532、众所周知，思想被意图引导，或者倾向于符合意图，也就是说，朝着人意指的方向。因为思想是人的内在视觉，在下面这一点上类似于外在视觉，即它转向并停歇在它所指向和瞄准的地方。因此，当内在视觉（或思想）转向并停留在尘世时，结果思想就变得属世；当转向自我和自尊时，它变得属肉体；但如果转向天堂时，它就变得属天。所以，它如果转向天堂，就被提升；如果转向自我，就脱离天堂，沉浸在肉体中；如果转向尘世，也会转离天堂，散布到眼前的物体上。
[2]人的爱造就人的意图，并决定了人的内在视觉或思想朝向自己的目标。因此，自我之爱将它固定在人自己及其属于自己的目标上，尘世之爱固定在世间的目标上，而天堂之爱则固定在属天的目标上。如果了解爱，就能知道构成心智的内层的状态，也就是说，人若爱天堂，他的内层被提升，朝向天堂，向上开放；若爱世界或爱自己，他的内层则向上闭合，向外打开。由此得出以下的结论：如果人心智的较高区域向上关闭，他就再也看不到属于天堂和教会的目标了，这些目标对他来说是处在浓厚的黑暗中。黑暗中的事物不是被否定就是不被理解。这就是为什么爱自己和世界胜过一切的人，在心中否认神性真理，因为他们的心智的较高区域被关闭了；即使他们凭记忆谈论天堂和教会的事物，他们也不明白它们。此外，他们对待这些事物的态度，和对待世俗和肉体的事物一样。如此一来，他们能够将心思导向只有通过身体感官进入的事物，并唯独以此为乐。这些事物中也包括大量污秽、淫荡、亵渎和犯罪的东西，它们不能被除掉，因为来自天堂的流注不能进入他们的心智，正如刚才所说的，他们的心智向上被关闭了。
[3]人的意图就是他的意志，决定了他的内在视觉或思想，因为人所意愿的他意欲图之，他所想要的就是他所思想的。因此，当人的意图指向天堂时，决定了他的思想就专注于天堂，连同整个心智也因而在天堂。他从天堂俯视在他之下的尘世的事物，如同人从房顶向下俯视。所以，心智的内层敞开的人能看见他里面的邪恶和伪谬，因为这些在属灵的心智之下；相反，内层没有敞开的人则看不见自己的邪恶和伪谬，因为他不是在它们之上，而是在它们当中。由此可以推断，人的智慧从何而来，人的疯狂从何而来，以及在死后，人被留在他的意志和思想中、依照他的内层行动和说话时，他将会是什么样子。我说这些，也是为了显明是什么构成了人的内层品性，尽管他在外表上好像与别人相似。
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532. 众所周知, 思维趋向于意图所引导的地方, 或去往人所指的地方. 事实上, 思维是人的内在视觉, 在这方面类似于外在视觉, 即: 它指向或瞄准到哪个点, 就转向并居于哪个点. 因此, 当内在视觉或思维转向并居于世界时, 结果就是, 思维变得世俗; 当转向自我和自我荣耀时, 它变得物质化, 是属血气的; 但当转向天堂时, 它就变得属天. 所以, 它若转向天堂, 就被提升; 若转向自我, 就从天堂被拽下来, 沉浸于物质和肉体; 若转向世界, 也会远离天堂, 分散到那些呈于属世视觉的物体当中.
人的爱构成人的意图, 将其内在视觉或思维指向它的物体; 因此, 自我之爱将它锁定在自我及其物体上, 尘世之爱将它锁定在世俗物体上, 而天堂之爱则将它锁定在天堂物体上. 若知道爱, 就能知道构成心智的内层状态; 也就是说, 爱天堂之人的内层被提升向天堂, 向上被打开; 而爱世界或爱自己之人的内层则向上被关闭, 向外被打开. 由此得出以下结论: 当心智的高层区域向上被关闭时, 人就再也无法看见属天堂和教会的物体, 这些物体对他来说处于黑暗; 凡处于黑暗的, 要么被否认, 要么不被理解. 这就是为何那些爱自己爱世界高于一切的人从心里否认神性真理, 因为他们心智的高层区域被关闭了; 他们即便凭记忆谈论它们, 也不明白. 此外, 他们对待这些事物的态度, 和对待世俗, 物质事物的一样. 既如此, 他们就只能思想经由物质感官进入的事物, 唯独以这些事物为乐. 他们的感官体验还包括大量肮脏, 淫秽, 亵渎和邪恶的东西, 它们无法被除去, 因为来自天堂的流注不可能进入他们的心智, 如刚才所说的, 他们的心智向上被关闭了.
将人的内在视觉或思维聚焦起来的意图就是他的意愿; 因为人的意愿决定了人的意图, 人的意图决定了人的思维. 因此, 当人的意图指向天堂时, 他的思维就专注于天堂, 其整个心智连同思维也专注于天堂, 因此这就是在天堂; 他从天堂俯视在他之下的尘世事物, 如同一个人从房顶向下看. 所以, 其心智内层敞开的人能看见在他里面的邪恶与虚假, 因为这些在属灵心智之下. 相反, 其内层没有敞开的人则看不见自己的邪恶与虚假, 因为他不是在它们之上, 而是在它们里面. 由此可推断出人的智慧和疯狂各从何而来, 以及死后, 当人照其内层意愿, 思考, 行动和说话时, 他会是什么样. 我说这一切也是为了清楚表明人的内层是何性质, 无论他表面看上去和其他人多么相似.
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532. 眾所周知, 人的思維隨著他的意志而轉, 意志指向哪, 它就跟到哪。事實上, 思維是人的內視, 其反應和人的外視相似, 都是隨目標而轉。人的內視(或思維)若轉向世界, 執著於世界, 其思想就成為屬物質的;若轉向自己的虛榮, 就成為屬肉體的;若轉向天國, 就成為屬天的。所以, 它若轉向天國, 就得以提升。若轉向自己, 就被扯離于天國, 沉迷於肉體。若轉向世界, 同樣是背離天國, 迷失於肉眼所接之物。
造就意志, 使內視(或思維)專注於目標之上的是人之所愛。愛自己, 使人的思維轉向自己;愛世界, 使人的思維轉向世界;愛天國, 使人的思維轉向天國。人若能確認他的所愛, 也就能瞭解其心靈所處的狀態。若是愛天國, 其心靈就向天國提升, 朝上頭開放;若是愛自己和世界, 其心靈就朝外開放, 朝上閉合。由此可以推斷, 人的心靈若是朝上閉合, 他就看不到屬於天國和教會之物。對他們而言, 天國和教會處於幽暗之中。凡處於幽暗中的, 他們要麼否認, 要麼無法領悟。愛己愛世界過於一切的人從心裡否認神性真理, 原因就在於他們的心已朝上閉合。即便他們憑記憶談論, 也並非真的領悟。而且他們從世界和肉體的角度去看待神性真理, 無法理解肉體感官之外的事物。這也是他們唯一的興趣所在, 其中包含著許多啟濁, 淫穢, 褻瀆, 邪惡的事物。他們無法擺脫這些誘惑, 因為沒有天國之流進入其心。如前面所說, 他們的心已朝上閉合。
使內視(或思維)專注於某個目標的是人的意志, 因為意志決定目標, 目標決定思維。所以, 人的目標若是天國, 他的思維就專注于天國, 其整個心靈也就沉浸于天國。他看待人間的事物, 如站在房頂向下俯視。這是心靈已被開啟的人能洞察自身欲望和謬見的原因, 因為欲望和謬見都在其心靈的審視之下。相反, 心靈未曾開啟的人看不到自身的欲望和謬見, 因為他們不在欲望和謬見之上, 而是陷入其中。由此可知人的智慧和愚癡各從何來, 也可知人死後, 當他照內在的秉性立志, 思維, 說話, 行事時, 將是什麼模樣。
我說這些, 也是為了表明, 雖然表面看來, 人們過著一樣的生活, 其實際情況卻可能各不相同。
532. Anyone may recognize that thoughts tend to follow where intentions lead, or to go where we aim them. Thought is actually our inner sight and behaves like our outward sight. It turns and dwells where it is directed and aimed. If our inner sight or thought is turned toward the world and dwells there, it follows that our thought becomes worldly. If it is turned toward self and our prestige, it becomes carnal. However, if it is turned toward heaven, it becomes heavenly. So if it is turned toward heaven, it is raised up; if it is turned toward self, it is pulled away from heaven and immersed in the physical; if it is turned toward the world, it is also turned away from heaven and spread out among whatever items meet our eyes.
[2] It is our love that creates our intentions and that focuses our inner sight or our thought on its objects. So love for ourselves directs our thought toward ourselves and what we claim as our own, love of the world directs it toward worldly matters, and love of heaven directs it toward heavenly matters. This can enable us to know what state the inner reaches of our minds are in once we identify our love. That is, if we love heaven, the inner reaches are raised up toward heaven and open upward. If we love the world and ourselves, our inner reaches are closed upward and open outward. So we may gather that if the higher reaches of our minds are closed to what is above them, we can no longer see the objects that pertain to heaven and the church. These are in darkness for us, and whatever is in darkness we either deny or do not understand. This is why people who love themselves and the world above all, since the higher levels of their minds are closed, deny divine truths at heart; and if they do say anything about them from their memory, they still do not understand it. They have the same attitude toward these matters as toward worldly and physical interests; and since they are like this, they cannot think about anything except what comes in through their physical senses, which are their sole delight. Their sensory experience also includes much that is foul, obscene, irreligious, and criminal. They cannot be distracted from these obsessions because there is no inflow from heaven into their minds, since as already noted their minds are closed to what is above them.
[3] The purpose that focuses our inner sight or thought is our volition, since our intentions determine our aims and our aims determine our thoughts. So if we aim for heaven, we focus our thinking on it, and with our thinking, our whole mind, which is therefore in heaven. This means it looks at the concerns of the world as below itself, like someone on the roof of a house. This is why people in whom the deeper levels of the mind are open can see the evil and false elements in themselves, since these are below their spiritual mind. Conversely, if people's inner reaches are not open, they cannot see their evil and false elements because they are in them and not above them. We may gather from this where our wisdom comes from and where our insanity comes from, and what we will be like after death when we are left to intend and think and then to act and speak in keeping with our inner nature.
Again, this has been presented to show what we are like inwardly, no matter how much alike we may seem outwardly.
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532. Anyone can know that thoughts are led or tend in accord with the intentions, that is, in the direction that the man intends; for thought is man's internal sight, and resembles the external sight in this, that to whatever point it is directed or aimed, thither it turns and there it rests. Therefore if the internal sight or the thought is turned towards the world and rests there, it follows that the thought becomes worldly; if it turns to self and self-honour it becomes corporeal; but if it is turned heavenwards it becomes heavenly. So, too, if turned heavenwards it is elevated; but if turned selfward it is drawn down from heaven and immersed in what is corporeal; and if turned towards the world it is also turned downwards from heaven, and is diffused upon the objects that are before the eyes.
[2] Man's love is what makes his intention and determines the sight of the internal man or the thought to its objects; thus the love of self fixes it upon self and its objects, the love of the world upon worldly objects, and the love of heaven upon heavenly objects. So when the love is known, the state of the interiors which are of the mind can be known, that is, the interiors of one who loves heaven are raised towards heaven and are opened above; while the interiors of one who loves the world or who loves himself are closed above and are opened outwardly. From this the conclusion follows that if the higher regions of the mind are closed above, man can no longer see the objects pertaining to heaven and the Church, but those objects are in thick darkness to him; and the things in thick darkness are either denied or not understood. This is why those who love themselves and the world above all things, since the higher regions of their minds are closed, in heart deny Divine truths; and if from their memory they say anything about them they nevertheless do not understand them. Moreover, they regard them in the same way as they regard worldly and corporeal things. And being such, they are able to direct the mind to those things only that enter through the senses of the body, and in these alone do they find delight. Among these are also many things that are filthy, obscene, profane and criminal; and these cannot be removed, because into the minds of such no influx from heaven is possible, since their minds, as just now said, are closed above.
[3] Man's intention, by which his internal sight or thought is determined, is his will; for what a man wills he intends, and what he intends he thinks. Therefore if his intention is heavenward his thought is determined heavenward, and with it his whole mind, which is thus in heaven; and from heaven he beholds the things of the world beneath him like one looking down from the roof of a house. So the man who has the interiors of his mind open can see the evils and falsities that are with him, for these are below the spiritual mind. On the other hand, the man with whom the interiors have not been opened is unable to see his evils and falsities, because he is not above them but in them. From these things it can be concluded whence man has wisdom and whence insanity, also what a man will be after death when he is left to will and think and to act and speak in accordance with his interiors. All these things also have been said that it may be known what the quality of a man is interiorly, however he may seem outwardly to resemble others.
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532. Everyone may know that thoughts are led or tend in accord with the intentions, that is, in the directions that one intends; for thought is man's internal sight, and resembles the external sight in this, that to whatever point it is directed or aimed, thither it turns and there it rests. Therefore when the internal sight or the thought is turned towards the world and rests there, the thought in consequence becomes worldly; when it turns to self and self-honor it becomes corporeal; but when it is turned heavenwards it becomes heavenly. So, too, when turned heavenwards it is elevated; but when turned selfward it is drawn down from heaven and immersed in what is corporeal; and when turned towards the world it is also turned down-wards from heaven, and is spent upon those objects that are presented to the natural sight.
[2] Man's love is what constitutes his intention and determines his internal sight or thought to its objects; thus the love of self fixes it upon self and its objects, the love of the world upon worldly objects, and the love of heaven upon heavenly objects; and when the love is known the state of the interiors which constitute the mind can be known, that is, the interiors of one who loves heaven are raised towards heaven and are opened above; while the interiors of one who loves the world or who loves himself are closed above and are opened outwardly. From this the conclusion follows that when the higher regions of the mind are closed above, man can no longer see the objects pertaining to heaven and the church, but those objects are in thick darkness to him; and what is in thick darkness is either denied or not understood. And this is why those that love themselves and the world above all things since the higher regions of their minds are closed, in heart deny Divine truths; and if from their memory they say anything about them they nevertheless do not understand them. Moreover, they regard them in the same way as they regard worldly and corporeal things. And being such they are able to direct the mind to those things only that enter through the senses of the body, and in these alone do they find delight. Among these are also many things that are filthy, obscene, profane and wicked; and these cannot be removed, because into the minds of such no influx from heaven is possible, since their minds, as just now said, are closed above.
[3] Man's intention, by which his internal sight or thought is determined, is his will; for what a man wills he intends, and what he intends he thinks. Therefore when his intention is heavenward his thought is determined heavenward, and with it his whole mind, which is thus in heaven; and from heaven he beholds the things of the world beneath him like one looking down from the roof of a house. So the man that has the interiors of his mind open can see the evils and falsities that are in him, for these are beneath the spiritual mind. On the other hand, the man whose interiors are not open is unable to see his evils and falsities, because he is not above them but in them. From all this one may conclude whence man has wisdom and whence insanity, also what a man will be after death when he is left to will and think and to act and speak in accordance with his interiors. All this also has been said in order to make clear what constitutes a man's interior character, however he may seem outwardly to resemble others.
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532. Quisque scire potest, quod cogitationes ferantur et tendant secundum intentiones, seu illuc quo homo intendit: est enim cogitatio visus hominis internus, qui se similiter habet sicut visus externus, quod eo vertatur et ibi moretur quo flectitur et intenditur. Si itaque visus internus seu cogitatio vertitur ad mundum, et ibi moratur, sequitur quod cogitatio fiat mundana si vertitur ad se et sui honorem. quod fiat corporea si autem ad caelum, quod fiat caelestis proinde si ad caelum, quod elevetur; si ad semet, quod retrahatur a caelo, et immergatur corporeo et si ad mundum, quod etiam deflectatur a caelo, et diffundatur ad illa quae ante oculos sunt.
[2] Amor hominis est qui facit intentionem, et qui determinat visum internum hominis seu cogitationem ad sua objecta; ita amor sui ad se et sua, amor mundi ad mundana, et amor caeli ad caelestia: ex quibus sciri potest, in quali statu sunt interiora hominis quae mentis ejus sunt, dum cognoscitur ejus amor; quod nempe qui caelum amat ejus interiora elevata sint versus caelum, ac superius aperta; qui mundum et qui semet amat, quod ejus interiora superius sint clausa, ac exterius aperta: inde concludi potest, quod si superiora quae mentis sunt superius clausa sint, homo non amplius videre possit objecta quae caeli et ecclesiae sunt, et quod ea sint apud illum in caligine et quae in caligine sunt vel negantur vel non intelliguntur. Inde est, quod illi qui amant se et mundum super omnia, quia apud illos superiora mentis clausa sunt, corde negent Divina vera; et si aliquid de illis ex memoria loquuntur, usque non intelligant; spectant etiam illa non aliter quam spectant mundana et corporea et quia tales sunt, non aliud versare possunt animo, quam quae intrant per sensus corporis, quibus etiam solum delectantur: inter quae etiam sunt multa quae quoque spurca, obscena, profana, et facinorosa sunt, quae nec abduci possunt quia apud illos non influxus datur e caelo in mentes eorum, quoniam hae superius sunt clausae, ut dictum est. Intentio hominis, ex qua determinatur visus internus seu cogitatio ejus, est ejus voluntas; nam quod homo vult, hoc intendit, et quod intendit hoc cogitat: quapropter si intendit caelum, illuc determinatur cogitatio ejus, et cum illa tota mens ejus, quae sic in caelo est: inde dein spectat illa, quae mundi sunt, infra se, sicut qui e tecto domus. Inde est, quod homo, cui aperta sunt interiora quae mentis ejus sunt, possit videre mala et falsa quae apud illum, nam haec infra mentem spiritualem sunt; et vicissim, quod homo, cui non interiora aperta sunt, non videre sua mala et falsa possit, quia in illis est, et non supra illa. Ex his concludi potest, unde est sapientia homini, et unde ei insania; tum qualis homo futurus post mortem, ubi relinquitur velle et cogitare, tum agere et loqui secundum interiora sua. Haec quoque dicta sunt, ut sciatur qualis homo interius est, utcunque apparet alteri similis exterius.