the six enneads-第184章
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ove with something streaming from it into us； in any real receiving of good； giver is in contact with taker and gives not as to a recipient outside but to one in intimate contact。 The Intellectual giving is not an act of transmission； even in the case of corporeal objects； with their local separation； the mutual giving ＇and taking＇ is of things of one order and their communication； every effect they produce； is upon their like； what is corporeal in the All acts and is acted upon within itself； nothing external impinging upon it。 Now if in body； whose very nature is partition； there is no incursion of the alien； how can there be any in the order in which no partition exists？ It is therefore by identification that we see the good and touch it； brought to it by becoming identical with what is of the Intellectual within ourselves。 In that realm exists what is far more truly a kosmos of unity； otherwise there will be two sensible universes； divided into correspondent parts； the Intellectual sphere； if a unity only as this sphere is； will be undistinguishable from it… except； indeed； that it will be less worthy of respect since in the nature of things extension is appropriate in the lower while the Intellectual will have wrought out its own extension with no motive； in a departure from its very character。 And what is there to hinder this unification？ There is no question of one member pushing another out as occupying too much space； any more than happens in our own minds where we take in the entire fruit of our study and observation； all uncrowded。 We may be told that this unification is not possible in Real Beings； it certainly would not be possible； if the Reals had extension。 11。 But how can the unextended reach over the defined extension of the corporeal？ How can it； so； maintain itself as a unity； an identity？ This is a problem often raised and reason calls vehemently for a solution of the difficulties involved。 The fact stands abundantly evident； but there is still the need of intellectual satisfaction。 We have； of course； no slight aid to conviction； indeed the very strongest； in the exposition of the character of that principle。 It is not like a stone； some vast block lying where it lies； covering the space of its own extension； held within its own limits； having a fixed quantity of mass and of assigned stone…power。 It is a First Principle； measureless； not bounded within determined size… such measurement belongs to another order… and therefore it is all…power； nowhere under limit。 Being so； it is outside of Time。 Time in its ceaseless onward sliding produces parted interval； Eternity stands in identity； pre…eminent； vaster by unending power than Time with all the vastness of its seeming progress； Time is like a radial line running out apparently to infinity but dependent upon that； its centre； which is the pivot of all its movement； as it goes it tells of that centre； but the centre itself is the unmoving principle of all the movement。 Time stands； thus； in analogy with the principle which holds fast in unchanging identity of essence： but that principle is infinite not only in duration but also in power： this infinity of power must also have its counterpart； a principle springing from that infinite power and dependent upon it； this counterpart will； after its own mode； run a course… corresponding to the course of Time… in keeping with that stationary power which is its greater as being its source： and in this too the source is present throughout the full extension of its lower correspondent。 This secondary of Power； participating as far as it may in that higher； must be identified。 Now the higher power is present integrally but； in the weakness of the recipient material； is not discerned as every point； it is present as an identity everywhere not in the mode of the material triangle… identical though； in many representations； numerically multiple； but in the mode of the immaterial； ideal triangle which is the source of the material figures。 If we are asked why the omnipresence of the immaterial triangle does not entail that of the material figure； we answer that not all Matter enters into the participation necessary； Matter accepts various forms and not all Matter is apt for all form； the First Matter； for example； does not lend itself to all but is for the First Kinds first and for the others in due order； though these； too； are omnipresent。 12。 To return： How is that Power present to the universe？ As a One Life。 Consider the life in any living thing； it does not reach only to some fixed point； unable to permeate the entire being； it is omnipresent。 If on this again we are asked How； we appeal to the character of this power； not subject to quantity but such that though you divide it mentally for ever you still have the same power； infinite to the core； in it there is no Matter to make it grow less and less according to the measured mass。 Conceive it as a power of an ever…fresh infinity； a principle unfailing； inexhaustible； at no point giving out； brimming over with its own vitality。 If you look to some definite spot and seek to fasten on some definite thing； you will not find it。 The contrary is your only way； you cannot pass on to where it is not； you will never halt at a dwindling point where it fails at last and can no longer give； you will always be able to move with it… better； to be in its entirety… and so seek no further； denying it； you have strayed away to something of another order and you fall； looking elsewhere you do not see what stands there before you。 But supposing you do thus 〃seek no further；〃 how do you experience it？ In that you have entered into the All； no longer content with the part； you cease to think of yourself as under limit but； laying all such determination aside； you become an All。 No doubt you were always that； but there has been an addition and by that addition you are diminished； for the addition was not from the realm of Being… you can add nothing to Being… but from non…Being。 It is not by some admixture of non…Being that one becomes an entire； but by putting non…Being away。 By the lessening of the alien in you； you increase。 Cast it aside and there is the All within you； engaged in the alien； you will not find the All。 Not that it has to come and so be present to you； it is you that have turned from it。 And turn though you may； you have not severed yourself； it is there； you are not in some far region： still there before it； you have faced to its contrary。 It is so with the lesser gods； of many standing in their presence it is often one alone that sees them； that one alone was alone in the power to see。 These are the gods who 〃in many guises seek our cities〃； but there is That Other whom the cities seek； and all the earth and heaven； everywhere with God and in Him； possessing through Him their Being and the Real Beings about them； down to soul and life； all bound to Him and so moving to that unity which by its very lack of extension is infinite。 SIXTH TRACTATE。
ON NUMBERS。
1。 It is suggested that multiplicity is a falling away from The Unity； infinity being the complete departure； an innumerable multiplicity； and that this is why unlimit is an evil and we evil at the stage of multiplicity。 A thing； in fact； becomes a manifold when； unable to remain self…centred； it flows outward and by that dissipation takes extension： utterly losing unity it becomes a manifold since there is nothing to bind part to part； when； with all this outflowing； it becomes something definite； there is a magnitude。 But what is there so grievous in magnitude？ Given consciousness； there will be； since the thing must feel its exile； its sundrance from its essence。 Everything seeks not the alien but itself； in that outward moving there is frustration or compulsion； a thing most exists not when it takes multiplicity or extension but when it holds to its own being； that is when its movement is inward。 Desire towards extension is ignorance of the authentically great； a movement not on the appropriate path but towards the strange； to the possession of the self the way is inward。 Cons
