the six enneads-第108节
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n nexts taking the outward path； these are the beings holding the rank of souls。 In the same way the outgoing process could not end with the souls； their issue stifled： every Kind must produce its next； it must unfold from some concentrated central principle as from a seed； and so advance to its term in the varied forms of sense。 The prior in its being will remain unalterably in the native seat； but there is the lower phase； begotten to it by an ineffable faculty of its being； native to soul as it exists in the Supreme。 To this power we cannot impute any halt； any limit of jealous grudging； it must move for ever outward until the universe stands accomplished to the ultimate possibility。 All； thus； is produced by an inexhaustible power giving its gift to the universe； no part of which it can endure to see without some share in its being。 There is； besides； no principle that can prevent anything from partaking； to the extent of its own individual receptivity in the Nature of Good。 If therefore Matter has always existed； that existence is enough to ensure its participation in the being which； according to each receptivity； communicates the supreme good universally： if on the contrary； Matter has come into being as a necessary sequence of the causes preceding it； that origin would similarly prevent it standing apart from the scheme as though it were out of reach of the principle to whose grace it owes its existence。 In sum： The loveliness that is in the sense…realm is an index of the nobleness of the Intellectual sphere； displaying its power and its goodness alike： and all things are for ever linked； the one order Intellectual in its being； the other of sense； one self…existent； the other eternally taking its being by participation in that first； and to the full of its power reproducing the Intellectual nature。 7。 The Kind； then； with which we are dealing is twofold； the Intellectual against the sensible： better for the soul to dwell in the Intellectual； but； given its proper nature； it is under compulsion to participate in the sense…realm also。 There is no grievance in its not being； through and through； the highest； it holds mid…rank among the authentic existences； being of divine station but at the lowest extreme of the Intellectual and skirting the sense…known nature； thus； while it communicates to this realm something of its own store； it absorbs in turn whenever… instead of employing in its government only its safeguarded phase… it plunges in an excessive zeal to the very midst of its chosen sphere； then it abandons its status as whole soul with whole soul； though even thus it is always able to recover itself by turning to account the experience of what it has seen and suffered here； learning； so； the greatness of rest in the Supreme； and more clearly discerning the finer things by comparison with what is almost their direct antithesis。 Where the faculty is incapable of knowing without contact； the experience of evil brings the dearer perception of Good。 The outgoing that takes place in the Intellectual…Principle is a descent to its own downward ultimate： it cannot be a movement to the transcendent； operating necessarily outwards from itself； wherein it may not stay inclosed； the need and law of Nature bring it to its extreme term； to soul… to which it entrusts all the later stages of being while itself turns back on its course。 The soul's operation is similar： its next lower act is this universe： its immediate higher is the contemplation of the Authentic Existences。 To individual souls such divine operation takes place only at one of their phases and by a temporal process when from the lower in which they reside they turn towards the noblest； but that soul； which we know as the All…Soul； has never entered the lower activity； but； immune from evil； has the property of knowing its lower by inspection； while it still cleaves continuously to the beings above itself； thus its double task becomes possible； it takes thence and； since as soul it cannot escape touching this sphere； it gives hither。 8。 And… if it is desirable to venture the more definite statement of a personal conviction clashing with the general view… even our human soul has not sunk entire； something of it is continuously in the Intellectual Realm； though if that part； which is in this sphere of sense； hold the mastery； or rather be mastered here and troubled； it keeps us blind to what the upper phase holds in contemplation。 The object of the Intellectual Act comes within our ken only when it reaches downward to the level of sensation： for not all that occurs at any part of the soul is immediately known to us； a thing must； for that knowledge； be present to the total soul； thus desire locked up within the desiring faculty remains unknown except when we make it fully ours by the central faculty of perception； or by the individual choice or by both at once。 Once more； every soul has something of the lower on the body side and something of the higher on the side of the Intellectual…Principle。 The Soul of the All； as an entirety； governs the universe through that part of it which leans to the body side； but since it does not exercise a will based on calculation as we do… but proceeds by purely intellectual act as in the execution of an artistic conception… its ministrance is that of a labourless overpoising； only its lowest phase being active upon the universe it embellishes。 The souls that have gone into division and become appropriated to some thing partial have also their transcendent phase； but are preoccupied by sensation； and in the mere fact of exercising perception they take in much that clashes with their nature and brings distress and trouble since the object of their concern is partial； deficient； exposed to many alien influences； filled with desires of its own and taking its pleasure； that pleasure which is its lure。 But there is always the other； that which finds no savour in passing pleasure； but holds its own even way。 NINTH TRACTATE。
ARE ALL SOULS ONE？。
1。 That the Soul of every individual is one thing we deduce from the fact that it is present entire at every point of the body… the sign of veritable unity… not some part of it here and another part there。 In all sensitive beings the sensitive soul is an omnipresent unity； and so in the forms of vegetal life the vegetal soul is entire at each several point throughout the organism。 Now are we to hold similarly that your soul and mine and all are one； and that the same thing is true of the universe； the soul in all the several forms of life being one soul； not parcelled out in separate items； but an omnipresent identity？ If the soul in me is a unity； why need that in the universe be otherwise seeing that there is no longer any question of bulk or body？ And if that； too； is one soul and yours； and mine； belongs to it； then yours and mine must also be one： and if； again； the soul of the universe and mine depend from one soul； once more all must be one。 What then in itself is this one soul？ First we must assure ourselves of the possibility of all souls being one as that of any given individual is。 It must； no doubt； seem strange that my soul and that of any and everybody else should be one thing only： it might mean my feelings being felt by someone else； my goodness another's too； my desire； his desire； all our experience shared with each other and with the （one…souled） universe； so that the very universe itself would feel whatever I felt。 Besides how are we to reconcile this unity with the distinction of reasoning soul and unreasoning； animal soul and vegetal？ Yet if we reject that unity； the universe itself ceases to be one thing and souls can no longer be included under any one principle。 2。 Now to begin with； the unity of soul； mine and another's； is not enough to make the two totals of soul and body identical。 An identical thing in different recipients will have different experiences； the identity Man； in me as I move and you at rest； moves in me and is stationary in you： there is nothing stranger； nothing impossible； in any other form of identity between you and me； nor would it entail the transference of my emotion to any outside point： when in any one body a hand is in pain； the distress is felt not in the other but in the hand as represented in the centralizing unity。 In order that my feelings should of necessity be yours； the unity would have to be corporeal： only if the two recipient bodies made one； would the souls feel as one。 We must keep in mind； moreover； that many things that happen even in one same body escape the notice of the entire being； especially when the bulk is large： thus in huge sea…beasts； it is said； the animal as a whole will be quite unaffected by some membral accident too slight to traverse the organism。 Thus unity in the subject of any experience does not imply that the resultant sensation will be necessarily felt with any force upon the entire being and at every point of it： some transmission of the experience may be expected； and is indeed undeniable； but a full impression on the sense there need not be。 That one identical soul should
