第25章 过有意义的人生 (9)

It is the desire of God that you should get rich. He wants you to get rich because he can express himself better through you if you have plenty of things to use in giving him expression. He can live more in you if you have unlimited command of the means of life.

You must want real life， not mere pleasure or sensual gratification. Life is the performance of function， and the individual really lives only when he performs every function—physical， mental， and spiritual—of which he is capable， without excess in any.

You do not want to get rich in order to live swinishly， for the gratification of animal desires. That is not life. But the performance of every physical function is a part of life， and no one lives completely who denies the impulses of the body a normal and healthful expression.

You do not want to get rich solely to enjoy mental pleasures， to get knowledge， to gratify ambition， to outshine others， to be famous. All these are a legitimate part of life， but the person who lives for the pleasures of the intellect alone will only have a partial life， and he will never be satisfied with his lot.

You do not want to get rich solely for the good of others， to lose yourself for the salvation of mankind， to experience the joys of philanthropy and sacrifice. The joys of the soul are only a part of life， and they are no better or nobler than any other part.

You want to get rich in order that you may eat， drink， and be merry when it is time to do these things； in order that you may surround yourself with beautiful things， see distant lands， feed your mind， and develop your intellect； in order that you may love others and do kind things， and be able to play a good part in helping the world to find truth.

But remember that extreme altruism is no better and no nobler than extreme selfishness； both are mistakes. Get rid of the idea that God wants you to sacrifice yourself for others and that you can secure his favor by doing so. God requires nothing of the kind. What God wants is that you should make the most of yourself， for yourself， and for others. And you can help others more by making the most of yourself than in any other way.

You must get rid of the thought of competition. You are to create， not to compete for what is already created.

You do not have to take anything away from anyone.

You do not have to drive sharp bargains.

You do not have to cheat or to take advantage.

You do not need to let anyone work for you for less than he earns.

You do not have to covet the property of others or to look at it with wishful eyes. No one has anything of which you cannot have the like， and that without taking what he has away from him.

You are to become a creator， not a competitor. You are going to get what you want， but in such a way that when you get it every other person whom you affect will have more than he has now.

Riches secured on the competitive plane are never satisfactory and permanent. They are yours today and another’s tomorrow.

Remember， if you are to become rich in a scientific and certain way， you must rise entirely out of competitive thought. You must never think for a moment that the supply is limited. Just as soon as you begin to think that all the money is being “cornered” and controlled by others， and that you must exert yourself to get laws passed to stop this process， and so on—in that moment you drop into the competitive mind and your power to cause creation is gone for the time being.

And what is worse， you will probably arrest the creative movements you have already begun.

你必须清除残留的陈腐思想，如：神的旨意就是让我们贫穷，唯有处于困境中的人才可以侍奉神灵等。

对财富的渴望完全是我们追求更高水平生活的一种本能表现。每一个欲望都是将潜在能力转化为行动的动力。

你想变得富有，而这也是上帝的愿望。上帝希望你拥有财富，因为假如你拥有大量物质来回报他的恩赐，他就可以通过你来很好地表现自我。假如你生活的方式多姿多彩，他存在的意义就会更多地在你的身上体现出来。

你必须过着真正的生活，而不仅仅只满足于寻欢作乐。生活应该是和谐的，一个人只有在身体、精神和心智方面得到和谐的发展，才能生活得幸福，而不是让任何一部分过度放纵。

为了过上骄奢淫逸的生活而想变得富有是不应该的，因为那是最低级的欲望，那并不是真正的生活。然而，满足于身体各部分的需求也是生活的一部分，一个否定身体需求的人，是不可能完全过一种正常而健康的生活的。

单单为了享受精神乐趣、获取知识、满足野心、超越别人和出名而想变得富有，也是不应该的。这一切都是组成生活的合理部分，如果单单为了精神享乐而活的话，这个人的生活就不是完整的，他永远不会满足。

单单为了别人的利益而想变得富有也是不应该的，为了拯救人类，为了获得奉献和牺牲后的喜悦而放弃自己的一切，都是不可取的。精神的享乐只是生活的一个组成部分，它并不比其他部分更美好、更崇高。

变得富有的目的是为了让你衣食无忧，并在拥有这些东西时感到快乐；是为了让你周围环绕着美好的事物，开阔视野，开阔眼界，开发智力；是为了让你体贴别人，多做善事，能够为帮助世界寻找真理贡献自己的一份力量。

但是切记，极端的利他主义相对于极端的利己主义来说，两个都没有美好和高尚可言，它们都是错误的。抛弃这些想法：上帝想让你为了别人而牺牲自己，这样做你就会博得他的欢心。上帝不会要求你这样做，他想要的是你能最大限度地为了你自己，同时也为了别人而变得强大。只有这样，你才有更多的能力去帮助别人。

你必须摒弃竞争的念头。你要去创造，并非与别人竞争已经创造出来的财富。

你无须从他人手中夺取任何东西。

你无须巧取豪夺。

你无须欺诈、利用他人。

你无须克扣员工薪水。

你也不必垂涎于他人的财富，抑或对之报以羡慕的眼神。他们所拥有的一切，你一样可以得到，无须抢夺。

你要成为一个创造者，而非竞争者。你会得到想要拥有的一切。通过这种方式，在你得到财富的同时，被你所影响的其他人也将得到比现在更多的财富。

由竞争得来的财富永远不会让人感到满足，也不会持久。它们今天是属于你的，明天就会落在他人手中。

切记，假如你想通过科学且特定的方式变得富有，就必须抛弃竞争的念头。财富是有限的，因此一刻也不要有这样的想法。就在你思考的那一刹那，所有财富都已经被他人占有并控制，你就得竭尽所能、用尽各种手段去抢夺。一旦你掉进竞争的思维模式中，你的创造能力就会日渐消失。

更为不幸的是，你会扼杀刚刚开始的创造性的致富行动。

你必须过着真正的生活，而不仅仅只满足于寻欢作乐。生活应该是和谐的，一个人只有在身体、精神和心智方面得到和谐的发展，才能生活得幸福。

1. He wants you to get_________ because he can express himself better through you if you have plenty of things to use in giving him expression. He can live_________ in you if you have unlimited command of the_________ of life.

2. You want to get rich in_________ that you may eat， drink， and be merry when it is_________to do these things； in order that you may surround_________ with beautiful things， see distant lands， feed your_________and develop your intellect； in order that you may love others and do kind things， and be able to_________ a good part in helping the world to_________ truth.

1. 对财富的渴望完全是我们追求更高水平生活的一种本能表现。

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

2. 你必须过着真正的生活，而不仅仅只满足于寻欢作乐。

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

3. 你要去创造，并非与别人竞争已经创造出来的财富。