Selections from "The Pathway of Life" by Leo Tolstoy: Volume 1 – Love列夫．托爾斯泰著作《生活之路》節選第一冊—愛
“Everyone thinks of changing the world but no one thinks of changing himself.” This insightful saying by Leo Tolstoy is a valuable reminder for all of us to reflect inwardly. The renowned 19th-century Russian author suggested that we ask ourselves what God really wants us to do. As Leo Tolstoy said, “In the name of God, stop a moment, cease your work, look around you.” Supreme Master Ching Hai once spoke of Tolstoy in a group meditation session with our Association members in July, 1997 in Los Angeles, USA. “Because Tolstoy was a practitioner. That's why when you read his stories, most stories are about spiritual themes of God, and very happy and very positive. It's very good to read him, to read his books. You try. If you haven't, you try. You can read more. Such thing is very good for you.” We would like to share an insightful excerpt from Volume 1: Love from “The Pathway of Life,” a collection of Tolstoy’s philosophies on religion, life, death and more. “The soul of man, being separated by the body from God and from the souls of other creatures, strives to unite with that from which it is separated. The soul unites with God through a constantly growing consciousness of God within and with the souls of other creatures through a constantly growing manifestation of love.” “Lord Jesus said to the lawyer: ‘Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and the great commandment.’ And the second is like unto it: ‘Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.’ Thus spoke the lawyer to Christ, and Jesus said: ‘Thou hast answered right, this do (that is, love God and thy neighbor) and thou shalt live.’” “And such mysteries will ye remain unless ye become happy and loving as the children. Only then shall ye know Me, and knowing Me ye shall know yourselves, and only then shall ye rule yourselves. And only then, as ye look out of your soul into the world, all things will be a blessing to you, in the world and within your own selves.” “God is love; he who dwells in love dwells in God, and God dwells in him. No man has ever seen God, but if we love one another God dwells in us and His love is perfected in us.” “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God, and every one that loves is born of God, and knows God, for God is love.” 「每個人都想改變世界，但沒有人想改變自己。」如此真知灼見出自列夫‧托爾斯泰，是提醒我們應內省的金玉良言。這位十九世紀的俄羅斯名作家也建議，我們應捫心自問：上帝要我們做什麼。托爾斯泰說：「以上帝之名，先暫停一下，放下工作，看看周遭。」 清海無上師曾於一九九七年七月，在美國洛杉磯與世界會會員共修時，談到托爾斯泰。「因為托爾斯泰有修行。所以你們看他的故事，幾乎都是談論靈修、上帝，非常快樂、非常肯定。看他的書很愉快，如果你們還沒看過，試試看。可以多讀一些，對你們非常好。」 我們要分享精闢的洞見，摘錄自托爾斯泰有關宗教、生、死等哲學思想的合集，《生活之路》的第一冊〈愛〉。「人類的靈魂，因為這肉體而與上帝及其他眾生的靈魂分離，所以努力要和分離的靈魂產生連結。經由持續認識內在上帝，靈魂得以和上帝連結，並經由持續展現愛，靈魂得以和眾生連結。」 「耶穌基督對律法師說：『你要盡心、盡性、盡意的愛主—你的上帝。這是最初且最偉大的誡命。』第二誡命也與此相似：『愛鄰如己。』律法師回答基督，耶穌就說：『你回答得有智慧，這樣做（意指愛上帝與愛鄰人）就可以活下去了。』」 「除非你成為如孩童般喜樂有愛，否則迷惑將跟隨著你。唯有如此你才會認識我，當你認識我，才能真正認識自己，唯有如此才能管理自我。唯有如此，當你從內邊靈魂看向世界時，所有事物將成為祝福，成為世間的祝福，及成為自己內邊的祝福。」 「上帝就是愛；存在愛中的人，就是存在上帝之中。上帝就存在人的內邊，沒有人見過上帝，若我們互相疼愛，上帝就存在我們之中，祂的愛使我們內在完善。」「親愛的，讓我們彼此相愛，因為愛是從上帝來的，凡有愛的，都是由上帝而生，並且認識上帝，因為上帝就是愛。」
