Asceticism, Monasticism and Celibacy

Aspirants who wish to completely sever themselves from worldly life may adopt the secluded and sometimes solitary life of a monk or nun. In Buddhism and Jainism, and in Roman Catholic and Orthodox Christianity, the highest religious vocations require celibacy—monks, nuns and priests.

Asceticism also abounds in Hinduism, where in addition to lifelong ascetics, there is the tradition that brahmins would spend the last years of their lives as solitary ascetics, devoting themselves to the goal of liberation.

Christian monasticism took institutional form in order to provide a supportive setting for those who wished to take vows of poverty and chastity, who valued the love of Christ, which surpasses the love of women.

There is no monasticism in Islam. Nevertheless, Muslims practice asceticism on a wide scale with the month-long fast of Ramadan. Fasting and all-night prayer vigils attack the body’s desire for food and sleep.

They are examples of ascetic practices within everyone’s reach, unlike traditional monasticism, which is practiced only by a spiritual elite.

In Thailand and Sri Lanka, young Buddhist men usually devote six months to monastic training before embarking on family life. In line with his teaching on subduing the desires of the body, Father Moon praises monasticism for its devotion to attaining mind-body unity.

Nevertheless, a tension exists between the path of the celibate priest and the family ideal that God purposed at the creation. Hence, at the end of this section are passages critical of the monastic life; such are found in nearly every tradition where it is practiced: asceticism can lead to an overly severe personality devoid of compassion; monasticism is incompatible with the generative and productive life of the world which is ordained by God.

Father Moon’s teaching points to the deeper problem that led God to institute the path of celibacy and asceticism in the first place: the corruption of marriage at the Human Fall.

In the final passages, he describes the dawning of a new age in which marriage is restored to its original estate and there is no more need for the discipline of celibacy.

While celibacy was a true and noble path in past ages, the time has come for religion to exalt marriage above the celibate life. Indicative of this sea change is the decline of monasticism and celibacy that is being felt all over the religious world.

The blue-necked peacock, which flies through the air never approaches the speed of the swan. Similarly, the householder can never resemble the monk who is endowed with the qualities of the sage, who meditates, aloof, in the jungle. Sutta Nipata 221 (Buddhism)

Go on the begging tour, stay in a forest, eat but a little, speak only measured words, put up with misery, conquer sleep, practice friendship with all and non-attachment in an excellent manner. Vattakera, Mulacara 981 (Jainism)

“Revile not, harm not, live by rule restrained; Of food take little; sleep and sit alone; Keep thy mind bent upon the higher thought.” Such is the message of awakened ones. Udana 43 (Buddhism)

The first degree of humility is obedience without delay. This becomes those who, on account of the holy subjection which they have promised, or of the fear of hell, or the glory of life everlasting, hold nothing dearer than Christ.

As soon as anything has been commanded by the Superior they permit no delay in the execution, as if the matter had been commanded by God Himself…

Let permission to speak be seldom given… If anything must be asked of the Superior, let it be asked with all humility and respectful submission. But coarse jests, and idle words or speech provoking laughter, we condemn everywhere to eternal exclusion; and for such speech we do not permit the disciple to open his lips…

The vice of personal ownership must by all means be cut out in the monastery by the very root, so that no one may presume to give or receive anything without the command of the Abbot; nor to have anything whatever as his own, neither a book, nor a writing tablet, nor a pen, nor anything else whatsoever, since monks are allowed to have neither their bodies nor their wills in their own power.

Everything that is necessary, however, they must look for from the Father of the monastery; and let it not be allowed for anyone to have anything which the Abbot did not give or permit him to have. Let all things be common to all. Rule of Saint Benedict (Christianity)

Let him always wander alone, without any companion, in order to attain [final liberation], fully understanding that the solitary man, who neither forsakes nor is forsaken, gains his end.

He shall neither possess a fire, nor a dwelling; he may go to a village for his food, indifferent to everything, firm in purpose, meditating and concentrating his mind on God.

A potsherd [for an alms-bowl], the roots of trees [for a dwelling], coarse worn-out garments, life in solitude, and indifference towards everything are the marks of one who has attained liberation.

Let him not desire to die, let him not desire to live; let him wait for [his appointed] time, as a servant for the payment of his wages. Let him put down his foot purified by his sight [i.e., watching not to step on any creature], let him drink water purified by straining with a cloth [so as not to swallow any creature], let him utter speech purified by truth, let him keep his heart pure.

Let him patiently bear hard words, let him not insult anybody, and let him not become anybody’s enemy for the sake of his body. Against an angry man let him not in return show anger, let him bless when he is cursed, and let him not other speech, devoid of truth, scattered at the seven gates.

Delighted in what refers to the Soul, sitting [in yoga postures], independent, entirely abstaining from sensual enjoyments, with himself for his only companion, he shall live in this world, desiring the bliss [of liberation]… Let him go to beg once a day, let him not be eager to obtain a large quantity of alms; for an ascetic who eagerly seeks alms attaches himself also to sensual enjoyments… By eating little, and by standing and sitting in solitude, let him restrain his sense, if they are attracted to sensual objects. By the restraint of his senses, by the destruction of love and hatred, and by the abstention from injuring the creatures, he becomes fit for immortality. Laws of Manu 6.37-60 (Hinduism)

Teachings of Sun Myung Moon
What are we trying to restrain? We are trying to deaden the body. That is why religions teach us to fast, do prayer vigils all night without sleep, be celibate and live as a hermit. In the Catholic Church the highest vocation is to be a priest or a nun; they do not marry for their entire life.

In Buddhism also, most monks are celibate. Compare these disciplines with the lifestyle of American youth. It is quite the opposite of that of religious people who make it their chief aim to conquer the body. As a result, they are living a hellish existence, constantly besieged by the temptations of the satanic world.

The youth of America should realize this; they should understand that the way they are living is contrary to God’s will. Instead of pursuing the body’s pleasure, we should torment our body. Why? Because [due to the Fall] our body has become Satan’s dance floor. (215:236, February 20, 1991)

Christians in the Middle Ages practiced asceticism and placed great hardship on their bodies. However, in modern times many churches became disparaging of the ascetic life; they have lost sight of the fact that the body dominates the conscience unless one takes active measures to stop it.

Not knowing this principle, they turned away from a central aspect of the Christian tradition. Now that you know clearly that the enemy lives in your physical body, you must treat it as an enemy. You must continue on the ascetic path until the body is suppressed. (254:222, February 13, 1994)

Two pluses repel each other. God is in the position of a plus, but Satan also tries to stand in this plus position, although [as a servant of God] he should be in the minus position—such is Satan.

Why does the path of self-cultivation call us to asceticism? Its purpose is to strike Satan’s realm within each of us, that plus side that belongs to evil, in order to switch it over to the minus position. (4:23, February 16, 1958)

The path of religion is one of denial. On that path we should deny the desire for food, sleep, sex, and all the things that we like. Give up your sexual desire! Go without food and sleep! Originally, a human being should eat, sleep, and enjoy things. However, as these desires of the body lead us to death, we must reject them. Burst a nuclear bomb in your body!

Break and completely subjugate your body! The body wants to be respected and live in comfort. It dislikes harsh conditions and likes what is easy, soft and plump.

But we should despise all that the body likes. We should love what is difficult, hard and rough. The body likes a high position.

It is happy to eat well, even by taking someone else’s money. It does not care about anyone but itself. We have to destroy such a nature. We have to bring the body down to be humble, to serve and to sacrifice. (18:66, May 21, 1967)

On the tenth day of this seventh month is the Day of Atonement; it shall be for you a time of holy convocation, and you shall afflict yourselves [by fasting]. Leviticus 23.27

O believers, prescribed for you is the Fast, even as it was prescribed for those that were before you—haply you will be god-fearing— for days numbered… the month of Ramadan, wherein the Qur’an was sent down to be a guidance to the people, and as clear signs of the Guidance and the Salvation.

So let those of you, who are present at the month, fast it; and if any of you be sick, or if he be on a journey, then a number of other days; God desires ease for you, and desires not hardship for you; and that you fulfill the number, and magnify God that He has guided you, and haply you will be thankful. Qur’an 2.183-85

My son, you ought to be of some help to your fellow men, and for that reason I counsel you to fast. Our grandfather who stands in our midst sends forth all kinds of blessings.

Try then and obtain one of these. Try to have one of our grandfathers, one of the War Chiefs, pity you. Then some day as you travel along the road [of life], you will know what to do and encounter no obstacles. Without any trouble you will then be able to seek the prize you desire.

Then the honor will be yours to glory in, for without any exertion have you obtained it. All the war power that exists has been donated to our grandfathers who are in control of warfare, and, if, reverently, you thirst yourself to death, then they will bestow blessings upon you.

Now if you do not wear out your feet, if you do not blacken your face with charcoal, it will be for naught that you inflict suffering upon yourself.

These blessings are not obtainable without effort. Try to have one of all the spirits created by Earthmaker take pity upon you. Whatever he says will come about. If you do not possess a spirit to strengthen you, you will be of no consequence and the people will show you little respect.

A Winnebago Father’s Precepts (Native American Religions) And when you fast, do not look dismal, like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by men.

Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, that your fasting may not be seen by men but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you. Matthew 6.16-18

Teachings of Sun Myung Moon
What does the body desire? It likes to be comfortable; that is why we are told to walk the path of suffering.

Next, the body likes to eat good food; that is why religion tells us to fast. You must do the opposite of what the body desires. (40:24, February 1, 1986)

Going hungry for many days is among the most miserable and painful experiences. Yet we should transcend our hunger and yearn for God more than food. Unification Church members are obliged to fast for seven days.

Who among you has done a seven-day fast? There are many of you! Think back on your own experience: when the seventh day arrived were you watching the clock for the moment you could eat again? Were you counting down the minutes and the seconds?

When the clock struck midnight, did you think, “Hooray! At last it is time to eat!”? Or at that moment did you lift your heart to God, longing for Him? Which did you crave more, God or food? Most of you probably craved for food. But actually, when you fast you should long for God more than for food. During my thirties, I was hungry every single day.

Do you know how much I longed to eat some food? If I even overheard someone talking about food, my mouth would involuntarily drop open and I would start to drool.

Whenever that happened, I would say out loud, “G-o-d” rather than “F-o-o-d.” You should all have such experiences. Unless you fast and conquer hunger, its power will block God’s love from coming to you. (94:293, October 9, 1977)

What is required to engraft the love of God into our lives? What I fear most is the physical body. The body is the enemy. It has three supreme truths: The first is to eat. Eating when you are hungry is a truth.

The problem arises when eating takes control of your life. Therefore, you should overcome the desire for food. You should establish that you love God more than eating, more than your body craves food when it is hungry.

By doing so, you tap into a higher love and gain power to control your body. This is why people fast. Even Jesus fasted for forty days. All the prophets and founders of religion fasted… The second truth is sleep. You should win over sleep. How can you find God’s love by overcoming sleep? The test comes when you are getting sleepy; then you can show that you love God more than you like to sleep.

Many prophets and saints exerted themselves to the utmost fighting against sleep. They would do all kinds of things to stay awake, even stab their legs with a knife, because they regarded sleep as the enemy.

You, too, should adore God in a place where you overcome sleep. I slept less than two hours a day every day for more than seven years. G

od’s love can approach you when you go over the boundary line of hunger and desire to sleep… The third truth is sex… (94:275, October 9, 1977)

[Jesus] said to them, “Not all men can receive this saying, but only those to whom it is given. For there are eunuchs who have been so from birth, and there are eunuchs who have been made eunuchs by men, and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of Heaven. He who is able to receive this, let him receive it.” Matthew 19.12

For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. Matthew 22.30

Both learning and the practice of Teaching are lost to him who is given to sexual intercourse. He employs himself wrongly. That is what is ignoble in him. Sutta Nipata 815 (Buddhism)

The unmarried man is anxious about the Lord, how to please the Lord; but the married man is anxious about worldly affairs, how to please his wife, and his interests are divided. And the unmarried woman or virgin is anxious about the affairs of the Lord, how to be holy in body and spirit; but the married woman is anxious about worldly affairs, how to please her husband. I say this for your own benefit, not to lay any restraint upon you, but to promote good order and to secure your undivided devotion to the Lord. 1 Corinthians 7.32-35

Free from selfish attachment, they do not get compulsively entangled even in home and fam- ily… Enjoying solitude and not following the crowd, they seek only me. Bhagavad-Gita 13.9-10 (Hinduism)

I renounce all sexual pleasures, either with gods or men or animals. I shall not give way to sensuality, nor cause others to give way to it, nor consent to their giving way to it, as long as I live. Acarangasutra 24 (Jainism)

Having abandoned the different kinds of desire, founded on child, wife, father, mother, wealth, corn, relations, let one walk alone like a rhinoceros. Sutta Nipata 60 (Buddhism)

Teachings of Sun Myung Moon
[Due to the Fall,] the human ancestors were caught in the enemy’s trap. Can God publicly recognize families formed in this realm?

This is why religions have emphasized celibacy. Some of you gathered here have many sons and daughters, but you also should have led celibate lives. This is not just my word; is it not taught in Buddhism and Catholicism? Do you know why? It brings people closer to God.

The first ancestors of humankind were unable to have their proper wedding ceremony before God. In that sense, none of us human beings have truly been born; how then can we have weddings? As descendants of the Fall, we must first go the path of restoration and receive the grace of salvation. (21:45-46, September 1, 1968)

In order to uphold the heavenly ideal of love, God had no choice but to form religions that exalted the celibate life. Men and women are meant to follow true love and become husbands and wives who meet the heavenly standard, but because of our ancestors’ mistake that betrayed Heaven’s love, they cannot.

Therefore, God set up the way of celibacy so that at least single persons could receive the love of God by following the celibate way of life. (Blessing and Ideal Family 2.2.4)

From the perspective of the Divine Principle, all men and women in this world are offspring of the archangel. Therefore, they are not qualified to marry. For this reason, God encouraged people to live a life of celibacy.

God could not marry the first parents. How then can He approve of marriages between impure, slovenly people who have fallen into a puddle of sewage? Such love is unprincipled. This is why the higher religions emphasize celibacy. (25:203, October 4, 1969)

Do angels have spouses? No. That is why religions so far have encouraged the celibate life. The Buddha’s original standard that monks and nuns should not marry is in accord with the Principle.

These days some Buddhist monks and nuns marry, but by doing so they fall short of the standard. In fact, married Protestant clergy also fall short. (Blessing and Ideal Family 2.2.4)

Archangels are not yet qualified to marry. In the Bible, the Sadducees asked Jesus, “There were seven brothers; the first married, and died, and having no children left his wife to his brother. So too the second and the third, down to the seventh.

After them all, the woman died. In the resurrection, to which of the seven will she be wife? For they all had her.”

Jesus answered, “In the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven.” (Matt. 22:25-30)

Jesus answered that way because it was still the age of restoring the archangelic realm, a realm where people cannot yet have a marriage partner. Because religion has been in the archangelic realm, it could not exalt marriage.

This is the reason higher religions have emphasized the celibate life. (50:193, November 7, 1971)

If I give away all I have, and if I deliver my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing. 1 Corinthians 13.2-3

If a man should go naked…feed on potherbs, wild rice, or Nivara seeds…wear coarse hempen cloth, or carry out any other [ascetic] practices…yet the state of blissful attainment in conduct, in heart, in intellect, have not been practiced by him, realized by him, then he is far from shramanaship, far from brahminship. But from the time, O Kassapa, when a monk has cultivated the heart of love that knows no anger, that knows no ill will—from the time when, by the destruction of the deadly intoxications, he dwells in that emancipation of heart, that emancipation of mind, that is free from those intoxications, and that he, while yet in this visible world, has come to realize and know—from that time, O Kassapa, is it that the monk is called a shramana, is called a brahmin! Digha Nikaya 1.167 (Buddhism)

Some invent harsh penances. Motivated by hypocrisy and egoism, they torture their innocent bodies and Me who dwells within. Blinded by their strength and passion, they act and think like demons.24 Bhagavad-Gita 17.5-6

O brother, wither away your sensuality, passions, and egotism. There is no benefit in emaciating this gross body [through penances]. We will never praise you merely because of your withered body. Nisitha-bhasya 3758 (Jainism)

Should one perform a million ritual acts and of these be proud, they leave him only fatigued, and are of little avail. One who performs innumerable austerities and for these bears pride, shall remain caught in transmigration, moving between heaven and hell. With all a man’s effort, should his self not turn compassionate, How may he have access to the Divine Portal? Adi Granth, Gauri Sukhmani 12, M.5, p. 278 (Sikhism)

There was a great seer of strict vows, foremost of those wise in the law, the learned ascetic Mandapala. He followed the path of the seers who held up their seed [in chastity], austere and master of his senses. After he had abandoned his body, he attained to the world of the ancestors. Yet he failed to find the fruit of his acts there. Finding his worlds without reward, although he had won them with his asceticism, he questioned the celestials: “Why are these worlds that I won with my austerities closed to me? Where did I fail that this should be the results of my acts?” They said, “Men are born indebted to rites, to the study of the Veda, and to offspring, doubt it not. You are an ascetic and a sacrificer, but you have no offspring; these worlds are closed to you because of this matter of offspring. A son saves his father from the hell called Put, Hermit. Therefore, O brahmin, strive for the continuity of children!”25 Mahabharata 1.220 (Hinduism)

We sent Jesus son of Mary, and gave him the Gospel, and placed compassion and mercy in the hearts of those who followed him. But monasticism they invented—We ordained it not for them—only seeking God’s pleasure, and they observed it not with right observance. We give those who believe their reward, but many of them are evil-livers.26 Qur’an 57.27

Then the disciples of John came to him, saying, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?” And Jesus said to them, “Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them?” Matthew 9.14-15

Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready; it was granted her to be clothed with fine linen, bright and pure— for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints. Revelation 19.7-8

Teachings of Sun Myung Moon
Can celibacy as taught by Catholicism and Buddhism, be the basis of human happiness? No. Yet no religion on earth has demonstrated what the basis of happiness is. Religions did not uphold the family as the basis because no family had appeared that was worthy of that position.

However, sensing that one day such a family would appear, they emphasized celibacy. It was the foundation for people to form a pure and correct family. (Blessing and Ideal Family 2.2.4)

God intended man and woman to live in perfect love and perfect eternity, without the slightest separation.

God is perfect and eternal; the position of children is perfect and eternal, and therefore God wanted the positions of husband and wife to be perfect and eternal. Is passionate lovemaking divine or sinful?

After the Fall, human love became dirty and stained. Has humankind ever seen perfect love under God, manifesting the purpose of God?

Who has really known the purpose of religion and salvation? Many religious people feel that the world is filled with filthiness; therefore they separate themselves from it and live a solitary life.

It is often thought that a religious, divine life is a solitary life, but we must realize that the Kingdom of God in heaven and on earth has been ready for a long, long time, from the very beginning of creation, and it is just waiting to be occupied. The problem has been to find occupants fit for that kingdom. (99:225, April 17, 1977)

We enter the Kingdom of Heaven as married couples, as families, as clans extending out to third cousins, and as whole nations. Ultimately, the entire world will be Heaven.

This is the way of the Unification Church. Its goal is not individual salvation. Consistent with this principle, the church holds mass weddings. Today these mass weddings are objects of mockery and curiosity, but to anyone who knows their content, they are amazing phenomena.

Marriage was not recognized during the religious age of the archangel. But we are now entering the age of marriage, and marriage in the Kingdom of Heaven as well. The time has come when the married Buddhist priest will win over the Buddhist monk.

In the Roman Catholic Church, the priests and nuns are fast disappearing; if Catholic priests and nuns remain single, they will end up in hell. Now, when universal fortune seeks the bond of bride and bridegroom, Catholic priests and nuns must get married; otherwise, they will perish. (50:31, October 3, 1971)

If I, Reverend Moon, do not encourage celibate Buddhist monks and Catholic priests and nuns to marry now, monasteries will very soon become arenas of free sex,. Flirtations and illicit affairs will cause many to fall away.

When the Buddhist and Catholic religions bring millions of monks and nuns to receive the Marriage Blessing, then they will come alive.

Otherwise, they will die out. Some priests are having illicit affairs. Others are getting married despite their vows. Why is that? Since the time has come, their minds are pulled in that direction.

When the high tide comes in, you have to move with the tide and walk back to the shore; otherwise you will drown. Now the tide is coming in, and those priests who were used to standing up at low tide are being forced to turn around and marry in order to keep from swallowing water. (246:24, March 23, 1993)

The internal reason why the higher religions have advocated celibacy is because the True Parents of humankind had not yet come and instituted marriage before God.

But now the Unification Church has appeared as the first religion in history to promote marriages approved by God, and it began to hold mass weddings. Hence, from now on Buddhism will have more married monks. The same is happening in the Catholic Church.

The reason why the Catholic Church faces problems today is that it still does not permit its priests to marry. If it continues this way, they will all leave the church. These problems arose particularly after 1960, the year the True Parents were married. From that year, everything began to change.

This change permeated the non-religious world as well, and it entered the era of free sex. In the non-religious world, the family is being destroyed through free sex, while the sphere of religion is entering the age of marriage. (244:148, February 1, 1993)