“自我”发展的三条道路

归根结底，内我的确是持久的自己。虽然如此，各个不同的外在自我也极为重要，没有它们，内我就会被阻挡。那些内在能力通常也无从实现。这么说吧，在某一世存在之后，外在自我并没有被吞噬，而是仍然控制着那些在其形成与训练中如此重要的特质与能力。

那么，外在自我最终仍然是一个控制者和指挥者，掌控着它在某一世存在期间所聚集的力量。但这还不是终点。根据其与生俱来的能力，以及与基本内我沟通的能力，外在自我在一次存在之后，甚至可以继续成长和发展。

我可以想象，这非常难以理解。尽管如此，即使当一个内我送出一个新的外在自我去进行一次新的伪装冒险时，先前的自我还是获得了一条几乎无限的发展之路。它有很多种可能性。它可以选择依然做一个自我。那么它将继续处于多少从属于内我的地位，但并不比它以前的地位低。

因此，它将再次回到它熟悉的同一层面，它将在那里遇到新的挑战，发展新的能力，不过那些能力将具有相同的基本性质；也就是说，如果我们说的是你们的层面，自我会有新的经验，发展新的能力，也许解决旧的问题，弥补不足之处，但仍然在处理如何操纵的问题，处理物质建构的问题。

大多数自我的确会有一段时间选择这条路。就此而言，你们层面本身的要求使你们必须实现某些发展，比如我们很早以前就提过的，与完整的童年、为人父母的经历等等有关的发展。这些代表你们层面的最低要求。

沿着这些方向，自我也可能会有它自己特别的欲望。现在你们会明白我在说什么了。在你们层面上的各个转世里，转世的自我是同一个自我。为了显而易见的原因，那个自我的潜意识里保留了前世的信息。但那信息是可以利用的。

理论上，这样一个自我可以用这种方式继续无限地轮回，一直成长发展，但也一直在处理能量的操纵和物质建构的问题。那么，这代表了任何一个自我成长的一种可能性，还有其他的可能性。

如果在自己之间——也就是在内我和外在自我之间有良好的沟通，那么自我就会开始了解它是什么，也会开始认识到它拥有更大的能力——比它在一个层面上不断轮回所能实现的能力更大。

如果这个自我非比寻常，它可以选择两条路中的一条。

它可以选择作为一名伟大的创始人回到同一层面，根据它的兴趣、能力和才华，利用它从内我接收到的知识，在那个层面上开创前所未有、影响深远的新局面。因此，它将成为一个佛陀、一个基督、一个米开朗基罗，一个叱咤某一领域的英雄人物，一个仅凭自身存在的事实，就以数不清的方式彻底改变物质世界的自我。

然后，它才不再转世到那个层面。不过，由于它自身非凡的特质，它本身与内我形成了一个额外的完形，增强了内我的能量和能力；以一种我还无法向你们解释的方式，它可以在很大程度上自愿放弃它的自我身份，以便把它的全部能量交给内我储存。

这是一种可能性。这样做时，自我耗尽的其实不是这份巨大的能量，而是它的欲望。

其他自我则选择成为它们自己的存有，在这种情况下，这个了不起的外在自我反过来成为了一个内在自我，然后由它自己未实现的欲望、能力和行动中，形成了许多新的外在自我，再度寻求价值完成。

这种转为内在自我的外在自我，那时只在某一个层面上体验过存在。所以它对于其他层面的存在充满迫不及待的感觉；所以如果它一开始是在你们的层面上发展，他就不会选择在那里重新开始，而是会选择其他的活动层面。

因此，它的内在确实包含了在你们层面上的经验知识，虽然这样一个存有可能从任何层面跳出来。这当然代表了最不寻常的可能性，而且，如果这样一个存有被自身的力量强烈推动的话，它能够存在于许多不同的层面上，携带着先前所有层面的知识；并且它的每一个外在自我都有相同的机会。这很重要。

选择永远是由特定的自我做出的，记住，我们这里说的是外在自我。很多外在自我满足于沿着同一层面无限期地继续前行，拥有几乎无数的化身，也多多少少与内我保持联系。

如前所述，鲁柏和我是同一个存有的分支。我现在要说的是，我们选择了相同的道路。时间上的差异不过是一种伪装的扭曲。这个存有特别强大，它的许多自我都决定转变为存有。

你们还记得吧，在你们的层面以及其他层面上，都有某些必须达到的要求。然而一个自我，一个外在自我，除非它的领悟达到一定程度，否则怎样都无法选择成为一个存有。好，我亲爱的耐心的约瑟，我可以告诉你，你也同样是那个存有的一部分，而我之所以能和你们两位沟通，这是主要原因之一。

这种情况并不经常发生。我想把这一点讲清楚已经有好长一段时间了，但太早的话，你们不会理解。你和鲁柏都必须将你们所有的能力运用到极致。当你们把能量用于这个目的时，就会发现有更多的能量任你支配。这是极其重要的，因为这就是你们要做出最大贡献的一次存在。

It is true that the inner self in the last analysis is the durable self. Nevertheless the various outer egos are extremely important, and without them the inner self would be blocked. Nor are these inner abilities as a rule ever left unfulfilled. The outer egos are not gobbled up, so to speak, after a particular existence, but remain in control of those characteristics and abilities which they have been so important in forming and training.

The outer ego then remains at the end a controller and director of those strengths which it gathered about itself during its particular existence. But even this is not the end. It, that is it meaning the outer ego, can even continue growth and development after a particular existence, according to its inherent ability and according to its ability to communicate with the basic inner self.

This is extremely difficult, I should imagine. Nevertheless, even when an inner self has sent out a new outer ego upon a new camouflage venture, the previous ego is still afforded an almost unlimited avenue for development. There are many possibilities for it. It can choose to remain what it is, one ego. It will then remain in a somewhat subordinate position to the inner self, but in no more of a subordinate position than it was earlier.

It will therefore return once more to the same plane with which it was familiar, where it will meet with new challenges, and develop new abilities that will, however, be of the same basic nature; that is, if we are speaking of your plane, the ego would have new experiences, develop new abilities, perhaps solve old problems, balance out deficiencies, but still be dealing with problems of manipulation and physical construction.

Most egos do indeed choose this course for a while. For that matter the requirements of your plane itself necessitate the fulfillment of certain developments such as those we have mentioned much earlier, having to do with the experience of a full childhood, motherhood, fatherhood, et cetera. These represent minimum requirements for your plane.

The ego may also have particular desires of its own along these lines. Now you will see what I am saying. In various reincarnations upon your plane, the ego that reincarnates is the same ego. The information of past lives is retained by that ego’s subconscious, for obvious reasons. But this information can be tapped.

Theoretically such an ego could continue reincarnating indefinitely in such a fashion, always growing and developing, but always dealing with problems of manipulation and physical construction of energy. This then represents one possibility for growth of any particular ego. There are other possibilities.

Now if there is good communication between the self, that is the inner self and the outer ego, then the ego begins to understand what it is, and also to realize that it has greater capacities than it can realize by continued reincarnations, upon one plane.

If the ego is exceptional it may take one of two courses.

It may choose to return to the same plane as a great originator, using knowledge that it receives from the inner self to make lasting and original innovations upon that plane, according to its interests, abilities and capacity. It will therefore become a Buddha, a Christ, a Michelangelo, a hero in one field or another, an ego who changes the physical world completely in untold manners by the mere fact of its existence.

It then does not reincarnate again upon that plane. However because of its own extraordinary nature, it itself forms with the inner self in an added gestalt, adding to the energy and ability of the inner self; and in a manner which I cannot yet explain to you, it voluntarily may give up its ego identification to a large degree for the purpose of giving its full energies to the store of the inner self.

That is one possibility. It is followed by egos who have actually worn out not this energy, which is tremendous, but their desires.

Other egos choose instead to become entities of their own, in which case this magnificent outer ego becomes in turn an inner ego, which then from its own unfulfilled desires, abilities and initiatives are formed new outer egos which once again seek fulfillment.

Such an outer ego turned inner ego, has only experienced existence then upon a particular plane. It is therefore filled with impatience as far as existence upon other planes are concerned; and therefore if it developed upon your plane initially, it will not choose to initiate anew there, but will choose other planes of activity.

It does therefore contain within it the knowledge of its experiences upon your plane, though such an entity can spring from any plane. This of course represents the most extraordinary possibility, and such an entity can, if it is so propelled by its own strength, exist upon a variety of planes, carrying along with it knowledge of all previous planes; and each of its outer egos have the same opportunities. This is important.

The choice is always made by the particular ego, and we are speaking here of outer egos, remember. Many are content to continue indefinitely along the same plane, having almost endless incarnations and in contact more or less with the inner self.

Ruburt and myself were offshoots of the same entity, as I have mentioned. I will mention now that we have chosen the same paths. The difference in time is but a camouflage distortion. The entity was a particularly strong one, and many of its egos have made the decision to turn into entities.

There are certain requirements as you remember that must be met, upon your plane and upon others. Yet an ego, an outer ego, cannot choose to be an entity in any case until its comprehension attains a certain degree. And now, my dear patient Joseph, may I tell you also that you are part of that same entity; and this is one of the main reasons why I am able to communicate with you both.

This particular set of circumstances does not happen often. I have wanted to make this clear for quite a while but you would not have understood it much earlier. You and Ruburt both must use all your abilities to the utmost. You will find more energy at your disposal as you use it for this purpose. This is extremely important, since this is the existence in which you are to make your largest contribution.

——摘译自《早期课》第二册第58节

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