Paul Brunton: A Bridge Between India and the West

The work begins by setting out its central purpose: to retrace the sources of Paul Brunton’s ideas and examine how his life, Indian encounters, and intellectual development shaped his writings. The first part, “Genesis of a Quest,” places Brunton within the wider history of contact between India and the West, including Orientalism, Neo-Hindu reform, Theosophy, modern science, and independent spiritual seekers who attempted to move beyond institutional religion. It then follows Brunton’s early life, his mystical experiences, his involvement with Theosophy and occult circles, his turn toward a more disciplined spiritual path, and his journeys to India. Special emphasis is given to his meetings with Indian figures such as the Shankaracharya of Kanchipuram, Sahabji Maharaj, Krishna Menon, Ramana Maharshi, the Maharaja of Mysore, and Subrahmanya Iyer. The second part, “The Quest for Truth,” studies Brunton’s philosophical system, including his critique of materialism, his doctrine of mentalism, his use of modern science, his understanding of perception, causality, matter, Mind, World-Mind, and World-Idea, and his relationship to Advaita Vedānta. It then examines his concept of the Overself as a bridge between individual consciousness and ultimate reality, before concluding with his vision of the philosophic life, spiritual discipline, grace, ethical transformation, compassion, and the ideal of the sage.