¶3 The only question that arises is this: will the East undergo only a passing and superficial crisis on account of the modern spirit, or will the West drag all humanity down in its fall?1 It would be difficult to give an answer at present based on indubitable observations; the two opposing spirits now exist both in the East, and the spiritual force, inherent in tradition and ignored by its adversaries, can triumph over material force when the latter has played its role, and make it vanish as light dissipates darkness;2 we will even say that it will necessarily triumph sooner or later, but it may be that, before reaching that point, there will be a period of complete obscuration.3 The traditional spirit cannot die, because it is, in its essence, superior to death and change;4 but it can withdraw entirely from the external world, and then it will truly be the ‘end of a world’.5 According to all that we have said, the realisation of this eventuality in a relatively near future would not be improbable;6 and, in the confusion which, starting from the West, is presently gaining the East, we could see the ‘beginning of the end’, the precursory sign of the moment when, according to Hindu tradition, the sacred doctrine must be enclosed entirely in a conch shell, to emerge intact at the dawn of the new world.7
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Summary

Guénon raises the question whether the East will suffer only a passing crisis from the modern spirit, or whether the West will drag all humanity down in its fall. He notes that both opposing spirits now exist in the East, and the spiritual force inherent in tradition can triumph over material force, necessarily sooner or later, though there may be a period of complete obscuration first. The traditional spirit cannot die, as it is superior to death and change, but it can withdraw entirely from the external world, and that would truly be the ‘end of a world’. He suggests that this eventuality in the relatively near future is not improbable, and the confusion spreading from West to East could be the ‘beginning of the end’, the sign that, according to Hindu tradition, the sacred doctrine must be enclosed in a conch shell to emerge intact at the dawn of the new world.

General notes

  1. question cruciale : crise passagère en Orient ou chute de toute l’humanité — Rendered as ‘crucial question: passing crisis in the East or fall of all humanity’. Guénon poses the fundamental alternative: either the East will suffer only a superficial and temporary contamination by modern disorder (after which it will regain its traditional equilibrium), or the West, in collapsing, will drag all humanity with it. The answer is not yet known. ↩︎
  2. force spirituelle peut triompher de la force matérielle — Rendered as ‘spiritual force can triumph over material force’. Guénon affirms the ontological superiority of spirit over matter. Spiritual power (linked to tradition) is qualitatively superior to material force (technical, economic, military). In the end, spirit dissipates matter as light chases away darkness. But this triumph may take time. ↩︎
  3. période d’obscuration complète avant le triomphe final — Rendered as ‘period of complete obscuration before the final triumph’. Guénon envisages the possibility of an intermediate dark age, where modern disorder would prevail completely and tradition would withdraw entirely from the visible world. This ‘obscuration’ would be temporary, but could last a long time. ↩︎
  4. l’esprit traditionnel ne peut mourir — Rendered as ‘the traditional spirit cannot die’. Guénon states a metaphysical principle: Tradition (the sophia perennis) is eternal and immutable in its essence. It cannot ‘die’ in an absolute sense. What can disappear is its external manifestation, its visible accessibility to men. ↩︎
  5. retrait de l’esprit traditionnel = fin d’un monde — Rendered as ‘withdrawal of the traditional spirit = end of a world’. Guénon describes the apocalyptic scenario: Tradition withdraws completely from the manifested plane, becoming inaccessible to men. This is what he calls the ‘end of a world’ — not the end of humanity, but the end of a cosmic and historical cycle. A new world (new age, new humanity) may then emerge. ↩︎
  6. cette éventualité (retrait de la tradition) pourrait arriver bientôt — Rendered as ‘this eventuality (withdrawal of tradition) could happen soon’. Guénon considers that the scenario of a complete withdrawal of tradition is not a distant hypothesis. The signs he has described (generalisation of disorder, Westernisation of the East, closing of spiritual centres) make this eventuality close. ↩︎
  7. « commencement de la fin » et la conque sacrée de la tradition hindoue — Rendered as ‘“beginning of the end” and the sacred conch shell of Hindu tradition’. Guénon refers to a Hindu belief: at the end of the Kali Yuga, the sacred doctrine (Veda) withdraws from the world and is enclosed in a conch shell (śaṅkha) to emerge intact at the beginning of the next cycle (the Satya Yuga or golden age). Guénon uses this image to suggest that authentic tradition never disappears definitively; it hides to reappear later. ↩︎