[sometimes labeled “classical mysticism” or “mystical religion”]
Outline prepared by Richard T. Nolan
Many philosophers, theologians, and clergy/religious leaders believe that all religions are to be understood within the context of some version of the “Perennial Philosophy,” that all religions are poetic expressions of the “Perennial Philosophy” and are therefore essentially identical. For a different viewpoint, see the subsites on biblical thought and the subsites containing the writings of Drs. Cherbonnier and Kirkpatrick.
References:
A. Huxley, “Introduction” in The Song of God: Bhagavad-Gita
A. Huxley, The Perennial Philosophy
L. Loemker, “Perennial Philosophy” in the Dictionary of the History of Ideas
N. Smart, “Perennial Philosophy” in The Westminster Dictionary of Christian Theology
H. Titus, M. Smith, and R. Nolan, “One Asian View of God” Living Issues In Philosophy [9th ed.]
1. GOD OR ULTIMATE REALITY
a. Ultimate Reality, which may be called “God,” is pure non-physical spirituality; God is supra-personal, Wholly Other, Oneness, Being or Non-Being, eternal, absolute, infinite, and transcendent. This concept of ultimate reality may be labeled Brahman, sometimes Nirvana, sometimes the Tao, sometimes the “God beyond God,” sometimes “The One,” sometimes “The Divine Ground.”
b. All named Gods (whether Brahma, Krishna, Allah, Yahweh, the Holy Trinity, etc.) are equivalent symbolic “pointers” to Ultimate Reality.
c. Some named Gods (e.g., gods of nature, gods of popular mythology) may be less sophisticated, personalized “pointers,” but pointers nonetheless.
d. The belief that any personalized God [such as in “b” or “c” above] is ultimately real falls short of approaching an understanding of Ultimate Reality as It truly is.
2. THE UNIVERSE
a. The Universe, the visible and the invisible (including time/history), is either:
i. an illusion, appearing-to-be-reality [maya], or
ii. less real than ultimate reality, separate from It, or
iii. less real than ultimate reality, flowing from It, or
iv. a “fallen” reality, separated from true Ultimate Reality.
b. The Universe is either neutral (neither good nor bad) or evil/sinful, to some extent.
3. HUMAN NATURE
a. Persons consist of a perishable ego and body plus an eternal soul (or non-soul), which is of the same nature as the Divine Ground.
b. The body/ego is either neutral or evil/sinful/shackled to some extent.
c. One’s true reality is trapped, imprisoned within an alienated existence, separated from Oneness.
d. Death is liberation for eventual reunion/union with God.
i. eternal unconsciousness, or
ii. eternal beatific vision
4. RELIGIOUS KNOWLEDGE
a. Human reflection and language are limited to the finite world, the Universe.
b. Human beings can “know” the Divine Ground by direct unitive experience that transcends rationality.
c. The “mystical experience” may be
i. suprarational absorption into or “touching” the Divine Ground [the “dreamless sleep”], or ii. being in the presence of Ultimate Reality.
d. “Descriptions” of the mystical experience may be expressed by
i. total silence [profound enlightenment], or
ii. poetic symbols in speech, art, & literature (scriptures), or
iii. “negative” language.
5. CONSEQUENCES FOR LIVING
a. The purpose of life is the uniting of one’s true, eternal “self” (soul or non-soul) with the Divine Ground.
b. Life may be regarded as inauthentic, a shadow, purposeless, and inconsequential.
c. Some possible values:
passivity
detachment from material things
detachment from relationships with others
flow with maya
all experiences oriented toward the Divine Ground, which alone is real
isolation
beyond good and evil
Love the “soul” in everyone.
Be active as long as the Divine Ground is believed to be the only true Reality.
Accept what is.
It doesn’t matter.
Longing for the Infinite