the six enneads-第123节
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
not present； not present as not being circumscribed by anything； yet； as being utterly unattached； not inhibited from presence at any point。 That inhibition would mean that the First was determined by some other being； the later series； then； would be without part in the Supreme； God has His limit and is no longer self…governed but mastered by inferiors。 While the contained must be where its container is； what is uncontained by place is not debarred from any： for； imagine a place where it is not and evidently some other place retains it； at once it is contained and there is an end of its placelessness。 But if the 〃nowhere〃 is to stand and the ascription of a 〃where；〃 implying station in the extern； is to fall； then nothing can be left void； and at once… nothing void； yet no point containing… God is sovereignly present through all。 We cannot think of something of God here and something else there； nor of all God gathered at some one spot： there is an instantaneous presence everywhere； nothing containing and nothing left void； everything therefore fully held by the divine。 Consider our universe。 There is none before it and therefore it is not； itself； in a universe or in any place… what place was there before the universe came to be？… its linked members form and occupy the whole。 But Soul is not in the universe； on the contrary the universe is in the Soul； bodily substance is not a place to the Soul； Soul is contained in Intellectual…Principle and is the container of body。 The Intellectual…Principle in turn is contained in something else； but that prior principle has nothing in which to be： the First is therefore in nothing； and； therefore； nowhere。 But all the rest must be somewhere； and where but in the First？ This can mean only that the First is neither remote from things nor directly within them； there is nothing containing it； it contains all。 It is The Good to the universe if only in this way； that towards it all things have their being； all dependent upon it； each in its mode； so that thing rises above thing in goodness according to its fuller possession of authentic being。 10。 Still； do not； I urge you； look for The Good through any of these other things； if you do； you will see not itself but its trace： you must form the idea of that which is to be grasped cleanly standing to itself not in any combination； the unheld in which all have hold： for no other is such； yet one such there must be。 Now it is clear that we cannot possess ourselves of the power of this principle in its concentrated fulness： so to do one must be identical with it： but some partial attainment is within our reach。 You who make the venture will throw forward all your being but you will never tell it entire… for that； you must yourself be the divine Intellect in Act… and at your utmost success it will still pass from you or； rather； you from it。 In ordinary vision you may think to see the object entire： in this intellective act； all； less or more； that you can take to mind you may set down as The Good。 It is The Good since； being a power ＇being effective outwardly＇； it is the cause of the intelligent and intellective life as of life and intellect： for these grow from it as from the source of essence and of existence； the Source as being One； simplex and first because before it was nothing。 All derives from this： it is the origin of the primal movement which it does not possess and of the repose which is but its absence of need； for neither rest nor movement can belong to that which has no place in which either could occur； centre； object； ground； all are alike unknown to it； for it is before all。 Yet its Being is not limited； what is there to set bounds to it？ Nor； on the other hand； is it infinite in the sense of magnitude； what place can there be to which it must extend； or why should there be movement where there is no lacking？ All its infinitude resides in its power： it does not change and will not fail； and in it all that is unfailing finds duration。 11。 It is infinite also by right of being a pure unity with nothing towards which to direct any partial content。 Absolutely One； it has never known measure and stands outside of number； and so is under no limit either in regard to any extern or within itself； for any such determination would bring something of the dual into it。 And having no constituent parts it accepts no pattern； forms no shape。 Reason recognising it as such a nature； you may not hope to see it with mortal eyes； nor in any way that would be imagined by those who make sense the test of reality and so annul the supremely real。 For what passes for the most truly existent is most truly non…existent… the thing of extension least real of all… while this unseen First is the source and principle of Being and sovereign over Reality。 You must turn appearances about or you will be left void of God。 You will be like those at the festivals who in their gluttony cram themselves with things which none going to the gods may touch； they hold these goods to be more real than the vision of the God who is to be honoured and they go away having had no share in the sanctities of the shrine。 In these celebrations of which we speak； the unseen god leaves those in doubt of his existence who think nothing patent but what may be known to the flesh： it happens as if a man slept a life through and took the dream world in perfect trust； wake him； and he would refuse belief to the report of his open eyes and settle down to sleep again。 12。 Knowing demands the organ fitted to the object； eyes for one kind； ears for another： similarly some things； we must believe； are to be known by the Intellectual…Principle in us。 We must not confuse intellection with hearing or seeing； this would be trying to look with the ears or denying sound because it is not seen。 Certain people； we must keep in mind； have forgotten that to which； from the beginning onwards； their longing and effort are pointed： for all that exists desires and aspires towards the Supreme by a compulsion of nature； as if all had received the oracle that without it they cannot be。 The perception of Beauty and the awe and the stirring of passion towards it are for those already in some degree knowing and awakened： but the Good； as possessed long since and setting up a natural tendency； is inherently present to even those asleep and brings them no wonder when some day they see it； since it is no occasional reminiscence but is always with them though in their drowse they are not aware of it： the love of Beauty on the contrary sets up pain when it appears； for those that have seen it must pursue。 This love of Beauty then is later than the love of Good and comes with a more sophisticated understanding； hence we know that Beauty is a secondary： the more primal appetition； not patent to sense； our movement towards our good； gives witness that The Good is the earlier； the prior。 Again； all that have possessed themselves of The Good feel it sufficient： they have attained the end： but Beauty not all have known and those that have judge it to exist for itself and not for them； as in the charm of this world the beauty belongs only to its possessor。 Then； too； it is thought enough to appear loveable whether one is so or not： but no one wants his Good in semblance only。 All are seeking The First as something ranking before aught else； but they struggle venomously for beauty as something secondary like themselves： thus some minor personage may perhaps challenge equal honour with the King's right…hand man on pretext of similar dependence； forgetting that； while both owe their standing to the monarch； the other holds the higher rank。 The source of the error is that while both The Good and The Beautiful participate in the common source； The One precedes both； and that； in the Supreme also； The Good has no need of The Beautiful； while the Beautiful does need The Good。 The Good is gentle and friendly and tender； and we have it present when we but will。 Beauty is all violence and stupefaction； its pleasure is spoiled with pain； and it even draws the thoughtless away from The Good as some attraction will lure the child from the father's side： these things tell of youth。 The Good is the older… not in time but by degree of reality… and it has the higher and earlier power； all power in fact； for the sequent holds only a power subordinate and delegated of which the prior remains sovereign。 Not that God has any need of His derivatives： He ignores all that produced realm； never necessary to Him； and remains identically what He was before He brought it into being。 So too； had the secondary never existed； He would have been unconcerned； exactly as He would not have grudged existence to any other universe that might spring into being from Him； were any such possible； of course no other such could be since there is nothing that has not existence once the All exists。 But God never was the All； that would make Him dependent upon the universe： transcending all； He was able at once to make all things and to leave them to their own being； He above。 13。 The Supreme； as the Absolute Good and not merely a good being or thing； can contain nothing； since there is nothing that cou
