【精神方式的存在】
「精神方式的存在」spiritual existence,
和以物質方式存在的物質不同,
因為前者只有現象,不但不能夠量度,
不能夠用物質世界的實驗去證明,
而且受人類的自由意志 will / consciousness 所操縱。
「精神方式的存在」除了是概念方式的存在之外,
還必須具備人類精神文明中比較優秀的思想和感情。
最優秀的精神方式存在,
是經歷過無數「回歸心靈的智者」的思考和批判,
經歷過時間千錘百鍊的考驗,而留下來的精髓。
So we fix our eyes not on what is seen,
but on what is unseen.
For what is seen is temporary,
but what is unseen is eternal.
《2 Corinthians 4:18》
精神方式的存在,最為特別,老子稱之為「天道」。
這種概念方式的存在,例如「物極必反」,「禍福相倚伏」,
並非一般人都能夠明白,因為需要「心靈」的智慧來領悟,
所以一般人往往是介乎明與不明之間。
「上士聞道,勤而行之。中士聞道,若存若亡。
下士聞道,大笑之。不笑不足以為道。」
《道德經。四十一章》
最優秀的精神方式存在,
明白「用智慧做燃料的火炬最明亮」這個道理,
所以能夠給無數的「心靈」帶來光明,
並且促進了人類的精神文明,
可惜只有部份人才重視這些精神的價值。
We can easily forgive a child
who is afraid of the dark;
the real tragedy of life is
when men are afraid of the light.
一般經過後天教化的人,都會在口裡讚揚某些精神方式的存在,
但並不表示他們相信這種精神,原因有三:
1. 他們認為這種精神只是聖賢和偉人才需要擁有的東西。
2. 思考方面怕辛苦,所以在思考上選擇了懶惰。
3. 因為「道」不但有正邪之分,而且它們永遠共存,
加上大部份人都是喜歡左右逢源的投機份子,
並且擁抱「虛偽」這個雅俗共賞的普世價值。
People always exaggerate the value of the things
which they want but haven’t got,
and praise the the value of the things
which they should get but didn’t deign to labour.
部份精神方式的存在之所以能夠永垂不朽,
應該是因為掌握了部份關於「人性」的真理,
所以應該是形而上的「道」的一部份。
至於層次較低的那些,
就需要不斷地努力耕耘、批判、修訂、去蕪存菁,
才能夠維持其生存的價值。
無論中外,人類的精神文明中都出現了不少概念,
是以精神的方式來存在,
例如最基礎、最有價值的三大元素「愛、智慧、勇」,
即是中國儒家的「智、仁、勇」三達德《中庸》,
及由這三大元素衍生出來的:
真、誠、仁、中庸、正直、信、忠、義、自由、和平、
及對「道/真理/智慧」的謙卑和追求…
保守自己的心,擇善固執,努力去蕪存菁、知錯即改,
終身學習,終生自我教育。這種種既利人又利己的行為,
可以產生精神上的「寧靜」serenity,
及遭遇生命中重大挑戰時能夠處之「泰然」equanimity。
重要的地方是,人世間一切的所謂「精神」,
及基督教的所謂「世上的光」,如果缺乏了這三大元素,
就難以避免地產生「虛偽」hypocrisy,
繼而衍生出高層次的「罪惡」evil。
Nothing in all the world is more dangerous than
sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity.
( Martin Luther King Jr. )
Hypocrisy is a homage that vice pays to virtue.
( Francois de la Rochefoucauld )
No vice exists which does not pretend
to be more or less like some virtue
and which does not take advantage of
this assumed resemblance.
( La Bruyere, Characters, 1688 )
換言之,宗教精神──真,誠,勇,愛和智慧──不可思議,
虛偽的力量,罪惡的力量,亦不可思議!
The day science begins to study non-physical
phenomena, it will make more progress in
one decade than in all the previous centuries
of its existence.
( Nikola Tesla )
Having enabled us to swim the sea like fish,
to fly through the air like birds,
to rise into space like demigods,
science may finally teach us to walk
this earth like men.
( Henry Margenau )
I regard consciousness as fundamental.
I regard matter as derivative from consciousness.
We cannot get behind consciousness.
Everything that we talk about, everything that
we regard as existing, postulates consciousness.
( Max Planck )
As a man who has devoted his whole life
to the most clear headed science,
to the study of matter, I can tell you
as a result of my research about atoms
this much: There is no matter as such.
All matter originates and exists only
by virtue of a force which brings the particle
of an atom to vibration and holds this most
minute solar system of the atom together.
We must assume behind this force the
existence of a conscious and intelligent mind.
This mind is the matrix of all matter.
( Max Planck )
The stream of knowledge is heading towards
a non-mechanical reality; the Universe begins
to look more like a great thought than like a
great machine. Mind no longer appears to be
an accidental intruder into the realm of matter.
We are beginning to suspect that we ought
rather hail it as the creator and governor
of the realm of matter.
( Sir James Jean )
Quantum mind
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quantum_mind