"First published as: Les sagesses de l'homme : bouddhisme, paganisme, spiritualite chretienne. Lille, Presses Universitaires du Septentrion, 2004"--T.p. verso.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Preliminary material -- INTRODUCTION -- THE OBJECT OF WISDOMS -- A FRAGILE AND UNCERTAIN ‘I’ -- A LABILE CONSCIOUSNESS -- THE PURE CONSCIOUSNESS OF PHILOSOPHERS -- IMPERMANENCE AND VACUITY -- UNFINISHED HUMANITY -- TECHNIQUES OF THE BODY AND SPIRITUAL EXERCISES -- CHRISTIAN ANTHROPOLOGY -- DISCIPLINES OF INTERIOR LIFE -- SUFFERING AND CULPABILITY -- WISDOMS AND HUMAN SCIENCES -- METAPHYSICS AND RELIGIONS -- ANTHROPOLOGY AND WISDOMS -- CONCLUSION -- BIBLIOGRAPHY -- INDEX.

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Wisdoms have often been considered either as meek servants to religions, or as timorous and mediocre ways of living. Resting on a new and long awaited comparative study (of buddhism, yoga, christian spirituality and ancient philosophies), this book restores these wisdoms into their fascinating and vigorous personality. Because they reject the marvelous, display resolute ethics and highly efficient mental techniques, they deserve to be considered one of the major conquests of humanity. Thanks to them, and to the lucid look they incited men to cast upon themselves, the latter discovered the means to strenghten their personality and stand up to the ordeals of this life. It may lie within this brave acceptance of their condition the highest proof of humanity one might imagine.