Perennialism

[Alexander]

I’m not usually big on labels, but I wanted to propose a term for our group. Someone asked my religion yesterday, and for the first time I answered “I am a perennialist.”

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perennial_philosophy?wprov=sfti1

It felt right. 🤔 Perennialism is the belief all religions derive from a universal inner truth; that their outward manifestations are simply the results of the cultures or psychologies that produced them.

The term actually has a long history, and dates back to the Renaissance and the Neo-Platonists. There are also more recent strands of it you can identify in RM Bucke, Aldous Huxley, Walt Whitman, and the transcendentalists.

If you read the article there are some immature people who use the term, but at the same time that doesn’t mean they are wrong.

The term describes very simply what we do here every day… comparative religions with a focus on the direct experience of the divine.

It comes from “perennial” like a type of plant that blooms again and again; ie, that the universals of human religion reappear regardless of place and time, as they’re independently existing (they’re simply true).

It just seems an inevitable conclusion, especially in our globalized world, that we would end up with such a belief.

It also seems very practical, as you could retroactively claim many figures. I was reading about Kabir recently who technically identified as neither Muslim nor Hindu. It sounds like he was a subscriber to the “perennial philosophy.” It would be the same for Whitman, Rumi, etc. 🤔

[Jhanananda]

I am ok with some of the concepts of Perennialism, but I find it tends to water down the message.  I prefer to first accept that religions have much the same problem, they are run by a pretentious and hypocritical priesthood who are always invested in self preservation which drives them to persecute mystics, who are the genuine source of true wisdom, and emerge time and again within a vacuum of mysticism.  Thus Perennialism does not seem to be informed by the genuine mystics.

[Alexander]

I am ok with some of the concepts of Perennialism, but I find it tends to water down the message.  I prefer to first accept that religions have much the same problem, they are run by a pretentious and hypocritical priesthood who are always invested in self preservation which drives them to persecute mystics, who are the genuine source of true wisdom, and emerge time and again within a vacuum of mysticism.  Thus Perennialism does not seem to be informed by the genuine mystics.

I agree with this. It becomes so watered down by its universality that it loses all sense of discipline and focus. At the same time, the core thesis (of the perennialists) is accurate.

On the opposite pole, institutional religion (as you point out in the same paragraph) brings its own gross issues. As religion comes to organize day to day life and discipline human behavior, hypocrites begin to join the movement and co-opt it for their own purposes.

I don’t believe I mentioned an exchange I had a few years ago. I applied for a job (a Catholic school) in Southbridge, Massachusetts. The principal was pleased (I produced a strong impression) but the priest came in the interview at the end and misunderstood everything. He thought I was an atheist.

It is very amusing to me. Very ironic. He failed to hire a saint, ahahaha. But these are the people who rule all the world’s organized religions.

No, so there is no panacea; there is the watered down, shallow faith of the perennial, or the obscurantist faith of the devout. As Siddhartha said, we must “follow the Middle Path.” And, it is essential for people to develop their own discipline. Actually, I recommend that as individuals each person seeks out a Guru.

[Jhanananda]

Well stated Alexander, but in my experience most of the gurus I met on my journey were frauds.

[Alexander]

Well stated Alexander, but in my experience most of the gurus I met on my journey were frauds.

Also true.

[Tad]

Alexander,

for the most part we might agree with Perennialism, but it sounds wayyyy too academic! 

[Alexander]

Alexander,

for the most part we might agree with Perennialism, but it sounds wayyyy too academic! 

Yes the Buddhist fear of becoming too knowledgeable. Fortunately I am not a Buddhist.

[Tad]

Unfortunately, Buddhism is not immunune and has more than enough intellectualizations. But if you mean exploring the topics of creation of the world and such, then yeah, there are many who fear this theme  At the same time I think Buddha was right in that he focused purely on suffering. It is the only thing that matters at the end of the day. Unless we see suffering and the possibility of more suffering, we do not give a shit about awakening.

[Jhanananda]

Unfortunately, Buddhism is not immunune and has more than enough intellectualizations. But if you mean exploring the topics of creation of the world and such, then yeah, there are many who fear this theme  At the same time I think Buddha was right in that he focused purely on suffering. It is the only thing that matters at the end of the day. Unless we see suffering and the possibility of more suffering, we do not give a shit about awakening.

Well, said, Tad.