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The Great Triad

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

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

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-

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

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

If you are interested in Taoism skip it. Only about 1/3 of the book deals with Taoism directly. BR>The other portions deals with non-Taoist concepts like Sufism's Universal Man and the Cult of the Emperor in China which he mistakes as part of Taoism and polemics agianst the western mind.

The book also suffers from Guenon's hyper intellectualism and syncretism. His style of writing is about as interesting as reading algrebra or a science journal - strictly third person. The reader will not get the impression that the writer ever really practiced Taoism but read about it instead. Guenon refused to ever state his lineage in Taoism nor which school and teacher did he study under. As a result I do not take him very serious.

One aspect of Taoism he writes about Taoist Alchemy he is forced to used strictly western/Sufi terminology. Nor does he seem to understand the relation of the Five Elements to Taoism and to alchemical transformation practices. Later in Taoist symbolism he perpetually uses western(Masonic and Sufic) symbol interpretation.

Overall this book would only be of use to die hard worshippers of Guenon. I made the mistake of it being one of my first books on Taoism and I thought that Taoism was warmed over oriental masonry. If Taoism was as Guenon understood we could all forget about it as a viable religion and path. As a tract on Taoism it is no better than most new age works.