《沉思录·卷十·顺应整体》第11条
Acquire the contemplative way of seeing how all things change into one another, and constantly attend to it, and exercise thyself about this part [of philosophy]. For nothing is so much adapted to produce magnanimity. Such a man has put off the body, and as he sees that he must, no one knows how soon, go away from among men and leave everything here, he gives himself up entirely to just doing in all his actions, and in everything else that happens he resigns himself to the universal nature. But as to what any man shall say or think about him or do against him, he never even thinks of it, being himself contented with these two things--with acting justly in what he now does, and being satisfied with what is now assigned to him; and he lays aside all distracting and busy pursuits, and desires nothing else than to accomplish the straight course through the law and by accomplishing the straight course to follow God.
注释摘要
奥勒留在这一段里描述了一种特定的精神训练：有意识地、持续地观察万物如何相互转化。这不是要你坐在那里空想哲学，而是让你把目光投向身边的一切——食物化作血肉，血肉归于尘土，尘土又滋养草木——反复去看这个无休止的流转过程。他认为，没有什么比这种观想更能让人产生“灵魂的伟大”（magnanimity）。在斯多葛体系的语境里，“伟大灵魂”指的不是世俗意义上的雄心壮志…