744．枢密院顾问官、财政部议员和法院行政长官站在餐桌周围，在君主的命令下，他们紧握双手，一致低声感谢主。然后在君主的示意下，他们坐在桌旁的软垫上。君主对十个访客说：“你们也与我同坐，这里有你们的位子。”他们就坐下来。而先前被君主派来伺候他们的侍臣，则站在他们后面。然后君主说：“你们每人从放盘子的地方拿一个盘子，然后从金字塔上拿一个碟子。”他们照做了；快看，碟盘被取走后，上面立刻补添了新碟盘。他们的杯子盛满了从大金字塔的喷泉涌出来的美酒；他们一起就餐。
正吃得尽兴时，君主转向十个客人，说：“我听说在这天堂下面，你们被召集起来，披露你们对天堂喜乐和永恒幸福的想法；你们根据自己身体感官的快乐，各自发表了不同意见。但脱离灵魂快乐的身体感官快乐是什么呢？正是灵魂将快乐传给身体感官。灵魂的快乐本身是难以察觉的八福；但随着它们降至心智思维，并由此进入身体感觉，它们变得越来越明显。在心智思维中，它们被感受为喜悦，在身体感觉中，被感受为快乐，而在身体自身中，则被感受为满足。所有这些一起组成永恒的幸福。但后者产生的幸福不是永恒的，而是短暂的；它会终结并消逝，有时转变成痛苦。你们现在已经明白，你们所有的喜乐也是天堂的喜乐，它们比你们所想象的更美妙；然而，我们心智的内在不为它们所动。
有三样东西作为一体从主流入我们的灵魂；这三者被感受为一体，或三位一体，就是爱、智慧和用。但唯独爱与智仅仅是观念上的存在，因为它们仅存在于心智的情感与思维。它们在用中得以实现，因为它们共存于身体行为与活动中。它们在真实存在的的地方保持存在。由于爱与智在用中存在并保持存在，所以我们发现有吸引力的是用；用在于忠实、真诚、勤勉地履行自己的工作职责。用之爱和随之对用的追求会使心智专注，防止它游荡并沉醉于通过感官刺激从身体和尘世涌入的贪欲，使得宗教真理和含有各种良善的道德被分散到四风中。但心智高度专注于用会将这些东西收聚并结合起来，使心智倾向于接受出自这些真理的智慧，同时将出于虚假和空虚的幻想和愚弄驱逐到周边。但关于这些话题，你们会从我们社群的智者那里听到更多信息，今天下午我会把他们派给你们。”君主边说边从桌前起身，与他一同就餐者也起身；君主谢恩，然后吩咐陌生人的天人向导带他们回自己的房间，向他们展示谦恭有礼的所有荣誉；还吩咐他邀请谦恭和蔼的人与他们谈论该社群的各种喜乐。
744. 枢密院顾问官, 财政部议员和法院行政长官站在餐桌周围, 在君主的命令下, 他们紧握双手, 一致低声感谢主。 然后在君主的示意下, 他们坐在桌旁的软垫上。 君主对十个访客说: “你们也与我同坐, 这里有你们的位子。 ”他们就坐下来。 而先前被君主派来伺候他们的侍臣, 则站在他们后面。 然后君主说: “你们每人从放盘子的地方拿一个盘子, 然后从金字塔上拿一个碟子。 ”他们照做了; 快看, 碟盘被取走后, 上面立刻补添了新碟盘。 他们的杯子盛满了从大金字塔的喷泉涌出来的美酒; 他们一起就餐。
正吃得尽兴时, 君主转向十个客人, 说: “我听说在这天堂下面, 你们被召集起来, 披露你们对天堂喜乐和永恒幸福的想法; 你们根据自己身体感官的快乐, 各自发表了不同意见。 但脱离灵魂快乐的身体感官快乐是什么呢? 正是灵魂将快乐传给身体感官。 灵魂的快乐本身是难以察觉的八福; 但随着它们降至心智思维, 并由此进入身体感觉, 它们变得越来越明显。 在心智思维中, 它们被感受为喜悦, 在身体感觉中, 被感受为快乐, 而在身体自身中, 则被感受为满足。 所有这些一起组成永恒的幸福。 但后者产生的幸福不是永恒的, 而是短暂的; 它会终结并消逝, 有时转变成痛苦。 你们现在已经明白, 你们所有的喜乐也是天堂的喜乐, 它们比你们所想象的更美妙; 然而, 我们心智的内在不为它们所动。
有三样东西作为一体从主流入我们的灵魂; 这三者被感受为一体, 或三位一体, 就是爱, 智慧和用。 但唯独爱与智仅仅是观念上的存在, 因为它们仅存在于心智的情感与思维。 它们在用中得以实现, 因为它们共存于身体行为与活动中。 它们在真实存在的的地方保持存在。 由于爱与智在用中存在并保持存在, 所以我们发现有吸引力的是用; 用在于忠实, 真诚, 勤勉地履行自己的工作职责。 用之爱和随之对用的追求会使心智专注, 防止它游荡并沉醉于通过感官刺激从身体和尘世涌入的贪欲, 使得宗教真理和含有各种良善的道德被分散到四风中。 但心智高度专注于用会将这些东西收聚并结合起来, 使心智倾向于接受出自这些真理的智慧, 同时将出于虚假和空虚的幻想和愚弄驱逐到周边。 但关于这些话题, 你们会从我们社群的智者那里听到更多信息, 今天下午我会把他们派给你们。 ”君主边说边从桌前起身, 与他一同就餐者也起身; 君主谢恩, 然后吩咐陌生人的天人向导带他们回自己的房间, 向他们展示谦恭有礼的所有荣誉; 还吩咐他邀请谦恭和蔼的人与他们谈论该社群的各种喜乐。
744. The privy councillors, the members of the cabinet, and the governors were now standing by the table. At the prince's request, they joined hands and together softly spoke words of prayer and praise to the Lord. Then the prince gave a nod, and the dignitaries sat down on padded chairs at the table. The prince then said to the ten newcomers, "You too are to sit down with me. These are your places here. " So they sat down. The court attendants whom the prince had originally assigned to them took up positions behind them.
The prince then said to them, "You are each invited to take a plate from its circular stand and also a dish from the pyramid. "
They did so, and immediately fresh plates and dishes appeared and filled the empty spaces. Their goblets were filled with wine from the fountain leaping up from the grand pyramid. They ate and drank.
[2] When they were satisfied but not overly so, the prince spoke to his ten guests and said, "I have heard that down on the plain beneath this heaven you were called on to reveal your thoughts on the joys of heaven and eternal happiness. I understand that you gave various responses on this topic, depending on what particular things your bodily senses took delight in.
"But what delight do the bodily senses feel when the delights of the soul are not present? It is the soul that makes those delights enjoyable. In and of themselves, the delights of the soul are states of blessedness that are beyond our perception; but they become more and more perceptible as they descend into the thoughts of the mind and through these into the sensations of the body. In the thoughts of the mind they are perceived as blissful; in the sensations of the body they are perceived as delightful, and in the body itself they are perceived as pleasurable. These three kinds of joy combine to form eternal happiness. The happiness that comes from the latter feelings alone, however, is not eternal. It is temporary, because it comes to an end and passes away. Sometimes it even becomes unhappiness.
"You have now seen that all the things you listed as joys are in fact joys in heaven, and are superior to anything you could have imagined. Nevertheless these things do not affect our minds all that deeply.
[3] "There are three things that flow as one from the Lord into our souls. These three-in-one, or this trinity, if you will, are love, wisdom, and usefulness. Love and wisdom do not actually take shape, except in some conceptual form, because they reside solely in the feelings and thoughts within our minds; but in usefulness they become real, because then they come together in some activity and work on the part of the body. Where these two come forth into reality, there they also remain. Because love and wisdom take form and find continued existence in usefulness, usefulness itself is what moves us. Usefulness is faithfully, honestly, and diligently carrying out the work involved in our jobs.
"Love of being useful and pursuit of usefulness keep our minds focused so they don't get distracted and wander off and partake of all the lusts and enticements that flow in from the body and the world through our senses, which would drive away to the four winds all religious and moral truths along with the good actions they enjoin. The mind's pursuit of usefulness harnesses these true insights and good impulses and turns the mind into a form that is receptive to the wisdom that comes from them. This pursuit also pushes aside the distortions and absurdities that arise from false and idle thoughts.
"On this topic, however, you will hear more from wise people from our community; I am going to send them to you this afternoon. "
Having said this, the prince stood up from the table (and all the others stood up as well). He wished them all peace. He told the angel who was guiding the guests to take them back to their rooms and show them every honor and civility. He also told the angel to summon some sophisticated and affable people to entertain the guests with conversation about the various modes of recreation enjoyed in that community.
744. The privy councillors, together with the treasury councillors and governors, stood around the table, and at the prince's command clasped their hands and murmured in unison a prayer of praise to the Lord. After this on a gesture from the prince they sat down at table on padded seats. 'You too must sit down with me,' said the prince to the ten newcomers, 'here are your places.' So they sat down, and the people of the court who had earlier been sent by the prince to wait on them stood behind them. Then the prince said: 'Each of you must take a saucer from its ring and then each a dish from the pyramid.' So they helped themselves, and immediately saw new saucers and dishes appear to replace them. Their goblets were filled with wine from the fountain spurting from the great pyramid. So they ate.
[2] When they were reasonably satisfied, the prince addressed the ten guests, and said: 'I have heard that on the earth beneath this heaven you were summoned to assemble, to disclose your thoughts about the joys of heaven, and so about everlasting happiness. I heard that you expressed your thoughts in different ways, each depending on the bodily pleasures you appreciate. But what are bodily pleasures without those of the soul? It is the soul which makes them attractive. The pleasures of the soul are in essence imperceptible states of blessedness, which become more and more perceptible as they come down into the thoughts of the mind, and from these into the feelings of the body. In the thoughts of the mind they are felt as kinds of bliss, in the feelings of the body as pleasures, and in the body itself as gratifications. Everlasting happiness is a compound of all these together. But the latter sort produce a happiness which is not everlasting but temporary; it reaches an end and passes away, sometimes turning into unhappiness. You have seen now that all your joys are also among heaven's joys, and they exceed anything you have ever imagined; none the less they do not exert an inward attraction on our minds.
[3] 'There are three things which flow from the Lord as one into our souls; these three, felt as one, or a triad, are love, wisdom and service. Love and wisdom, however, do not come into existence except as concepts, because they are confined to the affection and thought which exist in the mind. But they are realised in service, because they come together in the act and work done by the body. Where they are realised in practice, they remain in existence. Since love and wisdom come into and remain in existence in service, it is service we find attractive; and service consists in performing the tasks of one's calling faithfully, honestly and diligently. The love of service and thus diligence in service concentrates the mind and keeps it from wandering, and absorbing all the longings which pour in from the body and the world through the senses to titillate them, causing the truths of religion and morality with the kinds of good they produce to be scattered to the four winds. But the earnest devotion of the mind to service keeps them together and binds them, disposing the mind so as to receive wisdom coming from those truths. Then it banishes to one side or the other the mockery and folly of falsities and vanities. But you will hear more on this subject from the wise men of our community, whom I will send to you this afternoon.'
With these words the prince rose from the table and his fellow diners with him, wished them peace, and told the angel who was their guide to take them back to their rooms, and offer them all the honours politeness demands. He was also told to call in polite and agreeable men to entertain them by talking about the varied joys of their community.
744. The privy counselors, the chamberlains, and the governors, stood around the table; and at the command of the prince they folded their hands, and all together in a low tone gave thanks to the Lord; and then, at a nod from the prince, took their places on the cushioned seats at the table. And the prince said to the visitors, "Sit you down with me also; there are your seats." And they sat down. The courtiers before sent by the prince to wait upon them, stood behind them. The prince then said to them, "Take each one of you a plate from its place, and then a dish from the pyramid." They did so; and behold, there instantly appeared fresh plates and dishes in place of those taken away. Their cups were filled with wine from the fountain springing from the great pyramid; and they ate together.
[2] When they were moderately satisfied, the prince addressed the ten guests, saying, "I have heard that you were assembled on the earth that is beneath this heaven to disclose your thoughts respecting the joys of heaven and eternal happiness therefrom; and that you advanced different opinions, each according to the delights of his bodily senses. But what are the delights of the bodily senses apart from the delights of the soul? It is the soul that imparts delight to these. The delights of the soul are in themselves imperceptible beatitudes; but they become more and more perceptible as they descend into the thoughts of the mind, and from these into the sensations of the body. In the thoughts of the mind they are perceptible as joys, in the sensations of the body as delights, and in the body itself as pleasures. From all these together comes eternal happiness; while from the latter alone the happiness is not eternal but temporary, and comes to an end and passes away, and sometimes becomes unhappiness. You have now seen that all your joys are also joys of heaven, and more excellent than you could ever have conceived; and yet our minds are not interiorly affected by them.
[3] There are three things that flow in as one from the Lord into our souls; these three as one, that is, this trine, are love, wisdom, and use; but love and wisdom alone have only an ideal existence, because they exist only in the affection and thought of the mind; while in use they have a real existence, because then they exist also in bodily act and operation, and where they exist really, there they have permanent existence. But as love and wisdom have their existence and permanence in use, it is use that affects us; and use is the faithful, sincere, and diligent discharge of the duties of one's employment.
"The love of use and the consequent pursuit of use prevents the mind from becoming dissipated, and from wandering about and drinking in all the cupidities that flow in with their allurements through the senses from the body and the world, and that scatter to the four winds the truths of religion and morality together with their goods. But the application of the mind to use holds and binds these together, and disposes the mind into a form receptive of wisdom from these truths, and at the same time expels to the circumference the illusions and mockeries both of falsities and vanities. But on these subjects you will hear more from the wise men of our society, whom I will send to you this afternoon."
So saying the prince arose, and with him his guests; he said grace, and then commanded the angelic guide of the strangers to conduct them back to their apartments, and to show them all the honors of courtesy; also to invite courteous and affable men to entertain them with conversation on the various joys of that society.
744. The councilors and rulers stood around the table and, at the direction of the prince, clasped their hands and duly offered in a low voice a prayer of praise and thanks to the Lord. Then at a sign from the prince they took their places at the table. The prince said to the ten strangers: "Sit down with me; there are your seats." They sat down, and the attendants previously sent by the prince to wait upon them, stood behind them. Thereupon, the prince said to them, "Take each of you a plate from its stand and also a small dish from the pyramid." They did so; and instantly new plates and dishes appeared set in the place of those taken away; and their cups were filled with wine from the fountain flowing from the great pyramid, and so they joined in the eating and drinking.
[2] In the course of the feast the prince, addressing the ten guests, said: "I heard that you were called together in the region beneath this heaven to express your ideas concerning the joys of heaven and the eternal happiness arising from them; and that you advanced various opinions, but each according to the delights of the bodily senses. Now what are the delights of the bodily senses, if separated from those of the soul? It is the soul which fills them with delight. The delights of the soul are in themselves imperceptible blessings; but as they descend into the thoughts of the mind, and thence into the sensations of the body, they become more and more perceptible. In the thoughts of the mind they are perceived as happy states, in the sensations of the body as delights, and in the body itself as pleasures. Eternal happiness is the result of all these taken together; but happiness resulting from the gratification of the bodily senses alone is not eternal, but merely temporary: it comes to an end, it passes away, and sometimes it is turned into misery. You now see that all your joys are also joys of heaven, and are even more excellent than you have ever been able to imagine; but such joys do not affect our minds interiorly.
[3] "There are three things that flow as one from the Lord into our souls; and these three, which are as one, or this trine, are love, wisdom and use. Love and wisdom exist ideally, existing only in the affection and thought of the mind; but in use they exist really, because they are then simultaneously in the act and operation of the body; and where they exist really, there they also subsist. Love and wisdom exist and subsist in use, but it is the use which affects us; and use consists in discharging the duties of one's office with fidelity, sincerity and diligence. The love of use, and the devotion to it which thence arises, keep the mind from losing control, from wandering about and absorbing all the lusts which flow in with their allurements through the senses from the body and the world. These lusts dissipate to all the winds of heaven the truths of religion and morality with all that is good in them; but devotion of the mind to use retains and binds those truths together, and disposes the mind to become a form receptive of wisdom from those truths; and then it drives out from their position of vantage the illusions and mockeries of vain falsity. But you will hear more on this subject from wise men of our society whom I will send to you in the afternoon."
Having said this the prince arose, and the guests rose with him; and bidding them farewell he instructed their angel to conduct them to their private apartments, and show them all honor and courtesy; and also to invite courteous and affable men to entertain them with conversation respecting the various joys of their society.
744. Circumstabant mensam Consiliarii a latere, et Consiliarii a cameris, et Moderatores, et ex jussu Principis complicabant manus, et simul susurrabant laudem votivam ad Dominum, et post hanc ex nutu Principis se super toris ad mensam reposuerunt; et dixit Princeps ad decem advenas, discumbite etiam vos mecum, ecce ibi sedes vestrae; et discubuerunt; et aulici prius a Principe missi ad ministrandum illis, adstabant illis a tergo; et tunc dixit illis Princeps, sumite quisque patellam ex orbibus suis, et postea quisque scutellam ex Pyramide; et desumserunt, et ecce illico novae patellae et scutellae loco illarum superimpositae apparebant; ac cyathi illorum ex fonte saliente e magna Pyramide vino implebantur; et comedebant.
[2] Post mediam satietatem alloquebatur Princeps decem invitatos, et dixit, audivi quod in terra, quae sub hoc Coelo est, convocati fueritis ad aperiendum cogitationes vestras de Gaudiis coeli et inde Felicitate aeterna, et quod protuleritis illas diversimode, quisque secundum jucunda sensuum corporis sui; sed quid jucunda sensuum corporis absque jucundis animae; est anima quae jucundat illa; jucunda animae in se sunt beatitudines imperceptibiles, sed fiunt plus et plus perceptibiles, sicut descendunt in cogitationes mentis, et ab his in sensationes corporis; in cogitationibus mentis percipiuntur sicut faustitates, in sensationibus corporis sicut jucunditates, et in ipso corpore sicut voluptates; ex his et illis simul est Felicitas aeterna; at ex solis posterioribus illa Felicitas non est aeterna, sed temporaria, quae finitur et transit, et quandoque fit infelicitas. Vidistis nunc quod omnia gaudia vestra etiam sint gaudia coeli, et excellentiora quam usquam cogitare potuistis, sed usque haec non interius afficiunt animos nostros.
[3] Sunt tria, quae ut unum influunt a Domino in animas nostras; haec tria ut unum, seu hoc trinum, sunt amor, sapientia, et usus, at amor et sapientia non existunt nisi idealiter, quia solum in affectione et cogitatione mentis, sed in usu realiter, quia simul in actu et opere corporis; et ubi realiter existunt, ibi etiam subsistunt; et quia amor et sapientia existunt et subsistunt in usu, est usus qui nos afficit, ac usus est fideliter, sincere et sedule obire suae functionis opera; amor usus, et inde studium in usu, continet mentem ne diffluat, et ne circumvagetur, et hauriat omnes cupiditates, quae e corpore et e mundo per sensus cum illecebris influunt, ex quibus vera Religionis et vera Moralitatis cum suis bonis dissipantur in omnes ventos; at studium mentis in usu continet et colligat illa, et disponit mentem in formam receptibilem sapientiae ex veris illis; et tunc a lateribus exterminat et falsitatum et vanitatum ludibria et ludicra. Sed plura de his audietis ex sapientibus nostrae Societatis, quos post meridiem hanc mittam ad vos. His dictis surrexit Princeps, et una cum illo convivae, ac pacem dixit, et mandavit Angelo illorum ductori, ut reduceret illos in sua conclavia, et illis omnes honores civilitatis exhiberet; et quoque ut vocaret viros urbanitatis et affabilitatis, qui illos sermone de variis gaudiis hujus Societatis oblectarent.