pagan and christian creeds-第46节
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nt clearly to a long foreground of rude communal language； something like though greatly superior to that of the animals； preceding or preparing the evolution of Self…consciousness proper； in the forms of 〃I〃 and 〃Thou〃 and the grammar of personal actions and relations。 〃They show that the plural and all other forms of number in grammar arise not by multiplication of an original 'I；' but by selection and gradual EXCLUSION from an original collective 'we。' 〃＇3＇ According to this view the birth of self…consciousness in the human family； or in any particular race or section of the human family； must have been equally slow and hesitating； and it would be easy to imagine； as just said； that there may have been a very long and 'golden' period at its beginning； before the new consciousness took on its maturer and harsher forms。
＇1＇ Dr。 Bucke （Cosmic Consciousness） insists on their simultaneity； but places both events excessively far back； as we should think； i。e。 200；000 or 300；000 years ago。 Possibly he does not differentiate sufficiently between the rude language of the holophrase and the much later growth of formed and grammatical speech。
＇2＇ See A。 E。 Crawley's Idea of the Soul； ch。 ii； Jane Harrison's Themis； pp。 473…5； and E。 J。 Payne's History of the New World called America； vol。 ii； pp。 115 sq。； where the beginning of self…consciousness is associated with the break…up of the holophrase。
＇3＇ Themis； p。 471。
All estimates of the Time involved in these evolutions of early man are notoriously most divergent and most difficult to be sure of； but if we take 500；000 years ago for the first appearance of veritable Man （homo primigenius）；＇2＇ and （following Professor W。 J。 Sollas）＇3＇ 30；000 or 40；000 years ago for the first tool…using men （homo sapiens） of the Chellean Age （palaeolithic）； 15；000 for the rock…paintings and inscriptions of the Aurignacian and Magdalenian peoples； and 5；000 years ago for the first actual historical records that have come down to us； we may perhaps get something like a proportion between the different periods。 That is to say； half a million years for the purely animal man in his different forms and grades of evolution。 Then somewhere towards the end of palaeolithic or commencement of neolithic times Self…consciousness dimly beginning and； after some 10；000 years of slow germination and pre…historic culture； culminating in the actual historic period and the dawn of civilization 40 or 50 centuries ago； and to…day （we hope）； reaching the climax which precedes or foretells its abatement and transformation。
＇2＇ Though Dr。 Arthur Keith； Ancient Types of Man （1911）； pp。 93 and 102； puts the figure at more like a million。
＇3＇ See Ancient Hunters （1915）； also Hastings's Encycl。 art。 〃Ethnology〃； and Havelock Ellis； 〃The Origin of War；〃 in The Philosophy of Conflict and other Essays。
No doubt many geologists and anthropologists would favor periods greatly LONGER than those here mentioned； but possibly there would be some agreement as to the RATIO to each other of the times concerned： that is； the said authorities would probably allow for a VERY long animal…man＇1＇… period corresponding to the first stage； for a much shorter aggressively 'self conscious' period； corresponding to the Second Stageperhaps lasting only one thirtieth or fiftieth of the time of the first period； and thenif they looked forward at all to a third stagewould be inclined for obvious reasons to attribute to that again a very extended duration。
＇1＇ I use the phrase 'animal…man' here； not with any flavor of contempt or reprobation； as the dear Victorians would have used it； but with a sense of genuine respect and admiration such as one feels towards the animals themselves。
However； all this is very speculative。 To return to the difficulty about Language and the consideration of those early times when words adequate to the expression of religious or magical ideas simply did not exist； it is clear that the only available； or at any rate the CHIEF means of expression； in those times； must have consisted in gestures； in attitudes； in ceremonial ACTIONSin a more or less elaborate ritual； in fact。＇1＇ Such ideas as Adoration； Thanksgiving； confession of Guilt； placation of Wrath； Expiation； Sacrifice； Celebration of Community； sacramental Atonement； and a score of others could at that time be expressed by appropriate ritesand as a matter of fact are often so expressed even nowMORE readily and directly than by language。 'Dancing'when that word came to be inventeddid not mean a mere flinging about of the limbs in recreation； but any expressive movements of the body which might be used to convey the feelings of the dancer or of the audience whom he represented。 And so the 'religious dance' became a most important part of ritual。
＇1＇ See ch。 ix and xi。
So much for the second stage of Consciousness。 Let us now pass on to the Third Stage。 It is evident that the process of disruption and dissolutiondisruption both of the human mind； and of society round about it； due to the action of the Second Stagecould not go on indefinitely。 There are hundreds of thousands of people at the present moment who are dying of mental or bodily diseasetheir nervous systems broken down by troubles connected with excessive self…consciousnessselfish fears and worries and restlessness。 Society at large is perishing both in industry and in warfare through the domination in its organism of the self…motives of greed and vanity and ambition。 This cannot go on for ever。 Things must either continue in the same strain； in which case it is evident that we are approaching a crisis of utter dissolution； OR a new element must enter in； a new inspiration of life； and we （as individuals） and the society of which we form a part； must make a fresh start。 What is that new and necessary element of regeneration？
It is evident that it must be a new birththe entry into a further stage of consciousness which must supersede the present one。 Through some such crisis as we have spoken of； through the extreme of suffering； the mind of Man； AS AT PRESENT CONSTITUTED； has to die。＇1＇ Self…consciousness has to die； and be buried； and rise again in a new form。 Probably nothing but the extreme of suffering can bring this about。＇2＇ And what is this new form in which consciousness has to rearise？ Obviously； since the miseries of the world during countless centuries have dated from that fatal attempt to make the little personal SELF the centre of effort and activity； and since that attempt has inevitably led to disunity and discord and death； both within the mind itself and within the body of society； there is nothing left but the return to a Consciousness which shall have Unity as its foundation…principle； and which shall proceed from the direct SENSE AND PERCEPTION of such an unity throughout creation。 The simple mind of Early Man and the Animals was of that charactera consciousness； so to speak； continuous through nature； and though running to points of illumination and foci of special activity in individuals； yet at no point essentially broken or imprisoned in separate compartments。 （And it is this CONTINUITY of the primitive mind which enables us； as I have already explained； to understand the mysterious workings of instinct and intuition。） To some such unity…consciousness we have to return； but clearly it will beit is notof the simple inchoate character of the First Stage； for it has been enriched； deepened； and greatly extended by the experience of the Second Stage。 It is in fact； a new order of mentalitythe consciousness of the Third Stage。
＇1＇ 〃The mind must be restrained in the heart till it comes to an end；〃 says the Maitrayana…Brahmana…Upanishad。
＇2＇ One may remember in this connection the tapas of the Hindu yogi； or the ordeals of initiates into the pagan Mysteries generally。
In order to understand the operation and qualities of this Third Consciousness； it may be of assistance just now to consider in what more or less rudimentary way or ways it figured in the pagan rituals and in Christianity。 We have seen the rude Siberyaks in North…Eastern Asia or the 'Grizzly' tribes of North American Indians in the neighborhood of Mount Shasta paying their respects and adoration to a captive bearat once the food…animal； and the divinity of the Tribe。 A tribesman had slain a bearand； be it said； had slain it not in a public hunt with all due ceremonies observed； but privately for his own satisfaction。 He had committed； therefore； a sin theoretically unpardonable； for had he notto gratify his personal desire for foodlevelled a blow at the guardian spirit of the Tribe？ Had he not alienated himself from his fellows by destroying its very symbol？ There was only one way by which he could regain the fellowship of his companions。 He must make amends by some public sacrifice； and instead of retaining the flesh of the animal for himself he must share it with the whole tribe （or clan） in a common feast； while at the same time； tensest prayers and thanks are offered to the animal for the gift of his body for food。 The Magic formula demanded nothing less than thiselse dread disaster would fall upon the man who sinned； and upon the whole brotherhood。 Here； and in a hundred similar rites；
