269.从天堂每个社群内的相似现象可以推断，整个天堂如同一个人是千真万确的。因为每个社群就是一个小型天堂，也像一个人（这一事实可见于《天堂与地狱》一书的41－87节）。在每个天堂社群中，那些在中央的人好比心与肺，他们享有最强烈的光。这光本身和随之对真理的感知从中央向周边各个方向扩散，从而直达社群里的所有人，并带给他们属灵的生命。我们早就说明，在中央构成心肺区域、享有最强烈的光之人一旦被转走，在他们周围之人的理解力就变得模糊，其对真理的感知变得如此微弱，以致他们感到非常悲痛。不过，一旦中央的人回来了，光就会出现，他们对真理的感知和以前一样。这好比尘世太阳放射的热和光，这热和光使得树木和植被生长，并且只要太阳在地平线以上，即使没有光线直射或在云层之下的植物也能生长。来自主的天堂之热和光也是如此，主在天堂显为一轮太阳。这光本质上是神圣真理，是天使以及世人一切聪明和智慧的源头。故经上论到圣言（也就是道）说：
道与神同在，道就是神。那光照亮一切生在世上的人，它的光甚至照在黑暗里。（约翰福音1:1，5，9）
圣言（也就是道）在此表示主的神圣真理。
269. 可以推論, 整個天國像一個人的概念源自于天國每一社區有類似的現象, 因為每個社區是更小規模的天國,也像一個人。(關於這樣的情形, 請參看天國與地獄41-87節。)在天國的每一社區中, 那些住在中央的天人照樣扮演著心與肺的作用, 他們沐浴在最強烈的光芒之中。那光,以及因此對真理的感知, 向每個方向的所有社區居民散播,直至社區最邊緣, 帶給他們靈性的生活。經過證明, 一旦中央的(構成心肺領域,享受最強光照)天人離開, 四圍百姓就會進入認知的陰影中, 因著對真理只有微弱的感知而惆悵。然而, 當中央天人們一旦歸位, 就重見光明, 恢復到之前對真理的感知。
這可用世上太陽的熱與光來作比方:只要太陽在地平線之上, 太陽的熱與光賦予樹木植物生長的能力, 哪怕它們在雲裡和雲後。主作為天國中的太陽, 由此太陽發出的熱與光, 也是如此。這光, 本質上是聖理, 是天人與人類一切聰明智慧的源泉。這就是為何說道與上帝同在,道是上帝,照亮一切生在世上的人; 光照在黑暗裡(約翰福音1:1, 5, 9)。那裡的"道"表示作為聖理的主。
269. One can determine that the whole of heaven is like this from a similar situation that exists in every individual community in heaven. Every community is a heaven in a smaller form, but a form that is nonetheless human. (On this situation, see 41-86 in the work Heaven and Hell.) In every community in heaven, angels who are at the center of the community similarly play the role of the heart and the lungs. They have the most light. That light and a resulting awareness of truth spread out toward the edges in every direction - to all who are in the community - and give them spiritual life. It was once demonstrated that when the angels at the center, who constitute the realm of the heart and the lungs and who have the most light, were taken away, the angels around them came into an intellectual shadow and into so little awareness of truth that they started lamenting. As soon as the central angels returned, however, the others saw the light again and had the awareness of truth they had had before.
You could draw a comparison with heat and light from the sun in our world. They give trees and shrubs the power to grow even if the sun is low or behind a cloud, provided it is above the horizon. It is the same for the light and heat of heaven that come from the Lord as the sun there. That light is essentially the divine truth, the source of all the intelligence and wisdom that angels and people have. This is why we read that the Word was with God and was God, that it enlightens everyone who comes into the world, and that this light shines even in the darkness (John 1:1, 5, 9). "The Word" here means the Lord in his role as divine truth.
269. It can be deduced that this happens in heaven as a whole from the similar phenomena in each community in heaven. For each community is a heaven on a smaller scale, also resembling a person. (On this see my book HEAVEN AND HELL, 41-87.) In every community in heaven those who are at its centre likewise answer to the heart and lungs, and they enjoy the strongest light. The light itself, and consequently the perception of truth, spreads from that centre in all directions towards the circumference, thus reaching all the members of the community and bringing them spiritual life. A demonstration showed that on the removal of those at the centre, who made up the province of the heart and lungs and enjoyed the strongest light, the surrounding people had a shadow cast upon their understandings, and had such a tenuous perception of truth that they complained. But as soon as those at the centre returned, they saw the light and their perception of truth was as before.
This can be compared with heat and light coming from the sun of the world, which gives trees and plants the power to grow, even if they are placed to one side and are under a cloud, so long as the sun is above the horizon. The same is true of the light and heat of heaven coming from the Lord as the sun there. This light is in essence Divine truth, the source of all intelligence and wisdom for angels as well as men. This is why it is said of the Word that it was with God and was God, that it enlightens everyone who comes into the world; and that the light also shines in the darkness (John 1:1, 5, 9). The Word there means the Lord in respect of Divine truth.
269. That this is true of heaven as a whole may be concluded from what is similar in each society of heaven; for each society is a heaven in a less form, and is also like a man (that it is so, may be seen in the work on Heaven and Hell, n. 41-87). In each society of heaven those who are at the center have a like relation to the heart and lungs, and with them there is the greatest light. The light itself with the consequent perception of truth spreads out from that center towards the circumference, in every direction, thus to all who are in the society, and constitutes their spiritual life. It has been shown that when those who were at the center and who constituted the province of the heart and lungs, and with whom there was the most light, were taken away, those who were round about them had their understandings obscured, and had so feeble a perception of truth that they were grieved; but as soon as the others returned light appeared, and their perception of truth was the same as before. This may be compared to the heat and light of the sun of the world, which causes trees and plants to vegetate, even those out of their direct rays or under clouds, provided the sun is above the horizon. So is it with the light and heat of heaven from the Lord as a sun there, that light being in its essence Divine truth, the source of all wisdom and intelligence to angels and men. It is therefore said of the Word:
That it was with God, and was God; that it lighteth every man that cometh into the world, and that its light shineth even in darkness (John 1:1, 5, 9).
The Word here means the Lord in respect to Divine truth.
269. That this is true of heaven as a whole may be concluded from the fact that a like state prevails in every society there; for every society is a heaven on a small scale, and is also in the human form. This may be seen in "Heaven and Hell," 41-87. In every society of heaven those who are in the centre in like manner represent the heart and the lungs; and they enjoy the greatest light. This light, with the consequent perception of truth, diffuses itself from centre to circumference in every direction, thus reaching all in the society and giving rise to their spiritual life. It was shown me that when those in the centre, who constituted the province of the heart and lungs and with whom light was greatest, were removed, those round about them perceived an obscuring of their own understanding, and lamented that their perception of truth was so feeble. As soon, however, as the others returned, light reappeared, and their former perception of truth was restored. This may be illustrated by comparison with the heat and light flowing from the sun of this world, which cause trees and plants to vegetate, even those towards the poles and in cloudy regions, provided the sun is above the horizon. So it is with the light and heat of heaven proceeding from the Lord as the Sun of heaven; for that light in its essence is Divine Truth, from which angels and men derive all their intelligence and wisdom. It is said, therefore, of the Word:
it was with God, and was God; that it lighteth every man that cometh into the world; and that this light also shineth in darkness. John 1:1, 5, 9.
The Word there means the Lord as to Divine Truth.
269. Quod ita sit in universo Coelo, concludi potest a simili in unaquavis Societate coeli, nam unaquaevis Societas est Coelum in minore forma, quae quoque est sicut Homo; quod ita sit, 1 videatur in Opere de COELO ET INFERNO 41-87. In omni Societate Coeli, illi qui in medio ejus sunt, similiter referunt Cor et Pulmonem, et apud illos est maxima lux; ipsa Lux et inde Perceptio veri, a media illo se propagat versus peripherias quaquaversum, ita ad omnes qui in Societate sunt, et facit vitam illorum spiritualem: ostensum est, quod quando illi qui in medio erant, et provinciam Cordis et Pulmonis constituebant, et apud quos maxima lux erat, auferrentur, illi qui circum erant, in umbra intellectus essent, et tunc in tam exili perceptione veri, ut lamentarentur; sed mox ut redierunt, visa est lux, et fuit illis perceptio veri sicut prius. Comparatio fieri potest cum calore et luce ex Sole Mundi, quod vegetationem dant arboribus et virgultis, etiam illis quae ad latera, et sub nube stant, modo Sol ortus sit. Ita Lux et Calor Coeli a Domino ut Sole ibi, quae Lux in essentia sua est Divinum Verum, ex quo omnis intelligentia et sapientia est angelis et hominibus; quare dicitur de Verbo quod erat apud Deum et erat Deus, quod illuminet omnem hominem venientem in Mundum; et quod Lux illa etiam in tenebris appareat, Johannes 1:1, 5, 9: per Verbum ibi intelligitur Dominus quoad Divinum Verum.
Footnotes:
1. Sic De Doctrina de Scriptura Sacra 107. Prima editio: fit.