Aldous Huxley s Understanding of the Perennial Philosophy and Mahayana Buddhism

Author : Shohei Edamura

Abstract : In The Perennial Philosophy (1946), Aldous Huxley maintained that all major authentic religious traditions, such as Christianity, Islam, Taoism, Hinduism, and Buddhism, belong to what he calls the “perennial philosophy.” According to Huxley, these diverse religions, including Mahayana Buddhism, share a common commitment to the existence of an Absolute, and he regarded the metaphysics of the Absolute as the core of Mahayana philosophy. In this paper, I examine how Huxley interpreted the central components of the perennial philosophy and Mahayana Buddhism. Finally, I provide several critical assessments of his understanding of Mahayana thought.

Keywords : Aldous Huxley, Mahayana Buddhism, Perennial Philosophy, Pluralism of Religion.

Conference Name : International Conference on Multidisciplinary Social Studies, Anthropology, Archaeology, History and Philosophy (ICMSSAAHP-25)

Conference Place : Kolkata, India

Conference Date : 21st Dec 2025