Journal articles on the topic 'Esoteric tradition'
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Setyabudi, Muhammad Nur Prabowo. "TEODISI ISLAM ESOTERIS: PEMIKIRAN ISA NUR AL-DIN AHMAD AL-SYAZILI TENTANG TUHAN DAN KEJAHATAN." Indonesian Journal of Islamic Literature and Muslim Society 3, no. 1 (January 30, 2019): 1. http://dx.doi.org/10.22515/islimus.v3i1.1142.
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Theodicy was born as a response to the problem of evil and its relationship to the power of God, and at the same time, as an assertion of Omnipotence, Omnibenevolence, and Omniscience of God. This article presents the interpretation of Frithjof Schuon's thought or Shaykh Isa Nur al-Din Ahmad as a Muslim thinker of the tradition of Perennialism philosophy that emphasizes universalism and esoterism. The article describes Schuon's principal thought concerning theodicy, especially how esoteric Islamic theodicy sees the nature of evil, the relationship of evil with the free will of humans and determination of God (predestination). Furthermore, this article tries to draw the extent to which esoterism is supportive and coherent with texts that are exoterically expressed in the Qur'an. Basically, esoteric Islamic theodicy parallels with the principle of Islamic mysticism. In the last part, this article tries to take the moral significance of the notions of esoteric Islamic theodicy.
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MUELLER, IAN. "THE ESOTERIC PLATO AND THE ANALYTIC TRADITION." Méthexis 6, no. 1 (March 30, 1993): 115–34. http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/24680974-90000147.
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Tanzharikova, А., and D. Satemirova. "ESOTERIC MOTIVES IN KAZAKH PROSE." BULLETIN Series of Philological Sciences 74, no. 4 (December 9, 2020): 336–40. http://dx.doi.org/10.51889/2020-4.1728-7804.68.
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In this article the innovation, genre searches and esoteric motives are considered in Kazakh literature. The Kazakh writers, who have researched the national color in the Kazakh literature and they formed a new coloristic, found out the animistic, totemic concepts, the cult of ancestors, the cult, the traditions of venerating graves and the memory of people who have left the world, and the peculiarities of using esoteric cult concepts. The tengrian cosmogonic faith, cult, archetypal origins and esoteric mystical consciousnesses are interpreted in Kazakh prose within the framework of a tradition uninterrupted by oral literature.
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Willmett, John. "Tradition, Esotericism, Secrecy and Hiddenness in the Gospel Studies of P.D. Ouspensky and Maurice Nicoll." Aries 20, no. 1 (January 22, 2020): 108–36. http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/15700593-02001012.
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Abstract This article examines the views of Gurdjieff’s disciples P.D. Ouspensky and Maurice Nicoll on the esoteric nature of the Gospels. Utilising one of Wouter Hanegraaff’s definitions of esotericism as religious activity concerned predominantly with salvific knowledge of the ‘inner mysteries of religion’ reserved for a selected elite, Ouspensky’s and Nicoll’s view of the Gospels as the rendering in metaphorical form of esoteric knowledge as the formulation of the esoteric psychology of the path of inner evolution is discussed. Sources for this discussion are Ouspensky’s A New Model of the Universe (1931), and Nicoll’s The New Man (1950) and The Mark (1954). It is suggested that the Gospels render esoteric knowledge and its linguistic expression secret and hidden. Nicoll’s idea of the necessity for this secrecy and hiddenness in dealing with the esoteric, that esoteric knowledge given to those unprepared for it is dangerous, both because it will be spoiled, its truth and beauty destroyed, and because it will turn into what Nicoll calls “world poison”, is illustrated in a discussion of the thesis presented in Jacob Needleman’s A Sense of the Cosmos (1975), that the rise of modern science represents an abuse of esoteric knowledge. The article concludes by presenting ideas from Needleman, Ouspensky and Nicoll of what needs to be done in the face of this current widespread abuse of esoteric knowledge.
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Hammerstrom, Erik J. "The Heart-of-Mind Method." Nova Religio 17, no. 2 (February 2013): 5–23. http://dx.doi.org/10.1525/nr.2013.17.2.5.
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This article uses theory developed in the study of NRMs to analyze strategies of legitimation employed by the Chinese Buddhist Wang Xiangliu (1876–1937) as he sought to spread a new form of esoteric Buddhism in 1930s China. It discusses the specific historical and religious context in which Wang was operating in order to identify the particular tensions between the new Heart-of-Mind Method and the dominant culture. This context resulted in the specific issues that Wang focused on in arguing for the legitimacy of this nascent tradition, which included: 1) claims in society that esoteric Buddhism is “superstitious;” 2) changing cultural and political attitudes toward Japan and Tibet, which were the sources of much esoteric teaching in circulation in China during that period; and 3) the religious demand that any esoteric lineage be based upon a legitimate, traditional lineage which had the potential to undermine apparently sui generis traditions like Wang’s.
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Vorobeva, Olga B. "Quo vadis, Homo spiritualis?" Izvestiya of Saratov University. Philosophy. Psychology. Pedagogy 22, no. 4 (December 15, 2022): 363–67. http://dx.doi.org/10.18500/1819-7671-2022-22-4-363-367.
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Introduction. Where are you going, spiritual man? – humanity has been facing this question since antiquity, when Christian culture was an alternative to sacred teachings. Modern society in recent “pandemic” years, against the background of a stable state of traditional religiosity, has shown an explosive interest in esotericism. Theoretical analysis. The ontological approach to the phenomenon of the esoteric tradition made it possible to show its dialectical nature: sacred teachings contained values that could serve as the basis for the spirituality of society or one of the reasons for its cultural decadence. The syncretism of mythological and mass consciousness allows esoteric culture to remain the constant of society. The socio-philosophical analysis of the functional features of myth-thinking made it possible to discover a platform for stable positions of existence in the universal culture of the esoteric tradition. Conclusion. Today, the existence of esotericism in human practice is at a bifurcation point, where some values are actively filling the intellectually elitist trend in the development of culture, while others are being redirected into the ordinary form of presence in society. Aspects of myth-thinking are systematized, thanks to which the esoteric tradition ensures its functional stability in society.
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Danylova, Т. V. ,. "The concepts of the subtle bodies in the ancient spiritual traditions." Humanitarian studios: pedagogics, psychology, philosophy 3, no. 152 (December 2020): 100–105. http://dx.doi.org/10.31548/hspedagog2020.03.100.
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The idea that humans are multidimensional, i.e., that beyond their physical body, humans have other, subtler bodies, through which they can interact with the universe, is very ancient. Understanding of a human as a complex multidimensional phenomenon laid the foundations for the development of many Eastern and Western esoteric schools. Contemporary spiritual teachers and researchers continue the ancient tradition. Each esoteric tradition describes a human and his/her bodies from different angles, and none fully describes it which is probably impossible. This paper aims at investigating the concepts of the subtle bodies in the ancient spiritual traditions.
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Musadad, Asep Nahrul. "PERSINGGUNGAN ISLAM DAN TRADISI MISTIK LOKAL: STUDI KASUS PANANYAAN DAN AHLI HIKMAH DI MASYARAKAT TASIKMALAYA." Indonesian Journal of Islamic Literature and Muslim Society 1, no. 1 (October 10, 2016): 47. http://dx.doi.org/10.22515/islimus.v1i1.77.
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AbstrakOne of the determinant factors in the process of Islamization of the archipelago is the intersection between Islamic teachings and local wisdom. The encounter of the two has apparently brought an esoteric way. In this case, the Islamic esoteric teaching namely Sufism has become important. However, there was another esoteric element which also has a main role in the process, namely the mystical insight as to the result of the synthesis of the Islamic esoteric teaching and the indigenous mystical tradition. Using the ethnographic approach, this article aims to provide a preliminary remark on the intersection between Islam and local mystic tradition as represented by pananyaan and ahli hikmah in Sundanese people, especially in Tasikmalaya, as the reference. He is regarded as the learned man a place for someone to ask, especially related to the world of unseen.
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Trzcińska, Izabela. "The Concept of Religion of the Future according to the Esoteric Community of Wisła in the Interwar Period." Studia Religiologica 53, no. 1 (2020): 63–76. http://dx.doi.org/10.4467/20844077sr.20.005.12508.
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The purpose of the article is to present the idea of a religion of the future as conceived by the esoteric community of Wisła in Cieszyn Silesia during the interwar period. Esoteric interpretations of Christianity formed its basis, inspired mainly by the Polish romantic tradition connected with Bible reading, as well as the esoteric and spiritual ideas that were popular at that time, originating from Theosophy and spiritism. An important role in this context was played by considerations on the salvational mission of Christ, albeit presented in a perennialist and Gnostic manner. The esoteric spirituality from Wisła of the interwar period later paved the way for a modern alternative spirituality in Poland.
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Mahlamäki, Tiina, and Maarit Leskelä-Kärki. "The history of modern Western esotericism." Approaching Religion 8, no. 1 (April 21, 2018): 1–4. http://dx.doi.org/10.30664/ar.70194.
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The study of Western esoteric traditions and practices has been a growing research field since the 1990s. This thematic issue aims at opening this field particularly in the context of Finnish cultural history, although the articles cover also other parts of the long tradition of Western esotericism in the history of Europe.
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Andrew, Joe, and Lauren G. Leighton. "The Esoteric Tradition in Russian Romantic Literature: Decembrism and Freemasonry." Modern Language Review 93, no. 1 (January 1998): 300. http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/3733754.
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Ayers, Carolyn J., and Lauren G. Leighton. "The Esoteric Tradition in Russian Romantic Literature: Decembrism and Freemasonry." Russian Review 55, no. 1 (January 1996): 107. http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/131915.
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Wolford, Lisa. "Grotowski's Art as Vehicle: the Invention of an Esoteric Tradition." Performance Research 3, no. 3 (January 1998): 85–96. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13528165.1998.10871631.
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Rydel, Christine A., and Lauren G. Leighton. "The Esoteric Tradition in Russian Romantic Literature: Decembrism and Freemasonry." Slavic and East European Journal 40, no. 2 (1996): 375. http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/309479.
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Strube, Julian. "Occultist Identity Formations Between Theosophy and Socialism in fin-de-siècle France." Numen 64, no. 5-6 (September 28, 2017): 568–95. http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/15685276-12341481.
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Abstract Fin-de-siècle occultism is usually regarded within the context of an “occult revival” that implies the modernization of an older esoteric tradition. However, this notion is rooted in esoteric identificatory discourses at the end of the nineteenth century. This article will discuss two major aspects of these discourses. First, French esotericists polemically distanced themselves from the “Eastern” esotericism of the Theosophical Society by constructing an ésotérisme occidental. It will be shown that this separation of “East” and “West” occurred as a reaction to the T.S., and should thus be seen as a “nationalist” response to a global phenomenon. Second, another major aspect of occultist identity formations will be highlighted: socialism. It will be shown that fin-de-siècle occultists were deeply involved with socialist theories in the July Monarchy vein but ambiguously distanced themselves from contemporary “materialist” socialisms. An analysis of this context will further help to understand the construction of an esoteric tradition.
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Hall, Dorota. "Measuring the Sacred." Anthropological Journal of European Cultures 19, no. 1 (March 1, 2010): 102–15. http://dx.doi.org/10.3167/ajec.2010.190108.
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The essay presents exemplary cases for the use of scientific accessories, such as a specialist vocabulary and sophisticated technical tools, in Polish holistic milieus. It analyses editorials published in the esoteric monthly Nieznany Świat, and refers to materials gathered during ethnographic fieldwork among vendors and customers of alternative medicine fairs and esoteric shops in Warsaw, as well as visitors to the Węsiory village, considered to be one of Earth's 'power places'. The work goes on the claim that references to science, and especially to various measurements, besides their legitimating function, appeal to sensitivity related to traditional folk religiosity. Therefore, the Nieznany Świat magazine might be considered a continuer of the folk tradition.
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Howard, Veena. "Divine Light and Melodies Lead the Way: The Santmat Tradition of Bihar." Religions 10, no. 4 (March 27, 2019): 230. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/rel10040230.
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This paper focuses on the branch of Santmat (thus far, unstudied by scholars of Indian religions), prevalent in the rural areas of Bihar, India. Santmat—literally meaning “the Path of Sants” or “Point of View of the Sants”—of Bihar represents a unique synthesis of the elements of the Vedic traditions, rural Hindu practices, and esoteric experiences, as recorded in the poetry of the medieval Sant Tradition. I characterize this tradition as “Santmat of Bihar” to differentiate it from the other branches of Santmat. The tradition has spread to all parts of India, but its highest concentration remains in Bihar. Maharishi Mehi, a twentieth-century Sant from Bihar State, identifies Santmat’s goal as śānti. Maharishi Mehi defines Śānti as the state of deep stillness, equilibrium, and the unity with the Divine. He considers those individuals sants who are established in this state. The state of sublime peace is equally available to all human beings, irrespective of gender, religion, ethnicity, or status. However, it requires a systematic path. Drawing on the writings of the texts of Sanātana Dharma, teachings of the Sants and personal experiences, Maharishi Mehi lays out a systematic path that encompasses the moral observances and detailed esoteric experiences. He also provides an in-depth description of the esoteric practices of divine light (dṛṣti yoga) and sound (surat śabda yoga) in the inner meditation. After providing a brief overview of the history and distinctive features of Santmat of Bihar, this paper will focus on the specifics and unique interpretations of the four structural principles of the tradition: Guru (spiritual teacher), dhyān (inner path of mediation), satsaṅg (spiritual discourses or congregating practitioners for meditation or study), and sadācār (moral conduct). Through a close analysis of textual sources, Sants’ oral discourses that I translated, as well as insights from my participant-observant experiences, I will examine how the four elements reorient the practitioner from the mundane world to the sacred inner experience of śānti.
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Villalba-Lázaro, Marta. "After Euripides: Esotericism in Medea’s English Literary Tradition." Athens Journal of Humanities & Arts 10, no. 1 (December 20, 2022): 37–54. http://dx.doi.org/10.30958/ajha.10-1-2.
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The Euripidean Medea remains a mystery to human understanding The esotericism of her story has allowed for dramatically different representations. In tracing her English literary history, from classical to contemporary dramatists, this paper follows Medea’s characters throughout the centuries. Drawing on Euripides, it provides a wide perspective on a long tradition, pointing out the distinctive intellectual and moral features of each historical period. In particular, it aims to show how this esoteric figure actually suits the writers’ ideology, who recurrently use Medea as a symbol to serve their different political and moral purposes, proving the malleability and esotericism of myth.
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Kokkinen, Nina. "The art of mystification: esotericism differentiated in the definition of Finnish symbolism." Scripta Instituti Donneriani Aboensis 20 (January 1, 2008): 98–111. http://dx.doi.org/10.30674/scripta.67330.
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This article focuses on Sarajas-Korte’s definitions that proved to be so significant to Finnish art history. In spite of the fact that her research still represents the most extensive and profound work on Finnish Symbolism, the aim here is to question some of her definitions and categorizations. Most of her concepts are puzzling, since she tends to use them in several different ways. One example of her conceptualizations is the way she uses the word esotericism and its derivatives. First of all, she seems to associate esotericism with secrecy and things hidden—in other words she follows the definition created already by the ancient Greeks. Secondly, she fuses esotericism with Symbolism as she herself defines it; hence Symbolist art is grounded on the ‘esoteric conceptions of symbols’. She also uses the word esotericism as though it would reflect the spirit of an age, as she writes for example about ‘the esoteric youth’ of the time. In addition to these three meanings, Sarajas-Korte seems to understand esotericism also by means of tradition. Her view of the esoteric tradition, however, is quite inclusive, since it seems to contain everything from the secret societies of Joséphin Péladan to the stories of the Bible and the Ramayana.
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Hasler, Johann F. W. "Generating Pitch Material from the Magic Sigils of the Western Esoteric Tradition." Perspectives of New Music 45, no. 2 (2007): 203–43. http://dx.doi.org/10.1353/pnm.2007.0003.
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Grimes, Samuel. "Amṛtasiddhi A Posteriori: An Exploratory Study on the Possible Impact of the Amṛtasiddhi on the Subsequent Sanskritic Vajrayāna Tradition." Religions 11, no. 3 (March 19, 2020): 140. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/rel11030140.
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Recent research into source materials for haṭhayoga (Birch, Mallinson, Szántó) has revealed that the physical techniques and esoteric anatomy traditionally associated with Śaiva practitioners likely found a genesis within Vajrayāna Buddhist communities. The physiology and practices for longevity described in the 11th-or-12th-century Amṛtasiddhi are easily traced in the development of subsequent physical yoga, but prior to the discovery of the text’s Buddhist origin, analogues to a haṭhayoga esoteric anatomy found in Vajrayāna sources have been regarded as coincidental. This paper considers both the possibility that the Amṛtasiddhi, or a tradition related to it, had a lasting impact on practices detailed in subsequent tantric Buddhist texts and that this haṭhayoga source text can aid in interpreting unclear passages in these texts.
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Seims, Melissa, and Stuart Whomsley. "The Golden Dawn: Symbolism, ritual and self-development." Transpersonal Psychology Review 13, no. 1 (April 2009): 52–67. http://dx.doi.org/10.53841/bpstran.2009.13.1.52.
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This paper will situate the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn (GD), within the context of the Western esoteric tradition. It will explore how the GD uses symbolism and ritual for self-development. To assess the GD as a system of transpersonal development it will be evaluated against transpersonal theory, particularly that of Ken Wilber. It may be useful for the reader to understand the affiliations of the authors: the first author is a member of the GD, the second is a psychologist with an interest in the transpersonal but is not affiliated to any esoteric order.
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Seamon, David. "Understanding the Esoteric through Progressive Awareness." Aries 20, no. 1 (January 22, 2020): 81–107. http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/15700593-02001004.
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Abstract Many researchers of Western esotericism today assume a “methodological agnosticism” whereby they limit themselves to historical and textual verification. They do not adjudicate whether the specific esoteric tradition studied is genuine or spurious, reasonable or unsound, grounded in a spiritual reality or premised in fantastical impossibilities. In this article, I draw on G.I. Gurdjieff’s understanding of the “Law of Three” as extended by British philosopher and Gurdjieff associate J.G. Bennett to argue that a phenomenological approach is a valuable interpretive complement to methodological agnosticism because it offers a reliable conceptual and methodological means for probing esoteric claims as they might be understood via firsthand encounter and experience. Bennett particularized Gurdjieff’s presentation of the Law of Three by describing it in terms of six triads; i.e., systems of three forces that interact to sustain a specific action, process, or happening. In this article, I draw on my ongoing understanding of Gurdjieff’s Law of Three and Bennett’s six triads to suggest that esoteric knowledge is not necessarily “hidden” or “beyond the ordinary” but can unfold in a process of progressive awareness whereby the student engages in an empathetic, deepening understanding of phenomena. Instead of the “outsider” perspective of methodological agnosticism, one draws on an “insider” perspective of committed, first-person involvement.
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Gillon, Fârès. "Ismaili Taʾwīl of Religious Rites: Interpretation of Obligatory Prayer in Jaʿfar b. Manṣūr al-Yaman’s Riḍāʿ fī l-Bāṭin." Shii Studies Review 6, no. 1-2 (July 28, 2022): 224–52. http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/24682470-12340080.
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Abstract In what was labelled “exaggerating” Shiʿism (ghuluww) by various Islamic orthodoxies (Twelver Shiʿism, Sunnism, and Fatimid Ismailism), it was commonly held that the Islamic prescriptions had to be interpreted as referring to specific persons (ashkhāṣ)—which sometimes led to antinomianism. Stemming from this tradition, Jaʿfar b. Manṣūr al-Yaman, a tenth-century Fatimid Ismaili author, proposes in his Riḍāʿ fī l-bāṭin an exegesis of the ritual ablutions and the five daily prayers that identifies them with specific individuals and sacred ranks of the daʿwa. This work illustrates how Ismailism developed its distinctiveness by reinterpreting and reshaping classical Shiʿi themes. Jaʿfar’s esoteric interpretation of prayer suggests that the core of early Ismaili doctrine resides in the acknowledgement of the esoteric hierarchy of the daʿwa, as well as in the expectation of the coming Mahdī, while insisting on the necessity of both the esoteric and exoteric aspects of religion.
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Kim, David W. "Hoedang and Jingakjong: Esoteric Buddhism in Contemporary Korea." Religions 13, no. 10 (September 28, 2022): 908. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/rel13100908.
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This article discusses the emergence, transformation, and transmission of an esoteric Buddhist movement that Hoedang (孫珪祥, Kyu-shang Sohn [or Sohn, Gyu-sang], 1902–1963) began in the 1940s and 1950s. Starting in the middle of the eighth century, the history of Korean Esoteric Buddhism indicates that the tradition continued to exist (albeit marginally) until the Joseon dynasty (1392–1897). However, this case study, which focuses on the new religious sect of Jingak, explorers Jingak’s reformist characteristics and its efforts toward the renewal of Korean Buddhism in contemporary society. The article argues that the founder was intellectually receptive to other teachings, including the performance of esoteric healing, the prosocial characters of Pragmatic Buddhism, the doctrine of Japanese Shingon, and permitting priests to marry. This article additionally attempts to identify the innovative philosophy (including Simin, 心印, original sinless self) of Korean Esoteric Buddhism, in the combined concepts of Jinho gukga bulsa (鎭護國家佛事, Protecting the nation by the teaching of Buddhism), Iwon Weonri (二元原理, Relative Principle), Simin Bulgyo (心印佛敎, Mind-seal Buddhism), and Silhaengnon (實行論, The Teachings of Hoedang—Practical Theory).
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Roberts, Matthew. "E.P. Thompson, Shirley, and the Antinomian Tradition in West Riding Luddism and Popular Protest." Labour History Review: Volume 86, Issue 2 86, no. 2 (July 1, 2021): 187–214. http://dx.doi.org/10.3828/lhr.2021.9.
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The novelist Charlotte Brontë and the historian E.P. Thompson both claimed that the Yorkshire Luddites of the 1810s were Antinomians, descendants of the seventeenth-century radical Christian sects who claimed, as Christ’s elect, that they were not bound by the (moral) law. This article follows a thread that links Thompson’s The Making of the English Working Class (in which he made this claim) with his later study of William Blake, Witness against the Beast, which, far from being just an esoteric study of an esoteric figure, uncovered an antinomian tradition that linked the radicalism and protest of the ‘age of reason’ with the seventeenth century. In doing so, it revisits the relationship between Thompson and religion, still an underexplored aspect and too overshadowed by his polemical attacks on Methodism. Having sketched this antinomian tradition, the article then turns to Brontë’s novel Shirley, which recounts the Luddism of the West Riding, and situates it in the context of Thompson’s antinomian tradition, exploring why Brontë chose to present the Luddites as Antinomians. The final section tests the hypothesis of Brontë and Thompson that Luddites may have been Antinomians through a case study of Luddism in the West Riding and the place of religious enthusiasm in working-class protest and culture in the early nineteenth century.
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Basili, Cristina. "After Sócrates. Leo Strauss and the Esoteric Irony." Anales del Seminario de Historia de la Filosofía 37, no. 3 (September 21, 2020): 473–81. http://dx.doi.org/10.5209/ashf.69785.
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Throughout the philosophical tradition that stems from Plato, Socratic irony has represented an enigma that all interpreters of the Platonic dialogues have had to face from different points of view. In this article I aim to present the peculiar Straussian reading of Socratic irony. According to Leo Strauss, Socratic irony is a key element of Plato’s political philosophy, linked to the «logographic necessity» that rules his texts. I will therefore examine the genesis and the main features of Straussian hermeneutics. I will end the article by highlighting the relevance of the esoteric interpretation of Platonic thought as a conceptual tool that responds to the crisis of modern political philosophy.
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ALDES WURGAFT, BENJAMIN. "CULTURE AND LAW IN WEIMAR JEWISH MEDIEVALISM: LEO STRAUSS'S CRITIQUE OF JULIUS GUTTMANN." Modern Intellectual History 11, no. 1 (March 5, 2014): 119–46. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s1479244313000358.
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The German Jewish historian of political philosophy Leo Strauss is best known for mature works in which he proposed the existence of an esoteric tradition in political philosophy, attacked the liberal tradition of political thought, and defended a classical approach to natural right against its modern counterparts. This essay demonstrates that in his youth, beginning during a scholarly apprenticeship at the Berlin Akademie für die Wissenschaft des Judentums, Strauss championed “medievals” (rather than ancients) against “moderns,” and did so through a sparring match with his postdoctoral supervisor Julius Guttmann, whom he cast in the role of representative “modern.” While for Guttmann the stakes were scholarly, for Strauss they were political. Strauss's Weimar Jewish “medievalism” was a deliberate rejection of the tradition of modern Jewish thought Strauss associated with Guttmann's teacher Hermann Cohen, whom Strauss accused of neglecting the political distinctiveness of Jewish thought. While the conflict between Strauss and Guttmann has been neglected in much of the literature on Strauss, it served as the crucible in which many of his mature views, including his famous exoteric (sometimes called “esoteric”) writing thesis, began to take shape.
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Cusack, Carole M. "Chinese Esoteric Buddhism: Amoghavajra, the Ruling Elite, and the Emergence of a Tradition." Alternative Spirituality and Religion Review 12, no. 2 (2021): 259–60. http://dx.doi.org/10.5840/asrr202112291.
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Lorea, Carola Erika. "“Playing the Football of Love on the Field of the Body”: The Contemporary Repertoire of Baul Songs." Religion and the Arts 17, no. 4 (2013): 416–51. http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/15685292-12341286.
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Abstract This article analyzes the contemporary repertoire of a very popular genre of Bengali folk songs, performed by itinerant singers and practitioners of an esoteric cult known as Bauls. Considering the recent popularization and commercialization of Baul songs and their interference with the urban milieu, the discourse on the authenticity of Baul songs is explored from an inter-disciplinary perspective that embraces orality-literacy studies as well as social studies on cultural tourism, underlining the limits of previous academic works on the subject. This article offers, as an original contribution, the first results of ongoing fieldwork among the disciples of a śākta saint and composer of Baul songs known as Bhaba Pagla. Through discussion of the lyrics of songs performed in contemporary Baul festivals, this article argues that the contamination of Baul songs by urban élites and middle-class audiences, far from deteriorating the oral tradition, may enrich the vocabulary of the compositions and reinforce the underlying belief system. Contrarily to the popular and academic view of today’s Bauls, that labels the entertaining performer as a corrupted ally of show business, the priority of gānsādhanā (singing as a practice for self-realization) may be interpreted as an efficient way to conceal heterodox esoteric rituals vis-à-vis the increasing interest of cultural tourists in Baul culture and performances, protecting the secrecy of the tradition through an innovative and negotiated version of sandhyā-bhāṣā (twilight-language), the literary device that has accompanied Bengali esoteric songs since their origins.
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Lepekhova, E. S. "Ganeša’s Cult and His Veneration in Japanese Buddhism." Journal of the Institute of Oriental Studies RAS, no. 1 (11) (2020): 33–46. http://dx.doi.org/10.31696/2618-7302-2020-1-33-46.
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This research focuses on the cult of the deity Ganeša in Japanese Buddhism. Ganeša is one of the Hindu gods, also known as Vinayaka, Ganapati and Vighnesa. Like many other Hindu deities, he was included in the pantheon of Vajrayana Buddhism. Due to this fact, various hypostases of Ganeša spread in Tibet, China and Japan, where his worship turned into an esoteric cult. In the Far East were known both single and paired images of Ganeša in the form of two hugging creatures with elephant heads. In Japan, such images were called Sosin Kangiten. In local esoteric Buddhism (mikkyō) they were interpreted as the opposites, male and female, phenomenal and absolute in the form of two sacred mandalas: the “Diamond mandala” and the “Womb Mandala”. For this reason, Ganeša is sometimes considered the epitome of the main deity of mikkyō tradition — Mahavairocana Buddha (Jp.: Dainiti Nerai) and was known as a composite element of another esoteric deity, Matarajin, or Santen, a triad of deities Saraswati, Dakini, and Ganeša. The history of Ganeša’s cult in these countries has not been sufficiently studied yet, however it shows the way in which elements of Hindu religion were preserved in the traditions of tantric Buddhism. While this religious and philosophical doctrine spread in the countries of Central Asia and the Far East, they gradually became part of local religious and cultural traditions. The author stresses that in the future they influenced not only the development of philosophical doctrines in local Buddhist schools, but also the formation of popular religious beliefs.
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Shinohara, Koichi. "Dhāraṇīs and visions in early esoteric Buddhist sources in Chinese translation." Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies 77, no. 1 (February 2014): 85–103. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0041977x13000931.
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AbstractWithin the wider esoteric Buddhist tradition, this paper examines visions and soteriological goals in dhāraṇī practice by looking at the early instructions that are preserved in multiple Chinese translations. A number of different but not mutually exclusive ritual scenarios are presented in these materials. Here I will focus on two specific scenarios, namely dhāraṇī practices with and without visionary confirmation.
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Traboulsi, Samer. "Transmission of Knowledge and Book Preservation in the Ṭayyibī Ismāʿīlī Tradition." Intellectual History of the Islamicate World 4, no. 1-2 (2016): 22–35. http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/2212943x-00401004.
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The transmission and preservation of knowledge in Ṭayyibī Ismāʿīlism are constrained by the restrictions imposed by the state of satr (concealment) of the imam. During this period, until the return of the concealed imam, it is the duty of daʿwa officials to preserve the esoteric knowledge known as the bāṭin. As a result, only initiated believers are granted access to religious literature, and then, only to what is appropriate for the degree of knowledge they have reached. The preservation and dissemination of the religious heritage of the Ṭayyibī Ismāʿīlis is therefore intertwined with and determined by access to the literature as granted to students of the faith, depending on the student’s level of religious education.
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Strube, Julian. "The Formation of Occultist Identities Amidst the Theosophy and Socialism of fin-de-siècle France." Tekstualia 4, no. 63 (December 13, 2020): 23–48. http://dx.doi.org/10.5604/01.3001.0014.5814.
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Fin-de-siècle occultism is usually analyzed within the context of the „occult revival” that implies the modernization of the older esoteric tradition. However, this notion is rooted in the defi ning esoteric discourses at the end of the nineteenth century. This article discusses two major aspects of these discourses. First, French esotericists polemically distanced themselves from the „Eastern” esotericism of the Theosophical Society by constructing an ésotérisme occidental. This separation of „East” and „West” occurred as a reaction to the T.S., and should thus be seen as a „nationalist” response to a global phenomenon. The second major aspect of occultist identity formations is socialism. Fin-de-siècle occultists were deeply interested in the socialist theories formulated during the July Monarchy but ambiguously distanced themselves from contemporary „materialist” socialisms.
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Skarga, Barbara. "Kilka uwag na zakończenie dyskusji." Etyka 28 (December 1, 1995): 176–79. http://dx.doi.org/10.14394/etyka.365.
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Barbara Skarga analyses briefly the views of the authors who took part in a discussion on religion and ethics. She notices that so many critics miss the difference between the deep, esoteric Christian tradition and its popular esoteric version. The pope’s arguments and fears are well reasoned and more tolerant as they seem to be at first sight. The modern world is split by crisis of values, wars, nationalisms, intolerance, positivistic consumerism. Catholic moralists see these dangers and rightly oppose to them. They take however too narrow view as for the primordial role of the catholic religion in the process of coping with them. People in the whole world and especially in Poland are in doubt about whether there is only one credible truth and one institution to carry it on.
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Shaw, D. L., and Cathy Login Jrade. "Ruben Dario and the Romantic Search for Unity: The Modernist Recourse to Esoteric Tradition." Modern Language Review 80, no. 2 (April 1985): 482. http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/3728735.
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Brown, Schuyler. "Comptes rendus / Reviews of books: Gnosis: An Esoteric Tradition of Mystical Visions and Unions." Studies in Religion/Sciences Religieuses 29, no. 2 (June 2000): 244–45. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/000842980002900229.
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Gray, David. "Disclosing the Empty Secret: Textuality and Embodiment in the Cakrasamvara Tantra." Numen 52, no. 4 (2005): 417–44. http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/156852705775220017.
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AbstractThis article seeks to shed light on the textuality of Buddhist tantras and the esotericism that characterizes this genre of literature. It first examines the development of Buddhist models of textuality. Esoteric Buddhists developed a sophisticated textual theory that linked their scriptures to the gnosis of the Buddhas, which they claimed their practices could achieve most efficaciously. But the relation between text and practice is a problematical one. Indian Buddhists commentators on Cakrasamvara Tantra sought to resolve this problem through the trope of the "secret," an empty signifier that points both to practice traditions that are to be concealed, and an undisclosable gnosis to which some practices lead, and which others presuppose. The article closes with a survey of the changing interpretations of the "secret" as the tradition itself changed, highlighting the central importance of sexuality in the history of this tradition.
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Mupendana, Pierre Claver. "LEGAL BASIS OF GENOCIDAL PRACTICE IN TRADITIONAL RWANDA (15th - 20th centuries)." Actual Problems of International Relations, no. 149 (2021): 36–51. http://dx.doi.org/10.17721/apmv.2021.149.1.36-51.
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Some people wonder why Rwanda experienced an atrocious genocide in 1994. The main reason is that Rwanda is traditionally a destructive, destructive and violent society prone to the tradition of exterminator. It constitutes a society dominated by physical, psychological and structural violence. The specter of conflicting relationships runs through Rwandan culture and anyone who does not understand its nuances commits errors in value judgments believing that they are operating according to Western logic. The culmination of this violence is the practice of extermination (gutsembatsemba). The latter is tightly tied around a politico-legal architecture carefully designed by the ruling class. Thus the esoteric code, traditional criminal law, traditional military law, war poetry, dynastic poetry and the panegyric system are the basis of the genocidal tradition in pre-colonial Rwanda. This study therefore constitutes an analysis of the legal basis of the practice of genocide in pre-colonial and modern Rwanda.
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Trenson, Steven. "Buddhism and Martial Arts in Premodern Japan: New Observations from a Religious Historical Perspective." Religions 13, no. 5 (May 13, 2022): 440. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/rel13050440.
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This article investigates two issues regarding the Buddhism of premodern Japanese martial arts. The first issue concerns the historical channels through which Buddhist elements were adopted into martial lineages, and the second pertains to the general character of the Buddhism that can be found in the various martial art initiation documents (densho). As for the first issue, while previous scholarship underscored Shugendō (mountain asceticism) as an important factor in the earliest phases of the integration process of Buddhist elements in martial schools, this study focuses on textual evidence that points to what is referred to as “medieval Shinto”—a Shinto tradition that heavily relied on Esoteric Buddhist (Mikkyō) teachings—in scholarship. Regarding the second issue, although numerous studies have already shown the indebtedness of premodern martial schools to Buddhist teachings drawn mainly from the Esoteric Buddhist or Zen traditions, this article sheds more light on the nature of these teachings by drawing attention to the fact that they often emphasize the Buddhist thought of isshin or “One Mind”. The article illustrates how this thought was adopted in premodern martial art texts and in doing so clarifies the reasons why Buddhism was valued in those arts.
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Pramesthi, Rias Iffa. "ISLAM DAN BUDAYA MASYARAKAT (STUDI TRADISI BARITAN DESA WANARATA PEMALANG)." FiTUA: Jurnal Studi Islam 3, no. 2 (November 17, 2022): 95–102. http://dx.doi.org/10.47625/fitua.v3i2.383.
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This article examines the Islamic values contained in the baritan tradition in Wanarata Village. This study uses ethnographic research using qualitative descriptive methods. The data collection method used is the method of observation, interviews, and documentation. The results of the study can be concluded that baritan is a form of salvation tradition which is usually carried out every month of Suro or Muharam to ask for welfare and also as a form of gratitude to God. This baritan tradition itself contains several Islamic values which are directly or indirectly contained in a series of events, such as theological values, togetherness values, cultural values, aqidah values, akhlaqul karimah values, Islamic esoteric symbols, etc.
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Morray-Jones, C. R. A. "Paradise Revisited (2 Cor 12:1–12): The Jewish Mystical Background of Paul's Apostolate: Part 2: Paul's Heavenly Ascent and its Significance." Harvard Theological Review 86, no. 3 (July 1993): 265–92. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0017816000031230.
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Part one of this article examined the Jewish sources that record the story of four individuals who “enteredpardes,” three of whom came to grief while R. Aqiba, alone, survived unscathed. The story is preserved within a talmudic compilation of materials concerningmaʿaśeh merkabah(an esoteric, visionary-mystical tradition associated with Ezekiel I), inSong of Songs Rabbah, and in two “merkabah-mystical” hekhalot compilations:Hekhalot ZuṭartiandMerkabah Rabbah. Several scholars have adopted the suggestion, first offered by Wilhelm Bousset, that this story indicates the background in Jewish mystical tradition of Paul's account of his ascent to paradise (2 Cor 12:1–12).
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Pitkänen, Olli Petteri. "Schelling, esotericism and the meaning of life." Human Affairs 29, no. 4 (October 25, 2019): 497–504. http://dx.doi.org/10.1515/humaff-2019-0045.
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Abstract F.W.J. Schelling argues in his middle period work Philosophical Inquiries into the Nature of Human Freedom that will should be understood as the most fundamental constitutive element of reality. Though it is often downplayed in recent scholarship, Schelling derived his most central ideas for this work more or less directly from the theosophy of Jacob Boehme. I will argue that far from peripheral and antiquated curiosity, Schelling´s esoteric influences constitute the very foundation of his middle period thought. Schelling´s affinity to esotericism enabled him to develop a form of pantheism, which is not tied to the familiar problematic aspects of traditional Christian and post-Christian narratives. In mainstream Christianity, the meaning of life is dependent on the almighty God´s will, for which nature is inherently meaningless material. For Schelling, by contrast, nature itself is constitutively willing and meaningful. Consequently, owing to his esoteric influences, Schelling provides an account of the meaning of life which diverges from the dominant idea of Western philosophical and theological tradition that the meaning of life consists in a ”true world” or ”destination” beyond immanent reality.
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Yoshiko Reed, Annette. "Was there science in ancient Judaism? Historical and cross-cultural reflections on "religion" and "science"." Studies in Religion/Sciences Religieuses 36, no. 3-4 (September 2007): 461–95. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/000842980703600303.
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This article considers the place of scientific inquiry in ancient Judaism with a focus on astronomy and cosmology. It explores how ancient Jews used biblical interpretation to situate "scientific" knowledge in relation to "religious" concerns. In the Second Temple period (538 B.C.E.-70 C.E.) biblical interpretation is often used to integrate insights from Mesopotamian and Greek scientific traditions. In classical rabbinic Judaism (70-600 C.E.) astronomy became marked as an esoteric discipline, and cosmology is understood in terms of Ma'aseh Bereshit, a category that blurs the boundaries between "science" and "religion." Whereas modern thinkers often see Judaism and "science" as incompatible, medieval Jewish thinkers built on these ancient traditions; some even viewed themselves as heirs to a Jewish intellectual tradition that included astronomy, cosmology, medicine and mathematics.
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Stoneman, Ethan. "Everyone Is at Liberty to Be a Fool." Epoché: A Journal for the History of Philosophy 24, no. 1 (2019): 133–54. http://dx.doi.org/10.5840/epoche2019116148.
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Retrieved from unpublished manuscript remains, Arthur Schopenhauer’s Eristic Dialectics (1830–1831) has been largely ignored both by philosophers and rhetoricians. The work is highly enigmatic in that its intended meaning vacillates between playful irony and Machiavellian seriousness. Adopting an esoteric perspective, this article argues that the tract can be read as simultaneously operating on two levels: an exoteric, cynical one, according to which Schopenhauer accepts that people are going to argue irrespective of the truth and as a result provides tools for defeating one’s opponents, and a deeper, esoteric level, which functions not cynically but, in Peter Sloterdijk’s language, kynically, as a satirical unmasking of the cynical impulses animating the study and practice of argumentation, especially as evinced in the rhetorical-humanist tradition. Such an interpretation reveals that, while a minor work, Eristic Dialectics offers a sophisticated philosophical critique of “the art of persuasion.”
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Kirabaev, Nur, and Olga Chistyakova. "Knowing God in Eastern Christianity and Islamic Tradition: A Comparative Study." Religions 11, no. 12 (December 17, 2020): 675. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/rel11120675.
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The currently existing type of dialogue of Western and Eastern cultures makes a philosophical exploration of Christianity and Islam compelling as they are fundamental monotheistic religions capable of ensuring the peaceful interaction of various ethnic cultures in the age of deepening secularization. The present analysis of the philosophical and epistemological teachings of the Greek Byzantine Church Fathers and the thinkers of classical Arab-Islamic culture aims at overcoming stereotypes regarding the opposition of Christianity and Islam that strongly permeate both scholarly theorizing and contemporary social discourses. The authors scrutinize the epistemological principles of the exoteric and esoteric knowledge of the Islamic Golden Age and the apophatic and cataphatic ways of attaining the knowledge of God in Early Christianity. Special attention is paid to the analysis of the concepts of personal mystical comprehension of God in Sufism (fanā’) and in Christianity (Uncreated Light).
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McGuire, Mark Patrick. "Participatory Filmmaking Among Contemporary Shugendō Practitioners: Representing an Esoteric Tradition in an Accessible Documentary Film." Journal of American-East Asian Relations 20, no. 4 (2013): 325–39. http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/18765610-02004001.
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From the late 1970s rising interrelated interests in Japanese mountain asceticism, Esoteric Buddhism and “New Age” spirituality and healing were spurred by oil shocks and concerns about the fragility of human and ecological health during a time of unprecedented economic prosperity. When the bubble economy burst in the 1990s, certain individuals shifted focus to inner rather than outer wealth and to greater quality of life over income. They found a growing body of print, audio-visual and on-line media produced by charismatic Shugendō priests Tanaka Riten and Tateishi Kōshō, who condensed and abbreviated traditional ascetic mountain initiation rituals of Shugendō (literally “The Way of Acquiring Power”). They adapted these practices to suit the needs and work schedules of busy urban lay participants. In 2007 filmmaker Jean-Marc Abela and I traveled to Yoshino and Shingu (south of Kyoto) to create a participatory documentary film, Shugendō Now. By disseminating research about the experiences of Shugendō priests and lay practitioners in an accessible documentary and Ph.D. thesis, we have sought to contribute to a new understanding of how a mountain ascetic tradition is being creatively reinvented in the 21st Century. Bringing a camera and professional filmmaker into the field and seeking direction and feedback from research co-participants enabled unanticipated discoveries and my most productive and collaborative fieldwork experiences to date.
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Sagiv, Gadi. "Ritualization as Religious Renewal in 18th-Century Hasidism." Zutot 16, no. 1 (March 14, 2019): 19–29. http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/18750214-12161007.
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Abstract Rituals have always been a characterizing and significant aspect of Hasidism. Although ritual practices are often considered rigid and conservative, Hasidism showed tremendous flexibility in composing, reviving, and disseminating old rituals in novel religious settings. Highly visible, easily deliverable, not requiring intellectual background, and embedded in Jewish tradition, rituals and ceremonies were the perfect means by which to popularize pietism and esoteric knowledge among large audiences, while maintaining the prestige of their performers.
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Coco, Angela. "The Way of the Livingness and Universal Medicine." Nova Religio 24, no. 1 (July 29, 2020): 55–76. http://dx.doi.org/10.1525/nr.2020.24.1.55.
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Universal Medicine, founded by Serge Benhayon (b. 1964), is an Australian movement offering a distinct style of alternative therapies. It is supported by an esoteric worldview called The Way of the Livingness. Occult beliefs and practices are poorly understood in Western cultures such as Australia, and Benhayon has encountered sustained criticism on a range of issues commonly faced by other new religions. Public reaction betrays fears of secretive and inappropriate activities, which are amplified by the Australian media’s penchant for targeting cult activities. While Universal Medicine pursues practices that would pass without comment in other national contexts, its organization, visibility, and esoteric pursuits make it an easy target for polemics in Australia. This article explores key aspects of The Way of the Livingness and outlines Universal Medicine’s founding and organizational structure. The movement is further contextualized within the Theosophical tradition following Alice A. Bailey (1880–1849), ideas from the New Age, and Australian culture.
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Gunawan, Yehuda Indra, and Abraham Pontius Sitinjak. "Pardes, Empat Tingkat Penafsiran Kitab Ibrani: Menimbang Sod Sebagai Penafsiran Esoterik Yang Mengundang Polemik." HARVESTER: Jurnal Teologi dan Kepemimpinan Kristen 6, no. 2 (December 21, 2021): 139–48. http://dx.doi.org/10.52104/harvester.v6i2.66.
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Pardes (sometimes written as 'PaRDeS') represents an abbreviation for: Peshat, Derash, Remez, and Sod apart from having different levels of search for meaning, but also unique in their way of interpretation. The advent of Pardes' hermeneutics has given direction to the world of Jewish hermeneutics. Pardes was the benchmark for hermeneutics in the Jewish tradition. Pardes becomes the standard in the steps of interpretation, mainly to examine the literary structure of the biblical text by considering the text as a whole based on their source language and combining relevant secondary and tertiary (third) background materials. Yet many theologians consider Sod, the highest level for interpreting the "hidden meaning", as an incomprehensible endeavor. The Sod approach in a unique way, namely esoteric interpretation, is regarded as something that cannot be revealed with certainty. Sod is doubtful about the level of accuracy in interpreting the biblical text. This article wants to review the extent of this hermeneutic interpretation polemic, and whether the esoteric approach of Sod in Pardes is still relevant for biblical hermeneutics today? This article will review it based on library research.AbstrakPardes (kadang ditulis ‘PaRDeS’) mewakili singkatan untuk: Peshat, Derash, Remez, dan Sod selain memiliki tingkatan yang berbeda dalam pencarian makna, tetapi juga memiliki keunikan tersendiri dalam cara menafsir. Hadirnya hermeneutik Pardes telah memberi arahan bagi dunia hermeneutik Yahudi. Pardes-lah yang menjadi tolok ukur hermeneutik dalam tradisi Yahudi. Pardes menjadi standar dalam langkah-langkah menafsir, utamanya untuk memeriksa struktur sastra dalam teks Kitab Suci dengan mempertimbangkan teks secara keseluruhan berdasarkan bahasa sumber mereka dan menggabungkan bahan latar belakang sekunder dan tersier (ketiga) yang relevan. Namun banyak teolog menganggap Sod, tingkatan tertinggi untuk menafsirkan “makna tersembunyi”, sebagai upaya yang tak mungkin dapat terselami. Pendekatan Sod dengan caranya yang khas yaitu penafsiran esoterik dianggap sebagai sesuatu yang tak mungkin dapat diungkap secara pasti. Sod diragukan tingkat keakuratannya dalam menafsir teks Kitab Suci. Artikel ini ingin mengulas sejauh mana polemik penafsiran hermeneutik ini, dan apakah pendekatan esoterik Sod dalam Pardes ini masih relevan bagi hermeneutik biblical di masa kini? Artikel ini akan mengulasnya berdasarkan riset kepustakaan.