18.天堂来自人类，这一点从以下事实明显看出来：天使的心智和人类的心智是相似的。两者都享有理解、感知和意愿的能力；两者也都是为接受天堂而形成的。因为人类心智和天使心智一样拥有智慧；只是它在世上不那么智慧，因为它活在一个肉体中。在这肉体里面，它的属灵心智作属世的思考，因为此时，其与天使相同的属灵思维向下流入对应于属灵观念的属世观念，以这种方式在它们里面被感知。但当人的心智从它与肉体的联系中释放出来时，情况就不同了；这时，它不再作属世的思考，而是作属灵的思考；当作属灵的思考时，它就像天使那样思想对属世人来说不可理解且无法形容的事。由此明显可知，人的内在被称为他的灵，本质上就是一位天使。一位天使处于一个完美的人的形式，这一点可见于《天堂与地狱》一书（73-77节）。但当人的内在不向上打开，只向下打开时，它从身体释放出来后，尽管仍处于一个人的形式，但该形式是可怕的，如恶魔一般，因为它不能仰望天堂，只能俯视地狱。
18. Another argument to support the fact that heaven comes from humankind is that angelic minds and human minds are very much alike. Both enjoy the faculties of understanding, perception, and will. Both are formed to be receptive to heaven, since the human mind is just as capable of wisdom as the angelic mind is. However, the reason the mind is not as wise in this world is that it lives in an earthly body. In such a body our spiritual mind does its thinking in an earthly way, because spiritual thinking (which we possess just as angels do) flows down into earthly concepts that correspond to spiritual ones and becomes perceptible to us in that way. It is different, though, when our mind is released from its ties to the physical body. Then we do not think in an earthly fashion anymore but think spiritually, and when we think spiritually we have thoughts that are incomprehensible and inexpressible to the earthly self-that is, we think like angels. We can tell from this that our inner self, which is called our spirit, is in its essence an angel. 1
On angels being in perfect human form, see Heaven and Hell 73-77. When our inner self is not open upward, however, but only downward, then although it is still in a human form after its release from the body, that form is dreadful and demonic. This is because it cannot look up toward heaven, only down toward hell.
Footnotes:
1. [Swedenborg note] There are as many levels of life in us as there are heavens, and they are opened after death depending on the way we have lived: 3747, 9594. Heaven is within us: 3884. When we are living lives of love and caring we have angelic wisdom within; it is hidden then, though, and we become conscious of it only after death: 2494. In the Word, those people are called angels who are receptive to the goodness of love and faith from the Lord: 10528.
18. A further proof that heaven comes from the human race is the likeness between the minds of angels and human beings. Both enjoy the ability to understand, perceive and will. Both are designed to receive heaven. For the human mind is just as wise as that of angels, but its wisdom is restricted in the world, because it is then in an earthly body, and in this a person's spiritual mind thinks naturally. For the spiritual thought which he possesses as much as an angel then descends into natural ideas corresponding to the spiritual ones, and is so there perceived. It is different when a person's mind is released from the shackles of that body. Then it ceases to think naturally, and thinks spiritually; and when it does that, its thoughts become to the natural man incomprehensible and ineffable, that is, like an angel's. From this it may be deduced that a person's internal, what is called his spirit, is in essence an angel. 1See HEAVEN AND HELL 73-77 for a demonstration that an angel has a perfect human form. But when a person's internal is not open upwards and only downwards, then although on release from the body it still has a human form, it is a dreadful and devilish one. For it is unable to look up to heaven, but only down to hell.
Footnotes:
1. A person's life has as many levels as there are heavens; and these are opened to him after death depending on how he lived (3747, 9594). Heaven is inside people (3884). People whose lives are dictated by love and charity have angelic wisdom in them, but it is then hidden, only being made available after death (2494). People in the Word are described as angels, if they receive the good of love and of faith from the Lord (10528).
18. That heaven is from the human race, is evident from this, that angelic and human minds are similar; both enjoying the faculty of understanding, of perceiving, and of willing; both being formed for receiving heaven. For the human mind possesses wisdom as well as the angelic; but it is not so wise in the world, because it is in a terrestrial body, in which its spiritual mind thinks naturally, for its spiritual thought, which it has in common with an angel, then flows down into the natural ideas corresponding with the spiritual, and is thus perceived in them. But it is otherwise when the mind of man is freed from its connection with the body; then it no longer thinks naturally but spiritually; and when spiritually it then thinks what is incomprehensible and ineffable to the natural man, as an angel does. Hence it is evident, that man's internal, which is called his spirit, in its essence is an angel. 1That an angel is in a perfect human form, may be seen in the work on Heaven and Hell (73-77): but when man's internal is not opened above, but only below, then still, after its removal from the body, it is in a human form, but a direful and diabolical one, for it cannot look upwards to heaven, but only downwards to hell.
Footnotes:
1. There are as many degrees of life in man, as there are heavens, and they are opened after death according to his life (3747, 9594). Heaven is in man (3884). The men who are living a life of love and charity, have angelic wisdom in them, but that it is then latent, and that they come into it after death (2494). In the Word, the man who receives the good of love and of faith from the Lord, is called an angel (10528).
18. Quod caelum sit ex humano genere, constare etiam potest ex eo, quod mentes angelicae et mentes humanae similes sint; utraeque gaudent facultate intelligendi, percipiendi, et volendi; utraeque ad recipiendum caelum formatae sunt: nam mens humana aeque sapit ac mens angelica; sed quod non tantum sapiat in mundo, est causa quia in corpore terrestri est, et in eo mens ejus spiritualis cogitat naturaliter, nam spiritualis ejus cogitatio quae etiam illi est aeque ac angelo, tunc defluit in naturales ideas spiritualibus correspondentes, et sic ibi percipitur: aliter vero cum mens hominis soluta est a vinculo cum illo corpore; tunc non amplius naturaliter sed spiritualiter cogitat, et cum spiritualiter, tunc incomprehensibilia et ineffabilia naturali homini cogitat, ita sicut angelus. Exinde constare potest, quod internum hominis, quod vocatur ejus spiritus, sit in essentia sua angelus. 1Quod angelus sit in perfecta forma humana, videatur in opere De Caelo et Inferno (73-77): cum autem internum hominis non apertum est supra, sed modo infra, tunc usque illud post solutionem a corpore est in forma humana, sed dira et diabolica; nam non spectare potest sursum ad caelum, sed modo deorsum ad infernum.
(EX ARCANIS CAELESTIBUS.)
Footnotes:
1. Quod totidem gradus vitae in homine sint, quot caeli, et quod aperiantur post mortem secundum ejus vitam (3747, 9594).
Quod caelum sit in homine (3884).
Quod homines, qui amoris et charitatis vitam vivunt, in se habeant sapientiam angelicam, sed tunc absconditam, et quod in illam veniant post mortem (2494).
Quod homo in Verbo dicatur angelus, qui recipit bonum amoris et fidei a Domino (10528).