158、我从天堂得知为何那里会有这样的状态变化。天使说有很多原因。首先，他们拥有的生命和天堂的快乐源于从主来的爱和智慧，如果他们始终处在这种快乐中，这快乐就会逐渐变得毫无价值，如同那些处在一成不变的快乐和愉悦之中的人；第二个原因是，天使和世人一样，也有自我，｛注1｝这包括爱自己。天堂里的所有天使都摆脱自我，在什么程度上靠主摆脱自我，就在什么程度上处在爱和智慧中。反之，他们越不摆脱，就越陷入自我之爱中，因为人人都爱自己的自我，并被它牵引，｛注2｝所以会经历状态的变化或连续的更替；第三个原因是，他们以这种方式变得完美，这样他们就会养成习惯，被持守在对主的爱中，并摆脱自我之爱。再者，通过在快乐和不快乐之间的更替，他们对良善的感知和感觉会变得越发细腻。｛注3｝
天使补充说，不是主引起他们状态的变化，因为显为太阳的主不停地流入热和光，也就是爱和智慧。原因在于他们自己，因为他们爱他们的自我，这不断地将他们带偏。这一点可通过对比尘世的太阳来说明：年复一年、日复一日的热与冷以及明与暗的状态变化，原因并不在于太阳，因为太阳保持不变，原因在于地球。
｛注1｝：【英117】这里的拉丁原文是proprium（“自我”、“自我统一体”，即属于自己的一切，任何属于自己的东西）。史威登堡使用这个形容词作为实体来表示构成我们个人身份、自我形象或自我意识的一切。【中】本书习惯上译为“自我”，严格地说是“小我”（proprium），因为主的自我（Proprium）才是真正的自我，是“大我”。
｛注2｝：人的自我就是爱自己（694，731，4317，5660）。为了主的同在，人的自我必须被分离（1023，1044）。当人被主保守在良善中时，它实际上被分离了（9334-9336，9447，9452-9454，9938）。
｛注3｝：天使越来越完美，直到永远（4803，6648）。在天堂，一种状态永远不会与另一种完全相同，因此才会有不断完美的过程（10200）。
------------
158. 我从天上被指教为何那里会有这样的状态变化. 天使说原因有很多. 首先, 他们从来自主的爱与智慧那里获得生命和天堂的快乐; 如果他们始终处于这种快乐, 这快乐就会逐渐丧失, 如那些处于一成不变的快乐和愉悦之人的情形. 第二个原因是, 天使和世人一样, 也有一个自我; 这自我就是爱自己. 天堂里的所有人都摆脱自我, 并且他们越靠着主摆脱它, 就越处于爱与智慧. 但是, 他们越不摆脱, 就越陷入自我之爱; 由于人人都爱自己的自我, 并被它吸引, 所以他们会经历状态的变化或连续的交替. 第三个原因是, 他们以这种方式得以完善, 因为如此他们就会变得习惯于被持守在对主之爱中, 并摆脱自我之爱.
再者, 对良善的觉知和感受通过快乐和不快乐之间的交替会变得越发敏锐. 天使补充说, 他们的状态变化不是主造成的, 因为显为太阳的主不断以热与光, 也就是以爱与智慧流入. 原因在于他们自己, 因为他们喜欢自我意识, 这不断误导他们. 这一点可通过对比尘世太阳来说明, 年复一年, 日复一日的热与冷, 以及明与暗的状态变化的原因并不在于太阳, 因为太阳是静止不动的, 原因在于地球.
注: 人的自我就是爱自己(天国的奥秘 694, 731, 4317, 5660节). 主无法同在, 除非自我形像被分离出去(天国的奥秘 1023, 1044节). 当人被主保守在良善中时, 它实际上被分离出去了(天国的奥秘 9334-9336, 9447, 9452-9454, 9938节). 天使越来越得以完善, 直到永远(天国的奥秘 4803, 6648节). 在天堂, 没有哪两种状态是完全一样的, 因此才会有不断完善的过程(天国的奥秘 10200节).
------------
158. 我從天國瞭解到為何會有這種變化的狀態。天人說其中原因很多。首先, 天人因接受主的仁與智而享受的生命和天國之樂若一直不變, 會讓他們逐漸感到乏味, 正如世人享受毫無多樣性的娛樂和樂趣。第二個原因, 像我們那樣, 天人也有自我或自我形像的感覺, 這會使之陷於愛自己之中。天國中所有天人的自我意識都被保持于自由狀態, 以至於是主保持他們于自由之中, 於是他們便享有仁與智。倘若他們沒有被保持于自由之中, 就被陷於愛自己之中。又因為天人無不喜歡這種自我意識, 並受其吸引, 生命狀態的變化或連續的更替就發生了。第三個理由, 天人們能以這樣的方式而得以更完全, 因為他們變得習慣於被保持在對主的愛中, 並且從愛自己的自我中被解脫並保持自由。再者, 通過這些在喜樂與不適之間的交替, 能讓天人對何為良善的感知靈敏度越來越細膩。
天人還說, 並不是主引起這些狀態的變化, 因為主作為太陽始終如一地散發熱與光, 也就是散發仁與智。引起變化的是天人自己, 因為他們所鍾情的自我意識時常在誤導著他們。天人以我們這個世界的太陽作比, 年復一年的寒暑交替, 日復一日的明暗變化, 並不是太陽造成的, 因為太陽靜止不動, 原因在於我們的地球。
158. I have been told from heaven why changes of state like this occur. Angels have said that there are many reasons. First, the delight of life and of heaven that angels enjoy because of the love and wisdom given them by the Lord would gradually pall if they were constantly engaged in it, the way it happens for people who are involved in pleasures and enjoyments without variety. A second reason is that angels have a sense of self or self-image just as we do, and this involves loving themselves. All the people in heaven are kept free of their sense of self, and to the extent that the Lord does keep them free, they enjoy love and wisdom. To the extent that they are not kept free, however, they are caught up in love for themselves; and since all of them do love that sense of self and carry it with them, 1these changes of state or successive alternations do occur. A third reason is that they are made more perfect in this way, since they become accustomed to being kept in love for the Lord and kept free from love for themselves. Further, by these alternations of delight and discomfort, their perception of and sensitivity to what is good become more and more delicate. 2
They have gone on to say that the Lord does not produce these changes of their states, since the Lord as the sun is always flowing in with warmth and light, that is, with love and wisdom. Rather, they themselves are the cause, since they love their sense of self and this is constantly misleading them. They illustrate this by comparison with our world's sun, which is not the cause of the changes of warmth and cold and of light and darkness, of distinct years and distinct days, because it stays motionless. The reason can be traced to our earth.
Footnotes:
1. Our self-image is loving ourselves: 694, 731, 4317, 5660. This self-image must be detached from us in order for the Lord to be present: 1023, 1044. It is actually detached when we are being kept in what is good by the Lord: 9334-9336, 9445 [9447?], 9452-9454, 9938.
2. Angels are being made more perfect to eternity: 4803, 6648. In heaven, there is never any state exactly like any other, which results in a perpetual process of perfecting: 10200.
------------
158. I have been informed from heaven why there are such changes of state there. The angels said that there are many reasons. First, the delight of life and of heaven which they have from the love and wisdom that are from the Lord, would gradually become worthless if they were in it continually, as is the case with those who are in delights and pleasures without variety. A second reason is that angels as well as men, have a proprium, and this consists in loving self. All in heaven are withheld from their proprium, and in so far as they are withheld from it by the Lord, to that extent they are in love and wisdom. But so far as they are not withheld they are in the love of self, and because everyone loves his proprium and it draws him, 1they have changes of state or successive alternations. A third reason is that they are in this way perfected, for they thus establish a habit of being held in love to the Lord and of being withheld from the love of self. Also by alternations between delight and lack of delight, the perception and sensation of good becomes more exquisite. 2The angels added that the Lord does not bring about their changes of state, since He, as a Sun is unceasingly flowing in with heat and light, that is, with love and wisdom. But the cause is in themselves in that they love what is their proprium and this continually leads them away. This was illustrated by comparison with the sun of the world, showing that the cause of the changes of state of heat and cold, and of light and shade, year by year and day by day, is not in that sun which remains stationary, but the cause is in the earth.
Footnotes:
1. Man's proprium is loving self (Arcana Coelestia 694, 731, 4317, 5660).
This has to be separated, for the Lord to be present (Arcana Coelestia 1023, 1044): it is indeed actually separated, when any one is held in good by the Lord (Arcana Coelestia 9334, 9335-9336, 9445, 9452-9454, 9938).
2. The angels are perfected to eternity (Arcana Coelestia 4803, 6648).
In the heavens one state is never exactly like another, and hence there is perpetual perfection (Arcana Coelestia 10200).
------------
158. I have been taught from heaven why there are such changes of state there. The angels said that there are many reasons-first, the delight of life and of heaven, which they have from love and wisdom from the Lord, would gradually lose its value if they were in it continually, as happens with those that are in allurements and pleasures without variety. A second reason is that angels, as well as men, have what is their own [proprium], which is loving self; and all that are in heaven are withheld from what is their own, and so far as they are withheld from it by the Lord are in love and wisdom; but so far as they are not withheld they are in the love of self; and because everyone loves what is his own and is drawn by it 1they have changes of state or successive alternations. A third reason is that they are in this way perfected, for they thus become accustomed to being held in love to the Lord and withheld from love of self; also that by alternations between delight and lack of delight the perception and sense of good becomes more exquisite. 2The angels added that their changes of state are not caused by the Lord, since the Lord as a sun is unceasingly flowing in with heat and light, that is, with love and wisdom; but the cause is in themselves, in that they love what is their own, and this continually leads them away. This was illustrated by comparison with the sun of the world, that the cause of the changes of state of heat and cold and of light and shade, year by year and day by day, is not in that sun, since it stands unchanged, but the cause is in the earth.
Footnotes:
------------
158. Informatus sum e caelo cur tales mutationes status ibi sunt. Dixerunt angeli, quod plures causae sint:- Prima, quod jucundum vitae et caeli, quod illis est ex amore et sapientia, quae a Domino, per gradus vilesceret, si continue in illo forent sicut fit illis qui in deliciis et amoenitatibus sunt absque varietate. Altera causa est, quod proprium sit aeque illis ac hominibus, et quod id sit se amare, et quod omnes a proprio suo detineantur qui in caelo, et quantum ab illo detinentur a Domino, tantum sint in amore et sapientia; at quantum non detinentur, sint in amore sui et quia quisque amat suum proprium, et id trahit, 1quod illis mutationes status seu successivae vices sint. Tertia causa est, quod sic perficiantur, quoniam ita assuescunt teneri in amore Domini, et detineri ab amore sui et quoque quod per vices jucundi et injucundi perceptio et sensatio boni exquisitior fiat. 2Addiderunt, quod Dominus mutationes status illorum non producat, quia Dominus ut Sol semper influit cum calore et luce, hoc est, cum amore et sapientia sed quod ipsi sint in causa, quia proprium suum amant, quod jugiter abducit. Illustrabatur hoc per comparationem cum sole mundi, quod in illo non sit causa mutationum status caloris et frigoris, ac lucis et umbrae, singulis annis et singulis diebus, quia immotus stat sed causa quod sit in tellure.
Footnotes: