René Guénon 685895 225611955 2008-07-14T15:33:50Z Sardanaphalus 427947 updating link using [[Project:AutoWikiBrowser|AWB]] {{Infobox Philosopher |region = [[Western philosophy|Western]] & [[Eastern philosophy|Eastern]]<br/>philosophies & [[esotericism]]s |era = [[20th century philosophy]] |color = lightsteelblue |image_name = Rene-guenon-1925.jpg |image_size = 250px |image_caption = A 1925 studio photo portrait (age {{age|1886|11|15|1925|7|1}}). |name = René Jean Marie Joseph Guénon (Abd al-Wahid Yahya) |birth = {{Birth date|1886|11|15}}<br />[[Blois]], [[Loir-et-Cher]], [[France]] |death = {{Death date and age|1951|1|7|1886|11|15}}<br />[[Cairo]], [[Egypt]] |school_tradition = [[Advaita Vedanta]], [[Sufism]], [[Nondualism]], [[Platonism]] |main_interests = [[Metaphysics]], [[Esotericism]], [[Symbolism]], [[Mythology]], [[Gnosis]], [[Religious text]]s, [[Freemasonry]], [[Mathematics]], [[History]], [[Society]], [[Social criticism]], [[Comparative religion]] |notable_ideas = [[Critique of modernity]] from the perspective of ancient [[wisdom tradition]]s; refounding of [[western culture|western]] [[esotericism]] based on the still living [[Eastern world|eastern]] ones |influences = [[Adi Shankara]], [[Ibn Arabi]], [[Ivan Aguéli]], [[Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite]], [[Laozi|Lao Tse]], [[Plato]], [[Plotinus]],[[Meister Eckhart]] |influenced = [[Frithjof Schuon]], [[Michel Valsan]], [[Titus Burckhardt]], [[Julius Evola]], [[Marco Pallis]], [[Huston Smith]], [[Ananda Coomaraswamy]] and [[#See also|many others]] <!-- |signature = --> |box_width = 26em }} '''René Guénon''' ([[November 15]] [[1886]] – [[January 7]] [[1951]]) was a [[France|French]] author and intellectual who remains an influential figure in the domain of [[metaphysics]], having written on topics ranging from metaphysics, sacred science<ref>René Guénon's works dealing with various aspects of sacred science are collected in the book which appeared in its first English translation as ''Fundamental Symbols: the Universal Language of Sacred Science'', Quinta Essentia, 1995, ISBN 0 900588 77 2, then, in another translation, as ''Symbols of Sacred Science'', translated by Henry D. Fohr, Sophia Perennis, 2001, ISBN 0 900588 78 0. There were two original French editions, both under the title ''Symboles fondamentaux de la Science sacrée'', Editions Gallimard, Paris. The first contained a foreword followed by notes and comments by [[Michel Valsan]], the second did not contain these additions.</ref> and traditional studies <ref>"Traditional studies" is a translation of the French ''Les Etudes Traditionnelles'': the title of the journal in which many of René Guénon's articles were published</ref> to [[symbolism]] and [[initiation]]. In his opus, he proposes either "to expose directly some aspects of Eastern metaphysical doctrines",<ref>René Guénon, ''The Symbolism of the Cross'', foreword.</ref> these doctrines being defined by him as of "universal character"<ref>René Guénon, ''Man and his Becoming according to Vêdânta'', foreword.</ref> or "to adapt these same doctrines [for [[Western world|western]] readers] while keeping strictly faithful to their spirit";<ref>René Guénon, ''The Symbolism of the Cross'', foreword.</ref> he only endorsed the function of "handing down" those Eastern doctrines, while stating their "non-individual character".<ref>c.f., among others, the foreword of ''Man and his Becoming according to Vêdânta'' (Sophia Perennis, translation by Richard C. Nicholson), the review by René Guénon of an article by Paul Le Cour which appeared in the Journal ''Atlantis'', February [[1936]], and reproduced in René Guénon's ''Reviews'': "'our doctrines' do not exist, for the very reason that we haven't done anything else than exposing the best we can traditional doctrines, which should not be the ownership of anyone".</ref> His works, written and first published in [[French language|French]], have been translated into more than twenty languages. He also wrote two articles in [[Arabic]] for ''El Maarifâ'' ("knowledge"). == Biography == [[René Guénon]] was born in Blois, [[France]], on November 15, [[1886]], into a French Catholic family. His father was an architect. In [[1904]] he lived in [[Paris]], where he studied [[mathematics]] and [[philosophy]]. He was a brilliant student, notably in mathematics, in spite of his poor health. As a young student in Paris, he observed and entered some [[Occultism|occultist]] Parisian milieux (which were, at that time, under the supervision of [[Papus]]). He also entered [[Jules Doinel]]'s Gnostic Church, in which he was promptly consecrated bishop, under the name "Tau Palingenius", a signature he used in some of his early articles. Under that name he became the main contributor of a review he founded, ''La Gnose'' ("[[Gnosis]]"), henceforth writing articles for ''La Gnose'' until 1922. From these incursions into the French occultist and pseudo-masonic orders, he drew a conclusion about the impossibility of gathering these ill-assorted doctrines to shape a "stable edifice".<ref>c.f. P. Paul Chacornac, The Simple Life of René Guénon, chapter II</ref> In his book ''The Reign of Quantity and the Signs of the Times'' he also pointed out the intellectual vacuity of the French occultist movement, which, he wrote, was utterly insignificant, and most importantly, was terminally infiltrated by some individuals of a different, darker nature.<ref>c.f. ''The Reign of Quantity and the Signs of the Times'', chapter "The pseudo-initiation".</ref> At this time, according to indications coming from André Préau reproduced by his editor and biographer P. Chacornac,<ref>c.f. P. Chacornac, op. cit.</ref> it is very likely that René Guénon was initiated into [[Hinduism]] (in an initiatic lineage of [[Adi Shankara| Shankarâchârya]]) and [[Taoism]]. He was also initiated in [[1911]]<ref>c.f. Charles-André Gilis, Introduction à l’enseignement et au mystère de René Guénon (Introduction to the teaching and mystery of René Guénon), chapter VII, Editions Traditionnelles, Paris, ISBN 2-7138-0179-6, and also P. Chacornac op. cit. chapter III : Ex oriente lux.</ref> into [[Sufism|Islamic esoterism]] (Taçawuff) and his name in [[Islam]] became "Sheikh 'Abd al-Wahid Yahya". His initiation into [[Sufism|Islamic esoterism]] was effected by [[Ivan Aguéli|Ivan Aguéli (Abdul Hadi)]] and performed in accordance with Sheikh Abder Rahman Elish El-Kebir, a quite important representative of Islam in Egypt at that time, in both its ''exoteric'' and ''esoteric'' aspects. In particular, from the exoteric point of view, Sheikh Abder Rahman Elish El-Kebir was the head of ''mâleki madhab'' at [[Al-Azhar University]]. René Guénon later dedicated his book ''The Symbolism of the Cross'' to him. In 1917, he made a one-year stay at [[Setif]], [[Algeria]], teaching philosophy to college students. After [[World War I]], he left teaching to dedicate his time to his writings, with his first book ''Introduction to the Study of the Hindu Doctrines'' being published in 1921. From 1925 René Guénon became a contributor to the review edited by P. Chacornac ''Le Voile d’Isis'' ("The Veil of Isis") which became known, after 1935 and under his influence, under the name ''Les Etudes Traditionnelles'' ("Traditional Studies"). Although the exposition of [[Hinduism|Hindu doctrines]] had already been tackled at that time by many [[orientalists]], René Guénon’s ''Introduction to the Study of the Hindu Doctrines'' contemplates its subject in a completely different manner,<ref>c.f. P. Chacornac, ''The Simple Life of René Guénon'', chapter VI, Calls of the East.</ref> by referring to the concepts of metaphysics and Tradition in their most general sense, which are precisely defined in the first part of the book, along with the necessary distinctions and definitions of words such as religion, tradition, exoterism, [[esoterism]] and [[theology]]. René Guénon explained that his purpose was not to describe all aspects of Hinduism, but to give the necessary intellectual foundation for a proper understanding of its spirit.<ref>c.f. ''Introduction to the Study of the Hindu Doctrines'', part III, chapter VII, Shivaïsm and Vishnuïsm: "[…] our goal is not to expose the doctrines themselves, but only to point the proper spirit necessary to study them…"</ref> The book is also a severe condemnation of the works presented by the orientalists about Hinduism and Tradition in general (according to René Guénon, they had presented neither any deep understanding of the subject, nor any of its implications), along with a precise analysis of the political intrusions of the [[British Empire]] through [[Madame Blavatsky]]’s [[theosophism]].<ref>c.f. René Guénon ''Introduction to the Study of the Hindu Doctrines'', part IV, chapters III and IV.</ref> During that same year, 1921, he debuted a series of articles in the French ''Revue de Philosophie'', which, along with some supplements, led to the book ''Theosophism: History of a Pseudo-Religion''. During the decade 1920-1930, René Guénon was remarked by numerous intellectual and artistics in the Parisian milieux, and at that time were published some of his books explaining the "intellectual divide" between the East and West, and the peculiar nature, according to him, of the modern civilization: ''Crisis of the Modern World'', ''East and West''. In 1927 was published the second major doctrinal book of his opus: ''Man and His Becoming according to the Vedânta'', and in 1929, ''Spiritual Authority and Temporal Power'', which delivers a general explanation of the fundamental differences between "sacerdotal" and "royal" powers, along with the consequences of the usurpation of the prerogatives of the latter with regard to the former. From these considerations, René Guénon traces to its source the origin of the modern deviation, which, according to him, is to be found in the destruction of the [[Knights Templar|Templar order]] in [[1314]]. In 1930, he left Paris for [[Cairo]], [[Egypt]], with the project of gathering and translating written documents in [[Sufism|taçawuff]]. The project was abruptly abandoned after a decision of his editor. Left alone in Cairo, he declined any propositions of coming back to France from his western friends; despite his declining material condition, he relentlessly kept on writing and corresponding with his counterparts from many countries in the world, sometimes at his own cost. The reasons for his refusal to come back to the West, even at the cost of his comfort and daily life, remain unknown. In 1949, he obtained Egyptian nationality, and met Sheikh Mohammad Ibrahim, whose daughter he later married. From this marriage, he had four children, the last (Abdel Wahed) being born in 1951. In Egypt, René Guénon carried on an austere and simple life, entirely dedicated to his writings and spiritual life.<ref> cf. X. Accart, ''L'Ermite de Duqqi'', Archè, Milano, 2001, chapter: "René Guénon ''diaphane'' au Caire".</ref> Urged by some of his collaborators, he gave his agreement to the creation in France of a [[Masonic lodge]] of traditional nature, whose name ''La Grande triade'' ("The Great Triad") comes from the title of one of his books. The first founders of the lodge, however, separated a few years after its inception.<ref> cf. J.-B. Aymard, ''La naissance de la loge "La Grande Triade" dans la correspondance de René Guénon à Frithjof Schuon'' in ''Connaissance des religions'', special issue on René Guénon, n° 65-66, pp. 17-35. The integral version of this text can be [http://www.frithjof-schuon.com/GrandeTriade.htm found here] (in French).</ref> This lodge, belonging to the Grande Loge de France, is still active. He died on January 7, 1951, after having said his last words "El nafass khalass!" ("the soul is going away") and "Allah! Allah!" == Introduction to René Guénon’s work == René Guénon's writings contemplate quite an important number of metaphysical themes, and his opus, as whole, displays a unity and an almost organic coherence, making each topic integrally related to many others. For that reason, we subdivide this presentation into two parts: an overview, made of the ongoing subsection below, followed by a detailed exposition. René Guénon's opus makes use of words and terms, of fundamental signification, which will receive a precise definition in his work. These terms and words, although receiving a usual meaning and being used in many branches of human sciences, have substantially lost their original and exact signification (e.g. words such as "metaphysics", "initiation", "mysticism", "personality", "form", "matter").<ref> c.f. for instance ''The Eastern Metaphysics'' and ''Introduction to the Study of the Hindu Doctrines'' w.r.t. the meaning of the word "metaphysics", the first chapter of ''The Reign of Quantity and the Signs of the Times'' on the meanings of the words "form" and "matter", the chapter "Kundalini-Yoga" in his ''Studies on Hinduism'' about the translation of Sanskrit word ''samâdhi'' as "ecstasy", ''Man and his Becoming according to Vedânta" on the word "personality", ''Theosophism: History of a Pseudo-Religion" on the word "theosophy" etc.</ref> He insisted notably on the danger represented by the perversion of the signification of words seen by him as essential for the study of metaphysics; for that reason, we will recall, in the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ren%C3%A9_Gu%C3%A9non#Some_fundamental_terms_and_notions "detailed exposition" section], the definition given by René Guénon to some of the words used extensively in his opus. === Overview === In 1921, René Guénon published an ''Introduction to the Study of the Hindu Doctrines''. His goal, as he writes it, is an attempt at presenting to westerners eastern metaphysics and spirituality as they are understood and thought by easterners themselves, while pointing at what René Guénon describes as all the erroneous interpretations and misunderstandings of western orientalism and "neospiritualism" (for the latter, notably the proponents of Madame Blavatsky’s theosophism). Right from that time, he presents a rigorous understanding, not only of Hindu doctrines, but also of eastern metaphysics in general.<ref>"For all his intellectuals skills might be, it seems unlikely that he succeeded just by himself or with the help of a few books in getting the profound and enlightening understanding of the Vêdânta he seems to have acquired by the age of 23 [...]" in P. Feuga, "René Guénon et l’Hindouisme", ''Connaissance des Religions'', n. 65-66, 2002.</ref> He managed to expose these doctrines to a western public viewed by him as quite unprepared and unreceptive as a whole.<ref>c.f. ''The Reign of Quantity and the Signs of the Times", foreword.</ref> He departed from standard scholarship (Orientalist) terminology and methods and preferred to expose the doctrines as a simple "easterner", devoid of what he called "western prejudices".<ref>c.f. "An Introduction to the Study of the Hindu Doctrines", part I, chapter 3: "The classical prejudice".</ref> For one of the most famous aspects of René Guénon's work is the irreducible difference he describes between the East and the West.<ref>'' East and West'' is the title of one of his books.</ref> René Guénon defines eastern metaphysics and intellectuality as of "universal nature", that "opens possibilities of conception which are truly beyond any limitation". His work comprises : #An exposition of fundamental metaphysical principles: ''Introduction to the Study of the Hindu Doctrines'' which contains the general definition of the term "tradition" as René Guénon defines it, ''Man and His Becoming according to the Vedânta'', ''The Symbolism of the Cross'', ''The Multiple States of Being'', ''The Metaphysical Principles of the Infinitesimal Calculus'', ''Oriental Metaphysics''. #Studies in [[symbolism]] (comprising many articles he wrote for the journal ''Le Voile d’Isis'' which became later known under the name ''Etudes Traditionnelles''). These studies in symbolism were later compiled by [[Michel Valsan]] in the posthumous book ''Symbols of Sacred Science''. The studies ''The Great Triad'', ''Traditional Forms & Cosmic Cycles'', ''Insights into Islamic Esoterism & Taoism'' and ''The King of the World'' are also mostly about symbolism. #Fundamental studies related to [[Initiation]], a subject completely re-exposited by Guenon from the traditional perspective: ''Perspectives on Initiation'', ''Initiation and Spiritual Realization'', ''The Esoterism of Dante''. #Criticism of the modern world and of "neospiritualism": ''East and West'', ''The Crisis of the Modern World'', ''Spiritual Authority and Temporal Power'', ''Theosophy: History of a Pseudo-Religion'', ''The Spiritist Fallacy'' and ''The Reign of Quantity & the Signs of the Times'', the latter book being often considered as his masterpiece as an explanation of the modern world from the traditional perspective. #Various studies in [[esoterism]]: ''Saint Bernard'', ''Insights into Christian Esoterism'', ''Studies in Freemasonry and Compagnonnage'', ''Studies in Hinduism'' etc. This partition is not strict and, as we noted earlier, René Guénon's works display a coherence and unity making each book integrally related to the others.<ref>c.f. ''East and West'', foreword.</ref> From that perspective, and according to René Guénon's own words,<ref> "...in the metaphysics order, which is referring to the domain of the Universal, there can be no place for such a thing as 'specialisation'" in ''Man and his Becoming according to Vêdânta'', foreword.</ref> his work is completely unrelated to any particular philosophical system.<ref> c.f. ''Introduction to the Study of the Hindu Doctrines, part II, chapter VIII.</ref> René Guénon defines the modern world as being a degeneration of what he calls "the traditional world". According to him, the real separation between the East and West comes from this degeneration; in other words, it comes from an intellectual standpoint, and is not related to any geographical distinction, but to a doctrinal divergence.<ref>c.f. ''East and West''</ref> Amidst the global period of intellectual confusion and disorder that characterizes modernity according to René Guénon, the East has maintained alive, through uninterrupted spiritual lineages, an intellectual (possibly hidden) elite fully conscious of the original wisdom transmitted to humanity from time immemorial. In some of his books, he states that the present condition of humanity can be explained by the traditional doctrine of "cosmic cycles", as it is described in Hinduism. He produced a series of articles and books aimed at explaining the modern civilization according to traditional data and, more generally, to the "traditional standpoint".<ref>''Theosophy: History of a Pseudo-Religion''; ''The Spiritist Fallacy''; ''The Crisis of the Modern World''; ''Spiritual Authority and Temporal Power''; ''The Reign of Quantity & the Signs of the Times''.</ref> He therein denounces what he calls the "pseudo-initiation", which was, according to him, spreading since the end of the XIX century. He intends to denounce, through a careful examination of the historical origin, the ideological evolution taken by what he calls their "pseudo-doctrines", some "pseudo-spiritual" organisations which, according to him, expose to the West false eastern doctrines or which are counterfeits of regular initiatic traditions (among these "pseudo-spiritual associations" he makes a particular mention of the [[Theosophical Society]] founded by [[Madame Blavatsky]] in the wake of the modern pseudo-Rosicrucian organisations of the late XIXth century).<ref>See ''Theosophy: History of a Pseudo-Religion'', ''The Spiritist Fallacy'', and the article "True and False Spiritual Instructors" in ''Initiation and Spiritual Realisation''</ref> René Guénon exposits a view of Metaphysics which can, according to him "by no means be reduced to scientific or philosophical conceptions"<ref>c.f. ''Oriental Metaphysics'', p.11</ref> but which is instead "the knowledge (…) of the principles of universal order" ; being "absolutely illimited", Metaphysics "cannot be defined".<ref>c.f. ''Introduction to the Study of the Hindu Doctrines'', p. 96. </ref> Metaphysics is seen, according to him, in its etymological sense,<ref>"I think what is best to be done, for words that can give rise to some misunderstanding, is to restore as much as possible their primitive and etymological meaning", in ''Oriental Metaphysics'', 1939.</ref> while recalling that sense in his books.<ref>see below for a review of some of his terms, and also ''Introduction to the Study of the Hindu Doctrines'', op. cit. and ''Oriental Metaphysics''.</ref> Such a metaphysics, being by essence beyond any contingency, is necessarily at the source of all orthodox traditions, these latter being considered as direct derivations of the great "primordial tradition" (corresponding to the Hindu notion of Sanātana Dharma, or [[Manu (Hinduism)|Manu]] law). Metaphysics is not introduced by René Guénon as a branch of philosophy, as it is in [[Metaphysics|western studies]]. Traditional metaphysics, which is, according to Guénon, beyond any contingency (''knowledge of universal principles''<ref>c.f. ''Introduction to the study of'', chapitre: ''Essential characters of metaphysics''.</ref>), lies at the very source of all orthodox and legitimate traditions, making a connection between the heart of these traditions and a unique spiritual origin, the "Primordial Tradition"<ref>cf. ''The idea of the centre in anciant traditions'', Regnabit, 1926, reproduced in ''Symbols of Sacred Science'', chapitre VIII; cf. also ''The King of the World'', chapters II, VII, VIII, IX et X.</ref>. The study of traditional metaphysics and its relationship with our state of existence, i.e. our world, clears the path inwardly towards the center common and shared by each authentic religion: exoterism bounds an "outside" accessible to everyone, its purpose is to maintain the link with Supreme Principle<ref>cf. among others, René Guénon, « ''Insights into Islamic Esoterism & Taoism'' » (first chapter), « ''Insights into Christian Esoterism'' » and « ''The King of the World'' ».</ref>. However, the current state of the West, characterized by its voluntary and gradual detachment from his own tradition, [[Christianity]], and the degeneration of major branches of one of his last initiatic organization, freemasonry, makes a restoration somewhat unlikely feasible given that this situation is the result of a long evolution through Western history, which according Guénon, follows even a predetermined plan<ref>cf. « The Reign of Quantity & the Signs of the Times ».</ref>. Incidentally, in the esoteric domain, René Guénon says that two dates mark historically the fundamental spiritual degeneration of the West: first, the destruction of the Order of the Knight Templars in [[1314]], which defines precisely what René Guénon called "modern deviation"<ref>''Spiritual Authority and Temporal Power'', chapter 7: ''The ursurpations of Royalty and their consequences''.</ref>, and the Treaty of Westphalia in [[1648]] which severed, in the historical and "outer realm", the link between West and what René Guénon defined as the "Supreme Centre"<ref>cf. ''Perspectives on Initiation'', chapter XXXVIII: ''Rose-Cross and rosicrucians'' and [[Michel Valsan]] ''L'Islam et la fonction de René Guénon'', chapter IX: ''L'Investiture du Cheikh al-Akbar au Centre Suprême'', p.177.</ref>. At multiple occasions in his books, René Guénon insisted that the most important, in metaphysics, was properly inexpressible<ref>c.f. "The multiple states of the being'', Foreword.</ref>: <blockquote> [...] ''it should be agreed, for not altering the truth by a partial, restrictive or systematized exposition, to keep always the part of the inexpressible, ie the part which cannot be emprisonned in any form, and which, metaphysically, is really what matters most, we can even say that represents the most essential part'' [...] </blockquote> According to the doctrine exposed by René Guénon, the "spiritual realisation" leads to the effective identification with the states of being that are superior to our transitory human state, and ultimately to the "Supreme Identity" with the Supreme Principle or Absolute Reality. He firmly states the necessity of being fastened to an authentic and living tradition which has kept alive and made available the initiations that were existing in that tradition since its inception. Such living traditions (such as Hinduism, Islam, or Taoism) are characterized by an inspiration (ex. the [[Vedas|the Vedas]]), or a revelation (ex. [[Qur'an|the Qur'an]]). He insists on the notion of "intellectual intuition" (supra-rational or spiritual), "awakened" by concentration and meditation on symbols, either in visual form ([[yantras]]) or auditive ([[mantras]] or, in Islam, [[dhikr]]). == René Guénon's work: detailed exposition == In paragraphs of this section are presented, from one part, the books devoted to the exposition of the core metaphysical doctrines in the work of René Guénon, and, secondly, an overview of the other thematics also exposed. Let's begin, for reasons mentionned earlier in this article, with some important terms and notions used throughout his books. === Some fundamental terms and notions === '''Metaphysics'''<ref>c.f. ''Introduction to the study of the Hindu doctrines'', part II, « The general characteristics of eastern thought », chapter V: « Essential characters of metaphysics », p. 70.</ref> <blockquote> ''It may now be stated that metaphysics [...] is essentially the knowledge of the Universal, or, if preferred, the knowledge of the principles belonging to the universal order, which moreover alone can validly lay claim to the name of principles; but in making this statement, we are not really trying to propose a definition of metaphysics, for such a thing is a sheer impossibility by reason of that very universality which we look upon as the foremost of its characteristics, the one from which all the over are derived. In reality, only something that is limited is capable of definition, wheras by definition metaphysics is on the contrary by its very nature absolutely unlimited, and this plainly does not allow our enclosing it in a more or less narrow formula [...]'' </blockquote> '''Identity of the knowing and being'''<ref>Ibid. p. 155.</ref> <blockquote> ''Metaphysics affirms the fundamental identity of knowing and being [...] and since this identity is essentially implied of the very nature of intellectual intuition, it not merely affirms it but realizes it as well.'' </blockquote> '''[[Initiation]] and mysticism'''<ref>c.f. ''Perspectives on initiation'', chapter 1: « The intiatic and mystical paths », p. 8.</ref> <blockquote> ''Today the esoteric or initiatic domain and the mystical domain, - or, if one prefers, their respective points of view - are often confused [...]. it is currently the fashion so to speak among those with limited horizons to construe all Eastern doctrines as 'mystical', including those that lack even a semblance of the outward aspects that could justify such an attribution [...]. [...] in everything pertaining to initiation there is really nothing vague or nebulous, for on the contrary it is as precise and 'positive' as can be, so that initiation by its very nature is in fact incompatible with mysticism. '' </blockquote> '''[[Initiation]]'''<ref>c.f. ''Perspectives on initiation'', chapter 8: « Initiatic transmission », p. 48.</ref> <blockquote> ''[...] initiation is essentially the transmission of a spiritual influence, a transmission that can only take place through a regular, traditional organization, so that one cannot speak of initiation outside of an affiliation with an organization of this kind. We have explained that 'regularity' must be understood to exclude all pseudo-initiatic organizations, which, regardless of pretention and outward appearance, in no way possess any spiritual influence and thus are incapable of transmitting anything. '' </blockquote> The '''Self'''<ref>c.f. ''Man and his becoming according to the Vedânta'', chapter 2: « Fundamental distinction between the 'Self' and the 'ego' », p. 23.</ref> <blockquote> ''The 'Self' is the transcendant and permanent principle of which the manifested being, the human being, for example, is only a transient and contingent modification, a modification which, moreover, can in no way affect the principle [...] The 'Self', as such, is never individualized and cannot become so, for since it must always be considered under the aspect of the eternity and immutability which are the necessary attributes of pure Being, it is obviously not susceptible of any particularization, which would cause it to be 'other that itself'. Immutable in its own nature, it develops the indefinite possibilities which it contains within itself, by a relative passing from potency to act through an indefinite series of degrees. Its essential permanence is not thereby affected, precisely because this process is only relative, and because this development is, strictly speaking, not a development at all, except from the point of view of manifestation, outside of which there is no question of succession, but only of perfect simultaneity, so that even what is virtual under one aspect, is found nevertheless to be realized in the 'eternal present'.'' </blockquote> '''[[Paramatman|Paramâtmâ]], individuality, personality'''<ref>c.f. ''Man and his becoming according to the Vedânta'', chapter 2: « Fundamental distinction between the 'Self' and the 'ego' », p. 24.</ref> <blockquote> ''[...] Previously, on the contrary [i.e. prior to the [[Theosophy|theosphists]]], even in the West, whenever any distinction has been made between these two terms ['individuality' or 'ego' and 'personality'] the personality has always been regarded as superior to individuality [...] The 'Self' [...] considered in relation to a being, is properly speaking the personnality; it is true that one might restrict the use of this latter word to the 'Self' as principle of the manifested states, just as the 'Divine Personality', '''[[Ishvara|Ishwara]]''', is the Principle of universal Manifestation; but one can also extend it analogically to the 'Self' as principle of all states of the being, both manifested and unmanifested. The personality is an immediate determination, primordial and non-particularized, of the principle which in Sanskrit is called '''[[Ātman (Hinduism)|Atmâ]]''' or '''[[Paramatman|Paramâtmâ]]''', and which, in default of a better term, we may call the 'Universal Spirit', on the clear understanding, however, that in this use of the word 'spirit', nothing is implied that might recall Western philosophical conceptions, and, in particular, that is not turned into a correlative of 'matter', as the modern mind is inclined to do, being subject in this respect, even though unconsciously, to the influence of Cartesian dualism. '' </blockquote> '''Universal and individual'''<ref>c.f. ''Man and his becoming according to the Vedânta'', chapter 2: « Fundamental distinction between the 'Self' and the 'ego' », pp. 26-27.</ref> <blockquote> ''The 'Self', in relation to any being whatsoever, is in reality identical with Atmâ, since it is essentially beyond all distinction and all particularization; and that is why, in Sanskrit, the same word âtman, in cases other than the nominative, replaces the reflexive pronoun 'itself'. The 'Self is not therefore really distinct from Atmâ, except when one considers it [...] in relation to a certain definite state of being, such as the human state [...]. In this case, moreover, the 'Self' does not really become distinct from Atmâ in any way, since [...] it [...} cannot be affected by the point of view from which we regard it [...]. What should be noted is that to the extent that we make this distinction, we are departing from the direct consideration of the 'Self' in order to consider its reflection in human individuality [...]. The reflection in question determines what may be called the center of this individuality; but if isolated from its principle, that is, from the 'Self', it can only enjoy a purely illusory existence, for it is from that principle that it derives all its reality, and it effectually possesses this reality only through participation in the nature of the 'Self', that is, insofar as it is identified therewith by universalization.'' <br> ''The personality [...] belongs essentially to the order of principles in the strictest sense of the word, that is, to the universal order [...]. [The] following table [...] sets forth the essential distinctions in this connection [...]:''<br> [[Image:R_Guenon_Universal.png]] </blockquote> '''Manifestation and non-manifestation'''<ref>c.f. ''Man and his becoming according to the Vedânta'', chapter 2: « Fundamental distinction between the 'Self' and the 'ego' », p. 27.</ref> <blockquote> ''[...] the Universal will [not only] consist solely of the unmanifested, but will also extend to the formless, comprising both the unmanifested and the supra-individual states of manifestation. As for the individual, it includes all degrees of formal manifestation, that is, all states in which beings are invested with forms, for what properly characterizes individuality and essentially constitutes it as such is precisely the presence of form among the limitative conditions which define and determine a given state of existence. We can now sum up these further considerations in the following table:''<br> [[Image:R_Guenon_Manifestation.png]] </blockquote> Note: in another text, René Guénon will identify what is called here '''formless manifestation''', or '''formless states of being''', with certain ''angelic states'', as they are called in religious (exoteric) formulations. </blockquote> '''The human state of being'''<ref>c.f. ''Man and his becoming according to the Vedânta'', chapter 2: « Fundamental distinction between the 'Self' and the 'ego' », p. 28.</ref> <blockquote> ''The "gross state" in fact is nothing else than the corporeal existence itself, to which [...] human individuality belongs by one of its modalities only, and not in its integral development. As to the "subtle state", it includes, in the first place, the extra-corporeal modalities of the human being, or of every other being situated in the same state of existence, and also, in the second place, all other individual states [...] It may be said, therefore, that the human being, considered in its integrality, comprises a certain sum of possibilities which constitute its corporeal or gross modality, and in addition, a multitude of other possibilities, which, extending in different directions beyond the corporeal modality, constitue its subtle modalities; but all these possibilities together represent, nonetheless, one and the same degree of universal Existence. It follows from this that human individuality is at once much more and much less than Westerners generally suppose it to be: much more, because they recognize in it scarcely anything except the corporeal modality, which includes but the smallest fraction of its possibilities; much less, however, because this individuality, far from really constituting the whole being, is but one state of that being among an indefinite multitude of other states. Moreover the sum of all these states is still nothing at all in relation to the personality, which alone is the true being, because it alone represents its permanent and unconditioned state, and because there is nothing else which can be considered as absolutely real.''<br> </blockquote> </blockquote> '''Samâdhi and ecstasy'''<ref>c.f. ''Studies in Hinduism'', chapter 3: « Kundalinî Yoga », note 3, pp. 17-18.</ref> <blockquote> '' [...] let us also point out the impropriety of translating samâdhi as "ecstasy", this latter being all the more irksome as it is normally used in Western languages to designate mystical states, that is to say something of an altogether different order, with which it must not be confused; its etymological signification moreover is "to go out of oneself" (which suits very well the case of mystical states), wheras what the term samâdhi designates is quite to the contrary a "return" of the being into its own Self.''<br> </blockquote> '''Form, matter, essence and substance'''<ref>c.f. ''The reign of quantity and the signs of times'', chapter 1: « quality and quantity », p. 12.</ref> <blockquote> ''Understood [...] with reference to particular beings, essence and substance are in effect the same as the "form and "matter" of the scholastic philosophers; but it is better to avoid the use of these latter terms because, doubtless owing to an imperfection of the Latin language in this connection, they only convey rather innacurately the ideas they ought to express [...]''<br> </blockquote> '''Matter and the principle of individuation'''<ref>c.f. ''The reign of quantity and the signs of times'', chapter 6: « The principle of individuation », p. 47.</ref> <blockquote> ''[...] the individuals of any one species all participate in a common nature, which is that of the species itself, and is in all of them equally; how then does it come about that, in spite of this community of nature, these individuals are distinct beings, or even that thay are in any way distinguishable one from another ? [...] the question could [...] be formulated in this way: of what order is the determination which is added to specific nature so that individuals may become separate beings while remainnig within the species ?It is this determination that the scholastics relate to "matter", that is to say ultimately to quantity [...] and thus "matter" or quantity appears distinctly as a principle of "separativity".''<br> </blockquote> === The metaphysical core === The exposition of metaphysical doctrines, which forms the cornerstone of René Guénon's work, is consisting of the following books<ref>c.f. Luc Benoist, ''L'oeuvre de René Guénon'', in ''La nouvelle revue française'', 1943 (''in french'').</ref>: *''Introduction to the Study of the Hindu Doctrines'', *''Man and His Becoming according to the Vedânta'', *''The Multiple States of the Being'', *''Symbolism of the Cross'', *''Oriental Metaphysics''. ==== ''Introduction to the Study of the Hindu doctrines'' ==== The book, published in [[1921]], some topics of which will be included in the lecture he will give at ''the Sorbonne'', December 17, 1925 ( 'The Eastern metaphysics'), consists of four parts. *The first part (« preliminary questions ») exposes the hurdles that prevented classical [[Orientalism|orientalism]] from a deep understanding of eastern doctrines (without forgetting that René Guénon had of course in view the orientalism of his time): the « classical prejudice » which « consists essentially in a predisposition to attribute the origin of all civilization to the Greeks and Romans », the ignorance of certain types of relationships between the anciant peoples, linguistic difficulties, and the confusions arising about certain questions related to chonology, these confusions being made possible through the ignorance of the importance of oral transmission which can precede, to a considerable and indeterminate extent, the written formulation. A fundamental example of that latter mistake being found in the orientalist's attempts at providing a precise birth date to the [[Vedas]] sacred scriptures. *The « general characters of eastern thought » part focuses on the principles of unity of the eastern civilizations, on the definition of the notions of "tradition" and "metaphysics". René Guénon also proposes a rigourous definition of the term "religion", and states the proper differences between "tradition", "religion", "metaphysics" and "philosophical system". The relations between "metaphysics" and "theology" are also explored, and the fundamental terms of "esoterism" and "exoterism" are introduced. A chapter is devoted to the idea of « metaphysical realization ». The first two parts state, according to René Guénon, the necessary doctrinal foundations for a correct understanding of hindu doctrines. *The third part: "''the hindu doctrines''" introduces some of the most fundamental ideas in hindu doctrines: the traditional signification of the word "''[[Hindu|hindu]]''", the notions of orthodoxy and heterodoxy contemplated from the metaphysical perspective (in comparison with their religious or theological counterparts), an exposition of the main sacred texts in [[Hinduism]], the notions of "'''darshana'''", '''[[Manu (Hinduism)|Manu]]''' law, '''[[Sanatana Dharma|Sanâtana Dharma]]'''<ref>[[Michel Valsan]], in ''Tradition primordiale et culte axial'', Études traditionnelles, Jan.-Feb. and March-Apr. issues 1965 (in french), will propose a relation between the notion of [[Sanatana Dharma|Sanâtana Dharma]] and the islamic idea of ''dîn al fitra'' which, in [[Islam]], denotes the human being's conformity with the Divine.</ref>, the '''[[Vedanta|Vêdantâ]]''', the '''[[Upanishad|Upanishads]]''' etc. *The fourth and last part exposes what René Guénon calls the erroneous western interpretations. He describes some currents born in India under the conjugated influence of the [[British Empire]], anglo-saxon missionary [[Protestantism|protestantism]] and [[Madame Blavatsky|H. P. Blavatsky]]'s theosophism: the [[Arya Samaj|Arya Samâj]], the doctrines of [[Swami Dayananda Saraswati|Dayânanda Saraswatî]] and [[Vivekananda]] etc. ==== ''Man and his Becoming according to the [[Vedanta]]'' ==== [[Image:Ganesh1.jpg|right|thumb|[[Ganesh|Ganeshâ]], "Lord of meditation and mantras", "Lord of Knowledge", "Lord of Categories", will be displayed in the front page cover of the ''Symbolism of the cross'''s original edition.]] The ''Introduction to the study of the Hindu doctrines'' had, among its objectives, the purpose of giving the proper intellectual basis to promote openness to the study of eastern intellectuality. The study of hindu doctrines is continued in his book ''Man and his Becoming according to the [[Vedanta]]'' by taking the specific viewpoint of the human being's constitution according to the [[Vedanta|Vêdantâ]]: René Guénon states that his goal is not to present a synthetic exposition of all vedic doctrines "which would be quite an impossible task", but to consider "a particular point of that doctrine", in that case the definition of the human being, in order to contemplate afterwards other aspects of metaphysics.<br> The book begins in precising the nature of the [[Vedanta|Vêdantâ]], its profound signification as the "end of the Vedas", and the traditional signification of '''Shruti''' and '''Smriti''' scriptures: <blockquote> ''[...] the distinction between shruti and smriti is, fundamentally, equivalent to that between immediate intellectual intuition and reflective consciousness; if the first is described by a word bearing the primitive meaning of 'hearing', this is precisely in order to indicate its intuitive character, and because according to the Hindu cosmological doctrine, sound holds the primordial rank among sensible qualities.''<br> </blockquote> The fundamental texts called ''Mimânsa'' (''Pûrva-Mimânsa'', ''Uttara-Mimânsa''), the ''Upanishads'', the ''[[Brahma|Brahmâ]]-Sûtras'' are then introduced, along with Hindu cosmological texts, as is the notion of "intellectual function" associated to their origin, as opposed to the profane notion of "author".<br> The general considerations of the '''Self,''' the '''Unmanifested''' and the '''universal Manifestation''' are then introduced: the '''universal Manifestation''' is all that exists and its development is constantly being in progress, towards destiny. The '''Unmanifested''' is all that is beyond universal Manifestation, so that it can only be designated by negation. The second chapter also establishes the fundamental distinctions between the '''Self''' and the ego, or "personality" and "individuality", the first being the only One that is "absolutely real". These ideas are declined in different denominations depending, for a first part, on the different degrees of reality considered, and also from the "transcendent" and "immanent" point of views that can be contemplated: '''[[Ishvara|Ishwara]]''' is the "Divine personality" or the Principle of universal Manifestation. It is unmanifested, for the Principle of Manifestation cannot be Itself manifested (this is in relation to the symbolism of "black heads": '''[[Ishvara|Ishwara]]''' has Its head in "darkness"). '''Atmâ''', '''Paramâtmâ''', '''[[Brahma|Brahmâ]]''': the realization that the Self, "in relation to any being whatsoever, is in reality identical to Atmâ", constitutes the heart of the Hindu doctrine of "delivrance" or "moksha", and that doctrine is absolutely identical to what [[Sufism|islamic esoterism]] calls the '''Supreme Identity''' (that is to say, expressed in hindu terms, the identity of '''Atmâ''' and '''[[Brahma|Brahmâ]]'''): <blockquote> ''[...] the 'Supreme Identity', according to an expression borrowed from Islamic esoterism, where the doctrine on this and on many other points is fundamentally the same as in the Hindu tradition, in spite of great differences in form.''<br> </blockquote> If the "Supreme Identity" (or "moksha" or "delivrance"), is made possible, through realization, it is because at the very heart of the human being (not to be confused with the heart organ of the corporeal enveloppe) is found what is called '''[[Brahma|Brahmâ]]''' 's journey, or '''[[Brahma|Brahmâ]]-pura'''.<br> What resides at the center of the human state is '''[[Purusha]]''', or '''[[Brahma|Brahmâ]]''' considered "inside" (or "at the center" of) the human being. Purusha, in order that manifestation may be produced, must enter into correlation with another principle, although such a correlation is really non-existent in relation to the highest (uttama) aspect of Purusha, for there cannot in thruth be any other principle than the Supreme Principle, except in a relative sense. The correlative of Purusha is then '''[[Prakriti]]''', the undifferentiated primordial substance, a passive principle represented as feminine, while Purusha, also called ''Pumas'', is the active principle, represented as masculine; and these two are the poles of all manifestation, though remaining unmanifested themselves. It is the union of these complementary principles which produces the integral development of the human individual state, and that applies relatively to each individual. From there, all different degrees of individual manifestation can be described and named, and in particular the ''tanmatras'', the '''mind''' or ''manas'' in its role of coordinator of internal and external faculties, the five ''vayus'', the different ''prânas'', and the distinctions between the ''waking state'', the ''dream state'', and the ''deep sleep'' state. The book ends with a description of the reabsorption of the individual faculties, either in the posthumous conditions, or in the spiritual process of realization, up to the "final delivrance" or "Supreme Identity", which is the ultimate goal of any true spiritual path. ==== ''The Symbolism of the Cross'' ==== ''The Symbolism of the Cross'' is a book "dedicated to the venerated memory of Esh-Sheikh Abder-Rahman Elish El-Kebir". Its goal, as Guénon states it, "''is to explain a symbol that is common to almost all traditions, a fact that would seem to indicate its direct attachment to the great primordial tradition''". {{Sectstub|date=May 2008}} ==== ''The Multiple States of Being'' ==== ''To be updated soon'' {{Sectstub|date=May 2008}} === [[Hermetism]] and cosmological sciences === ''To be updated soon'' {{Sectstub|date=May 2008}} ==== [[Eleusinian Mysteries|Lesser Mysteries]] and [[Eleusinian Mysteries|Greater Mysteries]] ==== ''To be updated soon'' {{Sectstub|date=May 2008}} ==== [[Eleusinian Mysteries]], Hermetism and cosmological sciences ==== ''To be updated soon'' {{Sectstub|date=May 2008}} ==== The Hindu doctrine of '''cosmic cycles'''==== ''To be updated soon'' {{Sectstub|date=May 2008}} ==== The doctrine of the [[Classical element|five elements]] ==== ''To be updated soon'' {{Sectstub|date=May 2008}} ==== Atomism and the question of "continuum composition" ==== ''To be updated soon'' {{Sectstub|date=May 2008}} === Symbolism === ''To be updated soon'' {{Sectstub|date=May 2008}} === The attempts at subverting tradition in the modern world === ''To be updated soon'' {{Sectstub|date=May 2008}} == Open questions == ''To be updated soon'' {{Sectstub|date=May 2008}} === Situation of the author and his work, relativization of the importance of biography === ''To be updated soon'' {{Sectstub|date=May 2008}} === Sources and influences === ''To be updated soon'' {{Sectstub|date=May 2008}} === The Order of the Renovated Temple === ''To be updated soon'' {{Sectstub|date=May 2008}} === The Gnostic church === ''To be updated soon'' {{Sectstub|date=May 2008}} === The years of the ''Gnosis'' journal === ''To be updated soon'' {{Sectstub|date=May 2008}} === The King of the World === ''To be updated soon'' {{Sectstub|date=May 2008}} == Criticism == ''To be updated soon'' {{Sectstub|date=May 2008}} == Bibliography == === Books by René Guénon === (ordered by first publication date): * ''Introduction to the Study of the Hindu Doctrines'' (''Introduction générale à l'étude des doctrines hindoues'', 1921) * ''Theosophy: History of a Pseudo-Religion'' (''Le Théosophisme - Histoire d'une pseudo-religion'', 1921) * ''The Spiritist Fallacy'' (''L'erreur spirite'', 1923) * ''East and West'' (''Orient et Occident'', 1924) * ''Man and His Becoming according to the Vedânta'' (''L'homme et son devenir selon le Vêdânta'', 1925) * ''The Esoterism of Dante'' (''L'ésotérisme de Dante'', 1925) * ''The King of the World'' (''Le Roi du Monde'', 1927) * ''The Crisis of the Modern World'' (''La crise du monde moderne'', 1927) * ''Spiritual Authority and Temporal Power'' (''Autorité Spirituelle et Pouvoir Temporel'', 1929) * ''St. Bernard'' (''Saint-Bernard'', 1929) * ''Symbolism of the Cross'' (''Le symbolisme de la croix'', 1931) * ''The Multiple States of the Being'' (''Les états multiples de l'Être'', 1932) * ''Oriental Metaphysics'' (''La metaphysique orientale'', 1939) * ''The Reign of Quantity & the Signs of the Times'' (''Le règne de la quantité et les signes des temps'', 1945) * ''Perspectives on Initiation'' (''Aperçus sur l'initiation'', 1946) * ''The Metaphysical Principles of the Infinitesimal Calculus'' (''Les principes du calcul infinitésimal'', 1946) * ''The Great Triad'' (''La Grande Triade'', 1946) === Posthumous collections === * ''Initiation and Spiritual Realization'' (''Initiation et réalisation spirituelle'', 1952) * ''Insights into Christian Esoterism'' (''Aperçus sur l'ésotérisme chrétien'', 1954) * ''Symbols of Sacred Science'' (''Symboles de la Science Sacrée'', 1962) * ''Studies in Freemasonry and Compagnonnage'' (''Études sur la Franc-Maçonnerie et le Compagnonnage'', 1964) * ''Studies in Hinduism'' (''Études sur l'Hindouisme'', 1966) * ''Traditional Forms & Cosmic Cycles'' (''Formes traditionelles et cycles cosmiques'', 1970) * ''Insights into Islamic Esoterism & Taoism'' (''Aperçus sur l'ésotérisme islamique et le Taoïsme'', 1973) * ''Reviews'' (''Comptes rendus'', 1973) * ''Miscellanea'' (''Mélanges'', 1976) === The Collected Works of René Guénon === New English translation, 23 volumes, Sophia Perennis (publisher) * ''East and West'' (paper, 2001; cloth, 2004) * ''The Crisis of the Modern World'' (paper, 2001; cloth, 2004) * ''The Esoterism of Dante'' (paper, 2003; cloth, 2005) * ''The Great Triad'' (paper, 2001; cloth, 2004) * ''Initiation and Spiritual Realization'' (paper, 2001; cloth, 2004) * ''Insights into Christian Esoterism'' (paper, 2001; cloth, 2005) * ''Insights into Islamic Esoterism and Taoism'' (paper, 2003; cloth, 2004) * ''Introduction to the Study of the Hindu Doctrines'' (paper, 2001; cloth, 2004) * ''The King of the World'' (paper, 2001; cloth, 2004) * ''Man and His Becoming According to the Vedanta'' (paper, 2001; cloth, 2004) * ''Metaphysical Principles of the Infinitesimal Calculus'' (paper, 2003; cloth, 2004) * ''Miscellanea'' (paper, 2003; cloth, 2004) * ''The Multiple States of the Being'' tr. Henry Fohr (paper, 2001; cloth, 2004) * ''Perspectives on Initiation'' (paper, 2001; cloth, 2004) * ''The Reign of Quantity and the Signs of the Times'' (paper, 2001; cloth, 2004) * ''The Spiritist Fallacy'' (paper, 2003; cloth, 2004) * ''Spiritual Authority and Temporal Power'' (paper, 2001; cloth, 2004) * ''Studies in Freemasonry and the Compagnonnage'' (paper, 2005; cloth, 2005) * ''Studies in Hinduism'' (paper, 2001; cloth, 2004) * ''The Symbolism of the Cross'' (paper, 2001; cloth, 2004) * ''Symbols of Sacred Science'' (paper, 2004; cloth, 2004) * ''Theosophy, the History of a Pseudo-Religion'' (paper, 2003; cloth, 2004) * ''Traditional Forms and Cosmic Cycles'' (paper, 2003; cloth, 2004) === Books about René Guénon === (Sophia Perennis) *Frithjof Schuon, ''René Guénon: Some Observations'' (paper, 2004) *Paul Chacornac, ''The Simple Life of René Guénon'' (paper, 2005; cloth, 2005) *Robin Waterfield, ''René Guénon and the Future of the West'' (paper, 2002; cloth, 2005) *[[Jean Borella]], ''Guénonian Esoterism and Christian Mystery'' (cloth, 2005) *Xavier Accart, ''René Guénon ou Le Renversement des clartés'' Paris, Milanos: Edidit Arche (2005) === Internet === *[http://www.livingislam.org/trg.html Who was René Guénon - Shaykh `Abd Al Wahid Yahya?] *[http://www.livingislam.org/o/vsrg_s.html Vìa Shâdhilita de René Guénon] *[http://www.politicaonline.net/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=197 Metafisica e Sophia Perennis] International forum about Metaphysic, Guénon and Tradition *[http://www.reneguenon.net/OscarFreire/OFreireGuenonObra.html René Guénon y los Estudios Tradicionales] *[http://www.musulmanesandaluces.org/ René Guénon y el Esoterismo Islámico] == See also == {{col-begin}} {{col-2}} <div class="references-small"> ;[[Religion]] and [[Spirituality]] *[[Sophia Perennis]] *[[Comparative Religion]] *[[Esoterism]] *[[Exoterism]] *[[Gnosticism]] *[[Metaphysics]] *[[Rosicrucianism]] *[[Symbolism]] *[[Theosophy]] ;[[Traditionalist School]] *[[Ivan Aguéli]] *[[Kurt Almqvist]] *[[Titus Burckhardt]] *[[Ananda Coomaraswamy]] *[[Rama P. Coomaraswamy]] *[[Julius Evola]] *[[Tage Lindbom]] *[[Martin Lings]] *[[Seyyed Hossein Nasr]] *[[Whitall Perry]] *[[Frithjof Schuon]] *[[Huston Smith]] *[[Wolfgang Smith]] *[[William Stoddart]] *[[Michel Valsan]] </div> {{col-2}} <div class="references-small"> ;Chinese Traditions *[[Taoism]] *[[Confucianism]] ;[[Sufism]] and [[Islam]] *[[Al Akbariyya]] *[[Ibn Arabi]] *[[Malamatiyya]] *[[Khidr]] *[[Sufi studies]] ;[[Christianity]] *[[Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite]] *[[Meister Eckhart]] *[[Virgin Mary]] *[[Gregory Palamas]] *[[Free mason]] ;[[Platonism]] *[[Plato]] *[[Plotinus]] *[[Neoplatonism]] ;[[Advaita Vedanta]] and [[Hinduism]] *[[Adi Shankara]] *[[Tantrism]] *[[Shaivism]] *[[Kashmir Sivaism]] </div> {{col-end}} == External links == *[http://www.fonsvitae.com/sophia-perennis.html List of Titles by René Guénon - Fons Vitae books] *[http://www.sophiajournal.com/Vol1Num1/Article02.html Biography from Sophia Journal] *[http://pages.zoom.co.uk/thuban/html/guenon.htm Biography from Institute for Gnostic Studies] *[http://www.abebooks.com/home/PERENNIS/ Sofia Perennis Universalis has many Guénon books in print] *[http://www.hinduismtoday.com/archives/1989/10/1989-10-02.shtml Guénon and Vedanta] *[http://www.religioperennis.org A web site on the Perennialist/Traditionalist School] *[http://www.livingislam.org/trg.html Who was René Guénon - Shaykh `Abd Al Wahid Yahya? - text excerpts] *[http://edituraaion.ro/index.php?action=all_books&search=Ren%E9+Gu%E9non René Guénon Books translated into Romanian] *[http://www.laletterag.org/ La Lettera G. Italian-French review of Freemasonry inspired by the work of René Guénon] *[http://www.politicaonline.net/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=197 Metafisica e Sophia Perennis] International forum about Metaphysic, Guénon and Tradition. *[http://www.reneguenon.net/OscarFreire/OFreireGuenonObra.html René Guénon y los Estudios Tradicionales] *[http://www.musulmanesandaluces.org/hemeroteca/90/Rene%20Guenon%20y%20el%20Islam.htm René Guénon y el Esoterismo Islámico] == Notes and References == {{reflist|2}} {{Portal|Philosophy|Socrates.png|left=yes}} {{Portal|Biography|Crystal_personal.svg}} {{Philosophy topics}} {{Sufism}} <!-- Metadata: see [[Wikipedia:Persondata]] --> {{Lifetime|1886|1951|Guénon, René}} <!-- {| class="wikitable" |- ! header 1 ! header 2 ! header 3 |- | row 1, cell 1 | row 1, cell 2 | row 1, cell 3 |- | row 2, cell 1 | row 2, cell 2 | row 2, cell 3 |} --> {{Persondata |NAME = Guénon, René Jean Marie Joseph |ALTERNATIVE NAMES = Abd al-Wahid Yahya |SHORT DESCRIPTION = French metaphysician |DATE OF BIRTH = [[November 15]], [[1886]] |PLACE OF BIRTH = [[Blois]], [[Loir-et-Cher]], [[France]] |DATE OF DEATH = [[January 7]], [[1951]] |PLACE OF DEATH = [[Cairo]], [[Egypt]] }} [[Category:Converts to Islam]] [[Category:French Sufis]] [[Category:French occult writers]] [[Category:People from Centre]] [[Category:Traditionalism]] [[az:Rene Guenon]] [[de:René Guénon]] [[et:René Guénon]] [[el:Ρενέ Γκενόν]] [[es:René Guénon]] [[fr:René Guénon]] [[it:René Guénon]] [[hu:René Guénon]] [[nl:René Guénon]] [[ja:ルネ・ゲノン]] [[uz:René Guénon]] [[pl:René Guénon]] [[pt:René Guénon]] [[ro:René Guénon]] [[ru:Генон, Рене]] [[fi:René Guénon]] [[sv:René Guénon]] [[tr:René Guénon]] [[uk:Ґенон Рене]]