Introduction to the Study of the Hindu Doctrines

than the influence of these latter ones Likely referring to ancient civilizations mentioned on the preceding page which may still have been exercised indirectly. It is also necessary to point out the importance, specifically from a religious point of view, of the Jewish influence, which we will also find, moreover, in a certain part of the East; here is an element extra-European in its origin, but which is nonetheless, in part, a constituent of the current Western mentality.

If we now consider the East, it is not possible to speak of an Oriental race, or an Asian race, even with all the restrictions we applied to the consideration of a "European race." We are dealing here with a much more extensive whole, comprising much more numerous populations and with much greater ethnic differences; one can distinguish within this whole several races, more or less pure, but offering very distinct characteristics, each of which has its own civilization, very different from the others: there is no single Oriental civilization as there is a Western civilization; there are in reality Oriental civilizations. There will therefore be reason to say specific things for each of these civilizations, and we will indicate hereafter the major general divisions that can be established in this regard; but, despite everything, one will find there—if one focuses less on the form than on the substance—enough common elements or rather common principles that it is possible to speak of an Oriental mentality, as opposed to the Western mentality.

When we say that each of the races of the East has its own civilization, this is not absolutely exact; it is only strictly true for the Chinese race alone, whose civilization has its essential basis precisely in ethnic unity. For other Asian civilizations, the principles of unity upon which they rest are of a completely different nature, as we shall have to explain later, and this is what allows them to embrace within this unity elements belonging to extremely diverse races. We say Asian civilizations, for those we have in view are all so by their origin, even when they have spread over other lands, as the Islamic civilization original: "civilisation musulmane" especially has done. Moreover, it goes without saying that, apart from the Islamic elements, we do not regard as Oriental those peoples who inhabit Eastern Europe, nor even certain Asian regions neighboring Europe: one must not confuse an Oriental with a Levantine, who is rather the complete opposite, and who, in mentality at least, has the characteristics