127、在主的引导下，我被天使带到星空中的一个星球，在那里蒙允许看到这个星球本身，但没有与那里的居民交谈，只与来自该星球的灵人交谈。每个星球的所有居民或所有人在世上的生命结束后，都会变成灵人，并留在自己的星球附近。然而，我能从这些灵人那里搜集到有关他们星球及其居民状态的信息。因为当人们离开肉体时，他们会带走自己以前的一切生命和一切记忆。
被带到宇宙中的星球不是指身体，而是指灵被带到或转移到那里。灵通过内在生命状态的变化被引导，这些变化在他看来，就像通过空间旅行。生命状态的一致或相似之处决定了人们的亲近程度，因为生命的一致或相似之处将他们联结起来，而不一致或不同之处则将他们分开。由此明显可知灵里的旅行如何进行，人又如何接近遥远的地方，而本人仍留在原处。
不过，通过内在状态的变化将灵人带出自己的星球，并使这些变化逐渐发展，直至达到一个与他们被带往之人的状态相一致或类似的状态，这是唯有主才能做到的事。因为在往返的过程中，从头至尾必须有持续的指引和预见。这种事若发生在一个肉体仍在自然界，由此受制于空间的人身上，尤其需要主的帮助。那些陷入身体感官，并出于它们思考的人无法被引导相信，这一切实实在在地发生了。
原因在于，身体感官无法理解脱离空间的旅行。但那些出于其灵的感官思考，多少有点远离或退离身体感官的人能被引导相信并理解；因为内在思维没有空间或时间的概念，取而代之的是产生空间和时间的事物。因此，接下来有关星空中诸星球的内容是讲给这些人的，而非其他人，除非这其他人是那种能允许自己接受教导的人。死后，人仍保留他对世上一切事的记忆(AC 2476-86)。在来世，位置的移动、前进和变化是内在生命状态的变化；但它们仍向灵人和天使显现为真实的位置变化(AC 1273-1277, 1377, 3356, 5605, 10734)。
127. A First Extrasolar Planet and Its Spirits and Inhabitants, Based on Things I Heard and Saw for Myself
Angels who had been sent by the Lord took me to a particular extrasolar planet, where I was allowed to observe the planet itself, but not to speak with its inhabitants-although I was allowed to speak with spirits who came from there. After their lives in the physical world come to an end, all the people who inhabit a given planet become spirits and remain in the general neighborhood of their planet. They are still able, therefore, to be a source of information about their planet and the state of the people who live there, because when we leave our bodies we take with us our whole former life, including our whole memory. 1
[2] Being taken to other planets in the universe does not mean being taken there in the body, but rather in the spirit, which is led through changes of the state of its inner life that seem like movement through space. 2What enables people to approach each other is harmony or similarity in the states of their lives, because harmony and similarity bring people together, and discord and dissimilarity drive them apart. As a result, a person’s spirit can be transported and brought to distant places while the person remains in the same place.
[3] Only the Lord, though, has the power to lead our spirit outside its usual sphere through changes of our inner state. Only he can bring it about that these changes follow a sequence that leads to a state of harmony or similarity with the people to whom we are being led. This requires foresight and constant guidance from beginning to end, there and back, and this is especially true in the case of people who are still bodily present in the material world, and are therefore in [time and] space.
[4] This actually happened to me, but if people are completely absorbed in their physical senses and do their thinking on that basis, there is no way to get them to believe that. This is because the physical senses cannot grasp the idea of travel without moving through space. If people do their thinking on the basis of the senses of their spirit, though, at least somewhat above and away from the senses of their body, and therefore think inwardly, they can be led to believe and grasp this, because there is no space or time in the concepts of deeper thought. Instead, there are the properties that underlie space and time.
The following material about extrasolar planets is for people like this, then, and not for others unless they are by nature willing to learn.
Footnotes:
1. [Swedenborg note] After death we retain a memory of all our dealings in the world: 2475–2486.
2. [Swedenborg note] See note on 125.
127. X. THE FIRST WORLD IN THE STARRY SKY, AND ITS SPIRITS AND INHABITANTS: A REPORT BASED ON THINGS HEARD AND SEEN
Under the Lord's guidance I was taken by angels to a world in the starry sky, where I was allowed to look at the world itself, but not to talk with its inhabitants, only with spirits from it. All the inhabitants or people of each world become spirits when their life in the world is over, and they remain in the vicinity of their own world. I was, however, able to gather information from them about their world and the condition of its inhabitants. For when people leave the body, they take with them their whole previous life and everything in their memory. 1
[2] Being taken to worlds in space does not mean being taken or travelling in body, but in spirit. The spirit is guided through varying states of inner life, which appear to him like travels through space. 2Agreement or similarity in states of life determines how close people come, for agreement or similarity of life links them, disagreement or dissimilarity separates them. This can allow it to be seen how travel in spirit takes place, and how one can approach distant places, while the person still keeps to his same place.
[3] But taking spirits by changes of inner state outside their own globe, making the changes advance by stages until a state is reached which agrees with or resembles that of the people to whom they are being taken, is something only the Lord can do. For there must be continuous guidance and planned advance from first to last, on both outward and return journeys. It especially needs the Lord's help for this to happen to a person who in body is still in the world of nature, and consequently subject to spatial constraints. Those who are dependent on the impressions conveyed by the bodily senses, and think only in these terms, cannot be brought to believe this actually happened.
[4] The reason is that the bodily senses cannot grasp the idea of travel without movement through space. But those whose thinking comes from the senses of the spirit a little withdrawn or distanced from the body's senses, can be brought to believe and grasp it, since inner thinking has no concept of space or time, but their place is taken by the things which give rise to space and time. It is therefore for these people that the following reports on the worlds in the starry sky are intended, not for the others, unless they are the sort of people who will allow themselves to be instructed.
Footnotes:
1. After death a person keep with him his memory of everything it contained in the world (Arcana Caelestia 2476-2486).
2. Motion, progress and change of place in the next life are changes in the state of inner life; they still appear as real to spirits and angels as if they were actually taking place (Arcana Caelestia 1273-1277, 1377, 3356, 5605, 10734).
127. THE FIRST EARTH IN THE STARRY HEAVEN, ITS SPIRITS AND INHABITANTS; FROM THINGS HEARD AND SEEN.
I was led by the Lord by means of angels to a certain earth in the starry heaven, where it was given me to look into the earth itself, yet not to speak with the inhabitants there, but with the spirits who were from it. All the inhabitants or men of every earth, after the life in the world is finished, become spirits, and remain near their own earth. From these spirits, however, information is given about their earth, and about the state of the inhabitants there; for men who leave the body bring with them all their former life, and all their memory. 1To be led to earths in the universe is not to be led and transferred thither as to the body, but as to the spirit; and the spirit is led by variations of the state of the interior life, which appear to it as progressions through space. 2Approaches also are made according to agreements or similarities of states of life; for agreement or similarity of life conjoins, and disagreement and dissimilarity disjoin. From this may be evident how transference is made as to the spirit, and approach to what is distant, the man still remaining in his place. But to lead the spirit beyond its own world by variations of the state of its interiors, and to make the variations advance successively even to a state agreeing with or similar to that of those to whom it is led, is in the power of the Lord alone. For there must be continual direction and foresight from first to last, in going and returning; especially with a man who is still in the world of nature as to the body, and thereby in space. That this has been done, those who are in the bodily senses and think from them, cannot be induced to believe, for the reason that what is of bodily sense cannot comprehend progressions without space. But still they who think from the sense of their spirit, somewhat removed or withdrawn from the sense of the body, thus interiorly in themselves, may be led to believe and to comprehend; since in the idea of the interior thought there is not space nor time, but instead thereof those things from which spaces and times exist. It is for such persons that what follows concerning the earths in the starry heaven is related, and not for others, unless they will suffer themselves to be instructed.
Footnotes:
1. Man after death retains the memory of all his affairs in the world (Arcana Coelestia 2476-2486).
2. Movements, progressions, and changes of place in the other life are changes of state of the interiors of the life, and still they appear to spirits and angels as real changes of place (Arcana Coelestia 1273-1277, 1377, 3356, 5605, 10734).
127. DE PRIMA TELLURE IN COELO ASTRIFERO, et DE EJUS SPIRITIBUS et INCOLIS; EX AUDITIS et VISIS
Ducebar per Angelos a Domino ad Tellurem quandam in Coelo astrifero, ubi datum est inspicere in ipsam Tellurem, sed non loqui cum incolis ibi, verum cum Spiritibus qui inde; omnes incolae seu homines cujuscunque Telluris, post transactam vitam in mundo, fiunt spiritus, et manent juxta suam Tellurem: ex illis tamen informatio datur de Tellure, et de statu incolarum ibi; nam homines, qui decedunt e corpore, secum ferunt omnem vitam priorem, et omnem memoriam. 1Duci ad Tellures in Universo, non est duci et transferri illuc quoad corpus sed quoad spiritum, et spiritus ducitur per variationes status vitae interioris, quae apparent ei sicut progressiones per Spatia. 2Appropinquationes etiam fiunt secundum statuum vitae convenientias seu similitudines, nam vitae convenientia seu similitudo conjungit, et disconvenientia et dissimilitudo disjungit. Inde constare potest quomodo translatio sit quoad spiritum, et ejus appropinquatio ad dissita, manente usque homine in suo loco. Sed ducere spiritum per variationes status interiorum ejus extra suum orbem, et facere ut variationes progrediantur successive usque ad statum convenientem seu similem illis ad quos ducitur, in potentia solius Domini est; erit enim directio continua et praevisio a primo ad ultimum, cis et retro; imprimis ut hoc fiat cum homine, qui adhuc quoad corpus in mundi natura est, et per id in spatio. Quod ita factum sit, illi qui in sensualibus corporeis sunt, et ex illis cogitant, non induci possunt ad credendum; causa est, quia sensualia corporea non possunt capere progressiones absque spatiis: at usque illi, qui ex sensuali spiritus sui aliquantum remoto seu subducto a sensuali corporis, ita interius in se, cogitant, possunt induci ad credendum et capere, quoniam in idea cogitationis interioris non est spatium nec tempus, sed pro illis talia ex quibus spatia et tempora. Pro his itaque sint haec quae sequuntur de Telluribus in Coelo astrifero, et non pro aliis, nisi tales sint ut se instrui patiantur.
Footnotes:
1. Quod homo post mortem secum habeat memoriam omnium suarum rerum in munda, Arcana Coelestia 2476-2486.
2. Quod motus, progressiones, et mutationes loci in altera vita sint mutationes status interiorem vitae, et quod usque realiter appareant spiritibus et angelis sicut actualiter sint, Arcana Coelestia 1273-1277, 1377, 3356, 5605, 10734.