"Рэймонд Смаллиан. Две философские сценки (англ.)" - читать интересную книгу автора

of human beings is in a certain stage of biologic evolution, so angels are
simply the end result of a process of Cosmic Evolution. The only difference
between the so-called saint and the so-called sinner is that the former is
vastly older than the latter. Unfortunately it takes countless life cycles
to learn what is perhaps the most important fact of the universe--evil is
simply painful. All the arguments of the moralists--all the alleged reasons
why people shouldn't commit evil acts--simply pale into insignificance in
light of the one basic truth that evil is suffering.
No, my dear friend, I am not a moralist. I am wholly a utilitarian.
That I should have been conceived in the role of a moralist is one of the
great tragedies of the human race. My role in the scheme of things (if one
can use this misleading expression) is neither to punish nor reward, but to
aid the process by which all sentient beings achieve ultimate perfection.
MORTAL: Why did you say your expression is misleading?
GOD: What I said was misleading in two respects. First of all it is
inaccurate to speak of my role in the scheme of things. I am the scheme of
things. Secondly, it is equally misleading to speak of my aiding the process
of sentient beings attaining enlightenment. I am the process. The ancient
Taoists were quite close when they said of me (whom they called "Tao") that
I do not do things, yet through me all things get done. In more modem terms,
I am not the cause of Cosmic Process, I am Cosmic Process itself. I think
the most accurate and fruitful definition of me which man can frame--at
least in his present state of evolution--is that I am the very process of
enlightenment. Those who wish to think of the devil (although I wish they
wouldn't!) might analogously define him as the unfortunate length of time
the process takes. In this sense, the devil is necessary; the process simply
does take an enormous length of time, and there is absolutely nothing I can
do about it. But, I assure you, once the process is more correctly
understood, the painful length of time will no longer be regarded as an
essential limitation or an evil. It will be seen to be the very essence of
the process itself. I know this is not completely consoling to you who are
now in the finite sea of suffering, but the amazing thing is that once you
grasp this fundamental attitude, your very finite suffering will begin to
diminish--ultimately to the vanishing point.
MORTAL: I have been told this, and I tend to believe it. But suppose I
personally succeed in seeing things through your eternal eyes. Then I will
be happier, but don't I have a duty to others?
GOD (laughing): You remind me of the Mahayana Buddhists! Each one says,
"I will not enter Nirvana until I first see that all other sentient beings
do so." So each one waits for the other fellow to go first. No wonder it
takes them so long! The Hinayana Buddhist errs in a different direction. He
believes that no one can be of the slightest help to others in obtaining
salvation; each one has to do it entirely by himself. And so each tries only
for his own salvation. But this very detached attitude makes salvation
impossible. The truth of the matter is that salvation is partly an
individual and partly a social process. But it is a grave mistake to
believe--as do many Mahayana Buddhists --that the attaining of enlightenment
puts one out of commission, so to speak, for helping others. The best way of
helping others is by first seeing the light oneself.
MORTAL: There is one thing about your self-description which is