Practical Chapters to Anatolius (the Praktikos, with its prologue on the monastic habit)

Contents

Reading pages: 0–66 · 67–71

1. 0Evagrius explains the monastic habit to Anatolius and introduces his chapters on the practical life.
2. 1Christianity has three parts: practical, natural and theological.
3. 2The kingdom of heaven defined.
4. 3The kingdom of God is knowledge of the Trinity.
5. 4Perception breeds desire, and desire pleasure.
6. 5Hermits fight demons directly; cenobites fight them through careless brothers.
7. 6Remedies for the mind, desire and anger must be used in due time and measure.
8. 7Bread and water cure the craving for varied foods.
9. 8Drinking little water aids temperance.
10. 9Love cannot coexist with wealth; renouncing pleasures defends against sadness.
11. 11Almsgiving and meekness lessen anger.
12. 12Unresolved anger invites nocturnal terrors.
13. 13The demons urge solitude when we are angry and company when we are lustful; do the opposite.
14. 14Dwelling on anger or lust defiles prayer and opens the way to listlessness.
15. 15Anger is meant for fighting demons; demons turn it against men.
16. 16Driving away a brother in anger brings lasting sadness in prayer.
17. 17Gifts, or for the poor a meal, quench resentment.
18. 18Against listlessness the soul should comfort itself with the psalm.
19. 19Stay in the cell during temptation, especially listlessness.
20. 20Vainglory feeds on the efforts against it.
21. 21The joy of knowledge protects against vainglory; until then, practise the practical life.
22. 22Remembering past sins and God's protection produces humility.
23. 23Passionate memories come from passionate experiences.
24. 24Self-control cures bodily passions, love those of the soul.
25. 25The noonday demon besets the whole soul; after the passions are emptied, solitude is sweet.
26. 26Love bridles anger; the rule must be adapted to circumstances, against the demons' tricks.
27. 29Strict self-control is needed when visiting towns.
28. 30Rebuke the tempting demons angrily before praying.
29. 31Observe the demons' patterns; withdrawal is a practice of death; the body is not to blame; undistracted prayer draws attack on the irascible part.
30. 37Signs of dispassion: inner light, calm sleep, undistracted prayer.
31. 39Dispassion extends to memories.
32. 40The perfect need no self-control; undistracted psalmody is greater than undistracted prayer.
33. 42The virtuous act by habit; psalms calm the passions; prudence fights the demons and prepares for wisdom.
34. 43Temptation defined.
35. 47Sin defined as consent to forbidden pleasure.
36. 48Angels bring contemplation, demons shameful images.
37. 49Virtues guard us, not by stopping attacks.
38. 50The practical life defined.
39. 51Commandments must be followed by contemplation.
40. 52Angelic thoughts bring peace, demonic ones disturbance.
41. 53The chain from faith to love.
42. 54The mind finds its weak powers and their remedies by acting.
43. 55Dispassion lets the mind see the enemy's schemes.
44. 56The goals of practice and knowledge, and the demons opposed to each.
45. 57Virtues purify and remain.
46. 58The soul's three parts acting according to nature.
47. 59Practice removes passions, contemplation ignorance.
48. 60Prudence governs the use of indifferent things.
49. 61The virtues of each part of the soul and their works.
50. 62Virtue sown in tears bears knowledge in joy.
51. 63Fasting, prayer and almsgiving heal desire, mind and anger, if not done for show; lingering passionate thoughts keep the mind from God.
52. 65No evil thought comes from nature; evil had a beginning and will have an end, for the seeds of virtue remain.
53. 66Demons attack readers with distraction, yawning and heavy sleep; sober reading is the remedy.
54. 67When a passion flares suddenly, a worse demon has taken over; flee to Christ with prayer, fasting and vigils.
55. 68Guard the heart, for a soul wounded after purification is hard to heal; Christ and the Father raise the dead soul through contemplation and knowledge.
56. 70The renewed mind sees its own state in prayer as the sapphire place of God.
57. 71Through virtue and contemplation the mind sees the light of God's place in prayer.