"Everything I have said till now I have said about the whole of humanity. But as I pointed out before, the evolution of humanity can proceed only through the evolution of a certain group, which, in its turn, will influence and lead the rest of humanity.
"Are we able to say that such a group exists? Perhaps we can on the basis of certain signs, but in any event we have to acknowledge that it is a very small group, quite insufficient, at any rate, to subjugate the rest of humanity. Or, looking at it from another point of view, we can say that humanity is in such a state that it is unable to accept the guidance of a conscious group."
"How many people could there be in this conscious group?" someone asked.
"Only they themselves know this," said G.
"Does it mean that they all know each other?" asked the same person again.
"How could it be otherwise?" asked G. "Imagine that there are two or three people who are awake in the midst of a multitude of sleeping people. They will certainly know each other. But those who are asleep cannot know them. How many are they? We do not know and we cannot know until we become like them. It has been clearly said before that each man can only see on the level of his own being. But two hundred conscious people, if they existed and if they found it necessary and legitimate, could change the whole of life on the earth. But either there are not enough of them, or they do not want to, or perhaps the time has not yet come, or perhaps other people are sleeping too soundly.
"We have approached the problems of esotericism.
"It was pointed out before when we spoke about the history of humanity that the life of humanity to which we belong is governed by forces proceeding from two different sources: first, planetary influences which act entirely mechanically and are received by the human masses as well as by individual people quite involuntarily and unconsciously; and then, influences proceeding from inner circles of humanity whose existence and significance the vast majority of people do not suspect any more than they suspect planetary influences.
"The humanity to which we belong, namely, the whole of historic and prehistoric humanity known to science and civilization, in reality constitutes only the outer circle of humanity, within which there are several other circles.
"So that we can imagine the whole of humanity, known as well as unknown to us, as consisting so to speak of several concentric circles.
"The inner circle is called the 'esoteric'; this circle consists of people who have attained the highest development possible for man, each one of whom possesses individuality in the fullest degree, that is to say, an indivisible 'I,' all forms of consciousness possible for man, full control over these states of consciousness, the whole of knowledge possible for man, and a free and independent will. They cannot perform actions opposed to their understanding or have an understanding which is not expressed by actions. At the same time there can be no discords among them, no differences of understanding. Therefore their activity is entirely co-ordinated and leads to one common aim without any kind of compulsion because it is based upon a common and identical understanding.
"The next circle is called the 'mesoteric,' that is to say, the middle. People who belong to this circle possess all the qualities possessed by the members of the esoteric circle with the sole difference that their knowledge is of a more theoretical character.' This refers, of course, to knowledge of a cosmic character. They know and understand many things which have not yet found expression in their actions. They know more than they do. But their understanding is precisely as exact as, and therefore precisely identical with, the understanding of the people of the esoteric circle. Between them there can be, no discord, there can be no misunderstanding. One understands in the way they all understand, and all understand in the way one understands. But as was said before, this understanding compared with the understanding of the esoteric circle is somewhat more theoretical.
"The third circle is called the 'exoteric,' that is, the outer, because it is the outer circle of the inner part of humanity. The people who belong to this circle possess much of that which belongs to people of the esoteric and mesoteric circles but their cosmic knowledge is of a more philosophical character, that is to say, it is more abstract than the knowledge of the mesoteric circle. A member of the mesoteric circle calculates, a member of the exoteric circle contemplates. Their understanding may not be expressed in actions. But there cannot be differences in understanding between them. What one understands all the others understand.
"In literature which acknowledges the existence of esotericism humanity is usually divided into two circles only and the 'exoteric circle' as opposed to the 'esoteric,' is called ordinary life. In reality, as we see, the 'exoteric circle' is something very far from us and very high. For ordinary man this is already 'esotericism.'
" 'The outer circle' is the circle of mechanical humanity to which we belong and which alone we know. The first sign of this circle is that among people who belong to it there is not and there cannot be a common understanding. Everybody understands in his own way and all differently. This circle is sometimes called the circle of the 'confusion of tongues,' that is, the circle in which each one speaks in his own particular language, where no one understands another and takes no trouble to be understood. In this circle mutual understanding between people is impossible excepting in rare exceptional moments or in matters having no great significance, and which are confined to the limits of the given being. If people belonging to this circle become conscious of this general lack of understanding and acquire a desire to understand and to be understood, then it means they have an unconscious tendency towards the inner circle because mutual understanding begins only in the exoteric circle and is possible only there. But the consciousness of the lack of understanding usually comes to people in an altogether different form.
"So that the possibility for people to understand depends on the possibility of penetrating into the exoteric circle where understanding begins.
"If we imagine humanity in the form of four concentric circles we can imagine four gates on the circumference of the third inner circle, that is, the exoteric circle, through which people of the mechanical circle can penetrate.
"These four gates correspond to the four ways described before.
"The first way is the way of the fakir, the way of people number one, of people of the physical body, instinctive-moving-sensory people without much mind and without much heart.
"The second way is the way of the monk, the religious way, the way of people number two, that is, of emotional people. The mind and the body should not be too strong.
"The third way is the way of the yogi. This is the way of the mind, the way of people number three. The heart and the body must not be particularly strong, otherwise they may be a hindrance on this way.
"Besides these three ways yet a fourth way exists by which can go those who cannot go by any of the first three ways.
"The fundamental difference between the first three ways, that is, the way of the fakir, the way of the monk, and the way of the yogi, and the fourth way consists in the fact that they are tied to permanent forms which have existed throughout long periods of history almost without change. At the basis of these institutions is religion. Where schools of yogis exist they differ little outwardly from religious schools. And in different periods of history various societies or orders of fakirs have existed in different countries and they still exist. These three traditional ways are permanent ways within the limits of our historical period.
"Two or three thousand years ago there were yet other ways which no longer exist and the ways now in existence were not so divided, they stood much closer to one another.
"The fourth way differs from the old and the new ways by the fact that it is never a permanent way. It has no definite forms and there are no institutions connected with it. It appears and disappears governed by some particular laws of its own.
"The fourth way is never without some work of a definite significance, is never without some undertaking around which and in connection with which it can alone exist. When this work is finished, that is to say, when the aim set before it has been accomplished, the fourth way disappears, that is, it disappears from the given place, disappears in its given form, continuing perhaps in another place in another form. Schools of the fourth way exist for the needs of the work which is being carried out in connection with the proposed undertaking. They never exist by themselves as schools for the purpose of education and instruction.
"Mechanical help cannot be required in any work of the fourth way. Only conscious work can be useful in all the undertakings of the fourth way. Mechanical man cannot give conscious work so that the first task of the people who begin such a work is to create conscious assistants.
"The work itself of schools of the fourth way can have very many forms and many meanings. In the midst of the ordinary conditions of life the only chance a man has of finding a 'way' is in the possibility of meeting with the beginning of work of this kind. But the chance of meeting with such work as well as the possibility of profiting by this chance depends upon many circumstances and conditions.
"The quicker a man grasps the aim of the work which is being executed, the quicker can he become useful to it and the more will he be able to get from it for himself.
"But no matter what the fundamental aim of the work is, the schools continue to exist only while this work is going on. When the work is done the schools close. The people who began the work leave the stage. Those who have learned from them what was possible to learn and have reached the possibility of continuing on the way independently begin in one form or another their own personal work.
"But it happens sometimes that when the school closes a number of people are left who were round about the work, who saw the outward aspect of it, and saw the whole of the work in this outward aspect.
"Having no doubts whatever of themselves or in the correctness of their conclusions and understanding they decide to continue the work. To continue this work they form new schools, teach people what they have themselves learned, and give them the same promises that they themselves received. All this naturally can only be outward imitation. But when we look back on history it is almost impossible for us to distinguish where the real ends and where the imitation begins. Strictly speaking almost everything we know about various kinds of occult, masonic, and alchemical schools refers to such imitation. We know practically nothing about real schools excepting the results of their work and even that only if we are able to distinguish the results of real work from counterfeits and imitations.
"But such pseudo-esoteric systems also play their part in the work and activities of esoteric circles. Namely, they are the intermediaries between humanity which is entirely immersed in the materialistic life and schools which are interested in the education of a certain number of people, as much for the purposes of their own existences as for the purposes of the work of a cosmic character which they may be carrying out. The very idea of esotericism, the idea of initiation, reaches people in most cases through pseudo-esoteric systems and schools; and if there were not these pseudo-esoteric schools the vast majority of humanity would have no possibility whatever of hearing and learning of the existence of anything greater than life because the truth in its pure form would be inaccessible for them. By reason of the many characteristics of man's being, particularly of the contemporary being, truth can only come to people in the form of a lie— only in this form are they able to accept it; only in this form are they able to digest and assimilate it. Truth undefiled would be, for them, indigestible food.
"Besides, a grain of truth in an unaltered form is sometimes found in pseudoesoteric movements, in church religions, in occult and theosophical schools. It may be preserved in their writings, their rituals, their traditions, their conceptions of the hierarchy, their dogmas, and their rules.
"Esoteric schools, that is, not pseudo-esoteric schools, which perhaps exist in some countries of the East, are difficult to find because they exist there in the guise of ordinary monasteries and temples. Tibetan monasteries are usually built in the form of four concentric circles or four concentric courts divided by high walls. Indian temples, especially those in Southern India, are built on the same plan but in the form of squares, one contained within the other. Worshipers usually have access to the first outer court, and sometimes, as an exception, persons of another religion and Europeans; access to the second court is for people of a certain caste only or for those having special permission; access to the third court is only for persons belonging to the temple; and access to the fourth is only for Brahmins and priests. Organizations of this kind which, with minor variations, are everywhere in existence, enable esoteric schools to exist without being recognized. Out of dozens of monasteries one is a school. But how is it to be recognized? If you get inside it you will only be inside the first court; to the second court only pupils have access. But this you do not know, you are told they belong to a special caste. As regards the third and fourth courts you cannot even know anything about them. And you can, in fact, observe the same order in all temples and until you are told you cannot distinguish an esoteric temple or monastery from an ordinary one.
"The idea of initiation, which reaches us through pseudo-esoteric systems, is also transmitted to us in a completely wrong form. The legends concerning the outward rites of initiation have been created out of the scraps of information we possess in regard to the ancient Mysteries. The Mysteries represented a special kind of way in which, side by side with a difficult and prolonged period of study, theatrical representations of a special kind were given which depicted in allegorical forms the whole path of the evolution of man and the world.
"Transitions from one level of being to another were marked by ceremonies of presentation of a special kind, that is, initiation. But a change of being cannot be brought about by any rites. Rites can only mark an accomplished transition. And it is only in pseudo-esoteric systems in which there is nothing else except these rites, that they begin to attribute to the rites an independent meaning. It is supposed that a rite, in being transformed into a sacrament, transmits or communicates certain forces to the initiate. This again relates to the psychology of an imitation way. There is not, nor can there be, any outward initiation. In reality only self-initiation, selfpresentation exist. Systems and schools can indicate methods and ways, but no system or school whatever can do for a man the work that he must do himself. Inner growth, a change of being, depend entirely upon the work which a man must do on himself."
「直到目前我所说的一切都是关于整个人类，但如我以前所指的，人类的进化只能透过某一个团体的进化，随后才会影响并带领其它的人。
「我们能说那样的团体存在吗？基于某些讯息我们或许可以这么说，但不论是什么我们都得承认那只是非常小的团体，无论如何都不足以征服其余的人类。或者，从另一个观点来看，我们可以说，人类是处在那么样的一种状态使得他们根本不可能接受一个有意识团体的引导。」
「在这有意识的团体中能够有多少人？」有人问道。
「只有他们自己知道，」葛吉夫说。
「这意思是不是他们全都知道彼此？」同一个人又再问。
「怎么可能不是这样？」葛吉夫反问说，「想象一下，有两个或三个人在一大群昏睡的人当中清醒过来，他们当然知道彼此，但那些昏睡的人不能知道他们。他们有多少人？我们不知道也不可能知道，除非我们变得像他们一样。以前早已清楚说过，每个人只能看到他自己的素质层次，但两百个有意识的人，如果他们存在，如果他们发现有必要而且正当，就能改变地球上整个的生活，但或是他们人数不够，或是他们不想，或许时机未到，或可能其它人睡得太熟。
「我们已经接近密意的难题。
「以前就指出当我们说到人类的历史，我们所属的人类生活由不同的两个力量来源所统治：首先是，表现完全机械的星球影响力，不管是人类大众还是个人都一样完全不由自主且无意识地接收；再来是，从人类内圈所传出的影响力绝大部份的人从未感觉到它们的存在与
意义就像他们感觉不到星球影响力一样。
「我们所属的人类，也就是科学与文明所知的整个历史以及史前的人类，实际上只由人类的外圈所组成，但在其中还有其它几个圈子。
「所以我们可以想象整个的人类，包括我们所知的和未知的，包含着数个同心圆。
「内圈称为『密意圈』；这圈涵盖了已经达成人最高发展可能性的人，他们每一个都拥有全然的个别性，也就是说，一个不可分割的『我』，拥有人可能有的各种形式的意识，也能够完全控制这些意识状态，也拥有人可能获得的整个知识以及一个独立自由的意志。他们不能违反他们的了解来行动，或没有一个了解是不透过行动来表达的，同时他们之间不可能不和谐一致，也没有不同的了解。因此他们的活动是完全同等并且通向一个共同的目标，之间没有任何的强制，因为那是基于一个完全相同的了解。
「下一个圈圈称为『中圈』，也就是中间的。属于这圈的人拥有密意圈人所拥有的全部特质，唯一的不同在于他们的知识较为理论性，这当然是属于宇宙性质的知识。他们知道并且了解许多事情，但还没有在他们的行动上找到表达的方式，他们知道的比他们做的还多，但他们的了解与内圈人的了解一样精确，完全相同。在他们之间不可能有所不一致、不可能有所误解，各人的了解与全体一致，全体的了解也与各人一致。但如同之前说过的，这了解比起密意圈多少要来得理论些。
「第三圈称为『公开』圈，也就是外面的，因为那是人类内部的外圈。属于这圈子的人也拥有那属于内圈及中圈所拥有的东西，只是他们的宇宙知识较有哲学味，也就是说比中圈人的知识来得抽象。中圈人计算，公开圈的人则沉思。他们的了解不一定能化为行动，但他们的了解都趋于一致，个人了解全体所了解的。
「承认人类存有密意的文学中通常只分成两个圈子；与『密意圈』相对的『公开圈』称之为俗世的生活。实际上如我们所见，『公开圈』是离我们非常远且非常高的，对一般人而言这已经是『密意』了。
「『外圈』是我们所属的机械人类的圈子，我们也只知道这个，这圈子的第一个特征是，属于其间的人没有，也不可能有，共同的了解，每个人都以自己的方式了解而全都不同。这圈子有时称为『语言混淆』的圈子，也就是，在这圈子里每个人都以他自己特殊的语言说话，在那里没有人了解另一个人也没有人在乎了解的问题，在这圈子里人与人之间相互的了解是不可能的，除非在一些鲜少的例外时刻或是在没有重大意义的事物上，也都局限在某特定素质中，如果属于这圈子的人开始意识到这普遍的缺乏了解而产生了解与被了解的欲望，这就意味着他们有一种朝向内圈的无意识倾向。因为相互的了解只始于公开圈，只有在那里才有可能，但意识到缺乏了解通常以完全不同的形式出现在一般人身上。
「所以人要了解的可能性得依据进入了解开始的公开圈的可能性而定。
「如果我们想象四个同心圆的形式，我们就能想象在第三个内圈（也就是公开圈）周围的四道门，让机械圈的人能够通过进入。
「这四道门相当于之前所描述过的四条道路。
「第一条路是苦行僧之路，第一种人、身体人、本能/运动/感官人的路，他们没有多少理智也没有多少情感。
「第二条路是僧侣之路，宗教之路，第二种人，也就是情感人之路，他们的理智与身体不应太强。
「第三条路是瑜珈之路，这是理智的路，是第三种人的路，情感与身体必须不特别强壮，否则就会变成在这路上的障碍。
「除了这三条路之外还存有第四条路，让那些无法走上前面三条路的人去走。
「前面三条路（苦行僧、僧侣及瑜珈）与第四条路之间的基本差异在于，前者系于在历史上已经存在久远而几乎无所改变的固定形式。这些形式的根据地就是宗教。瑜珈的学校外在上与宗教的学校有些微的不同，而在不同的时期不同的苦行僧团体存在于不同的国家，现在也依然存在着。这三条传统的道路在我们的历史范畴中是固定不变的路。
「二、三千年前还有其它现已不存在的路，而现存的路在以前没有那么多的分别，彼此接近多了。
「第四道由于事实上它永远不是一条固定的路而不同于新的和旧的路，它没有确定的形式也没有机构和它联系，它出现和消失都受制于它本身的一些特殊法则。
「第四道永远少不了一个确定意义的工作，永远不能缺少某种企图而单独存在，当这工作结束了，也就是说，当原先设定的目标已经达成，第四道便消失了，也就是它从既定的地方消失，它既定的形式也消失，之后也许在其它地方以另一种形式出现。第四道学校是为了工作的需要而存在，它的执行与相同的企图有关，永远也不会为了教育或指导的目的以学校的形式存在。
「任何第四道的工作中都不可能需要机械的帮助，只有有意识的工作在第四道的所有企图中才能有用。机械的人不能产生有意识的工作，所以开始这类工作的首要任务就是创造有意识的助手。
「第四道学校的工作本身能有非常多的形式与意义，在一般的生活条件当中一个人找到一条『路』所能有的唯一机会在于遇见开始这类工作的可能性，但遇见这工作的机会与从这机会受益的可能性得视很多情况与条件而定。
「一个人越快抓住正在执行中的目标，便越快能够对它变得有用，也将能够为他自己从中获得越多。
「但不管工作的基本目标是什么，学校只有在这工作继续进行期间才持续存在。当工作完成学校便关闭，开始工作的人便离开这舞台。那些已经从学校学到所能学习的人，如果也达到独自继续上路的可能性，便以某种形式开始他们的个人工作。
「但有时会发生当学校关闭了，只留下一群在工作四周的人，他们看到工作的外在面貌，也以这外在面貌看待整个工作。
「在他们对自己或对他们的结论与了解没有任何怀疑的情况下，他们决定继续工作，为了继续这工作他们形成新的学校，教导别人他们自己所学到的，并且给予和他们自己所接受的同样的承诺，所有这一切自然只能是外在的模仿。但当我们回顾历史，我们几乎不可能分辨什么地方是真的结束，什么地方是模仿的开始，严格说来几乎我们所知的一切各式各样的玄学、共济会以及炼金术学校都属于这类的模仿，对于真正的学校除了他们工作的成果之外我们实际上一无所知，但也只有在我们能够分辨出真正工作的成果还是仿冒与模仿的结果才能得知。
「但这类假密意体系在密意圈的工作与活动中也扮演了他们的角色，换句话说，他们是学校之间的媒介物，完全沉浸于物质生活当中的人类以及有兴趣教育某些群众，既为了它们自己生存的目的，也为了它们可能实践的宇宙性工作。密意、启蒙的观念在大部份情况下都是透过假密意体系与学校传达给人；如果没有这些假密意学校绝大部份的人类必然不可能听到或学到任何高于生活的存在，因为真理以其纯粹形式对他们而言必然是不可接受的。由于人的素质的许多特性，尤其是当代的人，真理只能以谎言的形式来到人面前---只有以这形式他们才能接受它；只有以这形式他们才能消化与吸收它，纯粹的真理对他们来说必然是不能消化的食物。
「除此而外，有时也会发现少许未被改变形式的真理在假密意的活动当中，在教堂宗教当中, 在玄学与通神论的学校当中。可能保存在他们的著作、仪式、传统、制度观念、教条以及他们的纪律当中。
「密意学校，也就是非假密意学校，或许存在于某些东方的国家。但很不容易找到，因为它们常假藉普通修道院与寺庙之名存在。西藏的修道院通常以四个同心圆的形式或分别以高墙隔开的四个同心院子的形式建筑而成。印度寺庙，尤其是在印度南方的那些，也是同样的方式但以四方形建成，一个包含一个。做礼拜的人通常只得以进入第一个外院，有时候其它宗教的人和欧洲人被视为特例而得以进入；只有某种阶级或经过特准的人才得以进入第二院；而能够进入第三院的就只有属于寺庙的人；至于得以进入第四院的就只有婆罗门与传教士了。像这类的组织到处都有，十二座修道院里就有一所学校，只有些微的差异，能够让密意学校得以存在而不被认出。但它如何被认出？如果你走进里面，你将只在第一院；第二院只有学生才得以进入，但这你不知道，你被告知他们属于特别的阶级。至于第三和第四院你甚至什么也不知道。事实上你可以在所有的寺庙中观察到同样的秩序，但除非你被告知你不能从普通的寺庙中分辨出一座密意寺庙或修道院。
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