phenomenology of mind-第137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！


express　existence　in　the　Hymn。　The　hymn　keeps　within　it　the　individuality　of　self…consciousness；
and　this　individual　character　is　at　the　same　time　perceived　to　be　there　universal。　Devotion；　kindled
in　every　one；　is　a　spiritual　stream　which　in　all　the　manifold　self…conscious　units　is　conscious　of　itself
as　one　and　the　same　function　in　all　alike　and　a　simple　state　of　being。　Spirit；　being　this　universal
self…consciousness　of　every　one；　holds　in　a　single　unity　its　pure　inwardness　as　well　as　its　objective
existence　for　others　and　the　independent　self…existence　of　the　individual　units。

This　kind　of　language　is　distinct　from　another　way　God　speaks；　which　is　not　that　of　universal
self…consciousness。　The　Oracle；　both　in　the　case　of　the　god　of　the　religions　of　art　as　well　as　of　the
preceding　religions；　is　the　necessary　and　the　first　form　of　divine　utterance。　For　God's　very　principle
implies　that　God　is　at　once　the　essence　of　nature　and　of　spirit；　and　hence　has　not　merely　natural
but　spiritual　existence　as　well。　In　so　far　as　this　moment　is　merely　implied　as　yet　in　God's　principle
and　is　not　realized　in　religion；　the　language　used　is；　for　the　religious　self…consciousness；　the　speech
of　an　alien　and　external　self…consciousness。　The　self…consciousness　which　remains　alien　and　foreign
to　its　religious　communion；　is　not　yet　there　in　the　way　its　essential　principle　requires　it　should　be。
The　self　is　simple　self…existence；　and　thereby　is　altogether　universal　self…existence；　that　self；
however；　which　is　cut　off　from　the　self…consciousness　of　the　communion；　is　primarily　a　mere
individual　self。

The　content　of　this　its　own　peculiar　and　individual　form　of　speech　results　from　the　general
determinate　character　which　the　Absolute　Spirit　is　affirmed　to　have　in　its　religion　as　such。　Thus　the
universal　spirit　of　the　Sunrise；　which　has　not　yet　particularized　its　existence；　utters　about　the
Absolute　equally　simple　and　universal　statements；　whose　substantial　content　is　sublime　in　the
simplicity　of　its　truth；　but　at　the　same　time　appears；　because　of　this　universality；　trivial　to　the
self…consciousness　developing　further。

The　further　developed　self；　which　advances　to　being　distinctively　for　itself；　rises　above　the　pure
〃pathos〃　of　＇unconscious＇　substance；　gets　the　mastery　over　the　objectivity　of　the　Light　of　the　rising
Sun；　and　knows　that　simplicity　of　truth　to　be　the　inherent　reality　（das　Ansichseyende）　which　does
not　possess　the　form　of　contingent　existence　through　an　utterance　of　an　alien　self；　but　is　the　sure
and　unwritten　law　of　the　gods；　a　law　that　〃lives　for　ever；　and　no　man　knows　what　time　it　came〃。

As　the　universal　truth；　revealed　by　the　〃Light〃　of　the　world；　has　here　returned　into　what　is　within　or
what　is　beneath；　and　has　thus　got　rid　of　the　form　of　contingent　appearance；　so　too；　on　the　other
hand；　in　the　religion　of　art；　because　God's　shape　has　taken　on　consciousness　and　hence
individuality　in　general；　the　peculiar　utterance　of　God；　who　is　the　spirit　of　an　ethically　constituted
nation；　is　the　Oracle；　which　knows　its　special　circumstances　and　situation；　and　announces　what　is
serviceable　to　its　interests。　Reflective　thought；　however；　claims　for　itself　the　universal　truths
enunciated；　because　these　are　known　as　the　essential　inherent　reality　of　the　nation's　life；　and　the
utterance　of　them　is　thus　for　such　reflexion　no　longer　a　strange　and　alien　speech；　but　is　its　very
own。　Just　as　that　wise　man　of　old（4）　searched　in　his　own　thought　for　what　was　worthy　and　good；
but　left　it　to　his　〃Daimon〃　to　find　out　and　decide　the　petty　contingent　content　of　what　he　wanted　to
know　—　whether　it　was　good　for　him　to　keep　company　with　this　or　that　person；　or　good　for　one
of　his　friends　to　go　on　a　journey；　and　such　like　unimportant　things；　in　the　same　way　the　universal
consciousness　draws　the　knowledge　about　the　contingent　from　birds；　or　trees；　or　fermenting　earth；
the　steam　from　which　deprives　the　self…conscious　mind　of　its　sanity　of　judgment。　For　what　is
accidental　is　not　the　object　of　sober　reflexion；　and　is　extraneous；　and　hence　the　ethical
consciousness　lets　itself；　as　if　by　a　throw　of　the　dice；　settle　the　matter　in　a　manner　that　is　similarly
unreflective　and　extraneous。　If　the　individual；　by　his　understanding；　determines　on　a　certain　course；
and　selects；　after　consideration；　what　is　useful　for　him；　it　is　the　specific　nature　of　his　particular
character　which　is　the　ground　of　this　self…determination。　This　basis　is　just　what　is　contingent；　and
that；　knowledge　which　his　understanding　supplies　as　to　what　is　useful　for　the　individual；　is　hence
just　such　a　knowledge　as　that　of　〃oracles〃　or　of　the　〃lot〃；　only　that　he　who　questions　the　oracle　or
lot；　thereby　shows　the　ethical　sentiment　of　indifference　to　what　is　accidental；　while　the　former；　on
the　contrary；　treats　the　inherently　contingent　as　an　essential　concern　of　his　thought　and　knowledge。
Higher　than　both；　however；　is　to　make　careful　reflexion　the　oracle　for　contingent　action；　but　yet　to
recognize　that　this　very　act　reflected　on　is　something　contingent；　because　it　refers　to　what　is
opportune　and　has　a　relation　to　what　is　particular。

The　true　self…conscious　existence；　which　spirit　receives　in　the　form　of　speech；　which　is　not　the
utterance　of　an　alien　and　so　accidental；　i。e。　not　universal；　self…consciousness；　is　the　work　of　art
which　we　met　with　before。　It　stands　in　contrast　to　the　statue；　which　has　the　character　of　a　〃thing〃。
As　the　statue　is　existence　in　a　state　of　rest；　the　other　is　existence　in　a　state　of　transience。　In　the
case　of　the　former；　objectivity　is　set　free　and　is　without　the　immediate　presence　of　a　self　of　its　own；
in　the　latter；　on　the　other　hand；　objectivity　is　too　much　confined　within　the　self；　attains　insufficiently
to　definite　embodiment；　and　is；　like　time；　no　longer…　there　just　as　soon　as　it　is　there。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　（3）。　THE　CULT

The　religious　Cult　constitutes　the　process　of　the　two　sides　—　a　process　in　which　the　divine
embodiment　in　motion　within　the　pure　feeling…element　of　self…consciousness；　and　its　embodiment　at
rest　in　the　element　of　thinghood；　reciprocally　abandon　the　different　character　each　possesses；　and
the　unity；　which　is　the　underlying　principle　of　their　being；　becomes　an　existing　fact。　Here　in　the
Cult；　the　self　gives　itself　a　consciousness　of　the　Divine　Being　descending　from　its　remoteness　into
it；　and　this　Divine　Being；　which　was　formerly　the　unreal　and　merely　objective；　thereby　receives　the
proper　actuality　of　self…consciousness。

This　principle　of　the　Cult　is　essentially　contained　and　present　already　in　the　flow　of　the　melody　of
the　Hymn。　These　hymns　of　devotion　are　the　way　the　self　obtains　immediate　pure　satisfaction
through　and　within　itself。　It　is　the　soul　purified；　which；　in　the　purity　it　thus　attains；　is　immediately　and
only　absolute　Being；　and　is　one　with　absolute　Being。　The　soul；　because　of　its　abstract　character；　is
not　consciousness　distinguishing　its　object　from　itself；　and　is　thus　merely　the　night　of　the　object's
existence　and　the　place　prepared　for　its　shape。　The　abstract　Cult；　therefore；　raises　the　self　into
being　this　pure　divine　element。　The　soul　fulfils　the　attainment　of　this　purity　in　a　conscious　way。

Still　the　soul　is　not　yet　the　self；　which　has　descended　to　the　depths　of　its　being；　and　knows　itself　as
evil。　It　is　something　that　merely　is；　a　soul；　which　cleanses　its　exterior　with　the　washing　of　water；
and　robes　it　in　white；　while　its　innermost　traverses　the　imaginatively　presented　path　of　labour；
punishment；　and　reward；　the　way　of　spiritual　discipline　in　general；　of　relinquishing　its　particularity
—　the　road　by　which　it　reaches　the　mansions　and　the　fellowship　of　the　blest。

This　ceremonial　cult　is；　in　its　first　form；　merely　in　secret；　i。e。　is　a　fulfilment　accomplished　merely　in
idea；　and　unreal　in　fact。　It　has　to　become　a　real　act；　for　an　unreal　act　is　a　contradiction　in　terms。
Consciousness　proper　thereby　raises　itself　to　the　level　of　its　pure　self…consciousness。　The　essential
Being　has　in　it　the　significance　of　a　free　object；　through　the　actual　cult　this　object　turns　back　into
the　self；　and　in　so　far　as；　in　pure　consciousness；　it　has　the　significance　of　absolute　Being　dwelling　in
its　purity　beyond　actual　reality；　this　Being　descends；　through　this　mediating　process　of　the　cult；
from　its　universality　into　individual　form；　and　thus　combines　and　unites　with　actual　reality。

The　way　the　two　sides　make　their　appearance　in　the　act　is　of　such　a　character　that　the
self…conscious　aspect；　so　far　as　it　is　actual　consciousness；　finds　the　absolute　Being　manifesting　itself
as　actual　nature。　On　the　one　hand；　nature　belongs　to　self…consciousness　as　its　possession　and
property；　and　stands　for　what　has　no　existence　per　se。　On　the　other　hand；　nature　is　its　proper
immediate　reality　and　particularity；　which　is　equally　regarded　as　not　essential；　and　is　superseded。
At　the　same　time；　that　external　nature　has　the　opposite　significance　for　its　pure　consciousness　—
viz。　the　significance　of　being　the　inherently　real；　for　which　the　self　sacrifices　its　own　＇relative＇
unreality；　just　as；　conversely；　the　self　sacrifices　the　unessential　aspect　of　nature　to　itself。　The　act　is
the