Asceticism

Ascetisicm (from the Greek: ἄσκησις, áskēsis,

"exercise" or "training") is abstinence from sensual
pleasures, often for the purpose of pursuing spiritual
goals.

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A
With asceticism, wisdom bears fruit.
Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib, Adage #177

Ἐὰν μὴ εἴπῃ ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ αὐτοῦ ἄνθρωπος, ὅτι Ἐγὼ

μόνος καὶ ὁ Θεὸς ἐσμὲν ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ, οὐχ ἕξει Any kind of material form
ἀνάπαυσιν. whatever, whether past, future,
or present, internal or external,
If a man does not say in his heart, in the world gross or subtle, inferior or
there is only myself and God, he will not gain superior, far or near, all
peace. material form should be seen as
it actually is with proper
Abba Alonius, Sayings of the Desert Fathers
wisdom thus: “This is not mine,
(5th century AD), as translated by Benedicta
this I am not, this is not my
Ward, SLG (Cistercian Publications: 1975) self.” ~ Gotama Buddha
Saying 1, page 35

B
I so detached my heart from the world and cut short my hopes that for thirty years
now I have performed each prayer as though it were my last and I were praying the
prayer of farewell.
Rabia Basri, as quoted in Early Islamic Mysticism (New York: Paulist Press: 1996),
p. 165

Where is Christ, the King? In heaven, to be sure. Thither it behooves you, soldier of
Christ, to direct your course. Forget all earthly delights. A soldier does not build a
house; he does not aspire to possession of lands; he does not concern himself with
devious, coin-purveying trade. … The soldier enjoys a sustenance provided by the
king; he need not furnish his own, nor vex himself in this regard.
Basil of Caesarea, “An introduction to the ascetical life,” Saint Basil: Ascetical
Works, M. Wagner, trans. (1950), p. 9

There is good reason to believe that man's creative forces cannot be regenerated or
his identity reestablished except by a renewal of religious asceticism. Only such a
recall to our spiritual foundations can concentrate our powers and keep our identity
from coming to dust. ... It is no good to yearn for a
new kind of renaissance after such a spiritual drying-
up and dilapidation, after such wanderings in the
desert of life, after so deep a sundering of human
identity. By an analogy we might say that we are
approaching not a renaissance but the dark
beginnings of a middle age, and that we have got to
pass through a new civilized barbarism, undergo a
new discipline, accept a new religious asceticism
before we can see the first light of a new and
unimaginable renaissance.
Nikolai Berdyaev, The End of Our Time (1933), p.
33

Under the dominion of the priests our earth became

the ascetic planet; a squalid den careering through
space, peopled by discontented and arrogant The world is crucified to me,
creatures, who were disgusted with life, abhorred and I to the world. ~ Paul of
their globe as a vale of tears, and who in their envy Tarsus
and hatred of beauty and joy did themselves as much
harm as possible.
Georg Brandes, “An Essay on Aristocratic
Radicalism,” Friedrich Nietzsche, p. 41.

Any kind of material form whatever, whether past,

future, or present, internal or external, gross or subtle,
inferior or superior, far or near, all material form
should be seen as it actually is with proper wisdom
thus: “This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my
self.”
Gautama Buddha, Majjhima Nikaya, B. Nanamoli
and B. Bodhi, trans. (1995), Sutta 62, verse 3, p.
527

The ascetic Gotama … avoids watching dancing,

singing, music and shows. He abstains from using
garlands, perfumes, cosmetics, ornaments and
adornments. … He refrains from running errands, from
buying and selling.
Gautama Buddha, Digha Nikaya, M. Walshe, trans.
(1987), Sutta 1, verse 1.10, p. 69. In reference to what is enough
for nature every possession is
Whereas some ascetics and Brahmins remain riches, but in reference to
addicted to such unedifying conversation as about unlimited desires even the
kings, robbers, ministers, armies, dangers, wars, food, greatest wealth is not riches
drink, clothes, beds, garlands, perfumes, relatives, but poverty. ~ Epicurus
carriages, villages, towns and cities, countries,
women, heroes, street- and well-gossip, talk of the
departed, desultory chat, speculations about land and sea, talk about being and non-
being, the ascetic Gotama refrains from such conversation.
 Gautama Buddha, Digha Nikaya, M. Walshe, trans.
(1987), Sutta 1, verse 1.17, pp. 70-71.

The seers of old had fully restrained selves, and were

austere. Having abandoned the five strands of sensual
pleasures, they practiced their own welfare. The
brahmans had no cattle, no gold, no wealth. They had
study as their wealth and grain. They guarded the
holy life as their treasure.
Gautama Buddha, Sutta Nipata, pp. 284-285

Freedom from the world is, in principle, not

asceticism, but rather a distance from the world for
which all participation in things worldly takes place in
the attitude of “as if not.” (1 Cor. 7:29-31)
Rudolf Bultmann, New Testament and Mythology
and Other Basic Writings (1984), p. 18. The shortest way to wealth lies
in the contempt of wealth. ~
What, said Obstinate, and leave our Friends, and our Seneca
Comforts behind us!

Yes, said Christian, because that all which you shall

forsake is not worthy to be compared with a little of
that I am seeking to enjoy.
John Bunyan, The Pilgrim's Progress (1678), p. 90
(http://books.google.com/books?id=2qUaAAAAIA
AJ&pg=PA90)
I so detached my heart from
C the world and cut short my
hopes that for thirty years now I
Anyone whose needs are small seems threatening to have performed each prayer as
the rich, because he’s always ready to escape their though it were my last and I
control. were praying the prayer of
farewell. ~ Rabia Basri
Nicolas Chamfort, Reflections, D. Parmée, trans.
(London: 2003) #169

I call that mind free, which masters the senses, which protects itself against animal
appetites, which contemns pleasure and pain in comparison to its own energy, which
penetrates beneath the body and recognises its own reality and greatness, which
passes life, not in asking what it shall eat or drink, but in hungering, thirsting, and
seeking after righteousness.
William Ellery Channing, Spiritual Freedom (1830)

A scholar who loves comfort is not worthy of the name.

Confucius, Analects, 14.3.

E
If you wish to make Pythocles rich, do not give him more money, but diminish his
desire.
 Epicurus, Fragment 28.

I spit upon luxurious pleasures not for their own sake,

but because of the inconveniences that follow them
Epicurus, Fragment 37.

The man who follows nature and not vain opinions is

independent in all things. For in reference to what is
enough for nature every possession is riches, but in
reference to unlimited desires even the greatest
wealth is not riches but poverty.
Epicurus, Fragment 45.
The inexperienced in wisdom
Nothing satisfies the man who is not satisfied with a and virtue, ever occupied with
little. feasting and such, are carried
downward, and there, as is
Epicurus, Fragment 69. fitting, they wander their whole
life long, neither ever looking
Self-sufficiency is the greatest of all riches. upward to the truth above them
Epicurus, Fragment 70. nor rising toward it, nor tasting
pure and lasting pleasures. Like
cattle, always looking
F downward with their heads bent
toward the ground and the
Ascesis is an exercise of self on self; it is a sort of banquet tables, they feed,
close combat of the individual with himself in which fatten, and fornicate. In order to
increase their possessions they
the authority, presence, and gaze of someone else is,
kick and butt with horns and
if not impossible, at least unnecessary.
hoofs of steel and kill each
Michel Foucault, Security, Territory, Population: other, insatiable as they are. ~
Lectures at the Collège de France 1977-1978, p. Plato
205.

G
A person of sharp observation and sound judgment
rules over objects and keeps objects from ruling him.
Baltasar Gracián, Oráculo Manual y Arte de
Prudencia, § 49 (Christopher Maurer trans.).

H
The dunyâ distracts and preoccupies the heart and
If you want to be perfect, go,
body, but al-zuhd (asceticism, not giving importance
sell your possessions and give
to worldly things) gives rest to the heart and body.
to the poor, and you will have
Verily, Allâh will ask us about the halâl things we
treasure in heaven. Then come,
enjoyed, so what about the harâm! follow me. ~ Jesus in Gospel of
Hasan al-Basri quoted in Al-Bayhaqi, Al-Zuhd Al- Matthew
Kabîr

On this day by God's grace I resolved to give up all beauty until I had His leave for it.
 Gerard Manley Hopkins, Journal entry (6 November
1865), as reported in In Extremity: A Study of
Gerard Manley Hopkins (1978) by John Robinson,
p. 1

Palate, the hutch of tasty lust,

Desire not to be rinsed with wine:
The can must be so sweet, the crust
So fresh that come in fasts divine!
Gerard Manley Hopkins, The Habit of Perfection
(1866)

Certum voto pete finem.

Set a definite limit to your desire. I call that mind free, which
masters the senses, which
Horace, Latin Quotations (New York: 2005), p. protects itself against animal
15. appetites, which contemns
pleasure and pain in
comparison to its own energy,
J which penetrates beneath the
body and recognises its own
When one sees the way in which wealth-getting reality and greatness, which
enters as an ideal into the very bone and marrow of passes life, not in asking what it
our generation, one wonders whether a revival of the shall eat or drink, but in
belief that poverty is a worthy religious vocation may hungering, thirsting, and
not be ... the spiritual reform which our time stands seeking after righteousness. ~
most in need of. William Ellery Channing

William James, The Varieties of Religious

Experience (1902), pp. 367-368.

K
Schopenhauer … makes asceticism interesting—the most dangerous thing possible
for a pleasure-seeking age which will be harmed more than ever by distilling pleasure
even out of asceticism.
Søren Kierkegaard, Journals, 1854.

M
If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will
have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.
Matthew 19:21 NIV

N
Ascetic ideals reveal so many bridges to independence that a philosopher is bound to
rejoice and clap his hands when he hears the story of all those resolute men who one
day said No to all servitude and went into some desert.
 Friedrich Nietzsche, On the Genealogy of Morals §
3.7, W. Kaufmann, trans., Basic Writings of
Nietzsche (1992), p. 543.

The peculiar, withdrawn attitude of the philosopher,

world denying, hostile to life, suspicious of the senses,
freed from sensuality, which has been maintained
down to the most modern times and has become
virtually the philosopher’s pose par excellence—is
above all a result of the emergency conditions under
which philosophy arose and survived at all; for the
longest time, philosophy would not have been
possible at all on earth without ascetic wraps and
cloaks, without an ascetic self-misunderstanding. To
put it vividly: the ascetic priest provided until the
most modern times the repulsive and gloomy Ascetic ideals reveal so many
caterpillar form in which alone the philosopher could bridges to independence that a
live and creep about. philosopher is bound to rejoice
and clap his hands when he
Friedrich Nietzsche, On the Genealogy of Morals §
hears the story of all those
3.10.
resolute men who one day said
No to all servitude and went
The most intelligent men, like the strongest, find their
into some desert. ~ Friedrich
happiness where others would find only disaster: in
Nietzsche
the labyrinth, in being hard with themselves and with
others, in effort; their delight is in self-mastery; in
them asceticism becomes second nature, a necessity,
an instinct. They regard a difficult task as a privilege; it is to them a recreation to play
with burdens that would crush all others.
Friedrich Nietzsche, The Antichrist, § 57 (H. L. Mencken trans.).

Asceticism is the trifling of an enthusiast with his power, a puerile coquetting with his
selfishness or his vanity, in the absence of any sufficiently great object to employ the
first or overcome the last.
Florence Nightingale, in a letter (5 September 1857), quoted in The Life of
Florence Nightingale (1913) by Edward Tyas Cook, p. 369.

P
The inexperienced in wisdom and virtue, ever occupied with feasting and such, are
carried downward, and there, as is fitting, they wander their whole life long, neither
ever looking upward to the truth above them nor rising toward it, nor tasting pure and
lasting pleasures. Like cattle, always looking downward with their heads bent toward
the ground and the banquet tables, they feed, fatten, and fornicate. In order to
increase their possessions they kick and butt with horns and hoofs of steel and kill
each other, insatiable as they are.
Plato, Republic, 586a-b

We must enter deep into ourselves, and, leaving behind the objects of corporeal
sight, no longer look back after any of the accustomed spectacles of sense.
Plotinus, An Essay of the Beautiful
R
Ascetic Christianity called the world evil and left it. Humanity is waiting for a
revolutionary Christianity which will call the world evil and change it.
Walter Rauschenbusch, Christianity and the Social Crisis (1907), p. 91

S
Brevissima ad divitias per contemptus divitiarum via est.
The shortest way to wealth lies in the contempt of wealth.
Seneca the Younger, cited in Latin Quotations (New York: 2005), p. 14.

Natural desires are limited; those which spring from false opinions have nowhere to
stop, for falsity has no point of termination.
Seneca the Younger, Dialogues and Essays, J. Davie, tans., (Oxford: 2007), p. 44.

Non qui parum habet, sed qui plus cupit, pauper est.
It is not the man who has too little, but the man who craves more, that is poor.
Seneca the Younger, Letter 2, line 6.

Anyone entering our homes should admire us rather than our furnishings.
Seneca the Younger, Letters, 5 (Robin Campbell trans.).

T
To understand the liberating effect of asceticism, consider that losing all your fortune
is much less painful than losing only half.
Nassim Nicholas Taleb, The Bed of Procrustes: Philosophical and Practical
Aphorisms (2010) Preludes, p.4.

None can be an impartial or wise observer of human life but from the vantage ground
of what we should call voluntary poverty.
Henry David Thoreau, Walden (1854), “Economy”

Have we condemned the world's sentiments? Are we opposed to its maxims? And
have we made all our efforts to abolish its laws and overturn its accursed customs?

Have we despised what the world esteems and esteemed what it despises? Have
we fled what it wants and wanted what it flees? Have we loved what it hates and
hated what it loves? ...
Have we fled the company of worldly persons, whom the saints, especially the
Ecclesiastics, advise us to avoid like the plague, whom one should see only by
necessity, and from whom we should separate ourselves as vigilantly as we can?
Have we wanted, in order to render our separation from the world as perfect as the
sanctity of our state demands, that the world have aversion to us, as we have
aversion to the world, following the example the apostle has given us, “The world is
crucified to me, and I to the world” (Gal. 6:14).
 Louis Tronson, Examens particuliers sur divers sujets, p. 321

W
Mysticism intends a state of "possession," not action, and the individual is not a tool
but a "vessel" of the divine. Action in the world must thus appear as endangering the
absolutely irrational and other-worldly religious state. Active asceticism operates
within the world; rationally active asceticism, in mastering the world, seeks to tame
what is creatural and wicked through work in a worldly "vocation" (inner-worldly
asceticism). Such asceticism contrasts radically with mysticism, if the latter draws the
full conclusion of fleeing from the world (contemplative flight from the world). The
contrast is tempered, however, if active asceticism confines itself to keeping down
and to overcoming creatural wickedness in the actor's own nature. For then it
enhances the concentration on the firmly established God-willed and active
redemptory accomplishments to the point of avoiding any action in the orders of the
world (asceticist flight from the world). Thereby active asceticism in external bearing
comes close to contemplative flight from the world. The contrast between asceticism
and mysticism is also tempered if the contemplative mystic does not draw the
conclusion that he should flee from the world, but, like the inner-worldly asceticist,
remain in the orders of the world (inner-worldly mysticism).
In both cases the contrast can actually disappear in practice and some combination
of both forms of the quest for salvation may occur. But the contrast may continue to
exist even under the veil of external similarity. For the true mystic the principle
continues to hold: the creature must be silent so that God may speak.
Max Weber, The Rejection of the World and Theodicy (http://www.ne.jp/asahi/moriy
uki/abukuma/weber/world/reject/rejection_frame.html).

When a main trains a dog to perform tricks he does not beat it for the sake of beating
it, but in order to train it, and with this in view he only hits it when it fails to carry out
a trick. If he beats it without any method he ends by making it unfit for any training,
and that is what the wrong sort of asceticism does.
Simone Weil, Gravity and Grace (1972), p. 113.

X
Should not every man hold self-control to be the foundation of all virtue, and first lay
this foundation firmly in his soul? For who without this can learn any good or practise
it worthily? Or what man that is the slave of his pleasures is not in an evil plight body
and soul alike? From my heart I declare that every free man should pray not to have
such a man among his slaves; and every man who is a slave to such pleasures should
entreat the gods to give him good masters: thus, and only thus, may he find
salvation.
Xenophon, Socrates in Memorabilia, 1.5.4.

Dictionary of Burning Words of Brilliant Writers

(1895)
Quotes reported in Josiah Hotchkiss Gilbert, Dictionary of Burning Words of Brilliant Writers (1895).
There never did, and there never will exist any thing
permanently noble and excellent in the character
which is a stranger to the exercise of resolute self-
denial.
Sir Walter Scott, p. 532.

One never knows a man till he has refused him

something, and studied the effect of the refusal; one
never knows himself till he has denied himself. The
altar of sacrifice is the touchstone of character. The
cross compels a choice for or against Christ.
O. P. Gifford, p. 533.

Self-denial must reach beyond gross and undoubted

sins. Whoever will labor to get rid of
self, to deny himself, according
Alexander Maclaren, p. 533.
to the instructions of Christ,
strikes at once at the root of
Sacrifice alone, bare and unrelieved, is ghastly,
every evil, and finds the germ
unnatural, and dead; but self-sacrifice, illuminated by of every good. ~ François
love, is warmth and life; it is the death of Christ, the Fénelon
life of Cod, the blessedness and only proper life of
man.
Frederick William Robertson, p. 533.

Contempt of all outward things, which come in competition with duty, fulfills the ideal
of human greatness. This conviction, that readiness to sacrifice life's highest material
good and life itself, is essential to the elevation of human nature, is no illusion of
ardent youth, nor outburst of blind enthusiasm. It does not yield to growing wisdom. It
is confirmed by all experience. It is sanctioned by conscience — that universal and
eternal lawgiver whose chief dictate is, that every thing must be yielded up for the
right.
William Ellery Channing, p. 533.

In heaven, we shall never regret any sacrifice however painful, or labor however
protracted, made or performed here for the cause of Christ.
Mary Lyon, p. 533.

Nothing is really lost.by a life of sacrifice; every thing is lost by failure to obey God's
call.
Henry Parry Liddon, p. 533.

They that deny themselves for Christ shall enjoy themselves in Christ.
John M. Mason, p. 534.

The sweetest life is to be ever making sacrifices for Christ; the hardest life a man can
lead on earth, the most full of misery, is to be always doing his own will and seeking
to please himself.
Edward Bickersteth (bishop of Exeter), p. 534.
Take thy self-denials gaily and cheerfully, and let the
sunshine of thy gladness fall on dark things and bright
alike, like the sunshine of the Almighty.
James Freeman Clarke, p. 534.

Whoever will labor to get rid of self, to deny himself,

according to the instructions of Christ, strikes at once
at the root of every evil, and finds the germ of every
good.
François Fénelon, p. 534.

That which especially distinguishes a high order of

man from a low order of man, that which constitutes
human goodness, human nobleness, is surely not the
degree of enlightenment with which men pursue their
own advantage; but it is self-forgetfulness; it is self-
sacrifice; it is the disregard of personal pleasure,
personal indulgence, personal advantage, remote or That which especially
present, because some other line of conduct is more distinguishes a high order of
right. man from a low order of man,
that which constitutes human
J. A. Froude, p. 534. goodness, human nobleness, is
surely not the degree of
Which do you think of most, your interest or your enlightenment with which men
duty? Can you sell all for the pearl of great price? Are pursue their own advantage;
these the natural breathings of your heart: " Thy but it is self-forgetfulness; it is
kingdom come. Thy will be done? " Is the cause of self-sacrifice; it is the disregard
Christ your concern, the dishonor of Christ your of personal pleasure, personal
affliction, the cross of Christ your glory? If so,you are indulgence, personal
not strangers to the spirit of self-denial. advantage, remote or present,
because some other line of
Gardiner Spring, p. 534. conduct is more right. ~ James
Anthony Froude
Deny thyself, take up thy cross, and follow me. This is
war, not peace. It is battle declared against the world,
the flesh, and the devil. In me said Christ, "ye have peace,"—not in the world; there is
no promise of it there.
Anna Shipton, p. 535.

The secret belief that the Lord of conscience loves and accepts each faithful sacrifice
is the ultimate and sufficient support of all goodness; dispensing with the chorus of
approving voices; replacing all vain self-reliance with a Divine strength; and with the
peace of a reconciled nature consoling the inevitable sorrows of a devoted life.
James Martineau, p. 535.

The very act of faith by which we receive Christ is an act of the utter renunciation of
self, and all its works, as a ground of salvation. It is really a denial of self, and a
grounding of its arms in the last citadel into which it can be driven, and is, in its
principle, inclusive of every subsequent act of self-denial by which sin is forsaken or
overcome.
Mark Hopkins, p. 535.
 Self-denial is the result of a calm, deliberate, invincible attachment to the highest
good, flowing forth in the voluntary renunciation of every thing that is inconsistent
with the glory of God or the good of our fellow men.
Gardiner Spring, p. 535.

The first lesson in Christ's school is self-denial.

Matthew Henry, p. 535.

See also
Hedonism
Modesty
Monasticism
Poverty
Renunciation
Simplicity

External links

Virtues
Altruism • Asceticism • Beneficence • Benevolence • Bravery • Carefulness • Charity
Cheerfulness • Cleanliness • Common  sense • Compassion • Constancy • Courage
Dignity • Diligence • Discretion • Earnestness • Faith • Fidelity • Forethought
Forgiveness • Friendship • Frugality • Gentleness • Goodness • Grace • Gratitude
Holiness • Honesty • Honor • Hope • Hospitality • Humanity • Humility • Integrity
Intelligence • Justice • Kindness • Love • Loyalty • Mercy • Moderation • Modesty
Optimism • Patience • Philanthropy • Piety • Prudence • Punctuality • Poverty • Purit
• Self-control • Simplicity • Sincerity • Sobriety • Sympathy • Temperance • Tolerance

Vices
Aggression • Anger • Apathy • Arrogance • Bigotry • Contempt • Cowardice • Cruelt
• Dishonesty • Drunkenness • Egotism • Envy • Evil  speaking • Gluttony • Greed
Hatred • Hypocrisy • Idleness • Ignorance • Impatience • Impenitence • Ingratitude
Inhumanity • Intemperance • Jealousy • Laziness • Lust • Malice • Neglect • Obstinac
• Philistinism • Prejudice • Pretension • Pride • Recklessness • Self-righteousness
Selfishness • Superficiality • Tryphé • Unkindness • Usury • Vanity • Worldliness

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