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Transcendent Unity of Religions (Quest Book) Paperback – January 1, 1984

by Frithjof Schuon (Author), Huston Smith (Introduction)

4.5 41 ratings

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Schuon asserts that to transcend religious differences, we must explore the esoteric nature of the spiritual path back to the Divine Oneness at the heart of all religions.

Print length

207 pages
Language

English
Publisher

Quest Books
Publication date

January 1, 1984
Dimensions

5.26 x 0.53 x 8.25 inches
ISBN-10

0835605876
ISBN-13

978-0835605878
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About the Author

Frithjof Schuon, also known as ʿĪsā Nūr ad-Dīn ʾAḥmad after his conversion to Islam, was an author of German ancestry born in Basel, Switzerland.

Author of Beyond the Postmodern Mind.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Quest Books (January 1, 1984)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 207 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0835605876
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0835605878
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 9.6 ounces
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.26 x 0.53 x 8.25 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #439,301 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #454 in Comparative Religion (Books)
- #856 in Religious Philosophy (Books)
- #971 in Spiritualism

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4.5 41 ratings

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Frithjof Schuon

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Born in Basle, Switzerland in 1907, Frithjof Schuon was the twentieth century's pre-eminent spokesman for the perennialist school of comparative religious thought.

The leitmotif of Schuon's work was foreshadowed in an encounter during his youth with a marabout who had accompanied some members of his Senegalese village to Basle for the purpose of demonstrating their African culture. When Schuon talked with him, the venerable old man drew a circle with radii on the ground and explained: "God is the center; all paths lead to Him." Until his later years Schuon traveled widely, from India and the Middle East to America, experiencing traditional cultures and establishing lifelong friendships with Hindu, Buddhist, Christian, Muslim, and American Indian spiritual leaders.

A philosopher in the tradition of Plato, Shankara, and Eckhart, Schuon was a gifted artist and poet as well as the author of over twenty books on religion, metaphysics, sacred art, and the spiritual path. Describing his first book, The Transcendent Unity of Religions, T. S. Eliot wrote, "I have met with no more impressive work in the comparative study of Oriental and Occidental religion", and world-renowned religion scholar Huston Smith said of Schuon, "The man is a living wonder; intellectually apropos religion, equally in depth and breadth, the paragon of our time". Schuon's books have been translated into over a dozen languages and are respected by academic and religious authorities alike.

More than a scholar and writer, Schuon was a spiritual guide for seekers from a wide variety of religions and backgrounds throughout the world. He died in 1998.

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Good source for understanding esoteric teaching in religion, sometimes called Traditionalism

Reviewed in the United States on November 12, 2024

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T S Eliot called this the best writing of its kind he knew. Well worth reading. Schuon is perhaps the best source for understanding esoteric teaching in religion, sometimes called Traditionalism. Schuon was not a Traditionalist but is one of Tradtiionalism's sources for its ideas. This particular work is excellent.

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Matthew Johnson

A great place to start learning about Traditionalism.

Reviewed in the United States on July 19, 2021

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Traditionalism isn't easy to penetrate, as its authors expound complex metaphysical doctrines as well as ideas that either cannot be directly transmitted or which moderns are so unfamiliar with that they simply fail to grasp them. But this work ought to be accessible to almost anyone. While it does require careful and concentrated reading, there is no better work justifying metaphysically the prisca theologia and esotericism in general.

Schuon adeptly resolves basic objections many modern people have with religion. For example, if God is omnipotent and good, then why is there evil? Moreover, if each religion claims to be the true and only true religion, then who is right? Whose claims in war and rite are legitimate? To this end, he delivers concise metaphysical explanations that touch even on the concept of revelation and prophecy according to the limitations and the tendencies of those peoples who receive them.

The reality of esoteric spirituality itself tends to be mysterious to moderns; and while Schuon does not go as far as to explain these systems individually (Hermeticism, Gnosticism, Buddhism, Tantrism, Taoism, etc.) he nonetheless makes clear some very important truths. Esotericism is available only to those with certain inner qualifications made unto them by God -- it's an essentially initiatory or revelatory modality of knowledge of the divine. He does an excellent job contrasting exotericism -- that is, religion -- and esotericism, and bringing light upon the constant battle between the two that has been and is still being waged.

The initiate may understand the priest, but the priest will never understand the initiate on account of his limitations. As Schuon states, the intuited and essentially "secret" character of esotericism, which in its essence is ineffable, almost destines it to be under attack by those who do not or cannot understand. This can account for every tragic historical attempt to drive out "heresy," "witchcraft," and so forth, which constitute really a "sin against the Holy Ghost," or an attack on one's very God-given path to God.

Frithjof's writing style is characteristically clear and structured; in contrast to other Traditionalist writers like Evola and Guenon (to some extent) I find his works to be pretty easy to read in general, although that does come at a cost: Schuon tends to stray away from explications of a symbolic and interior nature in favor of a more contemplative style, much like Guenon. This is most amenable to a wide audience but leaves the work pretty dry and without the inner exactitude a symbolic explanation might give a la Evola.

In any case, this is likely the best introduction to Traditionalism that exists. Guenon and Evola are challenging since they assume the reader already knows quite a lot, but Schuon's writings almost seem to be from the point of view of a patient teacher, willing to start from the beginning and guide you through the material. I highly recommend this book.

11 people found this helpful

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ecclesial hypostasis

Esotericism and religion

Reviewed in the United States on May 30, 2011

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This is the rare kind of book that provides a genuinely new way of conceiving the world. As I read it, my categories were continually being challenged as well as the adequacy of my spiritual experience and knowledge.

Schuon's thesis is that while the great religions of the world appear to be contradictory on the surface level (the 'exoteric'), when considered according to the inner reality of the spiritual strivings they embody (the 'esoteric' dimension) they present a unity. This kind of reasoning is often put forward on a superficial level to say that 'all religions lead to God', but he has a far more profound awareness of the issues involved. A simplistic pluralism of that kind misses the point, because it is only through following a religious tradition all the way to its inner depth that one reaches the 'transcendent unity' that Schuon is speaking about. And he is not averse to making judgments between true and false religions, arguing that it is only 'orthodox' religions that provide this path, orthodox meaning that they are based on genuine spiritual realities in their fulness rather than a limited form that leads people astray. Essentially he provides a different perspective on the problem of particularity and universality with regards to religion. The large number of religions is often used to argue for their falsity, but Schuon would say that we only approach God through symbols which are appropriate to our time and place, and that there is a unified reality behind these various manifestations. So the most particular religion is also the most universal. In terms of providing worked examples, he is concerned mostly to discuss the inter-relationship between Christianity and Islam and between Western and Eastern religions, and he has a profound knowledge of the depths of these traditions.

I have some reservations about this book, however. The first is that I think he falls into an overly schematic approach, allowing the labels of different religions to to guide his writing too much. Rather than comparing 'Christianity' and 'Islam', it might be better for his purposes to compare their spiritual paths rather than their historical manifestation. This would allow for a bit more flexibility in his scheme to include discussion of the multitude of minor religions as well. I think that doing this, however, would uncover that not all esotericisms are the same, and that even at a transcendent level there may be different destinations on the spiritual paths that we walk. I also think that a book like this has a paradoxical danger of providing an illusion of knowledge for people who have not attained to a true esoteric level, and can lead to the situation where talking about a facile religious unity is put in the place of achieving it.

A description of this book can't give an indication of the depths of its argument and the unique perspective that Schuon gives. I think a true believer would go back from this more committed to their faith than they were before, if they were willing to understand the depths of that faith.

23 people found this helpful

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Book Lover

An interesting book on the perennial philosophy. Rather technical ...

Reviewed in the United States on February 11, 2017

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An interesting book on the perennial philosophy. Rather technical in style and language, but worth the effort for those wanting to learn more.

2 people found this helpful

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Jeffrey Bailey

it is a forerunner of aspects explicated in the Integral Model of Ken Wilber (and others) and touches upon the Platonic "the goo

Reviewed in the United States on June 12, 2015

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A masterpiece of spiritual insight. This is not a book about what the wisdom traditions share in common in form and teachings nor does it equate the revelationary levels and experiences of the traditions. It does a nearly unparalleled job of pointing out the commonality of transcendent experience/awareness that illumines the wisdom from all of the traditions. It also focuses on the difference between exoteric and esoteric orientations towards . . . reality. In this sense, it is a forerunner of aspects explicated in the Integral Model of Ken Wilber (and others) and touches upon the Platonic "the good, the true and the beautiful." Huston Smith's introduction to the revised addition is magnificent in its own right.

10 people found this helpful

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Charles Caprarella

Is worth the read and brilliant! However- its wordy and a difficult read

Reviewed in the United States on August 17, 2015

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Is worth the read and brilliant! However- its wordy and a difficult read. Its as if the author is one: from another planet or two: going out of his way to impress the reader, as he might be assuming the reader has a Masters Degree in Journalism from Columbia. But at the end of the day, if you read slowly and over and over, the message is powerful. Furthermore- at no point does this book offer any humor, and its hardly a "feel good" book. In my opinion this book is well worth ones time but be prepared for what I aforementioned.

5 people found this helpful

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Roshaan

Must get

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 30, 2021

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Amazing intros

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Sophia Perennis

Reviewed in Canada on March 24, 2019

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This book is worth reading for anyone interested in becoming acquainted with the Perennial Philosophy. In this text, Schuon explores the question with a particular emphasis on the monotheistic religions, though touching upon the entire spectrum of spiritual paths. His narrative is rigorous and may take a while to digest, but will be of value to those who look to go deeper.

kanedaitsuki

二十一世紀の新たな伝統

Reviewed in Japan on July 25, 2009

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　『諸宗教の超越的一致』は、比較宗教学者フリッチョフ・シュオンの処女作にして代表作である。その主張は、簡単にかみくだいて言えば、すべての宗教には「外面」と「内面」があり、外面においては違いはあれど、内面においては根底的一致がある、ということだ。真理は一つであり、諸宗教はその多様なる表れ（顕現あるいは啓示Manifestation or Revelation）である。これは、中心からの放射線を内包する円にたとえられる。

　シュオンによれば、理性に基づく哲学は、いわば円の外周から中心に向かう運動である。それに対して、神智（Gnosis or Buddhi）に基づく形而上学（Metaphysic）は、中心から外周へ向かう運動である。信仰に基づく神学は、両者の中間にある。つまり、神学（信仰）は理性を超えているが、なお究極の真理に達していない。教義（Dogma）は、信者を誤謬から守るが、それ自体としては真理に達することがない。真理に達するためには、教義という言語的構築物という外殻を打ち破り、無限なる内奥に至りつく必要がある（Meister Eckhart）。

　しかし、にもかかわらず、形式（Form）は必要である。なぜなら、生きている限り人間はいまだ、名色（nama-rupa言語と形態）の世界に住まうからだ。有限の存在である人間にとっては、不可視の真理は可視的な形式によって表されざるをえない。それが、この世界に様々な宗教が存在する理由である。

　諸宗教の違いを超えて、生きながらに究極的真理に達した人間は、形態の中に無形態（有限の中に無限）を、無形態の中に形態（無限の中に有限）を見る（色即是空、空即是色。Form is formless, formless is form.）スーフィズム（イスラーム神秘主義）においては、この状態の人間を「双眼の士」と呼ぶ。

　こうしたシュオンの宗教的脱構築（Religious deconstraction）は、宗教が戦争と不和の象徴だった時代から、宗教こそが対話と平和的共存を示す時代への変化を先取りしている。

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very satisfied customer

religious unity

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 2, 2014

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An extremely thoughtful and interesting study

Dr D J Edwards

Five Stars

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 26, 2016

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