For the divine breath of Brahma is the essence of all things.
因為神圣的梵天(波羅賀摩)的氣息是萬物的精華。
To help their pupils understand this, Indian priests had a lovely formula which you may turn over in your mind.
為使他們的弟子們明白這一點,印度的祭司們有一個簡單的公式,你可以很容易記住。
All they said was "This is you", by which they meant that everything around you – all the animals and plants and your fellow human beings – are, with you yourself, part of the breath of God.
他們說的就是"這是你",這意思就是說你所見到的一切——動物和植物以及你周圍的人,包括你自己,都是神的一絲氣息。
The priests had invented an extraordinary way of actually feeling this all-embracing unity1.
為了正確感悟這種偉大的一致性,印度的祭司們想出了一個奇特的方法。
They would sit down somewhere in the depths of the ancient Indian forest and think about it, and nothing else, for hours, days, weeks, months, years.
他們在印度原始森林里的某處坐下,一門心思地思考這個問題,接連幾小時,幾天,幾個星期,幾個月,甚至幾年之久。
They sat on the ground, upright and still, their legs crossed and their eyes lowered.
他們直挺挺地靜悄悄地坐在地上,盤著腿,垂著眼。
They breathed as little as possible and they ate as little as possible,他們盡量少呼吸,盡量少吃,
indeed, some of them even tormented2 themselves in special ways to purify themselves and help them sense the divine breath within them.
是的,他們之中的某些人還以特殊的方式折磨自己,凈化自己,從而幫助他們感受他們身體內(nèi)的神的氣息。