Philosophy is science
about the fallacies of human thought.**

Once upon a time there lived a Simpleton and a Sage. The sage was nicknamed so for his intelligence and extensive knowledge of science. The simpleton did not have such education. Although he loved to listen to the wise speeches of the Sage about various phenomena of life, he himself understood little about it.

One day they were walking along the road to the Temple. At first the path was smooth and comfortable, walking along it was easy and pleasant. But then holes, potholes, puddles and mud began to appear on the way. It became harder and harder to walk.

How could the road to the Temple be so abandoned? - the Sage was surprised. - People probably go to the Temple a different way.

“But I don’t see anything else,” answered the Simpleton. – On the left is an insurmountable swamp, on the right is the dense Philosophical Forest, it won’t take long to get lost there.

How dense is he? Look how many paths it has! One of them will definitely lead to the Temple,” the Sage objected.

How do you know which is the right path?

By compass, of course. I’ll determine the azimuth - and I won’t get lost. It’s so nice in this forest, look how beautiful it is! Went!

No, I don’t understand these compasses and azimuths. I trust my eyes more than all sorts of scientific things. When you walk along the road, you always see the Temple ahead of you, and in the forest there are only trees around! Therefore, I will go straight, and, I hope, I will overcome all difficulties with God’s help.
- Well as you know! If you want to knead dirt, that’s your business. Apparently, this is a road especially for people like you – simpletons and ignoramuses.
And they each went their own way. A simpleton - he makes his way along a straight but difficult road through holes and potholes, tries to get around puddles and mud. Although the road was difficult, it soon led to the Temple. The Simpleton washed the roadside mud in a stream and entered the Temple.
And the Sage walks through the forest, admires flowers, listens to birds, and eats raspberries. It’s good, it’s nice to walk along forest paths - no dirt, no dust, only green grass tickles your feet and pleases your eyes. And how many of these paths there are! One is more tempting than the other! The wise man does not choose the road anyhow, but scientifically: he checks the compass and tries to follow the azimuth. I followed one path, but soon it turned in a completely different direction. I went down the second one - again it was not the same one. There were already many paths, but none led to the temple. The Sage became sad: he spent so much time searching for the right road - and all in vain. Of course, it’s nice to be in the forest, but I also really want to get to the Temple. The simpleton, the ignoramus, has probably been standing in the Temple for a long time, praying. And he, so wise and educated, keeps wandering around in the forest, unable to find the right path. The Sage finally got tired of this and prayed: “Lord, help me get to the Temple!” Yes, and I went straight along the required azimuth, through an impenetrable thicket, windbreaks, and swamps. He tore all his clothes, scratched his legs and arms, almost drowned in the swamp, but still made it to the Temple with God’s help. God bless!

_________________

* – The title of the parable contains the first part of the saying of St. Ambrose of Optina “Where it is simple, there are a hundred Angels, and where it is sophisticated, there are not a single one.”

** – The words of the learned Archbishop Vladimir, who was previously an inspector and professor in St. Petersburg, are taken as an epigraph. Academy. I will quote this story in full:

The archbishop came to the seminary for an exam in philosophy. The best student was called. He answered boldly on his ticket. And then the bishop asked him a question:
- Tell me: what is philosophy?
The best student immediately remembered its definition in the textbook and began briskly: “Philosophy is the science of being and its essence,” etc., etc.
- And you taught all this?
“Yes,” the young philosopher answered in bewilderment.
- And crammed?
The seminarian remained silent.
- So forget all this. I'll tell you what philosophy is. Philosophy is the science of the errors of human thought.

The Reverend (in the world Alexander Grenkov) was born on November 21 or 23, 1812. He studied at the Tambov Seminary and taught at the Lipetsk Theological School. In 1842 he became a monk. In 1860 he became the chief confessor Optina Desert. The outer life of the elder in the monastery proceeded as follows. His day began at four or five in the morning. At this time, he called his cell attendants to him, and the morning rule was read. It lasted more than two hours, after which the cell attendants left, and the elder, left alone, indulged in prayer and prepared for his great daytime service.

At nine o'clock the reception began: first for the monastics, then for the laity. The reception lasted until lunch. At about two o'clock they brought him meager food, after which he was left alone for an hour and a half. Then Vespers was read, and the reception resumed until nightfall. At about 11 o'clock the long evening ritual was performed, and not before midnight the elder was finally left alone. For Russian culture, the close relationship of St. Ambrose with writers and philosophers - Fyodor Dostoevsky, Konstantin Leontyev, Leo Tolstoy and Vasily Rozanov - was of great importance. The Monk Ambrose died on October 23, 1891 and was buried in Optina Hermitage. In 1988, at the Local Council of the Russian Orthodox Church, the Monk Ambrose was canonized as a saint of God. His honest relics, found, rest in the Vvedensky Cathedral of Optina Pustyn.

Let us remember the wisest instructions of the Reverend:

Sins are like walnuts - you can crack the shell, but it’s difficult to pick out the grain.

Three degrees for salvation, as stated by St. John Chrysostom: a) do not sin, b) having sinned, repent, c) whoever repents poorly must endure the sorrows that come.

Everywhere there is war, everywhere there is struggle; and only those who strive spiritually, guided by the law of God, receive peace.

Humble yourself, and all your affairs will go well. Humility is about giving in to others and considering yourself inferior to everyone else. It will be much more peaceful.

Where it’s simple, there are a hundred angels, and where it’s tricky, there’s not a single one. Where there is no simplicity, there is only emptiness.

Why is a person bad? Because he forgets that God is above him.

Vanity does not give rest, inciting jealousy and envy, which trouble a person, arousing a storm of thoughts in the soul.

He who gives in gains more.

To speak well is to scatter silver, and prudent silence is gold.

Dejection means the same laziness, only worse. From despondency you weaken both in body and spirit. You don’t want to work or pray, you go to church with neglect; and the whole person becomes weak.

The Apostle Peter gave the net and received the Kingdom of Heaven; the widow gave two mites; whoever has millions, let him give them away; and whoever has nothing, let him give freely.

You don’t have to believe signs, and they won’t come true.

The fear of God is the beginning of the cleansing of conscience.

When you go to bed, baptize your bed and cell with the prayer “may God rise again.”

Don’t want to see anything in your dream, otherwise you’ll see it with horns. Bad dreams come from three things: from condemnation, from vanity and from overeating.

Where it’s simple, there are a hundred angels, and where it’s tricky, there’s not a single one. (Elder Ambrose of Optina)

On the distant northern island, three elders prayed in tears:
“There are three of you in Heaven, three of us. Have mercy, save us, O God!
Do not yet forget the unfortunate, the widows and the sick and the orphans.
Have mercy on us, Lord, who have fallen and who raise their hands to You!”

From morning to night, three gray-haired women are on their knees in tears.
And they pray, pray, pray for the world, which is bogged down by sins.

Once a merchant ship was sailing on the sea. There is a bishop on it.
In golden crosses and awards, he sailed to the monastery.

And then I suddenly recognized it about the elders. He immediately hurries to the captain.
“Respect! I will never forget, people are talking about a miracle!”
We swam to the island, that is. The priest comes out. And so:
Three elders in tattered dresses, blinding with gray beards.

They fell at the priest’s feet and their hands kissed him.
But the priest raised them: “What are you talking about! Tell us your life!
How do you feed yourself here on a distant, forgotten island?
Are you saying all your prayers? What psalms do you sing?"

Heartfelt eyes lowered, and quietly one says:
“We don’t know Psalms, Master. Our prayer is simple:
Oh, Life-Giving Trinity! Save this world to the end!"

“And that’s it?” the bishop was surprised. “Well, I’ll teach you
The most important prayer, the Lord’s Prayer, is like a ray!
And in the cold it warms, in the heat it gives relief.
It’s like a sword that cuts off enemies and leads straight to the Truth.”

And then, after an hour or two, the ship returned to its course.
And the elders read a prayer, baptizing those sailing on their journey...

It’s nice and calm on deck, it’s time for the evening dawn.
The stern priest thought, sitting quietly at the stern.

He keeps looking and looking at the sea. And thoughts float in silence.
“And what is that bright dot there, getting closer and closer to me?
But what is that bright cloud that seems to be running after us?
How wonderfully it flares up, like a ray of heaven, shining!

Queen of Heaven, Mother! Three elders are running on water!
God bless and have mercy. All three are following the wave!"

Having reached the boat across the water, they call the priest. They shout:
“Forgive the despised old people, forgive us for Christ’s sake!
We forgot the Main Prayer, because our memory failed us.
Repeat it, father, remind me of the Holy Words!”

The priest fell to his knees, his face already in tears, and said:
“Oh, humble and wonderful elders, it is not for me, however, to teach you.
Your prayer is also fulfilled, the Lord heard you a long time ago!
Continue to pray, brothers. It seems to be destined to be so by God."

The elders took their leave humbly and walked on the water again.
And above them, sparkling rays, the radiance shone in the darkness.

2015

Reviews

Nina, hello! Just the other day I watched a video on an Orthodox channel with a parable on the same topic! I really liked it. And today your wonderful work, thank you! Thank you for the poems, for everything you do with God’s help! God bless you!

The daily audience of the portal Stikhi.ru is about 200 thousand visitors, who in total view more than two million pages according to the traffic counter, which is located to the right of this text. Each column contains two numbers: the number of views and the number of visitors.

3D excursion Monastery Skete Temples For pilgrims Plan of the monastery and monastery Accommodation Sermons Prayer book Library Books, articles Sheet music Publications Audio gallery Audio books Chants Sermons Prayers Video gallery Photo gallery

A new book

The publishing house of our monastery has published a new book - “The Life of the Hieromartyr Veniamin (Kazan), Metropolitan of Petrograd and Gdov, and those like him who suffered the Venerable Martyr Sergius (Shein), the martyrs Yuri Novitsky and John Kovsharov » .

In the new book of the famous Russian hagiographer Archimandrite Damascene (Orlovsky), the reader is offered the life of Metropolitan Veniamin (Kazan) of Petrograd - one of the first holy martyrs who did not sin with their soul or conscience during the persecution that began and gave their life for Christ and His Church .

IN All life is a wondrous secret, known only to God alone. There are no random combinations of events in life - everything is mental. We don't have any knowledge of this or that environment, there are many schools in front of us. lock, but there are no keys. Were there people who discovered this...

all teachings →

Optina
books

Schedule of Divine Services

August ← →

Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat	Sun
			1	2	3	4
5	6	7	8	9	10	11
12	13	14	15	16	17	18
19	20	21	22	23	24	25
26	27	28	29	30	31

Latest photo album

Memory of the discovery of the relics of the venerable elders of Optina

Video

Spiritual conversations with pilgrims

all videos →

And van Mikhailovich Kontsevich spent his summer holidays in Optina Pustyn during the war in 1915. Daily going to the monastery was always instructive for a young student, but the elders, busy with visiting visitors who came to them with all sorts of sorrows, did not specifically devote time to the young stranger. They gave him “to be raised” by Father Joseph (Polevoy), experienced in spiritual life, who had lived in Optina for decades. In the world - director of a bank, he was a widely educated person. During the two months spent by I.M. in Optina, often, after church services, Fr. Joseph invited I.M. to his cell. In a conversation with him, the spiritual world was revealed to the young student.

From Fr. Joseph I.M. heard an incident from the life of Elder Ambrose that was not included in his biography. One day Elder Ambrose, bent over, leaning on a stick, was walking from somewhere along the road to the monastery. Suddenly he imagined a picture: a loaded cart was standing, a dead horse was lying nearby, and a peasant was crying over it. The loss of a nursing horse in peasant life is a real disaster! Approaching the fallen horse, the Elder began to slowly walk around it three times. Then, taking a twig, he lashed the horse, shouting at it: “Get up, lazy one!”, and the horse obediently rose to its feet.

The elder taught the people with folk proverbs and sayings with his characteristic humor. He put his deepest wisdom into well-aimed and witty words for easier assimilation and memorization.

For example, “Where it’s simple, there are a hundred angels, but where it’s sophisticated, there’s not a single one.” “Don’t boast, peas, that you are better than beans: if you get wet, you’ll burst.” “Why is a person bad? “Because he forgets that God is above him.” “Whoever thinks of himself that he has something will lose.” “Speaking well is scattering silver, but prudent silence is gold.”

To one person who was ashamed to admit to sin, he said: “Sidor and Karp live in Kolomna, but sin and misfortune do not happen to anyone?” She burst into tears, threw herself at the Elder’s feet, and confessed her sin. “The Apostle Peter leads the righteous into the kingdom of God, and the Queen of Heaven Herself leads the sinners.”

On All Saints’ Day, Father said: “They were all sinful people, like us, but they repented and, having set about the work of salvation, did not look back, like Lot’s wife.” In response to the remark that we are all looking back, Father explained: “That’s why they push us with rods and a whip, i.e. sorrows and troubles, so as not to look back.”

The Elder said to the one who condemned others: “... they, perhaps, have such a secret good that redeems all the other shortcomings in them, and which you do not see. You have a lot of capacity for sacrifice. But the Lord said: I want mercy, not sacrifice. But you have little mercy... You see your sacrifices and are exalted by them. Humble yourself more in spirit—humility replaces deeds. Endure all adversity and surrender to God.” With these and many other words the elder taught and saved the people who came to him.

From the book by I.M. Kontsevich “Optina Pustyn and its time”

Where it’s simple, there are about a hundred angels.

Proverbs of the Russian people. - M.: Fiction. V. I. Dal. 1989.

See what "Where it is simple, there are a hundred angels." in other dictionaries:

Where it’s simple, there are about a hundred angels; where it is cunning (where it is tricky), there is not a single one. See DIRECTNESS, CLINISHMENT...

He who kisses a lot rarely fails to bite. Caresses in the eyes. A flatterer under words, snakes under flowers. Flattery has no teeth, but will eat you with bones. Flattery seems to eat you with your teeth. Simplicity will lead to a different cunning! Politics is a rotten egg (if you break it carelessly, you’ll be alone... ... IN AND. Dahl. Proverbs of the Russian people

Without further ado it is Evil- do something Without complicating the matter; without unnecessary thoughts, unnecessary undertakings. This means that a person, a group of persons (X) imagines the matter to be simple and clear. Spoken with approval. speech standard. ✦ X does what l. without further ado. unism. In the role... Phraseological Dictionary of the Russian Language

Husband. a spiritual being, gifted with reason and will. Angel of the Great Council, Savior. A guardian angel assigned by the Lord to man to protect him. Angel of light, good, kind; angel of darkness, angel, evil spirit. Someone's angel, saint, whose name is someone... Dahl's Explanatory Dictionary

Wikipedia has articles about other people with this surname, see Minakov. Stanislav Aleksandrovich Minakov (born August 22, 1959 (19590822), Kharkov, Ukraine) Russian poet, prose writer, essayist, translator, publicist. Father of the poet Anna Minakova.... ... Wikipedia

Stanislav Aleksandrovich Minakov (born August 22, 1959, Kharkov, Ukraine) Russian poet, prose writer, essayist, translator, publicist. Father of the poet Anna Minakova. Contents 1 Biography 2 Participation in organizations 3 Awards ... Wikipedia

Stanislav Aleksandrovich Minakov (born August 22, 1959, Kharkov, Ukraine) Russian poet, prose writer, essayist, translator, publicist. Father of the poet Anna Minakova. Contents 1 Biography 2 Participation in organizations 3 Awards ... Wikipedia

Stanislav Aleksandrovich Minakov (born August 22, 1959, Kharkov, Ukraine) Russian poet, prose writer, essayist, translator, publicist. Father of the poet Anna Minakova. Contents 1 Biography 2 Participation in organizations 3 Awards ... Wikipedia

Cosmology in Judaism in the philosophy and theology of Judaism are reflected various ideological problems associated with cosmology (the science of the properties and evolution of the universe) at various stages of the development of this science. Evolution of views... ... Wikipedia

Books

• Guardians of Sarni Nye. Along the Taynynot Atan path. Book 2, Tymnetagin Georgy. In the remote Ural taiga, in a tract among the mountains, lives an amazing woman, whom the Khanty call...