The Conquest of Illusion
This book is remarkable for its very clear exposition of the nature of illusion
and the need to pierce its veil and find the reality that exists at every
moment of time. “We always seek in the wrong direction,” says Dr. van der
Leeuw, “we always want more time; we demand even endless time in our quest
of immortality. Yet the infinitely greater Reality is ever ours to enter if
we but will.”
Dr. J. J. van der Leeuw, the author of this book, received his Doctorate
of Letters at Leyden University in the Netherlands. After serving as head
of the Theosophical society in the Netherlands and actively working for the
Society in various parts of the world, he came in the thirties to the United
States of America, where he was a university lecturer and a field organizer
for the New Education Fellowship.
“The author has something to say, which he perceives to be true and useful, or helpfully beautiful. So far as he knows, no one has yet said it; so far as he knows, no one else can say it. He is bound to say it, clearly and melodiously if he may; clearly, at all events. In the sum of his life he finds this to be the thing, or group of things, manifest to him-this, the piece of true knowledge, or sight, which his share of sunshine and earth has permitted him to seize. He would fain set it down for ever; engrave it on the rock, if he could; saying, “This the best of me; for the rest, I ate, and drank, and slept, loved, and hated, like mother; my life was as the vapour, and is not; but this I saw and know; this, if anything of mine, is worth your memory.”
RUSKIN, Sesame and Lilies.
The Conquest of Illusion
By J.J. van der Leeuw LL.D.
Author of 'The Fire of Creation', 'Gods in Exile,' 'The Dramatic History
of the Christian Faith,' &c.
Alfred A. Knopf: London and New York
1928
[Republished by Kessinger Publications in 2003]
TABLE OF MATTER
CHAPTER ONE THE QUEST OF LIFE
The Philosophy of Experience--The Birth of Wonder--The Mystery of Life--The
Vision on the Mount………………..1
CHAPTER TWO FROM THE UNREAL
TO THE REAL
Our Dual Universe-The Way of Sense-Perception-Our Body too Part of our World-Image-Our
World and
The world-Illusion and Reality-The Experience of the World of the
Real ………………… 15
CHAPTER THREE INTUITION
AND INTELLECT
The Twofold Mind-Intuitive Knowledge and Logical Proof-Science and Philosophy---Occultism
& Mysticism…..44
CHAPTER FOUR THE ABSOLUTE AND THE RELATIVE
The Realization of the Absolute-Can the Absolute be Known?-Absolute and
Relative in Religion-The Absolute and the Relative in Man-Wrong Problems
in Philosophy-Esoteric and Exoteric…………………………………….68
CHAPTER FIVE THE MYSTERY OF CREATION
The Problem of Origins-The Scientific Answer-The Insufficiency of the Scientific
Answer-Wrong Problems
and Wrong Answers-Time and the Eternal-The Rhythm of Creation-The
Absolute as Creation………………..92
CHAPTER SIX SPIRIT AND MATTER
The Problem of Duality-Monistic Solutions-Matter and Spirit as ‘Aspects’-The
Problem Itself Erroneous
-The Experience in the World of the Real-Matter and Spirit as Relations
……………………………….116
CHAPTER SEVEN THE PHANTOM OF EVIL
The Opposites, Good and Evil-Good, Evil and Reality-Good and Evil in the
World of the Relative-Our Social Code of Ethics …………………………………………………137
CHAPTER EIGHT THE FREEDOM OF THE WILL
Freedom and Necessity-Analysis of the Freedom of Choice-Freewill and License-The
Problem in the World of the Real-Misinterpretation by the Intellect-The Reality
of Freedom---Partial Views ……….155
CHAPTER NINE THE JUSTICE OF LIFE
The Problem of Injustice-Substitutes for Justice-The Doctrine of Karma and
the Justice of Life-The Erroneous Nature of the Problem-Justice in the
World of the Real ………………………..179
CHAPTER TEN THE IMMORTALITY OF THE SOUL
The Quest of Immortality-The Denial of Immortality by Materialism-The relation
between Body and Soul
-Survival not Immortality-The Illusion of Immortality-Eternal Reality …
……………………….199
CHAPTER ELEVEN IN THE LIGHT OF THE ETERNAL
The Meaning of Life-Practical Philosophy-World-Affirmation and World-Denial-The
Practice of Reality
-In the Light of the Eternal ………………………………………………………………..218
J. KRISHNAMURTI
AND TO THE MEMORY OF HIS BROTHER
NITYANANDA
IN TOKEN OF AN UNVARYING FRIENDSHIP
AND IN REMEMBRANCE OF
OJAI DAYS