588. Which can neither see, nor hear, nor walk.- That this signifies in which, and from which there is nothing of the understanding of truth and perception of good, and thus nothing of spiritual life, is evident from the signification of seeing, as denoting to understand truth (see above, n. 11, 260, 529); and from the signification of hearing, as denoting to perceive and obey (see above, n. 14, 249), and as denoting to have understanding to perceive (see note 529); and from the signification of walking, as denoting to live spiritually, and when predicated of the Lord, as denoting life itself (see above, n. 97). Hence it is evident, that by neither seeing, hearing, nor walking, is signified, that there is no understanding of truth and perception of good, and consequently no spiritual life. The reason why these things are not in and from idols, is, that idols signify falsities of doctrine, religion, and worship, and such things are not in falsities, but in truths from good, in and from these, are all understanding, all perception from the will of good, and consequently spiritual life. We say, "consequently," because spiritual life consists in the understanding of truth, and in perception from the will of good. For truths are in the light of heaven, and so much so that truths themselves give forth light in heaven, and this because the Divine Truth proceeding from the Lord is the cause of all light in the spiritual world; and that light imparts all intelligence and wisdom to the angels. Because, then, truths themselves are of the light, it follows that falsities are not of the light, for they extinguish it, therefore falsities, in the Word, are called darkness (see above, n. 526). And because they are darkness, they are the shadows of spiritual death. It must be observed, however, that the falsities of evil are such darkness, but not the falsities that are not from evil. The reason why to hear, signifies perception from the will of good, and thence obedience, is, that speech enters the ear together with sound, and the truths of speech enter the understanding and thence the thought, and the sounds enter the will and thence the affection. That in the spiritual world sounds manifest and produce affection which is of the will, and the expressions (voces) of sound thought which is of the will, may be seen in Heaven and Hell (n. 236, 241), and above (n. 323:1). It is therefore evident why to hear and to hearken also signify to obey, and the ear and hearing obedience.