32.在此，我要补充一个天堂的奥秘，该奥秘虽在《天堂与地狱》一书中有所提及，但没有得到充分描述。死后，每个人都与某个社群相联，即便他刚刚踏入灵界（参看HH427-497节）。但在第一个状态下，一个灵人并没有意识到这一点，因为这时，他还处于外在，尚未处于内在。只要处于这种状态，他就会随心所欲地四处走动。而实际上，他就在他的爱所在的地方，也就是说，在那些拥有类似于他的那种爱之人的一个社群中。
当一个灵人处于这种状态时，他会出现在许多不同的地方，就像带着肉身出现在那里一样；但这只是一种表象。因此，一旦主把他带入他自己的主导爱，他就立刻从别人眼前消失，来到他所属的社群。这是灵界的特征，不知其中缘由的人，未免感到诧异。这就是为何一旦灵人聚在一起，并与其他人分开，他们也就受到了审判，各人都立刻找到自己的地方：善人在天堂，就在与他们志趣相投的灵人所在的社群；恶人在地狱，同样在与他们志趣相投的灵人所在的社群
从这些事也可推知，最后的审判只能发生在灵界，既因为在灵界，每个人都是他自己生命的化身或样式，还因为他与那些处于相似生命的人在一起，因而每个人都在与他志趣相投的灵人当中。但在自然界不是这种情况；在这里，善人和恶人能混居在一起，彼此并不了解；他们也没有照其生命之爱而彼此分开。事实上，任何人都不可能带着属世身体进入天堂或地狱，所以为叫人能进入天堂或地狱，他有必要脱去属世身体，以属灵身体受审判。这就是为何如前所述（30节），受到审判的，是属灵人，而不是属世人。
32. I would like to add here a secret of heaven that I touched on in Heaven and Hell but have not yet fully described. After death, each of us is connected to a particular community, and this is done as soon as we arrive in the spiritual world (see Heaven and Hell 427, 497). In our first state as spirits, though, we are unaware of this, because at that point we are still focused on what is external and not yet on what is internal. As long as we are in this state we go here and there, wherever we feel like going. In actuality, though, we are where our love is-that is, in the community of people who have the same kind of love we have.
[2] When we as spirits are in this state we appear in many different places, just as though we were physically present there. This is only the way it seems, though, 1because as soon as the Lord brings us into our dominant love, 2we immediately vanish from the sight of others and find ourselves with kindred spirits in the community to which we have been connected. This is a unique feature of the spiritual world and bewilders people who do not understand its underlying cause.
Thus it is, then, that as soon as spirits have been gathered and sorted, they are also judged; and they all appear immediately in their own proper places. The good are in heaven, in the communities where their kindred spirits are, and the evil are in hell, in the communities where their kindred spirits are.
[3] From these points as well it follows that a last judgment can take place only in the spiritual world, both because in that world we are all an embodiment of the life that is within us, and because we are surrounded there by people who have a similar life within them-everyone is among kindred spirits. It is different in this earthly world where good and evil people can be together, neither really knowing what the other is like; here we are not spontaneously sorted out according to our life's love. In fact, none of us can bring our earthly bodies with us into heaven or into hell, so in order for us to arrive at either destination, we need to shed our earthly bodies and after that, be judged in our spiritual bodies.
That is why, as stated above [30], it is our spiritual self that is judged, and not our earthly self.
Footnotes:
1. For more on angels' and spirits' ability to appear elsewhere regardless of their current position in the spiritual world, see Secrets of Heaven 1376-1382, 9440; Heaven and Hell 191-199; Divine Love and Wisdom 285; Divine Providence 29; True Christianity 64. [LSW]
2. On the concept of “dominant love,” see New Jerusalem 54-58 and compare note 1 in New Jerusalem 21. On the permanency of this love, see note 1 in Last Judgment 25. [Editors]
32. I should like to add to this chapter a secret of heaven which was mentioned in HEAVEN AND HELL, but not before this described. Each person is after death attached to a community, and this happens as soon as he reaches the spiritual world (see 427-497). But while he is in his first state he is unaware of this, for he is then still occupied with his external concerns and has not yet become aware of his internal ones. While he is in this state, he wanders here and there, wherever the desires of his character take him. But he is still really where his love is, that is to say, in the community of those who share his love.
[2] While a spirit is in such a state, he is to be seen in many different places, apparently present in each in bodily form; but this is no more than an appearance. As soon therefore as he is brought by the Lord into his dominant love, he vanishes at once from the eyes of others, and finds himself in the community to which he is attached. This is a special feature of the spiritual world and surprises those who are unaware of the reason. This then is why, as soon as spirits are collected together and separated from others, they are also judged, and each immediately finds his own place, the good in heaven and in company with their own people there, the wicked in hell and in company with their own people there.
[3] This is another proof that the Last Judgment can only take place in the spiritual world, both because each person there is a likeness of the way he has lived, and because he is associated with those who share a similar way of life, so he is with his own people. The case is different in the natural world; there the good and the wicked can be together without one knowing what the other is like, nor are they mutually separated depending upon the love that governs their lives. Nor indeed can anyone with a natural body be in heaven or in hell. So to reach either destination he must shed his natural body, and after this be judged in his spiritual body. This is why, as was said before, it is the spiritual, not the natural man who is judged.
32. To these things I will add a certain heavenly arcanum, which is indeed mentioned in the work on Heaven and Hell, but has not yet been described. Every one after death is bound to some society, even when first he comes into the spiritual world (see that work, 427-497). But a spirit in his first state is ignorant of it, for he is then in his externals and not yet in his internals. When he is in this state, he goes hither and thither, wherever the desires of his mind impel him; but still actually, he is where his love is, that is, in a society where those are who are in a love like his own. When a spirit is in such a state he then appears in many other places, in all of them also present as it were with the body, but this is only an appearance. Wherefore as soon as he is led by the Lord into his own ruling love, he vanishes instantly from the eyes of others, and is among his own, in the society to which he was bound. This peculiarity exists in the spiritual world, and is wonderful to those who are ignorant of its cause. Hence now it is, that as soon as spirits are gathered together, and separated, they are also judged, and every one is presently in his own place, the good in heaven, and in a society there among their own, and the evil in hell, and in a society there among their own. From these things it is moreover evident, that the Last Judgment can exist nowhere but in the spiritual world, both because every one there is in the likeness of his own life, and because he is with those who are in similar life, and thus everyone is with his own. But it is otherwise in the natural world; the good and the evil can dwell together there, the one ignorant of what the other is, nor are they separated from each other according to the love of their life. Indeed it is impossible for any one in the natural body, to be either in heaven or in hell; wherefore in order that man may come into one or the other, it is necessary that he put off his natural body, and be judged the spiritual body. Hence it is, as was said above, that the spiritual man is judged, and not the natural.
32. His adjicere velim aliquod arcanum caeleste, quod quidem in opere De Caelo et Inferno memoratum est, sed nondum descriptum. Unusquisque post mortem est alligatus cuidam societati, et alligatur ut primum in mundum spiritualem venit (videatur in illo opere, 427, 497): sed spiritus in primo suo statu id nescit, nam tunc in externis suis est, et nondum in internis; quando talis est, tunc vadit huc illuc, quo desideria animi eum ferunt; at usque actualiter est ubi suus amor, hoc est, in societate ubi sunt qui in simili amore. Cum spiritus in tali statu est, tunc apparet in multis aliis locis, ubivis etiam sicut corpore praesens, sed hoc est modo apparentia; quapropter ut primum perducitur a Domino in suum amorem regnantem, illico ab oculis aliorum evanescit, et est apud suos in societate cui alligatus est: hoc peculiare est in mundo spirituali, et mirabile illis qui causam ignorant. Inde nunc est, quod, ut primum spiritus congregati sunt, et separati, etiam judicati sint, et quisque actutum in suo loco, boni in caelo et in societate ibi apud suos, ac mali in inferno et in societate ibi apud suos. Ex his etiam constare potest, quod ultimum judicium non alibi quam in mundo spirituali existere possit, tam quia unusquisque ibi est in effigie suae vitae, quam quia est cum illis qui in simili vita sunt, ita quisque cum suis. Aliter in naturali mundo; ibi boni et mali simul possunt esse, nec unus scit qualis alter, nec separantur ex se secundum amorem vitae suae; immo nec potest aliquis homo cum naturali corpore esse in caelo, nec in inferno; quare ut homo in unum aut alterum veniat, oportet eum exuere naturale suum corpus, et postquam exuit, in spirituali corpore judicari. Inde est, quod, ut supra dictum est, spiritualis homo judicetur, et non naturalis.