Humanity's spiritual adventure
Encyclopedia
with Ysé Tardan-Masquelier
Bayard Culture, Oct 2002
New edition, Bayard Centurion, October 2005 (11 cm x 18 cm format)
Presentation
Who are these masters of life, these sages, these mystics who have shaped humanity's spiritual adventure? What are the great texts they wrote or inspired, what were the sources of their inspiration? From Buddha to Teresa of Ávila, from Seneca to Gandhi, from Ibn Arabi to Simone Weil, from Egyptian sages to contemporary Tibetan lamas, from the masters of Hasidism to the gurus of modern India… this book first evokes the transformative experience of the greatest spiritual figures in human history. What follows is an anthology of texts from around the world, mostly in original translations, whose themes punctuate this singular and universal adventure: the scandal of suffering and the aspiration for happiness, the spiritual path, prayer and meditation, love and compassion, freedom and death and the afterlife… A magnificent panorama of humanity's spiritual quests.
What the press says about it
“A well-documented and educational anthology on all that humanity has created in terms of wisdom. This panorama encompasses five thousand years of history and all corners of our planet – from Egyptian sages to Gandhi and Simone Weil, by way of Homer, Moses, Muhammad, Buddha, Jesus, and Saint Paul… A judicious and balanced use of eclecticism.” — Le Monde
“At least 2,000 pages of bible paper were needed to attempt a comprehensive compilation of all the wisdom produced by humankind since the invention of writing. The co-editors of this hefty volume have met the challenge… It is a monument of erudition to which some fifty specialists contributed. It prioritizes the readability of biographical accounts and the accessibility of texts before concluding with a series of historical overviews.” – Sciences humaines
"An immense work of historical research undertaken by the authors in collaboration with other specialists. This is a masterful work that resonates with the very real aspirations of those seeking meaning in their lives." - Le Progrès