面被打开的人进入属灵层，属天层在里面被打开的人进入属天层。
死后进入属灵层的人，其思维、意愿和言行不再是属世的，而是属灵的；进入属天层的人则照着属天层思考、意愿、说话和行动。由于这三个层级只能通过对应交流，所以就这些层级而言，爱、智慧和功用是这样，它们通过连续性的联系则毫无共同之处。由此明显可知，人有三个高度层级，这些层级在他里面可依次被打开。
238. As long as we are living in this world, we have no knowledge of any opening of levels within us. This is because our attention is focused on the earthly level, which is the most remote. We are thinking, intending, and talking and acting on that basis; and the spiritual level, which is deeper, does not communicate with the earthly level directly, but only by correspondence. Communication by correspondence is imperceptible.
However, as soon as we put off the earthly level, which happens when we die, we come into awareness of whatever level has been opened within us in the world, of the spiritual level if that level has been opened, of the heavenly level if that level has been opened. If we become conscious on the spiritual level after death, then we no longer think, intend, or talk or act in an earthly way, but spiritually. If we become conscious on the heavenly level, then we think, intend, and talk and act on that level. Further, since communication among the three levels occurs only by correspondence, the differences in level of love, wisdom, and useful function are so definite that there is no communication between them by direct contact.
We can see from this that we do have three vertical levels and that these can be opened in sequence.
238. As long a person lives in the world, he has no knowledge of the opening of these degrees in him. The reason is that he is during that time in the natural degree, which is the lowest or outmost one, and he then thinks, wills, speaks and acts in accord with it. Furthermore, the spiritual degree, which is more interior, does not communicate with the natural degree by a continuous connection with it, but by correspondences, and a communication by correspondences is not perceptible to the senses.
On the other hand, when a person puts off the natural degree, which he does when he dies, he then comes into that degree which had been opened in him in the world - into the spiritual degree if that degree had been opened in him, into the celestial degree if that degree had been opened in him.
[2] A person who comes into the spiritual degree after death no longer thinks, wills, speaks and acts naturally, but spiritually; and one who comes into the celestial degree thinks, wills, speaks and acts in accordance with his own degree.
Moreover, because the communication of the three degrees takes place only through correspondences, therefore the differences in the love, wisdom and useful application in these degrees are such that they have nothing in common through any continuous connection.
It is apparent from this that a person possesses three degrees of height, and that these can be progressively opened.
238. So long as man lives in the world, he does not know anything about the opening of these degrees in him, the reason being that he is then in the natural degree which is the ultimate, and from this he thinks, wills, speaks and acts; and the spiritual degree which is interior, communicates with the natural degree, not by continuity, but by correspondences, and communication by correspondences is not sensibly felt. But as soon as man has put off the natural degree which is the case when he dies, he then comes into that degree which has been opened with him in the world. He with whom the spiritual degree has been opened comes into the spiritual degree, he with whom the celestial degree has been opened, comes into the celestial degree. He who comes into the spiritual degree after death, no longer thinks, wills, speaks and acts naturally, but spiritually; and he who comes into the celestial degree thinks, wills, speaks and acts in accordance with that degree. And because communication between degrees can only be by correspondences, therefore the distinctions of love, wisdom and use as regards these degrees are such as to have nothing in common through any continuity. From these things it is plain that there are degrees of height in man, and that they can be successively opened.
238. So long as man lives in the world he knows nothing of the opening of these degrees within him, because he is then in the natural degree, which is the outmost, and from this he then thinks, wills, speaks, and acts; and the spiritual degree, which is interior, communicates with the natural degree, not by continuity but by correspondences, and communication by correspondences is not sensibly felt. But when man puts off the natural degree, which he does at death, he comes into that degree which has been opened within him in the world; he in whom the spiritual degree has been opened coming into that degree, and he within whom the celestial degree has been opened coming into that degree. He who comes into the spiritual degree after death no longer thinks, wills, speaks, and acts naturally, but spiritually; and he who comes into the celestial degree thinks, wills, speaks, and acts according to that degree. And as there can be communication between the three degrees only by correspondences, the differences of love, wisdom, and use, as regards these degrees are such as to have no common ground by means of anything continuous. From all this it is plain that man has three degrees of height that may be successively opened in him.
238. Homo, quamdiu in Mundo vivit, non scit aliquid de aperitione illorum Graduum apud se[;] causa est, quia tunc in Gradu naturali, qui est ultimus, est, et ex illo tunc cogitat, vult, loquitur et agit, et Spiritualis Gradus, qui est interior, cum naturali Gradu non communicat per continuum, sed per correspondentias, et communicatio per correspondentias 1 non sentitur. At usque dum homo naturalem Gradum exuit, quod fit cum moritur, tunc venit in illum Gradum, qui apud illum in Mundo apertus fuit, in Spiritualem ille apud quem Spiritualis Gradus apertus fuit, in Coelestem ille apud quem coelestis Gradus;
[2] ille qui in Spiritualem Gradum post mortem venit, non amplius naturaliter cogitat, vult, loquitur et agit, sed spiritualiter; et qui in coelestem, 2 ille secundum suum gradum cogitat, vult, loquitur et agit: et quia communicatio trium graduum inter se datur solum per correspondentias, ideo discrimina amoris, sapientiae et usus quoad gradus illos talia sunt, ut non commune per aliquod continuum inter se habeant. Ex his patet, quod homini tres Gradus altitudinis sint, et quod successive possint aperiri.
Footnotes:
1. Prima editio: correspondentias,
2. Prima editio: coelestem',