Self-Denial

People are blinded to their self-centeredness. We know that selfish and greedy people are far from goodness; yet, everyone is tainted by selfishness to some extent.

This self-centeredness needs to be exposed and beaten mercilessly; otherwise, our goodness is superficial and ephemeral. Therefore, we should deny ourselves. A life of self-affirmation and pleasure-seeking leads, in the end, to emptiness and loss. Self-denial seems to lead to death and loss, but in fact it leads to abundant life with God.

Thus we encounter the paradoxical truth, in the words of Jesus, “whoever would save his life would lose it; and whoever loses his life will save it.” These teachings are common to all the world-level religions.

Father Moon affirms the value of self-denial. He explains why human beings should have to travel such a paradoxical and unnatural course to reach the goal of life based upon his insights on the Human Fall.

Although God created humans to manifest the character of love and altruism, because of the Fall, we are infected by Satan, whose nature is pure self-centeredness. Hence, we face the predicament that in order to restore our original selves we must first deny our existing selves that are stained by satanic elements.

If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it; and whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it. Mark 8.34-36

He who has no thought of “I” and “mine” whatever towards his mind and body, he who grieves not for that which he has not, he is, indeed, called a bhikkhu. Dhammapada 367 (Buddhism)

They are forever free who renounce all self-interested desires and break away from the ego-cage of “I,” “me,” and “mine” to be united with the Lord. Attain to this, and pass from death to immortality. Bhagavad-Gita 2.71 (Hinduism)

The Man of the Way wins no fame, The highest virtue wins no gain, The Great Man has no self. Chuang Tzu 17 (Taoism)

Where egoism exists, You are not experienced, Where You are, is not egoism. You learned ones: expound in your mind this inexpressible proposition. Adi Granth, Maru-ki-Var, M.1, p. 1092 (Sikhism)

Torah abides only with him who regards himself as nothing. Talmud, Sota 21b (Judaism)

“Subhuti, what do you think? Does a holy one say within himself, ‘I have obtained Perfective Enlightenment’?” Subhuti replied, “No, World-honored One… If a holy one of Perfective Enlightenment said to himself, ‘Such am I,’ he would necessarily partake of the idea of an ego-identity, a personality, a being, a separated individuality.” Diamond Sutra 9 (Buddhism)

Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. He who loves his life loses it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. John 12.24-25

Remember, those who fear death shall not escape it, and those who aspire to immortality shall not achieve it. Nahjul Balagha, Khutba 43 (Shiite Islam)

O Son of Man! If you love me, turn away from yourself; and if you seek my pleasure, regard not your own; that you may die in me and I may eternally live in you. Hidden Words of Bahá’u’lláh, Arabic 7 (Baha’i Faith)

You, who sit on the top of a hundred-foot pole, although you have entered the Way you are not yet genuine. Proceed on from the top of the pole, and you will show your whole body in the ten directions. Mumon’s Comment: If you go on further and turn your body about, no place is left where you are not the master. But even so, tell me, how will you go on further from the top of a hundred-foot pole? Eh?14 Mumonkan 46 (Buddhism)

If, like a cracked gong, you silence yourself, you have already attained Nibbana: no vindictiveness will be found in you. Dhammapada 134 (Buddhism)

Yen Yüan asked about perfect virtue. The Master said, “To subdue one’s self and return to propriety is perfect virtue. If a man can for one day subdue himself and return to propriety, all under heaven will ascribe perfect virtue to him.” Analects 12.1.1 (Confucianism)

Knowing that this body is like foam, and comprehending that it is as unsubstantial as a mirage, one should destroy the flower-tipped shafts of sensual passions [Mara], and pass beyond the sight of the King of death. Dhammapada 46 (Buddhism)

Teachings of Sun Myung Moon
Absolute faith is not the place of self-affirmation but of self-negation. (Way of God’s Will 3.2)

What is the most serious obstacle to entering the Kingdom of Heaven? An enemy called “I” is lurking about. “I” am the enemy. The reason why we pray and put effort into our life of faith is ultimately to be victorious over “me.”

Our goal is to achieve the victory whereby we no longer face Satan’s accusation, but as long as “I” exists, it is impossible to completely break away from that condition. We should be able to deny this “I” in the name of God.

We must totally deny ourselves. Only by total self-denial can we cut all the strings by which Satan has been pulling us. We should understand that something like the silk threads of a spiderweb connects us to Satan, who uses them to pull us. We have to cut them all with a razor. (122:13, April 26, 1982)

Jesus came to this earth to teach us that before we desire to live, to be a ruler of others, or to be happy, we should first be willing to die. Since human history was ruined due to selfishness and self-centered thinking, the only way to save it is to go in the opposite direction.

That is what Jesus meant by the paradoxical words, “Those who desire to live shall die, and those who are willing to die shall live.” With those words he set up the teaching to abolish this world of self-seeking, in which everyone regards him or herself, not the whole, as most important.

In a world where everyone thinks, “I am number one,” everyone is divided. No one likes arrogant people. Conversely, everyone likes individuals who willingly live for others and lift them up. (67:182, June 3, 1973)

The Fall was the beginning of the consciousness of “myself.” Therefore, you should deny yourself, especially your body. Get rid of Satan, that narcissistic being, by denying yourself.

Return to God by always living for the sake of others. Know clearly that this is the path laid out by religion to seek after enlightenment and the method to attain unity through the way of love. (214:65, February 1, 1991)

Satan exists nowhere else than in “myself.” Since ego exists, suspicion, jealousy, excessive desire, and anger come about. Therefore, kill your ego. Everything that has to do with “I” is Satan. Scoff at yourself and judge yourself. Satan always invades through someone close to you or the things you like most. (Way of God’s Will 3.4)

Living for the self ends with oneself, but living for others continues forever. Therefore, for goodness to continue, you should live for your counterpart, the greater whole. This is particularly the case when you are in a position of leadership… Therefore, the public road begins with denying the self.

Denying the self does not mean the self disappears. Goodness begins when you try to find yourself in another and value that relationship. This is the principle law and way for goodness to develop. (57:63, May 28, 1972)

The religions of Asia traditionally taught self-denial and rejection of material possessions. Conversely, Western people seek to raise themselves up and gain material prosperity. The result of such a self-centered life is material wealth but emptiness of spirit. (97:67, February 26, 1978)

As long as you insist on keeping to the ways you grew up with, you can never unite with people of other societies and nations and who have different ways of thinking. The simple way to unite with them is to forget totally about yourself. By completely denying yourself, you can make relationships everywhere. (360:192, November 16, 2001)