《沉思录·卷十·顺应整体》第2条
Observe what thy nature requires, so far as thou art governed by nature only: then do it and accept it, if thy nature, so far as thou art a living being, shall not be made worse by it. And next thou must observe what thy nature requires so far as thou art a living being. And all this thou mayst allow thyself, if thy nature, so far as thou art a rational animal, shall not be made worse by it. But the rational animal is consequently also a political [social] animal. Use these rules, then, and trouble thyself about nothing else.
注释摘要
奥勒留在这里给出了一套层层递进的行动准则，像一个法官在审理每一个冲动和欲望。他先把人的本性拆成三层：只被自然支配的层面、作为生物的存在、作为理性动物的存在。第一层“只被自然支配”指的是人身上那些不由理性插手、纯粹合于宇宙秩序的运作，比如呼吸、消化、身体的自然节律。对这些，他只说“做它、接受它”，条件是不能让“作为生物的本性”变坏。第二层是生物层面的需求，饿…