翠玉录原文翻译
翠玉录是关于炼金术最早的记载,也是炼金术重要的文献之一,相传神将炼金术的知识浓缩为13句话,雕刻在一块祖母绿宝石板上,这就是闻名于世的翠玉录,一起来看看。
翠玉录简介:
传说炼金术起源自埃及。公元前1900年。埃及法老赫耳墨斯以及他传说中的父亲透特神(Toth)以及赫尔墨斯的大儿子大祭祀塔特(Tat)三人合为一体,成为人们传说中的“赫尔墨斯神“。这三位一体的神将炼金术的知识浓缩为13句话,雕刻在一块祖母绿宝石板上,流传人世。人们称这段文字为“翠玉录”。(Emerald Tablet,或Smaragdine Table)。
翠玉录原文翻译:
这里的英文版有说是20世纪初由一些拉丁文研究学者根据一份12世纪拉丁文手稿译出,也有说是科学家、炼金家牛顿的翻译。
1. 当我走进洞穴,我看到了一块翠玉,上面写着字,那是从赫尔墨斯的双手间被书写出来。从那里我发现了以下这些文字:
When I entered into the cave,I received the tablet zaradi,which was inscribed,from between the hands of Hermes,in which I discovered these word:
2. 真实不虚,永不说谎,必然带来真实:
This true without lying, certain & most true:
3. 下如同上,上如同下;依此成全太一的奇迹。
That which is below is like that which is above and that which is above is like that which is below to do ye miracles of one only thing.
4. 万物本是太一,藉由分化从太一创造出来。
And as all things have been and arose from one by ye mediation of one: so all things have their birth from this one thing by adaptation.
翠玉录开篇提出了大宇宙和小宇宙的呼应关系,这是炼金术宇宙观的核心。《墨子》提出一个类似的说法“上同下比”,但墨子的意思是人的思想行为要比照天、比照神明,顺应天道。赫耳墨斯的意思则是,理念、宇宙、自然这个大宇宙,跟个人、心灵、灵魂这个小宇宙是一种一体、和谐、映射的关系,利用炼金的转变过程将性灵从物质中解放出来,既重造物质、又重塑心灵,将可重现宇宙太一亦即道、“一切万有”创造的奇迹。太一创造的方式就是新柏拉图主义的“发散”说法,就是从一个一体而充盈的最高实在,象太阳放射光芒一样层层分化出了理性、灵魂和物质世界,而无损于太一的圆满。
5. 太阳为父,月亮为母,从风孕育,从地养护。
The Sun is its father, the moon its mother, the wind hath carried it in its belly, the earth its nourse.
6. 世间一切完美之源就在此处;其能力在地上最为完全。
The father of all perfection in ye whole world is here. Its force or power is entire if it be converted into earth.
这里的主语说的是完善的性灵,太阳指的是不朽的精神或高层次的自我——心性,太阴即月亮则是低层次的自我,是高我的投影。风是指灵性的生命力,地是指物质的躯体。神性与躯体的联合、精神和物质的统一,是创造奇迹的源泉,实际上也是神秘体验的普遍原则。《道德经》说,“道生之,德蓄之,物形之,势成之”,“之”指的也是生命、性灵,道与德就像太阳、月亮,而形、成大略也跟孕育和养护有一定的对应。
7. 分土于火,萃精于糙,谨慎行之。
Separate thou ye earth from ye fire, ye subtile from the gross sweetly wth great indoustry.
8. 从地升天,又从天而降,获得其上、其下之能力。
It ascends from ye earth to ye heaven & again it desends to ye earth and receives ye force of things superior & inferior.
9. 如此可得世界的荣耀、远离黑暗蒙昧。
By this means you shall have ye glory of ye whole world & thereby all obscurity shall fly from you.
这里是说,在追求上述阴阳联合之前,必须分清属物和属灵的东西,分清灵性的呼唤和物质的欲望,才能体现真我的光辉。当一个人超越了阴与阳、自我与心性的对立,寻求到不朽的灵性,就从现实的存在中觉醒,获得通觉智慧、找到光明。再回到现实生活,一切都了然。
10. 此为万力之力,摧坚拔韧。
Its force is above all force, for it vanquishes every subtile thing & penetrates every solid thing.
11.世界即如此创造,依此可达奇迹。
So was ye world created. From this are & do come admirable adaptations whereof ye process is here in this.
12.我被称为三重伟大的赫尔墨斯,因我拥有世界三部分的智慧。
Hence I am called Hermes Trismegist, having the three parts of ye philosophy of ye whole world.
13.这就是我所说的伟大工作。
That which I have said of ye operation of ye Sun is accomplished & ended.