HE SAID HE was obsessed by stupid little things, and that these obsessions constantly changed. He would worry over some imaginary physical defect, and within a few hours his worry would have fixed itself upon another incident or thought. He seemed to live from one anxious obsession to another. To overcome these obsessions, he continued, he would consult books, or talk over his problem with a friend, and he had also been to a psychologist; but somehow he had found no relief. Even after a serious and absorbing meeting, these obsessions would immediately come on. If he found the cause, would it put an end to them?
他说他困扰于愚蠢的小事， 而这些困扰的对象，在不断地改变。 他会担忧一些想象出的身体缺陷， 几个小时内，他的担忧就会转移到另一个事件或想法上。 他的生活，似乎就是从一个焦躁的困扰，转移到另外一个。 为了克服这些困扰，他继续说， 他查阅书籍，或者和朋友谈论他的问题， 他也去过心理学家。但不知何故，他没有到到任何减轻。 即使在一次严肃而引人入胜的会谈之后，这些困扰也会立即出现。 如果他找到原因，会结束它们吗？
Does discovery of a cause bring freedom from the effect? Will knowledge of the cause destroy the result? We know the causes, both economic and psychological, of war, yet we encourage barbarity and self-destruction. After all, our motive in searching for the cause is the desire to be rid of the effect. This desire is another form of resistance or condemnation; and when there is condemnation, there is no understanding.
发现了一个原因，会摆脱掉结果吗？ 对原因的知晓，会毁灭对应的结果吗？ 我们知道战争的起因，在经济上和心理上的， 但我们鼓励野蛮和自我毁灭。 毕竟，我们寻找起因的动机是想要摆脱结果。 这种欲望，是另一种形式的抵抗或谴责。 当存在谴责，就无法理解。
“Then what is one to do?” he asked.
“那该怎么办呢？”他问。
Why is the mind dominated by these trivial and stupid obsessions? To ask “why” is not to search for the cause as something apart from yourself which you have to find; it is merely to uncover the ways of your own thinking. So, why is the mind occupied in this manner? Is it not because it is superficial, shallow, petty, and therefore concerned with its own attractions? ‘Yes,’ he replied, “that appears to be true; but not entirely, for I am a serious person.”
为什么头脑被这些琐碎而愚蠢的困扰所支配？ 问‘为什么’ 并不是搜索某个原因，某个外在的、你必须找出的东西； 而只是去揭示你自己的思考方式。 那么，为什么头脑以这种方式被占据呢？ 难道不是因为它肤浅、浅薄、琐碎， 因此只关心它自己的兴趣吗？ “是的，” 他回答说， “那似乎是真的。但不完全是，因为我是一个严肃的人。”
Apart from these obsessions, what is your thought occupied with? “With my profession,” he said. “I have a responsible position. The whole day and sometimes far into the night, my thoughts are taken up with my business. I read occasionally, but most of my time is spent with my profession.”
除了这些困扰，你的思想还忙于什么？ “与我的职业相关，”他说。 “我有一个负责任的岗位。 一整天，有时甚至到深夜，我的思绪都被我的职责所占据。 我偶尔会读书，但我的大部分时间都花在我的职业上。”
Do you like what you are doing? “Yes, but it is not completely satisfactory. All my life I have been dissatisfied with what I am doing, but I cannot give up my present position for I have certain obligations – and besides, I am getting on in years. What bothers me are these obsessions, and my increasing resentment towards my work as well as towards people. I have not been kind; I feel increasing anxiety about the future, and I never seem to have any peace. I do my work well, but...”
你喜欢你正在做的事吗？ “是的，但并不完全令人满意。 在我的一生中，我一直对我正在做的事情不满意， 但我不能放弃我现在的位置，因为我有一定的义务 —— 此外，我已经持续了多年。 打搅我的是这些困扰， 以及我对工作和人们日益增长的怨恨。 我是不友善的；我对未来感到越来越焦虑， 我似乎从未有过任何平静。 我的工作做得很好，但是……”
Why are you struggling against what is? The house in which I live may be noisy, dirty, the furniture may be hideous, and there may be an utter lack of beauty about the whole thing; but for various reasons I may have to live there, I cannot go away to another house. It is then not a question of acceptance, but of seeing the obvious fact. If I do not see what is, I shall worry myself sick about that vase, about that chair or that picture; they will become my obsessions, and there will be resentment against people, against my work, and so on. If I could leave the whole thing and start over again, it would be a different matter; but I cannot. It is no good my rebelling against what is, the actual. The recognition of what is does not lead to smug contentment and ease. When I yield to what is, there is not only the understanding of it, but there also comes a certain quietness to the surface mind. If the surface mind is not quiet, it indulges in obsessions, actual or imaginary; it gets caught up in some social reform or religious conclusion: the Master, the saviour, the ritual, and so on. It is only when the surface mind is quiet that the hidden can reveal itself. The hidden must be exposed; but this is not possible if the surface mind is burdened with obsessions, worries. Since the surface mind is constantly in some kind of agitation, conflict is inevitable between the upper and the deeper levels of the mind; and as long as this conflict is not resolved, obsessions increase. After all, obsessions are a means of escape from our conflict. All escapes are similar, though it is obvious that some are socially more harmful.
你为什么要与现状抗争？ 我住的房子可能很吵，很脏，家具可能很丑陋， 整个场景可能完全缺乏美感； 但是由于各种原因，我可能不得不住在那里，我不能去另一所房子。 因此，它不是一个接受的问题，而是看见这个明显的事实。 如果我没有看到现状， 我自己会恶心那个花瓶、那把椅子或那张照片； 它们会成为我的困扰， 我就会怨恨别人、怨恨我的工作，等等。 如果我能离开整个环境，重新开始，那又是另一回事。 但我不能。 我对现状、对现实的反抗，是没有好处的。 承认现状并不会导致自鸣得意的满足和放松。 当我屈服于现状时，不仅有对它的理解， 而且在头脑的表层，也会有一定的安静。 如果表层的头脑不安静， 它就沉溺于困扰，不论是实际的或者是虚构的； 陷入了某些社会改革或宗教结论： 大师、救世主、仪式，等等。 只有当表层的头脑安静时，隐藏的才能显露。 隐藏的必须暴露； 但是，如果表层的头脑背负着困扰，担忧，就不可能。 由于表层的头脑不断处于某种躁动中， 因此头脑的上表层和深层之间的冲突是不可避免的； 只要这场冲突得不到解决，困扰就会增加。 毕竟，困扰是逃避我们冲突的一种手段。 所有的逃逸都是相似的，尽管有些在社会上更有害。
When one is aware of the total process of obsession or of any other problem, only then is there freedom from the problem To be extensively aware, there must be no condemnation or justification of the problem; awareness must be choiceless. To be so aware demands wide patience and sensitivity; it requires eagerness and sustained attention so that the whole process of thinking can be observed and understood.
当一个人意识到困扰的整个过程或任何其他问题时， 只有这样，才有从问题中解脱出的自由， 广泛地意识，就不能对这个问题进行谴责或辩护； 意识必须是无选择的。要有这样的意识，需要宽广的耐心和敏感； 它需要热切和持久的关注， 那么，即可观察和理解整个思考过程。