Слово обещанное в письме, к Иоанну и Феодору Философам

The word promised in a letter to John and Theodore the Philosophers, establishing who is saved and who is not, and about the fruits of spiritual science, as well as regarding passions that give rise to other passions and against those people who are proud of their knowledge of philosophy without at the same time taking care of acquiring virtue 624 1. For a long time now, very dear Theodore to me, as if testing 625 with a certain touchstone, namely, the exactingness of science, I noticed the same things that were announced earlier, as I did not quite want it. Speaking the truth, I will not cut you any slack, according to the law of love that I have for you, hoping for everything, as the Apostle says (1 Cor. 13:7); I know well the love that connects the absent me with you, who love me, accompanying me and strengthening with time, although my short silence created a different idea in you. Because what appears, in the opinion of the monks, as something unacceptable (or: unpleasant), I would not explain to wise men, as well as famous and strong in the thinking part of the soul, to comprehend many things, and also to combine this with an excellent way of life, just as the keen-seeing eye discerns the things that exist under the sky. What appears one way at first impression may appear differently upon subsequent careful study of the object 626 . Because you, of course, know that Christ Himself not only, but also in (His) commands abolished the Old Testament Law, and by the fact that it seems that He abolished it, He, in fact, established it more durable and unchangeable 627; so “madness” 628, which destroyed Hellenic (pagan) wisdom by preaching in Him, revealed those miraculously honored as more wise (than the Hellenic sages), investing in them true knowledge of divine and human truths, nullifying the wisdom built on the word (a word that has its existence in disappearance, although we preserve it, and then only for a time, in existence, by combining a certain combination of letters and syllables) 629, gave us the true Word, That Word, “Who became for us Wisdom from God” (1 Cor. 1:30), Which is the Self-hypostatic Wisdom, Which delights those in whom it is imprinted from corruption (death and destruction). Thus, we can say that everything now accomplished by God is incomprehensible, and for those who do not penetrate into the depths, completely unthinkable. And this is natural: because the Perfect Nature is Something hidden and premium and inaccessible to the sight of any nature. If, at the same time, from among those living according to piety 630, It has predominantly adopted for itself the class of monastics, then, not without reason, the laws in relation to it will be more incomprehensible (more subtle) than others and implemented contrary to what appears to many at the beginning. So it is for us, when the bond of friendship is not severed or broken due to (my?) flight and silence; It’s better to say: as a result of this, love has increased, - there is no longer any need to hide (or: reject), if only from the little that was revealed to us by the Fathers, and then - as far as the Scriptures can accommodate it - we make for you an outline of the outlines. 2. So, lover of literature, use words in a worthy manner and implement the great name of wisdom (philosophy) in the way of your life 631; because he who ingloriously uses words and conducts a way of life alien to wisdom in the dry knowledge of the venerable sciences, is properly presented as one who will dishonor science by burying 632 the verbal art and the science of wise mathematics, as well as the eminent happiness 633 they deliver as a result; I think that on that terrible day of Judgment, the one who has abused them will have them as his accusers, as at the present time he has not at all succumbed to the conviction of the principles clearly expressed in them: because they anticipate a favorable time 634, make obvious the inevitable conclusions (or: accusations) and present a guilty verdict before the person, and proclaim means for testing the things that are presented: not existing, but appearing to be existing 635; and, in a word, they indicate the means by which the soul must be put in order in the face of these incomprehensible 636 eternal truths. 3. So, the soul, they say, is something simple; created in the beginning good, if it from within (i.e., on its own initiative, and not on the advice and sabotage of demons) became entirely involved in the completely opposite principle (i.e., evil), it would thereby completely fall away from good 637, a property from the inside (i.e., by nature), bad coinage would not be possible sometimes to have the direct opposite in itself: - “the evil that I do not want, “I do this,” says the Apostle Paul (Rom. 7:19); and this is a state of duality, but the state of simplicity of being has gone; the law of sin, which opposes the law of the mind, about which the Apostle speaks as making a person captive before the (coming) of grace in Christ, is the direct action of the opposing spirit; it would be better to say - by his power, which through the soul and through the body, which by nature acts in accordance with it as its instrument, passes into its habit, state and deeds. Just as the soul is something invisible and incomprehensible for the perception of its sense organs, but gives to those who have it that which characterizes it (and this, for a start, to say: growth, sensation, thinking) 638 , so in the rational soul, which contains in itself the opposite principles 639 , nothing is comprehensible for perception by the sense organs, and is known only on the basis of the quality of the manifestations arising from them: because these qualities characterize the very soul: because entelechy 640 does not occur on the basis of a body that has life (from the soul), as is taught by the unwise sophists, who throughout their entire lives, having not sought anything that surpasses physical nature, were mistaken regarding the physical nature itself, not being able to find anything healthy; because the soul is a being in itself; since even when separated from the body, it remains, but even when united with it, it largely manifests itself independently of the body combined with it; so it could rightly be said that she is the creative principle, the entelechy for everything she has taken upon herself, or better yet, the body brought into being with her; but, of course, it is something completely different from entelechy and by no means one of the properties belonging to the body subject to it. Thus, it would be possible to depict it, and that would be easier and, one might say, as much easier as the movement of the mind is faster than the movement of the body. Know then the characterizing force inherent in both actions, which you know on the basis of the correspondence of actions; thus, then see the cognizable and co-existent, unless the formed, before it would change life, does not change its form 641. 4. In order to make it clearer to you, I will explain everything to you: it is said that the thirst for pleasure is the beginning of evils, and, one might say, the whole sequence of evils originates from here. Since our human nature consists of two elements, spiritual and sensual, the concept of pleasure is expressed in two forms: one of them has a purely spiritual character, a certain “itching” that seems pleasant - even if it was caused by sensory perceptions and excitement (passions) - and it bears the name: “love of fame”; another type of pleasure is based exclusively on sensory stimulation, and borrows its name from the very concept of pleasure: “the pursuit of pleasure” (orig. “pleasure-love”) 642. Having accepted as a collaborator a snake that creeps on the earth - “the love of money”, they shoot many truly sharp and deadly arrows 643 at the seduced immortal souls. These are the firstborn offspring of the ancient serpent, which characterize the parent who keeps them within herself 644; So, here, natural snakes obey the laws of nature in everything (in that the offspring of a snake destroy their parent) 645; These same ones are contrary to her (soul’s) nature, nevertheless, they have the habit of destroying their parent. They remain together, as it were, in one lair and rest, alas, in the soul of each of the destroyed, with their nasty combinations always giving rise to the abomination of even more impure soul-destroying passions. 5. But it is necessary to expand the word and clarify “who are those who are being saved and who are not,” so that you can determine: in what position you yourself are; and if I discovered any shortcoming in myself, I would diligently correct it. It is for this reason that, forgetting about my thinness and ignorance and leaving me to contemplate, or better yet, to mourn my inconveniently cleared rottenness, I took up this lengthy essay for you. Do not deprive yourself and me of this good benefit before God - without giving it due attention 646 - by considering that I wrote it as if by chance (“iki”); because (on the contrary) I wrote it especially for you... Because if someone, having completely hated the said leaders of the bad multitude of dishonest skills (or: predispositions), through numerous exploits, with the help of God's grace, completely expelled them, putting to flight the regiments of commanding demons, such a person, on the basis of this, accepted the reward for exploits and was crowned with ineffable graces (given) and became a false 647 trophy-bearer from among people, appeared before God, together with the Angels, forming an unceasing choir around Him, and was set for us as an example of holiness. If someone, having entered into a saving feat, has not yet shown himself stronger than his adversaries, because death anticipated his trophies, nevertheless, by the grace of the Lover of Mankind, he, together with the faithful and those who know the Truth at the right hand of the Lord of all, will be saved, and during the perception of rewards from the King of all, and he will become a participant in the undisturbed peace for which he desired and for which he labored, and for which he zealously strived, doing his life as a feat and for everything or mainly for something done contrary to the commandments of God, rewarding with various images of saving repentance. If someone, without being cleansed and purified, but insensitively exposing himself to the blows (of passions), throughout his entire life makes friends with the Tsar’s enemies, or better yet, with pretenders of a friendly disposition towards this person, and did not recognize or, if he did recognize, did not flee from them, but uncontrollably rushes to the bait (of pleasure) and enjoys the soul-killing falls and nourishes within himself already many destructive snakes, which in turn give rise to many offspring, such as the pursuit of pleasure, the search for glory and covetousness - who, behold, will this man be when the King of all comes to judge the universe? where will he be placed by the placing Angels at this terrible Judgment Seat? what will he hear? where will he be sent by the justly judging Voice, rewarding everyone according to his deeds (Matthew 16:27)? 6. But, woe is me! “Deeds themselves loudly declare more clearly than scriptures what a given person is like.” And how will I then endure, alas, the unbearable torment that awaits me, unless I concede to myself now, when the time is favorable for this, the philanthropy of the Judge? - because, they say, there are seas and rivers of unquenchable fire, pitch darkness and gnashing of teeth and much more of this kind, and this, they say, will all be together; but even this cannot depict the burden of horrors that those condemned will experience then. Alas! Everything from everywhere, in excess, terribly merges to form a single means of punishment: heat and cold and darkness and fire, attraction and stagnation 648, bonds and monsters 649, remorse (bites) of living beasts 650; according to this verdict, all this flows into one; but even in this way such horror cannot be imagined, according to what is written: “It cannot enter into the mind of man” (1 Cor. 2:9). What can we say about this useless and inconsolable and incessant crying? Because (in this life) those who sin against God cry from the consciousness of their sins; and there (after the Last Judgment) among the rejected, with the deprivation of good hope and despair of receiving salvation, the conviction of conscience, which is then forced, crying increases the urgent suffering; and this crying, which exists now and will always exist, as if no longer calmed down, becomes the starting point for further crying; and darkness - and on top of that horror and uncooled burning, and the indescribable depth of despair 651. In this life, crying is very useful: because God mercifully listens to it. Who, having looked, came down to us and weeping in this way (in repentance of our sins) 652 promised consolation, which He Himself is, both being and called the Comforter. 7. Such crying is a saving work, or better yet, a gift, since “the Spirit Himself,” it is said, “the Spirit makes intercession for us with groanings that cannot be uttered” (Rom. 8:26); Thus, this crying (so that I can show you the root of virtues in due degree) 653 is the lot of only all the faithful; it arises with any feeling of fear when believing in the existence of a test of (coming, threatening) horrors and deprivation of benefits; it increases along with fear to the extent that, striving for the best, we cut off concern for earthly things; for those, it only becomes perfect and becomes a source for even more perfect things, while the previous feeling of fear disappeared 654, with a light heart, saying goodbye to everything else, he devoted his entire life to himself and the one God. When the mind moves away from everything sensory and rises from the flood of turmoil associated with all this, and looks at the inner man, then, first seeing the mask (i.e., disfigurement) of his face that has occurred as a result of wandering (in base things), he makes an effort to wash it off with crying. Then, when this ugly cover is removed, then the soul, no longer being torn apart in an ignoble manner by all sorts of things, calmly enters into its true treasures, and prays to God in secret, as it should be in the commandment (Matthew 6:4), Who, as the first, gives him the gift of containing grace-filled gifts, and this gift is the silence of thoughts 655, at the same time fulfilling the parent and the founder of all virtues is humility; not that humility that is expressed in easy, expedient words and appearance, but that which is attested by the Good and Divine Spirit, which is created by this Spirit, renewed in (our) wombs. 8. In these same two states of the soul: silence of thoughts and true humility, as if in a tightly fenced spiritual paradise, various trees of true virtue grow; in the middle of it rises the sacred royal palace of Love, on the threshold of which, as an introduction to the future age, inexpressible and inalienable joy flourishes, under the shining shadow of which flows a certain abundant water source, watering the land of the meek. Anyone who has experienced this state knows what I am talking about; and this is like life-giving dew from above; with all this, we should have great fear (distrust in our own strengths), and we should protect ourselves comprehensively and prudently, so that in no case does the instigator of evil penetrate us from the beginning; because if, having penetrated, he remained unnoticed, then it would not have happened to him to remain with his companions and not to make our soul the camp of his harmful army, “and the last will be worse than the first.” 9. But let all this be far from us; it will be completely distant from all those who unfeignedly make efforts, and therefore have a vigilant guard. I believe that you will now rather remember what I said at the beginning, saying that what I learned from the experienced Fathers, having believed it, I passed it on. Driven by love for you, turning to you, I will reveal everything to you so that you can reveal yourself, as far as it is in your power, as a lover of the truly desired good. – So, when every shameful passion that dwells in us is expelled, then our mind, as the word has already revealed earlier, turning entirely to itself and to other spiritual powers, will adorn the soul by cultivating beautiful things 656; stretching towards even better things, still and again setting forth “active ascents” (Ps. 83:6), and more and more, with God’s help, washing himself, he not only cleanses from himself that which belongs to bad coinage 657, but also removes from the environment everything acquired (alluvial), even if it belonged to a more noble destiny or way of thinking 658. When the mind surpasses not only the material dyad 659, but, in addition, becomes above all mental and even objective thinking - all this for the sake of God and out of love for Him, having removed itself from itself, “like deaf and dumb,” according to what is written (Ps. 37:14) - then it retains the concept of matter and creates in itself a higher education with all security; and since nothing from the outside knocks on the door, inner grace rebuilds for the better and illuminates what is inside and perfects the inner man. 10. When “the day dawns and the star shines in our hearts,” as Corypheus of the Apostles says (2 Pet. 1:19), then, according to this prophetic word (Ps. 103:23): a true man will go out to his true work - and using the light, he takes up his path, by which he is elevated to the eternal mountains and becomes a spectator of the most worldly things (oh, what a miracle 660) without being separated or separated from the matter brought into being from the beginning with him, as this path knows; because he does not rise on the wings of the imagination of thought, which, one might say, always wanders blindly; is not comprehended on the basis of easy perceptions of the senses; not on the basis of speculative objects that transcend the mind (“iperanavevikoton noiion”) of an exact and undoubted logical conclusion; but, bypassing all this 661, on the basis of truth he ascends with the ineffable power of the Spirit; and in spiritual and ineffable perception the mind hears ineffable words and beholds invisible things and, on this basis, is and becomes entirely miraculous; and even if he retreated from there, he competes with the tireless praisers (of God), becoming truly another angel on God’s earth and in himself sacrificing to Him every kind of creature, since he himself is involved in everything; and what is above all, he receives as his inheritance now, in order to become an exact likeness of Him. So it (our mind) is not only sensible, sentient, rational, immaterial, with all these features cognizable as a single whole, but also spiritual, I don’t say now in the concept of grace, although we “receive grace to receive grace” (John 1:16), according to the most theologian among the Evangelists, which should be understood as the re-creation of the first grace in the second, but as something implanted in us, precisely invested in us God is the spirit of life, which we, alas, have made and continue to make obscene, and therefore in a huge number of people it is not felt at all; but this is not the case with respect to a person awarded by the Heavenly Father with the possession of perfection of mind and true renewal; because in a clear way this man, illuminated from above by Himself, sees Him in a cognitive image and what is from Him in him, so that then he transmits to the body combined with Him many signs of divine beauty, mediating between the grace of God and the coarseness of the body and putting into it the power to do what it itself cannot do. 11. From here comes a god-like and unchanging disposition (affirmation) towards virtue and complete immobility or inability to move towards evil; hence comes the word, which explains the concepts of true things and reveals - on the basis of its purity - secret natures; a word that, with the help of similar concepts, elevates the way of thinking of those who listen with faith to the perception of things that are above nature, and this (their perception of these mysteries) was touched by an invisible touch by the Father of the Word Himself; hence various other miracles and the gift of clairvoyance, as well as foresight, as well as the gift of reasoning about those things that are happening somewhere far away, as if about things happening before our eyes; and that - most of all: this was not the goal of these blessed men; but just as if someone, looking at a ray of material light, would notice, although he would not set this as a goal, the smallest particles existing in the air (illuminated by this ray), so for them, purely enjoying the divine rays, which by nature are inherent in the revelation of everything 662, as if knowledge of everything is truly incidentally added - according to their purity - of those things that happen not only now, in the present time or happened in the past, but also those things that will happen in the future. It is to their benefit that their mind returns to itself and concentrates it within itself; It is better to say - although this may seem surprisingly said - the turning of all the powers of the soul to the mind (concentration in the spirit) and activity according to it and according to God 663, equipped with which, ascetics are well-ordered in relation to the Prototype. That ancient and unimaginable Beauty, which, being the most loving of mankind, “Herself goes around looking for those who love Her, and appears favorably to them on the paths” (Wis. 6:16) 664 being also not far from us: “for this indeed is the race of us” (Acts 17:28). 12. She, behold, is ready to bestow the highest perfection on those who can contain and accept it; She herself cordially accepts even the smallest things from us. Do you want, monk, - She says, - to completely adhere to Me, so that I make you a church of God's glory and a receptacle of pleasure? so that I may show you to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world, possessing the Word of life, which is brighter than the stars? Do you want this so much? And you, who, being married, maintain chastity, perhaps no less I welcome and accept; because Paul, the preacher of grace, betrothed the whole Church to Christ as a pure virgin. But perhaps you turn away from the poverty and modesty of food and from the severity of fasting and the severity of other suffering 665 and from the cramped life in everything and from an unusual way of life, so as to live without a fatherland, without shelter and without property? - Then live in your city or in the city that, giving preference, you would like to settle; have shelter that is sufficient for the vicissitudes of the weather, and, having food and clothing, be content with this; I do not force you, who is not very attached to these things, to give up everything; care only about satisfying your needs and do not have covetousness; I advise you to throw away everything unnecessary and useless, just as you are in the habit of cutting off excess nails; just don’t make food an object of pleasure, and drinking strong drinks a means to quench your thirst; and do not make luxurious and costly garments to cover your nakedness; and do not make wealth a means of self-satisfaction. Wealth, which, even if it was not in the hands of those who thirst for it, greatly harms them by the very drive to it, and when it comes to them, shows its inner insignificance - because, despite the fact that it is already there, it still continues to be coveted by people who, despite the experience gained (that it does not bring satisfaction) 666, have not come to their senses. Because this unhappy passion does not come from poverty, but rather poverty (the feeling of lack) comes from this unsatisfied passion for wealth 667. It itself comes from madness, according to which “he who destroys his barns and builds great things” (Luke 12:18) is most justly called the “mad” common Lord Christ of all. Because, how is he not crazy who, for the sake of things that cannot bring benefit - “for it is not because of abundance that anyone has his life” (Luke 12:15) - betrays the most useful things for the sake of such things? and isn’t that merchant wise who uses his most necessary property to the best of his ability and adds to the total amount that truly brings abundant profits in a trade that is very profitable for him? Doesn’t this also apply to agriculture, which, even before the harvest time has come, multiplies the investment in the land a hundred times, as if presenting future benefits and a harvest that will be in due time, a harvest inexpressible and unimaginable and most amazing, since when sowing a small amount of seeds, it repays with such abundance 668? 13. So even in the presence of wealth, people do not abandon the desire to enrich themselves; but they are afraid of becoming poor, not fully trusting the One who promises to add all earthly things to those who seek the kingdom of God; and only with this in mind, even if they abounded in everything, they by no means retreat from sick and destructive greed; but by collecting all the time, they load themselves with an unnecessary burden; It’s better to say that while still alive, they put themselves in an unusual coffin. Because an ordinary dead person simply buries himself in the ground; the spirit of the money lover buries himself alive in gilded dust. And for the sane, such a grave seems more fetid, and then to the extent that it immerses the mind (the spirit of a person): because the ulcer (spiritual illness) of these unfortunates comes out and its stench reaches even heaven and the Angels of God and God, and thus these people, who bear the stamp of God’s rejection from them, become disgusting; say - through the mouth of David: “From the face of madness” they “have grown stinking” (Ps. 37:6). 14. But I wrote this to you, rather using an excuse for writing than there would have been a need for you. What is it to you, O man, in human glory? It’s better to say: with the empty name of glory, which is not only devoid of itself, but also deprives a person of true glory; and not only this, but also everything else, gives rise to envy, envy tantamount to murder, which was the cause of the first bloodshed (Gen. 4:8), and then the deicide (Christ-killing)? Is it useful for nature in any way: supporting or preserving it, or somehow perceiving it if it is damaged, and healing it? “Of course, no one could say that; but I think that it exposes the abuses committed under a plausible pretext. If, being wise, you wish to conduct research, you will find that in most cases she insidiously patronizes shameful deeds and disgraces and shamefully takes off her mask and, it happens, covers her followers with shame, although the Hellenic Youths 669, or better yet, the Fathers, and the conductors of their teachings believe that without her there would be nothing good in life; It’s better to say - they want to present it that way 670 . But this is not how we were taught, who significantly bear the name of the One who lovingly anointed our nature with Himself 671: We have Him as the Spectator of our actions; Only with Him in mind, always looking at Him and for His sake and thanks to Him, we do everything that is most beautiful; doing everything for the glory of God and not at all trying to please people; It’s better to say - and without pleasing them, according to the word of Paul, the highest secret of the Lawgiver and our lawgiver, who says: “Even if he had pleased others yet, Christ’s servant would not have been” (Gal. 1:10). 15. But why am I stretching out the word, explaining this to my husband, who perhaps knows the subject better than the speaker himself. Because, having been a student of the Kingdom of Heaven yourself, you know both the new and the old. Just show your knowledge by deeds; go down to the stadium of knowledge put into action, so that you may fight the good fight, doing it lawfully (2 Tim. 4:7, 2:5); remove something of what is squeezing you and from the heaviest burden of caring for earthly things, making yourself easier for the spiritual field; diligently take off everything for the competition, quickly freeing your mind from everything that degrades; anoint yourself with the oil of charity, and do not in the least allow your opponents to find a weak spot in you. It is terrible, while it is common for ordinary warriors, after they have gone through all the gymnastic exercises, to put on military armor; in our monastic work - to surround ourselves with weapons 672, “a mighty God for the destruction of strongholds” (2 Cor. 10:4) 673 and, girded with the sword of the Spirit and taking into hand a spear that is terrible for opponents - spiritual work - go into hand-to-hand combat with passions and demons, and if, having been defeated, those 674 run to seek refuge in the fortress, i.e. in the very depths of our soul (because this place is previously subjected to siege by them “propepoliorkimenis usis”) 675 then these spiritual warriors, “climbing the wall with God,” as the psalm says (Ps. 17:32), overcome common enemies, thus completely becoming masters of themselves and of God, and are rewarded with things that surpass them; At this time, we, respected by high education, consider it not even safe for us to undertake exploits. 16. The knowledge of God is clear for you: because you have carefully studied the concepts of nature, on the basis of which the One who is superior to nature is seen (of course). What is pleasing to God is known to you: because God has clearly revealed it to you, so that you have no excuse, citing the fact that you were ignorant, having given you knowledge of divine words and books; you have attained wisdom; found reason; received the word to help you; God gave you sight so that you could distinguish good from its opposite evil; gave you the ability to make a choice and discard what is unsuitable, but to gravitate and adhere to the will of God. So, then, isn’t it very easy and isn’t it just a matter of the will to put this ability (given to you) into action so that you don’t happen to experience blows: a sage is like a baby, alas! who has carefully studied the science of sciences and received an education that seems to exceed science, is definitely an ignoramus, alas, and a poorly educated person?! For your benefit, I will also cite this: those who have knowledge are now threatened with greater punishment (orig.: “many blows of scourges”), because: “He who knows,” says Christ, “and who does not create, will be beaten many times” (Luke 12:47). Oh, what a shame! A sage who has not properly used the talent he has received and has not added anything to it through his activity - on the basis that he has been taught - will find himself in a more disastrous situation than uneducated people, then, on that terrible day, everyone will be rewarded according to his activity (oh, how worthily will I depict this misfortune in words?!) 676 ; He himself would have considered it desirable then if in his past earthly life he had been an ignoramus and the greatest ignorant of ignoramuses, since now he would have been subjected to easier punishment; since the Lord says: “He who does not know the will of his Master will be beaten little” (Luke 12:48). 17. Does this mean that knowledge or science is evil? - Yes, it won’t! Because it is God, “Who teaches man understanding” (Ps. 93:10), as the Prophet David says. “He found all the ways of wisdom and gave them to us” (Bar.3:37): this is what Jeremiah 677 says, foreseeing the future. Our Existing Good Father and Lord and Creator gave this to us, thereby freeing those who are His from the worst ignorance, in order to thereby free them from the small number of blows that threaten them, for their sake, - the lighter punishment that is given to those who have sinned through ignorance 678 . If I did not want this (knowledge) or was not worth it (was not at the height) of the known deeds of freedom, but of my own free will I exposed myself to many blows, then this is not the fault of knowledge or science, but my own and the result of the strengthening of sin in me as a result of the killing of the good principle in me. Allow me to define myself to wise men, making an assessment based on what has been said above: - so in the eloquence of these words, most or all belong to my power (i.e. – I have achieved everything); in laziness in doing good, which I know what should consist of, I am superior to everyone or the majority. And although the most powerful law of love forced me, careless and ignorant (because I should speak the truth to your wisdom and virtue), 679 to indulge in these writings, you, however, look at the words, and not at (me) speaking them. 18. It happened that once Alexander, king of Macedon, was advised by one of the enslaved; and the king, acting correctly, taking into account not the position of the one who advised, but the advice itself, adopted it, and then, on the basis that the advice was pleasing to him, he himself included the person who proposed it among the people close to him, and the king and his ruler obeyed the slave and the simpleton 680. Are you really going to reject, out of love for you, a friendly and useful opinion expressed to you, looking at the indecency of the speaker? - No, don’t do that, dearest and wisest sir; but, having ascended to the church of God - into your mind - observe yourself there often throughout the day; remember the Householder who says: “My house will be called a house of prayer” (Matthew 21:13); and, having left there and given yourself to deeds, remember what you needed there: was it not forgiveness? is it not in mercy? Isn’t it the Lord’s love for humanity? Do the same to your neighbor: forgive, having been forgiven; have mercy (or: show mercy), having yourself been pardoned; It is said that through love for mankind, acquire God’s love for mankind; give from yourself proof of affection for your brother and love for the common Lord and Father, love that stems from love for your neighbor; because if you don't love your immediate family, how can you love your brother? if you do not love your brother whom you see, how can you believe that you love God, whom you do not see, as the Apostle says (1 John 4:20)? But from there, prove in practice your love for the Invisible, and you will see the ever-Lover and the ever-Beloved, and you will be loved by Him more clearly (than you feel now) and you yourself will love more powerfully, and you will abide with Him, both loving and beloved - which will be to the glory of the truly Beloved and the God of glory, Christ, with whom glory befits the Father, together with the Holy Spirit, now and forever and ever. Amen. And this treatise on spiritual life, together with the above conversations of St. Gregory Palamas, which constitute the third volume in our publication, was published by C. Sophocles Economy in 1861 in the same collection of conversations, pp. 290–308. This word is more difficult both in language and in content than his conversations. At first it is difficult to understand: it is the answer of St. Gregory to a letter or letters that have not survived, as well as the history of the relations between the Saint and the philosophers John and Theodore, to whom he directs his treatise. A stone with which ancient jewelers tested the purity of gold. We added this phrase for ourselves, believing that it contributes to the understanding of the subsequent text. Those. Christ abolished the superficial and temporary regulations of the Old Testament Law; Having preserved and established the eternal and immutable truths existing in it, He thereby confirmed the Law itself: namely: He did not abolish it, did not destroy it, but established it and fulfilled it, as He Himself announced. “Madness” of Christian preaching, which nullified pagan wisdom (thought of St. Apostle Paul). Brackets belong to the original. Here we are contrasted with a word that, when pronounced, disappears, dissolving in the air, - the Eternal and Ever-Essential Word - Christ. Those. from among the Orthodox. Orig. text: “Make the great name of philosophy common to it and to your life.” Orig. “prohibition”, “conclude”, i.e. as if banning them in prison, maliciously burying them in the ground, but allowing them to be realized in a person’s life. According to ancient philosophers, exercise in the sciences leads the philosopher to happiness, “famous happiness.” The idea is not entirely clear to me here. It is possible that what is meant is the time of youth in a person’s life, along the way of which instructions and experiences of moral knowledge of philosophy await her. Those. those - which are nothing, as if they have no value, but appear to be something, as for example. earthly, perishable wealth, earthly glory or the fleeting bodily beauty of youth. The entire phrase is conveyed partly in free translation, partly in the use of the text publisher's note. The parentheses belong to the original. Orig.: “opposite spirits”, i.e. two principles in the human soul: good and evil, positive and negative. Entelechy is a philosophical term of ancient Greek philosophy, meaning complete disclosure within the intended goal, i.e. complete, complete reality, fulfillment; entelechy is the absoluteness of something. (See Ancient Greek-Russian Dictionary of T.I. Dvoretsky. Greek-English Lexicon of Diddell-Scott, Greek Patristic Lexicon of Lampe.) The idea here is not entirely clear. The entire phrase is given in free translation. “Generator” – i.e. the human soul, in which sinful passions are generated. The text in brackets was inserted by us, but it fully corresponds to the thoughts of the original. We added this thought from ourselves, as conveying the unspoken thought of St. Gregory Palamas. Those. true, genuine victorious. “Attraction and stagnation” - first, sinners will be driven by Angels, like goats, to the left side of the Judge Christ. Then, after standing in that place, having heard the verdict, they will be kidnapped and drawn by a fiery river to hell, where there will be eternal stagnation. “Scarecrows” are a terrible type of demon. Eastern St. The Fathers teach to understand hellish torment as spiritual suffering. See our book: “St. Mark of Ephesus and the Florentine Union,” pp. 133, 160–161. The text in brackets was inserted by us. The text in brackets, like the brackets, belongs to the original. Such crying comes from a feeling of deep tenderness before God: love for God has completely banished all fear. Silence of thoughts is the action of the grace of the Holy Spirit: for an ascetic it appears as a result of deeds. Rev. Seraphim and the Optina Elders taught their spiritual children the need to have a “peaceful spirit.” He who has acquired this state is saved himself and saves everyone who has or comes into communication with him through his gracious influence on them. According to Greek Philocalia, the publisher's note indicates that instead of “beautiful things” - “virtues”. Those. our base, sensual human nature. Those. when the mind ascends to God, then it already becomes higher than everything earthly and throws off everything of this kind as unnecessary ballast, even if it were a more noble destiny, such as scientific knowledge, art, the gift of eloquence, etc. Those. the entire material world; For the concept of dyad in matter, see the teachings of Aristotle. Those. from whom nothing is hidden. Those. the activity of all the powers of the soul in complete subordination to their mind and according to the will of God. Orig. text of the quote: “Worthy of her,” etc. "Suffering" in Greek. St. fathers means feats of asceticism. The text in brackets was added by us. The entire phrase is conveyed in a free translation, starting from: “isn’t it his,” etc. “Greek Youths,” whom St. Gregory calls “Fathers” rather than “Youths.” This was the name of the professional Greek philosophers who laid the foundations of all European science. Those. pagan philosophers wanted to imagine that only the search for glory was the motive among people in all their good and noble deeds. “Christ anointed our nature with Himself.” Wrestlers smeared themselves with oil before competitions. Christ Himself, by Himself, strengthened our human nature, by the fact that He Himself joined it, to fight against our spiritual enemies. Those. a weapon empowered by God. Although the words are quoted from the Book of the Prophet Baruch, but, as tradition says, Baruch was a student of the Prophet Jeremiah, who wrote down the words of his teacher: why sometimes what he wrote, however, is attributed to the Prophet Jeremiah. The ending of this phrase has been added by us. Orig.: “the culprit of his captivity.” You might be interested in: