295.死后灵魂在记忆方面的状态。和肉体死后的灵魂一样，灵人以为他们享有所有活在肉身期间所拥有的那种记忆。但和前几次一样，今天我通过活生生的经历得以了解，并与灵魂和灵人谈论了这个主题。他们不得不承认这一事实：他们没有对个人具体事务的记忆，而是拥有属于他们本性的一种更内在的记忆；他们活在肉身期间所曾思想，以及所曾做的一切，包括最小的事，都悉数铭刻在这内在记忆上。有人可能会说，知识或多或少地占据表面，与情感相关的一切可以说构成核心。
1)在能出于自己的本性利用我里面的知识说话的灵魂和灵人看来，除了他们保留自己肉身生活的全部记忆外，再也看不出别的。他们披上这知识，仿佛是他们的，以致他们只知道我的记忆是他们自己的。这种情况在我生活中所认识的人身上以一种方式发生，在我所不认识的人身上以另一种方式发生。这一点单从以下我所见证的事实明显看出来：凡来到我这里的灵人都能以我的母语说话，无论他们出生何处，只知道这是他们的语言，他们生在其中。而关于他们自己的语言，他们却什么也不知道。
2)他们的本性取代了他们的记忆，以致他们要么厌恶，要么喜爱真理或良善，仿佛闻到了某种强烈的气味。因为一旦有与他们的本性不一致的东西来了，他们就会把它弯曲成他们的本性所认可的东西。他们做起这种事来如此娴熟、不可思议，以致他们只知道他们正出于自己的记忆行事。此外，他们甚至能出于与他们同在之人里面的东西以各种方式彼此互相交谈，这也是很奇妙的，尽管我没有听见这种讨论。他们由此只知道他们正出于自己以前的记忆说话。我所认识的一些人对此感到十分惊讶，但又不得不承认它的真实性。不过，必须清楚的是，一切事，哪怕最小的事，都是由弥赛亚神如此掌管的，即：除了那些能服务于功用的事物外，他们不可能从任何人的记忆中提取出任何东西。因此，这就是一切事物和每个细节被掌管的神奇方式。
3)不必怀疑肉身生活期间铭刻在记忆中的每一个细节也能被提取出来，并展示给他们；对此，我极其清楚地亲身体验过。就连最小的细节都被提取出来，事实上在他们自己的时间点被提取出来；对此，我无法以任何方式抗拒。要讲述这些特殊经历，显得冗长乏味。（1747年12月4日）
295. The state of souls after death in regard to memory.
Spirits believe, as do souls after the death of the body, that they utilize all of the kind of memory they had in the life of the body. But by a revealing experience today, like some earlier ones, I have learned - and spoken with souls and spirits about the same matter, who were obliged to admit it - that they have no memory of personal matters, but a more inward memory that pertains to character, on which all and the least things are inscribed that they had ever thought in the life of the body and that they had done. One might say that knowledge more or less occupies the surface, and everything related to feelings constitutes the core.
1. ) To souls and spirits who were able to speak from their character making use of the knowledge within me, it could by no means appear otherwise than that they had retained all remembrance of their bodily life. They put on that knowledge as if it were theirs, so that they could not know otherwise than that my memory was theirs. This happened in one way with those I had known in life, in another with those I had not known. This is obvious from the single fact, to which I bear witness, that all spirits when they came to me were able to speak in my vernacular tongue, no matter where they had been born, not knowing but that it was their language and that they had been born into it. About their own language they knew nothing whatever.
2. ) Their character takes the place of memory, so that they loathe, or love, truths or goodness, as if by some keen scent. For as soon as anything comes along that is not agreeable to their character, they bend it off toward things that soothe their character. They do this so skillfully and amazingly that they do not know but that they are acting from the memory.
Moreover, they can even converse among themselves on a variety of subjects from things in a person [they are with] - which is also amazing, although I did not hear [the discussion] - and then likewise, not know otherwise, than that they are speaking from their own former memory. Certain acquaintances were surprised at this, but still could not but acknowledge the truth of it.
But it must be understood that all things, even the very least, are so governed by God the Messiah that they cannot take out of anyone's memory any but those things that can serve a use. Thus it is wonderful the way all things and each detail are governed.
3. ) Nor should there be any doubt but that each and every detail inscribed on [the memory] during the life of the body can also be brought forth and shown to them, as I have experienced myself most lucidly. The smallest details are brought out, and even in their own point of time, and I could not in any way prevent it. To recount the particular experiences would be a needlessly lengthy undertaking. 1747, the 4th day of December.
295. THE STATE OF SOULS AFTER DEATH AS TO THE MEMORY
Spirits, like souls after the death of the body, suppose that they enjoy all the memory just as they did in the life of the body. But by manifest experience I have learned today, as also on several former occasions, 1and I have conversed with souls and spirits about this same subject. They had to admit that this was so, namely, that they have no memory of particular things, but the more interior memory which is that of their nature, on which is inscribed each and every thing they have ever thought in the life of the body and what they did, knowledges as it were occupying the surface, and the things that were of the affections, making as it were the nucleus, as it may be called. To souls and spirits it could by no means appear otherwise, than that they have retained all the memory of their bodily life;
(1) for from their own nature they could speak according to the knowledges that are with me, which they put on as if they were theirs, in one way in the case of those I had known in their life, and in another way in the case of those I had not known; thus they could not know otherwise than that it was their own memory. This can thus be evident from this single testimony, that all spirits, when they came to me, could speak in my native language, no matter where they had been born, not knowing otherwise than that it was their own language and that they were born into it; of their own language they knew nothing whatever. Their nature takes the place of their memory, so that they are either averse to, or love, things that are true or good as if by a kind of knowing sphere;
(2) for as soon as anything applies itself with which their nature is not in agreement, they bend it into the things that their nature approves, and this so skillfully and wonderfully that they know no otherwise than that they have acted from their own memory. Moreover, they can mutually converse with each other from the things that are in man, and this in various ways, which is also wonderful, although I did not hear this. From this also they cannot know otherwise than that they are speaking from their own former memory. Some who were known to me were astonished at this, but still they could not but acknowledge its truth. But it is rightly to be observed, that each and all things are so directed by God Messiah that they cannot take anything from the memory of anyone, except that which can serve for use, so that each and all things are directed in a wonderful manner. Nor can it be doubted that each and all things that have been inscribed on the life of the body can also be drawn forth and shown to them, as I have experienced very manifestly in my own case; for the most minute things are drawn forth, and indeed in their own time, which I cannot resist in any way.
(3) To adduce the particular experiences would be tedious and superfluous. 1747, Dec. 4.
Footnotes:
1. Crossed out: "I have the evidence."
295. Status animarum post mortem, quoad memoriam
Putant spiritus, sicut animae post mortem corporis,quod omni memoria, quali in vita corporis, gaudeant, sed per manifestam experientiam hodie sicut etiam aliquoties prius, edoctus sum, et cum animabus ac spiritibus de eadem re, colloquutus, qui idem fateri deberent, nempe quod memoria rerum particularium nulla sit, sed memoria intimior, quae est indolis, cui inscripta sunt omnia et singula, quae usquam in vita corporis cogitarunt, et quod egerunt, scientifica quasi tenentia superficiem, et quae affectionum fuerunt, quasi facientia nucleum, ut ita dicere liceat; animabus et spiritibus neutiquam aliter apparere potuit, ac quod omnem memoriam vitae corporis retinuerint, qui 1
ex indole loqui potuissent, secundum ea scientifica, quae penes me sunt, quae induunt, quasi essent eorum, ita non aliter scire potuerunt quam quod eorum esset memoria, aliter apud eos, quos in vita cognovi, aliter quos 2
non cognovi; sicut 3
ab uno testimonio constare possit, quod omnes spiritus, dum ad me venerint, vernacula mea lingua potuissent loqui, ubicunque loci nati essent, non aliter scientes, [quam] 4
quod eorum lingua esset, et in eam nati, de suamet lingua ne hilum norunt; indoles eorum loco memoriae est, sic ut aversentur aut ament ea, quae vera aut bona sint, quasi quadam sagaci sphaera, nam illico ut appellit id quod indoli eorum non consentaneum est, id deflectunt in ea, quae indoles eorum suadet, et tam solerter et mirabiliter, ut ii non aliter sciant, ac quod ex memoria agerent. Praeterea etiam possunt mutuo inter se colloqui, et cum varietate, ex iis quae in homine sunt, quod etiam mirabile est, tametsi id non audirem, inde quoque non possunt aliter scire, ac quod ex memoria suamet priori loquerentur: quidam noti hoc admirati sunt, sed usque non potuerunt non agnoscere veritatem; sed probe observandum, quod omnia et singula dirigantur ita a Deo Messia, ut non alia 5
possint ex memoria alicujus sumere, quam quae usui servire possint, sic ut mirifico modo omnia et singula dirigantur. Nec dubitandum est, quin omnia et singula, quae in vita 6
corporis inscripta sunt, etiam queant educi et iis ostendi, sicut expertus sum apud me manifestissime, quod minutissima educantur, et quidem suomet tempore, quod nullo modo resistere possum. Experientias singulares allegare prolixum et superfluum foret. 1747, die 4 Dec.
Footnotes:
1. sic manuscript; J.F.I. Tafel's edition has quia substituit
2. This is how it appears in J.F.I. Tafel's edition; the Manuscript has qui
3. sic manuscript; J.F.I. Tafel's edition has sic ut substituit
4. sic in J.F.I. Tafel's edition
5. This is how it appears in J.F.I. Tafel's edition; the Manuscript has aliter
6. nisi acta legendum