T-18.II:The Basis of the Dream

1. 1Does not a world that seems quite real arise in dreams? 2Yet think what this world is. 3It is clearly not the world you saw before you slept. 4Rather it is a distortion of the world, planned solely around what you would have preferred. 5Here, you are “free” to make over whatever seemed to attack you, and change it into a tribute to your ego, which was outraged by the “attack.” 6This would not be your wish unless you saw yourself as one with the ego, which always looks upon itself, and therefore on you, as under attack and highly vulnerable to it.

2. 1Dreams are chaotic because they are governed by your conflicting wishes, and therefore they have no concern with what is true. 2They are the best example you could have of how perception can be utilized to substitute illusions for truth. 3You do not take them seriously on awaking because the fact that reality is so outrageously violated in them becomes apparent. 4Yet they are a way of looking at the world, and changing it to suit the ego better. 5They provide striking examples, both of the ego’s inability to tolerate reality, and of your willingness to change reality on its behalf.

3. 1You do not find the differences between what you see in sleep and on awaking disturbing. 2You recognize that what you see on waking is blotted out in dreams. 3Yet on awakening, you do not expect it to be gone. 4In dreams you arrange everything. 5People become what you would have them be, and what they do you order. 6No limits on substitution are laid upon you. 7For a time it seems as if the world were given you, to make it what you wish. 8You do not realize you are attacking it, trying to triumph over it and make it serve you.

4. 1Dreams are perceptual temper tantrums, in which you literally scream, “I want it thus!” 2And thus it seems to be. 3And yet the dream cannot escape its origin. 4Anger and fear pervade it, and in an instant the illusion of satisfaction is invaded by the illusion of terror. 5For the dream of your ability to control reality by substituting a world that you prefer is terrifying. 6Your attempts to blot out reality are very fearful, but this you are not willing to accept. 7And so you substitute the fantasy that reality is fearful, not what you would do to it. 8And thus is guilt made real.

5. 1Dreams show you that you have the power to make a world as you would have it be, and that because you want it you see it. 2And while you see it you do not doubt that it is real. 3Yet here is a world, clearly within your mind, that seems to be outside. 4You do not respond to it as though you made it, nor do you realize that the emotions the dream produces must come from you. 5It is the figures in the dream and what they do that seem to make the dream. 6You do not realize that you are making them act out for you, for if you did the guilt would not be theirs, and the illusion of satisfaction would be gone. 7In dreams these features are not obscure. 8You seem to waken, and the dream is gone. 9Yet what you fail to recognize is that what caused the dream has not gone with it. 10Your wish to make another world that is not real remains with you. 11And what you seem to waken to is but another form of this same world you see in dreams. 12All your time is spent in dreaming. 13Your sleeping and your waking dreams have different forms, and that is all. 14Their content is the same. 15They are your protest against reality, and your fixed and insane idea that you can change it. 16In your waking dreams, the special relationship has a special place. 17It is the means by which you try to make your sleeping dreams come true. 18From this, you do not waken. 19The special relationship is your determination to keep your hold on unreality, and to prevent yourself from waking. 20And while you see more value in sleeping than in waking, you will not let go of it.

6. 1The Holy Spirit, ever practical in His wisdom, accepts your dreams and uses them as means for waking. 2You would have used them to remain asleep. 3I said before that the first change, before dreams disappear, is that your dreams of fear are changed to happy dreams. 4That is what the Holy Spirit does in the special relationship. 5He does not destroy it, nor snatch it away from you. 6But He does use it differently, as a help to make His purpose real to you. 7The special relationship will remain, not as a source of pain and guilt, but as a source of joy and freedom. 8It will not be for you alone, for therein lay its misery. 9As its unholiness kept it a thing apart, its holiness will become an offering to everyone.

7. 1Your special relationship will be a means for undoing guilt in everyone blessed through your holy relationship. 2It will be a happy dream, and one which you will share with all who come within your sight. 3Through it, the blessing the Holy Spirit has laid upon it will be extended. 4Think not that He has forgotten anyone in the purpose He has given you. 5And think not that He has forgotten you to whom He gave the gift. 6He uses everyone who calls on Him as means for the salvation of everyone. 7And He will waken everyone through you who offered your relationship to Him. 8If you but recognized His gratitude! 9Or mine through His! 10For we are joined as in one purpose, being of one mind with Him.

8. 1Let not the dream take hold to close your eyes. 2It is not strange that dreams can make a world that is unreal. 3It is the wish to make it that is incredible. 4Your relationship with your brother has now become one in which the wish has been removed, because its purpose has been changed from one of dreams to one of truth. 5You are not sure of this because you think it may be this that is the dream. 6You are so used to choosing among dreams you do not see that you have made, at last, the choice between the truth and all illusions.

9. 1Yet Heaven is sure. 2This is no dream. 3Its coming means that you have chosen truth, and it has come because you have been willing to let your special relationship meet its conditions. 4In your relationship the Holy Spirit has gently laid the real world; the world of happy dreams, from which awaking is so easy and so natural. 5For as your sleeping and your waking dreams represent the same wishes in your mind, so do the real world and the truth of Heaven join in the Will of God. 6The dream of waking is easily transferred to its reality. 7For this dream reflects your will joined with the Will of God. 8And what this Will would have accomplished has never not been done.

1. 梦中的世界看起来不也相当真实吗？
你不妨想一想梦中世界的面目。
它绝对不是你入睡前的那个世界。
它把你的世界扭曲变形，纯粹是根据你的好恶取舍。
在梦里，你能“自由”改造那好似侵犯了你的东西，把它改头换面，供那饱受攻击而愤怒不已的小我颐指气使。
除非你已经和小我认同，否则不可能生出那种梦想的；小我老是认为自己饱受欺压，岌岌可危，你当然也难免遭受池鱼之殃。
2. 梦境一向乱无章法，因它被你心里的冲突愿望所操控，根本顾不得究竟什么才是真相。
你若想知道人们是如何利用知见制造幻相来取代真相的，梦，可说是你在世间所能找得到的最佳范例了。
清醒过来的人不会把梦境当真，只因梦把现实扭曲得如此离谱，反而使它们原形毕露。
然而，它们仍属于你看世界的一种眼光，你只是把世界改变得更投小我之所好而已。
为此，梦境成了“小我无法忍受真相”以及“你不惜为小我扭曲真相”这两种心态的最佳明证。
3. 你不会因为梦醒时所见的世界与梦境有所不同而坐立不安。
你很清楚自己醒时的那个世界只是一时被梦境遮盖住了而已。
醒来之后，你也不会指望入睡以前的世界从此一逝不返。
在梦里，一切都由“你”主导。
你能把梦中人物变成你希望的模样，他们也会遵照你的指令行事。
你可以无限地替换或取代任何景物角色。
在那一刻，整个世界好似掌握在你手中，任你随心所欲地改造。
你根本意识不到，这其实是你攻击世界的一种手法，你一心想要控制这个世界，让它为你效命。
4. 梦不过是你放纵自己的知见，使性子地叫嚣“我偏要这样”而已。
于是，梦就变成了你所愿的模样。
然而，梦境离不开它的源头。
它必然依旧活在愤怒与恐惧的阴影下，那逞一时之快的幻相会瞬间被恐惧的幻相所吞噬。
因为，认为自己有能力玩弄真相而把世界改造成自己想要的样子，这种梦其实十分吓人。
真正可怕的是你想要湮灭真相的居心，但你绝不会承认这一企图的。
所以你才会另造一个幻相取而代之，你这样骗自己：真正可怕的是真相，而不是你在真相上所动的手脚。
于是，罪咎便这样弄假成真了。
5. 梦，证明了你有能力打造自己想要的世界；而且，你想要什么，就能看到什么。
当你看到它时，丝毫不怀疑它的真实性。
这个分明出自你内心的世界，如今好似赫然屹立于外。
你跟它互动时，绝不会认为那是你自己制造出来的东西，更意识不到梦中表露的情绪其实都是你自己的情绪。
外表看来，是梦中人物及他们的所作所为架构出你的梦境。
殊不知他们是你打造来为自己传达心声的；你一旦看清这一点，就不会怪罪他们了，梦境给你的虚幻满足也会随之消失。
梦里的人物一点都不暧昧。
当你“好似”醒过来，梦里的种种顿时消失得无影无踪。
但你未必意识到，自己当初作出此梦的原因并没有随着梦境一并消失。
你想要打造一个虚幻世界的愿望仍不时在心中作祟。
你好似醒过来的那个世界，其实只是你梦中世界的另一翻版而已。
你一生的光阴都耗在梦中。
睡时的梦也好，醒时的梦也罢，不同的只是形式而已，
内涵则毫无差别。
它们代表的都是你对真相的抗议，也就是你自以为能改变真相的那个牢不可拔的疯狂念头。
在你醒时的梦中，特殊关系扮演了特殊的角色。
你企图藉此关系把自己睡中之梦演得像真的一样。
你至今尚未从这梦里醒来。
你宁愿死守幻相世界，绝不让自己清醒的决心在特殊关系中一览无遗。
只要你对梦境的珍惜超过觉醒的渴望，你是不会轻易放弃特殊关系的。
6. 圣灵的智慧一向非常务实，祂会接受你的梦境，只是把它转为帮你觉醒的工具而已。
而你呢，只会借着作梦让自己昏睡下去。
我先前说过，在梦境彻底消失以前，第一个转变的征兆即是你的恐怖噩梦变成了幸福美梦。
这是圣灵藉你的特殊关系所发挥的大用。
祂无意摧毁你的关系，也不会将它由你身边夺走。
祂只会转变它的用途，帮你看清，只有祂的目的才是真的。
你还能继续保持自己的特殊关系，只是这些关系不再是你的痛苦与罪咎之因，而成了喜悦与自由之源。
这关系不是单独为你而设的，因为“单独”正是滋生痛苦的温床。
特殊关系的“不神圣本质”只会造成彼此的隔阂，唯有神圣本质才会带给每个人礼物。
7. 在神圣关系的祝福下，原有的特殊关系便转成了化解罪咎的工具。
那必定是个美梦，连你身边的人都有幸与你同享此梦。
圣灵所赐的祝福便经由你的美梦而推恩出去了。
切莫认为圣灵所赐你的目标可能遗漏任何一人。
更不要认为给你这份礼物的“那一位”可能遗忘了你。
祂会善用每一位向祂求助的人，将他们化为拯救所有人的道具。
因为你已献出了自己的关系，供祂发挥大用，祂才能因你之故而唤醒你身边每一个人。
但愿你已体会到祂对你的感激之情。
也愿你从祂的感激中体会出我对你的感激。
因我们已结合于这一目标且与祂同心一意了。
8. 不要让梦境控制了你，封闭了你的眼睛。
梦境确实能够造出一个虚假不实的世界，这并不足为奇。
人心竟然会生出这种“愿望”，那才真的匪夷所思！
唯有你与弟兄合一，那个愿望才可能由你们的关系撤除，只因你们的目标已经从梦境转向真理了。
你对这种变化仍无信心，很可能认为这个转变也只是另一个梦而已。
因你习惯在梦境与梦境之间作选择，自然认不出你如今终能在真相与“所有”假相之间作选择了。
9. 天堂是千古不易的。
这绝不是梦。
它的来临意味着你已经选择了真相；它的来临表示你有诚心配合天堂的要求，去改造自己的特殊关系。
圣灵已温柔地将真实世界置于你的人际关系里；由真实世界的美梦中苏醒，成了何其轻松且自然的事。
因为不论是你睡时或醒时的梦，都脱离不了你心内的同一愿望；同样的，真实世界与天堂的真相也不出上主旨意的同一愿望。
醒时之梦很容易转入真相。
因为这个梦反映出你的愿心已经结合于上主旨意。
而祂要完成的事，必然早已圆满成就了。
1.你的夢裡不也會生起看似相當真實的世界？
但請想想這是個怎樣的世界。
顯然不是你在睡前見到的世界。
相反的，它扭曲了你醒時的世界，因為它的情節只取決於你的喜好。
你可以「自如地」改造貌似在對你發動攻擊的任何事物，並將其轉變為送給小我的禮物，令它為了這一「攻擊」而暴跳。
除非你把自己和小我視為一體，否則也不會生出這種願望，因為小我眼裏的自己一向是在承受攻擊，且幾乎無能為力，而它也會這麼看你。
2.夢境必然混亂，因為它們受制於你那衝突不斷的願望，所以也無關乎孰假孰真。
對於感知如何能被用於以幻相替代真理，它們是你能擁有的最佳例證。
一旦醒來，你就不會再把它們當真，因為你能一眼看出實相在夢中遭到了極為蠻橫的違反。
然而，夢卻是你看待世界的一種方式，它們會改造世界來迎合小我。
它們提供了驚人的例證，反映出小我對實相的難以容忍，和你為了小我而改造實相的意願。
3.你在睡時與醒時的所見所聞，其差異不會使你困擾。
你已認清醒時的見聞在睡夢中會遭到抹除。
但在將醒之際，你卻不認為它們會消失不見。
在夢裡，你安排了一切。
人們成了你想要的樣子，而他們的一舉一動也聽命於你。
你可以不受限制地盡情取代。
一時之間，你好似擁有了這個世界，可以隨心所欲地營造它。
你並未發覺自己正在攻擊、並試圖征服它，好讓它聽命於你。
4.夢境就是感知在大發雷霆，夢裏的你等於是在喊著：「我就想這樣！」
然後願望好似就實現了。
不過，夢境擺脫不了自身的源頭。
憤怒和恐懼在此瀰漫，霎時間可怖的幻相便侵入了心滿意足的錯覺。
因為你若置換了一個更想要的世界，進而夢見自己可以掌控實相，就會脊背發涼。
你那抹除實相的企圖令你萬分恐懼，但你卻不願接受這點。
為此，你以「實相令人恐懼」的幻想來加以替代，而非你想對它做出的事。
於是，罪咎也被你弄假成真。
5.夢境顯示了你有能力營造一個自己想要的世界，而你看見了它，是因為你想要它。
一旦看見了它，你就不會懷疑它的真實性。
然而，就在眼前，一個顯然存在於內的世界好似出現在了外邊。
你並未把它當作是自己的營造來回應，而你也未曾發覺夢境產生的情緒必然出自於你。
營造了夢境的似乎是夢裡的人物與他們的所作所為。
你並未發覺是自己在號令他們為你演出這場戲，否則罪咎就不在他們身上，滿足的錯覺也將煙消雲散。
夢裡，這些特徵並不模糊。
你好似醒了過來，而夢也消失了。
然而你尚未認清的是，夢的起因並未隨之消失。
你想另造一個虛假的世界，這願望仍在你內。
而你醒時好似看見的世界不過就是你在夢裡見到的同一個，只是形式有別。
你所有的時間都耗在了夢裏。
睡時的夢和醒時的夢不過是形式有別，如此而已。
它們的內涵並無不同。
它們是你對實相的抗議，因為你堅定而瘋狂地相信自己可以改造它。
在你醒時的夢裡，特殊關係具有特殊的地位。
藉著它，你試圖實現你在睡時做出的夢。
你並未從中醒來。
特殊關係意謂你決心牢牢抓住虛妄之物，並阻止自己覺醒。
在你眼裡，沉睡倘使比覺醒更有價值，你就不會放下它。
6.聖靈的智慧一向務實，祂會接納你的夢，並利用它們作為覺醒的途徑。
你原想利用它們來繼續沉睡。
我曾說過，夢境消失前的首要轉變，就是恐懼之夢成了幸福之夢。
這就是聖靈在特殊關係中所做的事。
祂既未摧毀它，也沒有從你手裡搶走它。
但祂的利用方式確實不同，以使祂的目的在你眼裏顯得真實。
特殊關係仍會存在，但已不是痛苦和罪咎的淵藪，而是喜樂與自由的源泉。
它不是為了你一人，因為這會招來悲慘。
它的不神聖會使它分離，而它的神聖性則會成為所有人的禮物。
7.你的特殊關係將會成為化解人們罪咎的途徑，只要他們藉著你的神聖關係而受到了祝福。
那將是個幸福之夢，而你也會樂於和所有來到眼前的人共享。
藉著它，聖靈安放的祝福就能延伸出去。
別以為祂會在祂給你的目的中遺忘任何人。
也別以為祂會遺忘你，畢竟祂已把禮物給了你。
祂會利用每個呼求祂的人作為拯救每個人的途徑。
祂也會藉由你來喚醒每個人，因為你已把自己的關係託付給祂。
要是你能認出祂的感激就好了！
其實是我的，來自於祂！
因為我們和祂同屬一個心靈，也結合於同一目的。
8.別被夢境攫住，並沉沉睡去。
夢境會營造出虛妄的世界，這沒有什麼好奇怪。
令人難以置信的是你營造它的願望。
如今，你和弟兄的關係已經轉變，因為這個願望已從中移除，而它的目的已由夢境轉為了真理。
你還無法確定這點，因為你認為這或許才是在做夢。
你已相當習於選擇不同的夢境，以致你很難看清自己終於在真理與所有的幻相之間做出了選擇。
9.但天堂是確定不移的。
那絕不是夢。
它的到來代表你已選擇了真理，而它的降臨則是因為你願意讓自己的特殊關係符合它的要件。
聖靈溫柔地在你的關係中安放了真實世界；亦即幸福之夢的世界，從那兒醒來將是無比容易又無比自然的事。
正如睡時的夢和醒時的夢代表了你內心的同一願望，真實世界與天堂的真理亦在上主的旨意中結合。
覺醒之夢將會輕易地轉化為現實。
因為它反映了你的心願，乃至上主的旨意。
而這一旨意所願成就的則未有不成之事。