Instruction for a monastic on how to act according to the vows given at Baptism and tonsure

In “Instructions for a monastic how to act according to the vows given at Baptism and tonsure,” St. Tikhon Zadonsky emphasizes that joining a monastery is a path to salvation, requiring constant spiritual labor, and not serene peace. The main task of a monk is to take care of his own salvation and the salvation of his neighbor, and to pray unceasingly. The saint names the key rules of monastic life, based on the truths of the Gospel and patristic tradition. He calls on the monk to constantly remember God, and also to live in accordance with the vows he has taken, remembering that at the Last Judgment they will become evidence of his faithfulness or unfaithfulness to Christ. Next, Saint Tikhon gives specific instructions: - show obedience to the abbot, following his example if he lives holy, but fulfilling only legal commands if his life does not correspond to the monastic ideal; - avoid leaving the monastery unless absolutely necessary, so as not to succumb to temptation; - stick to your cell, avoiding idle talk and condemnation; - pray in church with full attention, without being distracted by earthly conversations; - do not remain idle, engage in reading, prayer, contemplation of God or handicrafts; - pray often and diligently, including for all Christians; - beware of communicating with women, not allowing them into the cell; - remember death, the Last Judgment, Gehenna and the Kingdom of Heaven, especially in moments of temptation; - immediately drive away evil thoughts, calling on the Lord for help; - avoid condemnation and slander, especially in relation to authorities and dignitaries; - do not experience other people’s vices, but pay attention to your sins and cleanse them with repentance; - do not offend or reproach your neighbors, remembering your own sinfulness; - forgive offenders, praying for them, so that you yourself receive forgiveness from God. They enter the monastery to save themselves, and not to lose their salvation, to work, and not to lie down. Hear this, beloved monk! You have everything ready: food, clothing, house, etc. You don’t pay quitrent or poll tax. What else can you do but take care of your own and your neighbor’s salvation, and pray to God both for yourself and for everyone? Twice you promised to serve Christ faithfully: at Baptism and tonsure. Where are your vows now, show me? Your very robe and your vows will be placed before you at the Last Judgment of Christ, if you live and act differently than you promised, for you are lying to God, and not to people. It’s hard and scary, as you can see. Listen to this, beloved, and always remember your vows, and act and live according to them, so that you are not condemned as a liar at that Judgment. And in order for you to act according to your vows and live holyly, which your vows require, pay attention to the following points, and act and live according to them. 1) God is in every place, and sees our every deed and thought, and hears the word, and writes it in His book, and will reward us according to our deeds at the general Judgment. Heed this and place the omnipresent God before you, and honor Him with faith, truth and a good conscience, and be extremely careful before His eyes to do evil, and speak, and talk idlely, so as not to anger Him and fall under His righteous judgment. You are ashamed and afraid to do something bad and indecent before an honest person and earthly power; how much more should you be ashamed and afraid to do it before God, before whom the whole world is like nothing. 2) Show all obedience to the superior. 3) If he lives a holy life, follow him as your father. If he lives differently, then do what he lawfully commands, but do not act according to his deeds, as Christ said (see Matthew 23:3). Just be extremely careful not to judge and slander him, but pray that God will correct him. For this is a Christian matter. 4) It is very dangerous and tempting for a monk to leave the monastery, and especially to go to villages and cities. Therefore, unless absolutely necessary, do not leave the monastery and do not enter secular houses, otherwise you will not return the same as you left. People fall not only with their bodies, but also with their hearts, minds, and eyes. It is better to fall with your feet than with your heart, mind and eyes. Take heed to this. 5) Only know the church and your cell, and do not go to other cells unless absolutely necessary, so as not to fall into the sin of idle talk, slander and condemnation. There is nothing better than sticking to your cell. You won’t receive temptation in your cell, nor will you give temptation, but it will teach you everything if you live in it with the fear of God. In solitude and silence, and not among people and rumors, good and heavenly thoughts are born. Remember that you are a monk. So, be not only in attire, but also in essence and deed, a monk, that is, a solitary one. For monk is a Greek name, and means solitary. 6) In church, stand with attention and remember that you are standing before God and praying to Him. Therefore, do not look around, but direct your mind and your heart directly to God, so that your prayer will be heard. Listen to the prayers and verses read. 7) When standing in church in prayer, be extremely careful about talking about earthly things, for this place, and especially the holy altar, is a “holy place” (see Ex. 3:5), but a holy place must be revered holy. Beware of speaking in this place unless absolutely necessary. You go to this place to pray to God, and not to talk. 8) Do not be idle, for idleness teaches all evil. So, always be in good labors, that is, either read books, or pray, or be in the mind of God, or do some handicraft. The enemy approaches no one so easily as someone living in idleness. Here his house is swept and decorated (see Matt. 12:44). Beware of idleness, lest you fall into all evil. 9) Pray to God briefly, but often and diligently. Pray not only for yourself, but also for all Christians, for this is a monastic calling. A monk without prayer is like a warrior in battle without weapons, for the enemy always attacks monks. We should not slumber, but we must resist him and stand against him with vigil and prayer, according to the admonition of Christ: “Watch and pray, so as not to fall into temptation” (Matthew 26:41). 10) It is very dangerous for a monk to associate and know wives. Therefore, a monk should not allow women into his cell unnecessarily, and especially allow them to spend the night in his cell. This is very dangerous, and also tempting. Be careful, monk, that you do not lose everything that you have collected with much effort in one minute and destroy yourself. Pillars and miracle workers fall, as we see in history, so what should broken reeds expect? Beware, beloved, women, lest you be burned. Eve always has her own character, always seduces. 11) Remember often death, the Last Judgment of Christ, Gehenna and the kingdom of heaven. And especially then turn your thoughts to these points when you are tempted by the lust for sin, turn and ask for help from the Lord. For without Him our efforts are powerless. The memory of these points will not allow you to sin. “The memory of Gehenna,” says Saint John Chrysostom, “will not allow one to fall into Gehenna.” 12) When any evil thought finds itself, then immediately drive it away and call on the Lord for help, saying: “Lord, help me!” Kill the evil child, so that he does not grow and become strong and kill you. Try to always be a winner, not a loser. Be a good fighter and resist the enemy, and do not be his subject. May the Lord help you. 13) Be careful not to talk about people, and especially about authorities and high officials, so as not to fall into the sin of condemnation and slander. 14) Beware of experiencing other people’s vices and sins, for this leads a person to condemnation and slander. Look at yourself and know yourself, that is, your passions and sins, and cleanse them with repentance and prayer. Such a test is useful for a monk, as for any Christian. 15) Be extremely careful not to offend and reproach your brother, that is, another monk and any person: you are such and such a person, you are a rogue, a spendthrift, and so on. For this is a grave sin. Remember that you yourself are a sinner, just like him, and maybe he is better than you. Moreover, you don’t know what the morning will do to him and to you, for it happens that a good person is corrupted, and an evil one is corrected. Everyone falls unless God strengthens him: we cannot stand without God’s help. 16) If someone offends you, do not hold anger against him, but forgive him immediately and pray to God for him, so that God will forgive him, and although your heart does not want this, bow to it, and convince him, and pray to the Lord so that He will help you overcome yourself and put to death the carnal wisdom (see Rom. 8: 7, 13). This is difficult, but it is required of a Christian, and especially of a monk. You must forgive your neighbor if you yourself want to receive forgiveness from God. Forgive, and you will be forgiven, and if you do not forgive, then you will not be forgiven. This is scary, but true, for the Holy Gospel teaches this: “If you forgive people their sins, your Heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive people their sins, then your Father will not forgive you your sins” (Matthew 6:14-15).