Frithjof Schuon here offers some very direct observations on the major obstacles in the spiritual life for seekers within any tradition: "There is in the fallen nature of man a double infirmity and, spiritually speaking, a double obstacle; and this is on the one hand passion, which draws man outside himself while at the same time compressing him, and on the other hand pride, which shuts man within himself, while at the same time dispersing him." The article expounds upon these obstacles and how to overcome them.

René Guénon finds in Hinduism, Greek mythology and in Judaism instances of the "World Egg", which symbolizes the cosmos in a state which preceded its unfolding as well as the center of the cosmos in its present state. Its contents are the same as those symbolically contained by the heart, which Guénon demonstrates by relating the World Egg to the primordial Avatar.

The author states that "the primary object of [this essay] is to present the Indian Flood Legend as a special case of the Patriarchal Voyage (pitryâna), and at the same time in coherent and intelligible relation with other fundamental conceptions of Vedic cosmology and eschatology. Some analogies with other traditional aspects of the Flood Legend are incidentally noted." Coomaraswamy explains various doctrines regarding time in Hindu tradition as well as the symbolism of the movement through states of being, creation, avataras, salvation, and reincarnation.

Within both Eastern and Western philosophical traditions, there exist schools of thought which, while not exclusively rationalist, utilize reason and logic in the context of intuitively realized metaphysical truth. Throughout its development, Islamic philosophy was influenced by many of these philosophical schools. Comparative study of these different traditions together with historical study can reveal their influence more completely than would be possible by using the historical approach alone. It can also benefit practicing Muslims by introducting them to philosophical perspectives outside of modern, humanistic modes of thought which seem to dominate current discussion. Furthermore, comparative philosophy will enrich Western understanding of Islamic doctrine.

Gai Eaton contrasts the increasingly prevalent view that man is in no way essentially different from other animals and therefore has no special rights with a doctrine characteristic of several spiritual traditions: that man is unique and granted certain privileges as well as obligated to uphold certain responsibilites. He explains how man has failed to meet these responsibilites by abusing animals and other natural resources, as well as behaving harmfully towards other men. Eaton uses the destruction of American Indian civilization as the primary illustration of the latter tendency.