caveat: Guenon’s traditionalism is slanted in favor of abrahamic religion and, though having its value, should be read with discernment to sort out the confusion of Abrahamism/magianism. For criticism of Guenon see ‘Against Traditionalism’ and ‘Criticism of Rene Guenon’
Rene Guenon
“Spiritual Authority and Temporal Power is an analysis of cyclical manifestation, and more specifically of the relationship between royal and sacerdotal power. In accord with the Hindu doctrine of manvantaras and Plato’s depiction of historical degeneration in the Republic, Guénon views history here as a series of ‘revolts’ of lower castes against the higher. The kshatriyas (warriors) revolt against the brahmins (priests), thus setting the stage for a revolt of the vaishyas (loosely, the bourgeoisie), as in the French revolution-and, finally, the shudras (the proletariat), as in the Russian revolution (which Guénon does not touch upon in this work). From one point of view, this is a progressive degeneration; from another it is entirely lawful, given the ‘entropic’ nature of manifestation itself. External, historical descent reflects an inner knowledge (the celestial paradise) is eclipsed by heroic action (the terrestrial paradise), which is in turn overrun by the inertia and agitation of the passions. Yet the nadir of degeneration is also the point of the dawning of the Heavenly Jerusalem-spiritual Knowledge-which begins a new cycle of manifestation.”
Pdf: Pdf
Purchase: Purchase: