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The CHRIST[:] as Christ, has essential knowledge; while as creator [he has] the logoi [inner meanings] of the ages; and as incorporeal [he has] the logoi of incorporeal [being]s.
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If any would see the state of the[ir] nous, let them deprive themsel[ves] of all concepts (noemata)[:] and then they will see themsel[ves] like a sapphire or the color of heaven; (Exod. 24:10) but this cannot be accomplished without apatheia, [dispassion] since it requires the cooperation of God who breathes into them the kindred light.
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Apatheia is [the] quiet state of the reasoning soul composed of gentleness and temperance.
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The state of the nous is the noetic (intelligible) height like the color of heaven, upon which the light of the holy Trinity comes at the time of prayer.
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Christ is [the] reasoning nature who has [with]in himself what is symbolized by the dove descending upon him.
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A censer is the pure nous at the time of prayer: it has no matters associated with the senses joined to it.
According to virtue we will be one on the eighth day; while according to knowledge [we will be one] on the last day.
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The kiss of the nous is a blameworthy thing, an impassioned thought (noema) of a sensible concern. And thus the Savior said to the disciples,
Greet no one along the way
of virtue.
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Irascibility (thumos) is a power of the soul destructive of [tempting-]thoughts (logismoi).
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Like a [guard-]dog [lit. dog-like] is the contemplative nous: through the movements of irascibility it hunts down all impassioned [tempting-]thoughts.
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Like a [guard-]dog [lit. dog-like] is the ascetical nous, hunting down unjust [tempting-]thoughts.
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Instruction is [the] denial of impiety and worldly desires.
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Fear is betrayal of the thoughts that come to [our] assistance.
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A Demonic [tempting-]thought is the image of the sensing man, constituted according to reason through which the nous that has fallen [lit. moved] through passion secretly says or does something lawlessly to an idol that is has [allowed] to creep in.
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The anchorite is one who, in the world erected according to reason, dwells justly and piously.
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An ascetical person is one who makes appropriate use of the gifts from God.
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The ascetical nous is one that always receives the thoughts of this world with apatheia.
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There are four ways by which the nous receives thoughts. The first way is through the eyes; the second, through hearing; the third, through memory; the fourth, through temperament [krasis]. Through the eyes it receives only forms of thoughts. Through hearing, [it receives] both forms and unformed [thoughts]; the mind [logos] signifying matters both sensed and contemplated. Memory and temperament [krasis] follow upon hearing, each forming the nous or not forming it in imitation of hearing.
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In bodies there [can be] both equality of essence and difference of essence. While in incorporeal [beings] there is only equality of essence, in [forms of] knowledge there is only difference of essence.
For none of the contemplations is the same except contemplation of the stars. In the Trinity, [there is] only equality of essence [consubstantiallity], for there are no different underlying objects as in [other] contemplations. Nor does [the Trinity] consist of many essences as bodies do.
And by “essences” I mean those that contribute to the composition of a designation that indicates the being of the subject; but not as in the case of incorporeal [beings], although we [may] speak of them as equal in essence [consubstantial] in their receptiveness to the same knowledge.
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Since the nous receives [tempting] thoughts from the five senses, one should ponder from which [they are received] with greatest difficulty. And it is evident that it is by means of hearing, since
a depressing word disturbs the heart of a man
, according to the proverb.
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The nous occupied in ascetical practice is in the thoughts of this world. When occupied with knowledge it is employed in contemplation. When it [attains] to prayer, it is in formlessness, which is called the “place of God”. Then it will see the equality of essence and the difference of essence in bodies, in contemplations, and in God.
That which concerns God clearly pertains to what is impossible, since essential knowledge is obscure and change does not pertain to essential knowledge.
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Some temptations lead to pleasures, others to sadness [depression], still others to bodily pain for human beings.
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The mind sometimes moves from one thought to another thought, sometimes from one contemplation to another contemplation, and then from contemplation to thoughts. But there are also [times] when it moves from an imageless state to thoughts or to contemplations and [then] back again from these to the imageless state. This happens to it at the time of prayer.
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The mind is unable to see the ‘place of God’ in itself unless it has been raised higher than all thoughts of practical matters. And it will not be raised higher unless it has put aside all the passions that bind it to perceptible objects through thoughts. And passion will be put aside through the virtues, and simple thoughts through spiritual contemplation. And this will happen when the light has been manifested to it.
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Demonic thoughts blind the left eye of the soul, which is given over to contemplation of things that have come to be.
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From holy David we have exactly learned what the ‘place of God’ is, for he says: In peace is His place established and his dwelling on Zion (Ps 75:3). The ‘place of God’ is therefore the reasoning soul, and his dwelling [is] the luminous nous that has renounced the desires of the world and been taught to behold the logoi of the earth.
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Prayer is a state of the nous destructive of every earthly thought.
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Prayer is the state of the nous [illuminated] by the sole light of the Blessed Trinity.
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A petition is a conversation of the nous with God requesting supplication, encompassing help or requesting good things.
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A vow is a willing promise of good things.
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An intercession is an invocation presented to God for the salvation of others by one who is greater.
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Hades is a lightless region filled with eternal darkness and gloom.
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The gnostic is a salaried day-laborer.
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The ascetic is a day-laborer, awaiting his payment.
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The nous is the temple of the Holy Trinity
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The incarnate nous is the contemplator of all the ages.
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The impure nous is one that delays over a blameworthy passion [arising from] through perceptible things.
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Desire is the power of the soul that destroys anger.
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The ascetic is one who lives piously and justly [as a free citizen] in the world erected according to reason (dianoia).
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The contemplative is one who shapes the sensible world according to [his] reason (dianoia) solely on account of its knowledge.
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Of the [tempting-]thoughts, some accompany us as living beings [animals], others as human beings. [Accompanying us] as living beings are those that arise from desires and anger; [Accompanying us] as human beings are those arising from sadness [depression], vainglory, and pride; while the ones arising from acedia are a blend [of vices that accompany us both] as living beings and human beings.
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Of the [tempting-]thoughts, some lead, while others follow. Those of pride* lead, those of anger (thumos) follow.
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Of the [tempting-]thoughts that lead, some are likewise in front while others follow. The ones in front arise from gluttony, while those that follow arise from lust.
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Of the [tempting-]thoughts that follow after the first ones, some lead and some follow. Those that lead are from sadness [depression], while the ones that follow are from anger. Thus, as Proverbs says,
a sad word give rises to anger
.
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Of the [tempting-]thoughts, some are immaterial, others have some matter [i.e. objects], and still others have abundant matter [ie. objects]. The immaterial are those from the first pride; those from lust have some matter [ie. objects]; and those from vainglory have abundant matter [ie. objects].
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Of the [tempting-]thoughts, some cause harm over time, others by assent. The latter [harm] by the committing of sin. Those that only [harm] over time are natural. And those that [harm] both over time and by the committing [of sin] are those against nature: the demonic and those that propose vice.
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To thoughts that are good, two [tempting-]thoughts are opposed: the demonic and those proposing vice. To evil [thoughts] three [are opposed]: from nature, from proposing uprightness, and from an angel.
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Of the [tempting-]thoughts, some have external matter [ie. objects] , while those of lust [have matter [ie. objects] ] from the body.
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Of the [tempting-]thoughts, some arise from the fallen [lit. ‘moved’] soul, while others arise externally by means of demons.
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Of the unclean [tempting-]thoughts: some depict God as unjust, others as prejudiced, others as impotent, and still others as without mercy. [Depicting God as] unjust are those arising from lust and vainglory; as prejudiced, the [tempting-]thoughts originating from the second pride; as impotent, those arising from the first pride; and as unmerciful, the rest.
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Of the [tempting-]thoughts, some [remain and] accompany us as monks; others [with us as] men of the world.
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EVERY [tempting-]thought is followed by pleasure except the [tempting-]thought of deep sorrow [depression].
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Of the [tempting-]thoughts, some are preceded by fantasies of their own [items of] knowledge, others by [items of] knowledge.
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The first of all [tempting-]thought[s] is love of self; after it [come] the eight.
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Some [tempting-]thoughts arise from requesting [seeking]; others arise from the common struggle.
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Some thought form [imprint] the mind [dianoia]; others do not form it. [The ones that] form it are things that arise from sight; [the ones that] do not form it are such things arising from the other senses that [remain and] accompany us.
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Of the [tempting-]thoughts, some are according to nature, while others are contrary to nature. And contrary to nature are those [arising] from desire and anger; while according to nature are those [arising] from father, mother, wife, and children.
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Among the [tempting-]thoughts, only the [tempting-]thoughts of vainglory and pride [remain and] accompany us after conquest of the other [tempting-]thoughts.
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To cause injury [mislead] is common to all thoughts.
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Of the fallen passions, some are moved by memory, others by the senses, still other by demons.
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All the impure [tempting-]thoughts are from desire or from anger or from deep sadness [depression] chain the nous.
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Only the [tempting-]thoughts of deep sadness [depression] are destructive of all the [tempting-]thoughts.
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The thoughts arising from sensation are five; those from memory are ten. Of these, five are pure if they are accomplished well; five are impure if they are accomplished badly. From angels there are five spiritual [concepts]; there are five from demons. Of these, those from [?a]vision are five: from [1] good and [2] evil memory; [3] from an angel; [4] from sight, and [5] from demons. Of these, two are evil: [1] from evil memory; and [2] from demons imitating a vision. There are three pure [thoughts]; but the imageless are twenty-eight.
