The publication of A Search in Secret India in 1934 transformed the literary landscape of western esotericism, introducing a global audience to Neo-Hindu spiritualism. Authored by a man who eventually adopted the name Paul Brunton, the work emerged from extensive travels and deep personal engagement with Eastern religious practices, bridging a significant gap between Oriental traditions and western philosophical inquiry.
Early Life and Intellectual Formation
Born Hyman Abraham Isaacs in London in 1898, he grew up in the city's Cockney district. Following his mother's death when he was thirteen, his father remarried, introducing Christian Science into the household. Educated at the Central Foundation Boys' School and St George's College for Civil Service and Secretarial Training, he later served in a tank division during the First World War. His early professional life involved bookselling and journalism, during which he co-managed The Atlantis Bookshop in Bloomsbury. This role placed him at the center of London's occult and literary intellectual circles during the 1920s.
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In 1930, he embarked on a pivotal voyage to India, seeking contact with various spiritual figures, including Meher Baba and Vishuddhananda Paramahansa. Through the insistence of the Paramacharya of Kancheepuram, he visited the ashram of Bhagavan Ramana Maharshi in 1931. During this encounter, he sought guidance on God-realization, leading to a profound shift in his spiritual outlook. This trip served as the primary source material for his bestselling books, which became instrumental in familiarizing the western public with Maharshi’s teachings on the inquiry into the nature of the self.
Development of Oriental Mentalism
Throughout his career, he developed a specific doctrine known as Oriental Mentalism to differentiate his views from western subjective idealism. This framework appears extensively in his major works, such as The Hidden Teaching Beyond Yoga and The Wisdom of the Overself. Following his final book publication in 1952, he retired from public life but continued his intellectual labor, producing roughly 20,000 pages of philosophical notes that were posthumously published in sixteen volumes between 1984 and 1988.
Later Years and Legacy
In his later decades, he spent time in various international locations, including New Zealand and Uruguay, while maintaining a connection with the family of Jeffrey Masson. He died in Vevey, Switzerland, in 1981. Today, his legacy is preserved by the Paul Brunton Philosophic Foundation, which archives his extensive writings at the Cornell University Library. His work remains a subject of study through institutions like the Wisdom's Goldenrod Center for Philosophic Studies.
Fast facts
- Born: 1898, London
- Died: 1981, Vevey, Switzerland
- Birth name: Hyman Abraham Isaacs
- First marriage: Karen Augusta Tuttrup, 1921
- Son: Kenneth Thurston Hurst
- Pseudonyms: Raphael Meriden, Raphael Delmonte
- Notable association: Ramana Maharshi
- Writing period: 1934–1981
Questions readers ask
What is the core doctrine developed by Paul Brunton?
He proposed a doctrine called Oriental Mentalism, which he distinguished from the subjective idealism found in western philosophical traditions.
How did he contribute to the study of Ramana Maharshi?
He is credited with introducing Ramana Maharshi to the western world through his 1934 bestseller A Search in Secret India and subsequent writings.
Achievements
- Fields: philosophy, Eastern religions and Hinduism
