The Great Triad [Hardcover]

Rene Guenon (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 1994

Guénon’s The Great Triad was the last book to appear during his lifetime. Even for his regular readers, this book contained largely new material, as did his The Metaphysical Principles of the Infinitesimal Calculus, published the same year. The author here refers especially to the Chinese tradition, principally in its Taoist form (though touching on Confucianism as well), in which the ‘Great Triad’ is defined as Heaven-Man-Earth. It is as much a cosmological as a metaphysical doctrine that is implied in this ternary of the ‘three worlds’. In spite of its Taoist title, however, the work draws heavily on Hermetic teachings, Hindu and Buddhist metaphysics, and Masonic symbolism, not to mention doctrines from Judaism, Christianity. and Islam. It is also Guenon’s most comprehensive exposition of the science of Alchemy.

--This text refers to an alternate Hardcover edition.

Editorial Reviews

Language Notes

Text: English (translation)
Original Language: French --This text refers to an alternate Hardcover edition.

About the Author

Rene' Guenon is without doubt one of the greatest writers of the twentieth century. The Great Triad was first published in French in 1946 and was the last of the author's books to appear in his lifetime. A considerable quantity of uncollected writings has appeared in posthumous volumes, among which is one of Guenon's major works, Fundamental Symbols of Sacred Science. A translation of this work has been published by Quinta Essentia. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 171 pages
• Publisher: South Asia Books (December 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 8121506298
• ISBN-13: 978-8121506298
• Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 5.6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #5,013,235 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Correction, July 30, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Great Triad (Quinta Essentia series) (Paperback)

Please, in the 4 next comments where you read "Tin You Jen", the corect is "Tien Ti Jen". IRGET, Luiz Pontual

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A path to understand the Taoism., May 2, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Great Triad (Quinta Essentia series) (Paperback)

Among the traditions still existing today, perhaps the most exotic and enigmatic to the Westerners, is the Taoism, and this is the subject of this book of René Guénon. It is not without reason that a great master Taoist, in the 40's, confirmed Guéon as the "only contemporary Westerner that captured and transmitted the true spirit of the Taoism ". " Tien You Jen ", or " Sky, Earth, Man ", these the terms of the Great Triad, the starting point from which Guénon begins his explanation, with the chapter "Ternary and Trinidad ". In the sequence, the author clears the true symbolism and meaning of Yin and Yang, so mentioned and so little understood nowadays. In the chapter on " Subjects of Orientation ", several informations rescues the true meaning of the "sacred geography" and we can come to some conclusions about the fragility of the pure and simple conversion of " Feng Sui " to our days, as simple decorative fashion. Guénon approaches several analogies that the taoist iniciatic process keeps with the other traditional forms, in the chapter "The True Man and the Transcendent Man" . The reading of this masterly book is, therefore, indispensable to everyone that want to contact the atmosphere of the Taoist tradition and the unique characteristics of the Chinese race and civilization, whose mental lines indeed keep great differences in relation to ours. The Institute René Guénon of Traditional Studies (www.geocities.com/Athens/Aegean/9638) since several years is giving the basic course "The Oriental Sight" whose fundamental orientation is given by René Guenon's work. Luiz Pontual IRGET

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Uma magistral exposição sobre o Taoísmo., April 8, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Great Triad (Quinta Essentia series) (Paperback)

Dentre as tradições que ainda hoje existem, talvez a mais exótica e enigmática, aos ocidentais, seja o Taoísmo, e este é o assunto deste livro magistral de René Guénon. Não é sem razão que um grande mestre taoísta, na década de 40, confirmou Guénon como o "único ocidental contemporâneo que captou e transmitiu o verdadeiro espírito do Taoísmo". "Tien Ti Jen", ou "Céu, Terra , Homem", estes os termos da Grande Tríade, a partir da qual Guénon inicia sua exposição, com o capítulo "Ternário e Trindade". Na seqüência, o autor esclarece o verdadeiro simbolismo e significado do Yin e Yang, tão falados e tão pouco compreendidos hoje em dia. No capítulo sobre "Questões de Orientação", várias informações nos resgatam o verdadeiro significado da "geografia sagrada" e ali podemos tirar algumas conclusões sobre a fragilidade da transposição pura e simples do "Feng Sui" a nossos dias, como simples moda de decoradores. Guénon aborda várias analogias que o processo iniciático taoísta guarda com as demais formas tradicionais, no capítulo sobre o "O Homem Verdadeiro e o Homem Transcendente". A leitura deste livro magistral é, portanto, indispensável a todos que queiram ser apresentados à atmosfera da tradição taoísta e às características próprias à raça e civilização chinesas, cujos traços mentais efetivamente guardam grandes diferenças em relação aos nossos. O Instituto René Guénon de Estudos Tradicionais há vários anos vem lecionando seu curso básico "Olhar Oriental" cuja orientação fundamental está na obra de René Guénon.

Luiz Pontual-