Monk, or Practical Treatise: One Hundred Chapters on Spiritual Life

The work “The Word on Spiritual Work, or the Monk” is the first part of the trilogy of Evagrius of Pontus, which he dedicated to his friend Anatoly, a monk of the monastery of St. Melania and Rufina on the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem. The treatise was written in Egypt, probably in 383-393, addressed to anchorite monks and consists of 100 chapters (“hundreds”) devoted to the initial stage of ascetic life - doing, namely the achievement of dispassion. The prologue gives the symbolic meaning of the monastic robe. Chapters 6-33 talk about the 8 main sinful thoughts and the fight against them. Chapters 34-39, 57-70 are about passions and dispassion. Chapters 81-90 are about virtues. Chapters 91-100 are brief sayings of the Church Fathers (St. Anthony the Great, Macarius the Great, etc.). The author distinguishes 3 parts in the human soul: rational, violent and desirable (lusting) (chap. 22, 54, 63, 86, 89). The violent and desirable parts of the soul are subordinate to the rational one and help it in the fight against vices and in acquiring virtues (chap. 86, 89). According to Evagrius, dispassion is achieved only when “the rational soul acts in accordance with nature, when the desirable part of it strives towards virtue, the violent part fights for this virtue, and the rational part turns to the contemplation of created things” (chapter 86). One of the basic principles of the ascetic theology of Evagrius of Pontus, dating back to Origen, is the idea that Christian spiritual life consists of two stages: doing and contemplation (chap. 32, 66, 84), between which there is subordination (chap. 90). The purpose of doing is the knowledge of God (ch. 32, 79). The author states that Christianity is the teaching of Christ, consisting of work, natural contemplation and theology (chapter 1). According to Evagrius, the beginning of action is faith, and the final goal is dispassion, which gives birth to perfect love (chap. 81, 84). Ascetic work is divided into 2 parts: “negative” (consists of cleansing from passions) and “positive” (acquiring Christian virtues). Evagrius of Pontus was the first to define in ascetic writing 8 “generic” bad thoughts that encompass all other thoughts: gluttony, fornication, love of money, sadness, anger, despondency, vanity and pride (chap. 6-14, 54). In Evagrius’s teaching on ascetic work there is a deep sense of trust in God in the struggle against thoughts and demons (chap. 14, 27, 33, 43, 66). The essay names the degrees and signs of dispassion (chap. 54-58, 60, 63-67), with the achievement of which the 2nd stage of spiritual life begins - “natural contemplation”, i.e. knowledge of God from His creations (chap. 56, 76, 79, 84). The 3rd stage of spiritual improvement is direct mystical knowledge of God (theology) (chapter 1, 84). The purified mind, by the grace of God, acquires “pure prayer” (chap. 23, 41). This publication of the treatise contains extensive comments by Schema-Archimandrite Gabriel (Bunge), the main goal of which is “to create, on the basis of “The Monk,” a kind of guide to spiritual practice “in the spirit of Evagrius,” who most directly adopted and assimilated the spiritual tradition of ancient monasticism.” *The title of the work in Greek is Λόϒος πρακτικὸς ἢ Μοναχός. *The title of the work in Latin is Liber practicus. Contents From the translator Preface to the French edition Bibliography and abbreviations I. Works of Evagrius II. Other sources III. Other publications of Schema-Archimandrite Gabriel (Bunge) 1. Books 2. Articles 3. Editions in Russian Introduction I. The author and his creation 1. Evagrius of Pontus: disciple of the Cappadocians and Desert Fathers 2. Creation: one hundred chapters of “The Monk” II. Teaching: “the royal and perfect way” 1. The soul and its parts 2. Practice as a “path” 3. “Method” as following 4. Practice as a “spiritual” method 5. Obstacles on the “path” 6. Purification as healing 7. “The ways of the Lord” and “the ways of God” III. Regarding the comments Text and comments by the monk Evagrius Prologue Practical treatise. One Hundred Chapters Preface In some manuscripts, the first chapter is preceded by “Instructions to Scribes,” which, apparently, also belong to the pen of Evagrius. In these instructions, Evagrius speaks not only about how a conscientious copyist, like the Pontic monk himself, should approach copying his works, but also about what is much more important for the modern reader - how to read the “Hundred Chapters”. Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 About eight thoughts Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Against eight thoughts Chapter 15 Chapter 16 Chapter 17 Chapter 18 Chapter 19 Chapter 20 Chapter 21 Chapter 22 Chapter 23 Chapter 24 Chapter 25 Chapter 26 Chapter 27 Chapter 28 Chapter 29 Chapter 30 Chapter 31 Chapter 32 Chapter 33 About passions Chapter 34 Chapter 35 Chapter 36 Chapter 37 Chapter 38 Chapter 39 Instructions Chapter 40 Chapter 41 Chapter 42 Chapter 43 Chapter 44 Chapter 45 Chapter 46 Chapter 47 Chapter 48 Chapter 49 Chapter 50 Chapter 51 Chapter 52 Chapter 53 About what happens in a dream Chapter 54 Chapter 55 Chapter 56 About a state close to dispassion Chapter 57 Chapter 58 Chapter 59 Chapter 60 Chapter 61 Chapter 62 About the signs of dispassion Chapter 63 Chapter 64 Chapter 65 Chapter 66 Chapter 67 Chapter 68 Chapter 69 Chapter 70 Practical considerations Chapter 71 Chapter 72 Chapter 73 Chapter 74 Chapter 75 Chapter 76 Chapter 77 Chapter 78 Chapter 79 Chapter 80 Chapter 81 Chapter 82 Chapter 83 Chapter 84 Chapter 85 Chapter 86 Chapter 87 Chapter 88 Chapter 89 Chapter 90 Sayings of the Holy Fathers Chapter 91 Chapter 92 Chapter 93 Chapter 94 Chapter 95 Chapter 96 Chapter 97 Chapter 98 Chapter 99 Chapter 100 Epilogue This book was originally written and published in German. Soon its French version was published, which the author, who has an excellent command of the French language, carefully edited and enriched with a number of new quotations from the works of Evagrius of Pontus. The text of “The Monk” is reproduced in it, although with some amendments made by the author, according to the critical edition of A. and K. Guillaumont, which contains a translation of this work into French. Therefore, with the consent of the author, it was decided to translate into Russian the French edition, which is more complete compared to the German original. The works of Evagrius of Pontus are known to the Russian reader from the Philokalia compiled by St. Theophan, from texts that have come to us under the name of St. Nile of Sinai and translated into Russian in the second half of the 19th century, as well as from translations made in the very recent past (see Bibliography). The Russian edition uses already existing translations. Since they were made at different times and by different people, there are some differences between them, mainly stylistic. We have chosen those translations that most closely correspond to the texts of Evagrius cited by the author in this work, and which, we think, can most easily be perceived by a modern reader. So, for example, the text of “The Monk”, or “Words on Spiritual Work”, is given here in the translation of Professor A.I. Sidorova. Let us note, however, that not all the texts of the Pontic monk were translated into Russian; many quotations from his works are presented in this publication for the first time. Speaking about the linguistic and translation aspects associated with the written work of Evagrius, one cannot fail to mention that, according to the author of this book, the Pontic “speculative” created his own special language, which was and remains difficult to understand and even mysterious. For a correct and deep understanding of his creations, it is necessary to master this language, just as we master foreign languages, including Greek, in which Evagrius wrote. But this is not enough: in addition to linguistic and metalinguistic knowledge, a certain spiritual experience is also required. The author of this work is not only one of the world's leading experts on the literary and spiritual heritage of Abba Evagrius, but also a monk who has been living in seclusion for almost 40 years. The uniqueness of this work lies, in particular, in the fact that in a sense it represents a “translation” of the work “The Monk” from the “Evagrian” language into a language accessible to the widest range of multilingual readers. We have no doubt that this book will reveal a lot of new things not only to monastics, clergy and lay believers seeking guidance in spiritual life, but also to all those who are interested in the “secrets” of the human soul. In conclusion, we would like to express our sincere gratitude to A.I. Sidorov and Yu.N. Arzhanov for the opportunity to use their translations in this publication. Preface to the French edition Thanks to the efforts of Mr. Antoine Guillaumont and Mrs. Claire Guillaumont, for a quarter of a century now, the French-speaking reader has had the opportunity to become acquainted with a wonderful critical edition of the work “The Monk”, written by Evagrius Pontus. The translation of this work is provided with extensive comments of a philological and historiographical nature. It is preceded by an “excursion into the history of theological thought” of that era (A. Guillaumont), as well as a “critical study” of the Greek text and its ancient versions (C. Guillaumont). Why, after the publication of this “classic” work, publish another book in French? Initially, our book was intended for a German-speaking audience still little familiar with Evagrius, and our goal was not to translate the work of A. and C. Guillaumont into German, and certainly not to improve it. Our goal was different: one and the same author can be approached in different ways, and we considered it important to present to the reader the spiritual teaching of Evagrius, as rich as it is little known. For this reason, we have deliberately abandoned the intention of delving into the historical and philological aspects of the works of Evagrius and have avoided everything that connects the Pontic monk with Greek philosophy and the theology of the Alexandrian and Cappadocian schools. In other words, our goal was of a more practical nature: to create, on the basis of “The Monk,” a kind of guide to spiritual practice “in the spirit of Evagrius,” who most directly adopted and assimilated the spiritual tradition of ancient monasticism. Wasn’t this what he himself was striving for when working on his essay? Despite a certain internal structure, “The Monk” is still not distinguished by its harmonious presentation. The one hundred chapters of this work are small units of text, each individually touching on fundamental issues of monastic practice. This work is not intended for quick reference. Each chapter requires careful and repeated reading, as well as research and reflection, so that what it says can then be put into practice. This explains the need for spiritual commentary. Evagrius is not easy to read. His idea, which has many “dimensions,” is not easy to grasp right away. Therefore, we have chosen an approach that allows us to explain Evagrius exclusively through Evagrius himself: no one can interpret Evagrius better than himself. For this purpose, we have multiplied the number of Evagrian quotations, which, as it seems to us, will help clarify the content of a particular chapter; at the same time, we provide not only a link to quotes, but also their translation, in most cases - complete. This work is intended not for an academic audience, well-informed about the works of Evagrius, but for monastics and lay people thirsting for knowledge about spiritual life. Only a few monastic libraries possess “the whole Evagrius”; what can we say about private libraries... Rare monks, nuns and lay people have access to all these texts, many of which have not even been satisfactorily edited. By handing over this “guide to spiritual work” into the hands of the reader, we sought to benefit those who wish to “follow in the footsteps of the elders,” as Evagrius himself wanted. Our intention was not to increase learning, but to deepen the knowledge that grows from practice carried out in a “knowing manner.” That's why we set certain boundaries for ourselves. The spiritual commentary on the work “The Monk” offered in this edition is not a scientific work in the generally accepted sense of the term. The author of the commentary is a simple monk, and also a hermit, who has long been cut off from the academic environment, but nevertheless yearns to join the treasures of the great spiritual tradition of the one and indivisible Church and share with others what was revealed to him during his life. We are glad that the editors of the collection Spiritualité Orientale (Eastern Spirituality) did not consider it unnecessary to provide French-speaking readers with access to this modest work, which, in connection with its publication in French, has been revised, corrected and enriched with a number of new texts. We would like to especially thank Mr. Antoine Guillaumont and Madame Claire Guillaumont, whose translation, published in the collection “Sources chrétiennes” (“Christian Sources”), we have used in this edition. We would also like to express our gratitude to Madame Marie Joseph Rondeau, who generously allowed us to use materials from Vaticanus graecus 754 (Scholia on the Psalter), and to Father Simon Tigwell, who provided us with the manuscript of De Oratione (The Word of Prayer). Hieromonk Gabriel (Bunge) Roveredo, Capriasca, Switzerland. 1996 Bibliography and abbreviations Ant. – Antirrhètikos [Refutor] // Evagrius Ponticus / Ed. W. Frankenberg. Berlin, 1912. S. 472–545. (Abhandlungen der Königlichen Gesellschaft der Wissenschaften zu Göttingen. Phil.-Hist. Klasse. Bd. 13. No. 2). Cent. Suppl. – Pseudo-Supplément des K.G. [Addition to the Speculative Chapters] // Evagrius Ponticus / Ed. W. Frankenberg. Berlin, 1912. S. 422–471. Ep. – Epistulae LXII [Epistle 62] // Evagrios Pontikus / Ed. W. Frankenberg. Berlin, 1912. S. 564–610; German Transl.: Evagrios Pontikos. Briefe aus der Wüste / Ed. G. Bunge. Trier, 1986. (Sophia; 24); Greek phragm.: Fragments grecs inédits d’Évagre le Pontique / Ed. C. Guillaumont. Berlin, 1987, pp. 209–221. (Texte und Untersuchungen zur Geschichte der altchristlichen Literatur; 133); Nouveaux fragments grecs des lettres d'Évagre / Ed. P. Géhin // Revue d’histoire des textes. 1994. Vol. 24. P. 117–147. Ep. Mel. – Epistula ad Melaniam [Message to Melania] // Evagrius Ponticus / Ed. W. Frankenberg. Berlin, 1912; Seconde partie du traité qui passe sous le nom de “La grande lettre d’Évagre le Pontique à Mélanie l’Ancienne” / Ed. G. Vitestam. Lund, 1964; English Transl.: Evagrius of Pontus. Letter to Melania/Ed. M. Parmentier // Bijdragen, tijdschrift voor filosofie en theologie. No. 46. 1985. P. 2–38; German Transl.: Evagrios Pontikos. Briefe aus der Wüste / Ed. G. Bunge. Trier, 1986, pp. 303–328. (Sophia; 24); rus. lane Yu.N. Arzhanova // Anthology of Eastern Christian theological thought. Orthodoxy and heterodoxy: In 2 volumes / Under scientific. ed. G.I. Benevich and D.S. Biryukova; comp. G.I. Benevich. T. 1. M.; St. Petersburg: “Nikea”-RKhGA, 2009. (Smaragdos Philocalias; Byzantine philosophy; T. 4). Eul. – Tractatus ad Eulogium monachum [To Eulogius the monk] // PG. T. 79. Col. 1093D–1140A; fr. Transl.: Évagre le Pontique. De la Prière à la perfection / Ed. M.-A. Jourdan-Gueyer. Paris, 1992, pp. 19–65. (Les Pères fans la foi; 47); rus. Transl.: To Eulogius the monk. Word 1 // Creations of our venerable father Nile of Sinai. M.: Publishing house Mosk. STSL Compound, 2000. pp. 133–158. In Eccl. – Scholia in Ecclesiasten [Scholia on the Book of Ecclesiastes] // Évagre le Pontique. Scholies à l’Écclésiaste / Ed. et trad. P. Gehin. Paris, 1993. (Sources chrétiennes; 397). In Prov. – Scholia in Proverbia [Scholia on the Book of Proverbs of Solomon] // Évagre le Pontique. Scholies aux Proverbes / Ed. et trad. P. Gehin. Paris, 1987. (Sources chrétiennes; 340). In Ps. – Scholia in Psalmos [Scholia on the Psalter]. In the work on the book, a copy of the manuscript “Vaticanus graecus”-754 was used, kindly provided by Mrs. M.-J. Rondo; see also: Rondeau M.-J. Le commentaire sur les Psaumes d’Évagre le Pontique // Orientalia Christiana Periodica. No. 26. 1960. P. 307–348. Inst. mon. – Institutio ad monachos [Admonition to monks] // PG. T. 79. Col. 1236–1240; see also Appendix: Evagriana/Ed. J. Muyldermans // Le Muséon. No. 51. Louvain, 1938. P. 198 ff. K.G. – Kephalaia Gnostika [Speculative chapters] // Guillaumont A. Les six Centuries des “Kephalaia Gnostika” d’Évagre le Pontique // Patrologia orientalis. Vol. 28. Paris, 1958; partial lane in Russian: Speculative chapters // Works of Abba Evagrius. Ascetic and theological treatises / Transl., intro. Art. and comment. A.I. Sidorova. M.: Martis, 1994. pp. 120–122. M.C. – De diversis malignis cogitationibus [On various evil thoughts] // PG. T. 79. Col. 1200D–1233A (corrected: Coislin 109); fr. trans: L. Regnault et J. Touraille. Philocalie des Pères neptiques. Vol. 8 (Évagre le Pontique, Nil l’Ascète, Diadoque de Photicé). Bellefontaine, 1987. P. 27–43; new edition: Ed. Desclée de Brouwer. 1995. T. 1. P. 84–96; rus. trans: About various evil thoughts 27 chapters // Creations of our venerable father Nile of Sinai. M.: Publishing house Mosk. STSL Compound, 2000. pp. 163–180. M.C.r.l. – [Long version of the same creation] // Á travers la tradition manuscrite d’Évagre le Pontique / Ed. J. Muyldermans // Muséon. No. 3. Louvain, 1932. P. 47 ff; rus. transl.: At the origins of the culture of holiness / Transl. A.I. Sidorova. M.: Pilgrim, 2002. pp. 387–477. O. sp. – Tractatus de octo spiritibus malitiae [On the eight evil thoughts] // PG 79, 1145A–1164D (corrected leno Coislin 109); German trans.: Evagrios Pontikos, Über die acht Gedanken / Ed. G. Bunge. Würzburg, 1992; rus. trans.: About eight evil thoughts // Creations of our venerable father Nile of Sinai. M.: Publishing house Mosk. STSL Compound, 2000. pp. 121–132. R.M. – Rerum monachalium rationes [Fundamentals of monastic life] // PG. T. 40. Col. 1252D–1264C; L. Regnault et J. Tourail le . Philocalie des Pères neptiques. Vol. 8. Bellefontaine, 1987. P. 19–26; new edition: Ed. Desclée de Brouwer. 1995. T. 1. P. 78–83. Sent. – Sexti Pythagorici, Clitarchi, Evagrii Pontici Sententiae [Epistle of Evagrius of Pontus] / Ed. A. Elter. Leipzig, 1892. Sk. – Skemmata [Thoughts] // Evagriana / Ed. J. Muyldermans (excerpt from the publication: Le Muséon. No. 44). P. 38 ff; playback in ed.: Nouveaux fragments grecs inédits. Paris, 1931. R. 374 ff. Partial lane in Russian: Thoughts // Creations of Abba Evagrius. Ascetic and theological treatises / Transl., intro. Art. and comment. A.I. Sidorova. M.: Martis, 1994. pp. 123–128. Vit. – De vitiis quae opposita sunt virtutibus [On vices opposite to virtues] // PG. T. 79. Col. 1140 onwards. To the virgin (Sententiae ad virginem). – Mirror of monks and nuns. II. Exhortation to a virgin // Works of Abba Evagrius. Ascetic and theological treatises / Transl., intro. Art. and comment. A.I. Sidorova. M.: Martis, 1994. pp. 138–141; abroad ed.: Nonnenspiegel und Mönchsspiegel des Euagrios Pontikis / Ed. N. Gressmann. Leipzig, 1913. (Texte und Untersuchungen zur Geschichte der altchristlichen Literatur; 39.4). To the monks (Sententiae ad Monachos). – Mirror of monks and nuns. I. To the monks living in cenobias and communities // Works of Abba Evagrius. Ascetic and theological treatises / Transl., intro. Art. and comment. A.I. Sidorova. M.: Martis, 1994. pp. 129–137; abroad ed.: Nonnenspiegel und Mönchsspiegel des Euagrios Pontikis / Ed. Gressmann. Leipzig, 1913. Texte und Untersuchungen zur Geschichte der altchristlichen Literatur; 39.4). Monk (Praktikos). – A Word on Spiritual Work, or the Monk // Works of Abba Evagrius. Ascetic and theological treatises / Transl., intro. Art. and comment. A.I. Sidorova. M.: Martis, 1994. pp. 94–112; abroad ed.: Évagre le Pontique. “Traité pratique” ou “Le moine” // Capita practica ad Anatolium / Ed. A. et C. Guillaumont. Paris, 1971. (Sources chrétiennes; 170–171). About faith (Epistula fidei). – Message about faith // Works of Abba Evagrius. Ascetic and theological treatises / Transl., intro. Art. and comment. A.I. Sidorova. M.: Martis, 1994. pp. 142–156; abroad ed.: Evagrios Pontikos. Epistula fidei/Ed. J. Gribomont // Basilio di Cesarea. Le lettere. Vol. 1. Turin, 1983. P. 84–113; fr. trans.: Saint Basile, Lettres I / Ed. Y. Courtonne. Paris, 1957. P. 22–37; German trans: Evagrios Pontikos. Briefe aus der Wüste / Ed. G. Bunge. Trier, 1986, pp. 284–302. (Sophia; 24). On prayer (De Oratione Tractatus). – A Word on Prayer // Works of Abba Evagrius. Ascetic and theological treatises / Transl., intro. Art. and comment. A.I. Sidorova. M.: Martis, 1994. pp. 76–93; abroad ed.: Philokalia. Athènes, 1957. T. 1. P. 176 ff (in this book, the numbering is given according to this edition). Per. Hausherra according to the publication: Les leçons d’un contemplatif. Le traité de l'oraison d'Évagre le Pontique. Paris, 1960); see also: Philocalie des Pères neptiques. Vol. 8. Bellefontaine, 1987. P. 47–65; new edition: T. 1. P. 98–111. Speculative (Gnostikos). – Speculative, or To the one who has been awarded knowledge // Works of Abba Evagrius. Ascetic and theological treatises / Transl., intro. Art. and comment. A.I. Sidorova. M.: Martis, 1994. pp. 113–119; abroad ed.: Évagre le Pontique. “Le Gnostique” ou “Á celui qui est devenu digne de la science” / Ed. A. et C. Guillaumont. Paris, 1971. (Sources chrétiennes; 397). Conl. – Johannes Cassianus. Conlations/Ed. M. Petschenis; fr. Transl.: Jean Cassien. Conferences / É. Pichery. Paris, 1955, 1958 et 1959. (Sources chrétiennes; 42, 54 et 64). H.L. – Palladius. Historia lausiaca // The Lausiac History of Palladius / Ed. C. Butler. Cambridge, 1898 and 1904; fr. Transl.: Palladius. Histoire Lausiaque / A. Lucot. Paris, 1912; rus. Transl.: Palladius, Bishop of Elenopol. Lavsaik, or the Narrative of the Life of the Holy and Blessed Fathers. M.: Father's House, 2009. H.L. [syr] – Palladius. Historia lausiaca. Version syriaque // Les formes syriaques de la matière de l’Histoire Lausiaque / Ed. Ettrad. R. Draguet. Louvain, 1979. (Corpus scriptorum christianorum orientalium; vol. 389/390 et 398/399). H.M. – Tyrannius Rufinus. Historia monachorum sive de Vita sanctorum patrum / Ed. E. Schultz-Flügel. Berlin, 1990. (Patristische Texte und Studien; 34). Inst. – Johannes Cassianus. De institutis coenobiorum / Ed. J.-Cl. Guy. Paris, 1965. (Sources chrétiennes; 109). Vita – Vita Evagrii coptice // A. de Vogüé, G. Bunge. Palladiana III. La version copte de l'Histoire Lausiaque. II. La vie d'Évagre / Ed. G. Bunge, A. de Vogüe // Studia Monastica. No. 33. Barcelona, ​​1991. P. 7–21; see also rus. trans.: Four Egyptian hermits (based on Coptic fragments of “Lavsaik”) / Transl. from fr. V.A. Fadeeva. M.: Sretensky Monastery Publishing House. III. Other publications by Schema-Archimandrite Gabriel (Bunge) Bunge G. Akédia. La doctrine spirituelle d'Évagre le Pontique sur l'acédie / Préface d'A. de Vogue. Bellefontaine, 1991. (Spiritualité orientale; 52). Bunge G. Das Geistgebet: Studien zum Traktat "De Oratione" des Evagrios Pontikos. Köln, 1987 (Koinonia – Oriens; XXV). Bunge G. Drachenwein und Engelsbrot: Die Lehre des Evagrios Pontikos von Zorn and Sanftmut. Würzburg, 1999. Bunge G. Paternité spirituelle. La gnose chrétienne chez Évagre le Pontique. Bellefontaine, 1994. (Spiritualité orientale; 61). Evagrio Pontico. Contro i pensieri malvagi: Antirrhetikos / Introduzione e note a cura di G. Bunge. Traduzione a cura di V. Lazzeri. Magnano, 2005. Evagrios Pontikos. Briefe aus des Wüste / Ed. G. Bunge. Trier, 1986. (Sophia; 24). Evagrios Pontikos. Über die acht Gedanken / Eingeleitet und übersetzt von G. Bunge. Würzburg, 1992. Quatre ermites Égyptiens. D'après les fragments coptes de l'Histoire Lausiaque / Introduction, traduction et commentaire G. Bunge, A. de Vogüé. Bellefontaine, 1994. (Spiritualité Orientale; no. 60). Évagre le Pontique et les deux Macaire // Irénikon. No. 56. Chevetogne, 1983. P. 215–227, 323–360. Origenismus – Gnostizismus: Zum geistesgeschichtlichen Standort des Evagrios Pontikos // Vigiliae Christianae. No. 40. 1986. P. 24–54. The “Spiritual Prayer”: On the trinitarian mysticism of Evagrius of Pontus // Monastic Studies. Vol. 17. 1986. P. 191–208. "Nach dem Intellect leben." Zum sog. “Intellektualismus” der evagrianischen Spiritualität” // Simandron: Der Wachklopfler. Fs K. Gamber/Ed. Hg. Von Nyssen. Köln, 1989, pp. 95–109. “Priez sans cesse”: Aux origines de la prière hésychaste // Studia Monastica. No. 30. Barcelona, ​​1988. R. 7–16. Henade ou Monade? Au sujet de deux notions centrales de la terminologie évagrienne // Le Muséon. No. 102. Paris, 1989. R. 69–91. Mysterium unitatis. Der Gedanke der Einheit von Schöpfer und Geschöpf in der evagrianischen Mystik // Freiburger Zeitsschrift für Philosophie und Theologie. Vol. 36. Freiburg, 1989. S. 449–469. Palladiana I. Introduction aux fragments coptes de l’Histoire Lausiaque // Studia Monastica. No. 32. Barcelona, ​​1990. P. 79–129. (P. 81 ff.: Évagre et ses amis dans l’Histoire Lausiaque). Palladiana III. La version copte de l'Histoire Lausiaque. La vie d'Évagre / Ed. G. Bunge, A. Vogüé // Studia Monastica. No. 33. Barcelona, ​​1991. R. 7–21. Der mystische Sinn der Schrift: Anlässlich der Veröffentlichung der Scholien zum Ecclesiasten des Evagrios Pontikos // Studia Monastica. No. 36. Barcelona, ​​1994. R. 135–146. Evagrios Pontikos // Lexikon für Theologie und Kirche. 3. Aufl. Bd. 3. Freiburg, 1995. Col. 1027–1028. Praktiké, Physikè und Theologikè als Stufen der Erkenntnis bei Evagros Pontikos // Ab Occidente et Oriente. Fs W. Nyssen/Ed. Hg. Von M. Schneider und W. Berschin. St. Ottilien. 1996. S. 59–72. “Créé pour être.” A propos d’une citation scriptuaire inaperçue dans le “Peri Archon” d’Origène (III. 5. 6) // Bulletin de littérature ecclésiastique. Vol. 98. Toulouse, 1997. pp. 21–29. Evagrios Pontikos: Der Prolog des "Antirrheticos" // Studia Monastica. No. 39. Barcelona, ​​1997. R. 27–41. Erschaffen und erneuert nach dem Bilde Gottes: Zu den biblisch-theologischen und sakramentalen Grundlagen der evagrianischen Mystik // Homo Medietas. Festschrift für Alois Maria Haas zum 65. Geburtstag / Ed. C. Brinker-von der Heyde, N. Largier. Bern et al., 1999, pp. 27–41. Active und kontemplative Weise des Betens im Traktat “De Oratione” des Evagrios Pontikos // Studia Monastica. No. 41. Barcelona, ​​2000. P. 211–227. “La montagne intelligible”: De la contemplation indirecte à la connaissance immédiate de Dieu dans le traité “De Oratione” d’Évagre le Pontique // Studia Monastica. No. 42. Barcelona, ​​2000. P. 7–26. La “gnosis Cristou” di Evagrio Pontico // L’Epistula fidei di Evagrio Pontico: temi, contesti, sviluppi. Atti del 3. Convegno del Gruppo Italiano di Ricerca su “Origene e la Tradizione Alessandrina” / A cura di P. Bettiolo. Roma, 2000. (Studia Ephemiridis Augustinianum; 72). P. 153–181. L'Esprit compatissant. L’Esprit Saint, Maître de la “prière veritable” dans la spiritualité d’Évagre le Pontique // Buisson Ardent. No. 13. 2007. R. 106–112. 3. Editions in Russian Meager vessels: the practice of personal prayer according to the tradition of the holy fathers / Transl. with him. V. Zelinsky; edited by N. Kostomarova. Riga: Int. Charitable Foundation named after A. Me, 1999. 217 p.: ill.; Same. M.: Publishing house Mosk. Patriarchies of the Russian Orthodox Church, 2014. 332 pp.: ill.; reed.: Lord, teach us to pray: personal prayer according to the tradition of the holy fathers / [Trans. with him. V. Zelinsky]. M.: Nikeya, 2016; 2017. (Translated from the editor: Bunge Gabriel. Irdene Gefäβe. Die Praxis des persönlichen Gebetes nach der Überlieferung der heiligen Väter. Würzburg: Der Christliche Osten, 1996). Another Comforter: Icon of the Most Holy Trinity by St. Andrei Rublev / Preface. S.S. Averintseva; afterword priest V. Zelinsky; lane with him. V. Zelinsky and N. Kostomarova. Riga: Int. Charitable Foundation named after A. Me, 2003. 131 pp.: color. ill. (Translated from the editor: Bunge Gabriel. Der andere Paraklet. Würzburg: Der Christliche Osten, 1994). Dragon's wine and angel's bread: the teaching of Evagrius of Pontus on anger and meekness / Trans. with him. V. Zelinsky and N. Kostomarova. Riga: Int. Charitable Foundation named after A. Me, 2004. 176 pp.; reed.: Anger, malice, irritation: the teaching of Evagrius of Pontus on anger and meekness / Trans. with him. priest V. Zelinsky. M.: Sretensky Monastery Publishing House, 2014; 2015. 221 p. (Translated from the editor: Bunge Gabriel. Drachenwein und Engelsbrot: Die Lehre des Evagrios Pontikos von Zorn und Sanftmut. Würzburg: Der Christliche Osten, 1999). From Greek to Syriac and back: about one quote from Evagrius of Pontus // Church and Time: Scientific-theological and church-social magazine. T. 65. M., 2013. No. 4 (65). October–December. pp. 62–75. Abundance, delicacy, gluttony: the teaching of the desert fathers on food and fasting (based on the texts of Evagrius of Pontus) / Trans. with him. A.V. Frolova. M.: Sretensky Monastery Publishing House, 2014. 205 p. (Translated from the editor: Bunge Gabriel. Gastrimargia: Wissen und Lehre der Wüstenväter von Essen und Fasten dargestellt anhand der Schriften des Evagrios Pontikos. Berlin: LIT Verlag, 2012). Melancholy, despondency, depression: the spiritual teaching of Evagrius of Pontus on acedia / Trans. from fr. prot. Dmitry Sizonenko. M.: Sretensky Monastery Publishing House, 2014. 189 p.: ill. (Translated from the editor: Bunge Gabriel. Akèdia. La doctrine spirituelle d’Évagre le Pontique sur l’acédie. Abbaye de Bellefontaine, 1991). Spiritual fatherhood: according to the works of Evagrius of Pontus / Trans. with him. A.V. Frolova; scientific ed. priest Dimitry Druzhinin; Sretensky Theological Seminary. M.: Sretensky Monastery Publishing House, 2017. 159 p. (Translated from the editor: Gabriel Bunge. Geistliche vaterschaft. Berlin: LIT Verlag, 2010. (Eremos I. Texte zur Spirituälitat, Geschichte und Kunst; Bd. 1)). Four Egyptian hermits (based on Coptic fragments of “Lavsaik”) / Trans. from fr. V.A. Fadeeva; Introduction and comment. Schearchim. Gabriel (Bunge); comment hierome Adalbert (de Vogüe); Sretensky Theological Seminary. M.: Sretensky Monastery Publishing House, 2018. 239 p. (Translated from the editor: Quatre ermites Égyptiens. D’après les fragments coptes de l’Histoire Lausiaque / Présentée par G. Bunge; trad. par A. de Vogüé. Bégrolles-en-Mauges: Abbaye de Bellefontaine, 1994. (Spiritualité Orientale; no. 60)). 1. Evagrius of Pontus: disciple of the Cappadocians and Desert Fathers Evagrius belongs to that category of people, quite often, it must be said, encountered in church history, whose fate was ambiguous in many respects 1 . A layman spoiled by luxury in his youth, a humble desert father in adulthood. During his lifetime, he was highly revered, and after his death, after, however, a considerable time had passed, he was disgraced. “The father of our spiritual writing,” as O. Chadwick said about him, and this despite the fact that all of his creations, with the exception of a few, were preserved only in translations or under the names of other authors... What kind of person was this? Evagrius was born around 345 in the Pontic town of Ivora (Asia Minor). Apparently, he came from a very noble and influential family. His father was a chorebishop. We know nothing about the early years of Evagrius’s life, or where he studied, but the young man, apparently, received an excellent education. Basil the Great, who became the bishop of Caesarea (the Cappadocia metropolis to which Ivora belonged) in 370, drew attention to the young man and ordained him as a reader. Thus, Evagrius entered the circle of the “great Cappadocians” - Saints Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian and Gregory of Nyssa, who had a huge influence on the development of theology. Further events developed as follows. In January 379, Basil the Great dies. For reasons that are not entirely clear to us, Evagrius does not remain with Basil’s successor, but “runs” to Gregory of Nazianzus, the closest friend of the deceased primate. From March–April 378, Gregory heads a small Orthodox community in the capital of the Byzantine Empire, Constantinople 2. There he ordains Evagrius as a deacon; Evagrius will retain this rank until the end of his life. Judging by the will left by Gregory (May 31, 381), Evagrius made a significant contribution to the fight against the Arians, who were still very powerful at that time. Theological education and personal charm, combined with enormous oratorical talent, promise the young cleric a brilliant career, especially after Orthodoxy achieved a triumphant victory over Arianism in 380, thanks to the support of Emperor Theodosius. In the middle of 381, Gregory, dejected by intra-church intrigues, relinquished his powers as a bishop and returned to Nazianz. Evagrius remains with his successor Nectarius and provides him with valuable services. Although Evagrius did not follow Gregory to his native land, until his death he with heartfelt gratitude 3 remembers his teacher “in the most sublime philosophy,” calling him “the mouth of Christ” and “the chosen vessel” 4. The creation “Monk” also eloquently testifies to Evagrius’s enthusiastic attitude towards St. Gregory 5. Apparently, after Gregory’s departure, a “story” happened to Evagrius, which radically changed the direction of his entire life. The wife of a high-ranking official at the imperial court falls passionately in love with a brilliant orator and charming young man. Also attracted to her, Evagrius is in confusion. A very interesting dream from a psychological point of view, which Evagrius will later tell his close friend about, suggests a solution: to run away. This was the second escape that we know of, but not the last. We do not know why Evagrius fled not to Gregory, but to Jerusalem. Be that as it may, in Jerusalem he is received by Melania the Elder, the widow of a famous nobleman, who, together with Rufinus, founded a monastery on the Mount of Olives between 375 and 380, which consisted of two monasteries - male and female. In the above-mentioned dream, Evagrius vowed to radically change his life, but as soon as the danger passed him, he forgot about his solemn vow. As they would say today, he “repressed” him from his consciousness, which is confirmed by the events that followed. After some time, Evagrius is suddenly attacked by a “fever”, which confines him to bed for six months, threatening death. Thanks to her subtle and decisive mind, Melania reveals, as far as can be judged, the “psychological” cause of the illness. Yielding to her insistence, Evagrius tells her about the vow he made in Constantinople. Melania makes him promise to become a monk, and after a few days Evagrius recovers. On the day of Holy Easter in 383, Rufinus presented him with monastic vestments in the presence of the Venerable Melania. Instead of joining the monastic community founded by Rufinus on the Mount of Olives, Evagrius goes to the Egyptian desert. First to Nitria, located fifty kilometers southeast of Alexandria, where he spends two years, and then to Kellia, located even deeper in the desert and intended for more “sophisticated” monks. (Traces of the existence of the Cells were recently discovered by French and Swiss archaeologists 6.) We do not know why Evagrius did not remain in Jerusalem. Perhaps this pilgrimage center was too “secular” for the sensitive deacon. Be that as it may, from Jerusalem we are immediately transported to Kellia, where we find Evagrius in the company of Melania’s old friends. With one of the disciples of the great Pamva, a brilliant scholar and virtuous husband, the Monk Ammonius, Evagrius would subsequently strike up a close friendship, and in the person of Albinus - most likely a relative of Melania - he would find an experienced interlocutor. Despite the fact that Evagrius’s life in the desert, according to his own writings, was by no means easy, he never left this, in his own words, “exile.” At times, however, he visited Alexandria on various kinds of business, and once even fled from the desert to Palestine, hiding from the Patriarch of Alexandria Theophilos, who wanted to make him Bishop of Tmuite. The Monk Macarius of Alexandria, one of the strictest ascetics, was a priest in Kellia, and his namesake, the Monk Macarius of Egypt, 7 the great seer, labored in the Skete, that is, even deeper in the desert. Under their leadership, Evagrius, this refined and well-groomed Greek, over time becomes a desert father, not only possessing exceptional knowledge in the field of theology and being quite successful in acquiring virtues, but also zealously adhering to the strictest ascetic rules. During these years, Evagrius launched a literary activity of incredible scale, which received high recognition from many of his friends and students. But the price to pay for his growing fame was envy and slander, which haunted Evagrius during his lifetime. On the day of Epiphany 399, after an illness that lasted about two years, Evagrius leaves this world; Most likely, the cause of death was nephritis, which he most likely contracted due to the extreme severity of his life. The death of Evagrius at the age of 54, premature even in the opinion of his contemporaries, turned out, however, providential. In the Easter days of 399, a controversy suddenly flared up, which went down in history as the “first Origenist crisis.” They do not yet directly affect Evagrius, but their consequences will become fatal for his reputation later 8. Evagrius belonged to a group of highly revered and by no means isolated ascetics, classified by his opponents as “Origenists” (in the abusive sense). In their views, these ascetics indeed relied heavily on the great school of Alexandrian theologians, from Clement to Didymus the Blind, as well as on the works of Origen. For reasons that remain vague, a strong opposition formed among the illiterate monks towards their fellow “Origenists”, who, by the way, were not all literate. The subject of the dispute, apparently, was the question of whether God has “form,” as Genesis 1:26 hints at, or whether this verse should be understood only in an allegorical sense, as Origen and his disciples did, based on the fact that God is “immaterial” and, therefore, cannot have any form. In 153 chapters of his work “The Word on Prayer,” Evagrius decisively defends the second point of view. Patriarch Theophilus, distinguished by his fickle views, begins his Easter Address of 399 with the strictest condemnation of the “anthropomorphism” professed by the opponents of Origen. It should be noted that the Patriarch maintained friendly relations with the “Origenists” and ordained many of them to the rank of bishop. However, under severe pressure from the excited masses, he sharply changes his position and now condemns not Origen’s opponents, but Origen himself and his supporters. It comes to the point that he goes on a campaign against his old friends, even resorting to the help of the army (400). The church historian Socrates (380–450), who had sources that are now lost, attributes dishonest and purely personal motives to Theophilus, because of which he changed his views. Be that as it may, the persecuted “Origenists” (about three hundred monks) take flight. Many of them flee to Palestine. Ammonius and his brothers go to Constantinople, where they are received by St. John Chrysostom. After Saint Epiphanius of Salamis and Blessed Jerome speak out against the “Origenists,” the conflict moves into the realm of church politics and takes on an international character, in which the old rivalry between Alexandria and the “new Rome” is manifested. We will not, however, dwell on the events that followed. The conflict between Theophilus and the "Origenists" eventually ended as suddenly as it had arisen. Those suspected of apostasy began to be forced to “renounce” their views. The issue was resolved amicably: the persecuted monks - those who survived - were able to return to their cells (403). Throughout this painful period, none of the participants in the events mention Evagrius, nor do later historians mention him. Evagrius himself testifies in his writings that he observed tension (which later led to conflict) and that this tension greatly worried him. Despite the peaceful resolution of the conflict, a shadow has been cast over Origen and the “Origenists.” Gradually, this shadow falls on Evagrius, as well as on his students Palladius, Ammonius and other ascetics, whom they try to forget about over time and as far as possible. That is why the names of some of them cannot be found today in the collection “Apophthegmata Patrum” (“Memorable tales of the asceticism of the holy and blessed fathers”). Disagreements over Origenism become fatal for Evagrius only 150 years after his death, when disputes flare up with renewed vigor. This happens after, based on the works of Origen and other authors whose works were colored by “Origenism,” Palestinian monks develop a certain “system of views,” which causes indignation among their fellows. In 553, opponents of this system managed to convince Emperor Justinian of the need to condemn Origen and those who supported some of his teachings. Together with the great Alexandrian, Evagrius and Didymus the Blind come under attack. From now on, the influence of Evagrius spreads, as it were, from underground, from where, like a powerful stream, it feeds - sometimes in a completely surprising way - numerous currents in both the East and the West, while remaining nameless. Many of his original language creations are beginning to disappear one by one; others are preserved and transmitted under the names of other authors. There was even one copyist so zealous that he “split” Evagrius into two halves – an “Origenist” heretic and an “Orthodox” disciple of the great Cappadocians. These dramatic circumstances to this day prevent an objective assessment of the seer Evagrius, whom I would like to approach sine ira et studio 9. Unlike, for example, Meister Eckhart, in whose fate some parallels can be traced with the fate of Evagrius, the latter did not have the opportunity to justify himself in the face of his detractors. However, the difficulty of assessment is ultimately due not so much to the “Orthodoxy” or “heterodox” of their teachings, but rather to the inaccessibility of these teachings to a mind accustomed to following exclusively the norms of historical criticism. In one of his sermons, Meister Eckhart emphasizes that the truth he speaks about can only be understood by those who themselves have “become” this truth, for “it comes straight from the heart of God.” We are not talking here about the prerogative of any “personal revelations,” but exclusively about the knowledge of Divine mysteries through God revealed in revelation, about knowledge for which reason alone is not enough, which is fortiori 10 unclean. Evagrius thinks in a similar way. In one of his messages, he clearly defines the boundaries of reason and “dialectics”, putting them in their place: only a “pure heart” is capable of contemplation 11. As for the “insights” that arise in the process of contemplation, when speaking about them, the mystic is forced to resort to flawed concepts, borrowed from the material world, while God is immaterial 12. In the “Epistle to Anatolius” there is one confession that is extremely significant (especially when studying the work of Evagrius “Kephalaia Gnostica”): “At the same time, we hid something, and spoke about something in secret. But this will be clear to those who follow in the footsteps of the elders” 13. The thoughts of these two famous mystics contain both a warning and an invitation. A caution applies to superficial attempts to capture the elusive. The invitation carries within itself a call to open up to the elusive, so that it essentially captures us. This is the path of spiritual activity (praktikè), to which real work is dedicated. 2. Creation: one hundred chapters of “The Monk” 14 Like most of Evagrius’s other works, “The Monk” was written, so to speak, on occasion and not in one sitting. How this process took place remains to be seen. Chapters 6–90 undoubtedly formed the early basis of this work. Chapters 91–100 were added to them as a “documentary appendix,” but this happened later, after Evagrius combined three initially separate works (“The Monk,” “The Speculative,” and “Kephalaia Gnostica”) into a trilogy, which he dedicated to his friend and patron Anatolius. Introductory chapters 1–5 completed the design of this new, more extensive work. The beginning of the cover letter to Anatoly became a prologue to this entire set of creations collected in a trilogy, and its final part served as an epilogue to “The Monk”. We are most likely talking about a very wealthy “relative of Albinus the Roman,” “Anatoly the Spaniard, formerly a notary,” who subsequently became a monk 15 – in what place, however, is unknown – and about whom the Coptic version of “Lavsaik” narrates. The letter to Anatoly speaks of the “Holy Mountain”, meaning Zion, so it is not without reason to assume that Anatoly lived in Jerusalem. In addition, the mention of a wealthy "Spaniard" and "Albinus the Roman" hints that Anatolius was related to Melania the Elder, a native of Spain and a member of a noble family, as well as Evagrius's close friend, Albinus. Apparently, Anatoly belonged to the monastic community founded by Rufinus and Melania on the Mount of Olives. Deaconess Severus 16, who came from a noble family, probably also labored there, to whom Evagrius dedicated his “Admonition to the Virgin.” Let us note one interesting fact: Evagrius, a Greek by birth, was friends with many noble Romans, and his great teacher, the Monk Macarius, was a Coptic, which indicates the truly “cosmopolitan” nature of monasticism of that time. The creation “Monk” is addressed to monks, and above all to hermits, that is, ascetics living alone in the desert. Unlike the “Mirror of Monks and Nuns” (or “Words to Monks Living in Cenobiums and Communities”), also addressed to the Jerusalem monastic community, the work “Monk” does not touch upon issues of communal life at all, which, however, does not at all narrow the scope of its application. Wherever a person is - in the world, in a community, in a monastery or in the desert - he remains the same person, is tempted by the same demons and falls into the same vices, although this happens to everyone in a different and special way 17. As for the hermit, who usually does not have constant contact with other people, lives alone and is almost completely deprived of any blessings of this world, then his abuse, as if in its purest form, reveals the essence of temptations and falls inherent in man in general. Therefore, the means to which the hermit resorts in waging this battle, and the victories that he wins in it, acquire the value of an example, not limited by the walls of his cell in the desert. If the modern reader wishes to take advantage of these spiritual fruits, let him heed the harmonies of the desert that fill the works of Evagrius, and let him listen to the voice of his heart. And soon not only all his fears, obsessions and weaknesses will be revealed to him, but also his most lofty aspirations, as well as ways to overcome the first and fulfill the second. II. Teaching: “the royal and perfect way” “Doing is a spiritual method that purifies the passionate part of the soul” (Monk. 78). This brief definition of "doing" (praktikè) contains the whole essence of Evagrius's teaching on what we call "spiritual life." To understand exactly what Evagrius means by “doing,” it is necessary to unpack the meaning of each term—both in its basic meaning and in its context. The object of “spiritual activity” (praktikè) is the soul, namely its “passionate part”. A question immediately arises regarding the structure of the soul and the “psychology” of Evagrius as a whole. In the conditions of his earthly existence, a person is a complex being, “consisting of body and soul” 18. The soul also consists of various "parts", or "faculties", according to Evagrius's terminology. Nevertheless, man intuitively realizes that in the depths of his nature he is one. This inalienable core of personality, which Meister Eckhart will call the “spark of the soul” (scintilla animae), Evagrius defines with the term “mind” (nous), although the Bible uses another term to denote this concept: “spirit” (pneuma) 19, of which Evagrius was well aware. However, he definitely prefers the term “mind” (which in no case should be understood in an “intellectualistic” sense) to the term “spirit” (in the sense of 1 Thess. 5:23): firstly, because the latter refers primarily to the Holy Spirit, and, secondly, because the relationship between the Creator and the creature is in its highest and purest manifestation, and also in full accordance with Scripture (John 17:3; 1 Cor. 13:12) he considers it in terms of “to know” or “to know” (nous-noeô) 20. The mind, being the “image of God” 21, is “immaterial” 22 and “incorporeal” 23, like God Himself. But in the conditions of earthly existence he is always “embodied” (ensômatos) 24, that is, clothed in flesh. The “embodied” mind that resides in man is called by Evagrius the “rational soul” or “soul endowed with logos” (psychè logikè). This makes it possible to determine the relationship of the mind, on the one hand, to the Divine Logos as its Creator and, on the other, to the logoi as plans that the Creator inscribed, like “letters,” in all creation 25 and which the mind is called upon to recognize. The mind is "embodied" in the sense that it is enclosed in a material body that serves as an "instrument" (organon): it is through this instrument that the material world becomes accessible to the mind, and the mind in turn gains access to the material world in which it perceives sense objects and acts 26. This connection with the world is possible due to the fact that the “rational soul” is tripartite, that is, it includes three “faculties” or “beginnings” (dynamis) 27: a rational or reasonable principle related to logical thinking (logiston) and sometimes called simply “mind” (which in a narrower sense of the word should be understood as “reason”), and two irrational or unreasonable principles (alogon meros), also called “passionate” because they are subject to passions - violent (thumos) and desirable (épithumia) 28. The three principles, or parts of the soul, are interdependent and influence each other. “Reason” is contained in the “heart” 29, and the desirable part is in the “kidneys” 30 (or “flesh and blood” 31). As for the violent principle, Evagrius sometimes connects it, following Eccl. 11:10, with the “heart”, like reason 32, and sometimes with the “kidneys” 33. This is explained by the mediating role of the violent principle, which is located at the junction between the sensory and the intelligible. On the one hand, it is directly related to the bodily nature 34 and is most closely connected with the desirable principle 35, on the other hand, the connection of the violent principle with the mind is so strong 36 that, irritated 37, it can “blind” the mind (that is, deprive it of knowledge), especially if this irritation is irrational 38. The violent part of the soul thus plays an important role in the genesis of passions. The violent and desirable principles together constitute not only the unreasonable, but also the “passionate” (pathéticon) part of the soul, 39 since passions penetrate the soul through them. How this happens when the soul comes into contact with the material and sensory world, we will consider in more detail in Chapter 38. For now, we will only limit ourselves to stating one indisputable fact: everything that happens in the irrational “parts” of the soul and is subject to passions has a direct impact on the mind. “The violent principle [of the soul], brought into confusion, blinds the beholder, and the desirable principle, when it moves unreasonably, hides visible things” (K.G. V, 27). Anger and lust, these two vices of the unreasonable part of the soul, affecting its three faculties, deprive the mind of the “true knowledge of beings” 40, which is its main purpose 41. And the mind then falls into its inherent sin - into ignorance (agnoia) and ignorance (agnosia) 42, from which it can only free itself through “knowledge” 43, kindly (kataxioô) bestowed by God. But before God heals the mind from “blindness” through knowledge, He must heal the passionate part of the soul through spiritual work. Only those who achieve dispassion, get rid of passions and gain “natural health of the soul” 44 will be initiated by the Holy Spirit into the “mysteries of God” 45. For the modern reader, the scientific word “method”, as a rule, evokes an association with a certain method of action, a “technical” technique or approach. It was perceived differently by the ear of a Greek, in whose mind the idea of ​​a “path” immediately arose - metá-hodós. This compound Greek word determined the choice of Evagrius: drawing inspiration from the metaphorical language of Scripture, and especially the psalms, in which life is described as a path or path, he defines practice, that is, spiritual doing, as “the path.” This is the “path of practice” 46 or simply the “practical path” 47. What does this “method” consist of? As can be concluded from the very concept of praktikè, sometimes also defined by the term praxis, method is first of all “implementation,” movement along the path (hodeuô) leading from vice to virtue 48 or, more precisely, to “keeping the commandments” of God 49. Practice thus becomes “the path of the commandments” 50, and “these commandments... are called paths, for the mind follows the path that they (the commandments) pave” 51. For Evagrius, the biblical symbol of the “practical path” is the work of an ant 52. Keeping the commandments has as its goal the acquisition of virtues, through which the vices (pathe - passions, ailments) of the “sick” soul are healed 53. Virtues also serve as weapons with which the ascetic fights “enemies” (that is, demons) 54 . So, practice is primarily the “path of virtue” 55, and the “paths of the Lord” are “active virtues” that lead us to the Kingdom of Heaven 56. In fact, virtue is one: just as a monochrome ray of sunlight, refracted in glass, flashes with many colors, so virtue, refracted in the three parts of the soul, manifests itself in many virtues 57. In chapter 89, Evagrius describes how a single virtue is “refracted” in two unreasonable parts of the soul, which, in fact, is the subject of spiritual activity. In short, in the desirable part it manifests itself in chastity and continence, and in the violent part it manifests itself in courage and love. These two pairs can easily be supplemented with other virtues that accompany them. But practice, as we have already said, is the movement of the mind along a path in which there is a beginning, intermediate stages and an end. In the Prologue to the Monk, Evagrius outlines the image of this “path”, as well as each of the stages that follow one after another. As milestones, he considers three fundamental virtues in accordance with 1 Cor. 13:13 - faith, hope and love, which are united by other virtues. Love (agapè) is the limit of spiritual activity, 58 but a person’s “ascent” to God does not end there. “He who devotes himself to spiritual work (praktikos) is a hired worker awaiting his reward” (Sk. 33). Practice is followed by “natural knowledge” (physikè), or knowledge of the nature of things, through which God is comprehended through His “reflection” in the created world, and “theology,” or personal knowledge of God, without intermediaries. Having reached the stage of “contemplation” (théôrètikè), or “knowledge” (gnôstikè), a person becomes a “contemplator” (théôrètikos), or “speculative” (gnôstikos). “A speculator is a mercenary hired for a daily wage” (Sk. 32). Thus, the “path of virtue” becomes the “path of life” for a person, for it directs him to knowledge 59, and knowledge, according to John 17:3, is “eternal life” 60. But no matter how high a person soars in the states of grace that visit him (which Evagrius calls the “state of prayer”), as long as he remains on earth, the knowledge of God cannot be complete. “Complete bliss” awaits him only at the end of time (eschaton), when he knows God “face to face” (1 Cor. 13:12), when God will be “all in all” (1 Cor. 15:28). 3. “Method” as following No matter how comprehensive this method may seem, based largely on the rich tradition of ancient philosophy, it would be a mistake to believe that we are talking about some kind of practice of “self-redemption” or “self-salvation.” Strictly following the Christian tradition, Evagrius knows that a person cannot achieve anything on his own. “He sent down from on high, and received me... He will deliver me from my powerful enemies and from those who hate me... - From these words we learn that before the coming of the Savior, demons were stronger than us. Now we are stronger than the demons. For the Lord has given us power to tread on snakes and scorpions and over all the power of the enemy (Luke 10:19)” (In Ps. 17, 17 –18ια). This also applies to the monk: without the mercy of Christ he will never be able to achieve the goal of spiritual activity, dispassion 61 . “Many paths” of virtues lead to a single path, to Christ, Who said: “I am the way” (John 14:6) 62; in the same way, numerous virtues lead to the single virtue of righteousness, which, according to the apostle (see: 1 Cor. 1:30), Christ became for us 63. The method of spiritual practice thus becomes “following” (sequela), which is entirely consistent with the original meaning of metá-hodós. Spiritual work is not some abstract method of “self-redemption”, it is a personal entry into the mystery of Christ, God the Word, who became man. “Train me, O Lord, in Your path, and I will walk in Your truth. – I am the way, said Christ. And one more thing: I am the truth. He [the psalmist] prays that Christ may become in him first the way, that is, virtue, and then the truth, which pertains to contemplation” (In Ps. 85, 11ζ). This is made possible when “in the economy of salvation, the Word becomes the way (for us)”, “the beginning (of the paths) of the Gospel, leading us to the Kingdom of Heaven” 64. The word “path” suggests movement in two directions: this is God’s path to us and our path to God. The “method” of spiritual practice consists precisely in following this path, that is, following Christ, imitating Him. This is in the strict sense of the word sequela Christi (following Christ). “If someone has overcome irritability, then he has overcome demons, and if someone is enslaved to this passion, then he is completely alien to monastic life and is far from the ways of our Savior, since it is said that our Lord Himself teaches the meek in His way (Ps. 24:9). That is why the mind of hermits, resorting to the vale of meekness, becomes elusive, for demons fear no virtue as much as meekness. It was also acquired by the great Moses, who was called meek above all men (Numbers 12:3). And Saint David said that she is worthy of God’s remembrance, for he says: Remember, O Lord, David and all his meekness (Ps. 132:1). Yes, and the Savior Himself commanded us to be imitators of His meekness, saying: Learn from Me, for I am meek and lowly in heart: and you will find rest for your souls (Matthew 11:29)” (M.C. 14). The first “imitators” of Christ were His apostles. Therefore, spiritual work can also be called the “apostolic way” 65. The holy fathers became their followers: “it is necessary to ask about the paths” that they “traveled before us” and “to be guided along them” 66, “so as not to add anything alien to our cause” 67 and not to find ourselves “far from the paths of our Savior.” He who follows “in the footsteps” of the holy fathers 68 will not deviate from this “royal and perfect path,” the only path that can lead us to the “Kingdom of Heaven” 69, that is, to the knowledge of God. “If you diligently imitate Christ, you will become blessed; your soul will die by His death and will not be carried away by its depravity; your death will be like the sunset of a star, and your resurrection will be like the rising of the sun” (To the monks. 21). 4. Practice as a “spiritual” method Evagrius was sometimes reproached for the fact that the Three Divine Persons, and especially the Face of the Holy Spirit, did not play any significant role in his teaching, which was more philosophical than theological in nature. And that the definition of “spiritual” is just an empty epithet that has no internal connection with the hypostasis of the Holy Spirit. But that's not true! Yes, Evagrius really did not develop a doctrine of spiritual life as a matter specifically inherent in the Holy Spirit, since he was far from thinking about the separation of the actions of Divine Persons. However, a careful study of his works cannot help but see that the definition of pneumatikos, used with incredible frequency and found in almost every conceivable context, is always somehow related to the Holy Spirit. From the beginning of the existence of the created world until the end of time, the Holy Spirit manifests Himself as a co-worker with the Father and the Son 70. Baptism - despite the fact that it is performed in the name of the Holy Trinity - and the Confirmation that follows it are His work, for in these sacraments He frees us from “slavery” to sin 71 and seals us with a “spiritual seal” 72, with which, being in indivisible unity with the Son, He “sanctifies” us 73 and makes us His “church” 74. From now on, the life of the baptized becomes spiritual in its depths. The action of the Holy Spirit will appear to us with even greater clarity if we consider some of the manifestations of this Third Person of the Holy Trinity, omnipresent and at the same time hidden. We usually consider the life of a Christian to be spiritual, if, of course, a person lives like a Christian. And this is absolutely true, since the work of the Holy Spirit manifests itself at all stages of this life. Spiritual work is a constant struggle with many vicissitudes. Of course, the Holy Spirit does not free us from them, 75 but, like a wise judge, He looks at our most secret thoughts and evaluates them. 76 Sometimes He intervenes directly and stops the demonic temptations to which a person is exposed 77 . Practice leads a person to knowledge of the nature of things (physikè), the first stage of contemplation (théôrétikè) or knowledge (gnôstikè), in which God is recognized in the mirror of the created world. On the one who shows zeal and, with God’s help, succeeds in spiritual work, the “Spirit of the Lord” 78 will descend, and he will “be filled with the Spirit,” which will impart to him the first and greatest gift of grace - wisdom 79. The main action of the Spirit at this stage is the “revelation of the mysteries of God” 80 in the totality of created existence 81 . The meaning and purpose of knowledge of the nature of things (physikè) is to gradually lead a person to theology (théologikè), that is, to the knowledge of God. Evagrius does not mean here “knowledge of reason” resorting to dialectics 82, but what we call today “mystical” experience - a personal meeting with God without intermediaries 83. This meeting, through which true “knowledge of God” becomes possible, occurs in prayer, which is “the conversation of the mind with God” 84 “as with the Father” 85 . “If you are a theologian, then you will pray truly, and if you pray truly, then you are a theologian” (On Prayer. 61). “Spiritual” and “true” prayer produced by the Holy Spirit 86 constitutes the quintessence of the spiritual teaching of Evagrius. This prayer is “spiritual” and “true” because it is performed “in spirit and truth” (John 4:23), that is, in “the Holy Spirit and the Only Begotten Son” 87, who is truth itself (John 14:6). But here we will interrupt our reflections 88 and only note that Evagrius rightly calls practice “spiritual,” for it, like “spiritual knowledge” (or contemplation), is inspired by the Holy Spirit. The “method” of spiritual work (praktikè) has to do with the passionate parts of the soul – fierce and desirable: they contain the dangers and obstacles encountered on this “path”. The “rational soul” communicates with the sensory and material world through its irrational principles, through which passions penetrate the soul. “What is not involved in feelings is also free from passion” 89. Despite the complexity of the issue, it seems obvious that our salvation is hindered not by the objects of the sensory world as such, not by the faculties of the soul through which we perceive them, 90 and not even by the ideas “imprinted” in our mind, but by their abuse, 91 that is, passions. Spiritual practice is intended to overcome this obstacle. “A person who devotes himself to spiritual work correctly uses the [abilities] given to him by God” (Sk. 15). “An active mind is a mind that dispassionately perceives the thoughts of this world” (Sk. 16). All the “basic” eight passions 92, which give rise to many others, are rooted in “self-love” (philautia) 93. Evagrius gives a precise and strong definition of this “selective love” (philia), aimed exclusively at one’s own “ego” - “universal hater” 94. Before being manifested in action, the passions hidden in the heart are manifested in “thoughts” (in the negative sense: logismoi); in some cases they are set in motion by demons, who excite them in the soul in a variety of ways. “(Evil) thoughts are demonic snares that entrap the soul and prevent it from walking along the path of Him who said: I am the way” (In Ps.118, 61κε). Tempting thoughts can arise “along the road” (Matthew 13:4), where we are in danger of being robbed by “birds” 95, that is, demons who in every possible way prevent us from keeping God’s commandments. But temptation becomes even more dangerous if it arises when we are already “on this path” (Ps. 142:4 – verse), for then it instills in us the thought of doing good not for its own sake, but in order to please people 96 . At this stage, demons “hide” their true intentions and add to each virtue the opposite vice 97. In the first case, one should “hide” God’s commandments from “thieves,” that is, not leave them in plain sight, but put them into action 98 . And in the second, in order to avoid thoughts of vanity, good deeds should be done in secret, capturing with silence “the aromas of your labors” 99 . One of the greatest obstacles in the “paths of our Savior” is, without a doubt, anger 100, for it “blinds” the mind 101 and makes it incapable of knowing God even when directly turning to Him. That is why more medicine is required to heal the violent principle than to heal the desirable principle 102. “All virtues pave the way” to knowledge, “but most of all - non-wrath” 103. Anyone who wants to walk along the “path of virtue” without stumbling should, following the words of Christ (Luke 10:4), “not greet anyone on the road,” which means not to linger on sensory objects and not to think passionately about them 104, for this can “draw the soul into a shameful act” 105. All these dangers and obstacles make spiritual practice “a narrow and cramped path” 106, strewn with “toils” and “tears” 107. Only knowledge of “the meaning of the commandments expands the heart and facilitates the path of spiritual activity” 108. 6. Cleansing as Healing “Spiritual Method” 109 pursues the goal of cleansing the two unreasonable parts of the soul from all filth of passions. “He who devotes himself to spiritual work is one who has acquired only the dispassion of the passionate part of [his] soul” (Speculator. 2). The immediate goal of spiritual work is, therefore, to achieve dispassion (apathéia), which Evagrius calls “the color of [spiritual] work” 110. “Purity is the dispassion of the rational soul” 111. The ultimate goal of spiritual practice is the knowledge of God, to achieve which it is absolutely necessary to free oneself from the vices that distort the true nature of man. “To know Christ, what is needed is not a soul that is capable of dialectics, but one that is capable of contemplation. For impure souls are also endowed with the ability for dialectics, but the ability for contemplation is given only to pure ones” (K.G. IV, 90, Greek version). “The purification of the rational soul” 112, accomplished through keeping the commandments in “the collaboration of God’s grace and human effort” 113, Evagrius also calls it “restoration.” Since vices are “diseases of the soul” 114, then “liberation from passions” can rightfully be considered the return of the soul to a state of “natural health” 115, natural because vices struck the created world, initially good by nature, after it came into being. To restore creation to its pristine perfection, vices must be completely destroyed 116 by the omnipotence of God. This “cleansing”, this healing from the diseases of vices, is carried out, first of all, by Christ Himself, He Who is the “Physician of the soul” 117, as Evagrius constantly speaks about. For He “wants all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Tim. 2:4) 118. The means used by Him for this purpose, including even - figuratively speaking - cauterization with a hot iron, used in ancient medicine, constitute spiritual work 119. In the work of healing, Christ is helped by Angels 120, as well as those who have acquired “spiritual knowledge” 121, that is, “spiritual fathers” 122: like Angels, “they heal from the bites of wild animals (demons)” 123, which is not always painless for the wounded. “The speculator is salt for the unclean and light for the pure (see: Matt. 5:13–14)” (Speculator. 3). Such “cleansing” or “healing” does not suppress anything in a person’s personality, does not turn a person into some kind of ethereal being. And although dispassion is indeed intended, in a sense, to “separate the soul from the body,” 124 we are talking exclusively about the liberation of the soul from the unreasonable and selfish movements of its two passionate principles. Through dispassion, each of the three faculties of the rational soul “becomes strong” 125 and “acts in accordance with nature” 126. A person who has achieved dispassion no longer thinks about the law, commandments or punishment, but “acts as [his acquired] best skill tells him” 127. 7. “The ways of the Lord” and “the ways of God” Evagrius, however, is not limited to striving for this stoic, albeit deeply Christianized ideal of the “perfect man”, in which everything is harmoniously balanced. He goes much further! “The Lord loves both the one who devotes himself to spiritual work (praktikos) and the contemplator (théôrètikos), but he loves the second more than the first” (In Ps. 86, 2α). The one who strives in spiritual work still stands “in the courts of the house of our God,” but the contemplator has already entered the “church of the Lord” 128. Dispassion is indeed the “color of [spiritual] activity,” 129 but it has a “limit.” The limit, the fruit of this color, is love 130, which “is the door” that opens the way to natural knowledge (physikè) and theology (théologikè) 131. “For according to the degree of our dispassion we are rewarded with knowledge” 132, knowledge of God - indirect in the knowledge of His creation and direct, “mystical” in theology. “The ways of the Lord are active virtues that lead us to the Kingdom of Heaven” (In Ps.94, 11ς). For Evagrius, the “Kingdom of Heaven” symbolically means “knowledge of beings” 133, that is, knowledge of the beginning, fall and redemption of creation in the Economy of Christ. Therefore, the “Kingdom of Heaven” can also be called the “Kingdom of Christ” 134. “Active virtues” pave the “path” to the “Kingdom of Heaven,” and this happens, in a sense, in us and through us. But what makes man’s ascent to God possible is hidden in the history of salvation, which is narrated in the Books of the Old and New Testaments: God Himself came down to man to open the way to Himself. “Through diligent observance of the commandments we can comprehend the ways of God (the Law and the Prophets), revealing to us the royal and perfect way, which is Christ, who said: I am the way” (In Ps. 118, 15ζ). “The Law and the Prophets” testify not only to the Divine Economy of salvation, to the “Judgment” of God and to His “Providence” 135; Holy Scripture also teaches us how we can approach the knowledge of these mysteries “through the fulfillment of the commandments and through true theology [théôrètikè]” in Christ 136. “It is not those who do iniquity who walk in His ways, but those who walk in the ways of the Lord who do righteousness. Therefore, the contemplation of things is the ways of the Lord, which we walk, if only we exercise ourselves in righteousness. And if our righteousness is Christ, for He became for us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption (1 Cor. 1:30), then Solomon is right when in his parables he calls wisdom, which is Christ, the beginning of the ways of the Lord (Proverbs 8:22). Christ - this is what I call the Lord, who came down to us as God the Word” (In Ps.118, 3β). Throughout human history, the Lord reveals the secrets of “the unsearchable ways (of God)” (Rom. 11:33) only to the meek (Ps. 24:9), like Moses (Num. 12:3). As it is said in Ps. 102:7: “Moses told His way” 137. Moses became the prototype of a man who, thanks to his purity, was honored with contemplation of the “causes of things” 138, “past centuries” 139 and “the present century” 140, and therefore - the entire visible created world 141. This ability to “see” is bestowed only by a “pure heart” (Matthew 5:8). The fact that, while looking “as through a glass darkly” (1 Cor. 13:12), we perceive only “shadows” of those “prototypes” that we will see one day, at the end of time, does not at all detract from the value of this “holy knowledge.” It is incomparably higher than all the “knowledge” that “the sages of this age promise us” 142. No matter how limited this knowledge may be now, it is “bliss” that we can taste in this life 143. III. About the comments Evagrius thinks and expresses his thoughts in terms of biblical images. From the very beginning, one cannot help but pay attention to the fact that many of his texts are brief interpretations of individual verses of Holy Scripture, “scholia”. Other texts contain a certain spiritual key in the form of one word or another from the Bible, without which their understanding would be impossible. It should be noted that Evagrius - as was customary in the Church in that era - uses the Septuagint, which we also took as the basis for our translation. For Evagrius, as for most of the holy fathers, the texts of the “Divine Scripture” are “the words of the Holy Spirit” 144, therefore the search for divine meaning in them should be treated as a holy duty 145. “The Divine Scripture must be understood rationally and spiritually, for the sensible understanding according to the literal sense is not true” (In Prov.23:1 / Géhin. 251). But not everyone is able to grasp the “hidden meaning of Scripture” 146. “He who reads the Divine Scripture eats honey; the one who draws his knowledge from the logoi themselves - as the prophets and apostles did - eats honeycomb. Everyone can eat honey, but only pure honey can eat honeycomb” (In Prov. 24, 13 / Géhin. 270). Evagrius takes up arms not only against those who “misinterpret the Divine Scripture” 147, but also against those who “divulge its secrets thoughtlessly and without discernment” 148; to these he contrasts Saint Paul, who calls himself a faithful “servant of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God” (1 Cor. 4:1). It seems obvious that this kind of interpretation cannot be “historical-critical” in the modern sense of the word. It can only be “symbolic” 149 in the mystagogical sense. From the point of view of Evagrius, individual concepts and images (as often events) are symbols of a spiritual reality that surpasses them, and we have no choice but to “contemplate” these symbols in their own reality. There are entire lists of symbolic images and concepts 150 that should be considered exclusively in the “allegorical sense” (tropikôs). Deciphering the texts of Scripture through symbolic interpretation and reflection on them is by no means an easy task. The meaning of words that have a symbolic meaning can change depending on the context. Evagrius understands very well that not everything should be interpreted “spiritually.” One who is too zealous in "spiritual interpretation" can easily become an object of ridicule for his listeners 151. Finally, there are some subjects that completely elude the understanding of the interpreter 152. The purpose of interpretation should therefore remain “to explain the commandments for the comfort of the common people” 153 . Both in the work of Evagrius itself and in the commentaries to it, the reader will find many examples of symbolic interpretation of Scripture; some of them were presented in this Introduction. It must be admitted that this way of perception is very alien to modern man, who, due to his immersion in the flow of “scientific” knowledge, has completely or almost completely lost the “sense of the spiritual.” But this feeling can return if we think deeply about the meaning of one of the verses of Scripture, 1 Cor. 10:4, in which St. Paul calls Christ “a spiritual stone.” A word spoken in a specific historical situation is not limited to the framework of this situation alone, just as God Himself is not limited to them. Because of God's absolute freedom, each of His words in which the Holy Spirit works embraces the entirety of the economy of salvation in Christ. Without losing any of its original meaning, the word becomes typos, an image of this completeness (see: Rom. 5:14). The “historical” meaning, mentioned earlier by Evagrius, can be distorted only if we try to tie God to history and begin to separate His words from the Promise, the remembrance of which prompted the Synagogue and the Church to preserve these words. Text and commentary by monk Evagrius [1] You, beloved brother Anatoly, recently wrote from the Holy Mountain to me, who was in the Skete, and asked me to explain to you the symbolic meaning of the vestments of the Egyptian monks, believing that it is not by chance and not without reason that it is so different from the attire of other people. And we willingly informed you [everything] regarding this, [passing on] what we learned from the holy fathers. Evagrius begins his essay on spiritual work with a consideration of a seemingly not so important subject - the vestments of Egyptian monks. But it is not it, so different from the clothes of other people, that interests Evagrius and Anatoly as such, but the symbolic meaning that is hidden behind this difference. If you look closely, you cannot help but see that Evagrius correlates every detail of the vestment with a certain virtue or with the vice opposite to it. It is also impossible not to notice that the Prologue lists - albeit in reverse order - almost all eight major vices. This issue will be discussed in more detail below. Of these vices, the following are clearly identified: pride, vanity, impurity and love of money. Anger is also clearly present here, although it is not spoken of directly, but antonymically, with reference to its opposite virtue, meekness. In other words, the symbolism of the monastic robe already contains in nuce 154 1 all the basic elements of the teaching about spiritual work, the purpose of which is precisely liberation from vices. "Do not admire the Christian's dress, but admire the nobility of his soul" (Sent. 22). The saying “clothes make the man” exists for a reason: the way one dresses one way or another reveals a person’s views and beliefs. The monk’s attire, which seems strange and awkward to worldly people, makes him look like a prophet: the prophet Elijah (2 Kings 1:8), as well as John the Baptist (Matthew 3:4), were recognized by his clothes. However, the Christian “prophets” go further than their predecessors: the change in their clothing symbolizes a radical change in their entire system of views, as Evagrius further shows, examining separately each detail of the monastic vestment. A break with the traditional, “worldly” way of dressing is a visible expression of a break with previous views of the world. The monk does not dress “like everyone else” because he has decided to live and think not “like everyone else.” In this regard, he only fulfills the apostolic covenant addressed to all Christians: “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, acceptable and perfect will of God” (Rom. 12:2). But he also does this in a symbolic way, that is, following the example of the prophets. [2] The doll is a symbol of the grace of our Savior and God (cf. Titus 2:11), which cherishes their infancy in Christ (see: 1 Cor. 3:1) and protects the sovereignty of the [souls] of the monks [from demons], always trying to inflict blows and wounds [on them] (see: Proverbs 7:26). Those wearing dolls on their heads sing with all the power available to them: Unless the Lord builds a house and preserves the city, those who build labor in vain and strive in vain (cf. Ps. 127:1). Such voices [psalmody] inspire humility and eradicate pride, that is, the ancient evil that cast down to the earth the morning star (cf. Is. 14:12). The Christian no longer lives “under the law, but under grace” (Rom. 6:14). Spiritual life, therefore, is nothing other than life in and under the grace of God. The doll, which the monks constantly wore on their heads, symbolizes this grace, without which any human effort to “create” something remains futile. Being the greatest gift given by God to man in Holy Baptism, grace protects the Christian from all mortal evil that came into the world after the overthrow of the Archangel 155 2 from heaven, in whom pride aroused an insane desire to become equal to God. “Do not say: I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God (Is. 14:13-14). For it will be better for you if they say about you: For this reason God has highly exalted Him and given Him the name that is above every name (Phil. 2:9)” (In Prov.25, 6f / Géhin. 301). It is important to note that Evagrius begins the description of the details of the monastic vestment with the koukoullion, which resembles a child’s cap: covering the head in which the mind is located, this is the sovereign principle of the soul (hégémonicon), the koukoullion constantly reminds the monk of the virtue of humility, which Christ especially highlighted among other virtues (see: Matt. 11:29). In the “humility” and “meekness” of the heart, Evagrius sees a manifestation of love 156 3. Being “insulated” in this way, the mind begins to work incessantly on the main task assigned to it - to serve as a “guide” on the “paths of the Lord” 157 4. While pride leads to the “blinding” of the mind and moving away from God 158 5, humility (or meekness) becomes for a person the “mother of knowledge” 159 6. “Unless you are converted and become like children, you will not enter the Kingdom of Heaven (Matthew 18:3), that is, if you do not acquire dispassion, you will not be worthy of knowledge” (In Ps. 130, 2β). [3] Bareness of hands reveals unhypocrisy in life. For vanity is terrible; it hides (see: Luke 12:2) and covers with the shadow of virtue, always pursuing human glory and driving out faith. How can you believe, says [the Evangelist], when you receive glory from each other, but do not seek the glory that is from the One God? (John 5:44). After all, the Good must be chosen for its own sake, and not for the sake of anything else, for if this is not allowed, then what motivates us to do good will appear more valuable than the [good] done - a statement as absurd as the statement [or thought] that there can be something better than God. The monastic shirt, made of coarse linen, called kolobion (literally: “that which is shortened”) had short sleeves reaching to the elbow. In the impossibility of hiding hands, which are “a symbol of active life” 160 7, Evagrius sees a means of protection from all hypocrisy. Following Luke 12:1 and further, he concludes that hypocrisy, this “leaven of the Pharisees,” cleverly “hides” the true motives of our actions, for under the guise of love for virtue it seeks only “glory from people” (see: Matt. 6 and 23). Love (Rom. 12:9), faith (1 Tim. 1:5) and brotherly love (1 Pet. 1:22) must be “unfeigned.” But the point is not only that hypocrisy breeds vanity. “Good” does not exist separately, by itself: it is directed towards the “original Good” 161 8, towards God, for “only God alone” is good (Matthew 19:17) 162 9. Therefore, the desire for human glory distorts our relationship not only with our neighbor, but also with God. “The virtue of the vain is a broken sacrifice and is not offered on the altar of God (Lev.22:22)” (O.sp. [XVI] 7.16). [4] Again, the Analav, crosswise intertwining their shoulders, is a symbol of faith in Christ (see: Col. 2:5), supporting the meek (see: Ps. 147:6), always restraining what hinders them, and allowing them to act unhindered. Analav (analabos) was a cloth sling that, coming down from the neck, crossed the chest crosswise and, passing under the armpits, pulled together wide clothing. Evagrius sees in it not a symbol of the cross, as one might expect due to its shape, but a symbol of “faith in Christ, without which it is impossible to please God” 163 10 (see: Heb. 11:6). Using different meanings of the verb analambano, from which the noun analabos comes, Evagrius finds a semantic connection between faith and the “meek” whom the Lord “supports”: analab “supports” clothing, choosing its inconvenient width. “Support the meek” - with these words Evagrius defines, although he does not speak about it directly here, the very meaning of spiritual life: starting from faith, it blossoms in the knowledge of God, in the knowledge to which God - and only He alone - “raises” the meek 164 11. “Instead of your fathers there were your sons. – In the place of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and all those who throughout the centuries pleased God with their faith, the disciples came, and through them we all became their heirs in faith; we, who, like them, have been worthy of the same knowledge. For the knowledge of God is the inheritance of rational nature." [5] The belt that compresses their loins reflects all uncleanness, which is what the Apostle proclaims: it is good for a man not to touch a woman (1 Cor. 7:1). The leather belt, by which the prophet Elijah (2 Kings 1:8) and John the Baptist (Matthew 3:4) were recognized, is a symbol of chastity, since it tightens the kidneys, which contain sensual desires 165 12. “...The belts that tighten the passionate part of the soul are symbols of spiritual activity” (In Prov. 31, 24 / Géhin. 379). Voluntary celibacy “for the Kingdom of Heaven” (Matthew 19:12) has always been the main feature of monasticism. But Evagrius speaks not only about outward renunciation of married life. “Jeremiah says: And don’t let yourself get a wife in this place. For this is what the Lord says about the sons and daughters who are born in this place: they will die a painful death (cf. Jer. 16:1-4). This word suggests the same thing as the Apostle says: a man who gets married worries about the worldly, how to please his wife... And the encroaching wife worries about the worldly, how to please her husband (1 Cor. 7:33 ff.), if we understand that the Prophet says not only about those sons and daughters who come from married life: they will perish through a painful death, but about sons and daughters born in the heart, that is, about carnal thoughts and desires, since they also die in the painful, weak and weakened wisdom of this world, and do not achieve heavenly and eternal life. He who is not married, he says, cares about the Lord, how to please the Lord (1 Cor. 7:32), and always produces the green and immortal fruits of heavenly life. Such is a monk, and such a monk should be, that is, so that he, moving away from his wife, does not create sons and daughters in the said place, and not only that, but so that he is also a warrior of Christ, not material-loving, free from worries, alien to the thoughts and affairs of a multi-rebellious world, as the Apostle says: no one who has been a warrior is obligated to purchase the purchases of life, so that he may please the governor will be (2 Tim. 2:4). In these especially let the monk abide, leaving all the things of this world and striving for the beautiful and good trophies (victory) of silence. How beautiful and good the feat in silence is, how truly beautiful and good! His yoke is easy and His burden is light (Matthew 11:30): sweet is the life, sweet is the deed” (R.M. 1–2) 166 13. [6] They also have mantle, since they always carry in the body the death of the Lord Jesus (2 Cor. 4:10), silencing all the unreasonable passions of the body and suppressing all the vices of the soul by participating in goodness. And, having loved poverty, they avoid covetousness, like the mothers of idolatry (see: Col. 3:5). A mantle is a cape, a kind of cloak made of goatskin; it was worn by the prophet Elijah (see: 1 Kings 19:13) and John the Baptist (see: Matthew 3:4). In this piece of clothing, typical of Egyptian monks, Evagrius sees a number of symbols. Since this skin is obtained as a result of mortification, it obviously symbolizes the mystical death 167 14, about which Evagrius says: “The death of Christ is a mysterious act leading into eternal life those who trust in Him in this life (1 Cor. 15:19)” (K.G. VI, 42). Due to the fact that we are talking about the skin of a dead animal, the cape also becomes a symbol of curbing (and not killing!) all “animal” passions, “unreasonable” by nature 168 15. Indeed, those impulses that “rise” 169 16 through two irrational parts of the soul, violent and desirable, are inherent in us on a par with irrational animals, just like the body 170 17. These impulses should be “bridled,” for the goal of spiritual activity is that the irrational parts of the soul act “in accordance with nature” 171 18. But since in addition to the “passions of the body” there are also “passions of the soul” 172 19, the latter must be suppressed by “community in goodness” or, as Evagrius says, through spiritual love 173 20, which is participation in The highest good, that is, towards God, Who is love (1 John 4:8). And finally, since this cloak of rough leather represents a wretched garment, it symbolizes, according to Evagrius, the rejection of the “mother of idolatry” 174 21, the love of money, and the love of poverty. “But we, having wished for the destruction of these thoughts, will live in poverty with thanksgiving. We have brought nothing into this world: it is true that we can carry out what we can below. Having food and clothing, let us be satisfied with these (1 Tim. 6:7-8), remembering what Paul said: For the love of money is the root of all evil things. ( 1 Timothy 6:10 )” (M.C. 23). [7] The rod of the tree of the belly is to all who hold it, and to those who worship it, as to the Lord it is strong (Prov. 3:18). For Evagrius, the “tree of life” (Gen. 2:9) is always Christ 175 22. “Jesus Christ is the tree of life. Use Him as you should, and you will never die” (Sent. 65). In one of his letters, Evagrius explains what should be understood by the word “use.” “Behold, the time has come to serve the Lord and bear the fruits of righteousness (see: Phil. 1:11), for from the fruit of righteousness the tree of life grows (Prov. 11:30) in people who are pure in heart (Matt. 5:8). This tree is Christ; He casts a shadow over all who are languishing in the heat (Gen. 31:40) of evil” (Ep. 54, 2). “The heat that arises as a result of hard work” 176 23 can only be endured by the one who has cleansed his heart from passions, the one in whom the tree of life grows, Christ, who “protects” man from this heat 177 24. This topic is especially dear to Evagrius, and he constantly returns to it. “(Wisdom) is a tree of life for those who acquire it. – After Adam transgressed the commandment of God, he was forbidden to eat the fruits of this tree (see: Gen. 3:22), for from the fruit of righteousness the tree of life vegetates (Proverbs 11:30). [But Adam rejected the seeds of righteousness 178 25.] If the tree of life is the wisdom of God, then it is clear why he was forbidden to eat from this tree (see: Gen. 3:3), for wisdom will not enter an evil soul (Wis. 1:4)” (In Prov. 3, 18 / Géhin. 32). Using the symbolic language of Scripture, Evagrius wants to say the following: without the help of Christ, God the Word, who became man, no spiritual life is possible. With his own strength, a person is not able to achieve anything on the path of spiritual activity 179 26. Spiritual life consists of relying on Christ through imitation of Him 180 27, up to “likening” 181 28. [8a] The symbol of these things, in our condensed presentation, is the monastic vestment. Evagrius directly says that he learned about this interpretation of the spiritual and symbolic meaning of monastic vestments (schema) from the holy fathers 182 29, and we have no reason not to trust his words. Evagrius lived in a very educated environment, the representatives of which, apparently, quite early began to indulge in reflection not only on the essence of monasticism, but also on the meaning of traditional monastic clothing and its various parts. Without a doubt, these thoughts were largely based on the ancient, pre-Christian philosophy of the Alexandrian school (Philo). Be that as it may, this clothing was revered as “holy,” and not only by Evagrius. This attitude towards clothing cannot but make us, modern people, think. The first monks treated this vestment, issued after tonsure, with the greatest reverence, especially the doll, which they jealously kept throughout their lives and took off only when they approached the Holy Chalice at the Divine Liturgy. Moreover, this piece of material, which in itself had no value, they resolutely defended, in some cases even with the use of force, from robbers and robbers, to whom, as a rule, they easily, without resistance, gave all their meager property. In this holy vestment they began their monastic path, and in it they wanted to finish it 183 30. The reverent feeling that the monk felt for his vestments is comparable to the attitude of a Christian toward a white baptismal shirt, carefully preserved until the hour of death, in order to appear in pristine purity before the “court of Christ.” It is therefore not surprising that Evagrius paid so much attention to the biblical symbolism of “clothing”. “All unclean thoughts, remaining in us for a long time due to passions, lead the mind to destruction and destruction... Driven by these thoughts, and this - mentioned in the Gospel - the accursed mind renounced the supper of the knowledge of Christ (see: Matt. 22:2 ff.). And also, bound hand and foot, and cast into utter darkness, he had a robe woven from the same thoughts, which the caller recognized as unworthy of the wedding feast (see: Matt. 22:11-14). Therefore, the wedding garment is the dispassion of the rational soul, having rejected worldly lusts (cf. Titus 2:12)” (M.C. 23). “He who has not subdued his flesh and has not enslaved his body (cf. 1 Cor. 9:27), but seeks carnal pleasures, will not sit at the true feast and will not put on the robe of light” (Inst. mon. Suppl. 20). “The robe of light” or “spiritual robe” 184 31 refers us to the “light of the Holy Trinity”, with which the mystic is enveloped at the moment of his meeting with the Trinity God 185 32. This can only be achieved by one who has acquired dispassion, the symbol of which is the monastic vestment, so unusual and absurd in the eyes of this world, as, indeed, the very ideal of monastic life. [8b] The sayings constantly repeated by the holy fathers correspond to them: “Children! Faith is strengthened by the fear of God, and it is abstinence. Temperance is made unshakable by patience and hope, from which dispassion is born; the offspring of dispassion is love, and it is the door to natural knowledge, the heirs of which are theology and ultimate beatitude.” As we have already seen, in the vestments of the Egyptian monks Evagrius is not interested in the external side, about which his friend Anatoly was well aware, but in the spiritual teaching hidden behind the symbolic meaning of this vestment. The teaching of the holy fathers, to which Evagrius will refer more than once, he summarizes here in a condensed form, presenting it as a kind of “ladder of virtues.” Its stages correspond to the various stages of spiritual work (praktikè), which will be discussed in the next hundred chapters. Upon closer examination, we will see that the “ladder of virtues” reveals the meaning of the last verse of 1 Corinthians 13, this “hymn of love”: “And now these three remain: faith, hope, love; but love is the greatest of these.” (This verse is key in Evagrius’s teaching on prayer, see: “A Sermon on Prayer,” Prologue.) Subsequently, referring to other epistles of St. Paul, Evagrius will also highlight knowledge, which is almost not mentioned here. Faith, hope and love, coupled with the knowledge of created nature, which, despite all its incompleteness, is still real, represent milestones on the path of spiritual activity 186 33. But “love,” according to the Apostle, “is the greatest of these,” and Evagrius echoes him: “Faith is the beginning of love, and the end of love is the knowledge of God” (To the monks. 3). Faith and love play the most important role in spiritual life: faith is the starting point in ascent to God, and love is the “door to natural knowledge.” By knowledge is meant the indirect knowledge of God in the mirror of His creations, through which the Creator Himself is revealed. The three virtues that St. Paul considers “fundamental” are supported by others that are also important. “Open the gates of truth for me. – As the gates of truth open, so do the gates of prudence, courage and love. For through these gates the mind enters the Kingdom of Heaven” (In Ps. 117, 19δ). “This is the gate of the Lord; the righteous shall enter into it. “Having passed the path of active virtues, we will find ourselves before the gates of knowledge, which is the contemplation of corporeal and incorporeal creatures” (In Ps. 117, 20ε). From this knowledge of God, still only mediated, but already accessible to man, flows “theology” (not to be confused with the scientific discipline that has the same name), “mystical knowledge of God,” the fruit of a close personal relationship with Him 187 34. Knowledge is given to a person “in prayer” 188 35, at this most grace-filled moment of his meeting with God “without any intermediary” 189 36. Man's meeting with God “face to face” (1 Cor. 13:12) will reach its highest point at the end of time, when God will be “all in all” (1 Cor. 15:28) 190 37. This will become the very eschatological “ultimate beatitude” that awaits us 191 38. Emphasizing the dominant role of love in his creations, Evagrius expresses the deepest and richest spiritual thought: without love, this fruit of dispassion, true knowledge of God is impossible, without love any “mystical insight” is a pure illusion, without love everything is alienated and distorted by passions stemming from self-love 192 39. Since “God is love”, to know it Only the one who himself has become love can. “Through love we know love, and through truth we know truth, for like is known through like.” “The fruit of spiritual activity” is deliverance from the (slavery of) passions, carried out through love 193 40, which gives a person access to the knowledge of the One who by His nature is “primordial love” 194 41. This “holy knowledge,” expressing the highest degree of closeness to God, contains the “belly” of man 195 42 and the anticipation of that eschatological “peace”, into which the Lord will lead us in the next century (see: Heb.4:1–11). “The peace of the Lord means His knowledge [and whoever enters into this knowledge finds peace through it 196 43]. It is also called eternal life. For it is said: This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent (John 17:3)” (In Ps. 94, 11ζάλ). [9] So, for the present, enough has been said about the sacred vestment and the teaching of the elders. Let us now begin the story of a life devoted to spiritual activity and a life devoted to knowledge, setting out not everything that we saw and heard from the elders, but what, according to their teaching, can be said to others. Therefore, we have summarized what relates to spiritual work in a work divided into one hundred chapters, and what relates to knowledge - in two others, consisting of fifty and six hundred chapters. At the same time, we hid something, and spoke about something in secret, so as not to give holy things to dogs and not to throw pearls before swine (see: Matt. 7:6). But this will be clear to those who follow in the footsteps of the elders. In spiritual life, three main stages can be distinguished: the “practical path” of bodily and mental exploits performed through “keeping the commandments” 197 44, and contemplation (gnôstiké or théôrètikè), which, in turn, is divided into knowledge of creation (physikè) and knowledge of the Creator, theology (théologikè). Evagrius devoted a lengthy trilogy to the first two stages of the ascent to God, which he mentions here. The trilogy includes the present work, "The Monk", relating to spiritual work, the work "The Spectator", which similarly describes the contemplative life, and the six books of the "Képhalaia Gnostika", each of which consists of ninety "chapters" (ninety, and not one hundred, as one might conclude from what Evagrius said above). The last creation deals with issues related to “natural knowledge,” or knowledge of created nature. The teaching of the holy fathers, which Evagrius follows in his trilogy, he deliberately conveys within the framework of the tradition of disciplina arcana (“secret teaching”) characteristic of the Bible and ancient Christianity. Let us immediately emphasize that disciplina arcana has nothing to do with esotericism. This tradition, which Evagrius adopted from his teacher Gregory of Nazianzus, meets the requirement of justice, according to which teachings should be presented “according to the dignity of each 198 45.” “It is truly dangerous to tell a lie, but it is equally dangerous to speak the truth to those who do not want to accept it. For one should not give holy things to dogs and cast pearls before swine (cf. Matt. 7:6)" (In Ps. 118, 11ς bis). Evagrius does not explain why it is dangerous here, but in another text he writes: “Neither spiritual nor physical sweetness benefits the madman, for he tramples the first with his feet, being a pig (see: Matt. 7:6) and a friend of pleasures, and the second, bodily sweetness, excites his flesh.” (In Prov. 19, 10 / Géhin. 193). This spiritual restraint, which takes into account the ability of listeners to perceive the hidden, is applicable not only to speculative theology 199 46 or the mysteries of Holy Scripture, but also to the practical aspects of spiritual life 200 47 - this Evagrius learned from his mentor in monastic life Macarius of Alexandria 201 48. Strictness regarding the “unreasonable disclosure” of knowledge is due not only concern for those who may “stumble over them” 202 49, but also the following consideration: there are things that are not appropriate to talk about to those who have not walked the “path”; to those who walk along it with humility, they will certainly open up. So, let us remember that not all knowledge is gained by reading books. There is knowledge that can only be learned through experience. Our comments are just a modest guide for those who are interested in the practice of spiritual life. Practical treatise. One hundred chapters In some manuscripts, the first chapter is preceded by “Instructions to Scribes,” which, apparently, also belong to the pen of Evagrius. In these instructions, Evagrius speaks not only about how a conscientious copyist, like the Pontic monk 203 himself, should approach copying his works, but also about what is much more important for the modern reader - how to read the “Hundred Chapters”. “I beg the brethren who come into the hands of this book and who wish to rewrite it, not to add one chapter to another and not to place on one line the end of the completed chapter and the beginning of the next chapter, but to begin each chapter separately, in accordance with the division, which we also indicated with numbers. In this way, the order of the chapters will be respected, and the ideas expressed in them will become clear.” Evagrius remains faithful to this principle in all his writings. Each of the chapters represents a separate unit and should be perceived as such when reading. The example of the “Word on Prayer” (113/114) shows what changes in meaning can result from non-compliance with this recommendation. Although subheadings (where given by Evagrius) indicate some structure, the individual chapters do not together form a coherent text, as is the case in systematic expositions. And this despite the fact that in a number of centurions one can see the construction of a structure using numbers. This structure is very important for understanding the text, but it is never sustained from beginning to end. In the same “Word on Prayer” one can recognize small groups consisting of three or four chapters, in which, as a rule, the last chapter is emphasized. In the work “Képhalaia Gnostika” a “red thread” can sometimes be traced if, for example, chapters 3, 6, 9, etc. are considered together. The creation “Monk”, like other works that we mentioned above, belongs to the category of books intended for “reflection”. It should be borne in mind that in order to deeply understand each of the individual texts, it is necessary to reveal their connection with each other and discern a secret, internal unity in them. Christianity is the teaching of our Savior Jesus Christ, consisting of active, natural and theological wisdom. This three-part, typically Evagrian definition is placed at the very beginning of the work “Monk”. Evagrius gives it, however, not in order to define the topic of his work and “its framework,” but rather in order to identify the most important subject from several points of view. It is noteworthy that Evagrius begins his work not with a definition of spiritual work (praktiké), as one might expect (this definition will be given only in Chapter 78), but with a definition of Christianity. Spirituality relates not only to monastics, but to all Christians in general. And although, for obvious reasons, Evagrius’s writings are addressed primarily to monks and even hermits, he never had the intention of creating any special teaching intended only for them. The definition of Christianity that Evagrius gives in this chapter is explained in a passage from a letter he wrote in Constantinople before he took monastic vows. Here we also see a three-part division: “So whoever eats Me will live by Me (John 6:57). After all, we eat His Flesh and drink His Blood, becoming partakers of the Word and Wisdom thanks to the Incarnation and the perceptible life of [His]. “Flesh and Blood” He called His entire mysterious Coming and revealed to us His teaching, consisting of spiritual work (praktiké), natural [contemplation] (physiké) and theological [wisdom] (théologiké), with which the soul is nourished and gradually prepares itself for the contemplation of real [things]” (On Faith. IV, 15). Christianity is the basis of all spiritual life, containing the fullness of what was revealed to us in the incarnation of the Logos, in Christ. This idea is extremely important for Evagrius. He repeats it repeatedly and in different forms. “The Flesh of Christ is active virtues, and he who eats It (John 6:54) will become dispassionate” (To the monks. 118). “The Blood of Christ is the contemplation of created things, and he who drinks It will become wise by It” (To the monks. 119). “The breast of the Lord is the knowledge of God, and he who falls upon it will become a theologian” (To the monks. 120). Spiritual practice (praktiké), also called ethics (éthiké) 204, is a “spiritual method that purifies the passionate part of the soul” 205 and leads a person to dispassion, 206 which is the natural “health of the soul” 207. This health is acquired by “keeping the commandments” 208, as well as by practicing virtues, which, in fact, constitutes spiritual practice. What Evagrius means by “natural contemplation” (physiké) and “theological wisdom” (théologiké) is discussed in the next two chapters. The Kingdom of Heaven is the dispassion of the soul, combined with the true knowledge of beings. In two essentially synonymous expressions - “Kingdom of Heaven” and “Kingdom of God” - Evagrius, like other fathers, sees a hidden allusion to two different, according to St. Paul, aspects of the Economy of salvation (1 Cor. 15:24-28), namely: the implementation of this Economy in Christ, which allows Evagrius to talk about the “Kingdom of Christ,” and its completion in the Father, when “there will be God is all in all” (1 Cor. 15:28). “And do not consider the Kingdom of Heaven for anything else, brethren, as the true comprehension of existing [things], which the Divine Scripture calls bliss. For if the Kingdom of Heaven is within you (cf. Luke 17:21), and in the inner man nothing is formed except contemplation, then, consequently, the Kingdom of Heaven is contemplation” (On Faith. XII, 37). However, only those who achieve dispassion in the purity of their hearts, as discussed in this chapter, can become partakers of this bliss. Evagrius further develops this idea: “Now we see only the shadows of this [Kingdom], as in a mirror (1 Cor. 13:12), and then, freed from this earthly body and clothed in the incorruptible and immortal (see: 2 Cor. 5: 1-4), we will see His prototypes. We will see, if, of course, we direct our lives along the straight [path] and care about the right faith, without which we will not see the Lord (see: Heb. 12:14). After all, it is said: Wisdom does not enter into an evil soul; it dwells below in a body guilty of sin (Wisdom 1:4)” (On Faith. XII, 37). This is “natural contemplation” (physiké), or knowledge of the nature of things - knowledge is still, of course, incomplete and vague, but still “true.” Now in the mirror of “created natures” 209 we see “things in themselves,” and then, when the House of Salvation is completed, their prototypes will be revealed to us. “Now” is under the sign of Christ, the incarnate Word, which allows Evagrius to speak of the “Kingdom of Christ” as the fullness of “material knowledge” 210, since the area of ​​​​this knowledge is sensually perceived material reality, which, at the same time, is an “image” of immaterial, spiritual reality 211. The “Kingdom of Heaven” (or “Christ’s”) will never pass away, but will reach its fullness when “God (the Father) will be all in all” (1 Cor. 15:28). Being “all in all,” the Father abides in the Son and in the Holy Spirit 212. That is why Evagrius considers it possible to apply the appeal to God the Father “Thy Kingdom come” to the Only Begotten Son 213, “Unity and Unity” 214 Whom, that is, the Divine intra-Trinity being “in itself,” we will contemplate later. In the meantime, man, “guided by bodies akin to his world,” is able to comprehend only “the actions of the Creator” 215. The Kingdom of God is the knowledge of the Holy Trinity, coexisting and spreading along with the inner structure of the mind, and also going beyond the incorruptibility (Wis. 2:23) of it. This idea, expressed in a rather mysterious form, is explained in the work of Evagrius “Képhalaia Gnostika”, which is devoted mainly to natural contemplation (physikè), but at the same time touches on theology (théologikè), which is not surprising, since natural contemplation and theology, in fact, constitute knowledge, or knowledge (théôrètikè). “Knowledge” of the Trinity God (and not some impersonal deity), being the highest manifestation of personal unity with Him (see: John 17:3), “coexists” with the mind (in time): “...truly it abided in the Creator from the beginning and manifested itself along with the nature that it accompanied” The mind is “incorruptible” (aphthartos), for it is the “image” (eikôn) of God (see: Wisdom 2:23). In addition, despite his creatureliness, he is immaterial 216 and incorporeal 217, like God Himself. The knowledge of the Holy Trinity goes beyond the limits of the “incorruptibility” of the mind, which has contemplated the created world since its creation 218, since it “precedes all natural contemplation” 219. In the “Kingdom of God” of the Father, when “God will be all in all” (1 Cor. 15:28), “through the mediation of His Son and Spirit,” 220 the mind will regain that unity with the Father that it had in the beginning, but then lost through its own fault. However, this “blessed end” will surpass - and by far - what was in the “beginning”: then the mind, unstable in its primordial nature, will acquire stability and will be honored with eternal and blissful unity with the beginningless and unchanging Trinity God 221. This is how Evagrius understands the “ultimate beatitude” to which “theology” should lead 222. In the conditions of earthly existence, a person who has been granted grace becomes a partaker of this future bliss through his personal meeting with God, without any intermediary 223, in the knowledge of God (théologia). The “place” of this meeting is true and spiritual prayer, that is, performed “in spirit and truth,” thanks to which a person receives by grace access to the Father in the Spirit and the Son 224. This gives Evagrius grounds to say: “If you are a theologian, then you will pray truly (see: John 4:23), and if you pray truly, then you are a theologian” (On Prayer. 61). If someone loves something, then of course he strives for it and fights to get it. All pleasure begins with desire, and desire is generated by feeling, for those deprived of feeling are free from passion. To love, to achieve and to fight - this is how, “in accordance with nature,” the three principles of the soul act: rational, desirable and violent. Evagrius will develop this idea in chapter 86. Here we are talking about possible deviations and the reasons for these deviations. From the story of temptation set out in the Book of Genesis, Evagrius knows that any desire aimed at obtaining pleasure is associated with sensory perception. “And the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and desirable because it gave knowledge” (Gen. 3:6). No sensory perception - no passion 225. The two irrational parts of the soul - the desirable and the violent - allow us to enter into relations with sensory and material reality in an indirect way, through our body, which has the same nature as the entire created world. That which is not perceived by the senses—divine “causes” (logí)—is free from passions. Moreover, knowledge of the “reasons” (logí) of sorrows and temptations “gives space” to the soul 226, the vision of these reasons puts it “in a spacious place” 227. Ignorance of them indicates the inability of the soul to “distinguish between spirits” 228. Virtue and knowledge “liberate” the rational part of the soul 229, and vice versa - the loss of knowledge always means “captivity” 230. That is why during prayer the mind, being in “complete insensibility” 231, must maintain itself free from everything sensory. For God cannot be perceived sensually 232, and when we “contemplate” Him, everything sensible recedes from us 233. Speaking about this, Evagrius is by no means trying to demonize sensory reality 234, which would be blasphemous in relation to the Creator 235! In this sensory reality there is no evil as such; she is good, like the Creator Himself (see: Gen. 1:31). Evil does not come from the two unreasonable parts of the soul. It is solely the result of their “unnatural use” 236, which stems from the “misanthropic pleasure” generated by our “free will” 237. Evagrius does not make any value judgments, but only states an objective fact. The problem in our relationship with sensory reality is due to our inclination towards evil. The solution to this problem, however, depends on our internal attitude 238 . The demons themselves fight against hermits, and against those who strive for virtue in the monies and brotherhoods, they arm the most careless of the brethren. But the second battle is much easier than the first, because it is impossible to find people on earth who are more cruel than demons, or those who can perceive all their cunning at once. Depending on the conditions in which a person lives - alone or among people - the warfare he wages takes one of two clearly distinguishable forms, despite the fact that in both cases he has to fight the same enemy. The difference between these two forms is determined by the attitude towards material things that set passions in motion 239. Evagrius calls one of them “material”, and the other “immaterial” 240. Material warfare, which is directly related to how a person relates to things 241, concerns primarily “worldly people.” Monks, who have renounced the possession of any property, mainly deal with “thoughts” 242 that arise in the mind in the form of ideas or memories of things 243. Since it is easier to sin in thought than in reality 244, it is obvious that immaterial warfare is much heavier than material warfare 245. But this chapter also touches on another important aspect. Speaking about monastics in general, Evagrius draws a distinction between hermits and those who labor in cenobia or small communities called synodia 246 . The hermit is distinguished by the fact that he is deprived not only of things, but also of regular contacts with other people; this, in particular, saves him from conflicts that occur in the life of the community, sometimes very painful ones. But does this mean that being in the desert, far from “careless brothers,” puts him in some kind of privileged position? Not at all! On the contrary: vengeful demons attack him directly, openly. Of course, people can become like demons, 247 especially in a state of anger. “When we are just being formed in the mother’s womb, we live the life of plants. When we are born, we live the life of animals. And when we become adults, we live either the life of Angels or the life of demons. The cause of the first life is animate nature, the second is feeling, and the third is our inclination towards good or evil” (K.G. III, 76). But such “demons” are nothing compared to fallen spirits possessed by fierce malice. It is this fierce and undisguised anger that a hermit living alone faces, especially at night. The works of Evagrius are replete with descriptions of demonic attacks, often causing horror. We will return to this later, but for now we will limit ourselves to two examples that give an idea of ​​​​what the hermit experiences during these attacks. “It has come to our attention that one of the saints, when he was praying, was so opposed by the evil one that as soon as he stretched out his hands, the evil one was transformed into a lion and, standing straight on his hind legs, raised his front paws, plunging his claws into the sides of the ascetic and without retreating, waiting for him to let go of his hands. But the saint never weakened his hands without completing his usual prayer” (On Prayer. 106). Evagrius most likely was personally acquainted with John, who was called the Small (Colobos). John labored in the Skete desert; The following text also talks about it. “The same was, as we know, John the Small, or rather, the greatest monk, who remained silent in the pit. As a result of his constant presence with God, he remained motionless when the demon, in the form of a dragon, wrapped itself around him, bit his flesh and burped in his face” (On Prayer. 107). Even when demons, like wild beasts, attack a person and ulcerate his entire body 248 or when they try to terrify him with terrible visions 249 - we note that Evagrius knew about this not only from hearsay 250, but also experienced this from his own experience 251 - an experienced fighter does not pay the slightest attention to them and treats them with complete contempt 252. Beginners, as a rule, do not have to engage in such “hand-to-hand” fights, but for “spiritual teachers” this is a common thing 253 . The work “The Monk” speaks mainly about immaterial warfare, that is, about the struggle with “thoughts”, “face to face”. For monks working in “cinenovias and brotherhoods,” Evagrius wrote another work, “The Mirror of Monks and Nuns,” consisting of 137 chapters and devoted mainly to various aspects of life in the community, as well as relations between monks and laity. There are eight basic thoughts that encompass all other thoughts. The first thought is gluttony, and this is followed by the thought of fornication; the third - love of money; fourth - sadness; fifth - anger; sixth - despondency; the seventh is vanity, and the eighth is pride. It does not depend on us whether all these thoughts annoy us or, on the contrary, do not bother us; however, it depends on us whether they linger or, on the contrary, do not linger in us, so that they lead or do not set passions in motion. Having defined the theological foundations of spiritual work (praktikè) in five introductory chapters, Evagrius moves on to consider “thoughts,” since, in essence, the warfare waged by a monk is connected with them 254 . What is it due to? Using the terms “demon,” “passion,” and “thought” to denote the same reality, Evagrius nevertheless makes a clear distinction between them. Demons are fallen spirits who constantly tempt us, trying to arouse passions in us 255. But, since evil does not have its own existence, being only a distortion of good, demons can achieve their goal only through distortion of the nature of the created world - both that which is outside of us and that which is internally inherent in us 256. Various impressions created in our mind by created objects or arising in it from our very nature 257 become, under the suggestion of demons, temptations, (evil) thoughts, from which - through our free will 258 - “passions” are born. But if the “thought” is, as a rule, more or less fleeting, then “passion” takes root in the rational soul as a “bad habit” (hexis), “as a result of which the soul chooses transitory pleasures and despises the eternal and incorruptible” 259. “Skill,” however, is not a constant. Man is a being “receptive” to both good and evil. One skill can be replaced by another 260 . The purpose of spiritual work is precisely to replace the bad habit of passion with the good habit of virtue 261. Sometimes, in accordance with the number of temptations of Christ in the desert (Matthew 4:1–11) 262, Evagrius reduces the “eight thoughts” to three - gluttony, love of money and vanity. However, regardless of the number, these “all-encompassing” thoughts have a common root - “self-love” (philautia) 263, which Evagrius rightly calls “the universal hater,” since such love alienates everything around it and extends only to its own ego. The struggle against thoughts is inherent in all people. Being subject to temptation is not a sin (Evagrius draws this conclusion based on the Gospel episode telling about the temptations of Christ). But what effect evil suggestions will have - whether they take root in a person or not, whether they arouse passions in him or not - this depends entirely on the person himself. “My heart is warmed within me. – When the demon of wrath attacks us, it is possible for us not to succumb to anger, but it is probably impossible not to burst into flames” (In Ps. 38, 4β). Sin is generated by the consent of our free will, inclined towards evil. But, as Evagrius notes, yielding to the attractive power of sin can be done in different ways. “A sinner is one who sins through lust or debauchery; a vicious person is one who consciously commits evil” (In Ps. 9, 36ιθ). Since all sins stem from passionate thoughts, 265 it is with the latter that the struggle must begin, so as not to stray from the path of spiritual activity (praktikè). “Evil thoughts are snares with the help of which demons trap the soul and prevent it from entering the path of the One who said: I am the way (John 14:6)” (In Ps. 118, 61κα). That is why Scripture calls us not to tarry in place (see: Proverbs 9:18), that is, not to linger in evil thoughts, for no one can “take fire into his bosom, lest his garment be burned” 266, as Solomon wonderfully says about this (Proverbs 6:27). “Do not keep a scorpion on your chest, or an evil thought in your heart” (To the monks. 58). Evagrius sees a warning not to linger when meeting with evil in the words of Christ. “A lying kiss (see: Proverbs 27:6) of the mind is a passionate idea of ​​a sensual object. Therefore, the Lord commands His disciples not to greet anyone on the road (cf. Luke 10:4) leading to virtue” (Sk. 7). The thought of gluttony inspires the monk to quickly retreat from asceticism: he presents to the monk his sick stomach, liver, spleen, or describes dropsy, as well as other long-term illnesses, pointing out the lack of necessary things and the lack of doctors. Often it evokes memories of those brethren who underwent similar suffering. It also happens that he encourages the victims to approach the fasters and talk about their misfortunes, which allegedly happened as a result of excessive asceticism. Evagrius presents eight thoughts in the same order; the exception is thoughts of sadness and anger, which sometimes change places. They are closely “woven” together 267; at the same time, however, one cannot help but notice that the passions are listed by Evagrius in the order of their gradual refinement. The list begins with the most coarse sensual passions or passions of the body 268, which are gluttony and fornication inherent in beginners, and ends with the passions of the soul, vanity and pride, which “accompanies those who easily succeed [in spiritual work]” 269. But extremes come into contact, as evidenced by the story of the “fall”, which was caused by gluttony and pride: “The desire for food gave rise to disobedience, and the delightful eating came out of paradise 270” (O.sp. [I] 1, 10). Evagrius calls pride “an ancient evil” 271 and “the first generation of the devil” 272. In this chapter and further he examines the specific manifestations of temptation, which are described in detail in his work Antirrhètikos. But if in “The Monk” Evagrius speaks of an exclusively imaginary fear of getting sick due to strict restrictions on an already meager diet, in “Antirrhètikos” he does not hide the fact that with constant abstinence, the temptation to break the rule increases many times over, into which the tempter tries in every possible way to involve the faster. The term gastrimargia is usually translated as “gluttony.” Etymologically, gastrimargia means "fury or loosening of the womb." The word "gluttony" more accurately conveys this meaning. The examples given by Evagrius in Antirrhètikos indicate that we are talking about a form of bulimia in which the womb literally “takes the reins of government into its own hands.” The demon of fornication forces people to be inflamed with lust for various bodies and most strongly attacks those who live a chaste life, so that they, thinking that they have achieved nothing by this, stop abstinence. And, desecrating the soul, this demon inclines it to shameful deeds, forces it to say certain shameful words and, as it were, listen to the same in response, as if everything was happening in reality and in a visible way. Gluttony and fornication are closely related 273; both of these thoughts arise as a result of loss of control over the body. The notorious misogyny of the ancient fathers will not surprise anyone who has read “Memorable Tales of the Desert Fathers” and knows how easily monks and nuns were overcome by the sin of the flesh. “The view of a woman is a poisonous arrow, it stings the soul, pours poison into it and, the longer it lasts, the more it produces rot” (O. sp. [IV], 2, 6). In fact, hostility towards the female sex is not directed at the woman as such: being, like man, a creation of God, a woman is not an obstacle for a man on the path to salvation 274. Rather, it is about healthy self-esteem, about recognizing one’s own vulnerability. “It’s better to approach a burning fire than to a young woman when you yourself are young, because when you approach the fire and feel the pain, you will immediately jump away, and having been softened by women’s speeches, you will not suddenly move away” (O. sp. [IV], 2, 10). Evagrius calls for the same strictness in relations with the opposite sex for virgins who have dedicated themselves to God, not only for religious reasons related to faith in Christ and love for Him 275, spiritual, related to prayer practice 276, or ethical 277, but also for reasons related to religious doctrine. For he saw “men corrupting virgins with [heretical] dogmas and making their virginity futile” 278. Considering the power with which carnal temptations fall upon people, one might conclude that the young man is simply not able to resist the lust of the flesh 279 and that, therefore, he is not to blame for his misdeeds 280 . In this kind of reflection, Evagrius catches the hidden sin of pride: we would still have sinned against our will, and, therefore, the condemnation that God subjects us to for this cannot be considered fair 281. There is no need to expand further on the power of fornication temptations, which sometimes reach the point of hallucinations. In his work “Antirrhètikos” Evagrius gives many examples - perhaps even too frank for some readers - describing this phenomenon common to all people. Methods for treating this disease are discussed in Chapter 17. The love of money inspires the idea of a long old age, weakness of hands that are no longer able to work, future hunger and illness, the sorrowful hardships of poverty and how shameful it is to accept from others everything you need. The love of money can manifest itself in a wide variety of forms 282. This vice is considered “the root of all evil” (1 Tim. 6:10) 283, “the mother of idolatry” 284, a “pagan” quality, “completely alien to a Christian.” The love of money is characteristic of “pagans and infidels who reject the Master’s Providence and deny the Creator” 285. “Whoever wants to destroy passions, let him pull out the root, but as long as the love of money remains, you will not do yourself any good by cutting off the branches, because even if they are cut off, they will soon grow again” (O.sp. [VII], 3, 2). The thought of love of money takes on, as we have already noted, various forms and manifests itself not only in concern (not without reason, however) about impending old age (see above). All these manifestations of love of money are characterized by one feature, namely, painful egoism, to which everything is subordinated, right down to the attitude towards people 286, including those about whom we should take care 287. An example of such submission is “useless zeal” in work 288. The desire for possession of material goods, perceived as a symbol of “security”, turns into idolatry 289. The means of healing this passion are discussed in Chapter 18. Sadness sometimes arises from deprivation of what one desires, and sometimes it follows anger. In the first case, it happens like this: first, the soul is taken over by certain thoughts that force it to remember home, parents and former life. When they see that the soul does not resist them, but follows them and relaxes with mental pleasures, then they grab it and plunge it into sadness caused by the consciousness that the former does not and cannot exist in real life. And the unfortunate soul, as much as it is relaxed by the first thoughts, is just as suppressed and humbled by the second. Evagrius also says elsewhere that sadness follows anger: “Sadness is despondency of the soul and is the result of angry thoughts. Irritability is a desire for revenge, and failure to take revenge gives rise to sadness.” In essence, we are talking about an unsatisfied desire, as Evagrius writes about this further: “Sadness is the consequence of failure in carnal desire” (O.sp. [XI] 5, 10). Using the example of our attachment to home, parents and friends, it becomes clear how this happens. The demon of anger creates in our minds images of loved ones, parents and friends who are supposedly being insulted or mistreated... 290 Not being able to take revenge on the offenders, a person experiences bitterness, as we have already discussed. The demon of sadness uses similar tactics. He reveals to the hermit his relatives who are sick or exposed to dangers either on land or at sea... 291 The demon of sorrow attacks a person using those methods that best suit his temperament. However, sadness and the sorrow it causes are not always the work of the evil one. Like Saint Paul (2 Cor. 7:10), Evagrius distinguishes two types of sadness: “Sadness is worthy of condemnation when it stems from an unsatisfied desire for corruptible pleasure, but it is also worthy of praise when it is the result of dissatisfaction in the pursuit of virtue or knowledge of God” (In Prov. 25, 20a / Géhin. 313). The second type of sadness is associated with the loss that people have suffered through their own fault. Such sadness prompts them to turn in order to become worthy again of what they have lost. The text below explains how these two types of sadness relate to each other. “All demons teach the soul lust. The demon of sadness alone does not undertake to do this; he even upsets the thoughts of pleasures that have already entered the soul, cutting off all pleasure in it and drying up all pleasure with sadness, since the bones of a sad husband will dry up (Proverbs 17:22). Attacking moderately, this demon makes the hermit well-skilled, because he convinces him not to tolerate anything worldly and to avoid all pleasure. When it attacks with great bitterness, then it gives rise to thoughts that advise the hermit to destroy his soul or force him to flee far from the place. Saint Job, troubled by this demon, once thought and suffered this, for he said: If it were possible, he would have killed himself, or would have prayed for someone else to do it to me (Job.30:24). The symbol of this demon is the echidna, this beast, whose poison, given in a small dose, invalidates the poisons of other animals, while if taken immoderately, it kills the living creature that took it. Paul betrayed the one who committed lawlessness in Corinth to this demon, and therefore he writes to the Corinthians, saying: be careful to strengthen your love for him, lest such one be consumed by much sorrow (2 Cor. 2:8, 7). But this spirit that torments people can also become a good provider of repentance for them. Why did John the Baptist call those wounded by this demon and resorting to God the birth of vipers, saying: Who told you to flee from the wrath to come? create fruit worthy of repentance, and do not begin to say within yourself: Father of the imams of Abraham: For I say to you, that God is able from this stone to raise up a child for Abraham (Matthew 3:7-9). However, everyone who imitates Abraham and came out from his land and from his family (Gen. 12:1) became stronger than this demon” (MS 13). So, whoever has freed himself from all “natural” attachments is invulnerable in the face of sadness. Other methods of treating this illness are discussed in Chapter 19. Anger is the most impetuous passion. It is said that it is the boiling or movement of the violent principle of the soul against the offender or the one who appears to be such. It irritates the soul throughout the day, but especially captures the mind during prayer, imagining the face of the saddened. It happens that when anger lingers for a long time and turns into anger, it even at night causes unrest, exhaustion and pallor of the body, as well as attacks from poisonous reptiles. These four phenomena, arising from anger, are accompanied, as can easily be discovered, by numerous thoughts. No passion is as destructive to spiritual life as anger, along with the sins that it gives rise to. Evagrius devotes seven whole chapters (20–26) to the means of healing from this passion; He talks about anger in other chapters of his work. Why is anger given so much attention? According to Evagrius, the boiling of anger makes the soul “wild” or, one might say, “bestial” 292. We are talking here, of course, not so much about animals called “wild”, but about demons possessed by “wild” anger 293, the symbol of which is “wild animals” 294. “An angry monk is a desert boar: he saw someone and sharpens his teeth” (O.sp. [IX] 4, 4). These words, of course, should not be taken literally. The “boar” (see: Ps. 79:14), which destroys the “vineyard” of the soul, is a symbol of Satan 295. A person who allows anger to take control of himself becomes like a “demon”, a “basilisk” 296. Anger can arise for a variety of reasons, not just because of an offense (real or perceived) that a person has personally suffered. As we saw in the previous chapter, the demon is able to present before the mental gaze of a monk his humiliated and cruelly insulted loved ones in order to arouse in him an impotent rage, which also seems righteous 297 . However, as Evagrius emphasizes, “there is no righteous anger at one’s neighbor at all” 298. As a result of the internal boiling of anger, the monk’s mind is filled with “images” of offenders and enemies. They are truly made into “idols”, which the monk “worships” 299. He treats them as if they were real people, and in his mind he says or does “lawless” things 300 . This often happens during prayer, when the mind must be completely freed from any images, especially such ones. For it is in prayer that every sin of anger, no matter how small it may be, undergoes true “judgment.” That is why Evagrius pays so much attention to the movements of anger, regardless of how they manifest themselves - in the form of memory or burning hatred. These movements are detrimental to prayer, which is the very essence of what we call “spiritual life.” “Arming yourself against anger, never allow lust to enter you. For it supplies the substance for anger, which clouds the intelligent eye, upsetting the state of prayer” (On Prayer. 27). Psychosomatic symptoms associated with memory malice, that is, with anger that has taken root, arise, according to Evagrius, as a result of other thoughts - sadness, which is discussed a lot in the work "Antirrhètikos", and pride 302. These symptoms arise in sleep because, like prayer, during which the highest stage of wakefulness is reached, dreams, in which the "unconscious" as we would call it today, also serve as an indicator of the "state of mind" 303. The demon of despondency, which is also called “midday” (Ps. 90:6), is the most severe of all demons. He approaches the monk around the fourth hour and besieges him until the eighth hour. First of all, this demon makes the monk notice that the sun moves very slowly or remains completely motionless, and the day seems to have fifty hours. Then the demon of despondency prompts the monk to constantly look out the windows and jump out of his cell to look at the sun and find out how much is left until nine o’clock, or to see if any of the brethren are nearby. This demon also instills in the monk hatred of his chosen place, type of life and manual labor, as well as the thought that love has dried up and there is no one who could console him. And if someone makes a monk sad on such days, then the demon of despondency adds this to increase hatred. Further, this demon leads the monk to desire other places where it is easy to find everything he needs and where he can practice a craft that is less difficult, but more profitable. To this the demon adds that pleasing the Lord does not depend on the place, saying that one can worship Him everywhere. Adds to this the memory of relatives and former life; depicts how long the time of this life is, presenting before one’s eyes the labors of asceticism. And, as they say, he resorts to every trick to make the monk leave his cell and run away from his field. This demon is no longer immediately followed by another demon, and therefore, after fighting it, the soul is seized with indescribable joy, and it enjoys a peaceful state. The chapter on despondency is much larger in volume than all the other chapters of The Monk. What made the author describe this thought in such detail? (Soon we will encounter another example of this kind.) The fact is that despondency is an extremely “complex” phenomenon 304, caused by the intertwining of two unreasonable principles of the soul, violent and desirable, which are set in motion simultaneously and for a long time. The first is furious about what she has, and the second yearns for what she does not have 305. This complexity gives rise to opposite states: on the one hand, lethargy and laziness 306, on the other, feverish activity and unbridled zeal 307. The study of the constantly changing manifestations of the thought of despondency should help in the matter of discerning spirits, which is more necessary and important than ever. At the end of this chapter it is said that “this demon is no longer immediately followed by another demon.” Why? “First of all, because of the duration (of this thought) and also because this thought embraces almost all other thoughts” 308. This is a kind of place of concentration of all thoughts, which makes despondency “the heaviest of all demons” 309. Like the burning rays of the midday sun, it scorches the entire soul and “suffocates the mind” 310. The demon of despondency is also called the “midday demon” 311; This expression often means “middle-age crisis”. No matter how painful the trial may be on this battlefield, 312 the prolonged temptation by the demon of despondency also carries with it the promise of wonderful fruits: of all the temptations, only in this case one demon is not immediately followed by another, on the contrary, after the struggle, peace and indescribable joy reign in the soul. Peace means dispassion, the achievement of which is the goal of spiritual work (praktikè); joy means the highest level of prayerful state, without words or any mental ideas 313. During a period of despondency, a person’s life is at stake. Being the twin sister of sadness 314, despondency can lead either to the collapse of spiritual life and even to suicide 315, or to a person’s encounter with the “Unknowable.” The road leading to this meeting is rocky. In this regard, let us give one more example, which, by the way, concerns not only hermits. “The eye of one given to despondency is constantly fixed on the door, and his thought dreams of visitors. The door creaked - and he jumped up: a voice was heard - and he looked out the window, did not leave it until he sat numb. Devoted to despondency, while reading, he often yawns and soon tends to sleep, rubs his face, stretches out his arms and, turning his eyes away from the book, looks intently at the wall, turning back to the book, reads a little, turning over the sheets, is curious to see the ends of words, counts the pages, makes calculations about the number of whole sheets, condemns the handwriting and decorations; and finally, bending the book, he puts it under his head and falls into a not very deep sleep, because hunger already excites his soul and forces him to take care of himself” (O.sp. [XIV] 6, 14.15). The remedies for this timeless vice are discussed in chapters 27–29. The thought of vanity is the most subtle, and it accompanies those who easily succeed in spiritual work, wanting to make their exploits a common property and seeking human glory (see: 1 Thess. 2:6). He makes the monk imagine how demons being cast out from the possessed scream, how women are healed and how the crowd touches his clothes (see: Matt. 9:20–21); then he prophesies to him the priesthood and the masses of people standing at the door and eager to see him (and if he does not want this, then he is tied up and led against his will). And, having thus aroused the monk with empty hopes, the thought of vanity flies away, leaving him to be tempted either by the demon of pride or by the demon of sadness, which instills in the monk thoughts that are contrary to his previous hopes. It happens that he transfers to the demon fornication even a holy priest who has fallen into the bonds of sin. Vanity refers to those passions that “have their origins in people” 316. It is characteristic of the “perfect”, since the demon of vanity attacks the ascetic after all other demons have retreated from him 317. Vanity presupposes publicity: good is done not for its own sake 318, but for show 319 - so that others know about it. Under the influence of thoughts of vanity, a monk who has achieved fame begins to indulge in dreams of even more brilliant achievements, for example, of becoming a priest 320. This temptation was typical of the first monks, who, as a rule, did not belong to the clergy. It was believed that a monk should avoid meeting not only with women, but also with bishops, for both of them could “take possession” of him. Therefore, monks were often forced to accept the priestly rank (hence the mention of “binding”, see above). But, since priests were treated with special respect, there were always people who strove to receive this rank at all costs. The tempter has many different tricks. The number of priests in the desert was extremely insignificant: of the eight priests who lived on Mount Nitria during the time of Evagrius, only the first of them performed divine services 321. The demon of vanity took advantage of this. He could predict the imminent death of the priest and plant in the mind of the monk the idea that one should not refuse the high honor of replacing him, as many others do 322. The deceived one saw himself “wearing the robe of a shepherd and tending [his] little [verbal] flock.” Further, the demon aroused in him dreams of the “gift of healing” and other “future miracles,” and the monk imagined “healed”, dreamed of “honor from the brethren” and even of “offerings” that would be sent to him not only from Egypt, but also from other countries 323. Finally the demon promised him that he would be taken to heaven 324. There is nothing fictitious in these descriptions: to be convinced of this, it is enough to recall the sad story telling about the fall of the monk Eucarpius, with whom Evagrius was personally acquainted 325. The trick of the demon of vanity is that it does not approach a person “outside” the path of spiritual activity, that is, it does not prevent him from doing good deeds. He places his nets on the path along which the ascetic walks (see: Ps. 142:4), instilling in him the idea that good should be done not for his own sake, but for the sake of “the glory of man” (John 12:43) 326. His treachery is manifested in the fact that he takes advantage of even our attempts to avoid him 327. Evagrius reveals the insidiousness of the thought of vanity in the following passage. “One of the other thoughts, the thought of vanity, is multi-material, embraces almost the entire universe, opens the door to all demons, becoming, as it were, a kind of crafty traitor to the good city” (M.C. 15). Who are these “enemies”? When our wishes come true, it is pride. When they remain unsatisfied, it is sadness, and sometimes even fornication, posing as a “cure” for dissatisfaction. Anyone who retains the demon of vanity within himself for a long time must prepare for the worst. “Should we say anything about the demon who makes the soul insensible? For I am afraid to write about him and about how the soul comes out of its own state, because, during the coming of this demon, it puts aside both the fear of God and reverence, does not count sin as sin, does not consider lawlessness to be lawlessness, but remembers torment and eternal Judgment as empty words, and laughs at this truly fiery shaking, and although it confesses God, it does not know what He has commanded. You hit the chest when the soul strives for sin, and it does not feel it; you speak to her from the Scriptures - and she is completely blinded and does not hear; you present to her the reproach of people - and she imputes human shame to nothing and does not understand it at all, like a pig closing its eyes and making its way through the fence. But this demon, from whom, if these days had not ceased, all flesh would not have been saved (Matthew 24:22), is brought upon us by the thoughts of vanity that have become ossified in us” (M.C. 11). The remedies for this disease are discussed in chapters 30–32. The demon of pride is the one who plunges the soul into the most severe fall. He convinces her not to recognize God as an Intercessor, but to consider herself the reason for her success, extolling herself over her brethren as senseless, since they do not know this about her. Pride is followed by anger, sadness and, as the ultimate evil, frenzy of the mind, madness and the vision of many demons in the air. So, the demon of vanity hands over his victim into the hands of the demon of pride. “From this thought is born the thought of arrogance, which casts from heaven to earth the seal of likeness and the crown of kindness (Ezek. 28:12)” (M.C. 15). Pride, this “ancient evil that cast down to the earth Lucifer, who rises in the morning (Is. 14:12)” 328, represents the last and most terrible temptation, coming immediately after all other demons are removed 329. It takes on the appearance of blasphemy and arrogance at the same time. Blasphemy against God (and His holy Angels) is manifested in a person’s denial of His help, His Providence and His good intentions 330, as well as in attributing merit in all matters to himself 331. Arrogance is manifested in a person's hostility towards all other people who do not come to bow at his feet 332. Particularly dangerous are blasphemous thoughts that inspire a person that he is a “saint of God” 333, forcing him to send monstrous curses to God 334 and putting demons in God’s place 335. They are so terrible that Evagrius refuses to put them on paper 336. Pride is followed by anger and sadness, because it is simply impossible to satisfy such absurd claims. In other words, we are talking about a disorder of the mind, which is often accompanied by hallucinations, paradoxically contrasting with very recent dreams of greatness. “A proud person imagines many attacking animals at night, and during the day he is embarrassed by fearful thoughts; if he sleeps, he often jumps up and, while awake, is afraid of the bird's shadow. The noise of a leaf terrifies the proud one, and the murmur of water strikes his soul. For the one who recently resisted God and renounced His help subsequently becomes afraid of insignificant ghosts” (O.sp. [XVII] 8.9). The soul is given over to the ridicule of the demons, for God abandons it 337. The means of treating this vice are described in Chapter 33. When the mind begins to wander, it is stopped by reading the Holy Scriptures, vigil and prayer; when the desired principle of the soul is ignited, it is extinguished by hunger, labor and hermitage; and when the furious beginning of the soul is agitated, it is calmed by psalmody, long-suffering and mercy. But all this must happen at the appropriate time and to the appropriate extent, for what happens without observing the measure and at the wrong time does not last, and what does not last is harmful and unhelpful. Depending on the diagnosis, medications are prescribed, using which the “Physician of souls” 338, Christ, heals “all ailments” 339. Although Christ is subsequently mentioned only twice 340, it is He who puts people on the path of spiritual activity and leads them along it, for this activity consists precisely in following Him (see Introduction). Before beginning to describe the means of healing, Evagrius briefly touches on the characteristics of the three parts of the soul in which thoughts are born. The human mind has a natural mobility that is difficult to control 341 . Due to this mobility, “images” of sensory things 342 are easily imprinted in the memory, and the mind every now and then rushes to them of its own free will 343 in order to enter into mental communication with them. This property of the human mind becomes a serious obstacle to prayer, 344 which should be “free from all mental ideas” 345. Even when a person remains in one place, his mind wanders around the world 346. The reason for this “wandering” lies in passion. “For the mind, being passionate, spins and becomes uncontrollable [in its whirling] when it considers substances that produce [various types of] pleasure. He ceases to wander only by becoming dispassionate and meeting the incorporeal [entities] who fulfill his spiritual desires” (M.C. r.l. 25). In order to achieve an “unshakable position of mind” 347, Evagrius advises reading “The Words of God” 348. “For nothing contributes more to pure prayer than reading” the Holy Scriptures 349, “which testifies not only that Christ is the Savior of the world, but also that He is the Creator of the ages, and in them - Judgment and Providence 350. In other words, Scripture provides knowledge that meets the “spiritual desires” of the mind. “...Nothing frees you (from bad thoughts) like thinking about the words (or logoi) of God. For the Law speaks of spiritual things, and the mind, immersed in thoughts about them, abandons all thoughts” (In Ps. 118, 92μα). That is why the monastics, like all early Christians, devoted a lot of time to reading and meditating on Scripture. From the Life of Evagrius it is known that the monks indulged in this activity mainly during the night vigil 351, which “purifies” 352 and “refines” thought 353, or in the early morning 354. From the purity “acquired” by the mind, true prayer is born, which embraces both the daily prayer rule and that “prayerful state” when the mind, in contemplation, free from all images and words, sees in itself, as in a “mirror,” the presence of the Trinity God. The desirable part of the soul is kindled by contact with sensual objects 355. Fasting, various kinds of ascetic efforts and withdrawal from people (hermitage) help extinguish the fire of unreasonable desires 356. The violent part of the soul, once set in motion, is more difficult to heal 357 . Psalmody helps to pacify it. Evagrius often mentions in his writings the pacifying and calming effect of psalmody, tested by experience. “Patience and psalmody calm an attack of anger” (Inst. mon. 4). This pacifying and also comforting 359 effect of psalmody, in which, as in prayer, Evagrius, not without reason, sees the gift of grace 360 ​​, is due to the fact that “psalmody refers to the manifold wisdom” of God 361 . It is thanks to this wisdom that there is a reasonable order in the world in which everything is arranged for salvation. The Psalter, which in a special way “summarizes” all Holy Scripture in the form of hymns, is a “spiritual teaching” 362 about the amazing and beautiful manifestations of God’s mercy, before which any attack of anger retreats. The love of God sung in the psalms also moves a person to patience and a merciful attitude towards other people and brings him closer to God. “The long-suffering man sees in vision the councils of the holy Angels, and the unforgettable man practices spiritual words, and at night receives the resolution of the mysteries” (O.sp. [X] 4, 21). All these activities must be done at the appropriate time and in the proper amount so that they do not cause harm instead of benefit. “In every task, set a measure for yourself and do not leave before you finish” (O.sp. [XIV] 6, 18). Although hermit monasticism was not regulated by regulations binding on everyone, the “usual rule” still existed 363. Evagrius, for example, mentions the “usual hour” for reading the Holy Scriptures 364 - from sunrise to eight in the morning 365. There were also certain rules regarding fasting, which, however, were established taking into account the individual characteristics of the person. They usually fasted “from evening to evening,” that is, until the ninth hour (three o’clock in the afternoon) 366 . It was possible to eat only once a day; This rule did not apply to the elderly and sick. The food consisted of bread, a small amount of vegetable oil and water. They ate it “not to the point of satiety” 367, “weighing” and “measuring” 368. The measure for prayer was established in a similar way. Morning and evening services consisted of reading twelve psalms and corresponding prayers. To these were added a certain number of “ordinary prayers,” read throughout the day and at night 369. It is known that Evagrius, like his teacher Macarius of Alexandria 370, performed one hundred prayers a day 371. As we see, in spiritual life there is a certain “canon”, which the monk does not consider as some kind of bond - which is completely consistent with the very spirit of monasticism and the evangelical freedom of man 372 - but which he tries to strictly observe, in accordance with the circumstances 373. This balanced constancy, maintained freely, without coercion, is the secret of internal balance and stability of spiritual life 374. When our soul desires various dishes, then we need to limit it to bread and water, so that it can be grateful for one small slice of bread. For satiety craves various types of food, but hunger and being satisfied with bread counts as bliss. The food of the hermits who lived in the Egyptian desert was very meager and consisted, as we have already said, of “bread, oil and water” 375. It is difficult to imagine what the pampered Greek Evagrius 376 experienced while living in these harsh conditions, who remembered “the former sweet life... about the velvety taste of wine and about the glasses in our hands when we, reclining, indulged in libations...” 377. But in the desert, satiety even with the merest food was considered reprehensible 378. Limiting yourself to even bread and water as a way to combat the temptations of gluttony may seem excessive and ridiculous. But, as the popular saying rightly says: “In hunger, a crust of bread is sweeter than a pie.” A full belly requires more and more delicious dishes 379. In addition, voluptuousness, like all other sensual desires, gives rise to insatiability 380. “If you indulge in the desire for food, then nothing will be enough to satisfy the desire for voluptuousness, because the desire for food is fire, always receiving flammable matter and always flaming. A sufficient measure fills the vessel, but the belly, even when seated, will not say: “Enough!” (O.sp. [II] 1, 27–28). In our time, characterized by “overeating”, these words sound very relevant. One must, however, approach carefully what is meant by “restriction” in order to avoid any extreme, for a person is pushed to “immoderate abstinence” by the same demon that arouses in him the thirst for pleasure 381 . The first temptation of Christ in the desert, which relates directly to “gluttony,” clearly indicates not so much the temptation to be satiated with earthly food, but rather the temptation to forget God 382. For “man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the Lord” (Deut. 8:3). A person who feeds on the word of God is lifted up. “The prayer of a faster is a soaring eagle chick (cf. Proverbs 30:17)” (O.sp. [I] 1, 14). Such a person becomes equal to the Angels, symbolized by “eagle chicks” 383, and always sees “the face of the Heavenly Father” (Matthew 18:10) 384. Lack of water greatly promotes chastity. And let the three hundred Israelites, who defeated the Midianites together with Gideon, convince you of this (see: Judges 7:5–7). If you believe the testimony of Evagrius’s contemporaries, the Pontic monk gave this very strange advice from the point of view of a modern person to his visitors 385. He repeated it in his writings. “Eat your bread, measuring it on scales, and drink your water by measure - then the spirit of fornication will flee from you” (To the monks. 102). As we will see 386, Evagrius refers here - although he does not directly say this - to Macarius of Alexandria, who was an extremely strict ascetic. But we will not go into the physiological aspects concerning the connection between fluid and debauchery 387 . (By the way, this question was not only occupied by Evagrius.) To a much greater extent, we are interested in biblical symbolism related to water. The Gospel (see: Matthew 12:43) mentions the unclean spirit, which finds no rest in the dry and waterless desert, and the Book of Job (Job 41:25) says that “he is king of all that are in the waters.” According to Evagrius, this refers to Satan 388, therefore, interpreting another passage from the Holy Scriptures, he notes: “If the devil is the king of all things in the waters, then when he walks through waterless places, looking for peace, and does not find it, this means that the house of the pure soul is not idle” (In Prov. 31, 27 / Géhin. 380). What is the concern for the purity of the body and, more importantly, the purity of the soul? Obviously, the reason here is not the Manichaean hostility towards the flesh, which Evagrius sharply opposed 389. Let us remember in this regard how he, a monk who had taken a vow of celibacy, once healed the wife of a tribune, who, under the influence of “false wisdom” that denied everything carnal, refused to perform marital duties 390 . Rather, we are talking about the purity of prayer, as we will see in chapter 23, for prayer must be cleansed from all dreams and ideas, especially passionate ones, which demons try to arouse in us 391 . Just as it is impossible to assume that life and death simultaneously exist in the same person, so it is impossible to assume that love and wealth coexist in anyone. For love casts into dust not only wealth, but also our very transitory life. It is quite obvious that all passions, with the possible exception of gluttony, are manifestations of selfishness, because of which a person, for the sake of his selfishness, alienates everything from himself, even the simplest forms of love for his neighbor 392 . But this has nothing to do with the material world: praising the “love of poverty” 393, Evagrius does not at all call for the denial of matter (see above). There is nothing wrong with material things, including gold. It is not they that hinder our salvation 394, but “the misanthropic pleasure generated by freedom and forcing the mind to use God’s creatures for evil” 395. Why is this “pleasure” “misanthropos” (misanthropos)? Because, striving for it, a person thinks only about himself and does not see his neighbor in front of him. “The lover of money is not the one who has money, but the one who seeks it. For they say that an economist is a purse endowed with intelligence” (Speculator. 30). By being “gifted with a smart wallet” we mean the ability to allocate funds wisely, like a good saver does. But even here we should remember about the networks set by demons, who tirelessly push us from one extreme to another, while pursuing the same goal. “For the demon of the love of money seems to me to be very varied and inventive in seduction. He often, embarrassed by his strict renunciation of the world, suddenly pretends to be a home-builder and a lover of poverty, warmly welcomes strangers who have not yet arrived, sends them to serve other needy people, visits dungeons in the city, redeems those who are being sold, joins rich women, indicates to whom good should be done, as well as others whose wallet is full, gives advice to renounce the world and, thus gradually seducing the soul, subjugates it to the thoughts of the love of money. and hands it over to the demon of vanity” (M.C. 22). “And the last thing for that person is worse than the first” (Matthew 12:45), as the Lord Himself said 396. It is important to note that the praise of non-covetousness (as well as the praise of love for one's neighbor, which is clearly stated in this chapter) is due, among other things, to concern for the purity of prayer 397. “A non-covetous monk is an unstoppable fighter and an easy walker, soon achieving the honor of a high rank (Phil. 3:14)” (O.sp. [VIII] 3, 10). In chapter 99, Evagrius returns to this topic, and in chapter 97 he gives an excellent example of this truly evangelical “non-covetousness”, thanks to which the one who has nothing becomes a “high-flying eagle”, then only descending “down for food when necessity forces it” 398. He who avoids worldly pleasures is an impregnable stronghold for the demon of sadness. For sadness is the deprivation of pleasure, real or expected. Therefore, we will not be able to repel this enemy if we are addicted to anything earthly. After all, he sets his traps and causes sadness in us where he sees us most prone to something. Sadness, this vice so characteristic of man, is born from unsatisfied desire. “But he who neglects worldly pleasures is not disturbed by sad thoughts” (O.sp. [XII] 5, 25). Just like despondency, sadness is always associated with an incorrect, egocentric attitude towards things and people. “Whoever is bound by sadness is overcome by passions, and wears bonds to expose his defeat, because sadness is a consequence of failure in carnal desire, and desire is associated with every passion. He who has conquered desire has conquered passion, and he who has conquered passion will not be overcome by sadness. The temperate one does not grieve that the food was not successful, and the chaste one did not have time in his foolishly conceived lewdness, and the non-angry one that he was unable to take revenge, and the humble one that he was deprived of human honor, and the non-lover of money that he suffered a loss. They forcibly rejected the desire of all this, because just as an arrow does not pierce one dressed in armor, so sorrow does not sting the dispassionate one” (O.sp. [XI] 5, 10-12). Meister Eckhart will call this disposition of the soul “non-attachment” (Abgeschiedenheit): the absence of attachment to anything at any time and in any matter bestows the greatest freedom. In essence, all this also has a direct bearing on prayer 399 . “Those who accumulate grief and memory in themselves are like those people who scoop up water and pour it into a leaky barrel” (On Prayer. 22). Anger and hatred contribute to the growth of the violent principle in the soul, while compassion and meekness reduce it. Evagrius, as we have already said, devotes a lot of space to anger and methods of healing it, not only in “The Monk,” but also in his other works. And this is no coincidence, for the unnatural movements of the furious part of the soul become the most difficult obstacle in spiritual life. Like many fathers, Evagrius divides rational beings into three categories: Angels, people and demons 400. Their behavior is determined by the principle that predominates in them: in Angels the rational principle (mind) predominates, in people - the desirable, and in demons - the violent 401. Man occupies an intermediate position between an Angel and a demon, being neither one nor the other, and so on - “until the end of the age” 402. But, since “we have an inclination towards both good and evil” 403, a person, at his own will, can become like either Angels or demons. When the violent element in a person increases due to anger and hatred, he becomes an “asp” (biblical symbol of a demon) 404 and behaves like a demon 405 . When, thanks to compassion and meekness, the violent beginning in him is weakened, he reaches “an almost angelic state” 406, “becomes equal to the Angels” 407, for he joins the angelic nature 408. Anger is the predominant property of demons 409, and meekness is the “virtue of Angels” 410. How to weaken the violent beginning in the soul? “Irritability” is cured by “alms” 411, as well as love 412 or meekness 413, which Evagrius considers a characteristic manifestation of love 414. Meekness is the most important Christian virtue, for it is inherent in Christ Himself, Who commanded us to imitate Him in this virtue (see: Matthew 11:29) 415. Meekness is not alien to people 416, as evidenced by the example of Moses, who was called meek “more than all men” (Num. 12:3). “...Meekness is an indestructible stronghold for wrath; it is acquired through the renunciation of all transitory pleasures” (In Ps. 131, 1α). The goal of a truly Christian life is to weaken the violent principle with compassion and meekness (love) and to cultivate in the soul the spiritual principle, without which it is impossible to see God. What is said in this chapter is directly related to prayer (see also chapter 23). “The meekness of a man is remembered by God (see: Ps. 131:1), and a soul that is not angry becomes a temple of the Holy Spirit” (O.sp. [X] 4, 11). Let not the sun go down on your anger (Eph. 4:26), lest the demons approaching at night frighten the soul and make the mind more timid in the spiritual warfare that awaits it the next day. After all, from the confusion of the furious beginning of the soul, terrible night visions arise, and nothing makes the mind such a cowardly deserter as rage brought into confusion. Terrible night visions are accompanied by numerous thoughts 417. They are born as a result of “unnatural” movements of a violent nature, directed not against demons that excite passions, but against one’s neighbor 418. Evagrius gives many examples of such "visions" (phantasia, phasma). Let's present one of them here. “This is how hermits are tempted by demons during the day and fall into various thoughts; at night they fight with winged asps, are surrounded by carnivorous animals, snakes swarm around them, [and sometimes] they are [mercilessly] thrown from high mountains. It happens that when they wake up, they [see themselves] surrounded by the same animals, and their cell engulfed in flames and covered with smoke. And when they give themselves up to such dreams and are not afraid of them, they see how demons immediately turn into women, obscenely affectation and eager to indulge in shameful games” (M.C. r.l. 26; see: 27). A modern person familiar with such “visions” will most likely interpret them in his own way. Evagrius believes that they are called to hinder “spiritual prayer” 419: this is precisely the goal that demons pursue when at night they “ask [God to give them] a spiritual teacher and [they could] frighten him themselves” 420. It is no coincidence that Evagrius’s writings on prayer are replete with various stories that he read or knew about by hearsay. All of them indicate that the one who prays “truly” does not allow himself to be frightened by these demonic visions 421. In the previous chapter it was said that the cure for anger is compassion and meekness. Here we are talking about “reconciliation” 422. “[Scripture] says: Leave your gift there before the altar, and go first and be reconciled to your brother (Matthew 5:24); then, when you come, you will pray calmly. For memory malice darkens the ruling principle of the soul of the one praying and darkens his prayers” (On Prayer. 21). This commandment of Christ, about which the Apostle Paul speaks (see: Eph. 4:26), must be fulfilled strictly - even when, under the influence of demonic suggestions, a person experiences shame, cowardice or fear of dishonor 423. When, grasping at some reason, the furious part of our soul becomes confused, then the demons begin to inspire us that hermitage is a good deed, so that we, without eliminating the cause of sadness, will not get rid of confusion. When the desirable part of the soul is aroused, then the demons try to make us humane, calling us cruel and wild, so that we, having a desire for bodies, communicate with bodies. However, one must not succumb to the beliefs of demons, but one should do the opposite of what they suggest. Like chastity and abstinence in food and drink, hermitage is one of those “voluntary sacrifices” that are not prescribed by law. “Sincerity” or “frankness”, in Greek parrhèsia (in the New Testament sense of the word), which is necessarily manifested in standing before God, will not allow a person who has not fulfilled the law to exclaim except with the Psalmist: “Grant me, O Lord, to accept the voluntary sacrifice of my lips.”424 Demons are well aware of this and therefore incline the ascetic not only to evil, but also to good. However, they push him to do good deeds at the most inopportune time, for example, in the midst of his struggle with the most difficult passions, which often leads to sad consequences. “Let none of the hermits retire to asceticism alone with [feelings of] anger, sorrow or pride, and let no one run away from the brethren, tormented by such thoughts. For as a result of such passions, insanity also occurs [with monks], when the heart [moves] from one thought to another, then to a third and fourth, and thus gradually plunges into the quagmire of oblivion (see: Wisdom 16:11). We know many brothers who found themselves in such a shipwreck, while others, through tears and prayer, returned to human life. Some, having accepted irreversible oblivion, no longer had the strength to return to [their] first state, and we, unfortunate ones, to this day observe the shipwreck of our brothers” (M.C. r.l. 23). From Palladius's "Lavsaik" we know the names of some of the "shipwrecked." Evagrius knew them personally. These are Stephen 425, Eucarpius 426, Eron 427, Valens 428 and Ptolemy 429. Thanks to the decisive intervention of the fathers, Eucarpius, Eron and Valens were able to convert during their lifetime, but the monk Stephen, once famous for his exploits, continued to persist in his pride to the end. One day, Evagrius accidentally met Stephen in Alexandria and, falling at his feet, begged him to renounce his errors, but the tearful pleas of the Pontic monk had no effect. In his letters, Evagrius repeatedly mentions these very successful and yet “shipwrecked” monks 430, whose fall greatly embarrassed the brethren 431. Cunning demons always advise us to do things that, given the time and circumstances, should not be done. They “incline the sick to strict fasting,” and “they encourage those burdened [by years] to perform psalmody while standing” 432 . At the same time, they instill in the monk the idea of ​​eating food before the appointed hour 433 or of spending idle time. They convince the inexperienced to settle in solitude 434 and live a reclusive life, 435 and the experienced ones are asked to go out into the world “for the benefit of those who see them” 436. They incline some to overeating 437 , others to seclusion and excessive abstinence 438 . They encourage us to speak when we should be silent, and vice versa 439. Inciting us to “miss the hours of worship” 440, they sometimes advise us “to sing psalms and spiritual songs (cf. Col. 3:16), dedicated to the commandment, which we, being misled, violated, so that, listening to us, they mock us as people who speak and do not (Matt. 23:3)” (In Ps. 136, 3β). Knowing about all these tricks, Evagrius gives the following advice. “One should not pay attention to these [demons], but with sober understanding expose them, producing such [ghosts] in order to lead souls into delusion and deception” (M.C. r.l. 28). In this chapter, Evagrius teaches us to “do the opposite” of what demons instill in us. No matter how insurmountable the demonic temptations may seem, you should never give up, because refusing to fight them would mean avoiding an inevitable collision with reality, our own reality, comprehended through a ruthless analysis of the “true causes of our sadness.” The tricks demons tirelessly resort to in order to distort the causes of our evil thoughts and lusts are described in detail in the work of Evagrius “Antirrhètikos”. To successfully repel demonic attacks, you must have the gift of discerning spirits (diakrisis). “Warfare waged with discernment is accompanied by innumerable temptations, but in this struggle the mind acquires great purity, for discernment does not allow demons to ridicule and defame the soul. Just as prudence is related to wisdom, so mental representations are related to discernment. It is this, according to the word of the prophet (see: Pres. 17:7), that separates holy thoughts from evil thoughts, pure from unclean, exposing the cunning of mocking demons who distort sensory perception and memory in order to mislead the soul that strives to know Christ (see: Phil. 3:10-14)” (Ep. 4, 4). Do not give yourself over to the thought of anger, mentally fighting with the one who offended you. Also, do not give yourself over to the thought of fornication, constantly dreaming of pleasure. The first thought darkens the soul, and the second calls it to inflame passion, but both defile your mind. And therefore, if during prayer you draw ghostly images in your imagination, and do not offer pure prayer to God, you will immediately fall under the power of the demon of despondency, which, precisely in such conditions, pounces on us, like a dog, stealing the soul, like a fawn. Who among us has not mentally argued with the offenders and pictured their faces in our imagination? These bickering stems from memory malice, which, as we have already seen 441, has a detrimental effect on prayer. “That is why the Holy Spirit rightly accuses us: By sitting on your brother you slandered and you set a temptation on your mother’s son (Ps. 49:20), you opened the door to thoughts of remembrance of malice, you confused the mind during prayer, always imagining the face of your enemy and even idolizing him. For, of course, what the mind looks at when praying is worthy of recognizing it as God” (M.C. 27). Fornication dreams also have a detrimental effect on prayer: the prayer of a person who gives himself over to the thought of fornication is “defiled” by this thought and cannot be “pure.” The worshiper’s awareness of his “uncleanness” easily plunges him into despondency 442 . Evagrius also speaks about how one should deal with the thought of anger during prayer in another of his works. “When you pray as you should (Rom. 8:26), then things may arise before you that you consider it fair to deal with using anger. However, there is no righteous anger at one’s neighbor at all. For if you make an effort, you will find that it is possible to settle the matter without anger. Therefore, use all means so as not to burst into anger” (On Prayer. 24). By nature, the furious beginning of the soul tends to fight with demons and fight for some kind of pleasure. Therefore, the Angels instill in us spiritual pleasure and the bliss that arises from it, calling us to turn our rage against demons. On the contrary, demons attract us to worldly lusts, forcing the furious inclination, contrary to nature, to fight with people, so that the mind, darkened and falling away from knowledge, becomes a traitor to virtues. The furious beginning of the soul must, like a “dog,” torment only wolves (demons), but not devour sheep, showing “all meekness toward all men” (Titus 3:2) 443. Fury is the power of the soul, “driving out all passionate thoughts from the mind” 444 and “barking at all unrighteous thoughts” 445. In other words, acting in accordance with nature, the fierce principle fights for virtue 446, or, as Evagrius says here, fights for “spiritual pleasure and the bliss arising from it,” that is, it strives for “true comprehension of beings,” which “Divine Scripture calls bliss” 447. Hence the reproachful tone of Evagrius when he writes: “Why, tell me, do you come to struggle so quickly, if you have neglected food, fame, and money? How do you feed the dog, having vowed not to have anything? And if he barks and attacks people, then it’s obvious that you have something and want to save it. And I am sure that such a person is far from pure prayer, for I know that irritability is destructive for such prayer. And moreover, I am amazed that the saints are also forgotten: David, who cries: Stop from anger and abandon rage (Ps. 36:8), and Ecclesiastes, who prescribes: Put away wrath from your heart, and put away wickedness from your flesh (Eccl. 11:10), and the Apostle, who commands you to lift up your holy hands to the Lord in every place without anger or reflection ( 1 Timothy 2:8). Why don’t we learn a lesson from this significant and ancient custom among people of driving dogs out of the house during prayer, which makes it clear that there should be no irritation in those praying? And it is also said: The wrath of serpents is their wine (Deut. 32:33); and the Nazirites abstained from wine (see: Numbers 6:3)” (M.C. 5). When starting to pray, a person, according to Evagrius, must hate those who tempt him, that is, demons. This is that “perfect hatred” (Ps. 139:22), which “greatly contributes to our salvation and contributes to the practice of virtues” 448. Be careful not to drive him away if you become angry with any brother. Otherwise, in your life here, you will not be able to escape from the demon of sadness, which will always be a stumbling block for you during prayer. This advice applies to those cases when this or that person causes irritation in us. “What you do to take revenge on a brother who has offended you will become a stumbling block for you during prayer” (On Prayer. 13). The face of the person whom we drove away as a result of a quarrel will certainly appear in our mind's eye during prayer, 449 which will inevitably plunge us into sadness and prevent us from praying as we should. Our reluctance to forgive the offender 450 also becomes a stumbling block during prayer. The prayer of a person who is angry with his neighbor is in vain, because when he prays, he does not stand before God, but before an “idol” 451. Gifts extinguish memory malice. And let Jacob convince you of this, having tamed Esau with gifts, who was coming to meet him with four hundred men (see: Gen. 32:7). But we, the poor, can fulfill our needs by eating. The wise Solomon said that a gift extinguishes anger (see: Proverbs 21:14), and Evagrius echoes him. “Anger and rage turn away love, and remembrance of malice is overthrown by gifts” (To the Virgin. 41). This advice was addressed to Deaconess Severa, who, being a noble and wealthy woman, had the opportunity to present gifts. The hermits who labored in the Egyptian desert did not have such an opportunity, but they had another means at their disposal - hospitality, which at all times was considered sacred in the East. “If your brother provokes you, bring him into your home and do not hesitate to go in to him and eat your morsel with him. This will be a deliverance for your soul, and it will no longer be tempted during prayer” (To the monks. 15). This kind act of eliminating hostility through eating together is a commandment that Solomon said (Prov. 25:21) should be followed when the “enemy” is in need. When we fall into the hands of the demon of despondency, then, dividing our soul with tears into two parts - the comforting and the consoled, we will sow good hopes in ourselves and, together with Saint David, we will sing: What sorrow art thou, my soul? And are you embarrassing me? Trust in God, for we will confess to Him, the salvation of my face, and my God (Ps. 41:6). Dejection, as already mentioned above 453, has a “complex” nature and manifests itself in various and sometimes very contradictory forms. It gives rise to “spiritual insensibility” 454, which “coarsens” the soul 455 and deprives it of the ability to realize its true state, which often leads to very serious consequences. “The spirit of despondency drives away tears” (To the monks. 56). We are talking here about tears of grace, which testify to our recognition of our “lawlessness” 456 and our sincere repentance for the sins we have committed. About tears that heal us from despondency and with which, as the ancients believed, should be accompanied by every petition to God 457. “Sadness is heavy and despondency is insurmountable, but stronger than both are tears to God” (To the Virgin. 39). In addition to crying, it is also recommended to repeat the comforting words of the psalmist David, with which we sow within ourselves “good hopes” or, as Evagrius explains, “expectation”, filled with hope for the acquisition of “true knowledge” 458. Let us present here one text in which, in the hidden language of biblical symbolism, the meaning of concentrated repetition of verses from the Psalter is explained and at the same time the nature of miraculous liberation from the tenacious embrace of despondency is revealed (see also chapter 12). “If, from fatigue [that is, as a result of the day and night keeping of “sheep”, symbolizing the thoughts of this age 459], some kind of despondency comes upon us, then, having ascended a little on the stone of knowledge (see: Hab. 2:1), we will engage in the psalms, striking the strings of knowledge with virtues [that is, the mind 460], and again we will feed the sheep under Mount Sinai, so that the God of our fathers and he called to us from the bush [as he did to Moses, see: Ex. 3] and gave words of signs and wonders (Ps. 104:27)” (M.C. 18). The struggle against despondency truly bears the fruits of “good hopes”, for after this struggle “the soul is seized by inexpressible joy, and it enjoys a peaceful state” 461, which means that the person has been granted “dispassion” 462 and that he has “approached the limits of prayer” 463. From now on, he confesses God as his Savior (see: Ps. 41:6) and gives Him praise for being worthy of knowing the “paths” of salvation hidden in His Economy. It is no coincidence that Evagrius quotes Saint David in this chapter: psalmody refers to “the manifold wisdom of God” (Eph. 3:10) 464, which is reflected in creation, in its rational structure and in its direction towards universal salvation 465. This wisdom reveals “the ways of the Lord,” leading the entire created world to eternal life. During temptations, one must not leave the cell, inventing plausible excuses, but one must remain inside it, patiently and courageously enduring all attackers, especially the demon of despondency, which, being the heaviest of all demons, makes the soul very tested. For to avoid such struggles is to teach the mind to be unskillful, timid and prone to flight. Despondency often manifests itself in restlessness. A depressed person cannot sit in one place; work seems boring and uninteresting to him, and communication with loved ones seems unbearably painful. This restlessness, for which one can easily find a thousand plausible excuses, is cured only by constancy. “The cure for despondency is constancy, doing everything with great care and fear of God. In every task, set a measure for yourself and do not leave what is assigned before you finish; also pray wisely and vigorously, and the spirit of despondency will flee from you” (O.sp. [XIV] 6, 17–18). Constancy presupposes an effort aimed primarily at ensuring that under no circumstances does one succumb to the temptation to run away—to run away, in fact, from oneself 466 . This effort, which is a kind of “sacrifice,” brings wonderful results. “If a spirit of despondency attacks you, do not leave your home and do not shy away from [temptation], for it brings benefit over time. After all, just as silver is cleansed of [impurities], so your soul will shine [like silver]” (To the monks. 55). No other temptation makes the soul so “tested” as despondency. He who patiently endures it “always remains in silence (hésychia)” 467; in the struggle with it, the soul begins to shine with “rays of dispassion” 468 and a person gains the ability to perceive knowledge “born by the grace of God” 469. Our holy and successful teacher said: “A monk should always be in the mood as if he were going to die tomorrow, and he should use his body as if it would live with him for many years.” This, according to him, on the one hand, suppresses thoughts of despondency and makes the monk more zealous, and on the other, keeps the body healthy and allows him to remain in constant abstinence. Dejection distorts our ideas about earthly life and the vicissitudes of fate. It inspires a person with gloomy thoughts about the severity of the labors ahead of him in this long life 470, especially ascetic 471, about bitter old age with its accompanying weakness and poverty 472 and about other similar things. To “refute” them (antirrhésis), Evagrius refers to the words of Holy Scripture, which help fight fears that stem from cowardice and sometimes have nothing to do with reality. “A man’s days are like grass; like the flower of the field, so it blooms” (Ps. 102:15). “But we are yesterday and know nothing, because our days are a shadow on earth” (Job 8:9). According to the teacher Evagrius, Macarius the Great, and other fathers, a person must have a courageous attitude towards death, which, perhaps, will unexpectedly take him away tomorrow. Evagrius devotes an entire chapter to this “exercise in death” (52). In the face of death, which can come at any moment, all thoughts generated by despondency lose their significance, and depression is replaced by zeal: “while there is day” (John 9:4), we must work! Living, constantly remembering death, does not mean that one can treat the body with negligence, which Evagrius condemns 473. According to Evagrius, illnesses as an act of God’s Providence should be endured patiently and with gratitude, but “suicidal” feats performed supposedly for spiritual reasons 474 should be avoided at all costs, for any deviations from the rules tested by the monks come from the evil one, who, as we know, resorts to all sorts of cunning tricks. So, for example, if the demon of gluttony fails to tempt a monk with food, then he begins to incline him to excessive fasting in order to, by undermining his health, achieve his goal. “But the demon of gluttony is also imitated by the opponent of truth - the demon of despondency, instilling in the patient the idea of the strictest hermitage, calling upon John the Baptist and the first-fruits of hermits, Anthony, to become a rival of John the Baptist, so that, not having endured a long-term and superhuman hermitage, the ascetic would flee in shame, leaving his place, and he could finally say in boasting to himself: Let us strengthen ourselves against him (Ps. 12:5 )" (M.C. 25). In order to avoid various kinds of extremes, descriptions of which abound in the literature relating to the period of early monasticism, it is necessary to adhere to the advice of the most experienced fathers. The body, as Macarius teaches us in this chapter, must be kept in good health, which allows the ascetic to remain in constant abstinence. At the same time, of course, one should not succumb to the fears mentioned in Chapter 7, and in everything observe a sense of proportion, which will never fail someone who remembers the finitude of life and the value of a healthy body. It is difficult to avoid thoughts of vanity. Because what you do to destroy it becomes for you the beginning of other outbursts of vanity. After all, not every right thought is opposed by demons, but some are also opposed by our vices, in which we have already become accustomed. The “refined” cunning of the demon of vanity is truly amazing, 475 which Evagrius mentions again in this chapter. “I am amazed at the skill of demons when I see the many different means they resort to. To incite vanity, they use hair shirt and silk robe, and speech and silence, and satiety and hunger, and distance from people and frequent meetings with them. It is no coincidence that one of the brothers compared vanity to a burdock that pricks everywhere” (Ep. 51, 3, Greek edition). Cunning is not inherent only to the demon of vanity. “Those who have thought upon the heels of my feet. – Well said! For it often happens that demons do not openly instill evil thoughts in us, fearing that our mind will immediately see something bad in them and push them away from us. They sow evil thoughts in our minds along with thoughts that seem good. They act in a similar way with the perfect, with those who have freed themselves from passions. And they openly instill evil thoughts in the unclean, because they are not able to reject them either because of their passions or because of their unreason. So they seduced Eve, saying to her: And you will be like gods, knowing good and evil (Gen. 3:5)” (In Ps. 139, 6γ). Why do demons resist “not every” good thought? “And a good thought [that is, a thought instilled in us by Angels or emanating from our primordial nature, in which the “seeds of virtue” were sown] is opposed by only two thoughts: a demonic thought and a thought arising from our will, which deviates to the worse” (M.C. r.l. 31). Since demons do not know our hearts, they closely monitor our behavior, which reveals our secret thoughts of the heart, 476 even if we do not realize or do not want it. They act in a similar way to arouse vanity in us 477. When demons see that we are doing something good, but our thoughts are unclean, they do not resist us. However, no matter how insidious they may be, everything ultimately depends on ourselves and our free will. “We ourselves give ourselves over to the hands of demons due to our lack of faith” 478. But how can we resist these “refined” demonic tactics? How can we protect ourselves from demonic temptations and our own “vain dreams” 479? By concealing our good deeds from people, as Christ Himself teaches us (see: Matt. 6:1 ff.) and as Evagrius persistently recommends to us 480: “Seal the aroma of your labors with silence” 481. “At night, eat the flesh of the Passover [that is, the Passover lamb] (see: Ex. 12:8) and do not show your secret abstinence before people. Do not expose him in the light of day before many witnesses, and your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you openly (Matthew 6:6)” (O.sp. [XV]. Suppl. 7, 18). I noticed that the demon of vanity is driven out by almost all other demons, and when they fail, he shamelessly approaches the monk, showing him the greatness of his virtues. Since the thought of vanity accompanies the virtuous 482, it cannot coexist with any other thought, with the exception of pride, which “is heralded by the appearance of vanity” 483. Evagrius learned this from personal experience, which, it must be said, he writes about with deep sincerity. “After the defeat of other thoughts, only thoughts of vanity and pride begin to arise [in us]” In chapter 58, Evagrius will return to the issue regarding the “confrontation” between thoughts. In particular, it says that a thought that arises in the mind can be driven away by an opposite thought, according to the principle of “knocking out a wedge with a wedge.” This, however, should be approached with considerable caution, for, as the Scripture says, demons are not cast out by the power of Beelzebub, but by the “Spirit of God” (see: Matt. 12:24–28). Evagrius often refers to his personal observations. From his letters it is clear what experiences he himself experienced, or, better said, endured in order to be cured of vanity. The methods of treating this disease are as radical as some ancient methods of treatment. “A persistent abscess is treated with cauterization, and skill in vanity is treated with humiliation and sadness. The incision and cauterization are very painful, but they eliminate the disease that gnaws at the body. Humiliation and sadness also cause pain, but they drive away evil passions, vanity and pride” (O.sp. [XIX]. Suppl. 8, 29–30). So, Evagrius testifies to what he knows from his own experience. The Pontic monk had many reasons for his vain dreams: his strict asceticism, his fame as a spiritual mentor and writer, and, finally, the enthusiastic praise of his many admirers 484 . There were, however, detractors in his life, but he treated them as his “benefactors.” “By inflicting insults on me, they hurt my soul, which thirsts for glory. But I do not condemn those who insult me ​​and do not push away the Physician of souls [Christ], who, putting a bandage of humiliation on me, heals me of my ailments. I know well what happens to those who resist doctors: they are tied with belts and operated on against their will!” (Ep.52, 4; see also: 51, 2). Evagrius speaks here of humility, through which vanity is healed 485. He himself had a chance to try this medicine, and, judging by the memoirs of his contemporaries, it brought him considerable benefit. “Once upon a time there was a meeting in Kellia regarding some matter, and Abba Evagrius spoke here. The presbyter tells him: we know, Abba, that if you had been on your side, you could have been a bishop long ago and ruled over many; and now you sit here like a stranger. Abba Evagrius, although he was touched by this, was not embarrassed and, nodding his head, said: “Exactly so, father, but in one verb, I will not add a second one (Job. 39:35)” (Apophthegm. Evagre. 7) 486. With this remark, Macarius of Alexandria urged the educated deacon from the imperial capital not to boast of his eloquence before the simple Egyptian hermits. However, the eloquence of Evagrius gave reason not only for reproach, but also for envy. So, for example, a certain Eucarpius, a monk, apparently not so gifted, contemptuously called Evagrius a “word carver” 487 . Thanks to his humility and sense of humor, Evagrius was not offended either by those who reproached him 488 or by those who envied him. He who has achieved knowledge and experienced the pleasure of its fruits will no longer succumb to the convictions of the demon of vanity, which offers him all the pleasures of the world. For what can he promise greater than spiritual contemplation? But since we have not yet tasted knowledge, let us carry out spiritual work with all zeal, showing God that the purpose of our actions is His knowledge. From vanity, which entirely refers to the “vanity of vanities” (see: Eccl. 1:14), only a meeting with reality, which is revealed to man through the knowledge of God and His creation, can completely liberate. Having come into contact with this spiritual reality, a person, so to speak, loses his taste for all the “pleasures of the world.” “The mind will be freed from sinful thoughts when it is granted knowledge. Spiritual work removes only passionate ideas from the heart. Knowledge cuts off all representation. For the mind, having achieved knowledge, is immersed in contemplation of itself and becomes inaccessible to thoughts sent by enemies” (In Ps. 129, 8ε). Every person by nature strives for pleasure and makes every effort to find it. But genuine pleasure can only be when it stems from true knowledge. “Honey is pleasant and the honeycomb is sweet, but the knowledge of God is sweeter than them” (To the monks. 72). This idea, the reliability of which can only be confirmed experimentally, is very close to Evagrius. “If among all the things that can be tasted there is nothing more pleasant than honey and the honeycomb, but the knowledge of God is sweeter than them, then obviously there is nothing on earth that could give greater pleasure than this knowledge” (K.G. III, 64). In his interpretation of the famous verse from the Book of Ecclesiastes, Evagrius continues to develop this idea. “To those who have entered the supersensible Church and enjoy the contemplation of the logoi of creation, this verse reminds: do not think, O people, that this is the limit of the promises given to you, for all this is vanity of vanities in the face of the knowledge of the Creator Himself. Just as medicines are no longer needed after complete recovery, so knowledge of the logoi of centuries and worlds becomes useless after knowledge of the Holy Trinity has been achieved” (In Eccl. 1, 2 / Géhin. 2). But how to achieve this knowledge? Through spiritual work done out of love for God and the desire to know Him. “He whose words and deeds are always directed towards the knowledge of God, the eyes of the soul are constantly turned to the Lord.” Remember your previous life, your old sins and how, being passionate, you, by the grace of Christ, moved to dispassion and how the world from which you came humbled you many times and with many sorrows. Consider also the following: Who is keeping you in the wilderness? Who drives away the demons who gnash their teeth at you? – Such thoughts inspire humility and do not allow the demon of pride. Pride gives rise to the most absurd idea in a person’s mind that in his life he achieves everything himself, with his own strength. “Do not give your heart to pride and do not say before the face of God: I am strong...” (To the monks. 62). From the Holy Scriptures we also know “...that without the Lord we cannot overcome our enemies, for they are stronger than us” (In Ps. 34, 10ζ). It is clear that the temptation of pride is not the lot of beginners or those who are still subject to passions, but of those who have succeeded in virtue and have even been granted knowledge. “Lest I, having had enough, deny You and say, “Who is the Lord?” – These words mean: out of fear, lest, having become satiated with the highest knowledge, I would become proud and say: who will recognize my wisdom? (In Prov. 30, 9 / Géhin. 287A). Pride is the last temptation on the way back to God. It is also the root cause of the falling away from Him. Evagrius calls it “ancient evil” 489. “The pride of the Archangel cast down from heaven (see: Is.14:12) and made him fall like lightning to the ground (see: Luke 10:18)” (O.sp. [XVIII] 8, 10). Evagrius knows many cures for this temptation. These include not only “intense prayer” 490 , voluntary poverty and even life in extreme need 491 , but also the feeling of abandonment that a person experiences when God, for “pedagogical”, so to speak, purposes, turns away from him 492 . To overcome God-forsakenness, a person must humble himself through a sincere and deep awareness of his creatureliness and insignificance before the Creator. “Why, O man, are you rushing high and rising above the clouds, when by nature you are rotten (see: Job 33:6) and rotten? Look at your nature, you are earth and ashes (Gen. 18:27), soon you will be reduced to dust; Now you’re majestic, but soon you’ll be a worm! Why do you lift up a neck (see: Ps. 74:5), which will soon rot? A man is great when God helps him, but when he is quickly abandoned by God, he recognizes the weakness of nature. You have nothing good that you would not receive from God (see: 1 Cor. 4:7). Therefore, why do you boast of strangers as your own? Why do you boast in the grace of God as your own possession? Recognize the Giver and do not boast too much; You are a creature of God, do not despise the Creator. God helps you, do not deny the Benefactor. You ascended to the heights of life, but God guided you. You succeeded in virtue, but God acted in you. Confess the Exalted One, so that you may remain strong on high. You are a man, stay within the limits of your nature*. Recognize your fellow tribesman, he is of the same essence as you. Do not deny kinship through arrogance” (O.sp. [XVIII and *suppl.] 8, 11). “And humility lifts a person to heaven and prepares him to stand with the Angels” (O.sp. [XVIII] 8, 10.10). If we have passionate memories of certain things, it means that we previously perceived these things with passion. And vice versa, we will have passionate memories of what we perceived with passion. Therefore, he who has conquered the demons that set passions into action despises what they produce. For immaterial warfare is heavier than material warfare. The fight against demons is fraught with countless seductions. For it to be successful, discernment is required. “Just as prudence is responsible for correct judgments about things, so discrimination is responsible for mental ideas: it (discrimination) separates holy thoughts from evil thoughts, pure from unclean and, according to the word of the prophet (see: Tob. 5:6), knows about the tricks of lying demons” (Ep. 4, 4, Greek edition). In the following chapters (34-39) we will talk about the distinction of spirits, that is, their nature and the ways in which they act. Discernment is a gift that must be asked of the Lord. The fight against passions is carried out on two levels - material and immaterial. The first has to do with sensual, material things that demons use to arouse passions in us. The second is associated with thoughts, in which passionate memories of things are manifested, generated by a passionate attitude towards them. The goal of spiritual life, therefore, is not only to free oneself from a passionate attitude towards things, but also to acquire a “pure heart” or, in other words, “purify the memory” 493. But a person can find a pure heart only if he overcomes demons 494. So, first you need to “overcome demons” 495, that is, throw off the shackles of the world 496 by eliminating the conditions that give rise to passions. The one who, together with Christ, “has overcome the world” (John 16:33), can enter into a much more difficult immaterial warfare, designed to clear the memory. The passions of the soul have their origins in people, while the passions of the body have their origins in the body. And bodily passions are suppressed by abstinence, and spiritual passions are suppressed by spiritual love. Since man consists of body and soul, Evagrius distinguishes between the passions of the body, caused by bodily needs, and the passions of the soul, associated with interpersonal relationships. These passions stem from two irrational principles of the soul, violent and desirable, which are also inherent in animals 497. But there is also a rational principle in man. How this principle relates to the two irrational parts of the soul is discussed in the following text. “The furious part of the soul is connected to the heart, where the rational part is also located; the desirable part of the soul is united with flesh and blood (cf. 1 Cor. 15:50), which is why it is said: put away wrath from your heart and put away wickedness from your flesh (Eccl. 11:10)” (K.G. VI, 84). This “wickedness” of the flesh, which includes fornication and gluttony 498, is suppressed by abstinence (see above chapters 16 and 17), and the passions of the soul - anger, memory, hatred, envy, etc. - are healed by “love” 499, that “spiritual love” that teaches “wisdom” 500 and allows you to pray “in the spirit and truth" 501. Here it is important to emphasize once again (see the previous chapter) that in order to get rid of the passions of the soul, you must first defeat the passions of the body. Liberation from mental passions, in fact, is the meaning of the fight against bodily passions. “Let there be no one among you who cares only about abstinence. For it is impossible to build a house from one stone...” (Ep. 27, 3, Greek edition). “For what good does it benefit me if I strip myself of the thought of covetousness through good deeds and the thought of gluttony through abstinence, but [instead] put on the thought of vanity or murmuring? In any case, I will be convinced that during prayer, under the influence of these thoughts, the same thing happens to me as under the influence of the first ones - a falling away from the light, which with its radiance surrounds the mind during prayer” (M.C. r.l. 30). Demons, standing at the head of spiritual passions, stubbornly wage war until death; demons, standing at the head of bodily passions, retreat more quickly. And some demons, like the rising or setting sun, touch only one part of the soul; The midday demon usually covers the entire soul and suffocates the mind. Therefore, hermitage is sweet after the eruption of passions: then only pure memories remain, and spiritual warfare prepares the monk no longer for asceticism, but for contemplation. As experience confirms, “thoughts generated by bodily passions are short-lived, and envy and rancor persist into old age” 502. That is why the furious part of the soul needs special medicines 503. In this regard, Evagrius recommends the following: “Admonish the old to have dominion over the violent nature of the soul, and the young to have dominion over the belly. For the first wage war against spiritual demons, and the second against physical demons” (Speculator. 31). Among the eight main thoughts, despondency, as we have already noted, occupies a special place. “Of thoughts, some happen to us as [simply] 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 [simply] living beings and as with people” (Sk. 40). Evagrius uses the word “mixed” not only because despondency “embraces almost all other thoughts” 504, but also because, unlike other thoughts that stem either from a desirable principle or from a violent one and follow each other in turn, the thought of despondency arises as a result of the simultaneous movement of both principles. Since despondency is also long-lasting, it is not difficult to understand why this “midday demon,” like the sun scorching the earth, embraces the entire soul, trying to destroy it in its embrace 505. A person tormented by passions should not retire to deserted and deserted places in search of a contemplative life, because in conditions of solitude, thoughts and passionate memories, from which he has not yet freed himself, can attack him with renewed force and drive him to insanity 506. For the one who has conquered the passions 507, solitude and silence (hésychia) become as “sweet” as knowledge itself 508. The memories of such an ascetic are “cleansed” of all filth and cease to be passionate. He no longer fights passions, but indulges in contemplation of the innermost meaning (logos) of the battle that he had to endure on the path of spiritual activity. “Who knows the structure (sustasis) of the world and the action of the elements? Who will understand what this instrument (organon) of our soul (that is, the body) consists of? Or who will comprehend how they were connected to each other, where their possessions are and how they interact with each other - so that doing (praktikè) becomes a chariot for the rational soul striving for the knowledge of God? (K.G. I, 67, edited translation). The question requires consideration: does thought set passions in motion, or passions—thought? Some are inclined to the first opinion, and some to the second. Without answering the question posed, Evagrius returns to a topic that was discussed within the framework of ancient philosophy. From the point of view of spiritual activity (praktikè), this question has not so much theoretical as practical significance, since we are talking about the mechanism of the emergence of passions. Ideas (noèmata) arise in the mind. What is their role in the genesis of passions? “It is not things or mental ideas that fetter the mind, but passionate ideas about things that fetter it. The Lord created gold, He also created woman, and nothing that God created hinders salvation. But fornication and love of money hinder him: rather, they fetter the mind, causing ideas to linger in the heart. For just as the thought of water takes possession of a thirsty person because of thirst, and the thought of bread takes possession of a hungry person because of hunger, so ideas about things take possession of the mind because of passions. Therefore, the Physician of souls does not abolish things, for He is their Creator, and does not force the mind not to know them, for He created it for knowledge. But through spiritual instructions and commandments He frees the mind from bondage, destroying passions (which should be distinguished from ideas and the things that gave rise to them). This is precisely what the words of the psalmist mean: The Lord looses the prisoners” (In Ps. 145, 8β). Evil is not rooted in things and not in ideas that are imprinted on the mind in the process of cognition of things and which in themselves cannot fetter the mind and “linger in the heart.” Evil is rooted in the free will of the mind, which, instead of inclining towards good, inclines towards evil 509, or, to put it differently, in “the man-hating pleasure generated by freedom and forcing the mind to use God’s creatures for evil” 510. By abusing God's creatures, the mind alienates them from the Creator and selfishly uses them solely for its own benefit. Let us recall that Evagrius considered the root of all vices to be “self-love” (philautia), which can also rightfully be considered as “self-enslavement.” Passions can be set in motion by feelings, and if there is love and abstinence, then they are not set in motion, but if not, then they are set in motion. And to cure the violent nature of the soul, more medicine is required than to cure the desirable principle. That is why love is called greater (1 Cor. 13:13), because it is a bridle of wrath. And Saint Moses, in an essay devoted to natural contemplation, symbolically calls love ophiomakh (see: Lev.11:22). The mind, being “incorporated,” that is, built into the body, cognizes the created world through the senses. Through them, passionate thoughts also enter into him. “...no unclean thought arises in us without a sensory thing” (M.C. r.l. 24). The sensory world influences the mind through two unreasonable and passionate principles of the soul - desirable and violent. These principles are set in motion by feelings associated mainly with the body 511, which is “related” to the created cosmos 512. Therefore “...deprived of feeling is free from passion” (Monk. 4). What is “devoid of feeling” includes immaterial logoi hidden in things, with which the immaterial Creator endowed the entire created world 513 . As we have already seen (see Chapter 37), neither material things, nor ideas about them (which are imprinted on the mind), nor the two irrational principles of the soul (acting as “intermediaries”) are an obstacle to salvation. Even demons could not lead us astray from this path if we ourselves did not help them in this, becoming their accomplices of our own free will. The main obstacle is our incorrect, egoistic attitude towards things and the abuse of the abilities of our soul, as a result of which we also abuse things 514. In order for the passions not to be set in motion, the virtue of continence (or self-control: enkrateia) must prevail in the desirable part of the soul, and in the violent part the virtue of selfless love (agapè), for although “the virtues do not stop the attacks of demons,” they “keep us unharmed from them” 515. The “seeds of virtues” are indestructible. They are preserved in every person, even in a sinner who, because of his sins, ends up in hell 516. To heal the soul from passions, abstinence alone is not enough, which should be resorted to in order to curb the desired beginning. Without love, which “heals the inflamed parts of the violent principle” 517, abstinence is nothing more than cooled ashes 518. This chapter tells us that the violent part of the soul requires stronger medicine to heal than the desirable part of the soul, and that this is why love is called “greater.” This is due to the general structure of the human personality. Anger sits in the heart, “where the mind is also located” 519. The indignation of the violent principle “blinds” the mind 520. Love, on the contrary, makes the mind a “contemplator” (théorètikos): the knowledge of God “as if on its wing takes it away from the bodily world” 521, freeing it from the snares of demonic temptations. Evagrius never ceases to praise this “greater” and “holy” love, which he associates with “meekness” 522, for “...meekness is the mother of knowledge” (Ep. 27, 2). This is evidenced by Moses, who was called meek “more than all men” (Num. 12:3). Thanks to his meekness, he became “the only one who comprehended all things on earth” 523, which is confirmed by his “work dedicated to natural contemplation,” that is, the five books of Moses, considering the “nature” of the created world 524. The Greek translation of the Holy Scriptures (Lev. 11:22) uses the rather unusual word ophiomachès (“ophiomach” in Church Slavonic), meaning a type of locust that attacks and fights snakes. "Ophiomach" symbolizes love, while snakes serve as a symbol of demons 525 who are constantly possessed by rage (see: Ps. 57:5). In response to the stench that prevails among demons, the soul, perceiving their approach, usually becomes inflamed with thoughts, having become accustomed to the passion that bothers it. This chapter sheds light on ideas about demons in the monastic environment to which Evagrius belonged. From it we will also learn how the Pontic monk himself approached this issue. The previous chapter examined sensory perception as a factor in inciting passions. Here another factor is added to this factor - demons; in his other writings Evagrius also mentions memory 526. According to Evagrius, demons, like all created beings in general, have a body, the main element of which (Eph. 2:2) is air (or ether) 527. Since this body, due to its belonging to the “other world,” has a composition different from the composition of the human body, it is not perceived by our senses, although it has both shape and color 528. What we can see sometimes is just a fake, illusory image of a real body 529. But demons influence us not with their appearance, but with their “smell.” “The bodies of demons do not increase or decrease; their presence is accompanied by a strong stench that sets our passions in motion, and is easily recognized by those who have received from the Lord the gift of smelling this smell” (K.G. V, 78). This opinion was held not only by Evagrius, but also by his contemporaries: a spiritual teacher recognizes the presence of demons by a disgusting smell. Speaking about the stench, Evagrius apparently also refers to the Life of St. Antony (ch. 63). But what does he mean by this? If we are not able to perceive the color and shape of the bodies of demons, how can we perceive their smell? The fact is that not only “outer man” has five senses that allow him to perceive the created cosmos with which he is “related.” The “inner man” also has five senses, but not physical, but spiritual. Thanks to them, he perceives what is inherent in his inner, spiritual nature. As for the spiritual “smell,” it revels in the purest aroma of spiritual reality, without any impurities 530 . If the soul is not pure, but is in the grip of a certain passion, which is what is discussed in this chapter, then when the demon of this passion approaches, it is “inflamed” by the thoughts that he inspires in it. This happens because her “sense of smell,” distorted by the disease, is unable to recognize the deception of the abundantly exuded demonic suggestions. Then either the furious part of the soul is inflamed with anger, hatred, etc., or the desirable part of it is inclined to commit a shameful act 531. If, on the contrary, the soul is in good health 532, and the mind has been granted the knowledge of God, then such a mind, possessing a subtle “sense of smell,” will immediately catch the stench in the deception of demonic suggestions 533, and the “fiery arrows of the evil one” (Eph. 6:16) will not be able to cause him harm. “For flaming arrows are the thoughts of demons, stimulating the desired principle with obscene things. The mind, enlightened by contemplation of itself and abiding in the remembrance of God, will not be struck by them, and if they fly at it, it will quickly reflect them, for knowledge (of God), as if on its wing, will take it away from the corporeal world. Without the corporeality of this world, demonic thoughts cannot exist, since they are imprints of material things” (Ep. 27, 4). It is not possible to fulfill the usual rule at all times, but one should pay attention to the circumstances and try to best implement the commandments that can be fulfilled. However, you should know that these circumstances do not remain unknown to demons. Therefore, being opposed to us, they prevent us from doing what is possible, and force us to do what is impossible. Thus, they prevent the sick from thanking God for their suffering and being patient with those caring for them; the weakened are persuaded to strictly fast, and those burdened with years are called upon to sing psalmody while standing. The spirit of hermitage monasticism, which permeates the writings of Evagrius, did not at all force the ascetics to obey any general rules that were obligatory for all 534. Only the common life of a large number of people, sometimes in rather cramped spaces, as, for example, in the monasteries of Pachomius the Great, led to the appearance of written statutes 535. Evagrius and other monks of Nitria, Scete and Kellia followed in the footsteps of the holy fathers, drawing knowledge about spiritual life from their “sayings” or from stories about their ascetic life, which served as a guiding star to which everyone walked, in accordance with their strengths and circumstances (see below, ch. 91-100). So, by “ordinary rule” Evagrius understands a personal rule, called in the East the canon (kanôn). The canon primarily concerns abstinence (fasting) and prayer. Demons are trying in every possible way to prevent the fulfillment of the “usual rule.” They, for example, can force a monk to bind himself with an oath, “which is completely alien to monastic life,” 536 in which evangelical freedom reigns. It is this freedom that allows the monk to eat several times a day (and not just once) when he receives guests or is sick 537. The demons also try to dissuade the monk from believing that everything must be done at the proper time and to the proper extent 538 . “After we reflect the empty thought [of gluttony], the demon pushes us to exceed our measure corresponding to our way of life: we went into the desert with only one bag, lived without a roof over our heads, eating only roots. Or he advises us to run away from people who console us or are comforted by us...” (Ant. I, 37). Pursuing the same goal, demons remind us of biblical righteous men and prophets, such as Daniel, or incite us to become imitators of John the Baptist or Anthony the Great - this is the tactic the demon of despondency usually resorts to 539. It should be noted that Evagrius himself once fell into this extreme 540. What to do in such cases? Do not give in to the suggestions of demons and do the opposite of what they advise (see Chapter 22). When we are forced to linger for a short time in cities and villages, then, communicating with worldly people, we must more diligently indulge in abstinence, so that our mind, having become dull and deprived of its usual zeal due to the prevailing circumstances, does not do anything undesirable and does not become a fugitive under the blows of demons. Sometimes hermits left their homes for a while in deserted places and visited cities and villages, for example, in order to sell their handicrafts, or for some other need. Evagrius did this very reluctantly and even resolutely refused invitations that forced him to leave the desert 541. Why? “A monastic should not frequently visit cities for fear that his soul might be filled with various ideas coming from outside. I often prayed to God that they would not arise in my mind or that, if they did arise, they would not linger. For the mind easily imprints on them and tends to become agitated by demonic thoughts. What is the difference between one who practices virtue (praktikos) and one who indulges in contemplation (théorètikos)? The fact is that for the first, the obstacle is a passionate thought, and for the second - any, even the simplest. Indeed, bodily feelings hinder spiritual understanding. Is it possible, while living in a city, to keep the mind free from all ideas? You be the judge of this” (Ep. 41, 2–3). Living “in the world,” a person is in danger of drowning in a whirlpool of sensual “ideas” and exciting “images” (Evagrius often returns to this thought) and, as a result, losing all desire and all ability for contemplation and even reflection, which inevitably entails spiritual indifference. Today this danger is more relevant than ever before. To avoid lukewarmness, we must work hard on ourselves - at least until we are sufficiently strong. “It is dangerous for a monk who has not yet reached maturity to leave his cell until he succeeds in spiritual work and contemplation” (Ep. 58, 5). When tempted, do not begin prayer without saying a few angry words to the demon oppressing you. For your soul, having become accustomed to evil thoughts, cannot devote itself to pure prayer. But if you say something to the demons in anger, you will destroy and erase the thoughts inspired by your opponents. After all, anger is capable of producing similar destruction even when it turns to good thoughts. The furious beginning of the soul - due to its nature - tends to fight with demons 542. This is our “dog” who protects us from “wolves” 543, that is, from demons and in general from all “thoughts”. “The violent principle is the power of the soul, destructive of thoughts” (Sk. 8). This principle plays a decisive role in our efforts “to achieve pure prayer and present to God a mind without [evil] thoughts” 544. Demons hinder these efforts in every possible way. “Hatred of demons greatly contributes to our salvation and contributes to the practice of virtue. But we ourselves are not able to raise it as a kind of good offspring, because the spirits of voluptuousness distort it and again call the soul to affection and intimacy. The Physician of souls cures this affection, or better yet, this incurable infection, by abandonment, for he allows us to suffer something terrible from demons night and day. And then the soul returns again to the original hatred, learning to speak to the Lord in the words of David: I have hated with perfect hatred: I have become enemies (Ps. 139:22). For he hates his enemies with complete hatred who does not sin either in reality or in thought, which serves as a sign of the first and greatest dispassion” (M.C. 10). Evagrius, meanwhile, emphasizes that hatred of demons does not extend to their nature, since they were not created evil 545. We hate the evil 546 in them, the quality that they subsequently acquired as a result of their fall. The same applies to people who break the law. Remaining “the image and likeness of God,” they are not deprived of love, although the psalm says: “I have hated the criminals” 547. You should know the differences between demons and notice the times of their appearance. From thoughts we learn which of the demons are rare and most painful, which are constant and lighter, which swoop in at once and steal the mind, forcing it to blaspheme, and thoughts will become known to us from deeds. This should be known, so that when thoughts begin to set their own substances in motion, and before we are ejected from our characteristic state, we could utter certain words and designate the demon standing before us at that moment. For in this way we ourselves will easily, with God’s help, succeed in spiritual work, and we will amaze the demons, causing them, dejected, to fly away from us. To recognize demons or, what is the same thing, passions, what is required first of all is the gift of “discernment” 548, which complements and confirms personal observations and experience 549. Recognition occurs as follows. “All demonic thoughts bring ideas of sensory things into the soul, and the mind, having received their imprint, retains the images of these things, and then recognizes the approaching demon by the thing itself. For example, if the face of someone who has caused me harm and dishonor appears in my thoughts, then the resulting thought of remembrance is exposed. If the memory of money or fame also appears, then it is clear that the thought that crushes us will also be recognized by this very thing. The same thing happens with other thoughts. By what appears in your thoughts you will find which demon came to you and instilled these dreams” (M.C. 2). Evagrius, however, immediately makes a reservation: not all ideas are inspired by demons, since it is inherent in the mind itself to remember things 550. But here we are talking about those ideas that arouse (or can arouse) anger and unnatural desire. The “rare and most painful” thoughts include despondency 551, and the “constant and lighter” thoughts that stem from our natural needs 552 include gluttony and fornication. As for blasphemy, the thought of pride prompts us to it 553. The one who manages to recognize the demon “confuses him and exposes him with the words: so you have spun something against the Holy Scriptures” 554. Having been exposed, the demon retreats for the time being. When the demons fighting with the monks weaken, then they, retreating a little, begin to track down which of the virtues remains neglected for a while, and, taking advantage of this, they suddenly attack the monk, tearing apart the unfortunate soul. The whole secret of spiritual life, the basis of which, of course, is prayer, lies in “attention” 555. “The demon is very jealous of a praying person and uses all means to lead him astray. Therefore, he does not cease to evoke thoughts about things with the help of memory, but with the help of the flesh he casts passions to the ground...” (On Prayer. 47). The demon also resorts to the following trick: he feigns recognition of his defeat and retreats, pretending to be “defeated.” “If the most cunning demon, having used many tricks, cannot interfere with the prayer of the righteous, then he retreats a little, but then, when the prayer is finished, he takes revenge on him. For this demon either kindles anger in him, destroying the best state of soul that arose as a result of prayer, or induces him to unreasonable pleasure and mocks the mind” (On Prayer. 48). In other words, the demon attacks two irrational principles. But his efforts are in vain if temperance and love 556, as well as other virtues associated with them, such as prudence and courage, 557 predominate in the desirable and violent parts of the soul. If one of these “active” virtues is not given enough attention, then a crack will form. For virtue is essentially one; it is different only in its manifestations 558. Therefore, we should be attentive to ourselves, “so that, while we excel in virtue, we become less susceptible to vice” 559. Crafty demons attract demons that are more crafty than themselves to help them. And although various demons often oppose each other in their mood, they are in tune in one thing - in the desire to destroy the soul. As a person succeeds in spiritual life, the resistance of demons increases 560, and one demon is replaced by another, even more insidious 561. Let's see how this happens. “Since there are successive alternations of demons, when the first of them becomes exhausted in battle and can no longer set in motion the passion that is dear to him, then we, observing [these alternations], discovered the following: when the thoughts of any passion become rare for a long time, and the boiling and movement of this passion become unexpected, since we do not give it reason [to manifest itself] through our negligence, then we will recognize that the inheritance of the first demon accepts another, more dangerous one, who takes the place of the one who fled and fills it with his own cunning. He fully understands our soul and, compared to usual, is more eager to fight with it; he immediately makes a sortie with the help of yesterday and the day before yesterday, although [as it seems] there is no external reason for the invasion. The mind, seeing this, let it run to the Lord and, having accepted the helmet of salvation (Eph.6:17), putting on the breastplate of righteousness (Eph.6:14), drawing the sword of the spirit (Eph.6:17) and lifting up the shield of faith (Eph.6:16), let it say with tears, lifting up its eyes to its own heaven: “Lord Christ, the power of my salvation ( Ps.139:8), incline Your ear to me, hasten to take me away, make me God the Protector and a place of refuge to save me (Ps.30:3).” Let Him make [your] sword shine, purifying it with fasts and vigils, for for seven whole days [the demon] will wage war [with you] and oppress [you], throwing flaming arrows of the evil one (Eph. 6:16). And after the seventh day it is [usually] recognized that this demon is not much different from his predecessor, although he remains [near us] for another whole year, more often being wounded than himself, until his successor comes, according to what Job said: At a certain time he was destined to fall from others, but his houses were devastated by the wicked ( Job 12:5)" (M.C. r.l. 34). Let not the demon lead us into confusion, inciting the mind to blasphemy and to those forbidden dreams about which I do not even dare to write; and let us not allow him to destroy our zeal. For the Lord is the Knower of the Heart (Acts 1:24) and knows that we, even while in this world, cannot fall into such madness. After all, the goal of this demon is to stop our prayer, so that we would not stand before the Lord our God and would not dare, thinking about such things, to stretch out our hands to Him. Thoughts of blasphemy stem from pride, that “ancient evil” 562 that cast down the Archangel from heaven. Ultimately, all manifestations of pride are blasphemy against God. Evagrius, however, makes a distinction between thoughts that a person accepts of his own free will, and temptations that arise against his will. A sign of the latter is that they “come upon the ship like a storm,” “cover the mind at the helm,” 563 and carry it, like waves, far out to sea 564. Blasphemy (like fornication) is the most “quick” thought 565. It anticipates the movement of our mind 566 and takes us by surprise. Thoughts of blasphemy take many forms. Some of them are dogmatic in nature and are manifested in the denial of the divinity of the Son and the Holy Spirit, thus reducing the Holy Trinity to the level of a creature 567. Others are associated with the material world (physikè): they question the “Judgment and Providence” of God 568 and belittle the meaning and meaning of our bodily existence 569; according to such thoughts, the Creator is neither just nor wise 570. There are also thoughts that, in a narrower sense, are soteriological in nature: they deny free will and, accordingly, God’s justice, 571 brazenly asking: where is God, is he among us? 572 – such thoughts also deny God’s help 573 and even go as far as deifying demons 574 . And sometimes thoughts of blasphemy are so terrible that the pen itself refuses to describe them... Blasphemous thoughts plunge a person into sadness 575, for during prayer they deprive him of the boldness that Christ gave to believers (see: Eph. 3:12). As Evagrius says, “thinking about such things,” man does not dare to stand before God, stretching out his hands to Him and turning his face to the East, from where, according to the promise, the Son sent by the Father should come. What can we do in such cases? Desperate and give up? No way! God, Who is the “Knower of the Heart” and, unlike demons, knows the hearts of people 576, knows what we really think. No, there is no need to despair, we need to pray “To our Lord, so that the words of demons do not arouse in us countless blasphemous thoughts, which I cannot even write about for fear of shaking heaven and earth. For, rising up, this demon, filled with anger and insolence, utters great blasphemy against God and His holy Angels. Anyone who has experienced his attack knows what I am talking about. During the test of this, it is good to fast, read the Holy Scriptures and pray fervently with tears [just as King Hezekiah did]: O Lord God of Israel, who sits on the Cherubim! You alone are the God of all the kingdoms of the earth, You created heaven and earth. Incline, O Lord, Thy ear and hear (me); Open, O Lord, Thy eyes and look and hear the words of Sennacherib, who sent to reproach You, the living God (2 Kings 19:15-16)!” (Ant. VIII, 21). This demon mercilessly tormented Evagrius himself, 577 as evidenced by the above text. A sign of spiritual passions becomes either a spoken word or a movement of the body, thanks to which our enemies find out whether we have their thoughts within ourselves and are tormented by them, or, having cast out these thoughts, we are concerned about our salvation. For only God, who created us, knows our mind, and He does not need external signs in order to know what is hidden in our heart. God is the “Knower of the Heart” (see also the previous chapter). Only He knows the hearts of people, for they were created by Him 578, and only He alone can be their Judge 579. Evagrius often and persistently emphasized this idea, contrary to the opinion of “some of the people” 580. Why? Evagrius was deeply convinced that the “heart,” which is the center of the human personality and the biblical symbol of the “mind” 581 in which the “image of God” 582 is imprinted, is by nature inaccessible to evil. Evil cannot enter it unless we ourselves open the door for it 583. According to Evagrius, evil does not have absolute power over a person who, with his free will, is able to put a limit on it 584. Nevertheless, the Holy Scriptures say that evil thoughts come from the “heart” (Mark 7:21), regardless of whether demons attack us or not. How, without knowing our “heart,” can demons determine what passion we are “tormented by” and what vice we are prone to? By observing our behavior, the “psychologist” Evagrius answers 585. A diligent observer will certainly pay attention to our bodily movements, which betray the innermost “thoughts that dwell within us,” 586 as well as to the words that we utter, even if carelessly. These movements and words, sometimes unconscious, give demons a reason to act against us 587. In fact, they only add fuel to the fire 588... Evagrius could certainly tell us in more detail about how demons watch us and how, based on these observations, they draw up their attack plans. But he was restrained by the presbyter Kelly, the Monk Macarius of Alexandria, saying that such things should not be spoken about out loud 589. Nevertheless, in one of his letters (apparently addressed to Abba Luke and his brethren), Evagrius gives several interesting examples of how our behavior betrays us. What is said in the lines below can be attributed, it seems to us, to any of us... “Again I write to you and your brothers, because I do not want to leave you in the dark about the tricks of the demons. For by the grace of God you quickly walk along the path (spiritual work), on which each of the demons lies in wait for the monk, carefully watching which way he will lean: to the right or to the left? Or is he following the royal path? The demon of gluttony watches the fasting person. Is his face darkened because of fasting? Is there any murmur in his speech? Isn’t his desire to fast feigned? Perhaps in his heart he thinks about one thing, but outwardly, in front of people, he shows another? Does he not listen to comments about the pallor of his face or the transparency of his skin? And behind him hides the demon of fornication, who watches what the monk is preoccupied with. When he meets a woman - whether this happens by chance or whether he himself arranged this meeting under some far-fetched pretext - this demon weighs the words coming out of the monk’s mouth: whether they cause laughter or, on the contrary, are pronounced with caution. He also watches his eyes: won’t something shameless slip into them? And behind the gait: is it strict or does its languor betray passion? He also looks at the clothes: is it simple and worn, or is it dressed up for the occasion of a meeting with a woman? The demon of love of money watches our movements. How do we communicate with the rich? What do we say to them and how do we behave with them: do we want to get something from them? Do we not complain to them about our poverty, informing them that we are going to leave our habitat because of the many beggars who annoy us? Or else, doesn’t it happen that we welcome the rich with joy, but turn our gaze away from the poor, like a man taking flight? All these demons are imitated by the demon of vanity. He watches closely to see if we say or do anything that would bring us closer to the dignity of the priesthood. Or, when we are invited somewhere for consolation in our harsh labors, do we not utter groans, indicating our exhaustion, so that they will praise us? And also, don’t we tell people, in order to receive praise from them, about what happens to us in our cells and how we communicate in them with the holy Angels and demons? Am I able to list all the tricks of the demons, from which the Lord warned us, saying: Be ye therefore wise as a serpent, and your aims as doves (Matthew 10:16)? It is truly necessary that the monk avoid pretense, be meek and go into battle with meekness, according to the word of the prophet (see: Joel.3:11). And so that his mind would be vigilant and watch out for all the tricks of demons, like an ichneumon 590 following the trail of wild animals, so that one could say: For we do not understand his plans (2 Cor. 2:11), or: and my eye has looked upon my enemies, and those who rise up against me are deceitful (Ps. 91:12)” (Ep. 16). Demons fight with worldly people mainly through things, but with monks - mainly through thoughts, for in the desert ascetics are deprived of things. And how much easier it is to sin in thought than in deed, so much more difficult is the mental warfare of the warfare that arises through things. For the mind is easily mobile and uncontrollable in its desire for lawless dreams. The difference between monks and lay people (that is, people living in the world), as we see, is very relative. And yet it exists. It is no coincidence that the monastic state is called the “martyrdom of conscience,” which follows the “martyrdom of blood.” In his writings, Evagrius often mentions the difference between sinful actions and sinful thoughts. Preservation of oneself from the first is already spoken of in the Old Testament. In the New Testament, the Lord imposes a ban on the latter. Moses commands: “Thou shalt not commit adultery” (Ex. 20:14), and Christ (Matt. 5:28) teaches: “Thou shalt not look with lust” 591. Following God's commandments, the “monk-man” protects himself from sinful acts, and the “monk-mind,” that is, the contemplative, a perfect person, from sinful thoughts 592. It is so difficult to keep oneself from sinful thoughts because the mind has incredible mobility and easily reproduces “ideas” about sensory objects 593 with which it came into contact in the process of cognition and which were “imprinted” in it 594. These ideas are not only positive or neutral, but also passionate. Because of this mobility, which is difficult to control 595, “it is impossible for us in our human condition to protect ourselves from evil thoughts” 596. All that depends on us, according to Evagrius 597, is that they do not take root in us, do not arouse passions in us and, ultimately, do not lead us to sinful thoughts or actions. Therefore, with full justification calling those happy whom the Lord freed from sinful acts, he considers even happier those who were delivered by the Lord from sinful thoughts 598 . For only the latter are able to pray “truly.” “Whoever wants to truly pray must have dominion not only over the violent and desirable parts of the soul, but also be outside of every passionate thought” (On Prayer. 54). This lofty ideal does not, however, prevent Evagrius from remaining a realist with his feet firmly on the ground. “If you see iniquity, Lord, Lord, who will stand? – If, because of sinful thoughts that defile the mind, it was impossible to approach the knowledge of God, then none of the people would be considered worthy of this knowledge. For who can say: “I have cleansed my heart, I am clean from my sin”? ( Proverbs 20:9 ). Or, in the words of Job (Job 14:4–5): Who will be born clean from an unclean? None. If his days are determined...” (In Ps. 129, 3β). We were not commanded to constantly work, watch and fast, but were commanded to pray unceasingly (see: 1 Thessalonians 5:17), because those actions heal the passionate part of the soul, although work requires a body, which, due to its weakness, is not always capable of work; prayer makes the mind pure and strong for the fight, and it is inherent in it to turn to God without this body, and also to fight with demons for all the strength of the soul. The goal of spiritual work is to acquire prayer “in spirit and truth” (John 4:23), but demons try in every possible way to prevent this. “What do the demons want to arouse in us? – Gluttony, fornication, love of money, anger, covetousness and other passions, so that the mind, having become clouded with them, cannot pray as it should (Rom. 8:26). For the passions of the unreasonable part of the soul, beginning to dominate the mind, do not allow it to move rationally” (On Prayer. 51). Conventional ascetic remedies are capable of healing only the unreasonable principles of the soul - the desirable and the violent, which, in order to act, need the body as an “instrument” 599. And the mind, in order to “pray as it should,” that is, in order to “carry out the action that is characteristic of it,” 600, being by its nature incorporeal, does not need a body; Moreover, he “renounces” the body and its limitations when he approaches the “limits of prayer” 601. And to defeat the demons that prevent him from doing this, he resorts to “unceasing prayer.” “If you want to repel your enemies, pray without ceasing” And here we come into contact with one of the “secrets” of ancient monasticism, namely, the “practice” of unceasing heartfelt prayer, which will subsequently take on the completed form of the Jesus Prayer. Evagrius did not invent this practice; at the time when he lived, it was known far beyond the borders of Egypt (Augustine). But he was the first to testify about it. Evagrius urges his readers to treat “unceasing prayer” with great care 602. He also calls it “intense” 603, “constant” 604, “diligent” 605, “short and intense” 606. In this case we are not talking about a “prayerful state”, in which there are neither words nor images. By “continuous prayer” we should rather understand short prayerful invocations or “sighs”, which were often repeated at short intervals by the monks throughout the day (and a significant part of the night) to keep the mind “in prayer”. John Cassian 607, who labored in the Egyptian desert at the same time as Evagrius, describes this practice in detail 608. If any of the monks wants to experience the fierce demons and comprehend the language of their craft, let him observe his thoughts, notice their tension and weakening, their tangles and times. Let him watch which demons do this, which demon follows which and which does not follow in the footsteps of the other. And let him seek from Christ the logoi of these things. For demons are very indignant at those who devote themselves to spiritual work in a leading way, wanting to shoot the right in heart in the darkness (Ps. 10:2). The “darkness” of ignorance, which allows demons to deceive us, must be dispelled first of all in the heart. “Many passions are hidden in our souls and, remaining unnoticed, manifest themselves during grave temptations. Therefore, we must guard our hearts with all care (cf. Prov. 4:23), so that when the thing for which we had a passion is revealed, we will not be caught by demons and do something vile before God” (K.G. VI, 52). In essence, passions also play a positive role. Not only because they turn us to God, from whom we ask for help and protection from them 609, but also because they help a person to know himself. “Having stood before me as a witness of unrighteousness, even without knowing it, I questioned me. – People cannot independently recognize [their] vices. But if enemies interrogate them through their thoughts, then they come to the knowledge of vice. I call experience here cognition, for experience is also called cognition. As the Scripture says: Adam knew Eve his wife (Gen. 4:1)” (In Ps. 34, 11η άλ). To gain this knowledge through experience, it is sometimes necessary to go through temptation! “And we, if we only intend to clearly learn all the cunning of this demon, will not suddenly enter into a conversation with him and announce what is happening to us, how he mentally makes meetings and how he gradually draws the mind towards death, because otherwise the demon will run away from us, since he does not tolerate being seen how he does this, and we will no longer find out what we tried to find out. On the contrary, let us allow him to continue his work for a day or two, so that, having precisely discovered his insidious plan, then, denouncing him with a word, put him to flight” (M.C. 8). Of course, this method is unsafe, just as the method of “knocking out a wedge with a wedge”, which is discussed in Chapter 58, is unsafe. Only those who have already succeeded a lot in spiritual life can resort to this kind of “experimentation”. And yet, spiritual work (praktikè) refers primarily to the number of “experimental sciences” 610. However, just observing oneself, no matter how diligently it may be 611, is not enough, and those who want to devote themselves to spiritual work in a “knowing way” need the Lord, Who teaches “my hands to fight, my fingers to fight” (Ps. 143:1). “The one whom the Lord taught to fight against enemy forces knows about the causes of virtues and vices, as well as the discrimination of thoughts, the signs of dispassion and its limits; he also knows about the causes of visions and dreams of the night, some of which stem from the rational part of the soul, others from the violent, and others from the desirable ... " In the above passage, Evagrius refers us to his work “The Monk,” which we now hold in our hands and which, according to the author, “gives more detailed explanations.” “The discrimination of causes belongs to ethics (éthikè)” or, what is the same, to spiritual doing (praktikè), to which this work is devoted, answering many questions concerning the “practice” of spiritual life. By the words “in a knowing manner” one should, however, understand the “light of reason” with which God illuminates the path of one who strives in spiritual work, for one who relies only on his personal experience or other sources of knowledge is “like one who fights in the night (ignorance)” 612 and therefore becomes very vulnerable. Observing demons, you will find among them two of the most rapid ones, which outstrip the movement of our mind: the demon of fornication and the demon that traps us in blasphemy. However, the second demon is short-lived, and the first, if the thoughts it sets in motion are not accompanied by passion, does not interfere with our knowledge of God. Evagrius has already touched upon this topic 613, citing his own experience. Our mind is extremely swift in its movement, 614 but there are two thoughts that anticipate its movement and can take it by surprise. “Even if it seems to you that you are already with God, beware of the demon of fornication, for he is very deceptive and envious. This demon wants to be more agile than the movement and sobriety of your mind in order to distract it from God, even when he stands before Him with reverence and fear” (On Prayer. 90). But this happens only if the mind reacts to the thought and allows it to set passions in motion 615. The thought of blasphemy, also very swift, was discussed in chapter 46. To what was said earlier, Evagrius only adds that this thought is short-lived. At the same time, in his essay “Refutor” he speaks of “thoughts of blasphemy that linger” 616. In addition, from the biography of Evagrius, we know that he himself was tormented by this thought for forty days and almost reached complete despair 617. Truly, experience often makes amendments to theory... Evagrius, by the way, never hid this 618. Only the One who combined them can separate the body from the soul, and the one who strives for virtue can also separate the soul from the body. For our fathers call hermitage care for death and flight from the body. Body and soul are united in man by God. Their unity 619 is known to be broken at some point, 620 but only by the One who created it. That is why Evagrius categorically opposes suicide, whatever it may be - obvious, when a person deliberately kills himself, or hidden, when he shortens his life with backbreaking labor. “The unmerciful will be received after death by unmerciful demons, and the most unmerciful will be received by even more inhuman demons. And if this is the case, then it is hidden from those who [violently] end their lives what demons will meet them after death. For they say that none of those whose death occurred according to the will of God is given over to such demons” (K.G. IV, 33). Strongly condemning suicide, Evagrius persistently warns against the very thought of leaving this “prison” (Ps. 142:8) ahead of time, even during the great tribulation 621. For he who desires death is like a bedridden patient who begs the carpenter to break his bed 622. The body only prevents the contemplation of divine things 623, but it also serves as an “instrument” necessary for the perception of the created world, the logos of which are comprehended by the mind (see below, chapter 53). So, separating the body from the soul is prohibited, but at the same time it is permitted to separate the soul from the body, that is, from its lusts, which are born in the irrational parts of the soul directly connected with the body, when they act contrary to their nature 624. The separation of the soul from the body, in fact, is the essence of spiritual activity 625. “He who devotes himself to spiritual work is a servant of separation...” (K.G. V, 65). These words should, of course, be understood in a “spiritual” sense. According to the text quoted at the beginning of this chapter 626, physical death does not free a person, especially if it occurs as a result of suicide. For true liberation, one must die such a “death” that “will separate the soul from evil” 627: we are talking here not about physical death, but “mystical” 628. “Just as Christ resurrects the rational nature, killed by sin, by contemplation of all ages, so the Father resurrects His soul, which died by Christ’s death, through the knowledge of itself. This is what Paul said: If we die with Christ, we believe that we will live with Him (Rom. 6:8)” (M.C. 18). From this “death” associated with sin, Christ delivers us, Who said about Himself: “I am life” (John 14:6) and Who, through spiritual work 629, that is, through voluntary “death” to sin, leads us to the Father, who gives eternal life. “The death of Christ is a mysterious act leading to eternal life for those who hope in Him in this life (see: 1 Cor. 15:19)” (K.G. VI, 42). “Those who died with Christ will be justified before God (see: Rom. 6:7-8), but those who lead a life that opposes this death will not be justified” (In Ps. 142, 2β). “Care” for “Christ’s death,” meaning the renunciation of the “lusts” of this world (see: 1 John 2:17), which, in fact, is meant by “flight from the body,” constitutes the main feature of the hermit, who voluntarily breaks off his connection with this world and retires to deserted places 630. “A hermit is one who has cut off all passionate movements from himself and concentrated all the thoughts of his soul on God” (Cent. Suppl. 48). In other words, the hermit becomes a “foreigner” because: “A stranger is someone for whom the world has become alien” Those who abuse the feeding of the flesh and turn caring for it into lust (see: Rom. 13:14), let them reproach themselves, and not it. And those who, through this body, acquire dispassion and strive, to one degree or another, to contemplate beings, know the grace of the Creator. The desire to “go out of the body” (2 Cor. 5:8) can be due to two considerations. The first, according to St. Paul, is associated with the desire to “be at home with the Lord,” and the second, absolutely false, with contempt for the body. Evagrius categorically rejects this second consideration. “Oh, who will explain to those people who, speaking ill of the body, blaspheme the Creator, what mercy He showed them, the unclean, by uniting their souls with such an instrument (organon)?..” (K.G. IV, 60). Evagrius objects to the Manichaeans, haters of the body. “You should not say to everyone: Bring my soul out of prison (Ps. 141:8), but only to those who, due to the purity of the soul, can indulge in the contemplation of created things even without a body” (In Ps. 141, 8ε). “The pure in heart” (Matthew 5:8) are those who have achieved dispassion 631, and precisely thanks to the “physical body” 632, which served them as an “instrument” for “practicing the virtues” (praktikè), through which they became dispassionate 633. In addition, being “related” to the material world 634, this instrument also serves the soul, to which it “reveals sensory things” 635, allowing it to know the Creator through His creations 636. But to cognize “to one degree or another,” Evagrius clarifies, for now we see only “shadows” of divine realities, “as if through a glass darkly” (1 Cor. 13:12); and only then, freed from the earthly body and clothed in an incorruptible and eternal body (see: 2 Cor. 5:1), we will see their “prototypes” 637. It is not the body as such that is an obstacle to the contemplation of beings, but the body as a container of lusts. Addressing the “contemplator,” that is, the one who has achieved “purity of heart,” and through this purity the “contemplation of God,” Evagrius reminds him: “St. Paul, humbling his body, made it a slave (see: 1 Cor. 9:27). And in your life, do not neglect fasting and do not become arrogant because you have pacified your plump body with dispassion” (Speculator. 37). About what happens in a dream When in night dreams demons wage war with the desired beginning of the soul, then they show us, and we perceive, meetings with our former acquaintances, feasts with relatives, round dances of women and other similar things that bring pleasure. Then this part of our soul becomes ill, and passion begins to dominate in it. When demons disturb the violent nature of the soul, they force us to walk along inaccessible mountain paths, and bring armed men, poisonous snakes and carnivorous animals upon us. We, frightened by these paths, having taken flight from fear of beasts and armed men, must take care of the furious part of the soul and, calling on Christ in vigils, use all the medicines discussed above. Demons and the thoughts they excite attack us not only during the day, when we are awake, but also at night, when in a state of sleep we plunge, as we would say today, into the region of the subconscious 638. Dreams are of interest to the “psychologist” Evagrius only insofar as they report on the “state of health” of the soul 639. However, he does not approach the explanation of their content in the same way as ancient or modern dream interpreters. In dreams, he looks first of all for signs of “diseases”, for the treatment of which spiritual work is intended. “The mind contains both knowledge and ignorance, the desirable part (of the soul) is susceptible to both chastity and voluptuousness, and the violent part can be accustomed to both love and hatred” (K.G. I, 84). When the desirable part, acting contrary to its nature, does not strive for virtue 640, but pursues the lusts of this world and suffers if it cannot satisfy them, 641 then the night visions are filled with images of those things that the soul lusts after. In this chapter, Evagrius gives examples of images that are generated by thoughts inherent in the desirable part of the soul, including the most “gross” of them - gluttony 642. The same can be said about the furious part of the soul (thumos). When she does not fight for virtue 643, but, filled with hatred, contempt and pride, attacks her neighbor and falls into sadness, if she fails to take revenge or prove her superiority 644, then dreams take the form of nightmares (see above, chapters 11 and 21). Fleeing from fear of images appearing in a dream indicates cowardice 645 and means that the furious part of the soul is “sick,” because its main virtue is courage 646. To “heal” the violent part of the soul, Evagrius first of all advises “to call on Christ in vigils.” Those who are familiar with the spiritual life of the Desert Fathers will immediately understand that we are talking about prayer - “short”, “intense”, “unceasing”, etc. (see chapter 49), about prayer that is addressed to “the Lord Jesus Christ” 647, the Word incarnate. Invocation of His name will eventually form the basis of the so-called practice of the Jesus Prayer. Why is it so important and useful to call on the Lord “in vigils,” that is, at night? Because the night best protects us from prying eyes. “At night, with tears, call on the Lord, and let no one notice you praying - then you will find grace” (To the Virgin. 25). To prayer should be added “the medicines discussed above”: for the desirable part of the soul these are ascetic labors 648 or, in short, “abstinence” 649, and for the fierce part - “long-suffering” and “mercy” 650, “compassion” and “meekness” 651, “caring for the weak” 652, that is, various manifestations of “love” 653. To these medicines is added one more thing - “psalmody” 654, which is recommended to be done in the form of thoughtful and concentrated repetition of consoling verses 655. Natural movements of the body during sleep, not accompanied by visions, indicate that the soul is to some extent healthy, and if the images take a clear form, then this is a sign of illness of the soul. Consider vague faces as a sign of old passion, and those that have acquired clear features as signs of being hurt by passion in the present. In addition to the content of dreams, there is another criterion that allows you to determine the state of health of the soul - “natural body movements,” or, in other words, night ejaculation. If these movements are not accompanied by sensory images, then the soul, apparently, has achieved dispassion “to some extent,” that is, it is healthy 656, but not completely, for, according to Evagrius’s contemporaries, “perfect dispassion” 657 is free from any “natural movements.” Evagrius himself, apparently, acquired this state of perfect inner peace three years before his death 658. If, on the contrary, “natural movements” are accompanied by images, then this means that the soul is still “sick” with passions. When the features of a person “imprinted” 659 in the mind appear clearly in these images, then we are talking, as Evagrius correctly explains, about “being wounded by passion in the present.” “Uncertain Faces” indicates a long-standing passion. From Evagrius's point of view, there is no significant difference between the states of wakefulness and sleep. Dreams are inextricably linked with our daily life, even if they belong to the distant past. In other words, they reproduce everything that we experience during the day, and reproduce it with even greater intensity, especially in those cases when we try to displace impressions coming from outside from our waking consciousness. This also applies to those images that, arising from the desirable or violent part of the soul, appear before our mental gaze during prayer 660. Memory 661 plays a big role here, which can be influenced by demons to achieve their goals 662. “When you pray, the memory evokes in you either dreams of past deeds, or new worries, or represents the face of the offender” (On Prayer. 46). The same thing happens in the sleep state. Signs of dispassion are thoughts during the day, and dreams at night. And we say that dispassion is the health of the soul, and its nourishment is knowledge, which alone has the habit of uniting us with the holy Powers, since the union of incorporeal beings occurs as a result of their similar internal disposition. When a person is freed from passions, he has only simple, “pure memories” 663, and demons can no longer excite his memory with passionate images in a state of sleep. “But a simple movement of memory is possible, originating from ourselves or from the holy Powers, according to which we enter into communication in a dream, talk and feast with the saints” (M.C. 4). While passionate dreams excite the soul or fill it with horror, pure and dispassionate dreams affect it in a completely different way. However, in both cases it is obvious that day and night are nothing more than two sides of the same life of the soul. “Angelic dreams are not at all like that: they give the soul clear peace, indescribable joy, deprive it of passionate thoughts during the day, [bring] pure prayer, quietly [discover] the meanings of created [things], which are [the] Lord Himself, and reveal the Wisdom of the Lord” (M.C. r.l. 28). This state of dispassion, according to Evagrius, is the natural health of the soul, for it is inherent in it initially 664. “No evil thought comes from our original nature, for from the beginning we were not created evil, if, of course, it is true that the Lord sowed good seed in His field (see: Matt. 13:24). After all, it is not necessary that we, being able to perceive something, also have the power of it; so, for example, we are capable of not being, but do not have the power of non-being, since powers are qualities, and non-being does not have quality” (M.C. r.l. 31). “For there was a time when vice did not exist, and there will be a time when it will cease to exist, but there was no time when virtue did not exist, and there will be no time when it will cease to exist, since the seeds of virtue are indelible. I am convinced of this by the rich man of the Gospel who, being judged in hell, took pity on his brothers (see: Luke 16:19-31). After all, pity is a wonderful seed of virtue” (M.C. r.l. 28 = K.G. I, 40). From the original health of the soul, knowledge is born, which is inherent in the mind due to its primordial nature 665 and which Evagrius often calls the “food” of the soul, for God “feeds” the soul with the knowledge of Himself 666. This is the “angelic bread” that Angels and people eat together 667, if only the latter have reached an “almost angelic state” 668, that is, they have become dispassionate, like Angels, as much as possible for a person during his earthly life 669. Thanks to this state, people become co-workers with Angels already in this world. “For in a pure heart another heaven is imprinted, the vision of which is light and a spiritual place, since in this (vision) the causes of beings are contemplated in a special way. And Angels visit those who are worthy of it...” (Ep. 39, 5; see: K.G. V, 39). About a state close to dispassion There are two peaceful states of the soul: one comes from natural seeds, the other when demons are removed. The first is followed by humility along with contrition, tears, boundless languid love for the Divine and immeasurable zeal for work; behind the second is vanity together with pride, which drags the monk into the harmful traps of other demons. Chapters 57–62 talk about the “boundaries” of dispassion, that is, the “signs” by which we can know that we have approached a “peaceful” state 670. This knowledge takes on particular importance due to the fact that demons are also capable of imitating dispassion in order to deceive. “Dispassion is a calm state of the rational soul, formed from meekness and chastity” (Sk. 3). This is that perfect or imperfect peace in the soul 671 that comes after the cessation of the struggle with demons and passions. It is the fruit of the collaboration of God's grace and human diligence 672, growing from the “natural seeds of virtue” 673 that the Creator sowed in the “earth” of the soul from the beginning 674. Since these seeds are “indelible” 675, it depends only on human diligence whether they will be given space for free growth. That true peace grows from the natural seeds of virtue can be easily recognized by their fruits. In this chapter, Evagrius calls some of them pars pro toto 676. By the fruits one can also recognize that counterfeit state generated by the actions of the “offspring of wickedness” 677: for after all the other demons have retreated, the demon of vanity 678 comes, which stretches out its hand to the demon of pride 10. The world that demons offer is always a trap. “For I have spoken peace and thought of flattery against anger. – You will be like gods, as it is written, knowing good and evil (Gen. 3:5). This is the word of peace” (In Ps. 34, 20ιγ). The demon of vanity is opposed to the demon of fornication, and it is impossible to allow both of them to simultaneously attack the soul, for one promises honor, while the other brings dishonor. Therefore, when one of them, approaching, begins to crowd you, imagine the thoughts of the opposite demon, and if you can, as the saying goes, knock out a wedge with a wedge, then know that you are already close to the boundaries of dispassion. For the mind is capable of destroying the thoughts of demons with human forces. But when, through humility, the thought of vanity is driven away, and through chastity, the thought of fornication, then this already serves as a sign of the deepest dispassion. Try to do this in relation to all the demons opposing each other, and at the same time you will find out in which passion you are more accustomed. However, ask God as much as you can to give you the strength to repel your enemies in the second way. In Chapter 45, antagonism between certain thoughts or demons was already mentioned, but this antagonism is pure fiction. This imaginary opposition, according to Evagrius, is associated not only with thoughts and their content, but also with the very nature of the mind. “Demons do not all tempt us at once and [their] thoughts do not attack us at the same time, because it is not inherent in [our] mind to simultaneously perceive ideas about two sensory things. If our mind, being very rapid in [its] movement, combines thoughts with each other, then on the basis of this we should not assume that all [these thoughts] arose at the same time” (M.C. r.l. 23). Revealing the mechanism of perception of thoughts with examples, Evagrius ends with advice similar to what is given in this chapter. “And therefore, during temptations, it is necessary to try to transfer the mind from [any] unclean thought to another idea, and then to a third - and thus avoid [the watchful eye] of that evil watchdog (Ex. 5:6)” (M.C. r.l. 23). “Knocking out a wedge with a wedge” or, even better, transferring the mind from an evil thought to a good one is a sign of approaching dispassion. But here we are still in “enemy territory.” Only the one who drives out vice with the help of its opposite virtue 679 acquires “the first and greatest dispassion,” for he “sins neither in reality nor in thought” 680. Evagrius gives preference to the second “method”, and quite rightly. As the soul progresses, more and more powerful opponents come against it. For I do not believe that the same demons always remain around her. Those who know this best are those who quickly perceive with their spiritual eye the temptations that occur and see how the dispassion that belongs to them is subjected to powerful blows from successive demons. As the wise Jesus, son of Sirach, said: “Child, if you begin to work for the Lord God, prepare your soul for temptation” (Sir.2:1). Temptations not only do not weaken, but, on the contrary, become increasingly stronger over time 681, rebelling “against the soul that does not know that temptations become more severe when it begins to spiritually comprehend the living words of God and diligently devotes itself to fulfilling the commandments of God” (Ant. IV, 3; in response to the question Ex. 5:22). In this chapter, Evagrius, with his characteristic humility, refers to the experience and knowledge of more skilled fathers. But he himself had no easier time, as evidenced by his message Ep. 4, 1. In another biographical message 682 he also speaks of “shipwrecked in the harbor.” For “he who succeeds has many enemies to deal with” Perfect dispassion is born in the soul after victory over all demons that oppose spiritual work; imperfect dispassion, as they say, is commensurate with the strength of the demon fighting it. Spiritual life is divided into two main stages - spiritual activity (praktikè) and contemplation (théôrétikè). Each of them corresponds to certain temptations. We will return to this issue in Chapter 84. These two main stages are in turn divided into several substages, and the ascent from one to another is carried out step by step. The “color of spiritual activity” 683 is dispassion, which is the natural “health of the soul” 684. It is considered “perfect” - Evagrius also calls it “holy”, for with it “a new man is created” 685 - or “the first and greatest” 686, for the person who acquires it does not sin either in reality or mentally. Such dispassion is the “crown” of the mind 687. Thanks to the dispassion (apathéia) of the heart, the mind “during prayer” becomes capable of seeing itself (to put it metaphorically) “star-like” 688. Dispassion delights the mind “as if on a wing” in the heavenly regions, where it will rest “in the knowledge of the Holy Trinity” 689. But there is also “imperfect” dispassion, which means “dispassion of the appetitive (desirable) part” 690. It frees a person from passions only partially, commensurate “with the strength of the demon fighting him.” Moreover, this applies even to those passions that arise in this very part. What can we say about other passions: an “old man” who no longer thinks about the womb, that is, freed from the passions of the desirable part of the soul, remains vulnerable in its violent part 691... This “small” dispassion, as Evagrius calls it, is flawed and unsafe, like everything that is only half done. “When the mind of those living in hermitage acquires some dispassion, then, having obtained for himself a horse of vanity, he immediately rushes through the cities, reveling in the immoderate praise of glory. And then, according to God’s Seeing, the spirit of fornication meets him and, confining him in one of the pig pens, teaches him not to leave his bed again before a complete recovery and not to imitate those impatient patients who, still having the remnants of the disease, embark on travels, dare to take untimely baths and fall into the same illnesses. Therefore, while remaining better in place, let us be attentive to ourselves, so that, while we excel in virtue, we become less susceptible to vice, and being renewed in knowledge (see: Col. 3:10), we acquire a variety of different knowledge and, again rising in a state of prayer, we see more clearly the light of our Savior” (M.C. 15). The mind cannot go on its beautiful journey and reach the realm of non-corporeal entities unless it has brought order within itself. For domestic troubles usually force him to return to where he came from. This chapter intertwines two metaphors. One of them is related to the typology of the Exodus: spiritual life is an intense effort between “leaving” Egypt and “entering” the Promised Land; the other with the image of a well-furnished house, borrowed from the Book of Proverbs of Solomon. Evagrius, as is usual with him, often resorts to these metaphors, using almost the same words. “The mind cannot move forward and achieve the contemplation of incorporeal entities until it has brought order within itself, for domestic troubles usually force it to return to where it came from. But when he gains dispassion, he will slow down in contemplation and will not worry about those in the house, for the violent part (of the soul) will be clothed in meekness and humility, and the desirable part in chastity and abstinence” (In Prov.31, 21 / Géhin. 377). The pacification of the “cohabitants,” that is, the violent and desirable parts of the soul, means at the same time “abandonment, that is, the transition from vice to virtue,” which is a necessary condition for “entry, that is, the transition from virtue to the knowledge of God” 692. This is “walking the good path and ascending to God” 693, which is carried out in prayer. Behind this metaphorical language, as we have already said, is the typology of the Exodus, which Evagrius extensively develops. “Egypt”, where the forefathers descended from the land given to them as an inheritance, is a symbol of “this world”, in which “Pharaoh”, a symbol of the devil, rules. Coming out of there means abandoning vice. The goal of the “exodus” is the “Promised Land,” a symbol of the knowledge of God. But between them lies a vast desert; the passage through it is long and associated with various kinds of hardships and temptations, which symbolizes spiritual work 695. The ascent to the “Promised Land” includes, according to Evagrius, several stages. “Egypt signifies evil, the desert signifies spiritual activity, the land of Judah signifies the contemplation of corporeal beings, Jerusalem signifies the contemplation of incorporeal beings, and Zion is the symbol of the Trinity” (K.G. VI, 49). We placed this chapter in the section “On a state close to dispassion.” But it also contains an important warning for those who would like to go on a “wonderful journey” without achieving perfect dispassion 696: be careful that you don’t soon have to return back because of “domestic troubles”... Both virtues and vices make the mind blind: the first so that it does not see vices, and the second so that it does not see virtues. “Paradoxical” statements of this kind are found quite often in the writings of Evagrius. “Blindness,” that is, the inability to perceive the world around us through vision, is generally considered a handicap. “To be blind is to be without knowledge” (In Ps. But “blindness” can also be positive, when the “blind” person seems to stop seeing the vice. The same is true with “insensitivity.” It is considered a serious vice 697, but in Chapter 120 of “Words on Prayer” “insensibility” as detachment from sensory perception during prayer is spoken of in a positive sense. And “distraction” comes in different forms: it can be “divine,” meaning “the knowledge of God,” 698 “transient,” 699 directed toward sensory objects, or even “evil,” associated with ignorance, which “removes the unclean from contemplation” 700. The same applies to “deafness”. It, like “blindness,” is a physical disability. At the same time, dispassion causes a positive “deafness” that the mind needs, especially during prayer. “As if I were deaf, I couldn’t hear. – This means that the thoughts of the tempter came to him, but he did not listen to them and did not realize them in his actions. For dispassion is a kind of deafness, thanks to which he did not hear” (In Ps.37, 14θ). Evagrius develops the theme of transition or change of states in other variations. For him, it is consonant with the theme of the “path,” that is, the path of spiritual activity, thanks to which we gradually leave vice in order to approach virtue. “The virtues are said to be in front of us, while the vices are behind us. That is why we were commanded to flee fornication (see: 1 Cor. 6:18) and to be zealous (on occasion) for hospitality (see: Rom. 12:13)” (In Ps. 43, 11ς). In the following chapters, Evagrius will examine in more detail the idea of ​​“blindness” to vices as a sign of dispassion. When the mind begins to pray undistractedly, then all spiritual warfare, night and day, is concentrated around the furious part of the soul. The first sign of dispassion is undistracted prayer 701. “Undistracted prayer is the highest thinking of the mind” (On Prayer. 35). In this state, the mind carries out “that action that is characteristic of it” 702, namely, it cognizes God directly, contemplating Him. This is the “divine distraction” that we talked about above (see Chapter 62). “Prayer” as contemplation is the lot of the perfect. But since the mind and the violent principle reside together in the “heart” 703, those who live “according to the mind” 704 are especially susceptible to the temptations of anger. The furious beginning of the soul, brought into confusion, blinds the beholder 705. That is why Evagrius exhorts “the old to rule over the violent beginning of the soul” 706. Woe to those who don't. “All virtues pave the way for the speculative, but most of all - non-anger. For one who comes into contact with knowledge and is easily moved to anger is like that [man] who burns out his own eyes with a red-hot iron” (Speculator. 5). Demons are well aware of this and therefore do everything possible to ensure that the “speculative” loses his peaceful state of soul. “At night, the crafty demons ask [God to give them] a spiritual teacher and [they could] frighten him themselves; during the day they [attack] him through people, entangling him in a network of misfortunes, slander and dangers” (On prayer. 139). Most often, they use slander in order to plunge the ascetic into a state of “bad distraction,” which takes him away from contemplation 707 and destroys his prayer. Therefore, Evagrius strongly advises the following: “When temptation happens to you or you enter into an argument and, irritated by a contradiction, utter a disrespectful word, then remember prayer and the judgment that it entails, and the disorderly movement within you will immediately calm down” (On Prayer. 12). The sign of dispassion is that the mind begins to see its own radiance, remains silent in relation to the phantoms of dreams and looks serenely at all things. Evagrius mentions the first sign of dispassion, that is, “undistracted prayer,” very often 708. But there are others. In the "state of (undistracted) prayer" the mind reveals its own radiance (phengos). “Therefore, desiring pure prayer, watch out for irritability and, loving chastity, control your belly, do not give your womb bread to satisfy you, oppress it even in water. Stay vigilant in prayer and keep the memory of malice far from you. Let not the words of the Holy Spirit fail you, and knock on the doors of the Scriptures with the hands of virtues. Then dispassion of heart will shine in you and you will see your mind star-like in prayer” (M.C. 24). What is this state in which the dispassionate contemplate during prayer “their own radiance of their mind illuminating them” 709, or see their mind “shining” 710 and “star-like” 711? Of course, this state has nothing to do with sensory ideas, which Evagrius attributes to demonic counterfeits 712. What we are talking about here is a true “illumination” experience. The verb “to contemplate” and the noun “light” serve as metaphors for the concepts “to know” and “knowledge” 713, and “to illuminate” means “to bestow knowledge” 714, for “God is light” (1 John 1:5) 715 and “ever present knowledge” 716. Being created “in the image of God” (Gen. 1:27), the mind also has the “light” of knowledge, which is peculiar to it, but not by “nature”, but as a “gift” or as a “lamp” given to it 717. When the mind is cleansed of passions, “renewed in knowledge” (Col. 3:10) 718 and enters, by the grace of God, into a “prayerful state,” he contemplates in himself, with his “right eye” and “as if in a mirror” 719, the blessed light of the Holy Trinity 720. In other words, he recognizes himself as the “image of God,” as the “place” of the presence—by grace—of the Trinity Divinity. “When the mind, having put off the old man, puts on the man of grace, then during prayer it will see its state as like sapphire, or the color of heaven, which Scripture also calls the place of God, which the elders saw under Mount Sinai (see: Ex. 24:10)” (M.C. 18). Such a state of prayer conceals future bliss: the revelation of the Personality of God in the person of man. In this chapter, Evagrius talks about two more signs of dispassion: a calm attitude towards night dreams 721 and freedom from things that belong to this world. “Just as images reflected in a mirror do not stain it, so things that are on earth (do not stain) the dispassionate soul” (K.G. V, 64). Of course, things as such cannot “stain” the soul, for they are the creations of God. It is “stained” by passions 722, because of which a person abuses things and selfishly alienates them instead of, reflecting creations like a mirror (to use the same metaphor), returning them to the Creator. The mind becomes strong when, during prayer, it does not imagine anything that belongs to this world. Evagrius defines dispassion as “health of the soul” 723. In this chapter he talks about the strength of the mind as a sign of dispassion. This power is manifested in the fact that the mind, despite its natural mobility, ceases to imagine anything that belongs to this world, that is, it is completely freed both from the “images” with which material things necessarily “imprint” it 724 and from the “ideas” 725 that it has formed about these things and which still bind it to them, even if it has reached a state “above the contemplation of corporeal nature.” 726. Freed from images, thoughts and ideas, the mind acquires the ability to “converse with Him (God) without any intermediary,” 727 which is the goal of spiritual work. “Blessed is the mind that, during prayer, has acquired complete insensibility” (On Prayer. 120). “The absence of sensory perception” or “insensibility” (anaisthèsia), which, like sleep, separates the mind from everything sensory 728, Evagrius calls “perfect freedom from material images” 729. This means that sensory objects no longer “impress” or “shape” the mind, and the mind is in “a state in which there are no more forms” 730. This is a meeting with God “face to face” and without intermediaries, in which the mind begins to “The immaterial is immaterial” 731. “When the mind is in the realm of doing (praktikè), it is still immersed in ideas about the things of this world; when he enters (the realm of) knowledge, he indulges in contemplation; when he reaches (the state of) prayer, he finds himself where there are no more forms - this place is called the place of God...” (Sk. 20). The mind, with the help of God, successfully carrying out spiritual work and approaching knowledge, feels little or not at all what belongs to the unreasonable part of the soul, for knowledge delights and lifts its grief, separating it from everything sensual. Pelagian disputes about the role of God's help did not affect the Christian East, which always subtly felt and carefully preserved the secret of the synergy of Divine grace and human efforts based on the free choice of the individual. “Whether we can become virtuous with God’s help depends on us, but whether we will be worthy of spiritual knowledge does not depend on us” (In Ps. 43, 4γ). As a person progresses spiritually, the role of God in this collaboration increases. Not because the importance of man is diminished, but because the “harmony of wills” 732 continues to develop until it becomes perfect in the image of the unity between the Father and the Son (see: John 6:38). This agreement is the fruit of dispassion, which Evagrius also calls a “peaceful state” 733. This inner world brings together and brings into harmony the disparate parts of the human personality 734; a person in such a state can no longer be disturbed by demons from the outside. “Demons are powerless only in the face of wisdom, since they lose the ability to sow their thoughts in the heart of someone who has become wise. Truly, the mind, which has been touched by the contemplation of wisdom, ceases to perceive impure thoughts” (In Prov.3, 15 / Géhin. 30). Previously, unclean thoughts, rising from the unreasonable, passionate part of the soul, “darkened” the mind 735. Now the mind is free and can indulge in its characteristic activity, which Evagrius, depending on the context, calls “wisdom”, “knowledge”, “contemplation” or “prayer”. “When your mind, [kindled] by ardent love for God, gradually renounces the flesh and turns away from all thoughts emanating from feeling, memory and temperament, and at the same time becomes filled with reverence and joy, then consider that you have approached the limits of prayer” (On Prayer. 62). Evagrius compares this process with the ascent of Moses to Mount Sinai (Exodus 24). Describing the “ascension of the mind to God,” 736 he uses biblical imagery relating to “height,” “ascent,” etc. “After all, the soul, with [the help of] God, successfully carrying out [here spiritual] work, when it is freed from the [passions of the sinful] body, it finds itself in those places of knowledge in which the wings of dispassion rest; from here she, having received the wings of that Holy Dove, will spread in contemplation to all ages and rest in the knowledge of the Holy Trinity” (M.C. r.l. 29). This "encrypted" text contains a symbolic interpretation of Psalm 54. “And reh: who will give me a krill like a dove? And I’ll fly and rest. – Krile, like a dove [referring to the Holy Spirit as the source of Revelation 737], is the contemplation of corporeal and incorporeal entities that delight the mind and rest it in the knowledge of the Most Holy Trinity” (In Ps.54, 7β). This “sweet repose” in God 738, which, like sleep, “removes” the mind from everything sensory 739, is the only form of “ecstasy” recognized by Evagrius (he does not consider all other forms in a positive sense). This is not “losing oneself,” but a state of complete and genuine “admiration” 740. Dispassionateness is not possessed by the soul that does not experience any passion in relation to things, but by the one that remains imperturbable even in relation to the memories of them. The path of “hermitage”, which was discussed in chapter 52, is a gradual movement. The ascetic is freed first from vices 741, then from passionate ideas about things, and finally from all thoughts in general 742. And here “memory” plays a decisive role, since demons use it as a lever with which they try to re-awaken passions in the mind towards things. Clearing the memory is therefore one of the most important and difficult exercises of spiritual practice. Evagrius often returns to this topic in his work “The Word on Prayer” (chap. 10, 46, 47 and 62). “When praying, be extremely vigilant in relation to your memory, so that it does not offer you its [memories]. On the contrary, move yourself to conduct [your] ministry. For the mind during prayer can be stolen by memory” (On Prayer. 45). The words “one’s own [memories]” mean either “passionate memories” that are imprinted in the mind as a result of their passionate perception 743 or “pure memories” 744 that remain even after liberation from passions. As Evagrius already said, true dispassion is recognized by a person’s ability to remain “unperturbed” even in relation to simple memories. In a sense, this also applies to anger: one who has overcome empty desires in himself with the help of meekness, which is one of the forms of non-anger (aorgèsia) 745, will remain equanimous, remembering his offenders, and their “images” will not arouse anger and hatred in him. A perfect man does not abstain, and a dispassionate man does not suffer, for patience belongs to one who suffers, and abstinence belongs to one who is troubled by thoughts. This deliberately "provocative" statement, explained in chapter 70, should, of course, be taken cum grano salis 746. Observing the life of the monks, among whom there were exemplary ones 747, Evagrius knew very well that after acquiring knowledge, this fruit of dispassion, one can still fall into sin, and even more serious than before 748. Therefore, he does not at all call for carelessness, and even less so for libertinism, that is, for the denial of all norms and rules! In his work “The Speculative,” which, by the way, is intended for the “perfect,” Evagrius strongly recommends practicing all the virtues, especially “non-anger” 749 and abstinence 750. The meaning of this chapter will become even clearer if we remember what dispassion (apathéia) means for Evagrius. “I call dispassion not the contrition of sin in its effectiveness (for this is called abstinence), but its contrition, suppressing passionate thoughts in the mind, which St. Paul called the spiritual circumcision of the Jew, who is in the secret (Rom. 2:29)” (M.C. 25). In other words, the perfect person does not “practice” in virtue - in the sense that “practice” refers to doing (and not to contemplation) - but “acts as the best skill [he has acquired] suggests” 751. It is a great thing to pray without distraction, but even greater is to sing psalms without distraction. This saying, again somewhat paradoxical, was even included in the collection of apothegmas (Evagre). Its meaning becomes clearer if we consider that we are talking about another sign of dispassion. Psalmody and prayer, the difference between which was obvious to the ancient fathers 752 , are gifts of God’s grace that must be asked for 753 , but they belong to two different “orders,” so to speak. “Psalmody refers to manifold wisdom, but prayer is an introduction to immaterial and slightly varied knowledge” (On Prayer. 85). The Psalms, which reveal the Divine action in the history of creation and salvation, relate in their content to the physical world (physikè) 754, which reflects wisdom “full of variety,” “the manifold wisdom of God” (Eph. 3:10) and the Creator Himself 755. There is something in this “manifoldness” that distracts the mind, causing it to “diffuse its attention” to “multiplicity” 756. “I saw,” he says [that is, Ecclesiastes], the care for sensible things, which God gave to the sons of men before their purification, so that they would take care of them. Their beauty, he says, is temporary, and not eternal, for the pure [after purification] sees in sensory things not only a care for his mind, but also [a way] through which the mind comes to spiritual contemplation. It is one thing for the mind to become imprinted by perceiving the sensible through the senses; another is when he contemplates the logoi of that which relates to the sensible. But this contemplation is accessible only to the pure, and the perception of things through the senses is inherent in both those who are pure and those who are not pure” (In Eccl.3, 10-12 / Géhin. 15). So what does it mean to “sing psalms without distraction”? “And before the Angels I will sing to You. – Singing before the Angels means singing undistractedly, when our mind either carries only those images that are spoken of in the psalms, or does not carry any images. Or perhaps he sings before the angels who understands the meaning of the psalms” (In Ps.137, 1α). In this scholium you should pay attention to the words “before the Angels.” The singing of psalms is inherent in people, especially those who have acquired dispassion, but the singing of hymns is the lot of “contemplatives,” that is, Angels and those who, thanks to their exceptional purity, have achieved “a state similar to that of an angel” 757 . That person sings the psalms “undistractedly”, who, thanks to his purity, has become like the Angels, does not “see” in the words of the psalms anything other than the logoi hidden in material things (physikè). In the multiplicity of manifestations of the “wisdom of God” in the created world, he perceives the “essential wisdom” and in the multitude of logoi he contemplates the One Logos 758. What does it mean to “pray without distraction”? The mind, created in order to pray “even without this body” 759, that is, without this valuable “instrument” that allows the mind to come into contact with the sensory world, carries out during prayer “that action that is characteristic of it” 760 and which is befitting its “dignity” 761. Prayer is facilitated by leading. “The most beautiful thing is knowledge, for it promotes prayer, encouraging the thinking power of the mind to contemplate Divine knowledge” (On prayer. 86). By prayer we should understand “the ascent of the mind to God” 762, when “without any intermediary” 763, exclusively “in spirit and truth,” that is, in the Holy Spirit and the Only Begotten Son 764, the creature converses with the Creator, like a son with his father 765. This is a personal meeting with God: the one who prays “in spirit and truth” praises the Creator no longer in creatures, but in Himself 766. In psalmody, which refers to logoi, that is, indirect Divine manifestations, God is praised “coming from creatures.” This is what distinguishes prayer from psalmody. Why, according to Evagrius, is it so much harder to sing psalms without distraction than to pray without distraction? The fact is that in the multiplicity of Divine manifestations it is extremely difficult to contemplate the Divine logoi without being distracted by material objects. It is even more difficult not to forget that all these logos go back to the One Logos. Considering the miraculous nature of Divine manifestations, this is so difficult that Evagrius insistently calls not to stop halfway, 767 but to rush beyond the contemplation of logoi. Yes, this is much harder than contemplating God Himself, having been granted by God’s grace knowledge, “which delights and elevates his (mind) to grief, separating him from everything sensual” 768. Singing psalms without distraction is a sign of the highest degree of dispassion, which is discussed in this section. Having firmly strengthened the virtues in himself and merged with them, he no longer remembers the law, commandments and punishment, but speaks and acts as the best skill he has acquired suggests. Here Evagrius develops the thought he expressed earlier in chapter 68. Dispassion leads to a genuine and profound change in a person, as well as his entire behavior, in which he is no longer guided by the desire to achieve some “secondary” goals, but by the desire for “the good (chosen) for his own sake” 769. In this temporary and changeable life, the “best skill” can, of course, be lost. And yet it has remarkable resilience. “Virtue is the best skill of the rational soul, thanks to which it becomes averse to vice” (K.G. VI, 21). Because of this stability, Evagrius allegorically calls the “best skill” the “throne” of the mind, “which keeps the one who sits on it in a position of motionless or inactive” 770. Note that the definition of "immobile" applied to the mind (in relation to vice) is absent in another text of Evagrius 771, which is otherwise completely identical to the text cited above. And this is no coincidence. Being a realist, Evagrius understood perfectly well that even those who have achieved dispassion through great labor are not immune from “falling,” which he warns about in his essay “The Speculative” (chapter 37). In other words, relapse can happen even to someone who has fully “recovered.” “How grave is the sin after knowledge has been achieved!” (In Ps. 77, 17ς). Demonic songs set our lust in motion and plunge our souls into shameful dreams. Psalms, hymns and spiritual songs (see: Eph.5:19) call the mind to always remember virtue, cooling boiling rage and quenching desires. Reflections on dispassion are followed by a series of practical considerations and instructions (chaps. 71-90), which significantly develop and deepen what was said earlier. Already in ancient times there was music that brought people into an extremely excited state. Evagrius calls her “demonic.” It should be noted that such music was closely associated with pagan cults. Isn’t that what we sometimes see today?.. “Demon songs and flute melodies relax the soul and destroy its elastic strength, which we must preserve at all times, so as not to cover ourselves with shame” (To the Virgin. 48). These words are addressed to the nun. Evagrius returns to this topic more than once. “A shameless person seeks happiness in his shamelessness, rejoices in it, delights in it; he does not shy away from shameful songs, nor from laughter, which destroys the soul like fire among thorns (cf. Ps. 117:12)” (In Eccl.7, 3–7 / Géhin. 56). To avoid falling into this trap, “The righteous are filled with anger against such passions, indignant against them; He prefers sorrow to such joy, and to such songs he prefers reproof from a wise man” (Ibid.). According to the words of the apostle, the dispassionate must devote himself to “psalms, hymns and spiritual songs.” For the singing of psalms calms the violent nature of the soul, 772 and the “spiritual teaching” contained in them 773 constantly directs the mind to virtue. They also serve as a weapon to combat the fury of “demonic songs.” “Ashes are gone, like bread is eaten, and my drink is dissolved with weeping. – These words are useful for those who at feasts revel in the sounds of flutes and chants” (In Ps. 101, 10ε). The above text, by the way, allows us to understand under what circumstances monks and nuns could hear the sounds of “flutes and chants.” Of course, not in the desert, but during festivities to which they were sometimes invited 774. Evagrius rightly considered attending such events reprehensible. That is why he exhorts the nun Severa with such insistence: “Don’t look at drunken people on holidays and don’t go to strangers’ weddings. For a virgin who does this is unclean before the Lord” (To the Virgin. 14). This instruction applies equally to monks 775. Just as those who fight squeeze their opponents in the grip of their arms and are themselves squeezed by them, so the demons who enter into combat with us also squeeze us, but at the same time they themselves are squeezed by us. For the Psalmist says: I will insult them, and they will not be able to stand (Ps. 17:39). And again: Those who insult me ​​and defeat me, they become weak and fall (Ps. 26:2). Spiritual life is a constant struggle between people and demons. “In the area that relates to the contemplation of beings and the knowledge of the Trinity, there is a great war between demons and us, and in this war the demons try to hinder our knowledge, but we make efforts to know” (K.G. III, 41). You cannot avoid fighting with demons. “He who flees from a useful temptation also flees from eternal life” (Inst. mon. Suppl. 17). And this means that we must constantly fight, fight until we emerge victorious from this struggle. “If in prayer you are resisting any passion or demon that bothers you, remember the words of [the Psalmist]: My enemies will marry, and I will suffer, and will not return until they die. I will offend them, and they will not be able to stand, they will fall under my feet (Ps. 17:38-39) and so on. Speak them at the right time, putting on the armor of humility against your opponents” (On prayer. We must fight until “the enemy retreats,” we must fight “until there is blood” (Heb. 12:4) 776. Victory over the enemy becomes possible thanks to dispassion 777. Rest is associated with wisdom, and ascetic work with prudence. For it is impossible to acquire wisdom without spiritual warfare, and it is impossible to successfully overcome this warfare without prudence. For prudence is entrusted with resisting the fury of demons, it forces the powers of the soul to act in accordance with nature and prepares the way for wisdom. Dispassion, followed by love, and then knowledge 778, Evagrius calls a “peaceful state,” for a person who has achieved such a state “rests” 779 from his labors. And if he rises even higher, then he achieves “rest in the Lord, that is, knowledge of Him,” thanks to which he “enters [God’s] rest” 780, for the Lord Himself makes His abode in him (see: John 14:23). “In a meek heart wisdom will find peace; the soul striving in spiritual work will become a throne of dispassion” (To the monks. 31). “Sweet sleep”, “knowledge of God” 781, “resting in the knowledge of the Holy Trinity” 782, entering “still waters”, that is, knowledge 783, are possible only if “the rational soul acts in accordance with nature” 784, or, in other words, based on the “natural seeds” of virtue sown in it initially 785. The following sayings explain the role of prudence in spiritual success. “Dispassion precedes love, and love precedes knowledge” (To the monks. 67). “Wisdom is added to knowledge, but prudence gives rise to dispassion” (To the monks. 68). “The fear of God gives rise to prudence, but faith in Christ gives the fear of God” (To the monks. 69). It is prudence that teaches us how to use things correctly 786, especially when we are fighting with demons 787. The temptation of a monk is a thought that, rising through the passionate part of the soul, darkens the mind. Chapters 74 and 75 form a pair and fully correlate with chapters 42 and 43 of the essay “The Speculative.” In the latter, however, we are talking about a contemplator, here we are talking about a monk engaged in spiritual work. While the speculative (gnostikos, théôrètikos), living “according to the mind” 788, is tempted by a “false opinion” 789, the monk, devoted to spiritual work (praktikos), is tempted by a thought rising “from the passionate part of the soul,” by which are meant two unreasonable principles - the violent and the desirable. Based on this, Evagrius defines one who devotes himself to spiritual work in the following words: “He who devotes himself to spiritual work is one who piously and righteously spends his life in the mental world” (Sk. 38). “He who devotes himself to the contemplative life is one who creates the sensory world in [his] thought only for the sake of knowledge” (Sk. 39). Thus, the temptations of the speculative belong to the area of ​​knowledge, right faith and Orthodox teaching 790, and the temptations of those who indulge in spiritual work are determined by the attitude of his mind to things and, accordingly, by his mental ideas about them. “A fiery arrow (Eph. 6:16) catches the soul, but a man who devotes himself to spiritual work extinguishes it” (To the monks. 70). If one who devotes himself to spiritual work does not “extinguish” the “fiery arrow” of an evil thought (logismos) 791 and it wounds him, then his mind is darkened, “blinded,” deprived of the “light” of knowledge 792, and the ascetic falls into sin (see the next chapter). The sin of a monk is consent to the pleasure justified by the mind, which is offered by thought. In tempting thoughts, whatever they may be, there is no sin as such. They arise against our will. At the same time, it depends on us whether they will linger in us or not, whether they will set passions in motion or not 793. Sin, therefore, arises from our voluntary consent (autexouston) 794. “Faith is the rational and free will of the soul” (In Ps.115, 1α). And if the sin of a speculator is false knowledge generated by “any passion or lack of vision of the good that is usually sought” 795, then the “sin of a monk” who indulges in spiritual work and is at a lower level of spiritual life is that he voluntarily accepts a passionate thought and agrees to the pleasure that this thought promises. Evagrius often returns to this topic. “Deliver me... from the hand of the sons of strangers. – The hand of the alien sons is a thought that is born in the passionate part of the soul and paralyzes the mind. This hand grabs those who indulge in spiritual work. The hand that seizes those who indulge in the contemplative life is false knowledge about things or their contemplation, which makes the Creator unjust and devoid of wisdom” (In Ps.143, 7ε). Those who devote themselves to spiritual work and those who devote themselves to contemplative life break out of this “grasp” in different ways, each in their own way. “Some demons surround him (the monk) as one who devotes himself to spiritual work, others – as one who devotes himself to a contemplative life. In the first case he overthrows them with righteousness, in the second with wisdom” (In Ps.117, 10β). “Righteousness” is that “yoke” that combines all the virtues 796, and “wisdom” is true “knowledge” 797, which, according to Evagrius, is inextricably linked with the “holy dogmas” of the fathers 798. “Let him who devotes himself to spiritual work fight with the sons of strangers through virtue, and let him who devotes himself to the contemplative life through true dogmas, overthrowing ideas and every exaltation that rebels against the knowledge of God (2 Cor. 10: 4-5)” (In Ps. 26, 3β). Angels rejoice when vice decreases, demons rejoice when virtue decreases. For the former are servants of compassion and love, and the latter are obedient slaves of anger and hatred. The first, approaching, fill us with spiritual contemplation, and the second, approaching, plunge the soul into shameful dreams. In this world, a person is neither an Angel nor a demon 799. Possessing the freedom to choose between the angelic life and the demonic life 800, he is directly on the front line separating two irreconcilable opponents. “In the rational nature that is under heaven, some fight, others help those who fight, and (finally) others wage war against those who fight, constantly and fiercely attacking them. Those who fight are people, those who help them are the Angels of God, and their opponents are unclean spirits” (Ant. Prol.). Despite the fact that Satan easily “disguises himself as an angel of light” (2 Cor. 11:14), the true nature of the forces that influence a person can be recognized by the results of this influence. Even on a mental level. The devil causes anxiety, confusion and fear in a person’s soul, and the Angel with just his word fills it with calmness and inner peace, although his appearance may frighten a person at first 801. Pursuing completely different goals, Angels and demons set people up in completely different ways 802. Moreover, Angels do not necessarily influence a person with meekness alone, as one might conclude from this chapter. “Holy Angels instruct some people by word, others through dreams; they call others to chastity through night terrors, or return them to a virtuous life by striking them” (K.G. VI, 86). Demons rebel against everything that contributes to our salvation. “Of the demons, some oppose our observance of the commandments, others - the contemplation of the nature of things, others - the knowledge of the logoi related to the Divinity, for the science of our salvation consists of these three things” (K.G. I, 10). Virtues do not stop the attacks of demons, but keep us unharmed from them. Virtues are the spiritual “whole armor of God” (Eph. 6:12 ff.), which helps a person to repel the “fiery arrows of the evil one” so that they do not strike him 803. A symbolic interpretation of the various parts of this “whole armor” is already given by the Apostle Paul. Evagrius develops this allegory. “The sword of the mind is the spiritual word, which cuts off from the soul everything carnal or malice and ignorance” (K.G. V, 28). “The shield of the mind is active knowledge that protects the passionate part of the soul from blows” (K.G. V, 31). “The helmet of the mind is spiritual knowledge that protects the rational part of the soul from blows” (K.G. V, 34). Demons are trying in every possible way to deprive us of this “whole armor” of virtues 804, for active virtues erect a powerful barrier in their path, not allowing them to “secretly penetrate” into the “city” of the soul 805. However, as one succeeds in spiritual work, the “demonic attacks” do not weaken at all. On the contrary, they are amplified 806. But the demonic malice breaks down against the ever-increasing firmness of the mind and the tranquility of its “cohabitants” - the fierce and desirable principles of the soul 807. “Just as a rock standing firmly in the middle of the sea cannot be shaken by the waves of the sea, so one who has succeeded in virtues and has completely merged with them will never be shaken by the devil” (Inst. mon. 15). Doing is a spiritual method that purifies the passionate part of the soul. Passions are born as a result of the “abuse” 808 of two irrational principles of the soul - violent and desirable, that is, their use that does not correspond to their original purpose. To heal the “illnesses” of the soul and restore its natural “health” 809, the “Physician of souls,” Christ, uses spiritual work (praktikè) as a medicine, in which Evagrius sees a “method” (methodos) of education, “discipline,” or “path” (hodos). Speaking about spiritual work, Evagrius often uses the word “path” (see Introduction). In terms of meaning, it is much richer than the scientific term “method”, since it very accurately conveys the internal dynamics of spiritual work: the “path” that “leads” and the “path” along which they are “led” 810. “Accept punishment, but not when the Lord is angry. – Punishment [that is, discipline or education: paidéia] is the restraint of passions. This, in essence, constitutes spiritual work in the sense that it represents a spiritual method that allows one to purify the passionate part of the soul” (In Ps.2, 12δ). The role of the “holy fathers,” especially the “spiritual fathers” or “elders” 811, is usually to lead disciples along the “royal path” of spiritual activity, which consists in imitation of Christ, by their example and their instructions. For the student, the “spiritual method” is mainly diligent exercise in “active virtues” 813, which will lead him, with God’s help, to knowledge. Among these virtues, the first place is occupied by righteousness, which embraces all the virtues 814 and makes a person “righteous” 815. In other words, “exercise” means keeping the commandments of God 816, through which a person “seeks” God 817 and finds Him, until he himself is finally “found” by Him. “Let Thy hand be found against all Thy enemies, O right hand Let all those who hate You find Yours. – God's enemies are found by Him, and those who hate Him are found by Him. Through the Law we find God, and through the Gospel we are found by Him. And one more thing: through spiritual activity we find Him, and through knowledge He finds us, who were previously His enemies, who were alienated from society, had no hope and were atheists in the world (cf. Eph. 2:12)” (In Ps.20, 9β). “Seeking” and “finding” God through keeping the commandments and practicing active virtues is the “spiritual method”, that very “straight and narrow” path 818 (see: Matt. 7:14), which allows a person to unite with the One who became a “way” for him, with Christ, God the Word made flesh 819. This method is by no means, as one might easily assume today, a kind of means of self-redemption. It is no coincidence that this path is called spiritual: the Spirit leads along it. The “path” itself is the Person, Christ, and its ultimate goal is the restoration of personal relationships between the Creator and the creature. For the complete healing of the powers of the soul, the implementation of the commandments alone is not enough if the mind does not also inherit contemplations corresponding to them and to each other. Keeping the commandments purifies the mind 820 and makes it dispassionate 821 , which is the meaning and essence of the “spiritual method” 822 . However, not only the passionate, but also the rational part of the soul needs healing, for “perfect healing” of the soul presupposes the restoration of harmony between all its principles 823. Health can be fully restored only if the mind unhinderedly carries out its inherent activities, that is, it is devoted to knowledge. In other words, the mind must free itself from the vice that sits in it, namely, from “ignorance” (agnoia) and “ignorance” (agnosia) 824, if only it does not want to defend itself blindly, like a “fighter in the night” 825, but wants to strive in spiritual work “in a knowing manner” 826. This “experiential knowledge” resulting from the exercise of virtues 827 is of great importance: ascetic deeds alone are not enough. “The mind will be freed from sinful thoughts only when it is deemed worthy to receive knowledge. For doing does not remove all ideas from the heart, but only passionate ideas. Knowledge cuts off all ideas (in general). Having acquired its own contemplations, the mind immediately gets rid of the thoughts sent by the enemy” (In Ps.129, 8ε). By these “contemplations that are inherent in the mind” 828 are meant, for example, “logoi of battle” 829 against demons or the entire vast area of ​​“Judgment and Providence” of God, in which the secrets of created existence are contained. It is impossible to resist all the thoughts that the Angels inspire in us, but it is possible to reject all the thoughts inspired by the demons. For the first thoughts are followed by a peaceful state of soul, and the second thoughts are followed by a state of confusion. Angels and demons inspire us with their thoughts 830. As Evagrius asserts starting from chapter 6, we have the power to reject the thoughts inspired by demons. But why can’t we “resist all those thoughts that the Angels inspire in us”? First of all, because a person is connected with good and evil in different ways. “[Originally] we were seeds of virtue, not [seeds of] vice. For it is not necessary that we, being capable of perceiving something, also have the power of it. For example, we are capable of not being, but we do not have the power of non-being, since powers are qualities, and non-being is not a quality” (K.G. I, 39). This fundamental statement, to which Evagrius often returns, has a direct bearing on “thoughts.” “The demonic thought is opposed by three thoughts that suppress it when it lingers in consciousness: an angelic thought, a thought [arising] from our will, gravitating towards the best, and also a thought born of human nature, prompted by which even pagans love their own children and honor their parents. But a good thought is opposed by only two thoughts: a demonic thought and a thought [arising] from our will, which deviates to the worse. No evil thought comes from our original nature, for from the beginning we were not created evil, if, of course, it is true that the Lord sowed good seed in His field (cf. Matt. 13:24)” (M.C. r.l. 31). It is important to note here that angelic thoughts are akin to our primordial nature; they contribute to the growth of the “seeds of virtue” that are sown in every person, including pagans and sinners. Demonic thoughts are alien to our nature. We can and must resist these “strangers” (not “our kind”), as Evagrius often calls demons. Even sinners are capable of doing this. But we cannot resist all angelic thoughts precisely because of the existence of “natural seeds of virtue.” “For there was a time when vice did not exist, and there will be a time when it will cease to exist, but there was no time when virtue did not exist, and there will be no time when it will cease to exist, since the seeds of virtue are indelible. I am convinced of this by the rich man of the Gospel who, having been judged in hell, took pity on his brothers (see: Luke 16:19-31). After all, pity is the kindest seed of virtue” (K.G. I, 40). Evagrius emphasizes that resisting the temptations of the evil one is not only necessary, but also possible, since they are “alien”, external to us. The evil one has exactly as much power over us as we ourselves yield to him 831. Good is always available to man, for it is rooted in his very nature. Therefore, good will triumph in the end, that is, God will make it triumph, in particular, through His holy Angels 832. This kinship between “the very essence of (our) soul” (as Meister Eckhart will later say) and the actions of Angels, on the one hand, and the alien nature of demonic suggestions in relation to us, on the other, explain why Angels always bring peace to the soul, and demons, approaching it, confuse it, which Evagrius once again reminds of at the end of this chapter (see also Chapters 54 and 56). Love is the product of dispassion; dispassion is the color of spiritual activity; spiritual work is created by observing the commandments; The guardian of the commandments is the fear of God, born of right faith. Faith is an internal good, which is inherent in existing in those people who have not yet believed in God. Already in the Prologue ([8]) we encounter this “ladder of virtues,” which Evagrius often presents in his writings in exactly this form and in this sequence. All of them, or almost all of them, have one thing in common: they lead from faith to knowledge of God by more or less the same number of steps. It turns out that knowledge, the acquisition of which is the goal of spiritual life, is nothing more than a gradual increase in faith. Like Clement of Alexandria, 833 Evagrius calls faith an internal good, meaning by this the ability that was given to man at his creation and which, like all virtues, is “indelible” 834 - the ability to perform that personal act, which we call “faith.” Like all “seeds of virtue,” this good is present in every person, including pagans and atheists. Evagrius gives other definitions of faith. “Faith is the rational and free will (autexousion) of the soul” (In Ps.115, 1α). "Free will" (prohairèsis), or the ability to choose of one's own will (autexousion) between good and evil, stems from the very nature of every rational creature. Evagrius defines this quality as “receptivity” 835. This “susceptibility” determines the possibility and reality of “falling away” from the “original Good” 836. This, in particular, is the difference between the creature, which could not exist, and the Creator, Who “is” and about Whom, strictly speaking, it cannot be said that He can choose 837. In original sin, Evagrius sees a person’s abuse of his inherent freedom of choice 838, an abuse that is a consequence of a lack of faith. Unlike faith, consent to evil is contrary to reason, for it contradicts the meaning of freedom, which lies precisely in consent to good. Can this abuse be justified by the limited knowledge and abilities of the creature? “Faith is consent to what is unseen” (In Ps.129, 4–5δ). This definition, based on Hebrews 11:1, emphasizes the existential aspect of faith: faith is the act through which man, as a created being, completely surrenders himself to the Creator. Faith, like knowledge 839, surpasses the understanding of the creature, for both what is believed and what is known is “invisible.” The content of faith, which Evagrius calls the first and main “active virtue,” is the existence of God 840, which is affirmed in Heb. 11:6. By virtue of the very fact of his creation, man has a “natural” ability to consent to the existence of God. This consent is free, reasonable and meaningful, even if it is beyond human understanding. This is the “right faith”. Only such faith can achieve its natural goal. In another of his works, speaking about the “(personal) faith of baptism” and the “spiritual seal” 841, Evagrius emphasizes the inextricable connection of the “right faith” with the Economy of salvation. It is concretized in “faith in Christ” 842, in whom God revealed Himself, as well as in “true faith in the Holy Trinity” 843, in which God’s revelation about Himself was fully manifested. In the “knowledge of God, worshiped in the Trinity,” “right faith” reaches its perfection. Just as the soul, acting through the body, feels weak members, so the mind, carrying out its characteristic activities, recognizes its own strength and, through what hinders it, finds a commandment that heals the soul. Evagrius proceeds from the fact that human nature consists of three parts - body, soul and mind. “...The body reveals through its actions the soul that dwells in it, and the soul, through its motives, announces the mind, which is its head 844...” (To Melania. 15). If this is the case, does it not mean that as a result of some disturbance the “instruments” of the soul and mind can be “damaged” and that, at the same time, the soul and mind can “correct” these “instruments”, restoring their natural functions? “For just as the sense comprehends sensory [things], so does the mind - [things] intelligible... And just as the senses, when they are sick, require only self-care and then [again] easily begin to carry out their characteristic activities, so the mind, bound by the flesh and filled with carnal ideas, needs [only] faith and correct living, which move with legs like a deer’s and set it on heights (cf.: Ps.17:34)" (On faith. XII, 38). The verse from Psalm 17 implies that “the feet are made so by doing,” and “the setting on high comes by contemplation” 845 . So, if necessary, the mind, having achieved a certain degree of dispassion, prescribes to itself the appropriate medicines to heal the violent and desirable principles, which is what Evagrius wants to say in this chapter. Even Evagriev's speculative man still needs such medicines! 846 The mind leading a passionate battle does not comprehend the logoi of this battle through contemplation and is like one fighting in the night. He who has acquired dispassion easily recognizes the machinations of his enemies. Spiritual life is a struggle, the goal of which is to gain knowledge. “The goal of our battle is the knowledge of creation and the Holy Trinity, and demons are waging a cruel war against us in order to prevent us from this knowledge. But we will still acquire it if we make an effort on ourselves” (Ep. 58, 2). In the “night” of ignorance, which has diminished us due to our submission to sin, the circumstances of this battle remain hidden from us 847. And only “during the day,” with the “light” of knowledge, do they become visible, which is facilitated by prudence, which Evagrius so often mentions when speaking about warfare 848. For “prudence... reveals the deceit of them (demons)” 849. “Thou hast made me wiser than my enemy because of thy commandment. “Having been freed from passions and having become involved in knowledge, the mind becomes more knowledgeable than demons, and often repeats the words of St. Paul: we are not unaware of his devices (2 Cor. 2:11)” (In Ps. 118, 98μγ). When a person comprehends the “logoi of sorrows and temptations”, the meaning and background of warfare, his heart “expands” 850 thanks to the “true knowledge” that is given to his mind 851. And then he experiences the same experience as Job: through overcoming temptations, he learns about the causes of his sorrows, but only after he sees God, not earlier than 852. The fight with enemies, however, does not end there, but takes on a different character. “Comprehension of the logoi of the commandments expands the hearts and facilitates the path of spiritual activity” (In Ps.118, 32ιδ). The limit of spiritual activity is love, and the limit of knowledge is theology; the beginning of the first is faith, and the beginning of the second is natural contemplation. And those of the demons who come into contact with the passionate part of the soul are, as they say, opponents of spiritual activity, and those who bother the rational part of the soul are called enemies of all truth (see: Acts 13:10) and enemies of all true contemplation. For what is said at the beginning of this chapter, see: “The Monk,” Prologue [8], and for what concerns faith, see “The Monk,” especially chapter 81. In spiritual life, two main stages can be distinguished: spiritual activity (praktikè or éthikè) and contemplation (théôrètikè or gnôstikè), that is, an active, ascetic life, and a contemplative-cognitive life. Based on this, Evagrius sees in a person either an ascetic (praktikos) or a speculator (théôrètikos) 853. The Lord loves both, although He prefers the second, because he is closer to Him 854. Demons attack both 855; both have the appropriate means to repel their attacks 856. In the end, the Lord frees both 857. How do demons resist doing and contemplating? “Our enemies set traps for all virtues: they throw nets of cowardice on courage, nets of fornication on chastity, nets of hatred on love. They put arrogance against meekness, against mercy - sympathy, but not for God's sake, but for show; against fasting - the desire for human glory. This is how they act in relation to doing. And with regard to contemplation, what can we say: what kind of traps do the enemies lay in order to deprive him of Orthodox dogmas through heresies!” (In Ps.141, 4α). Based on his own experience 858, Evagrius believes that heresies arise not only due to the fallacy of human thoughts and opinions, but also as a result of demonic suggestions 859. (See also what is said about this in chapters 74 and 75 of the work “The Monk.”) Nothing that purifies the body remains after that with the purified, but the virtues, having purified the soul, remain after that with it, purified. That which pollutes or purifies the body is something external to the body itself. The situation is different with the soul. Its “contamination” with vice is also something secondary and, ultimately, external, but its purity is not. Virtues “purify” us 860, but from the inside, starting from the very roots of our nature, since they were initially sown in the soil of our soul as a “good seed” and are therefore “indelible” 861. That is why they remain in the purified soul, for “there was no time when virtue did not exist, and there will be no time when it will cease to exist” 862. The rational soul acts in accordance with nature, when the desirable part of it strives towards virtue, the fierce part fights for this virtue, and the rational part turns to the contemplation of created things. Although Evagrius views the bodily existence of man in this world as something transitory and transitional, and the irrational principles of the soul (violent and desirable), involved in the sensory and material world, as something secondary 863, these three elements still constitute “human” nature. The point, therefore, is not to suppress irrational principles, even for the sake of achieving the much desired dispassion. It is not enough to feel or not to feel at all “what belongs to the irrational part of the soul” 864, and living “according to the mind” 865 does not mean the need to eliminate two irrational principles. This only means that man, as a being like an Angel 866, is entirely determined by the spiritual component. The angelic state is by no means completely unattainable for humans. “When the furious part of the soul dominates, the soul “becomes wild” [in the literal sense of the word, that is, it is likened to a beast, an animal or, in other words, becomes a “demon”, the symbol of which is wild animals 867]; when the desirable part of it dominates, it becomes like “a horse or a mule” [symbolizing the unreasonable movements of the soul 868]; when, on the contrary, the mind dominates, she is likened to an Angel or even to God” (In Ps.57, 5β). The purpose of the violent part of the soul is to “fight demons” 869 and evil; the natural movement of its desirable part is manifested in the “striving for God” 870; and finally, the mind is created for knowledge (of God and His creation) 871 . Ideally, on this earth one should strive to achieve perfect harmony between the three faculties of the soul. “The one whose mind is always with the Lord [In Ps.72, 23ιε: the words cleave to God are applicable, as they say, to the one 1) who knows the Holy Trinity; 2) who sees the causes of intelligible things; 3) who sees incorporeal beings; 4) who became the contemplator of all ages; and to these four we will rightfully add and put in fifth place the one who has achieved dispassion of the soul], the one whose fierce beginning is full of humility due to the remembrance of God, and whose desirable beginning is entirely directed towards the Lord - he no longer fears our enemies who are found around our bodies.” Evagrius calls the one who has achieved complete peace and found inner unity “the son of God.” “But one should not only seek a union of peace between people (Eph. 4:3), but also in one’s body, and in one’s spirit, and in one’s soul. For when you unite in peace the union of this trinity of yours, then, as united by the commandment of the Divine Trinity, you will hear: Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God (Matthew 5:9)” (Eul.5-6). This is the purpose of spiritual life, as Evagrius understands it. “Even if you spend your whole life in a monastery, but do not acquire virtue, which gives your mind the confidence that you have become the son of God (Matthew 5:9) and have passed from death to life (1 John 3:14), - for the Lord has dwelt in you (2 Cor. 6:16), - do not imagine yourself as an heir to the Kingdom of Heaven" (Inst. mon. Suppl. 6). He who succeeds in spiritual activity diminishes passions, and he who succeeds in contemplation diminishes ignorance. As for passions, their complete destruction will one day occur, and as for ignorance, some say that there is a limit to it, while others say that there is no such limit. Success in spiritual activity and success in contemplation are closely intertwined in the sense that these two processes, strictly speaking, do not follow one another, but as a result of constant development merge into a certain unity. “The increase in virtue and knowledge occurs as a result of the gradual diminution of all vices and ignorance...” (In Ps.88, 49κγ). The process of diminishing evil and increasing good is not limited to the duration of this century, but extends to future centuries. “If vice belittles virtue, then it is obvious that virtue also destroys vice; this will happen in the coming century, until vice disappears...” (In Prov.24, 9f / Géhin. 268). The gradual destruction of evil begins already in this century through voluntary spiritual work, and it will be completed in the future century through forced cleansing “torment” 872. Here it is accomplished “to the extent possible,” and there it will happen “in a necessary manner” 873; here it is “partial”, and there it will be “complete” 874. “Complete deliverance from evil is truly possible” (Ep. 43, 2). Evagrius bases this repeatedly expressed idea about the finitude of evil on the fact that evil is secondary in nature (see: Wisdom 14:13). What about ignorance, non-knowledge, which stems from evil? 875 Ignorance will disappear when its cause 876 disappears. Knowledge, which is compared with this ignorance, is also limited, since its object, the created world, is also limited. There is, however, another type of ignorance that is associated with knowledge. “He whose knowledge is limited, his ignorance is also limited, and he whose ignorance is not limited, his knowledge is not limited” (K.G. III, 63). The difference between these two types is due to the object of knowledge, and not to the knowing subject. “Great is the Lord... and His greatness has no end. – The contemplation of created nature has a limit, and only the contemplation of the Holy Trinity has no limit, for it is ever-present wisdom” (In Ps.144, 3β). Evagrius allegorically interprets this verse from Psalm 144 in his other work, Képhalaia Gnostika. “The limit of natural knowledge is Holy Unity [monas: a state of innumerable unity between the Creator and the creature], but for ignorance there is no limit, as indeed there is no end to His greatness (cf. Ps. 144:3)” (K.G. I, 71, edited version). Regarding one of the beatitudes, the secret of which Evagrius knows, he exclaims: “Blessed is he who has come to unsurpassable knowledge!” (K.G. III, 88). “Exceeding” little by little the manifold manifestations of God in His creations, the mind, being created by its nature, finally reaches its absolute “limit” 877 - “contemplation of the Holy Trinity, boundless knowledge and ever-present wisdom” 878, which it can no longer surpass. “Of the three altars of knowledge, two have a circle, but the third has no circle” (K.G. IV, 88). The image of the “circle,” like the image of the “altar,” is borrowed from Psalm 25 (Ps. 25:6). The phrases “go around the altar”, “describe a circle or circumference” indicate the limitations of the cognizing subject (which is conveyed by the verbs “describe” or “outline” in the sense of “outlining something around with lines”). The phrases “describe a circle”, “draw a circle” (as in the case of the expression “outline a circle of questions or any topic”) mean the acquisition of “knowledge”, “knowledge” 879. In the same allegorical sense, it is said here that the two altars (which denote the knowledge of created things) are “complex”, and the third (the knowledge of the Holy Trinity) is “simple” 880. Since “knowledge of God is possible” 881, God is “ever present knowledge” 882. One day “we will be given true knowledge of the nature of the Unity, in the Trinity worshiped” 883, knowledge into which, like rivers flowing into the same sea, all knowledge about the created world flows 884. In contrast to this knowledge, “ever-essential knowledge” is one (monoeides) 885, for the Divine nature is simple and indescribable, while created nature is “complex” and “describable,” that is, limited 886. So, we will be given knowledge of the Divine Persons in the “unity and singularity” of Their essence 887, but due to the unlimited nature of this essence, the knowledge we receive will turn into unlimited “ignorance”. To “know” God does not mean to “perceive” or “gain” Him, but to be “perceived” or “gained” by Him 888 . Being “the image of God,” the mind has capax Dei, that is, the ability to “reach out to Him (God)” 889, “receptivity to His nature” 890. From here stems the “boundless yearning love for the Divine” 891, the thirst for God, “endless” and “unquenchable,” for God, the source of everything, is inexhaustible. At the end of time, when creatures unite with the Creator in His “singularity” 892 and “God will be all in all” (1 Cor. 15:28) 893, “ineffable peace” will reign and the saved creature will be freed from thirst forever 894. This is the “ultimate beatitude” that Evagrius speaks of in the Prologue ([8]) 895. Things which, depending on their use, are good or bad, produce either virtues or vices. And it depends on prudence to use them for one or the other. In contrast to the Manichaean hostility towards creation discussed earlier, Evagrius constantly seeks to emphasize that no thing is evil in itself, 896 that even demons are not evil by nature. And only vices, due to the incorrect use of things, lead to their alienation from good 898. The opposite is also true. “We do good when we make proper use of what God has given us. For He made everything beautiful in its time (Eccl.3:11) and, behold, it was very good (Gen.1:31)” (In Eccl.3, 13 / Géhin. 16). And this applies not only to created things in general, but, in particular, to our “rational soul” with its three component parts, without which we could not act. “If all wickedness is generated in the mind, in the violent beginning (thumos) and in the desirable beginning (epithumia), and we can use these abilities both for good and for evil, then it is obvious that it is precisely because of their unnatural use that misfortune befalls us. And if this is so, then there is nothing created by God that is evil” (K.G. III, 59). Evagrius already spoke about the role that prudence plays here in chapter 73. In the next chapter he returns to this subject. According to our wise teacher, the rational soul is tripartite. Being in the rational part of the soul, virtue is called prudence, understanding and wisdom; in the desirable part - chastity, love and abstinence; in the furious part - with courage and patience; in the whole soul - righteousness. The business of prudence is to wage war against opposing forces, to defend virtue, to resist vices and to manage average things in accordance with circumstances; it is a matter of understanding to properly manage everything that helps us achieve the highest goal; the business of wisdom is to contemplate the logoi of corporeal and incorporeal things; The task of chastity is to dispassionately contemplate things that arouse unreasonable dreams in us. The work of love is to present oneself to every image of God almost in the same way as to the Prototype, even if demons try to desecrate these images; the matter of abstinence is to joyfully reject all pleasure brought by eating food; a matter of patience and courage - not to be afraid of enemies, to zealously and steadfastly resist dangers; the work of righteousness is to achieve consonance and harmony between the parts of the soul. In this chapter, as in many of his other texts, Evagrius refers to tradition, that is, to the knowledge that he directly or indirectly owes to his teachers. On the one hand, these are authorities in the field of theology 899, and first of all Gregory of Nazianzus, on the other, the holy fathers, spiritual guides, desert fathers, especially Macarius of Egypt and Macarius of Alexandria 900. In this chapter, describing the "natural affairs" of the dispassionate soul, Evagrius summarizes what he learned from his "wise teacher" Gregory of Nazianzus regarding the structure of the soul and its virtuous behavior. The “academic” nature of this knowledge does not make it less significant. Thanks to the teachers of the Church, “Hellenic wisdom” underwent a profound transformation: it was “baptized.” In the teaching of virtues this is immediately evident. Evagrius starts from the four main virtues of the Stoics, which include prudence, chastity, courage and justice. In chapter 44 of his work, The Speculative, he describes their functions with reference to Gregory of Nazianzus (see below). But the Stoic virtues are framed by strictly Christian virtues - understanding and wisdom (see: Col. 1:9), love and self-control (see: 1 Tim. 2:15), as well as patience (see: Rom. 5:3, etc.). According to what Evagrius learned from Didymus the Blind, all these virtues, together with others accompanying them, form an organic unity, which is “refracted” by the facets of our soul - just as light is refracted when passing through a prism - and manifests itself in the form of various virtues 901. The list of virtues listed in this chapter is not exhaustive; there are others that Evagrius mentions in his other writings. Let's look at just a few of the virtues here. Since the soul consists of two parts - rational and unreasonable (which is represented by two forces), and the first of them is intended for contemplation (théôria), and the second for doing (praktikè), the virtues can be divided into “contemplative” and “active” virtues. Righteousness is considered the “chief active virtue” by which people become “righteous” 902 ; it is also called the gate of wisdom 903. Wisdom is “the first gift of the Holy Spirit” 904 and “the first among all virtues” 905. Based on this, we can conclude that wisdom with all its synonymous series, which includes knowledge, understanding, prudence, etc. 906, refers mainly to the “contemplative” virtues, although Evagrius himself, as far as we know, did not use this concept. It is wisdom that opens access to the Trinity God, Who Himself is “boundless knowledge and ever-present wisdom” 907. In the general structure of the virtues, righteousness thus occupies a particularly important place: like a “yoke” 908, it “holds together” the other virtues and serves as a “rule” (kanon) 909 for them. Therefore, Evagrius considers a speculative person who has acquired wisdom through “contemplative” virtues to be a “righteous person” in the highest, biblical sense of the word. As for the ascetic who has succeeded in “active” virtues, thanks to his experience he becomes a “wise man”, a true “friend of God” 910, a “theologian” who draws his knowledge not from books, but falls to the “breast of the Lord” 911, like the “beloved disciple” of Christ (John 13:25), called the Theologian by the Eastern Church. The picture will not be complete if we do not note that, speaking about love in his other writings, Evagrius describes it in the same words as righteousness. Love is the virtue that Christ Himself placed above all other virtues 912; by it His true disciples are recognized 913. This “holy love” 914 is truly more than just a virtue: “our love is Christ” 915 for, in the words of the Apostle John (1 John 4:8), “God is love” 916. He is the “primordial love” 917, the fundamental principle of “holy love.” As for “spiritual love” 918, which Evagrius, without further explanation, identifies with meekness, a trait of Christ Himself (see: Matt. 11:29), then it is “an excellent state of the rational soul” 919, opening the door to wisdom 920, for this love is “the mother of knowledge” 921. Let us note that in this chapter Evagrius does not attribute love to the violent principle of the soul, as he systematically does in his other texts 922. The violent principle, according to Evagrius, is closely connected with the mind, with which it “sits in the heart” 923. In this text he refers to love as a desirable beginning. Perhaps this is a slip of the tongue? Or does Evagrius depart from his usual concept to say something different? Both this chapter and the above-mentioned texts, however, say that the object of love is the neighbor. It is unlikely that Evagrius, as it seems to us, has in mind here “perfect and spiritual love (agapè)” 924, “the highest love (éros)”, which “delights the wise mind to spiritual heights” 925, “ever greater love (pothos) for God” 926, in which our ability to “desire” reaches its highest development. Each of the virtues mentioned in this chapter performs a specific function inherent in it. The following saying from an unknown person once again demonstrates how often Evagrius addresses his “fathers.” “As one elder told me, the soul is the mother of the mind, for it gives birth to it from active virtues. “Soul” he called the passionate part of the soul, which consists of fierce and desirable principles. Through courage and self-control, he said, we acquire wisdom and knowledge of God. Therefore, courage and self-control are the virtues of the fierce and desirable principles” (In Prov.23, 22 / Géhin. 258). This saying applies to one who devotes himself to spiritual work; the following words are addressed to the speculative. “Righteous Gregory taught us that for contemplation itself four virtues are also [necessary]: prudence and courage, chastity and justice. The matter of prudence, he said, is the contemplation of intelligent and holy Powers, regardless of their logoi, for these logoi, as conveyed [to us], are revealed thanks only to wisdom. The matter of courage is firmness in the truths [of Christian doctrine], even when heretics are fighting [against them], and not entering into [the area of] bearing [things]. The property of chastity is the acceptance of [good] seeds from the first Farmer and the rejection of the tares [sown by the enemy] (Matthew 13:25). The matter of justice is the presentation of teachings according to the dignity of each [listener]: some teachings should be presented vaguely, others should be designated through allegorical statements, and others should be explained clearly for the benefit of simple people” (Speculative. 44). The fruit of seeds is harvest, and virtues are knowledge. And just as the sowing of seeds is accompanied by tears, so the harvest is accompanied by joy (see: Ps. 125:5–6). In this chapter, which, without a doubt, was the last in the early version of the work “The Monk,” Evagrius expresses in a few words the essence and purpose of spiritual work. In the scholium on Psalm 125 he explains his thought. “Those who sow with tears will reap with joy. – Those who carry out spiritual work in labors and tears sow tears. And those who receive knowledge without difficulty reap joy. And this word must be approached with all care: we all enter this life with the seeds of virtue. Just as the growth of seeds is accompanied by tears, so the harvest is accompanied by joy” (In Ps.125, 5γ). Spiritual work is the “narrow gate” that is spoken of in the Gospel (see: Matthew 7:13) and which, it would seem, leads not to joy, but to suffering. But those who pass through them gain the “fruits of righteousness” 927, from which the “tree of life” grows (Proverbs 11:30), which is a symbol of wisdom in Evagrius 928. Spiritual work can be likened to a teacher’s “pointer”, which both punishes and teaches 929. It is like a “desert” in which “the people of Israel hungered, thirsted and were tempted” 930. In other words, it is inseparable from “works” 931 and “efforts” 932. As Evagrius likes to emphasize, we are all born with “seeds of virtue,” which are “sown in the soul from the beginning” 933. And in this life we ​​have to cultivate them “in tears” with the hope that someday we will “reap in joy” the “ears of true knowledge” 934. “The righteous life is lived in tears and temptations, but knowledge reveals itself through rejoicing and joy” (In Ps.29, 6ε). But, indulging in hard labor “for six years of spiritual work” 935, languishing from “the intense heat arising (from these labors)” 936, being “scorched” by it 937, like Jacob (see: Gen. 31:40), in whom Evagrius sees a “model” for the ascetic 938, a person is not left without support. He is not forgotten, not abandoned! For when the “harvest” is threatened by “predators” (that is, demons 939), good “winds” come to the aid of the seeds. “Those who are allegorically called here the winds [that is, Angels], bring out the ears of the soul from the shell - so that those who sow with tears will reap with joy” (In Ps.134, 7ε). The labors of spiritual work are followed by the joy of knowing God 940, which correctly indicates that man has “approached the limits of prayer” 941, where he will meet God “without any intermediary” 942, “in spirit and truth,” or, to put it differently, in the Holy Spirit and the Only Begotten Son 943. It is necessary to ask about the paths that the monks before us correctly walked, and to be guided along them ourselves. For there is much good to be found in what they said and did. Among other things, one of them says: “Strict and uniform fasting, coupled with love, quickly brings the monk to the haven of dispassion.” He also delivered one of the brothers from the nightmares that were driving his soul into confusion, ordering him to add to his fast the care of infirm monks. Questioned about this, the elder said: “Nothing extinguishes such passions more than mercy.” Evagrius always considered himself only a link in the chain of patristic tradition, and not its innovator. Everywhere in his work “The Monk” he refers to the testimonies of the “holy fathers” concerning both theology and spiritual activity. Already in his letter to Anatoly (“Monk.” Prologue), he refers to the teachings of the elders in order to explain to his friend the symbolic meaning of the monastic robe and the foundations of spiritual knowledge. In chapter 29, he cites the words of his teacher Macarius the Great about despondency, and in chapter 89 he develops the teaching of Gregory of Nazianzus about virtues. The last ten chapters of “The Monk,” which Evagrius added, apparently, after he completed this creation, represent one of the oldest collections of “sayings of the desert fathers.” Is this not “documentary confirmation” that the teachings of the Pontic monk correspond to the tradition of the “holy fathers” and follow it faithfully? We find similar sayings in the “Tale on Prayer” (chap. 106–109, 111–112) and in “The Speculative” (chap. 44–48). These final chapters essentially summarize everything that was discussed in the previous chapters. Evagrius sees his task as finding true and reliable criteria for his own spiritual life. “Those who take the path of Him who said: I am the way and the life (John 14:6), need to learn from those who walked this path before them, talk with them about what is useful and ask them about what brings good, without introducing into their teaching anything that could become alien to our path” (Ep. 17, 1). However, to remain true to tradition, it is not enough to follow what has been done before. The main thing is to maintain a living connection with the One to whom the path of life leads, with Christ. And this is impossible if we neglect the living links of tradition. Evagrius always speaks of “fathers” in the plural, even if he usually only mentions those of his teachers whom he knew directly. Tradition is a coherent unity in plurality, and not the thoughts of an individual raised into a system. Therefore, when studying the works of the Pontic monk, one should not consider them as some kind of attempt to “distill” the patristic teaching. On the contrary, it should be remembered that the author only testifies to the patristic “path,” and this was his main intention. The “path” to which he testifies is, first of all, the “path of spiritual activity” 944, the “narrow and cramped path” 945, the path of exercise in virtues, which leads us to the “Kingdom of Heaven” 946, that is, to the “knowledge of God” 947. “These many paths lead to one path, which said: I am the way. By many paths one should understand the virtues leading to the knowledge of Christ” (In Prov.4, 10 / Géhin. 45). Christ became the “Way” for us 948, for, as Evagrius likes to repeat, He “became for us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption.” So, Christ became for us not only the path, but also wisdom, that is, knowledge, and therefore life itself, since the knowledge of God is the life of man, 949, as Evagrius asserts following the Apostle John. Those who walked these paths before us with an honest and sincere heart, with their words and deeds, set an example for us to follow. The first saying concerns abstinence. The monastic fast must be “dry,” which involves reducing the amount of water consumed, 950 and also “uniform,” which literally means “without deviation from the rule.” Limiting the diet to bread and vegetable oil 951 is intended to moderate the sensual desire for “various dishes” 952. However, strict abstinence alone, which heals the desired part of the soul 953, is not enough; love should be added to abstinence, for the violent part of the soul also needs healing - through love, which in its concrete manifestation takes the form of meekness 954. “Abstinence tames the body, and meekness makes the mind contemplative” (Ep. 27, 4). This laconic patristic saying contains everything that Evagrius says about the connection between abstinence, love and dispassion. What the Pontic monk writes about in the Prologue is fully consistent with the teachings of the “holy fathers.” The second saying, which correlates with chapters 11 and 21 of this work, concerns the elimination of sinful thoughts born in the violent part of the soul, as well as their consequences, nightmares. “From these verses (see: Proverbs 3:24–25) we learn that mercy drives away the terrible visions that visit us at night. Meekness, gentleness and long-suffering, together with all other virtues that calm the furious part of the soul that is upset, have the same effect. Terrible visions arise from the disorder of the violent principle.” (In Prov.3, 24–25 / Géhin.36). Alas, Evagrius does not name those to whom these sayings belong. In the chapters of his work “Antirrhétikos” (“Refutor”), dedicated to sadness, which is also often the cause of nightmares, he repeatedly refers to Macarius the Great 955 and Macarius of Alexandria 956. Perhaps these sayings belong to one of them. One of the wise men of that time came to righteous Anthony and said: “How can you stand, father, deprived of the consolation received from books?” He answered: “My book, philosopher, is the nature of created things, and it is always at hand when I want to read the words of God.” The words and lifestyle of Anthony the Great, whom Evagrius respectfully calls “the firstfruits of the hermits” 957, were of particular importance for those who came after him, for Anthony was a “righteous” 958 and “perfect” man, and righteousness is the sum of all virtues 959. A righteous person is also rewarded with knowledge, as Evagrius always spoke about 960. The Life of Anthony the Great (chap. 72–80) tells that “pagan philosophers” often came to talk to the founder of monasticism, although Anthony was “unlearned” (agrammatos) in the worldly sense of the word. The saying given in this chapter is not in the Life of the saint. Evagrius, like John Cassian, used living oral tradition as a source: his teacher Macarius the Great knew Anthony personally. And here are Anthony’s “words” about prayer, cited by John Cassian. “Oh sun, why do you bother me? Why do you rise so early, sun, and distract me from the brilliance of the true light? (Conl. IX, 31). In one of the chapters of the creation “Képhalaia Gnostika”, which sounds like a commentary on these words, it is explained what kind of “light” we are talking about. “The world created in thought seems difficult to discern during the day, since the senses distract the mind and [we] are illuminated by sensory light; but at night one can see it clearly, since it is imprinted during prayer” (K.G. V, 42). The “philosopher” who visited Anthony refers to the “wise men of this age” who are convinced that they can give us a lot of “knowledge” 961. But their wisdom has a purely “external” character 962, and all its “wealth” is nothing compared to even a small “fraction” of “spiritual knowledge” 963. “If sensual words communicate about things that relate to the next age, then it is obvious that the wise men of this age will also achieve the Kingdom of Heaven. But if only a pure mind is able to see them, and only a word emanating from such a mind can communicate about them, then the sages of this age will not come closer to the knowledge of God” (K.G. VI, 22). Thanks to the purity of his mind, Anthony had no need for external, bookish wisdom, which philosophers boasted so much about: God's Angels helped him become a “sage and speculative” 964, a true philosopher. The book of Anthony is “the nature of created things”; by reading it, he can always comprehend the logos (by “logos” Evagrius here means both “word” and “cause”), which reveal to him the “Kingdom of Heaven” 965. “Everything will be written in Your book. – The Book of God, into which the pure mind is introduced by knowledge, is the contemplation of corporeal and incorporeal beings. It also records the “reasons” (logoí) concerning Providence and Judgment. Through it, God reveals Himself as the Creator, as the Source of Wisdom, as a Provider and as a Judge. As the Creator, He reveals Himself through beings who came from non-existence into being, as the Source of Wisdom - through the logoi of these beings, as a Provider - through what is useful for us to acquire virtue and knowledge, and, finally, as a Judge - through the various bodies of rational beings, various worlds and the centuries that embrace them” (In Ps.138, 16η). The chosen vessel (Acts 9:15), the Egyptian elder Macarius, asked me: “Why, by holding a grudge against people, do we diminish the power of remembrance of the soul, but by bearing a grudge against demons, do we not suffer any damage?” And I, finding it difficult to answer, asked him to explain the reason for this. Then he said: “Because the first memory of malice contradicts the nature of the violent principle of the soul, and the second corresponds to it.” In addition to the three main faculties (which include the faculties of thinking, anger and desire), the soul has a number of others. “Bless the Lord, my soul, and all that is within me, His holy name. – In the inner man (cf. Rom. 7:22) there is the faculty of understanding, reasoning, contemplation, desire, imagination and remembrance” (In Ps. 102, 1α). The memory belonging to the violent part of the soul must be filled with meekness and directed towards God 966. That is why demons try with all their might to direct her to other objects, especially during prayer 967. Extreme harm is caused to a person by memory malice, “memory of evil” (inflicted on him). “If someone wants to achieve pure prayer and present to God a mind without [evil] thoughts, then he must rule over the violent principle [of the soul] and carefully monitor the thoughts generated by this principle, that is, the thoughts that happen [to us] as a result of suspicion, hatred and memory malice, which especially blind the mind and destroy its heavenly state. Saint [Apostle] Paul also admonishes us regarding this, saying that we should lift up clean hands without anger and doubt (1 Tim. 2:8)” (M.C. r.l. 32). In chapter 24, Evagrius noted that “by nature, the furious beginning of the soul tends to fight with demons and fight for some kind of pleasure.” Since demons know that “the path of those who remember evil” leads “to death” (Proverbs 12:28), they do everything to ensure that the fierce principle fights not with them, but with people, that is, it behaves unnaturally. “However, there is generally no righteous anger against one’s neighbor” (On Prayer. 24). We must love every “image of God” almost as much as the Prototype, “even if demons try to desecrate these images” 968, presenting them as hateful to us. But hatred should not be extended to the sinner, it should be directed only at sin. Being “the image of God,” the sinner always remains worthy of love 969. We now know that Evagrius acquired this spiritual knowledge from his “great mentor and teacher” 970 Macarius of Egypt, whose love for one’s neighbor and truly “divine” patience were proverbial 971. One of the saint’s sayings exactly reproduces what is said in this chapter. "Abba Macarius said: 'If we remember the evil that people have done to us, then we diminish the power of remembering God. If we remember the evil that demons have done to us, then we do not suffer any harm.'" (Apophthegm. Macaire. 36) One day, on the hottest afternoon, when the sun was at its zenith, I came to Holy Father Macarius and, tormented by thirst, asked him for water to drink. He said: “Shadow is enough for you, for many traveling and sailing at this moment are deprived of it.” Then, when I started talking about abstinence, he said: “Be courageous, my son: for twenty whole years I have not eaten bread, water, or sleep to the point of satiety. For I ate the bread, weighing out a small piece; drank water, measuring it in small quantities; and snatched a little sleep, leaning against the wall.” We are talking here not about Macarius the Great, but about his namesake Macarius of Alexandria, the City († 394). Evagrius also calls him “our holy father” 972 and “our holy presbyter” 973, since Macarius of Alexandria was a priest in Kellia. This stern old man was a great ascetic. He prescribed a fasting rule for Evagrius, which may have led to the premature death of the Pontic monk 974. Evagrius nevertheless accepted this rule unquestioningly and even later passed it on to his students 975, taking into account, however, the abilities and capabilities of each of them 976. The words of Macarius (reminiscent of Ezek. 4:10) are reproduced in the teachings of Evagrius himself in almost identical form. For the diet of bread and water, see chapters 17 and 91 of The Monk. As for sleeping in a sitting position, in those days this practice was very common 977; in the Orthodox monastic environment it is still used to this day. One monk received news of his father's death. But he said to the one who brought it: “Stop blaspheming, for my Father is immortal.” There is a certain paradox in this deep saying, which refers us to the Gospel (see: Matt. 12:46 ff.). Evagrius gives it in an anonymous manner, as if it belonged to an unknown person. Meanwhile, Palladius, who for many years was a student and close friend of the Pontic monk, attributes these words to his teacher 978. If we are not talking about a later insertion here, then it is quite possible to assume that the anonymous monk is Evagrius himself. This version is supported by a story conveyed by John Cassian, who lived in the Skete desert not far from the place where Evagrius labored at the same time. The story concerns a brother from Pontus (most likely Evagrius). Fifteen years after this brother left the world, he received a stack of letters from his father, mother and many friends from his native land. Reasoning that reading these letters would cause a storm of passionate emotions in his soul and disturb the peace of mind he had achieved through such hard work, he threw the stack into the fire without opening the letters 979... At the same time, we know from the letters of Evagrius himself that he willingly corresponded with his friends, including his fellow countrymen 980. Thanks to these same letters, we know that Evagrius experienced deep sadness not only over the death of Gregory of Nazianzus, whom he loved as a father 981, but also over the death of his father according to the flesh 982. The question, therefore, remains open. Perhaps in this chapter Evagrius, like St. Paul, speaks of himself in the third person? It is possible, however, that Palladius attributed to his mentor a saying that once so amazed Evagrius that he often quoted it later. Be that as it may, one cannot help but feel the “Evagrian” spirit in these words. “Our fathers are fathers only according to the flesh, but God is the Father of the soul,” we read in one of Evagrius’ letters, in which he mourns the death of his father and, in order to quench his pain, indulges in reflection on the frailty of earthly existence. A certain brother asked one elder: does he allow him, when he comes home, to eat with his mother and sisters? To this the elder replied: “Do not eat food with a woman.” Avoid relationships with members of the opposite sex - this rule applied to both monks and nuns. Where does such severity come from, which would seem absurd to many today? It is due to reasons of a spiritual and ascetic nature. “Refuse to meet with men, so that images of the imagination do not arise in your soul and become a stumbling block during prayer” (To the Virgin. 6). Any contact with sensory objects imprints an “image” on our mind, 983 and if passion is mixed with it, which is inevitable for a person who has not yet reached maturity, then this “image” becomes a stumbling block during prayer, which should be completely free from any sensory representation. Being realists, the holy fathers knew this well. “If you come to a village, do not approach women and do not linger in [long conversations] with them. For just as [a fish] swallows a hook, so the soul, [having swallowed the bait of fornication], will be drawn [to hell]” (To the monks. 83). Playful laughter 984 and physical touching 985 were strictly condemned. Hence the ban on visiting all kinds of entertainment events 986. The ancient fathers were subtle psychologists 987 and, based on their own experience, they knew how weak a person is, especially when he takes the path of monastic life. This is if we talk about women in general. We are talking about mother and sisters here! But this cannot serve as a basis for canceling the rule. “Do not allow yourself to be distracted by family concerns or attachments to your loved ones, but avoid frequent meetings with them for fear that they will deprive you of silence (hésychia) in your cell and involve you in their affairs. As the Lord said: Follow Me, and let the dead bury their dead (Matthew 8:22)” (R.M. 5). For the sake of silence, this inner silence necessary for “pure prayer”, free from any thought, one must sacrifice everything - not only relatives and friends, but also one’s own cell, if people visit it too often (Ibid.), and even one’s homeland for life in a foreign land (xénitéia) (Ibid. 6). In a word, the only “relatives” with whom a monk can communicate are his “spiritual brothers and holy fathers,” for, as Christ said: “Whoever does the will of My Heavenly Father is My brother, and sister, and mother (Matthew 12:50)” (Ibid. 7). One of the brothers had only the Gospel, but he sold that too, giving the money to feed the hungry. At the same time, he uttered a memorable speech: “I sold the book that says to me: Sell what you have and give to the poor (Matthew 19:21).” This touching, many-told story illustrates the "love of poverty" mentioned in Prologue 988. However, renunciation of all property is not the final goal. “When you leave [the world], sell what you have and give it to the poor (Matt. 19:21) and, taking up the cross, deny yourself (Matt. 16:24), so that you can pray without distraction” (On Prayer. 17). On “undistracted” prayer, see chapters 63 and 67 of the work “The Monk.” This truly evangelical “carelessness” gives complete freedom to acquire the only thing necessary. “Do not give up poverty and sorrow, which are the substance of weightless prayer” (On Prayer. 131). Prayer is that “treasure of the knowledge of God” 989, which, according to the promise of Christ, those who have left everything for His sake will inherit 990. Near Alexandria there is an island located in the northern part of the lake called Mareotsky. It was inhabited by one monk, the most experienced of the entire Gnostic army. He said that everything done by monks is done for five reasons: for the sake of God, for the sake of nature, out of custom, out of necessity and for the sake of need to work with hands. He also said: by its nature, virtue is one; it takes on different forms in the powers of the soul, just as sunlight, being formless, usually takes the form of those openings through which it penetrates into rooms. “The most experienced of the entire army of Gnostics” (that is, those who, thanks to their ascetic life, were honored with the knowledge of God) is, without a doubt, Didymus the Blind († 398). He lived on the peninsula of Lake Maryut, and Evagrius, most likely, was personally acquainted with this remarkable scholar, famous for the extraordinary breadth of his knowledge, and considered him a “great speculative” 991. In any case, Evagrius’s student, Palladius, visited Didymus more than once 992. As in chapter 89, Evagrius here conveys “academic” (Hellenistic) teaching that has undergone Christianization. To do something “for the sake of God” means to do good, showing, for example, love of hobbies 993, not for the sake of people or for any other considerations, but “for his own sake,” that is, the good 994. For only God is good, and He is the Giver of good gifts 995. A person does something “for the sake of nature” when, for example, he “loves his children and honors his parents” 996. A person is driven to this by the “natural seeds of virtue” 997, originally sown in his created nature. By “custom” or “usual” 998 it is customary to understand many things, including habits, which can be good or bad. In this case we are talking about the “usual rule” 999 that organizes the life of an ascetic; in particular, this applies to “ordinary prayer” 1000. By “necessity” one should understand, for example, “the needs of the body” 1001, that is, the natural needs of a person for drinking, eating and sleeping, from which the ascetic is not freed, but which he strives in every possible way to curb. And finally, Didim mentions “handicrafts” 1002 - precisely as a characteristic feature of monastic life, and not in general the life of people in ancient times. By “immeasurable zeal for work” one can, for example, recognize whether the “peaceful state of soul” that sometimes visits a monk is a sign of such desired dispassion, or is it demonic delusion 1003. It is touching to read how Didymus, who became blind at the age of four 1004, compares the essence of virtue to light, which, being single and colorless in its nature, explodes into many colors when refracted in glass. The doctrine of the unity of virtue in the plurality of its manifestations, which Evagrius inherited from both Gregory of Nazianzus and Didymus the Blind, is discussed in chapter 89. Another monk said: “I therefore deprive myself of pleasures in order to suppress all motives for anger. For I know that the fierce beginning of the soul always fights for pleasures, confuses my mind and drives away knowledge.” And one of the elders said: “Love does not know how to take care of food and money entrusted to storage.” He said: “I don’t know of a case where demons deceived me twice about the same thing.” These three anonymous sayings touch on issues that Evagrius has already touched upon. Chapter 24 said that “by nature, the violent nature tends to fight with demons and fight for some kind of pleasure,” and that if we, on the contrary, fight with our neighbor and fight for sensual pleasure, then our mind is darkened and falls away from knowledge. Therefore, it is necessary to tear out the very root of evil, that is, to deprive oneself of pleasures, “in order to suppress all motives for anger.” In order for the mind to find pleasure not in “worldly lusts” 1005 (see also: Titus 2:12), but in “spiritual joy,” a triple renunciation is required. “Knowledge cannot be acquired unless one renounces the first, second and third renunciation. The first renunciation is the voluntary abandonment of worldly things for the sake of knowledge of God. The second renunciation is the rejection of vice, which occurs through the grace of our Savior Christ and thanks to the zeal of the person [himself]. The third renunciation is the withdrawal from ignorance of those [spiritual things] that appear to people in proportion to [their inner] state” (M.C. r.l. 25). The second saying reveals the essence of love, which, as stated in chapter 18, “casts into dust not only wealth, but also our very transitory life.” “It is necessary, however, to clearly define the nature of love and what it consists of. Here's what I think about it. Love is the virtue of a rational soul that has achieved perfection through the renunciation of all fleeting desires; this is the quality of a disciple of Christ. For such a one has acquired a love that despises the food, riches, and glory of this world, and has also renounced his very body for the sake of the knowledge of God” (Ep. 60, 3). According to the third saying, in order not to be mistaken “twice about the same thing,” you need to pay attention to yourself. “But when, during temptation, it happens that the mind, being indignant, does not see exactly what is happening, then after the departure of the demon, do the following: left alone with yourself, remember what happened to you, how you started, and what you reached, and at what point you were caught in the spirit of fornication, or anger, or sadness, and how everything that happened to you happened again - find out this clearly and remember well, so that when the demon comes to you, you will expose him and show him the place he is hiding and not follow him anymore. If you want to drive him into a frenzy, then denounce him immediately when he appears, name the first place where he approached you, and the second, and the third; then the demon will become very irritated, unable to tolerate shame. The proof that you spoke to him at the right time will be that the thought flees from you, for it is impossible to resist it when it is clearly convicted” (M.C. 9). Thanks to such close observation of oneself, the mind, if only it has freed itself from passions and acquired knowledge, ultimately becomes “more aware than the demons,” 1006 which are now no longer able to catch it in the same networks. That is why, as a person succeeds in spiritual life, more and more insidious demons come out against him 1007. It is impossible to love all brothers equally, but it is possible to treat everyone dispassionately, being free from resentment and hatred. After the Lord, we should love most the priests who cleanse us with the Holy Sacraments and pray for us; We must honor our elders as Angels, for they anoint us with oil for spiritual struggles and heal us from the bites of wild animals. The purpose of spiritual work, to which this work is dedicated, is love 1008; Evagrius mentioned her perfect sacrifice in the previous chapter. The goal is very high, and Evagrius remains a realist: love in the full sense of the word presupposes reciprocity and can be perfect only between God, Who “is love” (1 John 4:8) and Who first “loved us” (1 John 4:10), and His “image”. Love for God is, first of all, that “perfect and spiritual love in which prayer is carried out in spirit and truth” 1009. And love for one’s neighbor is “spiritual love” 1010, almost the same as for the “Prototype” 1011, because the neighbor is “the image of God.” God, however, must be loved “more than oneself” 1012. If the “image of God” is defiled by demons 1013 and a brother falls into sin, then as the “image of God” he still continues to remain worthy of love, despite his hateful depravity 1014 and his unrequited attitude towards our love. And although, due to inequality between people, love cannot be the same for everyone, we are still able, if we only achieve dispassion, this “color of spiritual activity,” not to repay evil for evil 1015. This is the meaning of spiritual activity: having restored in oneself, with God’s help, the natural state of “health”, to gain freedom from passions, which Evagrius calls dispassion (apathéia). According to Evagrius, love for one's neighbor is manifested mainly in conciliatory meekness. It is by this that a true monk is recognized 1016. On this occasion, Evagrius even says the following words: “A meek layman is better than a hot-tempered and angry monk” (To the monks. 34). It should be emphasized, however, that dispassion has nothing to do with indifference. “Instead of loving me, slandering me, I prayed. “These words teach us that even if someone is at enmity against us, we must pray for our enemies, so that we do not fall into the memory of malice and be excommunicated from knowledge” (In Ps. 108, 4β). The righteous man does not curse - although the “cursing psalms” seem to indicate the opposite - but, following the words of the holy Apostle Paul, he prays for his persecutors 1017. The second part of this chapter unexpectedly allows us to look at an aspect of true monasticism that is extremely rare today, at least in the West: it is about spiritual fatherhood. “Blessed is the monk who considers every person to be a god after God” (On Prayer. 121). Love, which cannot be the same for all brothers, must be special in relation to the “priests”. When Evagrius wrote these lines, he was probably thinking about “our holy priest” 1018, Macarius of Alexandria, priest of the Cells. From the point of view of Evagrius, this special love is associated with the special calling of the priest. Speaking about it, Evagrius first of all mentions “purification” through the “Holy Sacraments” received from the hands of a priest. The collection of apothegmas contains rather little information about what place Holy Communion occupied in the life of the desert fathers. This does not mean that the place was unimportant, but that it was not talked about much. Such information was given as if in passing. So, for example, we know that Evagrius died shortly after “he received Holy Communion in the church on the day of Epiphany” 1019. Along with sacred rites, Evagrius mentions intercessory prayers performed by the priest. “The High Priest is the one who intercedes before God on behalf of every rational creature, delivering some from evil and others from ignorance” (K.G. V, 46). What is meant here is not the ecclesiastical rank, but the “spiritual” priesthood. He is mentioned in one of the letters containing a difficult-to-translate play on words: presbyteros (“elder”) and presbyter (“priest”). “Blessed be God, who has made you worthy of the holy priesthood, that you may baptize souls in virtue and knowledge. This is the spiritual priesthood: to receive spiritual knowledge and turn souls from wickedness to virtue and from ignorance to the knowledge of Christ. For beyond their years, one mind is older than another. That which is incorporeal is also timeless. The mind becomes a true priest when it acquires virtue and knowledge” (Ep. 49, 1; see also: Ep. 47, 2). Behind this aspect, interpreted in a spiritual sense, another aspect appears - spiritual fatherhood. After all, a “spiritual father” is one who “has the gift of the Holy Spirit and through this gift gives life to many in virtue and the knowledge of God” 1020. Therefore, Evagrius calls on the elders, who, as a rule, did not have the priestly rank, to be treated with no less love. He likens the elders to Angels with their saving deeds. “He who has acquired spiritual knowledge will help the holy Angels and turn rational souls from evil to virtue and from ignorance to knowledge” (K.G. VI, 90). This is what the elders do when they “oil” 1021 the knowledge of those who have been entrusted to them for training in spiritual warfare, and when with their instructions they “heal from the bites of wild beasts.” For truly demons are like “wild beasts” 1022. And if Evagrius compares the battle against demons with a “battle against beasts,” then this is by no means accidental 1023. Here, beloved brother Anatoly, what can I say now about spiritual work. This is all that we, by the grace of the Holy Spirit, found on the branches of our vineyard, collecting the ripening harvest from it. If the Sun of Truth (Mal. 4:2), standing at its zenith, illuminates us and the grape bunches become completely ripe, then we will drink the wine made from these grapes, gladdening the heart of man (cf. Ps. 103:15), thanks to the prayers and intercession of the righteous Gregory, who planted me, and the holy fathers, now watering me, and also thanks to the power of Christ Jesus, our Lord, who raised me (see: 1 Cor. 3:6–7), To Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. In the epilogue that concludes his letter to Anatolius, Evagrius summarizes some of his main thoughts. The introduction, which gives a retrospective overview of the literary activity of the Pontic monk, covering a certain period of time, gives reason to conclude that this creation belongs to the last years of his short life. At the same time, however, one should keep in mind the fact that, while “editing” his texts, Evagrius created a full-fledged trilogy, which included works that he originally wrote separately. Before us is the first part of this trilogy. One hundred chapters of the creation “Monk” are devoted to spiritual work (praktikè), which precedes contemplation (gnôstikè), or knowledge of God and His creation on the path of spiritual life. Indulging in spiritual work, we cultivate the “vineyard” of our soul 1024 in the hope that “spiritual grapes” 1025 will grow in it. When, thanks to the Sun of Truth, that is, Christ, Who “grows” these grapes 1026, the “fruits” ripen, from them it will finally be possible to make a delightful “wine” of knowledge 1027. Evagrius humbly emphasizes: what he found while gathering the harvest, he found not himself, but “by the grace of the Holy Spirit,” through whom God revealed it to him (see: 1 Cor. 2:10). “He who opens his heart to spiritual work attracts the Holy Spirit, who reveals to him the mysteries of God” (In Ps.118, 131νθ). At the end of the epilogue, Evagrius again mentions those to whom he owed so much in his life. Among them is the “righteous Gregory” of Nazianzus, “the mouth of Christ” 1028, who ordained Evagrius as a deacon in Constantinople and with whom Evagrius had close friendly relations for many years. This is evidenced not only by the will of Saint Gregory, but also by the letter written by Evagrius to the monk Eustathius on the occasion of the death of the bishop in 390 1029. It is no coincidence that in one of the letters to Gregory we find the same biblical images as in the epilogue. “How long have you remained silent, O man worthy of all admiration, who once planted a branch [of goodness] in me and in your letters watered it with the tenderness of your heart! Perhaps we saddened you a little by not sending you a basket with bunches of our letters? But the reason for this was not me, but the one who later planted a branch of evil in me and covered with shame all those who worked on me. Now, when you have become for me a messenger of repentance, I ask your forgiveness for forgetting about you, and I promise not to do this in the future” (Ep. 46). “Those who labor” over Evagrius are the “holy fathers” who are now “watering” him in the desert: Macarius the Great and, of course, Macarius of Alexandria, as well as Evagrius’s secret keeper Albinus and the “Seer of Thebaid” - John of Lycopolis. But Evagrius is “raised” by Christ Himself, Who “called him out of darkness [sin and ignorance] into the holy and blessed light [knowledge]” (Ep. 58, 6; see also: 1 Pet. 2:9). The following description is based mainly on the work of Palladius “Lavsaik” (Histoire Lausiaque. 38; see also: Lucot A. Palladius. Histoire Lausiaque. Paris, 1912) and on the Coptic version of “The Life of Evagrius” (see: Four Egyptian Hermits (based on Coptic fragments of “Lavsaik”) / Translated from French by V.A. Fadeev; Introduction and commentary by Archbishop Gabriel (Bunge); commentary by Hierom Adalbert (M.: Sretensky Monastery Publishing House, 2018). More detailed information about the life of Evagrius is contained in the work: Bunge G. Evagrios Pontikos. Briefe aus der Wüste. Trier: Paulinus-Verlag, 1986. See the famous "Epistle on Faith" (Epistula fidei). See bibliography in: Miquel P., Guillaumont A., e.a. Deserts chrétiens d'Égypte. Nice, 1993. See: Bunge G. Évagre le Pontique et les deux Macaire // Irénikon. See: Evagrios Pontikos. Briefe aus der Wüste / Ed. G. Bunge. Trier, 1986. S. 54 ff. Without anger and partiality (lat.). – Transl. Moreover (lat.). – Transl. See: In Eccl.5:1–2 / Géhin. 35. See: A. et C. Guillaumont in ed.: Évagre le Pontique. “Traité pratique” ou “Le moine” // Capita practica ad Anatolium / Ed. A. et C. Guillaumont. Paris, 1971. P. 113 s. (Sources chrétiennes; 170–171). More detailed information about this is contained in the publication: Evagrios Pontikos. Briefe aus der Wüste / Ed. G. Bunge. S. 32 ss. In Prov. 24, 27 / Gehin. 291. See: In Prov. 1, 2 / Gehin. 3. In Eccl. 11, 10 1–2 / Géhin. 72; K.G. VI, 84. In Ps. 25, 2α; 72, 21ιδ. See: In Prov. 11, 17 / Gehin. 127. In Prov. 6, 8 / Gehin. 72. In Prov. 19, 16 / Gehin. 198. See: In Prov. 6, 8 / Gehin. 72. In Prov. 15, 24 / Gehin. 142. See: In Ps. 94, 11ζ and onwards. See: In Prov. 4, 10 / Gehin. 45. See: In Prov. 8, 10 / Gehin. 101. See: K.G. II, 69; III, 77 and VI, 44. See our essay: Das Geistgebet: Studien zum Traktat “De Oratione” des Evagrios Pontikos. Köln, 1987. Kap. VI. Monk. 4 (cited from the publication: Philokalia: In 5 vols. M., 1993. (Rep. from the publisher: M., 1895). T. 1. P. 571). In Prov. 7, 12 / Gehin. 93. In Prov. 19, 17 / Gehin. 199. See: Bunge G. Der mystische Sinn der Schrift // Studia Monastica. In Prov. 23, 1.3 / Gehin. 250. See: In Prov. 25, 26 / Gehin. 317. 1In brief (Latin). – Transl. 5See: In Prov. 2, 17 / Gehin. 23. 7In Eccl. 4, 5 / Gehin. 26. 9Sm. See also: About prayer. 33; In Eccl. 1, 13.4–6 / Géhin. 4. 11In Ps. 54, 7β et seq. 13Cit. from: Philokalia. T. 1. pp. 590–591. 23In Prov. 19, 12 / Gehin. 195. 25In Prov. 11, 30 / Gehin. 132. 27M.C. 14; see: Ep. 56, 9. 30See: Apophthegmata Patrum Aegyptorum. Phocas 1 38See: About faith. VII; In Eccl. 7, 2 / Gehin. 55.1. 47See: M.C. 16; Ant. IV, 72. In Prov. 1, 1 / Gehin. 2. See: To Melania. 5 ff. K.G. I, 46; About prayer. 119. In Ps. 5, 19 / Gehin. 65. Synodia (from the Greek syn - “together” and hodos - “way”) - “harmony, unity.” This is a non-institutional community of monastics, a small group of like-minded friends who “travel together” in the spiritual sense, that is, follow “in the footsteps of the holy fathers.” – Transl. About prayer. 139; see also: Monk. 63. Ep. 6, 3; 39, 3; see also: M.C. 24. In Prov. 9, 18 / Gehin. 115. M.S. 1; O.sp. [IV], 2, 1 et seq. Ant. III, 4, 6, 8 et seq. Ant. III, 29; O.sp. [VIII] 3, 12. See: M.C. 23; M.S. r.l. 22. O.sp. [XIII] 6, 1 ff. See: About prayer. 15, 62 and 153. Ant. VIII, 6, 13 et seq. Ant. VIII, 8, 31, 33 et seq. About prayer. 83; To the monks. 98; Monk. 71. See: O.sp. [XIII] 6, 12–13. See: In Prov. 30, 17 / Gehin. Appendice II, 18. P. 489. In Prov. 1, 32 / Gehin. 16. See: K.G. III, 76; V, 11. Vita. K; see: K.G. IV, 38; Monk. 76. See: K.G. IV, 73; M.C. r.l. 27. See: About prayer. 50, 69 and 92. About prayer. 106, 107 and 111. See: About prayer. 104 and 147. See: Ep. 27, 6; O.sp. [XIII] 6 etc. See: K.G. I, 81; M.C. 12. See: Ep. 51, 2; Ant. VII, 26. Quote from: Philokalia. T. 1. P. 637. See: In Eccl. 11, 10 / Gehin. 73. See: M.C. r.l. 22; Monk. 22. See: In Eccl. 6, 10 / Gehin. 52. See: K.G. II, 64; To Melania. 37. See: In Prov. 6, 19 / Gehin. 78. See: Ep. 26; 58, 2 and in other texts. See: Ant. VIII, 41; Monk. 43 and 51. In Prov. 19, 5 / Gehin. 190. See: H.L. 38, 11; see also: Ep. 9, 1. See: In Prov. 16, 10 / Gehin. 144. In Prov. 6, 3 / Gehin. 76. Egyptian mongoose stalking crocodiles. In Prov. 5, 20 / Gehin. 68. See: Ep. 57, 4; K.G. I, 67. See: Ant. VIII, 21; Ep. 19, 2; To a virgin. 5. For a more in-depth study of this issue, see our work: Das Geistgebet (kap. II), as well as our essay “Scanty Vessels” (chap. II). See: Monk. 43 and 51; Ep. 11, 4. Ant. VIII, 10, 21, 23, 28. See: K.G. III, 45 ff. See also: Ant. I, 30.36.39 et seq. See: M.C. r.l. 34 ff. See: In Ps. 30, 4γ and beyond. See: Ep. 61, 1; In Prov. 1, 32 / Gehin. 16. See: In Ps. 143, 1α; 147, 3β. Part instead of the whole (lat.). – Transl. See: In Prov. 17, 9 / Gehin. 157. In Eccl. 5, 17 / Gehin. 42. In Eccl. 3, 10–12 / Géhin. 15. In Eccl. 5, 13 / Gehin. 40. See our work: Das Geistgebet. Kap. IV: Der Zustand des About prayer. 67, 114 and 116. See: In Ps. 68, 29ιζ et seq. See: Monk. 54; About prayer. 139. In Eccl. 5, 7–11 / Géhin. 38, 11. On this subject, see our work: Das Geistgebet. Kap. V: Der Zustand des Gebetes. With reservations (lat.). – Transl. See our work: Das Geistgebet. Kap. I: Psalmodie und Gebet. See: K.G. I, 43; II, 2 et seq. See: In Eccl. 1, 2 / Gehin. 2. In Prov. 18, 16 / Gehin. 184. See: To the monks. 39, 41 and 44. In Eccl.5, 7–11 / Géhin. 38. See: In Eccl. 6, 10–12 / Géhin. 52, 8. See: In Ps. 61, 10ε; Monk. 89. See: In Prov. 1, 32 / Gehin. 16. In Prov. 1, 13 / Gehin. 9. See: In Prov. 15, 24 / Gehin. 142. See: In Ps. 118, 46 –48κ. See: Stromates. VII, 10, 55. See: In Eccl.6, 10–12 / Géhin. 52. In Prov.19, 11 / Géhin. 194. In Prov.30, 17 / Gehin. 294. K.G. I, 3; see: In Ps. 131, 7ε. See: In Ps. 24, 7ε; K.G. II, 11 ff. See: About faith. II, 7 et seq. See: About faith. VII, 23; To Melania. 16. See: About faith. VII, 25; To Melania. 27. See our work: Mysterium unitatis. Der Gedanke der Einheit von Schöpfer und Geschöpf in der evagrianischen Mystik // Freiburger Zeitsschrift für Philosophie und Theologie. Vol. 36. Freiburg, 1989. S. 449–469. See: In Prov. 24, 7 / Gehin. 267. In Prov. 8, 10 / Gehin. 101. See: In Prov. 7, 4 / Gehin. 88. In Prov.6, 1 / Gehin. 69. Ep. 27, 2; see also: Monk. Prologue [8]. See trilogy: Monk. 38; Speculative. 47; K.G. I, 84, and also: To the virgin. 41; Ep. 6, 4, etc. In Prov.3, 18 / Géhin.32. In Prov. 19, 12 / Gehin. 195. About prayer. 62; see also: 15 and 153. See: Apophthegmata Patrum Aegiptorum. Macaire. 32. Ant. IV, 23, 58; VIII, 26. See: H.L. 32, 3: about the Pachomius monks. See: Ep. 16, 3, as well as excerpts given in Chapter. 47. About prayer. 106 and 109; see also: M.C. 5. See: To the monks. 85, 111, 113 et seq. See: In Ps.108, 9ζ; Rom.12:14. For a more detailed discussion of this issue, see our work “Spiritual Fatherhood.” See: In Ps.18, 6β et seq.