刀锋的哲学

一把刀的锋刃很不容易越过；因此智者说得救之道是困难的。或许是因为这句话让喜爱毛姆的村上也写出类似的话“刀锋也有自己的哲学。” 初读此书时年纪很小，很迷恋看似残忍却又好似有力量的文字，比如阳光代表着安稳，也有着不安，那是秩序。比如阴影处的自在也意味着潜藏处的危险，从刀锋的一面翻越到另一面需要极大的勇气等等等等，具体的内容已记不大清楚。而这样的句子随着日子的累积不时自己也能随时来上两句，灌灌鸡汤吸引吸引流量，但我这人素来又有不讨喜的臭毛病，相对深刻的内容来自自己的人生不想对别人说，而有所感悟的东西又太浅不屑也不觉得值得讲。所以更喜欢纯粹的故事，不去讲那些沉得压的人喘不过气的人性和生活。 这本书再次读完只觉得怅然若失，有一丝惆怅。断断续续29天伴随着原版书重新翻了一遍，读得很慢，也很细。也是目前四本毛姆书中最喜欢的一本。女性的角色依旧不那么讨喜，但他多了太多的宽容和思考，每一段不同人的人生最终都不过浮光掠影，如同一条清凉的河不管你是否踏上第二次，它依旧缓缓流着，沁人心脾。 最喜欢文中最后的章节，也是作者所叙说的“没有这一章，这本书也没有写作的必要”一章，对于人生追求的讨论上升到了唯心灵修或者哲学的思考，但毛姆很坏，他总是设计极端的对立来激发人内心的震动与思考。经历了人生中的一些事之后，我只觉得物质和追求是可以融洽的，不必将它们彻底剥离，那是愚蠢的，也是有害的。 就此打住吧，就以两个英文段落结尾，一篇出自本书，一篇出自《面纱》，是因为它们在讨论人生深奥的内容时都让我想起了道，虽然前者来自《奥义书》后者的确来自毛姆本人对道的阐述，这两段让我觉得无比精彩的同时又觉得文化或者说思考到了一定程度是有相通的地方。

"Reality. You can't say what it is; you can only say what it isn't. It's inexpressible. The Indians call it Brahman. It's nowhere and everywhere. All things imply and depend upon it. It's not a person, it's not a thing, it's not a cause. It has no qualities. It transcends permanence and change; whole and part, finite and infinite.It is eternal because its completeness and perfection are unrelated to time.It is truth and freedom." 本书关于大梵天的描述，与“大道无形，生育天地；大道无情，运行日月；大道无名，长养万物。”很接近。

"It is the Way and the Waygoer. It is the eternal road along which walk all beings, but no being made it, for itself is being. It is everything and nothing. From it all things spring, all things conform to it, and to it at last all things return. It is a square without angles, a sound which ears cannot hear, and an image without form. It is a vast net and though its meshes are as wide as the sea it lets nothing through. It is the sanctuary where all things find refuge. It is nowhere, but without looking out of the window you may see it. Desire not to desire, it teaches, and leave all things to take their course. He that humbles himself shall be preserved entire. He that bends shall be made straight. Failure is the foundation of success and success is the lurking-place of failure; but who can tell when the turning point will come? He who strives after tenderness can become even as a little child. Gentleness brings victory to him who attacks and safety to him who defends. Mighty is he who conquers himself. 出自《面纱》第66章 让人不禁想起“大白若辱，大方无隅，大器免成，大音希声，大象无形。道隐无名。”

本书内容不是很难，但出现太多地名人名以及文化评论。周煦良的中文版本还挺好，除了有一处章节删减(影响不太大)以及一两处翻译的小错误外，整体平实不失准确，读起来很有厚重的感觉。但有些读者可能不大适应比较早的风格，这就仁者见仁了。英文版可以一读，也出现了不少有趣的俚语，分段非常舒适，比中文版要翻阅清爽一些。 总而言之，愿你我在人生路上均求仁得仁，求义得义，求个锤子至少有把斧头能劈荆斩棘向前而行。

截图以及拍摄均推书所用，侵删。