Chapter 12
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.
He who conquers others has physical strength; He who conquers himself is strong. Tao Te Ching 33 (Taoism)
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.
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.”2
Proverbs 16.32
Hadith (Islam)
I count him braver who overcomes his desires than him who conquers his enemies; for the hardest victory is the victory over self.
Though a man should conquer thousands and thousands of valiant foes, greater will be his victory if he conquers nobody but himself.
Aristotle1 (Hellenism)
Who is strong? He who controls his passions. Mishnah, Avot 4.1 (Judaism)
Fight with yourself; why fight with external foes? He who conquers himself through himself will obtain happiness….
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