The Inner Reality

by Paul Brunton (Creator)

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. To ensure a quality reading experience, this work has been proofread and republished using a format that seamlessly blends the original graphical elements with text in an easy-to-read typeface. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

Genres: Spirituality, Religion, Philosophy, Nonfiction, Christianity

256 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 1939

About the author

Paul Brunton was a British philosopher, researcher, mystic, and adventurer. He left a journalistic career to live among yogis, mystics, and holy men, and studied a wide variety of Eastern and Western esoteric teachings. With his entire life dedicated to the spiritual quest, Brunton felt charged with the task of communicating his knowledge and experiences in layperson's terms. He was one of the first persons to write accounts of what he learned about spirituality in the East, and his works have had a major influence on the spread of Eastern philosophy and mysticism to the West. Paul Brunton continued to write after his final publication in 1952, and a significant portion of his large archive of original writings was posthumously published by Larson Publications as "The Notebooks of Paul Brunton" (in 16 volumes). The entire archive will soon be housed at a university (2017) and available to read online (2019).

Reviews

[Navid · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think every researcher and seeker of God should read this,But I really suggest you to read it beside some Islamic MYSTIC Books then you will feel a great change inside yourself.

[Bharath · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are not too many who can write authentically in an informed manner on comparative religious philosophies. I regard S Radhakrishnan as the most scholarly, he wrote extensively on Hindu philosophy and thought, respectively referring to other religions and cultures. Joseph Campbell, in his study of mythology, was very good as well. I discovered Paul Brunton after a friend recommended his book ‘A Search in Secret India’.

Syncretism, as practiced by Mahatma Gandhi is very rarely seen today. He had no hesitation in looking anywhere he thought he could draw wisdom from. Today while you can often hear phrases like “All religions are the same” – these are shallow statements coming from people in public life who know very little about any religion. Humanity is losing its interconnectedness and depth, not a new problem (Paul Brunton refers to it in this book as well), but there is a further decline since his times.

This book starts with an exceptional introduction, emphasizing the need for self-experience, alignment with scientific temper and knowledge, deeper understanding of metaphors and teachings in ancient texts, recognizing the parallels in religions and advocating for practices changing with the times. The initial sections elaborate on Christ’s teachings (especially from the ‘Sermon on the mount’), the middle sections discuss the Bhagawad Gita and the later sections draw on the Gospel according to St John, and close with summarizing Jesus’ life and teachings. He provides many examples explaining the metaphorical richness of the ancient text – for instance, what Jesus meant by ‘The Kingdom of Heaven’. There is a clear direction for self-discovery, which is many times lost in mainstream teachings. Intermittently, Paul takes potshots at organized religion with its rigid emphasis on mechanical & repetitive practices. We need to see above the literal, allowing for changes required for modern life, and the fact that there been edits (including some fanciful and inaccurate) to texts over the years. In the Bhagawad Gita he says, you find a remarkable exposition of how you can balance your inner & outer worlds. The Gita advocates action when called for (Campbell calls this the call to adventure in the Hero's Journey), terming it a far superior & right choice than avoidance/inaction. Lord Krishna is the guide, who does not participate in the battle himself, but is available for imparting advice and wisdom – there is a message there as well. Most of the coverage is on Jesus’ teachings and the discussions are excellent. The introduction at the start and end summary are exceptional.

This is a beautifully written book – honest and from the heart, recognizing that for the open-minded & curious - there are many sources of wisdom. There are also unexpectedly some good introductory meditation instructions. However, he tries too hard to make it as easy as possible to practise. I believe a few things in life should not be very easy. Yoga finds strong mention through the book, though I would have liked to see a more holistic description.

Overall, a book I loved. Though I was largely familiar with the teachings referred, I felt a sense of calm & had things to ponder over when I finished. I intend to of course, read more of his work.

[Socrate · Rating 3 out of 5]

De-a lungul veacurilor, milioane de cuvinte au fost rostite şi scrise despre Dumnezeu şi, cu toate acestea, nu pare că ne-am apropiat de înţelegerea acestei probleme. Aproape fiecare popor şi
fiecare rasă au avut Dumnezeul lor, adică ideea lor despre Dumnezeu. Aceste multe varietăţi ale divinităţii sunt atât de surprinzătoare prin diferenţele dintre ele, încât un sceptic ar putea
foarte bine să spună: „Toţi zeii voştri sunt halucinaţii, creaţii ale imaginaţiei”. În secolul al XIX-lea, când savanţii au făcut studii asupra religiilor comparate, au descoperit sute de zei care au fost
adoraţi atât de popoarele primitive, cât şi de cele civilizate. Ca urmare, au ajuns la concluzia ironică potrivit căreia omul Îl creează pe Dumnezeu după propria înfăţişare.

[Chris Shaw · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stunning love this book and lapping up others by Paul Brunton

[Lyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

If there is one book you should read when it comes to spirituality this would be my pick.
I kept wondering throughout how was such a man hidden for long...
i intend to read all of his works now.

[Ümit Sevgi · Rating 2 out of 5]

"Bütün bunların anlamı ne?" diyerek başlıyor ama devamında o kadar derinlikli gitmiyor. Yuhanna İncili, İsa Peygamber, Bhagavad Gita, Tanrı, din anlayışı, inziva mı değil mi vs. çevresinde döndürüyor.
En beğendiğim parçalardan biri de yazara ait değil ama kitaba ait:
"İnsanlar dağların doruklarını, denizin dalgalarını, geniş nehirleri ve koca okyanusu seyretmek için yolculuk yaparlar ama en yüce mucize olan kendilerini görmeksizin geçer giderler." (s.128)
Aziz Augustin, İtiraflar.

[Eduardo Armenta · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great one for the soul. The closing chapter and up to the middle part are relevant till this day - some statements are made that aren't necessary feasible, still they are good to open up discussion