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The Yearning for Paradise in Primitive Tradition

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 July 2024

Mircea Eliade
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Extract

In his book on the myths of the African peoples Hermann Baumann sums up the myths of a primeval paradisial era. In those times, he says, men did not know of death: they understood the language of the animals and were at peace with them; they did not work, and found abundant nourishment at hands’ reach. Following upon a certain mythical event—which we will not undertake to discuss—this paradisial stage ended and humanity became what we know it to be today.

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Type
Research Article
Information
Diogenes , Volume 1 , Issue 3 , June 1953, pp. 18 - 30
Copyright
Copyright © 1953 Fédération Internationale des Sociétés de Philosophie / International Federation of Philosophical Societies (FISP)

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References

1 Baumann, Hermann, Schoepfung und Urzeit des Menschen im Mythos Afrikanischer Voelker (Berlin, 1936), pp. 236 et seq. In Africa a certain number of paradisial myths have become myths of creation; actually they explain the origin of death. Cf. Abrahamson, Hans, The Origin of Death, Studies in African Mythology, Upsala, 1951.

2 Cf. Fischer, H. Th., ‘Indonesische Paradiesmythen', Zeitschrift fuer Ethnologie, XIV, 1932, pp. 204-245; Kiichi Numazova, Franz, Die Weltanfaenge in der japanischen Mythologie, Paris-Luzern, 1946.

3 Eliade, Mircea, Le Mythe de l'Eternel Retour (Paris, 1949), p. 21.

4 Shieroszewski, W., ‘Du chamanisme d'après les croyances des Yakoutes', Revue de l'Histoire des Religions, XLVI, 1902.

5 Castagne, J.,' Magie et exorcism chez les Kazak-Korghizes et autres peuples turcs orientaux', Revue des Etudes Islnmiques, 1930, pp. 53-151, p. 93. See also Eliade, Mircea, Le chamanisme et les techniques archaiques de l'extase (Paris, 1951), pp. 180 et seq and passim.

6 Lehtisalo, T., ‘Beobachtungen ueber die Toder', Journal de la Société Finno-Ougrienne, XVIII, 1936-37. Eliade, ‘Techniques de l'extase et langages secrets', Conferenze del'Istituto italiano per il medio ed estremo Oriente, Vol. II, 1951-1952.

7 Eliade, M., Le chamanisme et les techniques archaiques de l'extase, pp. 175 et seq.

8 Eliade, ibid, pp. 116 et seq.

9 Emsheimer, E., ‘Schamanentrommel und Trommelbaum', Ethnos, 1946, pp. 166-181; Eliade, Le chamanisme, pp. 159 et seq.

10 Eliade, Le chamanisme, pp. 235 et seq, 419 et seq; cf. also ibid, pp. 227, 295.

11 Danielou, Jean, S. J., Bible et Liturgie (Paris, 1951), p. 16.

12 Ibid, p. 47.

13 Danielou, Sacramentumfuturi (Paris, 1950), p. 16.

14 Dom Anselme Stolz, Theologie de la mystique (Chevetogne, 1947), p. 104.

15 Danielou, op. cit., p. 6.

16 Cf. Eliade, Traité d'Histoire des religions (Paris, 1949), pp. 321 et seq.