Tao Of Spiritual Guides & Teachers

Jiddhu Krishnamurti

“As the flower contains the scent,
So I hold Thee,
O world
In my heart.
Keep me within the heart,
For I am liberation
And happiness.
As the precious stone,
Lies deep in the earth,
So I am hidden
Deep in thy heart…”

I was turned on to Krishnamurti sometime in the 70s. I used to celebrate my birthday by taking a copy of Krishnamurti's 'Commentaries', tapes of Vivaldi, my tent and head out for parts unknown (usually hot springs). I learned so much during that time and ultimately when I made a pilgrimage to Mt.Washington to visit Yoganandaji's home, I also visited Krishnamurtis home in Ojai, California. I still have an olive leaf I plucked in front of his bungalow. If you want to delve deep-ever deeper- into your Soul, Heart and Mind. Read and study Krishnamurti.

Namaste-LionHeart-

Jiddhu Krishnamurti-A Biography-

Jiddu Krishnamurti was born on 11 May 1895 to a pious family in Madanapalle, a small town in AndhraPradesh. He was adopted in his youth by Dr Annie Besant, the president of the Theosophical Society, which had its international headquarters at Madras.

 Dr Besant and others proclaimed that Krishnamurti was to be the World Teacher whose coming the Theosophists had predicted. A World Teacher,
 according to various scriptures, takes a human form from time to time to bring salvation to mankind. To prepare the world for the coming of the World Teacher, a world-wide organization called the Order of the Star in the East was formed within the fold of the Theosophical Society, and the young Krishnamurti was made its head.

In 1922, Krishnamurti underwent certain mystical experiences that altered his vision of life completely. A few years later, he renounced the role that he was expected to play, dissolved the Order with its huge following, and gave up allthe money and property collected for this work.
 From then, for nearly sixty years until his death on 17 February 1986, he travelled all over the world talking to people about the need for a radical
 change in man.

 Krishnamurti is regarded throughout the world as one of the greatest thinkers and religious teachers of all times. He did not expound any philosophy or
 religion, but rather talked of the things that concern all of us in our everyday life--the problems of living in modern society with its violence and corruption; of the individual's search for security and happiness; and the need for man to free himself from his inner burdens like fear, anger, hurt, sorrow, and so on. He unravelled with great precision the subtle workings of the human mind and pointed to the need for bringing to our daily life a deeply meditative and  religious quality.

Krishnamurti spoke not as a guru but as a friend, and his talks and discussions were based not on book knowledge but on his own insight into the human mind and his vision of the sacred. The result was that he always communicated a sense of freshness and directness although his message remained basically unchanged over the years. When he addressed large audiences, each one felt that Krishnamurti was talking to him personally, addressing his particular problem. In his private interviews, he was acompassionate teacher holding the hand of the man or the woman who came to him in sorrow and helping them heal themselves through their own understanding.

The religious scholar and the sannyasi found his words throwing new light on traditional concepts. Krishnamurti took on the challenge
 of the modern scientists and psychologists and went with them step by step, discussed their theories and also showed them the limitations of their
 theories. With the children of the schools he founded, he was both serious and playful and awakened their sensitive minds to the wider issues of life.

 Krishnamurti has left behind a large corpus of philosophical literature in the form of public talks, answers to questions, writings, discussions with teachers and students and with scientists and religious figures, conversations with individuals, television and radio interviews, letters and so on. Many of these have been brought out as books, and many more remain recorded on audio and video tapes. The best way to understand his teachings is to go to his
 works directly instead of relying on commentators and interpreters. He insisted that his teaching should be thoroughly 'gone into, discussed, criticized and torn to bits' by those who wished to really understand what he was saying. This is thoroughly in keeping with themodern critical spirit of objectivity in all fields of enquiry.

 In self-knowledge too lies the clue to the clarification of all the ‘world  problems’ that so disturb us. Incoherences in society at large are but the
 echoes of the incoherences within individuals. ‘War is a projection of our inner conflicts’. So, ‘to go far you have to start from where you are’, and 'the
 first step is the last step'.In these and in a hundred other ways Krishnamurti illuminates the obsure corners of our being. But to come to true self- knowledge, we cannot rely, hetells us, on him or on anyone else. We have to be lamps unto ourselves.
 Reading about these ‘truths’ in a book has very little value. We have to read the book of our life ourselves; no one else can do it for us. Self-knowledge is
 radically different from academic knowledge enshrined in books and libraries. Krishnamurti’s philosophy is not just a ‘thinking’ but a ‘doing’.

Krishnamurti's Teachings

Krishnamurti's work is permeated by what may be called the essence of this scientific approach, when this is considered in its very highest and purest form. Thus, he begins from a fact, this fact about the nature of our thought processes. This fact is established through close attention, involving careful listening to the process of consciousness, and observing it assiduously. In this, one is constantly learning, and out of this learning comes insight, into the overall or general nature of the process of thought. This insight is then tested. First, one sees whether it holds together in a rational order. And then one sees whether it leads to order and coherence, on what flows out of it in life as a whole.
Krishnamurti constantly emphasizes that he is in no sense an authority. He has made certain discoveries, and he is simply doing his best to make these discoveries accessible to all those who are able to listen. His work does not contain a body of doctrine, nor does he offer techniques or methods, for obtaining a silent mind. He is not aiming to set up any new system of religious belief. Rather, it is up to each human being to see if he can discover for himself that to which Krishnamurti is calling attention, and to go on from there to make new discoveries on his own.

"Friend, do not concern yourself with who I am; you will never know. I do not want you to accept anything I say. I do not want anything from any of you; I do not desire popularity; I do not want your flattery, your following. Because I am in love with life, I do not want anything. These questions are not of very great importance; what is of importance is the fact that you obey and allow your judgement to be perverted by authority. Your judgement, your mind, your affection, your life are being perverted by things which have no value, and herein lies sorrow."

The Core of Krishnamurti's Teachings

The following statement, which contains the essence of the teachings, was written by Krishnamurti himself on October 21, 1980.
"The core of Krishnamurti's teaching is contained in the statement he made in 1929 when he said: 'Truth is a pathless land'. Man cannot come to it through any organization, through any creed, through any dogma, priest or ritual, not through any philosophic knowledge or psychological technique. He has to find it through the mirror of relationship, through the understanding of the contents of his own mind, through observation and not through intellectual analysis or introspective dissection. Man has built in himself images as a fence of security—religious, political, personal. These manifest as symbols, ideas, beliefs. The burden of these images dominates man's thinking, his relationships and his daily life. These images are the causes of our problems for they divide man from man. His perception of life is shaped by the concepts already established in his mind. The content of his consciousness is his entire existence. This content is common to all humanity. The individuality is the name, the form and superficial culture he acquires from tradition and environment. The uniqueness of man does not lie in the superficial but in complete freedom from the content of his consciousness, which is common to all mankind. So he is not an individual."

"Freedom is not a reaction; freedom is not a choice. It is man's pretence that because he has choice he is free. Freedom is pure observation without direction, without fear of punishment and reward. Freedom is without motive; freedom is not at the end of the evolution of man but lies in the first step of his existence. In observation one begins to discover the lack of freedom. Freedom is found in the choiceless awareness of our daily existence and activity. Thought is time. Thought is born of experience and knowledge which are inseparable from time and the past. Time is the psychological enemy of man. Our action is based on knowledge and therefore time, so man is always a slave to the past. Thought is ever-limited and so we live in constant conflict and struggle. There is no psychological evolution."

"When man becomes aware of the movement of his own thoughts he will see the division between the thinker and thought, the observer and the observed, the experience and the experiencer. He will discover that this division is an illusion. Then only is there pure observation which is insight without any shadow of the past or of time. This timeless insight brings about a deep radical mutation in the mind." "Total negation is the essence of the positive. When there is negation of all those things that thought has brought about psychologically, only then is there love, which is compassion and intelligence."

Copyright ©1980 Krishnamurti Foundation Trust Ltd.

Quotations

There is no end to relationship. There may be the end of a particular relationship, but relationship can never end to be is to be related.
-Krishnamurti-

The function of education is to help you from childhood not to imitate anybody, but be yourself all the time.
--Jiddu Krishnamurti--

You must understand the whole of life, not just one little part of it. That is why you must read, that is why you must look at the skies, that is why you must sing, and dance, and write poems, and suffer, and understand, for all that is life.
--Krishnamurti--

Meditation is to find out if there is a field which is not already contaminated by the known
--Krishnamurti--

You may learn to pass all your exams, but to give primary importance to these superficial things when the whole structure of society is crumbling, is like cleaning and polishing your fingernails while the house is burning down.
--Jiddu Krishnamurti--

The moment you have in your heart this extraordinary thing called love and feel the depth, the delight, the ecstasy of it, you will discover that for you the world is transformed.
--J. Krishnamurti--

What is needed, rather than running away or controlling or suppressing or any other resistance, is understanding fear; that means, watch it, learn about it, come directly into contact with it. We are to learn about fear, not how to escape from it.
--Jiddu Krishnamurti--

If we can really understand the problem, the answer will come out of it, because the answer is not separate from the problem.
--J. Krishnamurti--

It is no measure of health to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society
--Krishnamurti--

Books

Krishnamurti's Notebook
by Jiddu Krishnamurti

"Krishnamurti's Notebook is a spiritual treasure. The words inside offer the intimate spirit of a truly remarkable presence, poetic, gracious, vast as the sky and wonderfully wise."
-Jack Kornfield, author-
"As a young man, Krishnamurti performed a truly heroic spiritual act, renouncing the elaborate trappings of the Theosophical Society in favour of the minute-by-minute attempt to let the mind engage with the real. In his Notebook, he shares his "process" with the world, and the book, no doubt his most important, is an extraordinarily [rpfound and compelling testament to the quiet revolution in man's way of being-in-the-world that he sought to effect."
— Simon Callow, actor, author, director -
I wrote it [Krishnamurti's Notebook] as a diary while I was traveling…but I did not write it for publication. I describe what I call the process—my sensation of being outside the ordinary world, of being completely at peace and removed from conflict. This happens only from time to time and clearly it is impossible to describe to anybody who has not experienced it. But I have attempted to put into words the actual pain and sensation which goes with the heightened consciousness. It is not intended in a romantic way: if you lead a certain type of disciplined, quiet life you realize a kind of energy—that's scientific fact—and this affects the non-mechanical part of your brain so that you enter into a new dimension. The physical organism is incapable of meetings it and so you get the pain. I am not suggesting that everyone should try to attain this, but it may be of interest to some people who have followed my thoughts and ideas to know what happens on a more personal level.
— J. Krishnamurti [interview with The Guardian] -

Star in the East: Krishnamurti--The Invention of a Messiah
by Roland Vernon
"
"The story of Krishnamurti, one of the twentieth century's most influential and controversial spiritual figures, takes place in the crucible of sexual scandal, mysticism, and an extraordinary personal history. "Discovered" by a leader of the Theosophical Society, Krishnamurti was hailed as a messiah and groomed to be the new World Leader. Rejecting the society's claims, he then set out on a teaching career that covered six decades and produced fifty books and thousands of talks. Until his death in 1986, he continued to challenge many generally cherished ideas of spirituality. His lectures, books, and interviews are still widely read and studied.
In this first truly objective biography, English author Roland Vernon uses primary and secondary sources as well as numerous unattributed interviews with Krishnamurti's friends and students to provide a wealth of detail. With unflinching and non-judgmental clarity, Vernon describes the details of Krishnamurti's life, including his formative years with the allegedly pedophilic Charles Leadbeater and the renowned Annie Besant, and the painful purification "process" that he was forced to undergo. Vernon also provides insight into Krishnamurti's highly private personal life, including an extended clandestine affair with longtime friend Rosalind Williams Rajagopal. By painting full pictures of the people who most influenced Krishnamurti, especially in his formative years, the author gives valuable clues to some of the often less-well-illuminated aspects of Krishamurti's character.
"I have no ax to grind, no teaching to pass along. It's a piece of history," Vernon says of the book. Overall, a thorough and balanced study of a man who, by denying the messianic role and spiritual authority thrust upon him, became one of the most respected teachers of our time." (Amazon Review)

Book of Life, The : Daily Meditations with Krishnamurti
by J. Krishnamurti

"To listen to him or to read his thoughts is to face oneself and the world with an astonishing morning freshness."

Celebrating the centennial of the birth of a modern spiritual luminary, J. Krishnamurti, The Book of Life presents 365 timeless daily meditations culled from the beloved teacher's foundational lectures and writings. (Amazon Review)

On Love and Loneliness
by Jiddu Krishnamurti

"A supreme teacher who claimed no disciples, Krishnamurti's teachings spawned a generation of individual seekers whose spiritual views are shaped by their own unique experiences. On Love and Loneliness explores the subtle role of "true relationships" that occur when there is self-knowledge and an understanding of personal, sectarian, and national conditioning.
In 1950 Krishnamurti said: "It is only when the mind is not escaping in any form that it is possible to be in direct communion with that thing we call lonliness, the alone, and to have communion with that thing, there must be affection, there must be love."
On Love and Lonliness is a compelling investigation of our intimate relationships with ourselves, others, and society. Krishnamurti suggests that "true relationship" can come into being only when there is self-knowledge of the conditions which divide and islolate individuals and groups. Only by renouncing the self can we understand the problem of lonliness, and truly love." (Amazon Review)

On Fear
by Jiddu Krishnamurti

"On Fear considers the phenomenon of fear--how it deadens the mind and makes it insensitive and dull. The book examines the roots of hidden fears and the relation of time and thought to our conscious and unconscious fears.
On Fear is a collection of Krishnamurti’s most profound observations and thoughts on how fear and dependence affect our lives and prevent us from seeeing our true selves. Among the many questions Krishnamurti addresses in these remarkable teachings are: How can a mind that is afraid love? and What can a mind that depends on attachment know of joy? He points out that the voice of ear makes the mind dull and insensitive, and argues that the roots of hidden fears, which limit us and from which we constantly seek escape, cannot be discovered through analysis of the past. Questioning whether the exercise of will can eliminate the debilitating effects of fear, he suggests, instead, that only a fundamental realization of the root of all fear can free our minds." (Amazon Review)

Meditations (Shambhala Classics)
by Krishnamurti

"This collection of brief excerpts presents the essence of his teaching on meditation.
Despite what the spiritually ignorant and a few who ought to know better say, the recent "controversies" created over K. in no way detract from his works, which contain simply the most inspired--if you make the effort to understand them--psychological/spiritual message of the previous century. To greatly oversimplify, Krishnamurti was a modern zen master without describing himself as such and wihtout any of the baloney that inevitably gathered around that particluar non-school. If this message, the one underlying all religious experience, was understood no other would be needed, not in this area of human understanding. This collection is his description of the state of knowing that cannot be sought; nor does he ever drift into the error of saying it can be taught or imitated. Only suggested." (Amazon Review)

Krishnamurti Information Network
The Krishnamurti Information Network seeks to increase public awareness of Krishnamurti's work

by researching, compiling and documenting his life and legacy.

Krishnamurti's Oak Grove School

Krishnamurti Foundation

220 West Lomita Avenue, Ojai, California 93023

Phone: (805) 646-8236

Fax: (805) 646-6509

Theosophical Society (UK)

Annie Besant

Krishnamurti's methods, ideologies, or beliefs. He encourages the listener to question and doubt everything - including what he says - and to find truth for oneself. In his talks and dialogues he explored many issues such as education, freedom, love, awareness, relationship, responsibility, conflict, disorder, self-knowledge, suffering, conditioning, habit, sorrow, greed, psychological time, nature of thought, aloneness and loneliness, observer and observed, dependence, desire, pleasure, death, attachment, fear, energy, change, creativity, insight, order, beauty, meditation, religious mind, and art of living.

All content © 60s & Further 2005 Site by -MoonHeart Designs - Contact Webmaster & Webmistress.