NILE SORSKY(in the world - Nikolai Fedorovich Maykov) (1433–1508) - Russian church and political figure, publicist, one of the ideologists of non-covetousness.

Born 1433, came from peasants. Before becoming a monk, he was a “skoropist” (copyist of books). Between 1473–1489 he traveled to holy places, was in Istanbul, Palestine and Athos, where he became imbued with the ideas of asceticism.

Upon returning to Russia, he founded a monastery on the Sora River near the Kirillo-Belozersky Monastery, where he settled with his like-minded people. There he continued to rewrite liturgical books, accompanying the translations and lists with his own critical comments (“from different lists, trying to find the right one... as much as possible for a bad mind”). This was an unheard of display of intellectual independence at that time, since for most “gamotniks” both books and Scripture were something indisputable and inspired by God.

In 1490 N. Sorsky participated in a church council against Novgorod heretics.

At the next church council in 1503, the grand ducal government raised the issue of confiscating from the monasteries the lands that were in their possession, equal to almost a third of the state's territory, in order to create their own reserve of lands necessary for distribution to the nobles. Nil Sorsky, supported by a number of other Kirillo-Belozersky monks (“Trans-Volga elders”), spoke in favor of government claims to the monastery lands. Together with his closest associates, among whom the monastic prince Vassian Patrikeev stands out, Sorsky called on the church to “not acquire” property, to renounce the desire for hoarding and external splendor, in order to have only what is necessary, “found everywhere and conveniently bought.” Striving for the evangelical ideal, Sorsky considered monastic property to be contrary to true monasticism and, according to one of his opponents, called for “living in the deserts and subsisting on handicrafts.”

The “Josephites” - supporters and followers of the militant church and its ideologist Joseph of Volotsky, who relied on large church land ownership - spoke out against Nil of Sorsky and his associates at the council. Having entered into a deal with the government of Ivan III and promising him support in the fight against large secular feudal lords, the Josephites defended the church’s right to land and other property. Nil Sorsky and his supporters left the council spiritually undefeated and remaining unconvinced. From this time began an almost half-century struggle between the “non-possessors” and the “Josephites”, which did not end even after the death of Nil Sorsky in 1508.

In the literary heritage of Nil Sorsky, a large place is occupied by questions of the psychology of human passions, in the study of which he relied on the traditions of Byzantine asceticism. He highlighted next stages in the development of passions: perception (“addiction”), fixation (“combination”), adaptation (“addition”) and affirmation “captivity”) was completed by dominance - “passion” in its true meaning. Through an effort of will and a change in external lifestyle, a person, from Sorsky’s point of view, must learn to overcome his passions early stages their development. The development of the mystical-ascetic ideas of N. Sorsky is consonant with the spirit of hesychasm (from the Greek “hesychia” - peace - i.e. the mystical teaching of Gregory the Sinaite and Gregory Palamas, according to which the comprehension of faith is possible only as a result of complete renunciation, silence, quietness and modesty, personal experience divine revelations and moral self-improvement). Neil demanded that the monks follow the gospel thesis “let him not work, neither shall he eat,” which became known and popular many centuries later in the ideological schemes of the 20th century communists, who borrowed this thesis for their slogans.

Among the works of Nil Sorsky, the most important place belongs to his messages to like-minded people, including Dedication to the disciples And Monastic Charter, there are also Prayer of repentance, reminiscent of the great canon of Andrei Kritsky, short fragmentary notes, dying Will. All these works provide a deep and subtle analysis of human mental life, imbued with humanity, gentleness and tolerance for human shortcomings.

Neil suggested that the monks decide for themselves who and how much can endure “fasting, labor and prayer,” preferring the internal spiritual prayerful mood to external rituals. Monasticism, he believed, should not be physical, but spiritual. Nile was tolerant of apostates (“let the heretics be strangers to us”), he emphasized, not demanding either cruelty or execution towards them). He protested against the mortification of the flesh, considering much more important the spiritual self-improvement of man, an ascetically modest life, and a conscious renunciation of the blessings of life. Monasteries and monks were supposed to become, according to N. Sorsky, “centers of spiritual enlightenment and consolation,” where there should be no expensive vessels, “gold or silver,” since “what to donate in the church is better to give to the poor.”

Sorsky was critical not only of the carefree life of the monks in the monastery, but also of church literature: “There is a lot of Scripture, but not all of it is divine: some are the commandments of God, some are paternal tradition, and some are human custom.” This attitude towards the sacred texts caused severe criticism from the official church and, as Nil of Sorsky himself wrote, “blasphemy of the miracle workers ancient and new.”

Neil was not a politician and did not have the qualities of a fighter for an idea. Defending the ideas of monastic non-covetousness that were close to him, he shied away from polemics into his hermitage, being faithful to the ideal: “to love silence and not to stand tall in unlovingly bickering conversations.” He urged his students to avoid disputes and conflicts with the defenders of monastic land ownership (“it is not appropriate to attack such people with speeches... and reproach them”).

Striving for contemplative ecstasy, he repeated “This path of life is short. Smoke is this life!”, renouncing both the “world” and the fight against worldly evil.

The ideas of Nil Sorsky and other non-covetous people about the rejection of monastic land ownership after his death covered up the struggle for their lands and for participation in the government of the large patrimonial boyars, who opposed the power of the centralized power of the Grand Duke. Neil's views on monastic "disorder" played a positive role in the improvement of monastic life - however, on a rather limited scale, in the circle of hermitage monasteries, mainly on the outskirts of the Moscow state. The disciples and followers of the “great old man” drew practical conclusions from his teachings, sometimes very far from his mystical-ascetic principles.

It is unknown whether Nil Sorsky was formally canonized. The condemnation of the views of his followers took place a quarter of a century after the death of Nil Sorsky at a church council in 1531.

Lev Pushkarev, Natalya Pushkareva

The meaning of NILE SORSKY in the Brief Biographical Encyclopedia

NILE SORSKY

Nil Sorsky is a famous figure in the Russian church. Information about him is scarce and fragmentary. Born around 1433, into a peasant family; his nickname was Maykov. Before entering monasticism, Neil was engaged in copying books and was a “cursive writer.” More accurate information finds Neil already a monk. Nile took monastic vows in the Kirillo-Belozersky Monastery, where, over the time of the founder himself, a mute protest against the landowning rights of monasticism was kept; Archpriest Kirill himself more than once refused villages that were offered to his monastery by pious laymen. The same views were adopted by his closest students, the “Trans-Volga elders,” led by Nil Sorsky. Having traveled to the East, to Palestine, Constantinople and Athos, Nile spent a particularly long time on Athos and, apparently, owed his contemplative mood most of all to Athos. Upon returning to his homeland (between 1473 and 1489), Neil founded a monastery, gathering around him a few followers “who were of his liking,” and, indulging in a closed, solitary life, he was interested almost exclusively in book studies. Despite these activities and his love for a solitary life, Nil Sorsky takes part in two of the most important issues of his time: about the attitude towards the so-called “Novgorod heretics” and about monastic estates. In the case of the Novgorod heretics, both Nil Sorsky and his closest “teacher” Paisiy Yaroslavov, apparently held more tolerant views than most of the Russian hierarchs of that time, with Gennady of Novgorod and Joseph Volotsky at their head. In 1489, Novgorod Archbishop Gennady, entering into the fight against heresy and reporting it to the Rostov Archbishop, asked the latter to consult with the learned elders Paisius Yaroslavov and Nil Sorsky who lived in his diocese and to involve them in the fight. Gennady himself wanted to “talk” with them and invited them to his place. The results of Gennady’s efforts are unknown; it seems they were not quite what he wanted. At least, we no longer see any relations between Gennady either with Paisius or with Nile; The main fighter against heresy, Joseph of Volokolamsk, does not address them either. Meanwhile, both elders are not indifferent to heresy. Both of them are present at the council of 1490, which examined the case of heretics, and almost influence the very decision of the council: initially all the hierarchs “stood strong” and unanimously declared that “everyone (all heretics) can be worthy” - in the end the council is limited to only by cursing two or three heretical priests, depriving them of their rank and sending them back to Gennady. .. The most important fact in the life of Nil Sorsky was his protest against the landowning rights of monasteries at the council of 1503 in Moscow. When the council was already nearing its end, Nil Sorsky, supported by other Kirillo-Belozersky elders, raised the issue of monastic estates, which at that time amounted to a third of the entire state territory and were the reason for the demoralization of monasticism. A zealous fighter for the idea of ​​Nil of Sorsky was his closest student, the monastic prince Vassian Patrikeev. Nil Sorsky could only see the beginning of the struggle he had excited; he died in 1508. It is not known whether Nil Sorsky was formally canonized; but throughout our ancient literature, only Nil of Sorsky, in the titles of his few works, retained the name of the “great old man.” Literary works of Nil Sorsky - a series of messages, a small Tradition to the disciples, short fragmentary notes, a more extensive monastic charter, a prayer of repentance, somewhat reminiscent of the great canon of Andrew of Crete, and a dying Testament. The most important of them are the messages and the charter: the former serve as a kind of addition to the latter. General direction thoughts of Nil Sorsky - strictly ascetic, but in a more internal, spiritual sense, how asceticism was understood by the majority of Russian monasticism at that time. Monasticism, according to Neil, should not be physical, but spiritual; it requires not external mortification of the flesh, but internal, spiritual self-improvement. The soil of monastic exploits is not the flesh, but the thought and the heart. It is unnecessary to intentionally weaken or kill your body: the weakness of the body can hinder the feat of moral self-improvement. A monk can and must nourish and support the body “as needed without mala”, even “put it to rest in mala”, forgiving of physical weaknesses, illness, and old age. Neil does not sympathize with excessive fasting. He is an enemy of all appearance in general; he considers it unnecessary to have expensive vessels, gold or silver, in churches, or to decorate churches; The church should have only what is necessary, “found everywhere and easily purchased.” What to donate in church, it is better to give to the poor... The feat of moral self-improvement of a monk must be rational and conscious. A monk must go through it not due to compulsions and instructions, but “with consideration” and “do everything with reasoning.” Nile demands from the monk not mechanical obedience, but consciousness in the feat. Sharply rebelling against “arbitraries” and “self-offenders,” he does not destroy personal freedom. The personal will of a monk (and equally of every person) must obey, in Nile’s view, only one authority - the “divine scriptures.” "Testing" the divine scriptures, studying them - main responsibility monk The study of divine scriptures, however, must be combined with a critical attitude towards the total mass of written material: “there is a lot of scripture, but not all is divine.” This idea of ​​criticism was one of the most characteristic in the views of both Nile himself and all the “Trans-Volga elders” - and for the majority of literates of that time it was completely unusual. In the eyes of the latter, such as Joseph Volotsky, any “book” or “scripture” in general was something indisputable and divinely inspired. In this regard, the methods that Neil adheres to while continuing to rewrite books are extremely characteristic: he subjects the copied material to more or less thorough criticism. He copies “from different lists, trying to find the right one,” and makes a compilation of the most correct; comparing the lists and finding in them “much uncorrected,” he tries to correct, “very uncorrected,” he tries to correct, “as much as is possible for his bad mind.” If another place seems “wrong” to him, and there is no reason to correct it, Neil leaves a gap in the manuscript, with a note in the margins: “from here in the lists it is not right,” or: “where else, in another translation, will be found more famous (more correct) than this , tamo let it be honored,” and sometimes leaves entire pages blank! In general, he only writes off what is “possible according to reason and truth...”. All these features, which sharply distinguish the nature of Nil Sorsky’s book studies and his very view of “writing” from the usual ones that prevailed in his time, of course, could not be in vain for him; people like Joseph Volotsky almost accuse him directly of heresy. Joseph reproaches Nil Sorsky and his disciples that they “blasphemed the miracle workers in the Russian land,” as well as those “who were former miracle workers in ancient years and in those (foreign) lands—they did not believe in miracles, and swept away their miracles from the scriptures.” . From the general view of Nil Sorsky on the essence and goals of the monastic vow, his energetic protest against monastic property directly followed. Neil considers all property, not just wealth, to be contrary to monastic vows. The monk denies himself from the world and everything “that is in him” - how can he then waste time worrying about worldly property, lands, and riches? What is obligatory for a monk is just as obligatory for a monastery... The noted features were apparently joined already by Nile himself with religious tolerance, which appeared so sharply in the writings of his closest disciples. This tolerance in the eyes of the majority again made Neil almost a “heretic”... Literary source the works of Nil Sorsky were whole line patristic writers, with whose works he became acquainted especially during his stay on Athos; The works of John Cassian the Roman, Nile of Sinai, and Isaac the Syrian had the closest influence on him. The Nile, however, does not submit unconditionally to any of them; nowhere, for example, does he reach those extremes of contemplation that distinguish the works of Symeon the New Theologian or Gregory the Sinaite. The monastic charter of Nile of Sorsky, with the addition of “Tradition by a disciple” at the beginning, was originally published by Optina Hermitage in the book: “The Venerable Nile of Sorsky Tradition by his disciple about living in the monastery” (M., 1849; without any scientific criticism); recently it was published by M.S. Maykova in "Monuments ancient writing"(St. Petersburg, 1912). The messages are printed in the appendix to the book: "Reverend Nilus of Sorsky, the founder of the monastery life in Russia, and his Charter on the residence of the monastery in translation into Russian, with the appendix of all his other writings extracted from manuscripts" (St. Petersburg, 1864; 2nd ed. M., 1869) With the exception of the “appendices,” everything else in this book does not have the slightest scientific significance. The prayer found in the manuscripts by Professor I.K. in "News of the II Department of the Academy of Sciences", vol. II (1897). - Literature about Nil Sorsky is described in detail in the preface to the study of A.S. Arkhangelsky: "Nil Sorsky and Vassian Patrikeev, their literary works and ideas in ancient Rus'" ( St. Petersburg, 1882). See also: Grechev (in "Theological Bulletin", 1907 and 1908), K.V. Pokrovsky ("Antiquities" Materials of the Archaeological Society, vol. V), M.S. Monuments of ancient letters", 1911, ¦ CLXXVII) and its introductory article to the "Charter" (ib., ¦ CLXXIX, 1912). A. Arkhangelsky.

Brief biographical encyclopedia. 2012

See also interpretations, synonyms, meanings of the word and what NILE SORSKY is in Russian in dictionaries, encyclopedias and reference books:

• NILE SORSKY
  Open Orthodox encyclopedia "TREE". Attention, this article is not finished yet and contains only part of the necessary information. Nil Sorsky (+ 1508 ...
• NILE SORSKY in the Dictionary-Index of Names and Concepts of Old Russian Art:
  Rev. (1433-1508) Russian saint, ascetic and preacher. He took monastic vows at the Kirillov-Belozersky Monastery. Made a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, to Constantinople...
• NILE SORSKY
  (Maikov Nikolai) (c. 1433-1508) founder and head of non-covetousness in Russia. He developed the ideas of moral self-improvement and asceticism. An opponent of church land ownership, he acted...
• NILE SORSKY
  Sorsky (in the world - Nikolai Maikov) (about 1433 - 1508), Russian church and public figure, head of non-covetous people. Got my hair cut in...
• NILE SORSKY
  I know figure of the Russian church. Information about him is scarce and fragmentary. Genus. around 1433, belonged to a peasant family; his nickname...
• NILE SORSKY
  ? famous figure of the Russian Church. Information about him is scarce and fragmentary. Genus. around 1433, belonged to a peasant family; nickname...
• NILE SORSKY in the Modern Encyclopedic Dictionary:
  
• NILE SORSKY in the Encyclopedic Dictionary:
  (Maikov Nikolai) (about 1433 - 1508), founder and head of non-covetousness in Russia. He developed the ideas of moral self-improvement and asceticism. Opponent of the church...
• NILE SORSKY
  (Maikov Nikolai) (c. 1433-1508), founder and head of non-covetousness in Russia. He developed the ideas of moral self-improvement and asceticism. An opponent of church land ownership, he acted...
• NILE V Encyclopedic Dictionary Brockhaus and Euphron:
  Nil Sorsky - I know. figure of the Russian church. Information about him is scanty and fragmentary. Genus. around 1433, belonged to a peasant family; nickname ...
• NILE in the Bible Dictionary:
  (from “nilas” - dark) - the greatest river in Africa, the basis of the physical existence of Egypt. The Nile has an amazing originality - it floods then...
• NILE in the Bible Encyclopedia of Nikephoros:
  (Jeremiah 2:18) - the greatest river in Egypt and in all...
• NILE in the Dictionary-Reference Book Myths Ancient Greece,:
  - god of the Nile River. He was considered one of the first kings of Egypt and the creator of the irrigation system. Father of Memphida, wife of King Epaphus of Egypt, ...
• NILE in the Directory of Characters and Religious Objects Greek mythology:
  In Greek mythology, the deity of the river of the same name in Egypt. Nile is the son of Ocean and Tethys (Hes. Theog. 337 next). Associated with …
• NILE in the Ancient Egyptian dictionary-reference book:
  the main river of Egypt, in antiquity was sometimes seen as the border between Asia and Africa. Due to its navigability and periodic spills, it is beneficial…
• NILE in the Brief Biographical Encyclopedia:
  Neil - Bishop of Tver, originally Greek; formerly he was abbot of the Moscow Epiphany Monastery; died in 1521. He owned the “Epistle to ...
• NILE in the Pedagogical Encyclopedic Dictionary:
  , Neil, Neill (Neill), Alexander Sutherland (1883-1973), English teacher; supporter of free education. In 1921 he organized private school in Dresden (from...
• NILE in the Big Encyclopedic Dictionary:
  in Greek mythology, the god of the Nile River. He was considered one of the first kings of Egypt and the creator of irrigation...
• SORSKY in the Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brockhaus and Euphron:
  (Neil) - see...
• NEAL PROV. in the Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brockhaus and Euphron:
  reverend; was prefect of constants, around 390 he retired to one of the monasteries of Sinai, d. around 450. Works by N.: “Letters” ...
• NEAL EP. TVERSKAYA in the Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brockhaus and Euphron:
  Bishop of Tver, originally Greek; formerly he was the abbot of the Moscow Epiphany Convent; mind. in 1521. He owns “Epistle to a certain nobleman ...
• NEIL SPIRIT. WRITER in the Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brockhaus and Euphron:
  (in the world Nikolai Fedorovich Isakovich) - spiritual writer (1799-1874). Completed a course in St. Petersburg. spirit. academician, was inspector and rector of spiritual...
• NIL ARCHIMANDRITE OF NIKOLO-UGRESH MORAL in the Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brockhaus and Euphron:
  (in the world Nikolai Lukich Sofonov, d. 1833) - archimandrite of the Nikolo-Ugreshsky monastery; ex. "Historical sketch of the Nikolaev Berlyukovsky Hermitage" (M., ...
• NILE
  STOLOBENSKY (?-1555), monk of the Krypetsky Monastery, founder of the Nilova Hermitage near Ostashkov (1528), patron of the Seliger region. Rus canonized. Orthodox ...
• NILE in the Big Russian Encyclopedic Dictionary:
  SORSKY (in the world Nikolai Maikov) (c. 1433-1508), church. activist, ideologist and leader of non-covetous people. Developed mystic-ascetic. ideas in the spirit of hesychasm...
• NILE in the Big Russian Encyclopedic Dictionary:
  (modern Egyptian name El-Bahr), r. in Africa (in Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, Sudan, Egypt), the longest in the world (6671 km), pl. ...
• SORSKY in the Brockhaus and Efron Encyclopedia:
  (Neil) ? cm. …
• NILE
  An Egyptian river teeming with...
• NILE in the Dictionary for solving and composing scanwords:
  Blue vein...
• NILE in the Russian Synonyms dictionary:
  name, river, ...
• NILE in the Complete Spelling Dictionary of the Russian Language:
  Neil, (Nilovich, ...
• NILE in the Modern Explanatory Dictionary, TSB:
  (modern Egyptian name El-Bahr), a river in Africa, (in Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, Sudan, Egypt), the longest in the world (6671 km), ...
• NILO-SOR DESERT in the Orthodox Encyclopedia Tree:
  Open Orthodox encyclopedia "TREE". Nilo-Sora hermitage in honor of the Presentation of the Lord (inactive, Vologda diocese). It is located 15 miles from the city...
• NEIL POSTNIK in the Orthodox Encyclopedia Tree:
  Open Orthodox encyclopedia "TREE". Neil the Postnik, Sinai (+ 451), disciple of St. John Chrysostom, Rev. Memory 12...
• NEIL (TYUTYUKIN) in the Orthodox Encyclopedia Tree:
  Open Orthodox encyclopedia "TREE". Neil (Tyutyukin) (1871 - 1938), hieromonk, martyr. In the world Tyutyukin Nikolai Fedorovich. ...
• NEAL (ISAKOVICH) in the Orthodox Encyclopedia Tree:
  Open Orthodox encyclopedia "TREE". Neil (Isakovich) (1799 - 1874), Archbishop of Yaroslavl and Rostov. In the world Isakovich Nikolai...
• NILE (RIVER IN AFRICA) in the Great Soviet Encyclopedia, TSB:
  (modern Egyptian name - El-Bahr; Latin Nilus, Greek Neilos), a river in Africa. Length 6671 km. The pool area is 2870 thousand...
• NIKOLAY SERBSKY in the Wiki Quote Book:
  Data: 2009-06-02 Time: 16:14:49 __NOTOC__ Saint Nicholas of Serbia (1880-1956) (Nikolaj Velimirović), Bishop of Ohrid and Žić, a prominent theologian and religious philosopher.- ...
• JOHN (BERESLAVSKY) in the Wiki Quote Book:
  Data: 2009-05-09 Time: 08:35:05 = Archbishop John. From the book “I Believe in the Triumph of Holy Orthodoxy” = M.: New Holy Rus', ...
• ARCHBISHOP JOHN (VENIAMIN YAKOVLEVICH BERESLAVSKY) in the Wiki Quote Book:
  Data: 2009-02-04 Time: 20:27:38 = From the book “Repentant Fire” = ""First edition in 1982, Samizdat, under the literary pseudonym Yakovlev"" ...

“It is fitting to bow down to the Father in spirit and truth.”

The Venerable Nil of Sorsky (1433–1508), “dangerously and gracefully practicing monasticism,” reveals in the history of the Russian Orthodox Church a rare original image - serving “in spirit and truth.” Most of his contemporaries, both church leaders and laity, sharply disagreed with him in their understanding of the basic issues of Orthodoxy and church activity. The church hierarchy decisively and definitely takes part in Russian state-political construction, and in the activities of its individual representatives this direction is revealed very clearly; worldly interests are taken to heart, and very little attention is paid to the religious and moral influence on the flock. On the other hand, by this time in the sphere religious relations Formal and legalistic concepts are created and reinforced in the writings of church leaders. Gradually, traditions of religious life are being created instead of religious rites, the implementation of which is interpreted as the main task believer; the religious and moral side is relegated to the background, dogma is not only not learned, but such knowledge is considered harmful and unacceptable for a layman, for whom even “the sin of the honor of St. The Gospel and the Apostle,” and for his edification and guidance the apocrypha is given instead. “The book” closes the spiritual vision of truth, “bookishness” replaces theology; church formalism is the path to salvation; it contributes to the discoloration of church society and belittles the personality of the believer, and, according to opinion, protects from heresy, for “all passions mother opinion, opinion is the second fall.” And large ones church leaders, like Joseph of Volotsky and Metropolitan Daniel, in general the entire so-called “Osiflian” direction considered only this path to be correct and the only one for the Orthodox. “First, let’s take care of bodily beauty, then about internal preservation,” said the representative and founder of this trend. That was the ideal, and church man closed in it or was closed by the conditions of life. “I am a rural man,” Elder Philotheus characterized himself a little later, “I am learning letters, but I have not read Greek greyhounds, and I have not read rhetorical astronomies,” nor have I been in conversation with wise philosophers, “I am learning the letters of the gracious law, in order to powerfully cleanse my sinful soul.” from sin." By the middle of the 16th century, the formalist trend had become so crystallized in church life that people, like Maxim the Greek or Elder Artemy, who tried to develop a deeper understanding of Orthodoxy, to understand it more spiritually, fell under the judgment of the hierarchs as heretics. However, opposition is also beginning to emerge within the church - the desire to enter Orthodoxy more deeply; replace external asceticism with internal, spiritual, behold, contemplate the Truth itself... Among the forests, on the banks of rivers and lakes, “above eternal peace”, in Zamoskov and Trans-Volga regions, the Russian monk keeps within himself the images of the first Russian saints - the Pechersk Ugodniks and St. Sergius Radonezh. Life on earth divided them into two opposite currents. Some are desert lovers, others are abbots - masters of communal living. A hermitage over a quiet lake in the midst of a noisy forest is the desire of the first; the monastery, surrounded by golden fields and bustling countryside, is the province of others. The monastery is Sergius of Nuromsky (d. 1412), Pavel Obnorsky (student of St. Sergius of Radonezh), Savva of Vishera (d. 1460, stylite), and, finally, the most bright representative, Etc. Neil Sorsky. They were put forward by their opponents (d. 1515), who, through his literary and church-political activities, formalized and minted the “Osiflan” ideology. Our task is not to clarify all the sides and details of this struggle; we are interested in revealing some features of the philosophical and theological system of Nile of Sorsky, the creation of which contributed to this struggle and the implementation of which was already undertaken by the students and followers of Nile of Sorsky. The elder himself did not enter into polemics, directing all his attention to issues of inner spiritual life, seeking resolution of his doubts in “smart action” and “sobriety of the heart.”

Nil Sorsky, a sensitive religious nature, could not come to terms with religious-ritual formalism. Neil's sentiments and views were not new and original in the Orthodox (universal) Church, but for Ancient Rus', where he brought the ideas of the “hesychasts” from Byzantium, he remained alone and the first with his contemplative moods - “mental prayer” and “smart doing”; he developed and substantiated the idea of ​​monastic life, and was the founder of the Russian eldership; he became, in the words of his life, “the head of the monastery’s silent life in great Russia.” His entire personality exudes extraordinary spiritual freedom. This is not a “scribe-reader”, but a thinker-psychologist, a thinker-theorist, for whom one value is moral self-improvement through the contemplation of the Truth. The world with its activities does not attract him; on the contrary, it is an obstacle on the path of repentance and salvation...

A monk of the Kirillo-Belozersky Monastery, one of the strictest monasteries of that time, Nil Sorsky very soon was not satisfied with monastic life, especially since the monastery at that time was experiencing internal turmoil under the new abbots after the death of St. Kirill B. Perhaps, under the influence of these events, the ascetically minded monk goes to Bl. East, to Athos. If we turn to the works of the Rev., we notice that this journey left a deep mark on the soul of the elder and directed all his further activities as an elder and spiritual writer. Nile of Sorsky had to get to Athos when the dispute between the “Barlaamists” and the “Hesychases” ended in the victory of the latter, secured by a council that anathematized Varlaam and his supporters. The study of patristic literature, life and conversations with Athonite monks led Nile’s spiritual quest to certain decisions, eliminated doubts and strengthened him on the path of “smart doing.” Ephraim the Syrian, Maximus the Confessor, Isaac the Syrian, Simeon the New Theologian, Gregory of Sinai, Neil of Sinai, John Climacus - the leaders and sources of his spiritual aspirations. He is also familiar with the works of the Great Cappadocians, with the works of Athanasius V. and Pachomius V. - Unsatisfied, upon his return, with the life of Cyrillo.-B. monastery, Nil Sorsky, drunk and inspired by Athos, left the monastery: “they moved far from the monastery, having found a place pleasing to my mind by the grace of God, which is of little use to a worldly child,” as he wrote in a letter to his disciple Herman. Solitude, isolation, oblivion of the world became the main features of his character; and his appearance at the councils of 1490 and 1503. were not to his liking, and took place under pressure from church and secular authorities. Here, in solitude, his views were finally formed, set out in the Charter, Tradition, Testament and other minor works, mainly epistles. They are all whole and united in their inner spirit; all their attention is directed to finding out the only true path to salvation.

A person’s entire life - the path of continuous self-improvement - is based on the Holy Gospel. A person endowed with personal conscious will must build his life according to Holy Scripture. And the elder shows a lot of psychological understanding of mental struggle and outlines clear paths for “graceful struggle.” Moral, internal, spiritual improvement - “smart work” and “sobriety of the heart” - this is the ideal” foundation of the active, fruitful life of a believer. “Bodily work is precisely a leaf; internal, that is, spiritual, there is fruit.” This is the path not only for the monk, but also for those who exist in common lives,” as Gregory of Sinaite points out, and those who want “to be truly saved in these times must follow it. For Nil of Sorsky, what is primarily interesting is the inner spiritual life of man, his fall, his passions and the struggle with them. She is a “mental battle” with passions. The sinfulness of human nature already provides the basis for the susceptibility of sin, attracts temptation “to the mind,” and the devil and demons are waiting for this moment in order to influence a person in this regard. It is necessary and possible to stop a thought, but this is not always possible and not for everyone. A weak soul, drawn by thoughts, enters the path of sweet “inclination to sin” and falls into “captivity.” This state “nests in the soul for a long time” and turns into a passion for a person, thing, thought. “Reasonable and graceful struggle” - distance from the object of passion, solitude, prayer - “smart prayer.” Solitude and prayer - “putting the mind deaf and dumb during prayer” - is a creation of the Jesus Prayer.” “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me,” he says, “many, strong and patient.” You can create while standing, sitting, lying down, “closing your mind in your heart” and “holding your breath as much as possible.” If prayer does not help from bowing to the passions, then kneel down and bow your head. When the body is exhausted, sing psalms and prayers. It's better to do this alone, at night. At the moment, during hours of spiritual struggle, spend the day reading Holy Scripture, singing psalms, prayers at equal periods of time; you can practice and physical labor . All this contributes to “mental warfare” with temptations. And if the grace of God in the creation of prayer gives relief, “acts on the heart,” then only do the Jesus Prayer. With the spiritual action “the soul moves towards the Divine”, the mind admires, joy boils in the heart, joy attacks the body.” Simeon the New Theologian describes his state during “mental prayer” this way: “Kia the tongue will utter! What will the mind say? What word will it say? It’s scary, truly scary, and more than words; I see the light of his own world, sitting in the middle of the cell on a bed; I see within myself the Creator of the world, and I talk, and I love, and, feeding on the goodness of a single vision and being united to him, I go to heaven. And this is known and true. We don’t know where the body is then. And talking about the Lord, he said: He loves me and hides me in his arms, and in the future in heaven, and in my heart, he sees me here and there.” “The struggle is long and difficult, but there is no need to fall into despondency or despair. “Let us not be rejuvenated, let us not be discouraged, let us never be discouraged, let us never cease from the flow of our path.” The grace of God is with us, we are under its cover. We must remember this everywhere and always with fear and humility. “For to stand in virtue is not yours, but that grace is, carried in the palms of your hands, keeping you from all those who oppose you.” Maintaining our life must therefore be carried out in such a way “that with all our mind and feeling we work for God and live in truth, and God’s truth and will,” and fulfill His commandments. A day of prayer, handicrafts spent in solitude and silence, moderation in food contribute to the serenity of soul and body, this is protection and strengthening. Sleep is not prohibited, but is even recommended, since it is “of short duration, an image of another eternal sleep - death. Therefore, they approach sleep reverently, with prayer, so that passions do not come in sleep. Such a pastime protects against passions, and the latter are eight; gluttony, fornication, love of money, anger, sadness, despondency, vanity and pride. – The first two thoughts are closely connected with human nature, with his physical lusts. In contrast to Joseph Volotsky, who precisely established the measure and time of food, Nil Sorsky approaches this issue with a deeper understanding. It is impossible to establish a measure of food, since it is different for everyone; the quality is different. The main thing is that it should not be a “sweetness” and an end in itself, no matter how simple and meager it may be. Everyone must “establish as much as he can strengthen the strength of his body, not for sweetness, but according to need, and he accepts this thanks to God... However, it is impossible to embrace nature with a single rule, since the bodies have great differences in strength, like honey and iron from wax." It is not necessary to strictly follow the instructions of the holy fathers about the time of eating, since they indicated according to local conditions, and the living conditions of a monk in Rus' are very different from those in Palestine or in general in the Great East. “For this reason it is fitting for us to create against time, as it is fashionable to eat,” notes the elder. – “Great feat” - the fight against prodigal passion. Many, especially young monks, turned to the elder for advice on ways to combat this thought. The struggle here must be decisive and as soon as a thought arises, there are different methods. “We walk in the image of an angel,” and therefore “it is useful for me,” says Nil Sorsky, “during the army of fornication, we should reflect on ourselves in what image and dispensation we are, as if in the image of an angel we walk and how we can trample our conscience and reproach this image to the saint, that is an abomination.” But introspection must be supported by prayer, repentance with strong faith in the mercy of God. The love of money is “I will cure the disease of nature from lack of faith and unreason.” Its destructiveness is great: in it there is a forgetfulness of God’s goodness and care. Worship is replaced by “idolatry.” To save yourself from “suffocating passion” you need to be modest in your lifestyle, in your everyday things. Sin is not only in the love of money, but also in the desire for it. In close connection with this are the Reverend’s thoughts about monastic life and monastic estates, developed in detail in the “Tradition” to the disciples. Their life should be built “from the righteous labors of their handicraft.” It is not the monk who should receive alms, but give it himself - “for monastic alms, to help a brother with a word in time of need and to console sorrow with spiritual reasoning”... There is no need to strive for excessive decoration of churches, vestments and vessels for liturgical use, since this has relative value, and becoming an end in itself, is not comfortable for a person. “An angry spirit torments a person because of his lack of faith, because of the lack of love for his neighbor, because of forgetting the commandments of the Savior. Humility and prayer for neighbors, for people who do grief or evil, cleanses a person from anger and renews the goodness of the path to salvation. On this path, two temptations still await a person - sadness and despondency. Sadness comes from earthly conditions, misfortunes and other people. Humble prayer for those who have offended and grief over one’s own misfortunes provide consolation and strengthening. But it is appropriate for a person to have sorrow for his sins with hope in the boundless mercy of the Lord God: this brings the joy of sonship and guides him on the saving path of repentance. However, a person from a state of sadness and grief can become despondent. This sin is fierce and painful. And the best remedy against it is silence, a conversation with an elder and the creation of prayers against despondency, composed by the holy fathers - Simeon the New Theologian, Gregory the Sinaite and John Climacus. The prayer for deliverance from this thought should be fervent and diligent, since it has a detrimental effect on a person and corrupts the soul and entails other sins. – Vanity and pride penetrate a person’s soul intimately and when he least expects it. Pride more highest degree Vanity, it especially darkens a person’s soul and in pride a person is already on the path of evil. Humility, being alone and the prayer: “Lord Master my God, drive away the spirit of vanity and years from me, and grant me the spirit of humility to Thy servant” - sweep away pride. – The human soul is shaken by thoughts, like a reed by the wind. Standing in goodness is given only with internal spiritual tension and personal will, strengthened by the grace of God and our prayer. This is the way of our doing. But there are still some phenomena that, through their goodness, contribute to “smart work.” First of all, mortal memory—the memory of the Last Judgment. The consciousness of one’s sinfulness should always be in a person’s soul, the thought of the Last Judgment should never leave him. “Like everyone is being wiped out the most necessary bread, sitse and memory of death of other virtues.” “Always put a person in your heart to leave,” says Isaac the Syrian. Here on earth we are only temporary guests, and through death we enter the path of eternal life. The earthly path “is short, and we follow it. Smoke is this life, steam, ashes, dust, it appears in little and soon dies, and there are worse ways, as Chrysostom says.” Nil Sorsky devotes a lot of space to this issue in his charter.

His ascetic-contemplative mood receives its complete protection here, here is the center of all his understandings and views. Rejection of the world, renunciation of everything corporeal - this is the path of a Christian - the path to contemplation of one’s sinfulness, one’s picture doomsday . Only in this comes “spiritual joy.” The mystical vision of the Truth through mental prayer and heart sobriety, the ascetic desire for punishment and the acquisition of eternal life in it is the path of salvation. There is nothing more than this. This strength is given by mystical exaltation - blessed tears about one’s sins, “great strength and strength of the imams.” In mournful tears there is a worthy and redemptive gift, “we cry to be delivered from eternal fire and other future torments,” in them you will see the Creator, as the holy fathers point out. “Lord, the Creator of all,” says Simeon the New Theologian, “Give me a helping hand and cleanse the filth of my soul, and give me tears of repentance, tears of love, tears of salvation, tears that cleanse the darkness of my mind, making me light from above, even if I want to see Peace to you, enlightenment of my accursed eyes.” Tears are the best gift, as Isaac the Syrian believes, they contain spiritual purity and spiritual goodness. With them, repentance is fruitful. If, from the heartfelt keeping of mental prayer, grace, sweetness and joy of the mind and heart are manifested in the spirit, then the tears themselves flow, “like a baby,” comforting the soul, according to the testimony of John Climacus. “Grant then, Master,” exclaims Ephraim the Syrian, “to me, unworthy, always tears to enlighten my heart, so that, having enlightened my heart, I will pour out the sources of tears with sweetness in pure prayer, as if the great letter of my sins will be consumed in the tears of small ones and may the scorching fire be extinguished by the little ones.” " If the Lord vouchsafes us with His mercy, then all the more must we show diligence in prayer and self-preservation. Cutting off everything, carelessness, “death from all” and “attention to the one work of God” is the task of the one who has been worthy. The work of the heart, washed with tears, should be kept in silence, solitude, concentration, for human conversation tempts the “flowers of virtue,” and in solitude they “flourish again from the dissolution of silence and surround the garden of the soul with softness and youth.” So, the work of the heart, “the seat of prayer and mindfulness,” provides the guarantee for true repentance. This “all-red and radiant work” is great, but it should be done “for the good of the time and by similar measures” since it is “not comfortable” for a monk, and even more so for a layman, before experience and a long training of spiritual passions in silence. A time of silence and a time of unruly rumors, “a time to sow labor and a time to reap the harvest of grace.” For a monk there are three paths: “solitary retreat, or with one or more than one person to remain silent, or a common life.” And Nil Sorsky chooses the middle path - “do not turn aside on the right hand or to the left, but on the path of the royal ridge.” The image of the past, the image of monastery life on Athos, which the elder, the “self-witnesses of the bykhom”, were imprinted in his soul, and are resurrected by him in his charter. In the monastery, the two of us, or, at most, the three of us, helping each other, “like the city is solid,” instructed by St. The Gospel, doing intelligent work - this is the life of a monk, an elder. – Here it is necessary to note the attitude of Nil Sorsky to patristic literature. The Holy Gospel has unconditional value for him. The attitude towards patristic literature should be “with reasoning”, since “there is a lot of writing, but not all of it is divine, the same true one is known, these are to be adhered to.” “I test the Divine Scripture most of all,” the elder wrote to his disciple Herman, “first the commandments of the Lord with interpretation and the apostles, the same lives and teachings of the holy fathers, and thereby I heed.”

The life of the “great old man” passed away from the bustle of the world. When he died, he wished for “some glory of this century” and his wish came true: he is half-forgotten in the Russian church: there is no exact information about his canonization; even in the 17th century, funeral services were sung for him. Meanwhile, he left a major mark on the history of Russian monasticism and Russian eldership, who fed on the fruits of his “garden of the soul.” Only Nil of Sorsky was given the name “Great Elder” by the Russian Orthodox people.

Berlin. March 1927.

Perevezentsev S.V.

Venerable Nil Sorsky (in the world Nikolai Maikov) (c. 1433–1508) - monk-hermitage, founder of the monastery on the Sori River, religious and philosophical thinker, writer, preacher of “non-covetousness.”

Born into a peasant family. However, according to some other sources, he came from the nobility. He took monastic vows at the Kirillo-Belozersky Monastery. In search of “spiritual benefit” he made a pilgrimage to holy places: he visited Palestine, Constantinople, and the center of Eastern Orthodox monasticism - Mount Athos. He deeply studied mystical-ascetic monastic practice and paid attention to the ideas of internal self-improvement. Returning to Rus', Neil founded a monastery 15 versts from the Kirillo-Belozersky Monastery, on the banks of the Sori River. By the name of this river he received his nickname - Sorsky. Soon other monks settled near the monastery of Nil Sorsky, who became his followers and were nicknamed the “Volga elders.” An important difference between the monastic life of the “Trans-Volga Elders” and other Russian monasteries of that period was that they did not live according to either the special or communal rules. Striving for maximum solitude, Nil Sorsky preached precisely the monastery type of monastic life. The hermitages did not have any common property and did not conduct common economic activities. But each of those living in the monastery, to the best of his ability, ensured his existence through his own labor, and devoted most of his time exclusively to prayer practice.

Of the books written by Nil of Sorsky in his own hand, three volumes of the “Conciliar” compiled and edited by him are now known, containing translations from the Greek lives of the saints, and in addition - extracts from the works of Byzantine ascetic writers, the end of the Skete Rule and the beginning of his own “Tradition”. Back in the last century A.S. Arkhangelsky assumed that Nile wrote 12 works and 5 passages. Later M.S. Borovkova-Maikova, Ya.S. Lurie and G.M. Prokhorov and other researchers refuted this opinion, and now it is believed that Nil Sorsky is the author of the “Tradition”, “Testament”, “Skete Rule”, four “Epistle”, two prayers. An interesting fact is that the oldest surviving copy of the “Enlightener” by Joseph Volotsky was largely written by the hand of Nil Sorsky. This fact is very important, because it testifies to a completely different relationship between the two largest thinkers of this period than they previously imagined.

All these works show Nil Sorsky as a deep expert on the Gospel, patristic and other Christian literature. His worldview was particularly influenced by the works of Sinai and Egyptian monks of the 3rd–7th centuries, as well as the writings of Isaac the Syrian (7th century), Simeon the New Theologian (949-1022) and Gregory the Sinaite (d. 1346).

It should be noted that this fact allowed some researchers to conclude that Nil Sorsky was a follower of hesychasm. Moreover, it is argued that “hesychasm has deeply entered the Russian cultural tradition,” and Nil Sorsky was “the largest thinker who applied the theory of hesychasm to the practice of social reality.”

Of course, the problem of the influence of hesychasm on ancient Russian religious and philosophical thought is still far from being completely resolved. However, such unequivocal statements, it seems, are too categorical. In any case, it is necessary to make serious distinctions between two forms of hesychasm: palamism, created in the 14th century by Gregory Palamas, and the traditional mystical-ascetic teaching, which arose in the early days of Eastern monasticism and enshrined in the practice and works of Simeon the New Theologian and Gregory of Sinaite. Gregory Palamas created a teaching according to which, by performing “inner,” “silent” prayer, a certain super-intelligent state is achieved, in which the person praying is rewarded with Divine visions. And the highest level of theophany can be the vision of “divine energy” or “Tabor light” - the radiance that surrounded Jesus Christ during his posthumous appearance to the apostles on Mount Tabor. Simeon New Theologian and, later, Gregory of Sinai paid more attention to the ascetic practice of “torture of the flesh” coupled with internal “prayer of attention” to oneself and God. And having embarked on the path of internal moral rebirth - “becoming like the Creator” - a Christian acquired the opportunity to see “a radiance like a ray” - divine light as God’s grace.

Researchers note that the ideas of Byzantine hesychasm in the form of Palamism never spread in Rus', as evidenced by the absence of works by its adherents in monastic libraries. Nilus of Sorsky also did not know the works of Palamas; in any case, in his works there is not a single reference to the works of this Byzantine thinker. In general, the basis of Nil Sorsky’s worldview is the desire to revive the gospel covenants, and the monk himself constantly reminds of this. Treating with deep respect the Athonite asceticism, taking it as an ideal, Nil Sorsky showed, as researchers note, significant independence. A.P. Kadlubovsky believes that “he did not see his leaders in all the representatives of Athonite hesychia.” And if it is necessary to “recognize the influence of representatives of Byzantine asceticism on Nile,” then it is also necessary to “recognize his significant independence, which manifested itself primarily in the choice, in the assessment of authorities and their writings.”

If we talk about domestic thinkers, then the greatest influence on Nil Sorsky was made by the ideas expressed Venerable Sergius Radonezh. This is especially noticeable in Neil Sorsky’s preaching of the tasks of internal self-improvement. However, unlike the great Trinity abbot, Nil Sorsky preferred “hermitage” to the idea and practice of “common life.”

And yet, Nil Sorsky learned a lot from the East. In his works he acts as a consistent preacher of the ideas and practice of individual mystical-ascetic monastic feat. Complete renunciation of everything worldly, withdrawal from the world, renunciation of even what peace can give to a monk - these principles underlay the skete life of the “Trans-Volga elders.” Even the number of hermits living together was limited, and Nil Sorsky considered the ideal case to be a solitary hermitage, or a silent life with one or two brothers: “Either a solitary retreat, or with one, or more than two, to be silent.”

The most important condition fulfillment of ascetic principles was “non-covetousness” - i.e. love of poverty, a fundamental refusal to own property: “The acquisitions that we collect through violence from the labors of others are by no means beneficial to us: how can we keep the commandments of the Lord if we have these?” “The highest non-covetousness is...” - Nil Sorsky repeats the words of Isaac the Syrian. And again: “In our cells, vessels and other things are of great value and it is not proper to have them decorated.” Even churches, in the opinion of the monk, should not be rich, for this is what the holy fathers and famous monks of the past bequeathed: “For this reason, it is not proper for us to have gold and silver vessels, and the most sacred ones, since other decorations are also unnecessary, but strictly necessary for the church bring."

The Monk Neil called “love of money” one of the main mental ailments, which, when it strengthens in a person, becomes more evil than all ailments (“there is the worst of all”). “If we obey him, it will lead to great destruction,” writes Nil Sorsky, “for the Apostle calls him not only the root of all evil, anger and sorrow, and others, but also calls him idolatry.” At the same time, “non-covetousness”, poverty, according to the conviction of the Monk Neil, is not only the ideal of a monk’s personal life, but also the life ideal of the entire monastery. After all, in his opinion, the possession of any property becomes the cause of the moral degradation of monasticism. At the same time, Nil Sorsky believed that monasteries should be maintained at the expense of the state and, in particular, the grand ducal treasury. By the way, it was at the expense of the Grand Duke that the “Trans-Volga” monasteries were maintained.

Following the domestic tradition coming from Sergius of Radonezh, Nil Sorsky does not concentrate his attention on the idea of ​​​​"torture of the flesh." In his opinion, physical torture is secondary in comparison with the desire for inner spiritual perfection - for “clarification of the soul” and “purity of the heart.” Therefore, the holy fathers served as an example for him, who, “striving sensually and mentally, working in the grapes of their hearts, and having cleansed their minds from passions, found the Lord and acquired spiritual understanding.” Moreover, according to the conviction of the “Trans-Volga” ascetic, excessive exhaustion of the body can hinder the improvement of the soul, because a weak body may not withstand the tests. The goal is not to starve yourself to death or to suffer other tortures; the main thing is to observe reasonable measures. Even fasting, taught Nil Sorsky, should be moderate, “if possible”: “Let the healthy and young tire their bodies with fasting, thirst, and labor as much as possible; but let the old and infirm rest as little as possible.”

The ground for monastic feat for the glory of the Lord is thought and heart. It is the thought and heart, according to Nil Sorsky, that are the arena of “mental warfare” - a person’s struggle with “thoughts”. In the “Skete Rule,” Nil Sorsky builds a whole hierarchy of “thoughts” that not only a monk, but every person in general must fight. From “addictions” (simple “thoughts”), gradually increasing, “thoughts”, through “combination”, “addition” and “captivity”, can turn into “passions”. And then “passions” can completely captivate human soul and conquer her with devilish temptations.

In order not to succumb to temptation, a monk must follow the teaching of “smart doing.” “Mental doing” is an internal spiritual process that takes place in the deep recesses of the human spirit and is divided into three separate acts: silence, mental prayer and contemplation (or vision).

Silence is one of the first conditions for achieving complete detachment of the mind and heart from all kinds of “thoughts,” even good ones. Liberation from passions prepares the soul for mental prayer.

Mental prayer is silent self-deepening, detached from all thoughts (“look always into the depths of the heart”), combined with the constant repetition of prayer words: “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner!” Mental prayer is indifferent to the external position of the person praying - whether he is in a temple or in a cell, whether he is lying, standing or sitting. The only requirement is to “shut” the mind in the heart and hold the breath as long as possible. Moreover, at a certain stage, prayer is pronounced not with words, but with some inner voice. Thus, concentrating all the efforts of the soul on the thought of God, mental prayer forces one to “seek the Lord in the heart.” Therefore, joy is instilled in the heart, and the one who prays accepts God as if inside himself. Consequently, mental prayer is the main work of a monk, for it is a “virtue at its source.” However, the person praying must avoid the temptation of “dreams and visions,” for “mental soaring” is not accessible to everyone, but only after difficult, exhausting prayer work.

However, at a certain moment, a state of “vision of prayer” occurs - “and the mind does not pray with prayer, but it goes beyond prayer.” Vision is the ultimate, highest level of mental prayer, at which the person praying is rewarded with contemplation of the Lord, a mysterious union with Him. The soul, being in this state, renounces everything earthly, the consciousness falls silent, forgetting both itself and everyone who exists here, and even about what lives on earth: “When, by spiritual action, the soul moves towards the Divine One, and will be set up like the Divine an incomprehensible connection, and will be illuminated by a ray of high light in its movements; and when the mind is worthy to feel the future bliss: it forgets about itself, and everyone who is here, and there is no one to carry the movement in anything.”

The main goal of all “smart doing” is the knowledge of Divine love: “The love of God is sweeter than the belly, and like God’s mind is sweeter than honey and honeycomb, from which love is born. But this essence is ineffable and ineffable...” Nil Sorsky enthusiastically retells the words of Simeon the New The theologian, who spoke about this miraculously ecstatic state: “He also loves me, and accepts me in Himself, and hides me in His arms: alive in heaven, and in my heart, seen here and there.”

It is in the teachings of Nil Sorsky that the idea of ​​evangelical, Christ-like love reaches its deepest interpretation in ancient Russian religious and philosophical thought. The highest task is the knowledge of love for God. After all, it was for the sake of love for God that the Monk Neil left the world and completely focused on comprehending Divine secrets, reaching the mysterious depths of religious and mystical teachings. The second task is “to have love for our neighbors... and if they are found near us, show in word and deed that if we are able to preserve God’s.” In addition, love for one's neighbor is a condition for uniting people and ridding their hearts of many sins. Thus, in the interpretation of Nil Sorsky, evangelical love acquires the character of a universal world force and the main means of human transformation.

After all, Nil Sorsky was deeply convinced that a person is obliged to control himself and correct his nature exclusively by moral means, self-education, and complete penetration into the commandments of Christ’s love. For no force, no coercion can make a person believe truly if his heart is not illuminated by love. And even the fear of God, about which Nil Sorsky also writes, serves only as an impulse for spiritual cleansing, so that a person desires with all his heart the knowledge of the great gospel truths of Christ’s love.

Thus, “smart doing”, which reveals true gospel love to people, allows the person who has comprehended them to achieve a state of true, complete, “inner freedom”, when a person depends only on God and on no one else.

The teaching and practice of St. Nilus of Sorsky had a huge influence on the spiritual development XVI century. His spiritual followers, nicknamed “non-covetous”, later tried to introduce the ideas of the Monk Neil into the practice of real socio-political life. However, their efforts ended in failure. And not only because the “non-covetous” met resistance from the “Josephites”, who at that time led the Russian Church. Rather, the point is that, by its very essence, the teaching of Nil Sorsky is a path that was initially open to the few, to those who decided to completely renounce the world and focus on the practice of “smart doing.” Consequently, the path of “smart doing” was impossible to apply in state practice, and even more so it could not become the basis of state ideology.

This was indirectly confirmed by the Monk Nil of Sorsky himself, who did not recognize any worldly glory and thirsted only for peace. In his will, he “begged” that his body be thrown into the wilderness, “so that animals and birds would devour it.” And, explaining his prayer, he wrote: “I am afflicted, so great is my strength, that I should not be worthy of the honor and glory of this age, as in this life, so in death.”

The teaching and practice of St. Nilus of Sora had a huge influence on the spiritual development of the 16th century, becoming the basis of “non-covetousness.” Nil Sorsky was canonized by the Russian Orthodox Church. Memorial Day May 7 (20).

Bibliography

To prepare this work, materials were used from the site http://www.portal-slovo.ru/

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