The Underlying Religion: An Introduction to the Perennial Philosphy (Perennial Philosophy Series) Kindle Edition
by Martin Lings (Editor) Format: Kindle Edition
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Part of: Perennial Philosophy (47 books)
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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.
Print length
370 pages
Publication date
July 18, 2007
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Tim
Oct 18, 2013Tim rated it it was amazing · review of another edition
Shelves: islam, islam-perennialism, islam-seyyed-hossein-nasr
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When I came to Islam, I had come out of a period of searching that caused me to recognize a certain universal pattern to reality. This was particularly true after a near-fatal car accident in 2009, when I found that my consciousness had changed. I began to realize that for all of my life my vision had been narrowed. I had become insular in faith and life. Yet, how was I to proceed down a deeper spiritual path, and what road was I to take? I wanted something bigger, and at first that seemed to involve picking and choosing from different ideologies/faiths/philosophies. I didn't immediately understand that I was skimming an exoteric surface. This was not taking me any deeper, but was simply showing me the outward appearance of different manifestations of the ONE or the Absolute.
After much searching, my commitment was to Islam, and as I often tell people when I'm asked about my conversion process, there are many factors which led to the decision, and had my life path been different, I might have easily adopted a different faith without falling out of step with the universal or ultimate "being". I realize this at my deepest level while being no less committed to the Islamic path. Yet I also know that to go deeper I needed to be on a specific path - one that had its roots in a universal reality that transcends all of the patterns and "progress" we see in human societies and existence.
My goal when committing to a particular faith path was/is awareness, knowledge, love and unity with the underlying divinity, the reality, the ONE, Allah, God, Being, whatever name we choose to call it. I believe that all of us are at base concerned with some sort of ultimate reality, whether we claim spirituality or not, and that ultimately we are searching for the same essence, whatever symbols, linguistic terminology or philosophies we use to describe it. For in the end, we all want authenticity, we want to know the true nature of things.
This also resonates with what has become known as the "Sophia Perennis" or Perennial Philosophy. There is nothing new about this "Philosophy" and I hesitate to even give it a label, but for purposes of commenting on the ideas contained in this book, it is necessary to do so. This Philosophy, as the excellent appendix describes is not concerned so much with what humanity can accomplish, but what it is meant or created to accomplish. The introduction defines it as: "both absolute Truth and infinite Presence. As absolute Truth it is the perennial wisdom (sophia perennis) that stands as the transcendent source of all the intrinsically orthodox religions of humankind." It is concerned with underlying truth - a truth that has been obscured by modernity in an overwhelming emphasis on the exoteric, down to the way that religion itself is manifested. Yet the perennial philosophy does not discard religion (or as it describes it "tradition"). In fact, the need for this new articulation of something that has never left us is - as Frithjof Schuon describes it - because of the "totalitarian rationalism" of modernity, post-modernity.
It is not a reactive philosophy, in the sense that the reactivity of the various fundamentalist strains - particularly as seen in certain quarters of the Abrahamic faiths - are reactive to modernity by becoming more insular and violently protective of exoteric notions of faith. This protection is lacking of the esoteric. The Perennial idea seeks to expand our vision by allowing us to realize that there is a universal truth expressed by one Creator. This Creator manifests itself in different exoteric ways throughout history in this lower world, the world of forms. Diversity is a part of the universal plan. Diversity in fact points to the true idea of unity, which is a unity of foundation if you will, or better a unity of a higher foundation. As we progress through levels of consciousness we realize how illusory are the forms through which we perceive our world. These forms though, serve as symbols pointing to the ultimate and can also serve as a delineation between those things that lead to the ultimate and what can pull us away from that ultimate into the illusory world of forms or the world of the ego. More simply expressed, these symbols serve as a guide to right and wrong, good and bad in this lower form of consciousness where forms assume a dualistic manifestation. So, precisely for that reason, there is truth in traditional forms, and the traditional forms in faith - Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, etc., cannot be discarded. These faiths have survived throughout the centuries because they are of the nature of divine revelation. They are self-contained systems of living that share a universal truth.
The Sophia Perennis expresses the idea that a focus on forms in the modern world is to the detriment of the underlying symbolic truth of these revealed faiths. Yet there is a yearning in the modern world for this truth. We all look for purpose in life, and we all want to achieve a higher state of being, despite the language we might use to describe what "higher" means. From the equality of humanity expressed through the ideas of Socialism, to the attainment of success of the individual in Capitalism, we can see it in the world of economics and politics. There is equally a desire to return to a "purer" form of life, before "agrarian civilization" that we can find expressed in the ideas of Jared Diamond and others. What is lacking in this modern world is the esoteric. We are back to the totalitarian rationalism that Frithjof Schuon speaks of. The exoteric dominates our lives, and it is precisely this fact that is at the base of the argument which the Sophia Perennis makes against the idea of evolution as the nature of the universe. While it is true that humanity is making progression in the exoteric world through outward "innovation" in technology, it is at the expense of the esoteric, and in this sense there is a DE-evolution in humanity. We have lost the sense of who we are - of our humanity. This is exemplified in the way religions practice and clash in our world just as much as it is in the lack of the idea of the transcendent altogether.
The reason that there is conflict in our world is - as the book expresses - because form by nature will delimit parts of the universal archetype. Yet we live in this world, so we cannot escape form. Traditional faiths allow us to get past the form to the higher reality, and we cannot break these revealed forms. They are the sole route to truth in this world. Therefore, it cannot be stated enough how important it is to respect the revealed forms. As a Muslim who believes in an underlying unity, I must still practice my Islam. This is the key to Perennialism. It is not a new idea in that it proposes a new faith. Again, Sophia Perennis is not some system which brings a new faith, religion or tradition. It is more of an articulation of reality. It is pointing out more than ever why it is important to follow a revealed path. Yet it also equally emphasizes that there is a deeper understanding to a particular revealed path, and with this understanding comes a tension due - again - to the world of forms.
The tension can be seen here in that while practicing my Islam, I also acknowledge that this might not be the path for everyone, and that there is truth in other paths. I respect my Christian heritage and family knowing that it also comes from the same truth as Islam. The Qur'an itself teaches this, telling Muslims that the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) has come as the Seal of the Prophets and Islam has come as the culmination of all rightly guided faiths. Realizing and being able to hold this tension is key to the reduction of conflict through religion, and is key to the very fundamentals of the religion itself - virtue, love, humility, respect, etc...
There are three metaphysical truths which the Sophia Perennis expresses as doctrine, way and method. It describes doctrine as discernment of the truth from illusion. The way is a life "addressed to the soul" for conforming itself to the nature of the Real. The method is the technique that one uses to concentrate and focus on the real as one's ultimate life goal. When dealing with an Absolute that is bigger than any of us can conceive, there will be different manifestations of the Real in our world. We cannot follow all of these manifestations. Yet we can attain to the true reality while still realizing and respecting that there are other equally valid ways of attaining to that reality.
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Essam Qais
Jul 11, 2015Essam Qais rated it really liked it · review of another edition
The Underlying Religion attempts to summarize the main tenets of the Perennial Philosophy. This philosophy appeared in an age where religion is treated as the residue of primitivism; and people should or must replace it with modernism and science.In fact, in many parts of the world, many people follow this prescription directly or indirectly. The book is divided into seven parts and they are as follows:
- Tradition and Modernity
- Traditional Cosmology and Modern Science
- Metaphysics
- Symbolism
- The Perennial Philosophy
- Beauty
- Virtue and Prayer
The book presents religion in a different way which is might seem strange to some readers. The understanding of perennial philosophers of religion is deep, esoteric and sometimes shocking. They dig deeper into the essence of almost all great religions in order to show us that all religions are from the same source, they are different only exoterically .
The book is a heavy read, and I personally skipped two parts, namely Evolution and I don't understand evolution and honestly I'm not interested in the evolution theory.
The Symplegades is very dense and contains many of Hindu terms that I don't understand. The book has advantages and disadvantages. The advantages of this book lie in its ability to tell implicitly the reader, mostly Western reader, that religion is not merely the result of fear or the stupidity of our ancestors, on the contrary; religion is a message from heaven to save humanity. The disadvantage of this lies in difficulty of its language. Its language replete with classical words and sometimes you have to read one passage several times in order to understand it. Furthermore, there is no glossary of terms, which is very significant in this book, instead the editors refer the reader to a web site. They could have included a glossary of terms at the end of every chapter, since this book contains many terms from several languages and religion. Finally, I recommend this book for those who want to deepen his/er knowledge of the esoteric aspect of religions, and I also recommend this book for those who think that religion is only the result of fear and stupidity. (less)
Alan
Feb 21, 2017Alan rated it it was ok · review of another edition
Shelves: give-away
Tedious - gave it up by page 48.
Bramha Raju
Nov 25, 2015Bramha Raju rated it really liked it
My first insight into Perennial Philosophy, something which always held my thoughts without the supply of the noun. This book emphasizes the strength and power that constitutes the underlying the common bond of all religions. Not a book for an average reader, given the theological complexity and I had to force myself and repeatedly read to comprehend the in-depth analysis of the author. From Section five onwards, I could not put the book down when the explanation on revision and expansion on perennial philosophy as the true transcendence of all religions. I particularly loved the chapters on spiritual guidance which clearly articulated that it is incumbent upon anyone on a spiritual path to live within a context of beauty for spiritual support vis-á-vis highlighting the inherent the dangers and pitfalls of not having such an integral milieu. (less)
Ryan
Jan 02, 2008Ryan rated it it was amazing · review of another edition
Shelves: philosophy, vital-books
"We live in an age of confusion and thirst in which the advantages of communication are greater than those of secrecy." -Frithjof Schuon
A great work, and as my categorization states I think an indispensable book for our times. If I ever again need to find common ground with anyone I will think of this collection. (less)
Editorial Reviews
Review
“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). . . .
The authors discuss Truth, Prayer, Virtue, and Beauty in a way that crosses cultural, linguistic, and ethnic boundaries . . . [and] 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.”
About the Author
Martin Lings (1909-2005) was a renowned British scholar who taught at several European universities and the University of Cairo. He was the keeper of Oriental manuscripts in the British Museum and the British Library and the author of numerous books on religion and spirituality, including "The Book of Certainty, What is Sufism?, Ancient Beliefs and Modern Superstitions", and the internationally acclaimed "Muhammad: His Life Based on the Earliest Sources". --This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.
Customer Reviews: 4.7 out of 5 stars 19 ratings
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David L. Roberts - Servant of All
4.0 out of 5 stars The Common Bond
Reviewed in the United States on February 26, 2008
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This book is a summary and has emphasis on the common bond that underlies the strength and power of all religions. It also forms the basis of the depth that is found in religion and value of its traditions for all cultures.
It has a great depth that shows us how the common virtues of wisdom,justice,compassion, courage, etc. are seen in all religions and that the traditions of all cultures act as a strength and a stabizing force to religious faith.
Of course, hatred, irritability, war, rigidity, and lack of acceptance of each other should not be a feature of religion, and such distortions by human nature do not mean that we have to give up the core values of our own religion.
It may not be a book for the average reader, because of the verbal excess at times and the theological complexity, but that does not make its topic any less important. It is an important book.
It reminds me of the more secular commentary of the Handbook of Character Strengths and Virtues of Martin Seligmen, and books about the truths that are found in mythical symbols by Joseph Campbell.
It will also help fervent, faithful thinking Christians, and people of other religions who have an interest in theology and the ultimate reality that(God, Allah, Atman, self-transcendance, Jesus, enlightenment,etc.) is our foundation.
30 people found this helpful
Denny
4.0 out of 5 stars good place to begin learning
Reviewed in the United States on April 23, 2018
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Like another reviewer, my response to the essays by different authors to be uneven, some were so polemical that I just skipped them. Since this is an introduction, I found myself looking for additional books for authors that resonated more with my own beliefs. This is a great place to begin learning though as there are essays by the major proponents of this school.
Samuel Bendeck Sotillos
5.0 out of 5 stars The Underlying Religion: An Introduction to the Perennial Philosophy
Reviewed in the United States on December 10, 2009
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The following summary of the sections in The Underlying Religion were excerpted from a review in the Journal of Transpersonal Psychology, 2009:
"[Section One] describes the hiatus that divides the sacred orientation of the traditional world from that of the secular and progress driven modern and post-modern world.... [Section Two] underscores the implicit limitations of modern science, its failures and destructive tendencies for not receiving its directives from divine principles utilized since time immemorial in both East and West....[Section Three] gives a clear exposition on what is and what is not integral metaphysics according to the perennial philosophy which has nothing to do with `New Age' spiritualities....[Section Four] contextualizes symbols outside the pale of modern psychology or that of the ``unconscious'' from which they are commonly thought to originate rather than that of their true origin in divinis as are `archetypes'....[Section Five] provides a revision and an expansion, mutatis mutandis of what has been commonly attributed and often wrongly so as the perennial philosophy or the `transcendent unity of religions'. It is through the perennial philosophy that true and authentic interfaith dialogue can precede for both the differences and similarities are taken into account without compromising the integrity of each tradition.... [Section Six] makes it clear that it is incumbent upon anyone on a spiritual path to live within a context of beauty for spiritual support vis-á-vis highlighting the inherent the dangers and pitfalls of not having such an integral milieu....[Section Seven] provides important notes on spiritual guidance, complementing the previous chapters dealing predominantly with that of traditional doctrine."
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in the United States on January 11, 2017
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Awesome Book. I love it.
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Elena
4.0 out of 5 stars half and half
Reviewed in the United States on October 14, 2014
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I was satisfied with about half of the essays in this book. There was actually a lot of hidden Romanticism i.e. longing to return to the garden of Eden/the noble savage etc. Still, if you're looking to delve into perennial philosophy for the first time, this is a good jumping off point for finding which direction you'd like to continue in.
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IJ
4.0 out of 5 stars Must Read
Reviewed in Canada on August 23, 2013
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This book is a collection of essays from some of the most important perennialist authors on some of the most important topics of the Perennial philosophy. Anyone interested in this philosophy must read this book. I would recommend reading it before getting into any other Perennialist works as it will provide a great foundation to tackle the more complex (not complicated) ideas of Guenon, Schuon, Lings, Nasr etc.
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