The Underlying Religion: An Introduction to the Perennial Philosphy

by Martin Lings (Editor)

Overview

The Underlying Religion is an anthology of 25 essays by 14 of the leading exponents of the “perennialist” or “traditionalist” school of comparative religious thought, associated with René Guénon, Ananda Coomaraswamy, and Frithjof Schuon. This school is well known for its espousal of the “transcendent unity of religions”—the idea that religions are different paths leading to the same summit. Focusing its selection on the most accessible of the perennialist writings, and structured in such a way as to allow for the easiest possible comprehension, The Underlying Religion aims to be the most accessible introduction yet to the perspective of the Perennial Philosophy.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781933316796
Publisher:	World Wisdom
Publication date:	07/18/2007
Series:	Perennial Philosophy Series
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	368
File size:	1 MB

About the Author

Martin Lings was Keeper of Oriental Manuscripts and Printed Books at the British Museum. He is the author of Muhammad: His Life Based on the Earliest Sources. Dr. Lings died in May, 2005.

Clinton Minnaar is a professional editor in the field of religious studies. Originally from South Africa, he currently lives with his wife in Bloomington, IN

Table of Contents

Preface   Martin Lings     ix
Introduction   Clinton Minnaar     xi
Tradition and Modernity
Religion and Tradition   Lord Northbourne     3
Modernism: The Profane Point of View   Lord Northbourne     11
Looking Back on Progress   Lord Northbourne     18
Traditional Cosmology and Modern Science
The Past in the Light of the Present & The Rhythms of Time   Martin Lings     35
Evolutionism   Titus Burckhardt     55
Modern Science and the Dehumanization of Man   Philip Sherrard     70
Metaphysics
Oriental Metaphysics   Rene Guenon     95
The Decisive Boundary   Martin Lings     110
Scientia Sacra   Seyyed Hossein Nasr     114
Understanding and Believing   Frithjof Schuon     141
Symbolism
The Symbol   Martin Lings     153
The Traditional Doctrine of Symbolism   Ghazi bin Muhammad     157
The Language of the Birds   Rene Guenon     172
Symplegades   Ananda K. Coomaraswamy     176
The Perennial Philosophy
The Spirit of the Times   Martin Lings     203
Paths ThatLead to the Same Summit   Ananda K. Coomaraswamy     217
Mysticism   William Stoddart     230
The Perennial Philosophy   Frithjof Schuon     243
Beauty
Foundations of an Integral Aesthetics   Frithjof Schuon     251
An Introduction to Sacred Art   Titus Burckhardt     258
Do Clothes Make the Man? The Significance of Human Attire   Marco Pallis     266
Virtue and Prayer
Virtue and Morality   Tage Lindbom     285
Frithjof Schuon and Prayer   Reza Shah-Kazemi     295
A Letter on Spiritual Method   Titus Burckhardt     310
Afterword: The Revival of Interest in Tradition   Whitall N. Perry     312
Acknowledgments     331
Notes on Contributors     333
Biographical Notes     339
Index     341

Editorial Reviews

Perennialist/traditionalist thought strives for a unity that transcends each individual religion and its unique doctrines. This look at primordial religion edited by the late Lings (Muhammad: His Life Based on the Earliest Sources) and Minnaar, a professional editor in the field of religious studies, is an anthology of 25 essays of the leading 14 exponents of sophia perennis: Frithjof Schuon, René Guénon, Ananda Coomaraswamy, and Titus Burckhardt, to name a few (there are biographical notes on all). Unfortunately, as with almost all other compilations, the readability of the essays differs from one author to the next. Burckhardt communicates much more accessibly and concretely than does Guénon, for example, yet their arguments are equally sound and reasonable. Generally, however, the authors discuss Truth, Prayer, Virtue, and Beauty in a way that crosses cultural, linguistic, and ethnic boundaries. Some occasionally sound like Luddites, but they go deep into an esoteric and mystical realm most readers rarely get the opportunity to visit. This insightful and amazing glimpse into Eastern thought as interpreted by Eastern and Western scholars deserves second and third readings. Recommended for academic and public libraries.
—Gary P. Gillum

Library Journal