SHE HAD BEEN secretary to a big business executive, she explained, and had worked with him for many years. She must have been very efficient, for it showed in her bearing and in her words. Having put away some money, she had given up that job a couple of years ago because she desired to help the world. Still quite young and vigorous, she wanted to devote the rest of her years to something worth while, so she considered the various spiritual organizations. Before going to college she had been educated in a convent, but the things they had taught her there now seemed limited, dogmatic and authoritarian, and naturally she could not belong to such a religious institution. After studying several others, she had at last landed in one which seemed to be broader and have greater significance than most, and now she was active at the very centre of that organization, helping one of its chief workers.

她解释说，她曾担任一位大企业高管的秘书， 并与他合作多年。 她一定很有效率，因为这表现在她的忍耐力和言语中。 存了一些钱之后，几年前，她放弃了这份工作， 因为她想帮助这个世界。 她仍然很年轻，精力充沛， 她想把余下的岁月，奉献给某些有价值的事物， 所以她考虑了各种灵性组织。 在上大学之前，她曾在修道院接受教育， 但在那里，他们教给她的东西 现在看来是有限的、教条主义的和专制的， 她自然不能属于这样的宗教机构。 在研究了其它几个之后，她终于找到了一个 似乎比大多数人更广泛、意义更大的机构， 现在，她活跃于那个机构的中心， 协助机构的一位主要工作者。

"At last I have found something that gives a satisfactory explanation of the whole business of existence," she went on. "Of course they have their authority in the Masters, but one doesn't have to believe in them. I happen to, but that is neither here nor there. I belong to the inner group, and as you know, we practise certain forms of meditation. Very few are now told of their initiation by the Masters, not as many as before. They are more cautious these days."

“最终，我找到了某些东西， 可以令人满意地解释关于存在的整个事情，” 她继续说道。 “当然，他们在大师中拥有权威，但人不必相信他们。 我碰巧就是，它既不在这里也不在那里。 我属于内在的群体，如你所知，我们练习某些形式的冥想。 现在，很少有人被告知大师们的启蒙，不像以前那么多。 如今，他们更加谨慎。”

If one may ask why are you explaining all this? "I was present at your discussion the other afternoon when it was stated that all following is evil. I have since attended several more of these discussions, and naturally I am disturbed by all that was said. You see, working for the Masters does not necessarily mean following them. There is authority, but it is we who need authority. They do not ask obedience of us, but we give it to them or to their representatives."

如果有人可能会问，你为什么要解释这一切？ “前几天下午，我出席了你们的讨论， 当时有一个陈述，一切的跟随都是邪恶。 此后，我又参加了几次这样的讨论， 自然而然地，我对所说的一切感到不安。 你看，为大师们工作并不一定意味着跟随他们。 存在权威，但我们需要权威。 他们不要求我们服从，但我们把权威交给了他们或他们的代表。”

If, as you say, you took part in the discussions, don't you think that what you are saying now is rather immature? Taking shelter in the Masters or in their representatives whose authority must be based on their own self-chosen duty and pleasure, is essentially the same as taking shelter in the authority of the church, is it not? One may be considered narrow and the other wide, but both are obviously binding. When one is confused one seeks guidance, but that which one finds will invariably be the outcome of one's own confusion. The leader is as confused as the follower who, out of his conflict and misery, has chosen the leader. Following another, whether it be a leader, a saviour, or a Master, does not bring about clarity and happiness. Only with the understanding of confusion and the maker of it, is there freedom from conflict and misery. This seems fairly obvious, does it not?

如果，像你说的，你参加了讨论， 你难道不觉得，你现在说出的话相当不成熟吗？ 在大师们或他们的代表中寻求庇护， 必定基于他们自己所选择的责任和快乐， 在本质上，同在教会的权威中寻求庇护是一样的，不是吗？ 一个可能被认为是窄的，另一个被认为是宽的，但两者显然都是束缚。 当一个人感到困惑时，他会寻求指引， 但他所发现的，总是自己的困惑的产物。 领导者和追随者一样，都困惑， 追随者出于他的冲突和痛苦，选择了领导者。 追随另一个人，无论是领袖，救世主，还是大师， 都不会带来清明和快乐。 只有理解困惑，理解困惑的制造者， 才有免于冲突与痛苦的自由。 这似乎相当地明显，不是吗？

"It may be to you, sir, but I still don't understand. We need to work along the right lines, and those who know can and do lay down certain plans for our guidance. This does not imply blind following."

“也许对你来说是，先生，但我仍然不明白。 我们需要沿着正确的路线努力， 那些知道的人可以而且确实为我们的指导制定了某些计划。 这并不意味着盲目地跟随。”

There is no enlightened following; all following is evil. Authority corrupts, whether in high places or among the thoughtless. The thoughtless are not made thoughtful by following another, however great and noble he may be. "I like cooperating with my friends in working for something which has worldwide significance. To work together, we need some kind of authority over us."

不存在开悟的追随；一切追随都是邪恶的。 权威是腐败的，无论是在高位还是在没有思想的人中。 那些没有思想的人不会因为追随另一个人而变得深思熟虑，无论他多么地伟大和高尚。 “我喜欢与我的朋友合作，为具有世界意义的事情而工作。 为了共同努力，我们需要某种权威来监督我们。”

Is it cooperation when there is the compelling influence, pleasant or unpleasant, of authority? Is it co-operation when you are working for a plan laid down by another? Are you not then consciously or unconsciously conforming through fear, through hope of reward, and so on? And is conformity cooperation? When there is authority over you, benevolent or tyrannical, can there be cooperation? Surely, cooperation comes into being only when there is the love of the thing for itself without the fear of punishment or failure, and without the hunger for success or recognition. Cooperation is possible only when there is freedom from envy, acquisitiveness, and from the craving for personal or collective dominance, power.

当权威具有令人信服的影响时，无论是令人愉快的还是令人不快的，这是合作吗？ 当你为另一个人制定的计划工作时，这是合作吗？ 难道你不是通过恐惧、通过对回报的希望等等， 有意或无意地在顺从吗？ 顺从是合作吗？ 当有权威在掌控你，不论是仁慈或暴虐的，还存在合作吗？ 显然，只有对事物本身充满爱 而不害怕惩罚或失败，也没有对成功或认可的渴望时，合作才会产生。 只有当没有嫉妒、贪婪和对个人或集体的支配、对权力的渴望时， 合作才有可能。

"Aren't you much too drastic in these matters? Nothing would ever be achieved if we were to wait until we had freed our selves from all those inward causes which are obviously evil."

“你在这些事情上是不是太激烈了？ 如果等到我们把自己从所有那些显然是邪恶的内在原因中解放出来， 我们就一事无成。”

But what are you achieving now? There must be deep earnestness and inward revolution if there is to be a different world; there must be at least some who are not consciously or unconsciously perpetuating conflict and misery. Personal ambition, and ambition for the collective, must drop away, for ambition in any form prevents love. "I am too disturbed by all that you have said, and I hope I may come back another day when I am a little more calm."

但是现在的你，取得了什么成就？ 如果要有一个不同的世界，就必须有深刻的严肃和内在的革命； 必定要有一些人 有意或无意地不再使冲突和痛苦永久化。 个人的野心，以及集体的野心，必须放弃， 因为任何形式的野心都会阻止爱。 “我对你说的一切感到不安， 我希望有一天我能再来，当我更冷静一点的时候。”

She came back many days later. "After I had seen you I went away by myself to think all this over objectively and clearly and I spent several sleepless nights. My friends warned me not to be too disturbed by what you said, but I was disturbed, and I had to settle certain things for myself. I have been reading some of your talks more thoughtfully, without putting up resistance, and things are becoming clear. There is no going back, and I am not dramatizing. I have resigned from the organization, with all that it means. My friends are naturally upset, and they think I will come back; but I am afraid not. I have done this because I see the truth of what has been said. We shall see what happens now."

很多天后，她回来了。 “见到你后，我独自一人离开了， 客观而清晰地思考了这一切，我度过了几个不眠之夜。 我的朋友警告我不要被你说的话弄得太不安， 但我感到不安，我必须为自己解决某些事情。 我一直在更深思熟虑地阅读你的一些演讲， 没有带着阻碍，事情正在变得清晰。 没有回头路可走，我也不是在演戏。 我已经从该组织辞职了，就是那样。 我的朋友们自然很不高兴，他们以为我会回来的；但我恐怕不会。 我这样做，是因为我看到了所说的真实性。 我们将看到现在会发生什么。”