(41) Man stands midway between heaven and earth, with his feet deep in the mud of material life, and his head in heaven. In the majority of cases his eyes are closed, and he sees not the beauty of the heavenly vision or they are open, but fixed upon the mud and slime with which his feet are covered. But when his open eyes are lifted for a brief moment, and see the world of reality, and of spiritual values, then the torn and distracted life of the aspirant begins. (14 – 312).
人站立于天地之间，他的双脚深陷物质生活的泥沼之中，他的头在天空之中。在大多数情况下，他的双眼是紧闭的，他看不到美丽的天堂景象，当他睁开双眼时，却紧盯着脚面上覆盖的泥土。但是，当他短暂地把双眼望向天空时，他看到了真实的世界，看到了具有灵性价值的世界时，寻求者的分裂和焦虑的生活，便开始了。
(42) One of the most difficult things with which the Masters are today confronted, is to prove to man that the old and recognised values, and the tangible world of phenomena (emotional and physical), must be relegated to their right place in the background of man’s consciousness, and that the intangible realities, and the world of ideas and causes must be, for him, in the immediate future, the main centre of attraction. When man grasps this, and lives by this knowledge, then the glamour which now holds the world will disappear. (14 – 341).
大师们当今面临的最困难的事情之一，就是向人们证实，旧的和公认的价值观，以及感官世界中的那些现象（情感和物质上的），比如要归纳进入人类意识中的正确的位置。对他来说，那些看不见的实相、思想和因果的世界必须要成为主要的关注中心。当人们掌握了这一点，并把掌握的知识践行在生活中，那么占据在世界中的幻相就会消失。
(43) The standard of happenings varies in importance according to the angle of vision, and what (from the angle of our Earth’s unfoldment in consciousness) may be a factor of prime importance, and of determining value, may (from the angle of the universe) be of trifling moment. The affairs of an individual are, to him, of momentous import; to humanity as a whole, they are of small concern. It all depends upon which unit holds the centre of the stage in the drama of life, and around which central factor the happenings, trivial or important, pursue their cyclic way. (14 – 395).
视角不同，衡量事情重要性的标准也不同，（从地球意识拓展的视角来看）现在相当重要的具有决定性价值的事情，（从整个宇宙的视角来看）可能是微不足道。对个人来说意义重大的事情，对整个人类而言，可能无关紧要。这一切都取决于哪部分占据了生活戏剧舞台的中心，围绕着那个中心，来决定那些循环往复发生的事情是重要还是琐碎。
(44) A mystery only remains a mystery when ignorance and unbelief exist. There is no mystery where there is knowledge and faith. (15 – 280).
当无知和不信任存在时，奥秘才会成为奥秘。当存在知识和信任时，就没有奥秘可言了。
(45) Power selfishly used, exhausts its user, and evokes a display of power antagonistic to him; he is thereby destroyed, because he has destroyed. (15 – 353).
自私地使用权力，会让自己筋疲力尽，还会唤醒对他不利的力量；因此他被摧毁了，因为他的自我毁灭。
(46) Every step forward in evolution and, therefore, towards the spiritual goal, is always at a cost, and through the relinquishing of that which has hitherto been held dear. (15 – 582).
朝着灵性成长的每一步，总是要付出代价，通过不断地放弃那时的自己认为最珍视的东西。
(47) Human beings are innately kind, when their minds are not distorted and their vision impaired by the false teaching of any selfish interest, political propaganda, and racial or religious difficulties. (15 – 655).
当人类的思想不受扭曲，当他们的视野不受虚假自私的教义、不受政治议程以及种族或者宗教的困惑而损害时，人类善良的天性就会体现出来。
(48) Disease and death are essentially conditions inherent in substance; just as long as a man identifies himself with the form aspect, so will he be conditioned by the Law of Dissolution. This law is a fundamental and natural law governing the life of the form in all the kingdoms of nature. When the disciple or initiate is identifying himself with the soul, and when the antahkarana is built by means of the life principle, then the disciple passes out of the control of this universal, natural law, and uses or discards the body at will – at the demand of the spiritual will, or through recognition of the necessities of the Hierarchy or the purposes of Shamballa. (17 – 501).
疾病和死亡是物质所固有的特性；只要一个人以色相认同自己，他就会受制于解散法则的制约。这条法则是支配自然界所有形式的生命的基本自然法则。当弟子或者启蒙者与灵魂认同，当安塔卡拉纳通过生命法则得以建立时，弟子就会不再受制于该宇宙自然法则的限制，他可以根据自己的意志使用或者丢弃身体 — 在灵性意志的要求之下，或者是来自识别出灵性阶层和香巴拉的需求。
(49) Release from the threefold form is ever regarded by the spiritual man as the greatest possible good, provided it comes to him under law, as the result of his spiritual destiny and of karmic decision; it must not come as an arbitrary act, or as an escape from life and its consequences upon the physical plane, or as self-imposed. (17 – 661).
灵性存有从三重的色相解脱出来，这被视为最大的善行，前提是这是在灵性法则下发生的，是他自己灵性旅程和业力法则共同作用的结果；它不能作为一种任意的行为发生，或者是作为逃避物质层面的生活和其后果，或者是作为自我强加的行为发生。
(50) The habit of goodness, of right reaction, and of instinctual understanding, is distinctive of the trained initiate. He has no need to remember rules, theories, planes or activities. These are as much an established part of his nature as the instinct of self-preservation is an instinctive part of the equipment of a normal human being. Think this out, and endeavour to build up the right spiritual habits. In this way the Master wastes no time on soul or personal plans. He has the habit – based on divine instinctual memory – of right activity, right understanding, and right purpose. He needs not to recollect. (18 – 66).
善良、正确的反应、本能的理解，这些习惯是受训的启蒙者所特有的。他不需要去记住这些规则、理论、面向，或者行动。这是他本性的既定部分，就像自我保护的本能是正常人的本性一样。想清楚这一点，努力地去建立正确的灵性习惯。通过这种方式，大师们就不会在灵魂或者个人的计划上面浪费时间。他拥有这种习惯，恰当的行动、确切的理解和正确的动机 — 基于神圣本能的记忆。他不需要去回忆这些。
(51) Can one take life? I think not. Life IS. Naught in heaven or on earth can touch or affect it. This is a point oft forgotten. Life cannot be taken in the spiritual sense. . . . Life is impregnable; it cannot be taken or destroyed but “passes on” from form to form, form experience to experience, until the perfect will of God is expressed through life. (18 – 125).
一个人可以取走生命吗？我认为不能。生命即如是。在天堂或者地球的任何事物都不能影响生命的本质。这一点常常被遗忘。从灵性的意义来说，生命不能被带走……生命是坚不可摧的，它不能被拿走或者摧毁，而是从一种形式“过度”到另一种形式，从一种体验过度到另一种体验，直至神的完美意志通过生命得以表达出来。
(52) The bulk of human beings are still too hungry, too devastated psychically, too bewildered and distressed, and too unsure of their future, their freedom and their security, to be in any condition to listen to Him. (8 – 110).
大多数的人类仍然处于饥饿的状态，精神太过崩溃，困惑过多，压力过大，对自己的未来、自由和安全，具有不确定性，以至于他们无法拥有一个合适的条件去倾听灵魂的声音。
(53) We are passing through one of the great natural transitional periods at this time. We are laying the foundation for the emergence of a new species of human being – a more highly evolved unit within the human family – hence much of our problem, and much of the present failure to meet the demands of the race, and to measure up to human need for development. (12 – 14).
我们正在经历一个伟大的自然过渡期。我们正在为新人类物种的出现奠定基础 — 这是人类家族中更加进化的种族 — 正因如此，才有了我们现在的大部分问题，才有了为了满足种族的要求、为了满足人类发展需求所遇到的失败。
(54) Your vision is oft distorted by the pain and suffering to which the form is subjected (either your own or that of others, individually or en masse), so that you do not see clearly the purpose and the urgency of the life within the form. (12 – 111).
你的视野经常被外在所经历的痛苦和折磨所扭曲（这些外在苦难或者是自己经历的，或者是其他人经历的，个人层面的，或者集体层面的），这样一来你就无法看清外在形式中生命的目的和紧迫性。
(55) Accidents to individuals are the result, usually, of an explosion of force, and these explosions are caused by the hatreds and the unkind thoughts and the critical words of those involved in the accident. (13 – 62).
对个人而言所发生的事故是力量爆发的结果，这些爆发是由参与事故的个体的仇恨、非友善的想法、以及批判性的言论引起的。
(56) By holding, man loses; by relinquishing, he gains; by seeking to grasp that which he has, it must and will inevitably disappear. (13 – 83).
紧紧抓住，反而会失去；放手，则会得到；去试图抓住他所拥有的东西，这些东西会不可避免地失去。
(57) Be content with your duty and the immediate service which will lead you a step further upon the way to which you are ordained, and this way you can travel rapidly and with eager feet, or slowly and with lagging steps. (13 – 93).
满足于你的职责以及你所进行的服务，这些会带领你在这条既定的道路上更进一步，这样，你就可以饱含热情快速前行，或者是拖着步子缓慢地前进。
(58) A brief period of organised effort and, at the end, death, is of more vital usefulness today, than a futile doing of the things a man feels like doing in a leisurely way, and then meandering feebly down the years. (13 – 382).
经历一段短暂而系统性的努力生活，最终迎来死亡，在今天而言，要比无所事事地悠闲度日，最终虚耗生命要重要得多。
(59) Good must ultimately triumph, but the Hierarchy does not know what the immediate future holds for humanity, because men determine their own destiny. (5 – 74).
良善会取得最终的胜利，但是灵性阶层并不知道人类即将面对的将来是什么，因为人类的命运掌握在他们自己手中。
(60) One of the first lessons which a disciple needs to learn, is that where he thinks he is strongest and where he finds the most satisfaction, is very frequently the point of greatest danger and of weakness. (5 – 77).
弟子需要学习的首要课程之一，就是去认识到，他认为自己强大和满意度地方，经常会成为最危险和柔弱的地方。
(61) I would remind you that the life of the disciple is ever a life of risks and of dangers, entered into willingly and deliberately in the cause of spiritual unfoldment, and the service of humanity. (5 – 88).
我要提醒你，入门弟子的生活是充满挑战和危险的，心甘情愿地参与到灵性发展的事业之中，为全人类服务。
(62) That which appears is not always that which truly is; that which rends and disrupts the personality life is frequently the agent of release, if rightly apprehended; that which will emerge when the Forces of Light have penetrated the world darkness, will demonstrate the nature of the undying human spirit. (5 – 100).
表面上看到的并不总是真实的；打乱和撕碎个人的生活的事情，如果可以被正确的理解，往往是释放的动力所在；那是光明的力量穿透黑暗的世界所出现的东西，会展示出人类不朽的精神本质。
(63) Go your own way with strength and silence, and do that which your soul demands. Let not the lesser voices of the loved and near deflect you from your progress upon the path of service. You belong now to the world, and not to a handful of your fellowmen. (5 – 140).
不要让你的亲人和你身边的人的声音，阻碍你在服务道路上的进展。你属于这个世界，而非你身边的那一小部分人。
(64) The reactions of others are not your responsibility. It is your responsibility to give them strength and detachment. Shoulder not, therefore, responsibilities which are not yours. (5 – 405).
其他人的反应如何不是你的责任。你的责任是给予他人力量和超然的精神。不要去承担不属于你的责任。
(65) How seldom do those who have the time and the leisure serve as do those who have no time or leisure. (5 – 543).
那些有时间和精力去进行服务的人，跟那些与那些没有时间或精力进行服务的人相比，数量稀少。
(66) Be not in any way discouraged, brother of old, if you find the upward way stiff and hard to climb. You are in good company and are not alone. (5 – 599).
如果你发现向上的这条道路陡峭且难以攀爬，请不要气馁，我的兄弟们。很多人在陪伴着你，你并不孤单。
(67) You have much to give, and I would urge you to give it, and in so doing I would also urge you not to become unduly aware of your efficient giving. (5 – 641).
你有很多可以给予，我也会鼓励你去给予，这样做的时候，我也会告诉你，要恰当地去认知到你有效的给予。
(68) Learn to keep the things that concern yourself to yourself. (5 – 662).
学着把自己关心的事情留给自己。
(69) It is effort which counts. The results will be inevitable, and commensurate with the effort. (5 – 727).
努力才是最重要的，最终结果是不可避免的，与你付出的努力相对等。
(70) The cry of the neophyte is: “Tell me. Tell me. Then I will change. I will accept anything that is said, but tell me.” The cry of the disciple is: “Aid the work. Forget yourself. The world needs you.” (5 – 737).
新手的呼声是：“告诉我，告诉我，然后我就会改变，我会接受告诉我的任何事情，但请告诉我。” 大师的子弟的呼声是：“去付出帮助，忘记自我，世界需要你。“
(71) Let your horizon be wide, and your humility great. (6 – 3).
让你的视野变得开阔，让你的谦逊变得伟大。
(72) To be truly effective, you must cultivate the attitude of being only a clear unobstructed channel, and you must not block that channel with your ideas, your plans and your physical plane activities. (6 – 443).
让服务变得真正有效，你必须培养自己的态度，成为清晰通畅的通道，不要让个人的想法、个人的计划和物质层面的行动来阻碍这个通道。
(73) Are you co-operating with the Plan, or in reality with your own plans? (6 – 448).
你是与神圣计划在合作，还是跟随着自己的计划行事？
(74) At the centre of a great tornado is a point of peace. Thus does the story go. It can be found. And thus it is with all the storms of life. They lead to peace if you are not a leaf. (6 – 627).
在一场狂暴的龙卷风中心点，存在的是静谧。事情就是这样展开的。你可以去发现它。生活中的暴风雨也是如此。只要你不像一片树叶那般，它们最终会带来灵魂的静谧。
(75) Be not afraid of loneliness. The soul that cannot stand alone has naught to give. (6 – 755).
不要害怕孤独。不能承受孤独的灵魂也无法去给予。
原文：https://www.lucistrust.org/books/ponder_on_this/ponder_online/contents
翻译：Soluna
