darkness.

黑暗。

If you bring a lamp to a dark room, you enlighten it.

如果你把一盞燈帶到一個黑暗的房間，你就會照亮它。

And the same thing can happen to your mind.

而同樣的事情也會發生在你的頭腦中。

If light is brought to your inner darkness, then you become enlightened.

如果給你內心的黑暗帶來光明，那麼你就會變得開明。

And what's the difference between being in the light and being in the dark?

而在光明中和在黑暗中的區別是什麼？

In the light, you see more clearly.

在燈光下，你看得更清楚。

An enlightened person has increased perspicuity, which just means clarity of vision, as opposed

一個開悟的人有更多的洞察力，這只是意味著清晰的視野，而不是說

to blurriness or blindness.

到模糊或失明。

And when one's vision is clear, they more easily reach the places they set out for.

而當一個人的視野清晰時，他們更容易到達他們所設定的地方。

But in the dark, you may feel confused, lost, and unable to reach your goals.

但在黑暗中，你可能會感到困惑、迷失，無法達到你的目標。

The word enlightenment has this mystical connotation about it, but it actually a very grounded

啟蒙這個詞有一種神祕的內涵，但它實際上是一種非常接地氣的東西。

and human thing.

和人類的事情。

It's simply unobstructed vision.

這只是無障礙的視野。

Think about it like this: sometimes we're born with, or develop, cataracts in our eyes.

這樣想吧：有時我們的眼睛天生就有白內障，或者發展成白內障。

Our vision is obstructed.

我們的視線被阻擋。

We can't see clearly.

我們看不清楚。

Enlightenment is simply the removal of this obstruction.

啟蒙只是消除了這種障礙。

It's a return to clear sight, and some people are just born with clear vision.

這是對清晰視力的迴歸，而有些人就是天生擁有清晰視力。

So how does someone become enlightened?

那麼，一個人是如何開悟的呢？

In his _Allegory of the Cave_, Plato tells a story describing the path from ignorance

在他的《洞穴傳說》中，柏拉圖講述了一個故事，描述了從無知到有知的道路

to enlightenment.

到開悟。

Here's how it goes.

情況是這樣的。

There's a cave with a few prisoners inside of it, and all of them are shackled against

有一個山洞，裡面有幾個囚犯，所有的人都帶著鐐銬。

a wall.

一堵牆。

Their heads are locked in place and only allowed to look forward.

他們的頭被鎖在原地，只允許向前看。

In front of them there's a wall, and behind them there's a bridge, and behind that bridge

在他們前面有一堵牆，在他們後面有一座橋，而在那座橋後面

there's a fire.

起火了。

As people walk across the bridge with objects in their hands, the fire behind the bridge

當人們手裡拿著東西走過橋時，橋後的火焰

casts a shadow of those objects onto the wall in front of the prisoners.

將這些物體的陰影投射到囚犯面前的牆上。

Because the prisoners have never seen anything else but these shadows, they think they are

因為囚犯們除了這些影子之外從未見過其他東西，他們認為它們是

the realest things that exist.

存在的最真實的東西。

Even the voices they hear behind them they attribute to these shadows.

甚至他們在身後聽到的聲音也被他們歸結為這些影子。

And since these prisoners have nothing better to do, they spend their life becoming experts

由於這些囚犯沒有更好的事情可做，他們一生都在成為專家

on these shadows.

在這些影子上。

They memorize their shapes, sequence, sounds, so on and so forth.

他們記住了自己的形狀、順序、聲音，等等，等等。

But one day, one of the prisoners breaks free.

但有一天，其中一名囚犯掙脫了束縛。

He looks behind him and sees the flame, and at first it hurts his eyes.

他看了看身後，看到了火焰，起初它傷害了他的眼睛。

He's not used to the light.

他不習慣光線。

But instead of going back to the comfortable shadows, he allows his eyes to adjust so he

但他沒有回到舒適的陰影中去，而是讓自己的眼睛適應，所以他

can look upon the fire.

可以望見火。

Then he notices the objects passing back and forth in front of it, and he realizes that

然後，他注意到物體在它前面來回傳遞，他意識到

they were casting the shadows on the wall.

他們在牆上投下的陰影。

He realizes that everything he believed about the shadows was false.

他意識到，他所相信的關於影子的一切是錯誤的。

They are not the realest things.

它們不是最真實的東西。

So he makes his way out of the cave.

於是，他走出了山洞。

He steps out into the light, and again, the brightness is painful to his eyes.

他走到燈光下，同樣，亮度讓他的眼睛感到痛苦。

But instead of going back to the comfort of his cave, he gives his eyes a chance to adjust.

但他沒有回到舒適的洞穴中，而是給自己的眼睛一個適應的機會。

First he looks at just the shadows of things.

首先他看的只是事物的影子。

Then he looks at their reflection in the water.

然後他看了看他們在水中的倒影。

And then he looks upon the things themselves.

然後他又看了看這些東西本身。

He starts to look at the stars in the night sky, and finally, he looks upon the sun itself,

他開始看夜空中的星星，最後，他看了看太陽本身。

and he realizes that it's the reason he's able to see anything at all.

他意識到，這是他能夠看到任何東西的原因。

Let's call this man the philosopher.

讓我們把這個人稱為哲學家。

The philosopher goes back to the cave to tell the other prisoners everything that he saw,

哲學家回到山洞，把他看到的一切告訴其他囚犯。

but how can he explain it to them?

但他怎麼能向他們解釋呢？

Having been in the light so long, his eyes are no longer accustomed to the dark.

在燈光下呆了這麼久，他的眼睛已經不習慣黑暗了。

He can no long distinguish between the different shadows like he used to, and as a result,

他再也不能像以前那樣區分不同的影子了，結果是。

the other prisoners think he's crazy.

其他囚犯認為他是個瘋子。

They think he's been ruined by his journey up to the light.

他們認為他已經被他的光明之旅給毀了。

But if the philosopher gives his eyes time to adjust to the shadows once more, he can

但是，如果哲學家給他的眼睛以時間再次適應陰影，他可以

communicate with the prisoners more clearly.

與囚犯更清楚地溝通。

He can tell them exactly what it is that they're looking at—the actual source of those shadows.

他可以準確地告訴他們，他們正在看的是什麼--那些陰影的實際來源。

But what good would the description be to the prisoners?

但這樣的描述對犯人有什麼好處呢？

What could they really understand about things they've never really seen?

對於他們從未真正見過的東西，他們能真正理解什麼？

What would it mean to them?

這對他們意味著什麼？

The goal of the philosopher isn't simply to describe that which really exists, but

哲學家的目標不是簡單地描述真正存在的東西，而是

to get the prisoners to see it for themselves.

以便讓囚犯們親眼看到。

So what stops the prisoners from seeing the truth for themselves?

那麼是什麼阻止了囚犯們自己看到真相呢？

And what quality does the philosopher have that allows him to see things as they are?

那麼，哲學家有什麼品質使他能夠看到事物的本來面目？

Vigilance.

警惕性。

The philosopher's mind is _vigilant_, attentive to its own errors, always watching for potential

哲學家的頭腦是_警覺的，注意自己的錯誤，總是在觀察潛在的

threats.

威脅。

When the philosopher witnesses the light of truth, it initially blinds him and makes him

當哲學家目睹真理之光時，它最初使他盲目，使他

uncomfortable, but he's willing to overcome that discomfort.

不舒服，但他願意克服這種不舒服的感覺。

He gives his eyes time to adjust.

他給自己的眼睛以適應的時間。

And by overcoming this initial discomfort, he sees his error.

而通過克服這種最初的不適感，他看到了自己的錯誤。

And by seeing his error as an error, he overcomes it.

通過把他的錯誤看作是一個錯誤，他克服了這個錯誤。

And what is an enlightened mind, if not a mind that has completely freed itself of its

什麼是開悟的心，如果不是一個已經完全釋放了自己的心，那就是一個開悟的心。

own errors?

自己的錯誤？

And how does this differ from the prisoner's mind?

而這與犯人的思想有什麼不同呢？

The prisoner's mind is _ignorant_, ignoring its own errors, always looking for comfort.

囚犯的思想是_無知的，無視自己的錯誤，總是在尋找安慰。

When the prisoner witnesses the light of truth, it blinds him and makes him uncomfortable

當囚犯目睹真理之光時，它使他盲目，並使他感到不舒服

too, but unlike the philosopher, he chooses to go back to the world of shadows, to the

也是如此，但與哲學家不同的是，他選擇回到陰影的世界，回到

world he knows and finds comfort in.

他所知道的並在其中找到安慰的世界。

And by refusing to be uncomfortable, he falls deeper into error.

由於拒絕不自在，他在錯誤中陷得更深。

And what is an imprisoned mind, if not a mind that has fallen deeply into error and confusion.

而什麼是被禁錮的思想，如果不是深深陷入錯誤和混亂的思想。

It's all well and good to talk about vigilance and ignorance in theory, but what do they

在理論上談論警惕和無知都是很好的，但它們是什麼呢？

look like in practice?

在實踐中是什麼樣子？

Imagine that you see that that a friend you've had for years is actually not a real friend.

想象一下，你看到你多年的朋友其實並不是真正的朋友。

They let you down in a difficult time when you desperately needed them to come through,

他們在你迫切需要他們的時候讓你失望了。

when they promised they would come through.

當他們承諾他們會通過。

You can go back to the old ways, to the shadows, and just pretend you're good friends despite

你可以回到過去的方式，回到陰影中，儘管假裝你們是好朋友。

that, or you can face the truth.

這一點，或者你可以面對事實。

Accept that they're just someone you occasionally hang out with and nothing more than that.

接受他們只是偶爾和你一起玩的人，僅此而已。

You have two choices: will you become vigilant or remain ignorant?

你有兩個選擇：是提高警惕還是保持無知？

What will happen if you become vigilant, if you acknowledge you were wrong about them?

如果你變得警覺，如果你承認你對他們的看法是錯誤的，會發生什麼？

You'll feel uncomfortable, coming to the realization that you're not as close friends

你會感到不舒服，逐漸意識到你不是那麼親密的朋友

as you thought you were.

正如你認為的那樣。

Maybe you'll feel lonely and abandoned.

也許你會感到孤獨和被拋棄。

Maybe you'll wonder if you'll ever find another friend again.

也許你會想，你是否還能再找到另一個朋友。

But once that discomfort settles, you'll have a truer vision of reality.

但是，一旦這種不適感得到解決，你就會對現實有一個更真實的看法。

You'll see that they were not your close friend and that's okay.

你會看到，他們不是你的親密朋友，這沒關係。

You start to believe that it's better to be alone than be surrounded by bad friends.

你開始相信，與其被壞朋友包圍，還不如獨自一人。

You have a better understanding of what does and doesn't make a good friend, and you can

你對什麼是好朋友和什麼不是好朋友有了更好的瞭解，你可以

use your new insight to find better friends, friends that come through for you in the same

利用你的新洞察力去尋找更好的朋友，那些為你提供相同服務的朋友。

way that you come through for them.

你為他們而來的方式。

But what will happen if you remain ignorant?

但如果你仍然無知，會發生什麼？

If you ignore your error and stay in a bad friendship, initially, you'll feel comfortable.

如果你無視自己的錯誤，留在不好的友誼中，最初，你會覺得很舒服。

You won't have to be alone, find new friends, or confront yourself.

你不必孤獨，找到新的朋友，或面對自己。

But in the long run, you'll continue hanging out with people who are not good friends to

但從長遠來看，你會繼續與那些不是好朋友的人混在一起。

you.

你。

They'll let you down again and again, and at some point, you will have to confront the

他們會一次又一次地讓你失望，而在某些時候，你將不得不面對

idea that they are not good friends.

認為他們不是好朋友。

And the longer you go without confronting your error, the harder it might get to confront,

而你不面對自己的錯誤的時間越長，可能就越難面對。

and the more time you will simply waste with them.

而你在他們身上浪費的時間就越多。

Or perhaps, you decide to keep ignoring your errors and never get out of that friendship.

或者，你決定繼續無視你的錯誤，永遠不要走出那段友誼。

In which case, you will get to the end of your life with regret and sadness, feeling

在這種情況下，你將帶著遺憾和悲傷走到生命的盡頭，感到

empty and confused inside.

內心空虛和迷茫。

You will still feel lonely, let down, and like you're missing something, but you will

你仍然會感到孤獨、失望，好像你錯過了什麼，但你會

not know why you feel the way you do, and it's because you lied to yourself for so long

不知道為什麼你會有這樣的感覺，這是因為你對自己撒謊了這麼久

that you don't even know why you feel the way you do anymore.

你甚至不知道為什麼你會有這樣的感覺了。

But by keeping your mind vigilant and attentive to your own errors, you can begin to overcome

但是，通過對自己的錯誤保持警惕和注意，你可以開始克服

your errors.

你的錯誤。

And by freeing yourself of errors, you can become enlightened, which is to have sight

通過釋放自己的錯誤，你可以成為開明的人，也就是有視力的人。

without error, without obstruction.

沒有錯誤，沒有阻撓。

You will see the world more clearly.

你會更清楚地看到這個世界。

But even then, your journey as a philosopher would just be starting.

但即使如此，你作為一個哲學家的旅程也才剛剛開始。

Can you get others to see the light too?

你能讓別人也看到光明嗎？

It's harder than you might think.

這比你可能想象的要難。

Have you ever had to have a conversation with someone where you had to tell them something

你是否曾經不得不與某人進行對話，而你不得不告訴他們一些事情？

that they really believe to be true is false?

他們真的認為是真的，但卻是假的？

Have you ever had to tell someone something that they don't want to hear, but you know

你是否曾經不得不告訴別人一些他們不想聽的事情，但你知道

they have to hear if they want to move forward in life?

如果他們想在生活中繼續前進，就必須聽到這些話？

Something where it feels like their whole world will shatter if they hear it?

如果他們聽到，感覺整個世界都會破碎的東西？

Maybe they believe they're someone that they're not.

也許他們認為自己是某個人，但他們並不是。

They think they're hardworking when they're actually lazy, or they think they're nice

他們認為自己很勤奮，但實際上卻很懶惰，或者他們認為自己很好。

when they're actually really mean, or they think they're above average when they're

當他們實際上非常吝嗇的時候，或者當他們認為自己高於平均水平的時候，他們是

just mediocre.

只是平庸。

But if you tell them this, then it will destroy their entire self-image.

但是如果你告訴他們這些，那麼就會破壞他們的整個自我形象。

The light that beams from you will be too threatening or destabilizing for them to look

從你身上射出的光會對他們造成威脅或破壞穩定，使他們不敢看。

at.

在。

Maybe it is too bright for them in its full expression.

也許對他們來說，完全表達出來的東西太亮了。

Just like you couldn't just stare at the sun when you first stepped out.

就像你第一次走出家門時不能只盯著太陽。

You had to learn to adjust.

你必須學會調整。

You can't simply get prisoners to go from looking at the shadows to looking directly

你不能簡單地讓犯人從看陰影變成直接看陰影。

at the sun.

在太陽下。

Plato assures us that all hope isn't lost.

柏拉圖向我們保證，所有的希望並沒有消失。

By adjusting your eyes to the shadows, you can learn to see the world as they see it

通過調整你的眼睛來適應陰影，你可以學會看到他們眼中的世界。

again, and from there, you can communicate to them more effectively.

再次，從那裡，你可以更有效地與他們溝通。

You can inspire them to look towards the light, slowly, at their own pace, one step at a time—at

你可以激勵他們按照自己的步伐，慢慢地、一步一步地看向光明。

least the ones willing to look.

至少是那些願意看的人。

For example, maybe your friend thinks they're above-average at writing when they're really

例如，也許你的朋友認為他們的寫作水平高於平均水平，但實際上他們是

not.

不是。

But instead of coming out and saying that, you start asking questions.

但你沒有站出來說，而是開始問問題。

Questions that may help them naturally come to that realization.

可能幫助他們自然而然地認識到這一點的問題。

You might say, “how would you rank your own writing?”

你可能會說，"你會如何給自己的寫作排名？"

“Who do you think writes better than you?”

"你認為誰比你寫得好？"

“Why do they write better than you?”

"為什麼他們寫得比你好？"

If they say no one writes better than them, you might ask, “why does no one write better

如果他們說沒有人比他們寫得更好，你可能會問："為什麼沒有人寫得更好？

than you?

比你還厲害？

And if no one writes better than you, why do they achieve certain results that you don't?

如果沒有人比你寫得更好，為什麼他們能取得某些成果而你卻沒有？

Do you want the results that other successful writers have?

你想獲得其他成功作家所擁有的結果嗎？

Then why not try some of the stuff they're doing?”

那麼為什麼不嘗試一下他們正在做的一些事情呢？"

So on and so forth.

諸如此類。

Through this type of questioning, you can inspire them to look at the light on their

通過這種類型的提問，你可以啟發他們看清自己身上的光芒。

own.

擁有。

They will look at the flame first, just the same way you did.

他們會先看一下火焰，就像你一樣。

Then walk out of the cave.

然後走出山洞。

Then they will look towards the shadows, then the reflections, then eventually, the sun

然後他們會看向陰影，然後是反射，最後是太陽。

itself.

本身。

They can be inspired to see clearly.

他們可以受到啟發，看得清楚。

But perhaps there are some people who do not want to look at the light and adjust.

但也許有一些人不願意看光，不願意調整。

They're not motivated too.

他們也沒有積極性。

For the guy who acquired power and status by knowing the shadows, who built his whole

對於這個通過了解影子而獲得權力和地位的人來說，他建立了自己的整個

life on shadows, what motivation does he have to get out of knowing the light?

陰影上的生活，他有什麼動機來擺脫對光明的認識？

Just because you enjoyed getting out of the cave, it doesn't mean others will want to

僅僅因為你喜歡走出洞穴，並不意味著其他人也想這樣做。

too.

也是。

Some people are too attached to the life they built on the shadows, and they are not willing

有些人太執著於他們在陰影下建立的生活，他們不願意

to lose that comfort.

失去這種安慰。

They're too attached to what they want, and they refuse to give it up in exchange

他們太執著於他們想要的東西，他們拒絕放棄它作為交換。

for what they need.

以滿足他們的需要。

So how do you become enlightened?

那麼，你是如何開悟的呢？

By keeping your mind vigilant and willing to be uncomfortable.

通過保持頭腦的警惕性和願意不舒服的態度。

At some moment, you will catch a glimpse of truth, which is really just equivalent to

在某個時刻，你會瞥見真相，這其實只是相當於

seeing your own errors.

看到自己的錯誤。

You will see you are wrong about something, and that realization will make you uncomfortable,

你會看到你在某些方面是錯誤的，而這種認識會讓你感到不舒服。

just like the person who steps out into light for the first time.

就像第一次踏上光明的人一樣。

But that's okay.

但這也沒關係。

Allow yourself to sit in the discomfort.

允許自己坐在不舒服的地方。

Give your eyes time to adjust to increasing levels of light, and slowly, you will see

給你的眼睛一些時間來適應越來越多的光線，慢慢地，你會看到

things more clearly.

事情更清楚了。

And with clarity, you will get a better view of your potential destinations and the ways

而隨著清晰度的提高，你會對你的潛在目的地和方式有一個更好的看法。

to those destinations.

到這些目的地。

And how do you enlighten others?

你又是如何啟迪別人的呢？

Through inspiration.

通過靈感。

By inspiring them to look at the light for themselves.

通過激勵他們自己去看光。

And maybe that's something we'll explore further in

也許這也是我們將進一步探討的問題。

a