《东方朝圣者对其灵性之父的自白》是一部东方基督教世界的灵修经典，诞生于十九世纪俄罗斯静修主义复兴时期，长期以来以匿名作品的形式在民间广泛流传。这部作品的完整文本由七篇自白组成，作者以故事性情节与思辨性论述，描绘了一个东方朝圣者——静修主义者追求不间断祷告真理的朝圣之旅。朝圣者的灵修实践与灵性生活深刻呈现了源于早期基督教的静修主义传统与苦修教父传统的精神性内核。

首先，本论文考察了《自白》的文本历史与作者身份的问题。从十九世纪八十年代起，民间与学界对这一问题进行了大范围、长时间、多阶段、深层次的探讨与研究。本论文根据最新的学术研究成果，将作者身份归于十九世纪的修士司祭阿尔谢尼·特罗耶波利斯基，并还原了这部作品的完整文本发展史，绘制出最终的完整版本脉络图。基于这一判断，本论文揭示了作者与作品之间的深层次联系：在创作生涯的晚期阶段，也是灵修思想趋向成熟的阶段，特罗耶波利斯基创作完成了《自白》，将其作为自己毕生祷告理论与实践经验的总结之作，从而构建完成了一个庞大的祷告主题作品体系。

其次，本论文介绍并探讨了《自白》的主要灵修内容。论文不仅从地理学角度梳理了朝圣者的行进路线，还从灵性成长的角度，同步梳理了其祷告操练与灵性生活各阶段的渐进式发展过程：为了探求使徒保罗所说“不住的祷告”的奥秘，朝圣者踏上了朝圣之旅，开启了自己的灵修操练进程。他的旅程始于长老的隐修院——在这里，他熟练习得口头祷告；在前往伊尔库茨克的过程中，他的祷告操练逐渐从外在的口头祷告过渡到内在的心之祷告；在前往基辅与波恰耶夫的路途上，他的灵性生活得到了进一步强化。此外，两次灵性对话单独成篇，作为对灵修与祷告相关问题的总结性论述。在朝圣之旅中，朝圣者经历了一系列危险的偶发事件与严酷的身体磨难，并与各色路人产生命运交集、进行深度对话。在《爱善集》、《圣经》及其它灵修文本的指引下，朝圣者从这些经历中不断获得灵性启示和经验，逐步推进自身灵性生活与“灵性成熟度”的渐进式发展。通过笔下主人公的旅途际遇，特罗耶波利斯基不仅表达了自己对灵修动机、耶稣祷告、真正的忏悔、缄默与隐居、“无象”、沮丧与代祷等灵修论题的理解，也展现了自己对灵性生活神秘现象的深刻洞见。

再次，本论文对《自白》的核心主题——不间断祷告——进行了深入研究。此祷告传统根源于荒漠时期的苦修教父传统，其内容涉及修行者的灵性修炼领域。在静修主义传统的发展过程中，“理智”与“心”成为解释修行者灵性机制动态过程的关键概念。在当代俄罗斯哲学家谢·霍鲁日的静修主义人学中，“理智归心”与不间断祷告之间的内在联系得到了阐释。在此基础上，本论文借助静修主义人学的视角，深入探讨了东方苦修教父（特别是圣伊格纳修·布良恰尼诺夫）对不间断祷告的基础性共识：作为不间断祷告的主要祷告类型，耶稣祷告在灵修操练中占据核心地位；祷告的阶段性与渐进性、忏悔方针与祷告频率也在其中起到关键作用。特罗耶波利斯基在《自白》中同样展现了自己对不间断祷告的理解，包括其含义、实现条件及其所带来的精神体验。这些相关阐述存在一定争议性，因而在一场由阿·奥西波夫主导的神学争论中得到了再度讨论。通过这场争论，不间断祷告的真实面貌得以揭示：无论是从苦修教父传统的角度，还是从静修主义人学的角度来看，不间断祷告不仅是推动修行者灵性上升的关键工具，也是他在达到一定灵性高度后所获得的阶段性成果。在教父传统所给予的基本释义的基础上，不间断祷告的外延随着时代变化不断获得发展。此外，修行者的资历、忏悔意识、操练的阶段性与渐进性、祷告频率等教父共识也在这场争论中得到了新的理解。

最后，本论文从“东方朝圣”与“东方灵修”两个层面总结了《自白》在俄罗斯及海外产生的影响与意义。自其第一个印刷版本问世以来，该作品已衍生出数十个主要印刷版本，包括多个俄文版本与海外版本，成为东西方世界中持有不同立场、信仰和观点的读者理解东方朝圣与东方灵修的重要途径。通过引用《爱善集》、呈现“心智操练”与不间断祷告，以及展现东正教修道生活中的核心现象——长老制，特罗耶波利斯基在书中倾注了自己鲜明的静修主义世界观，使得《自白》成为研究东正教静修主义的重要文本材料。

作为“近百年来最具影响力的灵性书籍之一”，《自白》不仅因其折射出的俄罗斯精神文化现象独特性在俄罗斯哲学与灵修学界占据一席之地，也因其中蕴含的精神养料而成为西方世界的灵性启蒙书籍。其精神养料直到今天仍然具有强大的生命力，值得遭遇存在主义危机的现代人汲取。

Candid Tales of a Wanderer to His Spiritual Father is a classic of spirituality within Eastern Christianity, born in the nineteenth century during the revival of Russian Hesychasm, and enduringly circulated anonymously in folklore. The complete work consists of seven candid tales, where the author employs narrative storytelling and discursive exposition to depict the journey of a wanderer-hesychast in pursuit of the truth of unceasing prayer. The wanderer's spiritual practices and inner life profoundly reveal the spiritual core of Hesychastic tradition and the ascetic patristic tradition originating in early Christianity.

Firstly, this thesis examines the issues surrounding the textual history and authorship of Tales of a Wanderer. Since the 1880s, these questions have undergone extensive, prolonged, multi-phase, and deep-level exploration and research in both folk and academic contexts. This thesis, based on the latest scholarship, attributes authorship to the Hieromonk Arseny Troepolsky of the nineteenth century and restores the complete history of the textual development of this work, charting the complete lineage of the edition. Based on the judgment, this thesis reveals a deeper connection between the author and the work: In the later stages of Troepolsky’s creative career, when his spiritual ideology was maturing, he completed this work as a summary of his life's experience in the theory and practice of prayer, thus completing a great system of works on the subject of prayer.

Secondly, this thesis introduces and analyzes the main spiritual content of Tales of a Wanderer. It not only traces the wanderer's geographic journey but also chronicles the gradual development of his prayer exercises and spiritual life stages from a perspective of spiritual growth: In pursuit of the Apostle Paul's mystery of “unceasing prayer”, the wanderer sets out on a spiritual journey, initiating his own spiritual exercise process. His journey commences at the hermitage of the “starets”, where he masters the practice of verbal prayer; during the journey to Irkutsk, his prayer exercises transition progressively from outward verbal prayer to inner heartfelt prayer; and his spiritual life is further strengthened on the way to Kiev and Pochayev. Additionally, two spiritual dialogues serve as standalone treatises summarizing discussions on spiritual practice and prayer-related issues. Throughout the journey, the wanderer encounters a series of perilous incidents and endures severe physical hardships, engaging in profound conversations and intersecting destinies with various passersby. Guided by the Philokalia, the Bible, and other spiritual texts, the wanderer continually gains spiritual insights and experiences, fostering the gradual advancement of his spiritual life and “spiritual maturity”. Through the encounters of the protagonist's journey, Troepolsky expresses not only his understanding of spiritual motivations, the Jesus Prayer, true repentance, the stillness and hermitic life, the “bezvidie”, the despondency and intercession, but also demonstrates a deep insight into the mysterious phenomena of the spiritual life.

Thirdly, this thesis provides an in-depth exploration of the issue of unceasing prayer, a central theme of Tales of a Wanderer. The tradition of unceasing prayer has its roots in the ascetical patristic tradition of the desert period, and its content relates to the area of spiritual exercises involving the practitioner. In the development of Hesychasm, “mind” and “heart” have become key concepts in explaining the dynamic processes within the practitioner's spiritual mechanisms. The intrinsic connection between the “the entrance of the mind into the heart” and unceasing prayer is elucidated in the Hesychastic anthropology of the contemporary Russian philosopher Sergey S. Horujy. On this basis, this thesis draws on a perspective of Hesychastic anthropology to delve into the foundational consensus of the Eastern ascetical patristics (especially St. Ignatius Bryanchaninov) on unceasing prayer: The Jesus Prayer, as the main type of unceasing prayer, occupies a central place in spiritual exercises; the stages and progressiveness of prayer, along with repentance and frequency of prayer, also play key roles. In Tales of a Wanderer, Troepolsky similarly demonstrates his understanding of unceasing prayer, including its meaning, the conditions for its realization, and the spiritual experiences it brings. The relevant expositions are somewhat controversial, and thus have been rediscussed in a theological controversy dominated by A. S. Osipov. Through this controversy, the true face of unceasing prayer is revealed: Whether viewed from the perspective of the patristic tradition or Hesychastic anthropology, unceasing prayer is not only a crucial tool for the spiritual ascent of the practitioner, but also a milestone achieved upon reaching a certain spiritual height. Based on the basic interpretations given by the ascetic patristic tradition, the extension of unceasing prayer is constantly being developed according to the changing times. In addition, the patristic consensus on the qualifications of the practitioner, the sense of repentance, the progressiveness of the exercises and the frequency of prayers are also gained new understanding in this controversy.

Finally, the thesis summarizes the impact and significance of Tales of a Wanderer in Russia and abroad on the dimensions of “Orthodox wandering” and “Eastern spirituality”. Since its first printed edition, the work has been published in dozens of major print editions, including several Russian versions and overseas translations. It has become an essential source of understanding Orthodox wandering and Eastern spirituality for readers in both the Eastern and Western worlds, regardless of their diverse positions, beliefs, and perspectives. Through the references to the Philokalia, the presentation of “intellectual and heartfelt work” and unceasing prayer, and the presentation of Eldership, “the central phenomenon of Orthodox monastic life”, Troepolsky imbues Tales of a Wanderer with his distinctive Hesychastic worldview, making this work an important textual material for the study of Orthodox Hesychasm.

As “one of the most influential spiritual books of the last hundred years”, Tales of a Wanderer has secured its place in Russian philosophy and spirituality not only because of the uniqueness of the Russian spiritual and cultural phenomena it reflects, but also due to the spiritual nourishment it contains, making it a book of spiritual enlightenment for the Western world. Its spiritual nourishment remains powerful to this day and is valuable for modern individuals experiencing existential crises.