“YOU KNOW, I have been told that I am a pupil of a certain Master,” he began. “Do you think I am? I really want to know what you think of this. I belong to a society of which you know, and the outer heads who represent the inner leaders or Masters have told me that because of my work for the society I have been made a pupil. I have been told that I have an opportunity to become a first-degree initiate in this life.” He took all this very seriously, and we talked at some length.
“你知道，有人告诉我，我是某个大师的弟子，” 他开始说。“你认为我是吗？ 我真的很想知道你对此有何看法。 我属于一个你所知道的社团， 代表着内在的领袖或上师的首脑告诉我， 由于我为社团所做的工作，我已经成为了一名弟子。 我被告知： 我有机会在这一世成为一名初级成员。” 他非常认真地对待这一切，我们谈了一段时间。
Reward in any form is extremely gratifying, especially a so-called spiritual reward when one is somewhat indifferent to the honours of the world. Or when one is not very successful in this world, it is very gratifying to belong to a group especially chosen by someone who is supposed to be a highly advanced spiritual being, for then one is part of a team working for a great idea, and naturally one must be rewarded for one’s obedience and for the sacrifices one has made for the cause. If it is not a reward in that sense, it is a recognition of one’s spiritual advancement; or, as in a well-run organization, one’s efficiency is acknowledged in order to stimulate one to do better.
任何形式的奖赏都是极其令人满意的， 特别是所谓的灵性领域的奖赏 —— 在一个人对这个世界的荣誉有些漠不关心时。 或者，当一个人在这个世界上不是很成功时， 加入某个组织、属于某个组织，是非常令人欣慰的， —— 特别是被某个高级别的灵性代表人物所选中， 因为那样一来，一个人就变成一个为实现伟大的理想而奋斗的团队的一分子， 自然地，一个人必须从自己的听话中， 从自己所作出的牺牲中，获得奖赏。 如果它不是那种奖赏， 那么它就是对这个人在灵性领域内所取得的进步的表扬； 或者，就像一个运作良好的组织一样， 一个人的才能被认可，以激励一个人更好地做事。
In a world where success is worshipped, this kind of self-advancement is understood and encouraged. But to be told by another that you are a pupil of a Master, or to think that you are, obviously leads to many ugly forms of exploitation. Unfortunately, both the exploiter and the exploited feel elated in their mutual relationship. This expanding self-gratification is considered spiritual advancement, and it becomes especially ugly and brutal when you have intermediaries between the pupil and the Master, when the Master is in a different country or is otherwise inaccessible and you are not in direct physical contact with him. This inaccessibility and the lack of direct contact opens the door to self-deception and to grand but childish illusions; and these illusions are exploited by the cunning, by those who are after glory and power.
在一个崇拜成功的世界里， 这种自我进步是被理解和受鼓励的。 但是，当另一个人说你是一个大师的弟子， 或者认为你是，显然，导致许多丑陋的剥削形式。 不幸的是， 作为剥削者和被剥削者，都在他们默契的关系中，感到得意。 这种自我满意的膨胀，被认为是灵性的进步； 当你在弟子与大师之间有一个媒介的时候， 当这位大师在另一个国度或因其他方式而无法接近的时候， 你无法与他在现实中进行直接接触的时候， 它就变得特别地丑陋与残酷。 这种难以接近和缺乏直接的关联， 为自我欺骗和宏大却幼稚的幻觉，敞开了大门； 而这些幻觉，被那些狡猾的人、被那些追求荣耀和权力的人所利用。
Reward and punishment exist only when there is no humility. Humility is not an end result of spiritual practices and denials. Humility is not an achievement, it is not a virtue to be cultivated. A virtue that is cultivated ceases to be a virtue, for then it is merely another form of achievement, a record to be made. A cultivated virtue is not the abnegation of the self, but a negative assertion of the self.
只有在缺乏谦卑的时候，奖赏和惩罚才存在。 谦卑不是灵修和否定的最终结果。 谦卑不是一种成就，它不是一种被培养出来的美德。 被培养出来的美德不是美德， 因为那时，它不过是另一种形式的成就，一条被创造出的记录。 培养出来的美德不是自我的遗弃，而是自我的一种否定性的断言。
Humility is unaware of the division of the superior and the inferior, of the Master and the pupil. As long as there is a division between the Master and the pupil, between reality and yourself, understanding is not possible. In the understanding of truth, there is no Master or pupil, neither the advanced nor the lowly.
谦卑意识不到上级和下级、大师和弟子的这种划分。 只要在大师与弟子之间， 在现实与你自身之间，有一条分界线，就不可能理解。 在理解真理之中， 没有大师或弟子，也不存在尊者或贱人。
Truth is the understanding of what is from moment to moment without the burden or the residue of the past moment.
真理，是每时每刻地理解现状， 不留下前一秒的负担或残影。
Reward and punishment only strengthens the self, which denies humility. Humility is in the present, not in the future. You cannot become humble. The very becoming is the continuation of self-importance, which conceals itself in the practice of a virtue. How strong is our will to succeed, to become! How can success and humility go together? Yet that is what the “spiritual” exploiter and exploited pursue, and therein lie conflict and misery.
奖赏和惩罚只会强化自我，而这位自我拒绝谦卑。 谦卑在当下，而不在未来。 你无法变得谦卑。 ‘变得’这个过程本身， 延续着自我的重要性，它把自己隐匿于对美德的实践之中。 我们想成功、想变成的意志，是多么地强劲！ 成功与谦卑怎么能同行呢？ 然而，那就是‘灵性’剥削者和被剥削者所追求的， 而这里面，就躺着冲突与悲伤。
“Do you mean to say that the Master does not exist, and that my being a pupil is an illusion, a make-believe?” he asked.
“你的意思是说， 这位大师不存在，我作为一个弟子是一种幻觉，一种虚构的信仰吗？” 他问道。
Whether the Master exists or not is so trivial. It is important to the exploiter, to the secret schools and societies; but to the man who is seeking truth, which brings supreme happiness, surely this question is utterly irrelevant. The rich man and the coolie are as important as the Master and the pupil. Whether the Masters exist or do not exist, whether there are the distinctions of Initiates, pupils and so on, is not important, but what is important is to understand yourself. Without self-knowledge, your thought, that which you reason out, has no basis. Without first knowing yourself, how can you know what is true? Illusion is inevitable without self-knowledge. It is childish to be told and to accept that you are this or that. Beware of the man who offers you a reward in this world or in the next.
这位大师存在与否，是微不足道的。 对于这位剥削者、这个神密的学校和社会来说，它是重要的； 而对于寻求真理，由真理而带来至乐的人来说， 这个问题肯定是毫无关系的。 富人与苦力，和大师与弟子一样重要。 是否存在大师们， 有没有启蒙者、弟子等的区别，是不重要的， 但是，重要的是理解你自己。 没有自我认识，你的思想，那种你推理出来的东西，没有根基。 如果不先理解你自己，你怎么知道什么是真的呢？ 没有自我认识，幻觉是不可避免的。 被告知并接受‘你是这个或那个’，是幼稚的。 警惕那种在这个或下一个世界给你奖赏的人。