the six enneads-第148节
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d Quality were present。 Everything exists forever； unfailing； involved by very existence in eternity。 Individuals have their separate entities； but are at one in the ＇total＇ unity。 The complex； so to speak； of them all； thus combined； is Intellect； and Intellect； holding all existence within itself； is a complete living being； and the essential Idea of Living Being。 In so far as Intellect submits to contemplation by its derivative； becoming an Intelligible； it gives that derivative the right also to be called 〃living being。〃 22。 We may here adduce the pregnant words of Plato： 〃Inasmuch as Intellect perceives the variety and plurality of the Forms present in the complete Living Being。。。。〃 The words apply equally to Soul； Soul is subsequent to Intellect； yet by its very nature it involves Intellect in itself and perceives more clearly in that prior。 There is Intellect in our intellect also； which again perceives more clearly in its prior； for while of itself it merely perceives； in the prior it also perceives its own perception。 This intellect； then； to which we ascribe perception； though not divorced from the prior in which it originates； evolves plurality out of unity and has bound up with it the principle of Difference： it therefore takes the form of a plurality…in…unity。 A plurality…in…unity； it produces the many intellects by the dictate of its very nature。 It is certainly no numerical unity； no individual thing； for whatever you find in that sphere is a species； since it is divorced from Matter。 This may be the import of the difficult words of Plato； that Substance is broken up into an infinity of parts。 So long as the division proceeds from genus to species； infinity is not reached； a limit is set by the species generated： the lowest species； however… that which is not divided into further species… may be more accurately regarded as infinite。 And this is the meaning of the words： 〃to relegate them once and for all to infinity and there abandon them。〃 As for particulars； they are； considered in themselves； infinite； but come under number by being embraced by the ＇total＇ unity。 Now Soul has Intellect for its prior； is therefore circumscribed by number down to its ultimate extremity； at that point infinity is reached。 The particular intellect； though all…embracing； is a partial thing； and the collective Intellect and its various manifestations ＇all the particular intellects＇ are in actuality parts of that part。 Soul too is a part of a part； though in the sense of being an Act ＇actuality＇ derived from it。 When the Act of Intellect is directed upon itself； the result is the manifold ＇particular＇ intellects； when it looks outwards； Soul is produced。 If Soul acts as a genus or a species； the various ＇particular＇ souls must act as species。 Their activities ＇Acts＇ will be twofold： the activity upward is Intellect； that which looks downward constitutes the other powers imposed by the particular Reason…Principle ＇the Reason…Principle of the being ensouled＇； the lowest activity of Soul is in its contact with Matter to which it brings Form。 This lower part of Soul does not prevent the rest from being entirely in the higher sphere： indeed what we call the lower part is but an image of Soul： not that it is cut off from Soul； it is like the reflection in the mirror； depending upon the original which stands outside of it。 But we must keep in mind what this 〃outside〃 means。 Up to the production of the image； the Intellectual realm is wholly and exclusively composed of Intellectual Beings： in the same way the Sensible world； representing that in so far as it is able to retain the likeness of a living being； is itself a living being： the relation is like that of a portrait or reflection to the original which is regarded as prior to the water or the painting reproducing it。 The representation； notice； in the portrait or on the water is not of the dual being； but of the one element ＇Matter＇ as formed by the other ＇Soul＇。 Similarly； this likeness of the Intellectual realm carries images； not of the creative element； but of the entities contained in that creator； including Man with every other living being： creator and created are alike living beings； though of a different life； and both coexist in the Intellectual realm。 THIRD TRACTATE。
ON THE KINDS OF BEING （3）。
1。 We have now explained our conception of Reality ＇True Being＇ and considered how far it agrees with the teaching of Plato。 We have still to investigate the opposed principle ＇the principle of Becoming＇。 There is the possibility that the genera posited for the Intellectual sphere will suffice for the lower also； possibly with these genera others will be required； again； the two series may differ entirely； or perhaps some of the sensible genera will be identical with their intellectual prototypes； and others different… 〃identical；〃 however； being understood to mean only analogous and in possession of a common name； as our results will make dear。 We must begin on these lines： The subject of our discussion is the Sensible realm： Sensible Existence is entirely embraced by what we know as the Universe： our duty； then； would seem to be clear enough… to take this Universe and analyse its nature； classifying its constituent parts and arranging them by species。 Suppose that we were making a division of speech： we should reduce its infinity to finite terms； and from the identity appearing in many instances evolve a unity； then another and another； until we arrived at some definite number； each such unit we should call a species if imposed upon individuals； a genus if imposed upon species。 Thus； every species of speech… and similarly all phenomena… might be referred to a unity； speech… or element… might be predicated of them all。 This procedure however is as we have already shown； impossible in dealing with the subject of our present enquiry。 New genera must be sought for this Universe…genera distinct from those of the Intellectual； inasmuch as this realm is different from that； analogous indeed but never identical； a mere image of the higher。 True； it involves the parallel existence of Body and Soul； for the Universe is a living form： essentially however Soul is of the Intellectual and does not enter into the structure of what is called Sensible Being。 Remembering this fact； we must… however great the difficulty… exclude Soul from the present investigation； just as in a census of citizens； taken in the interests of commerce and taxation； we should ignore the alien population。 As for the experiences to which Soul is indirectly subject in its conjunction with Body and by reason of Body's presence； their classification must be attempted at a later stage； when we enquire into the details of Sensible Existence。 2。 Our first observations must be directed to what passes in the Sensible realm for Substance。 It is； we shall agree； only by analogy that the nature manifested in bodies is designated as Substance； and by no means because such terms as Substance or Being tally with the notion of bodies in flux； the proper term would be Becoming。 But Becoming is not a uniform nature； bodies comprise under the single head simples and composites； together with accidentals or consequents； these last themselves capable of separate classification。 Alternatively； Becoming may be divided into Matter and the Form imposed upon Matter。 These may be regarded each as a separate genus； or else both may be brought under a single category and receive alike the name of Substance。 But what； we may ask； have Matter and Form in common？ In what sense can Matter be conceived as a genus； and what will be its species？ What is the differentia of Matter？ In which genus； Matter or Form； are we to rank the composite of both？ It may be this very composite which constitutes the Substance manifested in bodies； neither of the components by itself answering to the conception of Body： how； then； can we rank them in one and the same genus as the composite？ How can the elements of a thing be brought within the same genus as the thing itself？ Yet if we begin with bodies； our first…principles will be compounds。 Why not resort to analogy？ Admitted that the classification of the Sensible cannot proceed along the identical lines marked out for the Intellectual： is there any reason why we should not for Intellectual…Being substitute Matter； and for Intellectual Motion substitute Sensible Form； which is in a sense the life and consummation of Matter？ The inertia of Matter would correspond with Stability； while the Identity and Difference of the Intellectual would find their counterparts in the similarity and diversity which obtain in the Sensible realm。 But； in the first place； Matter does not possess or acquire Form as its life or its Act； Form enters it from without； and remains foreign to its nature。 Secondly； Form in the Intellectual is an Act and a motion； in the Sensible Motion is different from Form and accidental to it： Form in relation to Matter approximates rather to Stability than to Motion； for by determining Matter's indetermination it confers upon it a sort of repose。 In the higher realm Identity and Difference
