the six enneads-第95章
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in the Intellectual Realm； is under the dispensation of a variety confronting it and a content of its own？ No： once pure in the Intellectual； it too possesses that same unchangeableness： for it possesses identity of essence； when it is in that region it must of necessity enter into oneness with the Intellectual…Principle by the sheer fact of its self…orientation； for by that intention all interval disappears； the soul advances and is taken into unison； and in that association becomes one with the Intellectual…Principle… but not to its own destruction： the two are one； and two。 In such a state there is no question of stage and change： the soul； without motion ＇but by right of its essential being＇ would be intent upon its intellectual act； and in possession； simultaneously； of its self…awareness； for it has become one simultaneous existence with the Supreme。 3。 But it leaves that conjunction； it cannot suffer that unity； it falls in love with its own powers and possessions； and desires to stand apart； it leans outward so to speak： then； it appears to acquire a memory of itself。 In this self…memory a distinction is to be made； the memory dealing with the Intellectual Realm upbears the soul； not to fall； the memory of things here bears it downwards to this universe； the intermediate memory dealing with the heavenly sphere holds it there too； and； in all its memory； the thing it has in mind it is and grows to； for this bearing…in…mind must be either intuition ＇i。e。； knowledge with identity＇ or representation by image： and the imaging in the case of the is not a taking in of something but is vision and condition… so much so； that； in its very sense… sight； it is the lower in the degree in which it penetrates the object。 Since its possession of the total of things is not primal but secondary； it does not become all things perfectly ＇in becoming identical with the All in the Intellectual＇； it is of the boundary order； situated between two regions； and has tendency to both。 4。 In that realm it has also vision； through the Intellectual…Principle； of The Good which does not so hold to itself as not to reach the soul； what intervenes between them is not body and therefore is no hindrance… and； indeed； where bodily forms do intervene there is still access in many ways from the primal to the tertiaries。 If； on the contrary； the soul gives itself to the inferior； the same principle of penetration comes into play； and it possesses itself； by memory and imagination； of the thing it desired： and hence the memory； even dealing with the highest； is not the highest。 Memory； of course； must be understood not merely of what might be called the sense of remembrance； but so as to include a condition induced by the past experience or vision。 There is such a thing as possessing more powerfully without consciousness than in full knowledge； with full awareness the possession is of something quite distinct from the self； unconscious possession runs very close to identity； and any such approach to identification with the lower means the deeper fall of the soul。 If the soul； on abandoning its place in the Supreme； revives its memories of the lower； it must have in some form possessed them even there though the activity of the beings in that realm kept them in abeyance： they could not be in the nature of impressions permanently adopted… a notion which would entail absurdities… but were no more than a potentiality realized after return。 When that energy of the Intellectual world ceases to tell upon the soul； it sees what it saw in the earlier state before it revisited the Supreme。 5。 But this power which determines memory is it also the principle by which the Supreme becomes effective in us？ At any time when we have not been in direct vision of that sphere； memory is the source of its activity within us； when we have possessed that vision； its presence is due to the principle by which we enjoyed it： this principle awakens where it wakens； and it alone has vision in that order； for this is no matter to be brought to us by way of analogy； or by the syllogistic reasoning whose grounds lie elsewhere； the power which； even here； we possess of discoursing upon the Intellectual Beings is vested； as we show； in that principle which alone is capable of their contemplation。 That； we must awaken； so to speak； and thus attain the vision of the Supreme； as one； standing on some lofty height and lifting his eyes； sees what to those that have not mounted with him is invisible。 Memory； by this account； commences after the soul has left the higher spheres； it is first known in the celestial period。 A soul that has descended from the Intellectual region to the celestial and there comes to rest； may very well be understood to recognize many other souls known in its former state supposing that； as we have said； it retains recollection of much that it knew here。 This recognition would be natural if the bodies with which those souls are vested in the celestial must reproduce the former appearance； supposing the spherical form ＇of the stars inhabited by souls in the mid…realm＇ means a change of appearance； recognition would go by character； by the distinctive quality of personality： this is not fantastic； conditions changing need not mean a change of character。 If the souls have mutual conversation； this too would mean recognition。 But those whose descent from the Intellectual is complete； how is it with them？ They will recall their memories； of the same things； but with less force than those still in the celestial； since they have had other experiences to remember； and the lapse of time will have utterly obliterated much of what was formerly present to them。 But what way of remembering the Supreme is left if the souls have turned to the sense…known kosmos； and are to fall into this sphere of process？ They need not fall to the ultimate depth： their downward movement may be checked at some one moment of the way； and as long as they have not touched the lowest of the region of process ＇the point at which non…being begins＇ there is nothing to prevent them rising once more。 6。 Souls that descend； souls that change their state… these； then； may be said to have memory； which deals with what has come and gone； but what subjects of remembrance can there be for souls whose lot is to remain unchanged？ The question touches memory in the stars in general； and also in the sun and moon and ends by dealing with the soul of the All； even by audaciously busying itself with the memories of Zeus himself。 The enquiry entails the examination and identification of acts of understanding and of reasoning in these beings； if such acts take place。 Now if； immune from all lack； they neither seek nor doubt； and never learn； nothing being absent at any time from their knowledge… what reasonings； what processes of rational investigation； can take place in them； what acts of the understanding？ Even as regards human concerns they have no need for observation or method； their administration of our affairs and of earth's in general does not go so； the right ordering； which is their gift to the universe； is effected by methods very different。 In other words； they have seen God and they do not remember？ Ah； no： it is that they see God still and always； and that； as long as they see； they cannot tell themselves they have had the vision； such reminiscence is for souls that have lost it。 7。 Well but can they not tell themselves that yesterday； or last year； they moved round the earth； that they lived yesterday or at any given moment in their lives？ Their living is eternal； and eternity is an unchanging unity。 To identify a yesterday or a last year in their movement would be like isolating the movement of one of the feet； and finding a this or a that and an entire series in what is a single act。 The movement of the celestial beings is one movement： it is our measuring that presents us with many movements； and with distinct days determined by intervening nights： There all is one day； series has no place； no yesterday； no last year。 Still： the space traversed is different； there are the various sections of the Zodiac： why； then； should not
