the six enneads-第89章
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pon the kosmos as harmonizes with our explanation of the universal system。 15。 The souls peering forth from the Intellectual Realm descend first to the heavens and there put on a body； this becomes at once the medium by which as they reach out more and more towards magnitude ＇physical extension＇ they proceed to bodies progressively more earthy。 Some even plunge from heaven to the very lowest of corporeal forms； others pass； stage by stage； too feeble to lift towards the higher the burden they carry； weighed downwards by their heaviness and forgetfulness。 As for the differences among them； these are due to variation in the bodies entered； or to the accidents of life； or to upbringing； or to inherent peculiarities of temperament； or to all these influences together； or to specific combinations of them。 Then again some have fallen unreservedly into the power of the destiny ruling here： some yielding betimes are betimes too their own： there are those who； while they accept what must be borne； have the strength of self…mastery in all that is left to their own act； they have given themselves to another dispensation： they live by the code of the aggregate of beings； the code which is woven out of the Reason…Principles and all the other causes ruling in the kosmos； out of soul…movements and out of laws springing in the Supreme； a code； therefore； consonant with those higher existences； founded upon them； linking their sequents back to them； keeping unshakeably true all that is capable of holding itself set towards the divine nature； and leading round by all appropriate means whatsoever is less natively apt。 In fine all diversity of condition in the lower spheres is determined by the descendent beings themselves。 16。 The punishment justly overtaking the wicked must therefore be ascribed to the kosmic order which leads all in accordance with the right。 But what of chastisements； poverty； illness； falling upon the good outside of all justice？ These events； we will be told； are equally interwoven into the world order and fall under prediction； and must consequently have a cause in the general reason： are they therefore to be charged to past misdoing？ No： such misfortunes do not answer to reasons established in the nature of things； they are not laid up in the master…facts of the universe； but were merely accidental sequents： a house falls； and anyone that chances to be underneath is killed； no matter what sort of man he be： two objects are moving in perfect order… or one if you like… but anything getting in the way is wounded or trampled down。 Or we may reason that the undeserved stroke can be no evil to the sufferer in view of the beneficent interweaving of the All or again； no doubt； that nothing is unjust that finds justification in a past history。 We may not think of some things being fitted into a system with others abandoned to the capricious； if things must happen by cause； by natural sequences； under one Reason…Principle and a single set scheme； we must admit that the minor equally with the major is fitted into that order and pattern。 Wrong…doing from man to man is wrong in the doer and must be imputed； but； as belonging to the established order of the universe is not a wrong even as regards the innocent sufferer； it is a thing that had to be； and； if the sufferer is good； the issue is to his gain。 For we cannot think that this ordered combination proceeds without God and justice； we must take it to be precise in the distribution of due； while； yet； the reasons of things elude us； and to our ignorance the scheme presents matter of censure。 17。 Various considerations explain why the Souls going forth from the Intellectual proceed first to the heavenly regions。 The heavens； as the noblest portion of sensible space； would border with the least exalted of the Intellectual； and will； therefore； be first ensouled first to participate as most apt； while what is of earth is at the very extremity of progression； least endowed towards participation； remotest from the unembodied。 All the souls； then； shine down upon the heavens and spend there the main of themselves and the best； only their lower phases illuminate the lower realms； and those souls which descend deepest show their light furthest down… not themselves the better for the depth to which they have penetrated。 There is； we may put it； something that is centre； about it； a circle of light shed from it； round centre and first circle alike； another circle； light from light； outside that again； not another circle of light but one which； lacking light of its own； must borrow。 The last we may figure to ourselves as a revolving circle； or rather a sphere； of a nature to receive light from that third realm； its next higher； in proportion to the light which that itself receives。 Thus all begins with the great light； shining self…centred； in accordance with the reigning plan ＇that of emanation＇ this gives forth its brilliance； the later ＇divine＇ existents ＇souls＇ add their radiation… some of them remaining above； while there are some that are drawn further downward； attracted by the splendour of the object they illuminate。 These last find that their charges need more and more care： the steersman of a storm…tossed ship is so intent on saving it that he forgets his own interest and never thinks that he is recurrently in peril of being dragged down with the vessel； similarly the souls are intent upon contriving for their charges and finally come to be pulled down by them； they are fettered in bonds of sorcery； gripped and held by their concern for the realm of Nature。 If every living being were of the character of the All…perfect； self…sufficing； in peril from no outside influence the soul now spoken of as indwelling would not occupy the body； it would infuse life while clinging； entire； within the Supreme。 18。 There remains still something to be said on the question whether the soul uses deliberate reason before its descent and again when it has left the body。 Reasoning is for this sphere； it is the act of the soul fallen into perplexity； distracted with cares； diminished in strength： the need of deliberation goes with the less self…sufficing intelligence； craftsmen faced by a difficulty stop to consider； where there is no problem their art works on by its own forthright power。 But if souls in the Supreme operate without reasoning； how can they be called reasoning souls？ One answer might be that they have the power of deliberating to happy issue； should occasion arise： but all is met by repudiating the particular kind of reasoning intended ＇the earthly and discursive type＇； we may represent to ourselves a reasoning that flows uninterruptedly from the Intellectual…Principle in them； an inherent state； an enduring activity； an assertion that is real； in this way they would be users of reason even when in that overworld。 We certainly cannot think of them； it seems to me； as employing words when； though they may occupy bodies in the heavenly region； they are essentially in the Intellectual： and very surely the deliberation of doubt and difficulty which they practise here must be unknown to them There； all their act must fall into place by sheer force of their nature； there can be no question of commanding or of taking counsel； they will know； each； what is to be communicated from another； by present consciousness。 Even in our own case here； eyes often know what is not spoken； and There all is pure； every being is； as it were； an eye； nothing is concealed or sophisticated； there is no need of speech； everything is seen and known。 As for the Celestials ＇the Daimones＇ and souls in the air； they may well use speech； for all such are simply Animate ＇= Beings＇。 19。 Are we to think of the indivisible phase of the soul and the divided as making one thing in a coalescence； or is the indivisible in a place of its own and under conditions of its own； the divisible being a sequent upon it； a separate part of it； as distinct as the reasoning phase is from the unreasoning？ The answer to this question will emerge when we make plain the nature and function to be attributed to each。 The indivisible phase is mentioned ＇in the passage of Pla
