Tradition (perennialism)

In perennial philosophy, tradition means divinely ordained truths or principles that have been communicated to humanity as well as an entire cosmic sector through various figures such as messengers, prophets, avataras, the Logos, or other transmitting agencies. The purpose of these sacred truths or principles is to continuously remind human beings of the existence of a "Divine Center" and an "Ultimate Origin." According to this perspective, tradition does not refer to custom, habit, or inherited ways of thinking and living. Contrarily, it has a divine foundation and involves the transmission of the sacred message down through the ages. Used in this sense, tradition is synonymous with revelation, and it encompasses all forms of philosophy, art, and culture that are influenced by it. Traditionalists assert that there is also a Primordial Tradition, which serves as the archetype of all traditions. Tradition has exoteric and esoteric dimensions. The exoteric aspects of a tradition are primarily represented by its ceremonies, rituals, and rules, whereas the esoteric aspects are concerned with its spiritual and intellectual qualities. Traditionalists often compare the term "tradition" to the term "modern" or "modernity". While "traditional" refers to something that has a "Transcendent Origin," "modern" is equivalent with "secular", and signifies that which is disconnected from the Transcendent. Although the term was first used in relation to perennial philosophy by René Guénon, and was further developed by his followers, including Ananda Coomaraswamy and Frithjof Schuon, it was most notably conceptualized by the Iranian philosopher Seyyed Hossein Nasr, who cited Guénon as an influence on his concept of tradition. The word "tradition" is derived from the Latin term traditio, which means "to hand over." Etymologically, the term tradition refers to the transmission of knowledge, practice, skills, laws, forms, and a variety of other oral and written aspects. For Nasr, tradition is analogous to a "living presence" that leaves its imprint but is irreducible to that imprint.