Initiation into the Philosophy of Plato
Language: English
Published by Shepheard-Walwyn (Publishers) Ltd, 1999
- Softcover
- Used
Seller: WeBuyBooks, Rossendale, LANCS, United KingdomWeBuyBooks
AbeBooks seller since November 14, 2005
Condition: Used - Good
£ 29.23
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Most items will be dispatched the same or the next working day. A copy that has been read but remains in clean condition. All of the pages are intact and the cover is intact and the spine may show signs of wear. The book may have minor markings which are not specifically mentioned.
Seller Inventory # rev5832109488
- Title
- Initiation into the Philosophy of Plato
- Author
- Raphael
- Publisher
- Shepheard-Walwyn (Publishers) Ltd
- Publication year
- 1999
- Condition
- Good
- Binding
- paperback
- Language
- English
- ISBN 10
- 0856831794
- ISBN 13
- 9780856831799
- Item weight
- 204.1 grams
"Synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.
Review
However by this (Thank goodness!) the attraction to Raphael was not diminished at all. So finally (via seminars with Raphael himself and other - more accessible - Raphael-books like 'Beyond the Illusion of the Ego') I found my way back to this Plato-book. As here the philosophy of Plato is also presented in comparison with/ in relation to Shankara's, it was helpful to know the doctrine of Shankara (as for example presented in the marvellous Shankara-book 'Vivekacudamani'; with comments by Raphael).
Concerning the content of the book: "However much may have read or even studied, very few indeed have actually MEDITATED deeply on Platonic Teaching without scholary preconceptions, grasping its essence and its profound ascetic and realizational content. ... Plato's is a philosophy of catharsis, ascent, realization, transformation of the way of feeling, of willing, of acting. Plato uses philosophy as a method for raising us above the conflict-ridden and contradictory world of the sensible to the harmonious world of Being, which is our original home." (p.12)
To my surprise, here I discovered 'pure Advaita' in original quotes by Plato:
"But the way out is denied to us above all because knowledge of Him cannot be obtained either by means of science or of thought, ... but only by means of a presence that is worth far more than science. ... Frankly, the teaching does not extend ... pointing out the way and the journey; but the vision is indeed wholly a personal doing of he who resolved to contemplate." (p. 36 f.) "Philosophers are those who are capable of attaining what is always unchangingly the same ... who always love a teaching capable of clarifying for them some aspect of that being which always is and cannot be touched by any kind of alteration caused by generation and corruption." (p. 67)
About the first part of the book (up to p. 77): the profound knowledge of the (Self realized) philosopher Raphael will probably be appreciated most by philosophers and those who are interested in Plato. The book proofs in a convincing and fascinating way the unity of Eastern and Western traditions, is however difficult to read and comprehend without a philosophical background.
For me the second part of the book (from p. 78 on) was much more easy to access: "Now we shall speak of ... 'return' ..., because Plato's is no vain show of mental or conceptual virtuosity, but a philosophy of AWAKENING to what we really are;" (p. 78)
Amongst others Raphael quotes and comments Plato's famous 'myth of the cave'. This (see p. 87 ff.) has accompanied me for days; while the image (directly; just by itself) had a strong impact on me. "in it, he [Plato] chose to summarize all his doctrine, from a metaphysical, epistemological and ethical point of view, as well as that of mystical ascent. This picture ... can stimulate our consciousness into absolute Reality." (p. 87)
The most I was touched by p. 104-115 concerning the 'Pathway of Love'. --Customer Review By DK
"About the title" may belong to another edition of this title.
WeBuyBooks
Rossendale, LANCS, United Kingdom
AbeBooks seller since November 14, 2005
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