the six enneads-第129章
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identical： this latter knows the self as no longer man but as a being that has become something other through and through： he has thrown himself as one thing over into the superior order； taking with him only that better part of the soul which alone is winged for the Intellectual Act and gives the man； once established There； the power to appropriate what he has seen。 We can scarcely suppose this understanding faculty to be unaware that it has understanding； that it takes cognisance of things external； that in its judgements it decides by the rules and standards within itself held directly from the Intellectual…Principle； that there is something higher than itself； something which； moreover； it has no need to seek but fully possesses。 What can we conceive to escape the self…knowledge of a principle which admittedly knows the place it holds and the work it has to do？ It affirms that it springs from Intellectual…Principle whose second and image it is； that it holds all within itself； the universe of things； engraved； so to say； upon it as all is held There by the eternal engraver。 Aware so far of itself； can it be supposed to halt at that？ Are we to suppose that all we can do is to apply a distinct power of our nature and come thus to awareness of that Intellectual…Principle as aware of itself？ Or may we not appropriate that principle… which belongs to us as we to it… and thus attain to awareness； at once； of it and of ourselves？ Yes： this is the necessary way if we are to experience the self…knowledge vested in the Intellectual…Principle。 And a man becomes Intellectual…Principle when； ignoring all other phases of his being； he sees through that only and sees only that and so knows himself by means of the self… in other words attains the self…knowledge which the Intellectual…Principle possesses。 5。 Does it all come down； then； to one phase of the self knowing another phase？ That would be a case of knower distinguished from known； and would not be self…knowing。 What； then； if the total combination were supposed to be of one piece； knower quite undistinguished from known； so that； seeing any given part of itself as identical with itself； it sees itself by means of itself； knower and known thus being entirely without differentiation？ To begin with； the distinction in one self thus suggested is a strange phenomenon。 How is the self to make the partition？ The thing cannot happen of itself。 And； again； which phase makes it？ The phase that decides to be the knower or that which is to be the known？ Then how can the knowing phase know itself in the known when it has chosen to be the knower and put itself apart from the known？ In such self…knowledge by sundering it can be aware only of the object； not of the agent； it will not know its entire content； or itself as an integral whole； it knows the phase seen but not the seeing phase and thus has knowledge of something else； not self…knowledge。 In order to perfect self…knowing it must bring over from itself the knowing phase as well： seeing subject and seen objects must be present as one thing。 Now if in this coalescence of seeing subject with seen objects； the objects were merely representations of the reality； the subject would not possess the realities： if it is to possess them it must do so not by seeing them as the result of any self…division but by knowing them； containing them； before any self…division occurs。 At that； the object known must be identical with the knowing act ＇or agent＇； the Intellectual…Principle； therefore； identical with the Intellectual Realm。 And in fact； if this identity does not exist； neither does truth； the Principle that should contain realities is found to contain a transcript； something different from the realities； that constitutes non…Truth； Truth cannot apply to something conflicting with itself； what it affirms it must also be。 Thus we find that the Intellectual…Principle； the Intellectual Realm and Real Being constitute one thing； which is the Primal Being； the primal Intellectual…Principle is that which contains the realities or； rather； which is identical with them。 But taking Primal Intellection and its intellectual object to be a unity； how does that give an Intellective Being knowing itself？ An intellection enveloping its object or identical with it is far from exhibiting the Intellectual…Principle as self…knowing。 All turns on the identity。 The intellectual object is itself an activity； not a mere potentiality； it is not lifeless； nor are the life and intellection brought into it as into something naturally devoid of them； some stone or other dead matter； no； the intellectual object is essentially existent； the primal reality。 As an active force； the first activity； it must be； also itself； the noblest intellection； intellection possessing real being since it is entirely true； and such an intellection； primal and primally existent； can be no other than the primal principle of Intellection： for that primal principle is no potentiality and cannot be an agent distinct from its act and thus； once more； possessing its essential being as a mere potentiality。 As an act… and one whose very being is an act… it must be undistinguishably identical with its act： but Being and the Intellectual object are also identical with that act； therefore the Intellectual…Principle； its exercise of intellection and the object of intellection all are identical。 Given its intellection identical with intellectual object and the object identical with the Principle itself； it cannot but have self…knowledge： its intellection operates by the intellectual act which is itself upon the intellectual object which similarly is itself。 It possesses self…knowing； thus； on every count； the act is itself； and the object seen in that act… self； is itself。 6。 Thus we have shown that there exists that which in the strictest sense possesses self…knowing。 This self…knowing agent； perfect in the Intellectual…Principle； is modified in the Soul。 The difference is that； while the soul knows itself as within something else； the Intellectual…Principle knows itself as self…depending； knows all its nature and character； and knows by right of its own being and by simple introversion。 When it looks upon the authentic existences it is looking upon itself； its vision as its effective existence； and this efficacy is itself since the Intellectual…Principle and the Intellectual Act are one： this is an integral seeing itself by its entire being； not a part seeing by a part。 But has our discussion issued in an Intellectual…Principle having a persuasive activity ＇furnishing us with probability＇？ No： it brings compulsion not persuasion； compulsion belongs to the Intellectual…Principle； persuasion to the soul or mind； and we seem to desire to be persuaded rather than to see the truth in the pure intellect。 As long as we were Above； collected within the Intellectual nature； we were satisfied； we were held in the intellectual act； we had vision because we drew all into unity… for the thinker in us was the Intellectual…Principle telling us of itself… and the soul or mind was motionless； assenting to that act of its prior。 But now that we are once more here… living in the secondary； the soul… we seek for persuasive probabilities： it is through the image we desire to know the archetype。 Our way is to teach our soul how the Intellectual…Principle exercises self…vision； the phase thus to be taught is that which already touches the intellective order； that which we call the understanding or intelligent soul； indicating by the very name that it is already of itself in some degree an Intellectual…Principle or that it holds its peculiar power through and from that Principle。 This phase must be brought to understand by what means it has knowledge of the thing it sees and warrant for what it affirms： if it became what it affirms； it would by that fact possess self…knowing。 All its vision and affirmation being in the Supreme or deriving from it… There where itself also is… it will possess self…knowledge by its right as a Reason…Principle； claiming its kin and bringing all into accord with the divine imprint upon it。 The soul therefore ＇to attain self…knowledge＇ h
