首要的目的与意义
The Purpose, The Meaning
“万物各具一理，万理同出一源” （朱熹；《四书》）
“Every created thing has a purpose and a cause by which it is created. All causes and reasons originate and come from one common source.”(Zhu Xi; “Four Classics”)
“在创造了世界及其万物后，他 [上苍者]，通过其自由和至高意志的直接操作，独选人类赋予其认识和敬爱他的独一无二的特性与能力---就那种为整个创造界的驱动力和首要目的的能力。”（《巴哈欧拉圣典选集》，65 页）
“Having created the world and all that liveth and moveth therein, He [God], through the direct operation of His unconstrained and sovereign Will, chose to confer upon man the unique distinction and capacity to know Him and to love Him—a capacity that must needs be regarded as the generating impulse and the primary purpose underlying the whole of creation.”(“Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah”, p. 65)
“唯一真神显示自己的意图时，召唤人类顺从上帝的意愿，做到诚实和真挚，虔诚和可信，忍耐和仁爱，正直和智慧。他的[上帝的]目的是给每个人披上圣洁品格之装。”（《巴哈欧拉圣典选集》，299 页）
“The purpose of the one true God in manifesting Himself is to summon all mankind to truthfulness and sincerity, to piety and trustworthiness, to resignation and submissiveness to the Will of God, to forbearance and kindliness, to uprightness and wisdom. His object is to array every man with the mantle of a saintly character, and to adorn him with the ornament of holy and goodly deeds.”
(“Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah”, p. 299)
如果一个人，具有生命礼物的、潜力富有的，通过他创造者的认识不在精神上增长而平行与他物理的生存没有得到灵性的生活，他的生命---虽然物质的先进，也就人没觉悟地、无想到的很快地被物理的死亡结束---会有什么特殊的意义呢？一位获得这样壮观的知识也必定要开发而体现值得他被创作地位的高尚特征，竭力获得美德；否则，公开宣称相信上帝于他的生活无能有任何特有意思的影响。除非信仰者的优秀品行证明他并不就接受了但又一直在天天生活之内确认高尚的原则，有洞察力的头脑、公平的良心和敏锐的视觉怎能在他以信念的名义下露面地遵守任何实践会发现什么优点或观看认识精神界的所有利益呢？
If a human being invested with the gift of existence and rich in potential does not grow in spirit and along with his physical living does not attain a spiritual life through the knowledge of his and her Creator, what would be the meaning of one's life—however materially advanced, yet passing by swiftly and ending by a physical death in a twinkling of an eye? Whoso attains to such sublime knowledge, should develop and manifest noble characteristics worthy of one's creation, and endeavor to attain moral excellence; otherwise, there would be no real meaning, truth and benefit in just professing to a belief in God. Unless goodly deeds and growing excellence in one's character and conduct continue to testify to not only one's recognition of the spiritual truth, but also to his and her upholding the lofty principles and standards in day to day life, how could a perceptive mind, a fair conscience and a clear vision find a merit for or would view any benefits in adhering to any practices in the name of Faith?
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如果有兴趣的话,欢迎您访问以下我两个英文的博客：
If interested you are welcome to visit my two other blogs in English:
