Από το βίο του αββά Αγάθωνος
The Tree of the Inner Life
Abba Agathon teaches a brother that bodily labor is like leaves, while guarding the inner person is the fruit, and that without fruit the tree is cut down.
A brother asked Abba Agathon: “Tell me, Abba, which is greater—bodily labor, or the guarding of the inner person?” And he answered: “A human being is like a tree. Bodily labor, then, is the leaves, while the guarding of the interior is the fruit. Since, then, according to Scripture, every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire, it is clear that all our diligence—that is, the guarding of the mind—aims at the fruit. Still, the covering and adornment that the leaves provide are also needed, and those are bodily labor.”1
A Terrifying Ruling
The author reflects on the severity of Agathon's teaching, applying it to those who boast of outward asceticism without guarding the mind, and exclaims in awe at the ruling.
It's remarkable how this Saint ruled concerning all who have no guarding of the mind, yet boast only of practical ascetic effort — saying that every tree that bears no fruit (that is, the guarding of the mind) and has only leaves (that is, the outward practice) is cut down and thrown into the fire. How terrifying your ruling is, Father!
Read the original Greek
Ένας αδελφός ρώτησε τον Αββά Αγάθωνα: «Πες μου Αββά, ποιο είναι μεγαλύτερο, o σωματικός κόπος, ή η φύλαξη του εσωτερικού ανθρώπου;» Κι αυτός αποκρίθηκε: «Ο άνθρωπος μοιάζει με δένδρο. Ο σωματικός κόπος λοιπόν είναι τα φύλλα, ενώ η φύλαξη του εσωτερικού είναι ο καρπός. Επειδή λοιπόν, σύμφωνα με τη Γραφή, όποιο δένδρο δεν κάνει καλό καρπό το κόβουν και το ρίχνουν στη φωτιά, είναι φανερό ότι όλη η επιμέλειά μας, δηλαδή η φύλαξη του νου, αποβλέπει στους καρπούς. Χρειάζεται όμως και το σκέπασμα και ο στολισμός των φύλλων, τα οποία είναι ο σωματικός κόπος».
Είναι αξιοθαύμαστο, πώς αποφάνθηκε ο Άγιος αυτός για όλους όσους δεν έχουν φύλαξη του νου, αλλά καυχώνται μόνο για την πρακτική άσκηση, με το να πει ότι κάθε δένδρο που δεν κάνει καρπό, δηλαδή φύλαξη του νου, κι έχει μόνο φύλλα, δηλαδή την πράξη, κόβεται και ρίχνεται στη φωτιά. Τρομακτική, πάτερ, η απόφανσή σου!
Notes
- 1 ↩σκέπασμα και στολισμός τῶν φύλλων: rendered as the covering and adornment the leaves provide (protection and beauty), not as dressing applied to the leaves.
On Watchfulness and the Guarding of the Heart companion
A daily portion of stillness
Chosen Portion delivers one short contemplative reading and a guided moment of silence each day — the ascent, one step at a time.
Chosen Portion is the paced doorway into this collection: it portions the dense mystical treatises into one daily reading plus guided silence, exactly as the 14-day plan teaches.
- Daily bite-sized excerpts from the contemplative classics, never a wall of text
- A built-in timed stillness practice that grows from 2 minutes to 10
- Gentle progression through the tradition — the app remembers where you are on the ascent