3618. About impure and filthy water
A certain spirit had contracted the persuasion that in the other life people would have a sweet sleep lasting until the last judgment. As a result he did indeed in the other life, due to that persuasion, acquire the actual ability to bring on to anyone a sweet sleep, for a persuasion in bodily life carries with it the ability to operate from that persuasion, so that at once the means are present without one knowing it. He so deftly induced sleep on the spirits around me that they fell asleep one after another. He tried to do the same with me, so that I could feel the sleep-inducing force. He said he was doing no evil, because he claimed that he wanted to bring on a sweet sleep to everyone. But because it was artificial, he was told that it was not permitted.
Still he continued, for he gloried in the fact that he could do this to the other spirits, even though he was saying that he was doing them nothing but good. But because he was boastful of himself, and consequently seemed to himself to have power over the other spirits and afterwards acquired the habit of exercising it, there appeared to me stagnant water, to which is likened what is done for the sake of self-aggrandizement and hence domination over others.
3618. CONCERNING IMPURE AND FILTHY WATER.
A certain spirit, in the life of the body, had contracted the persuasion, that after death, he should have a sweet sleep - even to the day of judgment. Hence, also, in the other life, from that persuasion he had contracted an external genius of such a nature, that he could induce upon any body a sweet sleep, - for a persuasion contracted in the life of the body has this peculiarity, - that a man can act from his persuasion, and the means of so doing are immediately present with him, although he is not aware whence the means come. He then so dexterously induced a sleep upon the spirits, who were about me, that they fell, one after another, into sleep; he also tried the same thing with me, from which I could perceive whence the soporiferous power came. He said that he had done no evil, because, as he stated, he only wished to induce upon others a sweet sleep; but, because it was from artifice, he was told, that it was not permitted. Nevertheless he continued to do so, for he perceived a kind of self-glory, hence arising, because he was enabled to act in this manner to other spirits. Although he said, that he did nothing but good to them, but because he did it for the sake of his own glory, and thus appeared to have dominion over other spirits, and as he afterwards exercised the same artifice from habit, there appeared to me filthy water, to which such a state of self-glory, and hence, of dominion over others, is compared [or corresponds].
3618. De aqua impura et spurca
Quidam spiritus in vita corporis persuasionem induit quod in altera vita somnum haberent dulcem, usque ad ultimum judicium, inde etiam in altera vita ex persuasione ista traxit indolem externam, quod posset unicuique inducere somnum dulcem, nam persuasio in vita corporis hoc secum habet ut ex persuasione possit agere, et media illico ei non scienti praesto sunt; induxit tam solerter somnum spiritibus qui circum me, ut laberentur unus post alterum in somnum, tentavit etiam idem apud me, inde sentire potui vim soporiferam inde, dicebat quod nihil mali faciat, quia unicuique somnum dulcem inducere se velle dicebat, sed quia artificiosum ei dictum est, quod non permissum; sed usque continuabat, nam gloriationem inde captabat, quod ita facere posset aliis spiritibus, tametsi dicebat quod iis non nisi bonum faciat, sed quia gloriationis sui causa, et sic dominatum super alios spiritus habere sibi visus, et postea ex consuetudine exerceret, visa mihi aqua squalida, cui tale quod sui gloriationis et inde dominatus causa super alios fit, assimilatur.