Thoughts

In the Syriac edition of the treatise “Speculative Chapters” (part of the famous trilogy of Evagrius Ponticus), additional chapters are added. This so-called “Supplement” is a separate work, consisting of the original sayings of Evagrius and called the “Chapter on Knowledge.” Fragments of this work are included in the theological and philosophical treatise “Thoughts”, written in Egypt, probably in 394-399. The presented translation contains 67 chapters, which deal with various aspects of the teaching of Evagrius of Pontus on spiritual knowledge, thoughts, their classification by nature, origin and order. The “thoughts” inspired by demons according to the desert tradition use ideas of sensory origin, which, stored and recalled, maintain in the mind the obsessions of the day and the images of the dreams of the night. One should know the instructions on how thoughts arise in order to overcome them and advance in dispassion. With the help of angelic “thoughts” and the help of Christ, the “physician of souls,” one can rise in contemplation to the vision of divine light, in pure prayer. *The title of the work in Greek is Σκέμματα. *The title of the essay in Latin is Capita cognoscitiva. 1. If anyone wants to see the state of the mind, let him renounce all [sinful] thoughts and then see himself similar to sapphire and the [shining] heavenly color. It is impossible to do this without dispassion, and the assistance of God is required, breathing into man akin Light. 2. Dispassion is a calm state of the rational soul, formed from meekness and chastity. 3. The [dispassionate] state of mind is the intelligible peak, [the radiance of which] is like a heavenly color. During prayer, she is illuminated by the Light of the Holy Trinity. 4. The censer is the pure mind, which during prayer does not come into contact with [one] sensory thing. 5. The contemplative mind is like a dog, through the movement of the fierce principle [of the soul] expelling [from the mind] all passionate thoughts. 6. The active mind is like a dog, barking at all unrighteous thoughts. 7. Education [according to God] is a renunciation of ungodliness and worldly lusts. 8. An active mind is a mind that dispassionately perceives the thoughts of this world. 9. There are four ways in which the mind perceives thoughts. The first is through the eyes, the second through hearing, the third through memory, and the fourth through bodily temperament. And when the mind perceives thoughts through the eyes, it only gives them form; when through hearing, it gives and does not give them this form, since the word denotes things that are sensual and accessible to contemplation; memory and temperament follow hearing, for they both form the mind and do not form what the ear presented to them. 10. Since the mind perceives thoughts from the five senses, one should find out which of these senses is the source of the most difficult thoughts. – And it is clear that such a source is hearing, for “a terrible word troubles the heart of a righteous man” (Proverbs 12:25). 11. Temptations bring people either pleasure, sorrow, or bodily torment. 12. If the mind does not see the place of God within itself, then it will not be above thoughts associated with things; and if he does not find himself above them, he will not throw off the [fetters] of passions that bind him through thoughts about sensual things. He will be able to remove passions from himself with the help of virtues, and simple thoughts - with the help of spiritual contemplation, and this contemplation [becomes accessible] when the mind is illuminated by the [Divine] Light. And Saint David clearly teaches us that there is a place of God. He says: “And His place was in peace, and His habitation was in Zion” (Ps. 75:3). Thus, the “place of God” is the rational soul, and the “dwelling” is the light-like mind that has rejected worldly lusts and learned to look at the logoi of the earth. 13. The mind is the church of the Holy Trinity. 14. The mind abiding in the body is the contemplator of all ages. 15. An impure mind is a mind that reprehensible passion detains in [the contemplation of] sensible things. 16. Prayer is a voluntary promise of benefits. 17. Prayer is a state of mind that destroys all earthly thoughts; it arises only when [the mind is illuminated] by the Light of the Holy Trinity. 18. A prayer request [to God] is an interview of the mind with God, with a prayer on the knees, containing a request for help or for [providing] benefits. 19. Invoking [God] in prayer is a request for the salvation of others, brought to God by a spiritually successful person. 20. A speculator is a mercenary who hired himself out for a daily wage. 21. He who devotes himself to spiritual work is a hired worker awaiting his reward. 22. He is also the one who spends his life piously and righteously in the mental world. 23. He who devotes himself to the contemplative life is one who creates the sensory world in [his] thought only for the sake of knowledge. 24. The violent principle is the power of the soul, fatal to thoughts. 25. A person who devotes himself to spiritual work correctly uses the [abilities] given to him by God. 26. A demonic thought is an image of a person perceived by the senses that arises in thought; brought by this into a state of passionate excitement, the mind secretly [begins] to speak and act lawlessly, driven [out of itself] by this thought towards a random ghost. 27. Demonic thoughts blind the glorious eye of the soul, which is turned to the contemplation of beings. 28. Of the thoughts, some happen to us as [merely] living beings, others as to people. Those that happen to [merely] living beings are thoughts [originating] from the desirable and violent [principles of the soul]; those that happen to people are thoughts [arising] from sadness, vanity and arrogance. And the thoughts [arising] from despondency are mixed: [they happen to us] both as with [simply] living beings and as with people. 29. Of thoughts, some go ahead, others follow them. [For example], ahead are thoughts [arising] from arrogance, and behind them are thoughts [arising] from the furious beginning [of the soul]. 30. Of the thoughts that go ahead, some also precede, and others follow: thoughts [arising] from gluttony precede, and thoughts of fornication follow. 31. Of the thoughts that follow the first, some are preceding, and others are following them: the preceding are thoughts [arising] from sadness, and those following are thoughts [born] from anger. For it is said: “The word cruelly cries out in anger” (Prov. 15:1). 32. Of the thoughts, some are immaterial, others are of little materiality, and still others are of much materiality. Immaterial thoughts are thoughts [arising] from the first pride, low-material ones are thoughts of fornication, and many-material ones are thoughts of vanity. 33. Of the thoughts, some strike [us] through time, others through internal consent to sin, and still others through sin carried out in practice. Thoughts [arising] as a result of time are natural; thoughts [arising] as a result of time and action are unnatural: [they also include] demonic thoughts and thoughts from evil will. 34. A good thought is opposed by two thoughts: a demonic one and a thought from an evil will. An evil thought is opposed by three thoughts: a natural thought, a thought from right will, and a thought [instilled] by an Angel. 35. From thoughts, some obtain their substance from the outside, and thoughts of fornication [draw this substance] from the body. 36. Of the thoughts, some are generated by the soul brought into [passionate] movement, while others arise from the outside, from demons. 37. Of unclean thoughts, some show God to the unrighteous, others to the partial, others to the powerless, and still others to the unmerciful. The unrighteous [represent God] with thoughts of fornication and vanity; partiality - thoughts arising from the second pride; to the powerless - thoughts [born] of the first pride; and to the unmerciful - all other thoughts. 38. Of the thoughts, some happen to us as monks, and others as to worldly people. 39. Every thought, excluding thoughts of sadness, is followed by pleasure. 40. For some thoughts, the knowledge characteristic of them is preceded by ideas, while for others, knowledge [comes first, followed by ideas]. 41. The first of all thoughts is the thought of selfishness, and behind it are the [other] eight. 42. Of the thoughts, some [come] as a result of petition, while others [come] from the common enemy [of the human race]. 43. From thoughts, some form a thought, others do not. It is formed by thoughts that appear from sight, and is not formed by thoughts that happen to us as a result of other senses. 44. Of the thoughts, some are in accordance with nature, others contradict it. And unnatural thoughts are thoughts [arising] from the desirable and violent principles [of the soul]; those corresponding to nature are those that [come] from father, mother, wife or children. 45. After the defeat of other thoughts, only thoughts of vanity and pride begin to arise [in us]. 46. ​​What all thoughts have in common is that they harm [us]. 47. Of the passions that are set in motion, some are aroused [in us] by memory, others by feeling, and still others by demons. 48. All impure thoughts bind the mind through either desire, rage, or sadness. 49. Of the thoughts, only the thoughts of sadness are disastrous for all [other] thoughts. 50. Knowledge does not correspond to [a person] without understanding, and a stone of little value [is not inserted] into a gold frame. 51. The children of the wise will not satisfy the foolish, and the foolish will reject them. 52. A long time [of life in itself] does not impart wisdom, and many years [lived by a person] do not [by themselves] grant him knowledge. 53. Just as the flow of a river is unstoppable, so is the greed of an unrighteous man insatiable. 54. The worm is in the tree, and the word of the vindictive is in its soul. 55. If you acquire love, you will understand the words of the wise; [then] you will seek the [spiritual] world and will not despise the fruits of their womb. 56. A man filled with rage will not see the light, and a wicked man will not receive it. 57. A meek man drinks true water, but false water is given to an angry man. 58. With all vigilance, guard the wealth of your fathers and do not forget the one who gave birth to you [in the Spirit]. 59. A sleepy slave loses the gold [kept] in his bosom, and a drunken one loses his life. 60. I saw men soaring high like kite chicks, but then descending to the ground again [because they were attracted] by the smell of a corpse. 61. A merciful husband will keep his wealth, but a daring husband will give away his cloak. 62. Having loved education, you irritate your enemies, and seeking wisdom, you drive them out. 63. Wicked sons waste wealth, and foolish sons will not see the treasures of their fathers. 64. When the elements [of the body] are dissolved, the righteous rejoice, but the unrighteous grieve for themselves. 65. The poor will tear the clothes of the rich, and the humble will share their wealth. 66. A hungry wolf stalks the flock, and the spirit of fornication stalks those who fill its belly. 67. 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