introduction générale Í l’étude des doctrines hindoues (1921)
This is the first book that Guénon wrote, he was 35 years at the time, yet, it already has Guénon’s scornful writing style. The larger part of the book hardly lives up to the title. It is more an exposition of metaphysics with many references to other-than-Hindu Eastern religions including Chinese and near-Eastern. This is interesting in itself, but it takes to the short part three that you will learn something about Hindu doctrines and here Guénon actually only writes about the Darshanas. The book is closed with harsh attacks on Western scholars on oriental religions, Western mentality in general and “pseudo esotericists” dealing with Eastern doctrines such as the Theosophical Society. Introduction To The Study Of The Hindu Doctrines is even for a Guénon book not an easy read. He writes very lengthy, indirect and in the for him typical tone. This book does indeed makes much of a basis for his later “Traditionalist” writings and learns you a bit on Hinduism and how it is portrayed in the West and I always enjoy the writer’s criticism on the West, so it is not really a bad buy.
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Read quotes of Guénon here.