You need to form families of love. Let it be known that the Kingdom of Heaven is the place for members of a unified royal family that have experienced love as princes and princesses of God’s Kingdom, the realm of His love! Amen! While you are living on earth, you need to base your lives on this principle. Even when you pass on to the next world, you need to do your absolute best to follow this principle. During my whole life, I have never thought of anything other than this. (238-262, 1992.11.22)
Cheon Seong Gyeong 1505
Where does the life of the Kingdom of Heaven begin? It begins in the family, not in any other place. The Kingdom of Heaven is the dimensionally expanded version of the family; it does not appear outside the realm of the family. Hence, when you embrace your spouse, you need to think that all the men and women of the world are becoming as one. The family is the place where you can make the conditional offering of loving all humanity. (30-83, 1970.3.17)
Restraint
The path to self-control begins with restraint. Restraint has several aspects. First, we should avoid situations that would tempt us to sin. This requires self-knowledge; since by knowing our weaknesses we can avoid compromising situations. Second, we should restrain ourselves from acting on the promptings of anger, arrogance and other momentary impulses. thus Father Moon, knowing that he has a temper, says that he must make continual effort to restrain himself from exploding in anger because he recognizes the harm it would cause others. Third, religious teachings of non-violence and meekness, of preferring to be beaten than to harm others, train us in the discipline of restraint. Fourth, Father Moon teaches of God’s restraint and forbearance in the face of constant insults and aggravations over thousands of years as an inspiring example for us as we strive to be people who restrain ourselves.
Be angry but do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity for the devil.
Ephesians 4.26-27
Verily God forgives my people the evil promptings which arise within their hearts as long as they do not speak about them and did not act upon them.
Hadith of Muslim (Islam)
If an evil man, on hearing of what is good, comes and creates a disturbance, you should hold your peace. You must not angrily upbraid him; then he who has come to curse you will merely harm himself.
Sutra of Forty-two Sections 7 (Buddhism)
A single bangle does not make a sound.
Igala Proverb (African Traditional Religions)
The anger of man does not work the righteousness of God.
James 1.20
Abu Huraira reported God’s Messenger as saying, “The strong man is not the good wrestler; the strong man is only he who controls himself when he is angry.”
Hadith of Bukhari and Muslim (Islam)
You have heard that it was said to the men of old, “You shall not kill; and whoever kills shall be liable to judgment.” But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother shall be liable to the council, and whoever says “You fool!” shall be liable to the hell of fire.
Matthew 5.21-22
The very first principle of religion laid down by Lord Mahavira is Ahimsa—Non-injury to living beings—which must be observed very scrupulously and thoroughly, and behaving towards all living beings with proper restraint and control.
Dashavaikalika Sutra 6.9 (Jainism)
“Your cheeks are like halves of a pomegranate behind your veil” (Song 4.3): The emptiest of you are as well packed with religious observances as a pomegranate with seeds. For everyone who has the opportunity of committing a sin and escapes it and refrains from doing it performs a highly religious act. How much more, then, is this true of those “behind your veil,” the modest and self-restrained among you!
Canticles Rabbah 4.4.3 (Judaism)
Whenever there is attachment in my mind And whenever there is the desire to be angry, I should not do anything nor say anything, But remain like a piece of wood….
Whenever I am eager for praise Or have the desire to blame others; Whenever I have the wish to speak harshly and cause dispute; At such times I should remain like a piece of wood.
Whenever I desire material gain, honor or fame; Whenever I seek attendants or a circle of friends, And when in my mind I wish to be served; At these times I should remain like a piece of wood. Whenever I have the wish to decrease or to stop working for others And the desire to pursue my own welfare alone, If [motivated by such thoughts] a wish to say something occurs, At these times I should remain like a piece of wood. Shantideva, Guide to the Bodhisattva’s Way of Life 5.48-52 (Buddhism)
What do you have to do to be a child of filial piety? You must always align yourself with the direction of your parents’ heart. The one who walks the path of filial piety does not do things separately from his parents. When his parents go east, he should also go east, and when they go west, he should also go west. There should be no question about it. Even if you are told to go a certain way and then to turn back ten times, you hould again turn back and follow your parents. (62-32, 1972.9.10
Self-Control
2. Self-Discipline: Training the Unruly Beast Within
Teachings of Rev. Sun Myung Moon
The human conscience is the faculty of mind that represents God. It does not exist for your sake, but for the righteousness of Heaven. The conscience always strives for goodness. The body rebels against it. The body desires to be comfortable; it is selfish and insatiable to satisfy its instinctive needs. The conscience reproaches such a body and tries to bring it into submission. This is the reason why conflict and struggle arise continually within the self.
The human conscience is the faculty of mind that represents God. It does not exist for your sake, but for the righteousness of Heaven. The conscience always strives for goodness. The body rebels against it. The body desires to be comfortable; it is selfish and insatiable to satisfy its instinctive needs. The conscience reproaches such a body and tries to bring it into submission. This is the reason why conflict and struggle arise continually within the self. World Scripture II V8 013107.ind607 6072/1/2007 3:15:30 PM
Therefore, religions throughout history have taught people methods to strike the body. Religions are training grounds to enable us to control our bodily desires and have the body to surrender to the mind. They train and guide fallen people to become the men and women God intended at the creation. (219:118, August 28, 1991)
“Before you desire to have dominion over the universe, you must first have dominion over yourself”: I regard this as the most important matter. The three requisites for achieving this are to overcome the three enemies: food, sleep and sex. (366:287, January 17, 2002)
Despite every effort at self-cultivation, people are often caught by love. When they respond to the temptation of a handsome man or beautiful woman, they are caught. Human beings cannot claim to have attained self-mastery in matters of love. It is possible for people to control their sexual desire when they become one with God, but as long as they are self-centered they cannot overcome it. Even in movies, when a woman is being raped at first she fights, “No, no!” but once her passion is aroused she embraces the man. The power of love makes people give in to their enemies. (306:196, September 23, 1998)
Due to the Human Fall, love today is basically self-centered. That self-centered love does not originate from the mind, but rather is centered upon the body. The body is where Satan conducts his activities. The body is Satan’s dance hall; it is Satan’s mooring post. The mind represents God’s dwelling place—the subject position. But the body, which should assume the object position, tries to make itself another subject. It continually asserts itself, alluring or deceiving the mind. In human life, it is crucial to correct this relationship.
Therefore, God established religion to restore fallen humans. Through religion God is teaching people how to strengthen their God-centered mind and reverse the body’s dominion over their life and character. That is why religion requires fasting, sacrificial service, and a meek and humble attitude. These are methods to reduce the power of the body and make the body submit to the mind. Normally in religious life it takes about three to five years to overcome the habit of a body-centered life and create a new, spirit-centered way of life. (201:209, April 9, 1990)
When I put myself at the zero point and completely deny myself, at that point my mind and body can achieve perfect unity. (October 21, 2001)
Your goal is for the mind to be in control 100 percent. It is not enough for the mind and body to be 50-50. [After death] such a person will end up in the mid-level spirit world, in a buffer zone. If a person follows the body 60 percent of the time, he will undoubtedly go to hell… Always keep in mind that “I” am the womb that brings forth both good and evil. (37:122, December 23, 1970)
Are God’s mind and body fighting?4 No, they do not fight. How about you? If your mind and body do not become one, you can never enter the Kingdom of Heaven. (305:111, April 19, 1999)
The family that perfects the four great realms of heart and three great kingships is the ideal family. The grandparents stand as God, the parents as the king of the families of this world, and you as the children are the future kings and queens who will inherit the kingship in the spiritual and physical worlds. You become the kings and queens who inherit all of this. The ideal family is the place where the three great kingships should bear fruit. (239-185, 1992.11.24)
Cheon Seong Gyeong 799
This universe is a museum of love. Human beings must become the owners of this museum. The mineral world and plant world multiply centering on relationships of love. Without love, history would end. History can continue because there is reproduction. Consequently, man and woman should marry and give birth to children. Without doing so, they cannot find their place in the spirit world. When a baby is born, you should come before God and offer that baby as a gift to Him. Without this gift, you cannot hold your head up proudly. When you go back to your hometown, what is it you will be most proud of and want to show your parents? You will take pride in how well you raised your children. It is the same in the spirit world. When you go before God, there is no greater gift than bringing God’s children, the people of heaven, whom you have raised on this earth. Money, power, and knowledge are not important. (229-15, 1992.4.9)
Self-Control
2. Self-Discipline: Training the Unruly Beast Within
Be not like a horse or a mule, without understanding, which must be curbed with bit and bridle, else it will not keep with you.
Psalm 32.9
Man makes a harness for his beast; all the more should he make one for the beast within himself, his evil desire.
Jerusalem Talmud, Sanhedrin 10.1 (Judaism)
Excellent are trained mules, so are thoroughbred horses of Sindh and noble tusked elephants; but far better is he who has trained himself.
Formerly this mind went wandering where it liked, as it wished and as it listed. Today with attentiveness I shall completely hold it in check, as a mahout controls an elephant in must.
Dhammapada 322, 326 (Buddhism)
Know that the Self is the rider, and the body the chariot; that the intellect is the charioteer, and the mind the reins. The senses, say the wise, are the horses; the roads they travel are the mazes of desire…
When a man lacks discrimination and his mind is uncontrolled, his senses are unmanageable, like the restive horses of a charioteer. But when a man has discrimination and his mind is controlled, his senses, like the well-broken horses of a charioteer, lightly obey the rein.
Katha Upanishad 1.3.3-6 (Hinduism)
The man of understanding… will regulate his bodily habit and training. Not yielding to brutal and irrational pleasures, he will regard even health as quite a secondary matter. His first aim will be not to be fair or strong or well, unless he is likely to gain temperance thereby, but to temper the body so as to preserve the harmony of the soul.
Plato, The Republic (Hellenism)
Irrigators lead the waters. Fletchers bend the shafts. Carpenters bend wood. The virtuous control themselves.
Dhammapada 80 (Buddhism)
It is true that the mind is restless and difficult to control. But it can be conquered, Arjuna, through regular practice and detachment. Those who lack self-control will find it difficult to progress in meditation; but those who are self-controlled, striving earnestly through the right means, will attain the goal.
Bhagavad-Gita 6.35-36 (Hinduism)
What is meant by saying that cultivation of the personal life depends on the rectification of the mind is that when one is affected by wrath to any extent, his mind will not be correct. When one is affected by fear to any extent, his mind will not be correct. When he is affected by fondness to any extent, his mind will not be correct. When he is affected by worries and anxieties, his mind will not be correct. When the mind is not present, we look but do not see, listen but do not hear, and eat but do not know the taste of food. This is what is meant by saying that the cultivation of the personal life depends on the rectification of the mind.
Great Learning 7 (Confucianism)
That man is disciplined and happy who can prevail over the turmoil That springs from desire and anger, here on earth, before he leaves his body. Bhagavad-Gita 5.23 (Hinduism)
As an island nation, England was always at the mercy of attacks from the Vikings of Norway, Denmark and Sweden. That is why the English people took an interest in the ocean and trained themselves in sea defense. England was in a position where she could not survive unless she maintained her control over the oceans. Consequently, England strengthened its policy of mastery over the seas in Queen Elizabeth’s time. This was all in accordance with God’s providence. Britain took control of North America. Britain employed a policy of pretending to be outwardly civil towards Spain, but resorted to deception internally. Don’t we know this through studying history? Spain conquered South America. Consequently, in order to prevent Spain from conquering all of North America, Great Britain strengthened many of her maritime policies. (80-292, 1975.11.2)
Cheon Seong Gyeong 1192
Why are things such as indemnity or the restoration of the right of parents, the right of the eldest son, and the right of kingship necessary? Satan’s love, life and lineage are the key problems. What originally should have started from God has actually begun from the devil. The devil made a start centered on something incredible called love. The universe was created because of love. The process of creation took place centering on love, which is the source of all beings. Satan overturned this origin. That is why the original source that was twisted must now be twisted back. (206-236, 1990.10.14)
Morality
Self-Control
Self-control is the basis of all virtues. Unruly thoughts, attractions of the senses, lustful desires, anger, covetousness, and avarice constantly arise in the mind of the person who has no mental discipline; and these impel him to do evil deeds. If a person cannot even direct his own thoughts, desires, and actions, how can he possibly have integrity in his relations with others? How can he keep his life on the path of truth? the philosopher John Locke said, “the discipline of desire is the background of character.” The passages in this section feature two nearly universal metaphors employed to describe self-control: military conquest and the horse and rider. The conquest of self is the most difficult of all conquests, yet the most important. Father Moon teaches that regardless of one’s high-minded motives to change the world, all efforts are futile without the foundation of having mastered oneself. The task of gaining self-control is also likened to a rider on a wild horse. The higher mind or conscience, like an experienced rider, must gain control over the beast within. He may have to employ the bit and bridle of self-denial and asceticism, yet at all costs he must tame and subdue the lower self with its wanton desires.
1. Victory over the Self
Though one should conquer a million men on the battlefield, yet he, indeed, is the noblest victor who has conquered himself.
Dhammapada 103 (Buddhism)
He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city. Proverbs 16.32
I count him braver who overcomes his desires than him who conquers his enemies; for the hardest victory is the victory over self.
Aristotle1(Hellenism)
Who is strong? He who controls his passions.
Mishnah, Avot 4.1 (Judaism)
He who conquers others has physical strength;He who conquers himself is strong.
Tao Te Ching 33 (Taoism)
The Prophet declared, “We have returned from the lesser holy war (al jihad al-asghar) to the greater holy war (al jihad al-akbar).” They asked, “O Prophet of God, which is the greater war?” He replied, “Struggle against the lower self.”
Hadith (Islam)
Though a man should conquer thousands and thousands of valiant foes, greater will be his victory if he conquers nobody but himself.
Fight with yourself; why fight with external foes? He who conquers himself through himself will obtain happiness….
Difficult to conquer is oneself; but when that is conquered, everything is conquered.
Uttaradhyayana Sutra 9.34-36 (Jainism)
In the human soul there is a better and also a worse principle; and when the better has the worse under control, then a man is said to be master of himself; and this is a term of praise: but when, owing to evil education or association, the better principle, which is also the smaller, is overwhelmed by the greater mass of the worse—in this case he is blamed and is called the slave of self and unprincipled.
Plato, The Republic 9 (Hellenism)
Superior nature can be taught and inferior nature can be controlled.
Han Yu (Confucianism)
Man should discover his own reality and not thwart himself. For he has the self as his only friend, or as his only enemy. A person has the self as a friend when he has conquered himself, But if he rejects his own reality, the self will war against him. Bhagavad-Gita 6.5-6 (Hinduism)
Teachings of Rev. Sun Myung Moon
“Before you desire to have dominion over the universe, you must first have dominion over yourself”: That is my motto. God’s love, life and truth can be developed on the basis of self-mastery. (Way of God’s Will 2.2)
Who is your enemy? The devil out there is not your enemy; you are your own enemy. Are your mind and body united as one in serving God? How difficult is it? Which is easier, to unite the world or to unite your own self? If you are united as an individual, then by extending that unity you can certainly unify the world. Then who is your enemy? Your own eyes are your enemy. Your own ears are your enemy. Your own nose is your enemy. Your own mouth is your enemy. Your own thoughts are your enemy. (91:285-86, February 27, 1977)
Because we are fallen, we have some elements to overcome. Therefore, I put forward the motto, “Before you desire to have dominion over the universe, you must first have dominion over yourself.” The issue is not gaining worldly dominion. To have dominion over the self—this is the absolute goal of training. It is the purpose that religious people have pursued throughout history, and the important responsibility assigned to each of us today. Yet, we neglect this task. (82:281, February 1, 1976)
Stopping the mind and the body from fighting is more difficult than signing a truce to end a world war. (320:249, April 16, 2000)
In other words, among the many countries of Asia, if there is one nation whose entire population can accept the Christian cultural background and also maintain a receptive attitude while the Pacific civilization is approaching before their eyes, that nation can naturally only be Korea. Japan, China, or the Soviet Union cannot fulfill this role. (222-134, 1991.10.28)
Cheon Seong Gyeong 1194
The democratic political system is a system of struggle. That is why we have to rise to the position of parents. Only then can the struggle be stopped. Siblings can all unite, centered on the parents. The world of peace starts from such unity. There is no other method. First, people need to find the True Parents, and then everything else including true children, true nation, and true peace can be found. There is no other way. (205-190, 1990.9.1)
Perseverance and Patience
2. Never Give Up, but Persevere to the Very End
The Bible records… that in the Last Days even people with faith will find it hard to survive. Therefore, you must endure and forbear until the very end if you are to overcome this age of chaos and become victors. (4:237, May 18, 1958)
Our endurance should not end midway; it should go all the way. God has endured for six thousand years for this. Who is God? He is our Father. Because we inherited His flesh and blood and His virtues, we must be like Him.
(44:28, May 4, 1971)
You cannot complete your life of faith in one morning or one day. It is a lifelong path. In a life of faith, the main issue is to maintain your dedication with a constant mind and heart with a view towards eternity, beyond death. Your center core must be unchanging. No matter how difficult, sorrowful or painful, it can never change. To follow the path of faith you must discover this core in yourself, something you can never deny. (59:234-35, July 23, 1972)
Even though you have forbearance, you may realize that it is far from the terminal point. Today many who have been supporting our church say that they are too tired to go on. You hear people say that the Unification Church is good, but its way is too difficult to follow… Indeed, it is hard to go this way. It is a path of tears—tears over what we see, tears over what we feel, and tears in the midst of struggle. Some think that now the time has come for the tears to stop, but it is not yet.
I know that the tears must continue; I know that the heart of God is waiting for more tears of forbearance, waiting for us, the plaintive ones. I cannot lift my face before Him even though I have endured thus far. Though I have endured from 1945 until today,21 I have never thought about when I might reach the limit of patient forbearance.
I do not even wish for the days of endurance to end. It is a normal experience in the life of faith that once you start wishing for something to end you start looking after yourselves, and from that point on you feel anxious. (6:89, March 29, 1959)
God is eternal. Once He determines to do something, He never alters His course in the middle. What about you? You may be determined, but how long will you continue? For a month, a year, several years, ten years? Or will you continue for your entire lifetime? Your determination is bound to change. Sometimes you say to yourself, “If I like it, then I will do it. If I do not like it, I will not do it.” However, truth is truth whether you live or die; it is eternal. Truth is beyond death, beyond changeability.
Therefore, in order to be a true person, with the steadfastness of unchanging truth, you have to be beyond death. To be beyond death, you first have to conquer death. This means there will be a collision at some point between your changeability and unchangeability. When they collide, your changeable elements will shatter and only your unchanging elements will remain. It will be a collision between life and death. At that time you must overcome death; then you will have life. It is reasonable that you must pass through this stage on the path to making a relationship with God.
When will the moment of truth come for you? It will be the time when there arises an opportunity to be unchanging and changing at the same time. Both life and death appear before you. That is when the truth emerges. (66:43, March 18, 1973)
