Meditations — Page 10
In order to live in accord with nature, it is necessary to know what nature is; and to this end a threefold division of philosophy is made—into _Physics_, dealing with the universe and its laws, the problems of divine government and teleology; _Logic_, which trains the mind to discern true from false; and _Ethics_, which applies the knowledge thus gained and tested to practical life.
自然と調和して生きるためには、自然とは何かを知る必要がある。この目的のために、哲学は三つに分けられる。すなわち、宇宙とその法則、神の摂理と目的論の問題を扱う「自然学」、真と偽を見分けるよう心を鍛える「論理学」、そしてこうして得られ検証された知識を実際の生活に応用する「倫理学」である。
The Stoic system of physics was materialism with an infusion of pantheism.
ストア派の自然学の体系は、汎神論を取り込んだ唯物論であった。
In contradiction to Plato's view that the Ideas, or Prototypes, of phenomena alone really exist, the Stoics held that material objects alone existed; but immanent in the material universe was a spiritual force which acted through them, manifesting itself under many forms, as fire, æther, spirit, soul, reason, the ruling principle.
現象のイデア、すなわち原型のみが真に存在するというプラトンの見解に反して、ストア派は物質的な対象のみが存在すると主張した。しかし物質的な宇宙の内には霊的な力が内在しており、それは火、エーテル、霊、魂、理性、支配原理など多くの形をとりながら、物質を通じて働いていた。
The universe, then, is God, of whom the popular gods are manifestations; while legends and myths are allegorical.
つまり宇宙は神そのものであり、民間の神々はその顕現であって、伝説や神話は寓意的なものである。
The soul of man is thus an emanation from the godhead, into whom it will eventually be re-absorbed.
人間の魂はかくして神性からの流出であり、やがては再びその中へと吸収されるものである。
The divine ruling principle makes all things work together for good, but for the good of the whole.
神の支配原理はすべてのものを善のために働かせるが、それは全体の善のためである。
The highest good of man is consciously to work with God for the common good, and this is the sense in which the Stoic tried to live in accord with nature.
人間の最高善は、共通の善のために意識的に神とともに働くことであり、これこそストア派が自然と調和して生きようとした意味である。
In the individual it is virtue alone which enables him to do this; as Providence rules the universe, so virtue in the soul must rule man.
個人においては、これを可能にするのは徳のみである。摂理が宇宙を支配するように、魂における徳は人間を支配しなければならない。
Vocabulary
- 自然
- shizen — Nature; the natural world around us.
- と
- to — And; with; quotation particle.
- 調和
- chōwa — Harmony; balance between elements or forces.
- し
- shi — Conjunctive form of suru (to do).
- て
- te — Conjunctive particle connecting clauses.
- 生きる
- ikiru — To live; to be alive.
- ため
- tame — For the purpose of; in order to.
- に
- ni — Particle indicating direction, purpose, or location.
- は
- wa — Topic marker particle.
- 何か
- nanika — Something; some unspecified thing.
- を
- wo — Direct object marker particle.
- 知る
- shiru — To know; to come to understand something.
- 必要
- hitsuyō — Necessity; something that is needed or required.
- が
- ga — Subject marker particle.
- ある
- aru — To exist; to be present (inanimate).
- この
- kono — This; referring to something nearby.
- 目的
- mokuteki — Purpose; goal; objective.
- の
- no — Possessive or nominalizing particle.
- 哲学
- tetsugaku — Philosophy; the study of fundamental questions.
- 三つ
- mittsu — Three things; the number three.
- 分け
- wake — Division; separation into parts.
- られる
- rareru — Passive or potential auxiliary verb ending.
- すなわち
- sunawachi — That is to say; namely; in other words.
- 宇宙
- uchū — Universe; outer space; cosmos.
- その
- sono — That; referring to something previously mentioned.
- 法則
- hōsoku — Law; rule; governing principle of nature.
- 神
- kami — God; deity; divine being.
- 摂理
- setsuri — Divine providence; governing principle of the universe.
- 目的論
- mokutekiton — Teleology; study of purpose and design in nature.
- 問題
- mondai — Problem; question; issue to be addressed.
- 扱う
- atsukau — To handle; to deal with; to treat a topic.
- 自然学
- shizengaku — Natural philosophy; study of nature and physics.
- 真
- shin — Truth; what is genuine or real.
- 偽
- gi — Falsehood; what is fake or untrue.
- 見分ける
- miwakeru — To distinguish; to tell one thing from another.
- よう
- yō — So as to; in order to; like.
- 心
- kokoro — Heart; mind; inner spirit.
- 鍛える
- kitaeru — To train; to forge; to discipline the mind.
- 論理学
- ronrigaku — Logic; the study of correct reasoning.
- そして
- soshite — And then; furthermore; after that.
- こう
- kō — In this way; like this; thus.
- 得
- e — To obtain; to gain; to acquire.
- られ
- rare — Passive or potential verb suffix.
- 検証
- kenshō — Verification; testing or confirming validity.
- さ
- sa — Passive auxiliary suffix attached to verbs.
- れた
- reta — Past passive verb ending; was done.
- 知識
- chishiki — Knowledge; information one has learned.
- 実際
- jissai — In practice; actually; in real life.
- 生活
- seikatsu — Daily life; lifestyle; living conditions.
- 応用
- ōyō — Application; putting knowledge into practical use.
- する
- suru — To do; to perform an action.
- 倫理学
- rinrigaku — Ethics; study of moral principles and conduct.
- で
- de — Particle indicating means, location, or cause.
- ストア
- sutoa — Stoic; relating to Stoic philosophy.
- 派
- ha — School; sect; faction or philosophical group.
- 体系
- taikei — System; organized framework of ideas.
- 汎神論
- hanshinnron — Pantheism; belief that God is all of existence.
- 取り込ん
- torikон — To incorporate; to take something in.
- だ
- da — Copula; plain form of to be.
- 唯物論
- yuibutsuron — Materialism; view that only physical matter exists.
- あっ
- atte — Conjunctive form of aru (to be/exist).
- た
- ta — Past tense verb ending.
- 現象
- genshō — Phenomenon; observable occurrence or event.
- イデア
- idea — Idea; Platonic form or perfect archetype.
- 原型
- genkei — Archetype; original model or prototype.
- み
- mi — Only; solely; just that alone.
- 存在
- sonzai — Existence; being; that which exists.
- という
- to iu — Called; known as; the idea that.
- プラトン
- puraton — Plato; ancient Greek philosopher.
- 見解
- kenkai — View; opinion; perspective on a matter.
- 反し
- hanshi — Opposing; contrary to; going against.
- 物質
- busshitsu — Matter; physical substance or material.
- 的
- teki — Suffix meaning -ic, -al, or -like.
- な
- na — Adjectival particle linking na-adjectives to nouns.
- 対象
- taishō — Object; target; subject of consideration.
- 主張
- shuchō — Claim; assertion; insisting on a position.
- しかし
- shikashi — However; but; nevertheless.
- 内
- nai — Inside; within; interior of something.
- 霊
- rei — Spirit; soul; spiritual essence.
- 力
- chikara — Power; force; strength or energy.
- 内在
- naizai — Immanence; existing within something inherently.
- おり
- ori — Conjunctive form of iru (to be/exist).
- それ
- sore — That; referring to something previously mentioned.
- 火
- hi — Fire; flame; heat element.
- エーテル
- ēteru — Ether; subtle celestial element in ancient philosophy.
- 魂
- tamashii — Soul; spirit; essence of a living being.
- 理性
- risei — Reason; rationality; faculty of logical thought.
- 支配
- shihai — Control; domination; governing over something.
- 原理
- genri — Principle; fundamental rule or law.
- など
- nado — Etc.; and so on; among other things.
- 多く
- ōku — Many; a large number or quantity.
- 形
- katachi — Form; shape; outward appearance.
- とり
- tori — Taking; assuming a form or role.
- ながら
- nagara — While; simultaneously doing two actions.
- 通じ
- tsūji — Through; by means of; passing through.
- 働い
- hatarai — Working; operating; functioning actively.
- い
- i — Conjunctive form of iru (to exist/be doing).
- つまり
- tsumari — In other words; that is to say; namely.
- そのもの
- sono mono — Itself; the thing itself without qualification.
- あり
- ari — Conjunctive form of aru (to be/exist).
- 民間
- minkan — Folk; popular; among common people.
- 神々
- kamigami — Gods; multiple deities or divine beings.
- 顕現
- kengen — Manifestation; appearing or becoming visible.
- 伝説
- densetsu — Legend; traditional story passed down through generations.
- や
- ya — And; or; listing particle for examples.
- 神話
- shinwa — Myth; mythology; sacred traditional stories.
- 寓意
- gūi — Allegory; symbolic meaning beneath a story.
- もの
- mono — Thing; object; something or someone.
- 人間
- ningen — Human being; humankind; people.
- かく
- kaku — Thus; in this way; so.
- 神性
- shinsei — Divinity; divine nature or quality.
- から
- kara — From; because; starting point particle.
- 流出
- ryūshutsu — Emanation; flowing out from a source.
- やがて
- yagate — Eventually; before long; in due time.
- 再び
- futatabi — Again; once more; a second time.
- 中
- naka — Inside; middle; within something.
- へ
- e — Directional particle indicating movement toward.
- 吸収
- kyūshū — Absorption; taking something back into itself.
- れる
- reru — Passive verb suffix; being acted upon.
- すべて
- subete — Everything; all things without exception.
- 善
- zen — Good; goodness; moral virtue.
- 働か
- hataraka — Causative stem of work; making something function.
- せる
- seru — Causative suffix; to make or let do.
- 全体
- zentai — Whole; entirety; the complete thing.
- 最高善
- saikōzen — Summum bonum; the highest good achievable.
- 共通
- kyōtsū — Common; shared; mutual among parties.
- 意識
- ishiki — Consciousness; awareness; sense of self.
- とも
- tomo — Together with; also; both.
- 働く
- hataraku — To work; to function; to act.
- こと
- koto — Thing; nominalizer turning verbs into nouns.
- これ
- kore — This; referring to something close by.
- こそ
- koso — Indeed; it is precisely this; emphatic particle.
- 生きよ
- ikiyo — Imperative or volitional form of to live.
- う
- u — Volitional auxiliary; let's; intention to do.
- 意味
- imi — Meaning; significance; what something signifies.
- 個人
- kojin — Individual; a single person as distinct entity.
- おい
- oi — In; at; within a particular context.
- 可能
- kanō — Possible; capable; able to be done.
- 徳
- toku — Virtue; moral excellence; ethical goodness.
- おける
- okeru — In; at; within a given context or field.
- なけれ
- nakere — Conditional negative; if there is not.
- ば
- ba — Conditional particle; if; when.
- なら
- nara — If it is; conditional copula form.
- ない
- nai — Negative auxiliary; not; does not exist.
Unlock audio playback, vocabulary games, and reading progress tracking.
Create free account →