| Jiddu Krishnamurti |

Krishnamurti on the cover of one of his collected works |
| Born |
May 12, 1895
Madanapalle, India |
| Died |
February 17, 1986(Age 90)
Ojai, California
|
| Nationality |
British Indian |
| Occupation |
author |
| Spouse |
none |
| Children |
none |
| Parents |
Jiddu Narayanaiah (father) |
Jiddu Krishnamurti or J. Krishnamurti, (May 12, 1895–February 17, 1986) was a well-known writer
and speaker on fundamental philosophical and spiritual subjects, such as the purpose of meditation, human relationships, and how to enact
positive change in global society. At the age of 34, he
publicly renounced the fame and messiah status he had gained from being proclaimed the new
incarnation of the Maitreya Buddha by the Theosophical
Society, and spent the rest of his life publishing regularly and holding public talks, mostly in South Asia, Europe and the United States. At age 90 he addressed the
United Nations on the subject of peace and awareness,
and was awarded the 1984 UN Peace Medal.
Krishnamurti was born into a Telugu Brahmin family in
Madanapalle, India, and in 1909 met C.W.
Leadbeater on the private beach at the Theosophical Society headquarters at
Adyar in Madras (now Chennai), India. He was subsequently raised
under the tutelage of Annie Besant and C.W.
Leadbeater, leaders of the Society at the time, who believed him to be a "vehicle" for an expected "World Teacher". As a young man, he disavowed this idea and dissolved a world-wide organization (the
Order of the Star) established to support it. He spent the rest of his life traveling
the world as an individual speaker, speaking to large and small groups, as well as with interested individuals. He authored a
number of books, among them The First and Last Freedom, The Only Revolution, and Krishnamurti's Notebook. In
addition, a large collection of his talks and discussions have been published. His last public talk was in Madras, India, in
January 1986, a month before his death at home in Ojai, California.
His supporters, working through several non-profit foundations, oversee a
number of independent schools centered on his views on education – in India, England and the United States – and continue to
transcribe and distribute many of his thousands of talks, group and individual discussions, and other writings, publishing them
in a variety of formats including print, audio, video and digital formats as well as online, in many languages.
Biography
Family background and childhood
Jiddu Krishnamurti came from a family of Telugu-speaking Brahmins. His father, Jiddu Narianiah, was employed as an official of the then colonial British administration.
His parents were second cousins, having a total of eleven children, only six of whom survived childhood. They were strict
vegetarians, even shunning eggs, and throwing away any food that the "shadow of an Englishman crossed"[1]
He was born on May 12, 1895 (May 11 according to the Brahminical calendar), in the small town of Madanapalle in Chittoor
District in Andhra Pradesh about 150 miles (250 km) west of Madras (now Chennai).[2]
In 1903, the family settled in Cudappah, where Krishnamurti had during a previous
stay contracted malaria, a disease with which he would suffer recurrent bouts over many years.
He was a sensitive and sickly child; "vague and dreamy" , he was often taken to be mentally retarded, and was beaten
regularly at school by his teachers and at home by his father.[3] In his memoirs he wrote that when he was eighteen years old he had a psychic experience of seeing his sister, who died in 1904. He had earlier had a similar experience of seeing
mother who had died in 1905 when he was ten.[4][5]
Krishnamurti's father Narianiah retired at the end of 1907, and, being of limited means, wrote to Annie Besant, then president
of the Theosophical Society, seeking employment at the acre ( km²) Theosophical headquarters estate at
Adyar. (Even though an observant orthodox Brahmin, Narianiah had been a member of the Theosophical
Society since 1882[6]). He was eventually hired by the
Society as a clerk, and he moved his family there in January, 1909.[7] Narianiah and his four dependent sons were at first assigned to live in a small cottage that lacked
adequate sanitation and which was located just outside of the Theosophical compound. As a result of poor living conditions,
Krishnamurti and his brothers were soon undernourished and infested with lice.[8]
The "discovery" and its consequences
It was in April of 1909, a few months after the last move, that Krishnamurti was encountered by prominent occultist and high-ranking theosophist C.W. Leadbeater, who claimed clairvoyance. During his
forays to the Theosophical estate's beach at the adjuting Adyar river, Leadbeater had noticed Krishnamurti (who also frequented
the beach with others), and was amazed by the "most wonderful aura he had ever seen, without a particle of selfishness in
it".[9][10] This strong impression was notwithstanding Krishnamurti's outward appearance, which, according to
eyewitnesses, was pretty common, unimpressive, and unkempt. The boy was also considered "particularly dim-witted"; he
often had "a vacant expression" that "gave him an almost moronic look".Leadbeater remained "unshaken" that
the boy would become a great teacher.[11]
Pupul Jayakar, in her biography of Krishnamurti[12], quotes him speaking of that period in his life some 75 years later: "The
boy had always said, 'I will do whatever you want'. There was an element of subservience, obedience. The boy was vague,
uncertain, wooly; he didn't seem to care what was happening. He was like a vessel, with a large hole in it, whatever was put in,
went through, nothing remained."[13]
Writing about his childhood in his journal, Krishnamurti wrote: “No thought entered his mind. He was watching and listening
and nothing else. Thought with its associations never arose. There was no image-making. He often attempted to think but no
thought would come.” [14]
Following the "discovery", Krishnamurti was taken under the wing of the leadership of the Theosophical Society in Adyar and
their inner circle. Leadbeater and a small number of trusted associates undertook the task of educating, protecting, and in
general preparing Krishnamurti as the "vehicle" of the expected "World Teacher".[15]Krishnamurti (or Krishnaji as he was often called[16]) and his younger brother Nitya were privately tutored at the Theosophical
compound in Madras, and later exposed to a comparatively opulent life among a segment of European high society in England in
order to finish their education. In spite of his history of problems with school work and concerns about his capacities and
physical condition, the fourteen year old Krishnamurti was within six months able to speak and write competently in
English.[17] During all this time, Krishnamurti developed
a strong bond with Annie Besant, and came to view her as a surogate mother. His father, pushed into the background by the swirl
of interest around Krishnamurti, sued the Theosophical Society in 1912 to protect his parental interests. After a protracted
legal battle, Besant took legal custody of Krishnamurti and his brother Nitya.[18][19] As a result of this
separation from his family and home, Krishnamurti and his brother became extremely close, and in the following years they often
traveled together.
The Theosophical Leadership in 1911 established a new organization called the Order of the Star in the East in order to prepare the world for the aforementioned
"coming". Krishnamurti was named as its head, with senior Theosophists in various positions. Membership was open to anybody who
accepted the doctrine of the coming of the "World Teacher".[20][21] Controversy erupted
soon after, both within the Theosophical Society and without, in Hindu circles and the Indian press.[22][23][24]
Growing up
Mary Lutyens, in her biography of Krishnamurti, states that there was a time when he
fully believed that he was to become the "World Teacher", after correct spiritual and secular guidance and education. Another
biographer describes the daily program imposed on him by Leadbeater and his associates, which among other things included
rigorous exercise and sports, tutoring in a variety of school subjects, theosophical and religious lessons, yoga and meditation,
as well as instruction in proper hygiene and the ways of British society and culture.[25] Unlike sports, where he showed a natural aptitude, Krishnamurti always had
problems with formal schooling and was not academically inclined. He eventually gave up university education after several
attempts at admission. He did take to foreign languages, eventually speaking several (French and Italian among them) with some
fluency. In this period, he apparently enjoyed reading parts of the Old Testament, and was
impressed by some of the Western classics, especially Shelley, Dostoyevsky and Nietzsche. He had also, since childhood,
considerable observational and mechanical skills, being able to correctly disassemble and reassemble complicated machinery.
His public image, as originally cultivated by the theosophists, "...was to be characterized by a well-polished exterior, a
sobriety of purpose, a cosmopolitan outlook and an otherwordly, almost beatific detachment in his demeanor." And in fact,
"...All of these can be said to have characterised Krishnamurti's public image to the end of his life." [26]. It was apparently clear early on that he "...possessed
an innate personal magnetism, not of a warm physical variety, but nonetheless emotive in its austerity, and inclined to inspire
veneration."[27] However, as Krishnamurti was growing
up, he showed signs of adolescent rebellion and emotional instability, chafing at the regimen imposed on him, and occasionally
having doubts about the future prescribed him.[28]
Krishnamurti and Nitya were taken to England for the first time in April of 1911.[29] It was on this trip that Krishnamurti and his brother first encountered Lady
Emily Lutyens, wife of the prominent architect Sir Edwin Lutyens. Lady Emily, then 36
years old and active in the Theosophical Society, had five children including daughter Mary Lutyens, who was to become
Krishnamurti's principal biographer and lifelong friend. The adolescent Krishnamurti and Lady Emily formed a strong emotional
attachment,[30] which was at times frowned upon by the
highest ranking members of the intensely insular Theosophical Society as well as by a frustrated and skeptical Edwin
Lutyens.[31]
In 1922, Krishnamurti and Nitya travelled from Sydney to California on their way to Switzerland. It was thought that the
mountain climate of Ojai would be beneficial to Nitya, who had been diagnosed with Tuberculosis.[32] While in California, they lodged in a cottage in a secluded valley, offered to
them for the occasion by an American member of the Order of the Star. For the first time, the brothers were freed from the
immediate supervision of the Theosophists. They used the time constructively by engaging in spiritual contemplation and planning
their futures within the World Teacher Project.[33] It
was also at this time that the brothers first met Rosalind Williams,[34]19, the sister of a local Theosophist, who eventually became close to them both.[35] Krishnamurti and Nitya found the Ojai Valley to be very agreeable, and
eventually a trust, formed by supporters, purchased for them the cottage and surrounding property, which henceforth became
Krishnamurti's official place of residence.[36]
It was there, in August 1922, that Krishnamurti went through an intense, "life-changing" experience.[37][38] It has been simultaneously, and invariably, characterised as a spiritual awakening, a psychological
transformation, and a physical "conditioning". Krishnamurti and those around him would refer to it as "the process", and
it continued, at very frequent intervals and varying forms of intensity, until his death.[39][40]
Witnesses recount that it started on the 17th, with extraordinary pain at the nape of Krishnamurti's neck, and a hard, ball-like
swelling. The next couple of days, the symptoms worsened, with increasing pain, extreme physical discomfort and sensitivity,
total loss of appetite and occasional delirious ramblings. Then, he seemed to lapse into unconsciousness; actually, he recounted
that he was very much aware of his surroundings and while in that state, he had an experience of "mystical union".[41] The following day the symptoms, and the experience,
intensified, climaxing with a sense of "immense peace".[42]
"...I was supremely happy, for I had seen. Nothing could ever be the same. I have drunk at the clear and pure waters and my
thirst was appeased. ...I have seen the Light. I have touched compassion which heals all sorrow and suffering; it is not for
myself, but for the world. ...Love in all its glory has intoxicated my heart; my heart can never be closed. I have drunk at the
fountain of Joy and eternal Beauty. I am God-intoxicated."[43]
Similar incidents continued with short intermissions until October, and later eventually resumed regularly, always involving
varying degrees of physical pain to mark the start of the "process", accompanied by what is variably described as "presence",
"benediction", "immensity", and "sacredness", which was often reportedly "felt" by others present.
Several explanations have been proposed for the events of 1922, and "the process" in general.[44] Leadbeater and other theosophists, although they expected the "vehicle"
to have certain paranormal experiences, were mystified by the developments, and were at a
loss to explain the whole thing. The "process", and the inability of Leadbeater to explain it satisfactorily, if at all, had
other consequences according to biographer R. Vernon:
"The process at Ojai, whatever its cause or validity, was a cataclysmic milestone for Krishna. Up until this time his
spiritual progress, chequered though it might have been, had been planned with solemn deliberation by Theosophy's grandees.
...Something new had now occurred for which Krishna's training had not entirely prepared him. ...A burden was lifted from his
conscience and he took his first step towards becoming an individual. ...In terms of his future role as a teacher, the process
was his bedrock. ...It had come to him alone and had not been planted in him by his mentors...It provided Krishna with the soil
in which his newfound spirit of confidence and independence could take root."[45][46]
The messianic status of Krishnamurti reached fever pitch as a visit to Sydney, Australia was
planned. Leadbeater had been based there since 1914, and the movement was strong enough to own a local radio station
2GB. The Star Amphitheatre was built in 1923–24 at Balmoral Beach on Sydney Harbour, as a platform for the coming "world teacher".
According to sensational media reportage, Krishnamurti was to make a triumphant arrival, walking on water through Sydney Heads.
Paralleling this increasing adulation was Krishnamurti's growing discomfort with it.[1][2]
Finally, the unexpected death of his brother Nitya on November 11, 1925 at age 27, from tuberculosis, after a long history
with the disease, fundamentally shook Krishnamurti's belief and faith in Theosophy and the
leaders of the Theosophical Society.[47] According to
eyewitness accounts, the news "broke him down completely". He struggled for days to overcome his sorrow, eventually
"...going through an inner revolution, finding new strength".[48] The experience of his brother's death shattered any remaining illusions, and things would never be
the same again.
"...An old dream is dead and a new one is being born, as a flower that pushes through the solid earth. A new vision is coming
into being and a greater consciousness is being unfolded. ...A new strength, born of suffering, is pulsating in the veins and a
new sympathy and understanding is being born of past suffering - a greater desire to see others suffer less, and, if they must
suffer, to see that they bear it nobly and come out of it without too many scars. I have wept, but I do not want others to weep;
but if they do, I know what it means."[49]
Break with the past
Krishnamurti's new vision and consciousness continued to develop and reached a climax in 1929, when he rebuffed attempts by
Leadbeater and Besant to continue with The Order of the Star. Krishnamurti dissolved the Order at the annual Star Camp at
Ommen, the Netherlands, on August 3rd, 1929[50] where, in front of Annie Besant and several thousand
members, he gave a speech[51] saying among other
things:
"You may remember the story of how the devil and a friend of his were walking down the street, when they saw ahead of them a
man stoop down and pick up something from the ground, look at it, and put it away in his pocket. The friend said to the devil,
'What did that man pick up?' 'He picked up a piece of the truth,' said the devil. 'That is a very bad business for you, then,'
said his friend. 'Oh, not at all,' the devil replied, 'I am going to help him organize it.' I maintain that truth is a pathless
land, and you cannot approach it by any path whatsoever, by any religion, by any sect. That is my point of view, and I adhere to
that absolutely and unconditionally. Truth, being limitless, unconditioned, unapproachable by any path whatsoever, cannot be
organized; nor should any organization be formed to lead or coerce people along a particular path."[52]
and also:
"This is no magnificent deed, because I do not want followers, and I mean this. The moment you follow someone you cease to
follow Truth. I am not concerned whether you pay attention to what I say or not. I want to do a certain thing in the world and I
am going to do it with unwavering concentration. I am concerning myself with only one essential thing: to set man free. I desire
to free him from all cages, from all fears, and not to found religions, new sects, nor to establish new theories and new
philosophies."[53]
Following the dissolution, Leadbeater and other Theosophists turned against Krishnamurti and publicly wondered whether "the
Coming had gone wrong". Mary Lutyens states that "...After all the years of proclaiming the Coming, of stressing over and over
again the danger of rejecting the World Teacher when he came because he was bound to say something wholly new and unexpected,
something contrary to most people’s preconceived ideas and hopes, the leaders of Theosophy, one after the other, fell into the
trap against which they had so unremittingly warned others."[54]
Krishnamurti had denounced all organized belief, the notion of "gurus", and the whole teacher-follower relationship, vowing
instead to work in setting man absolutely, totally free. From that time, he began to disassociate himself from the Society and
its teachings/practices, despite being on cordial terms with some members and ex-members throughout his life. As his biographer
Lutyens notes, he was never to deny being the World Teacher, telling Lady Emily "You know mum I have never denied it [being the
World Teacher], I have only said it does not matter who or what I am but that they should examine what I say, which does not mean
that I have denied being the W.T." When a reporter asked him if he was the Christ, he answered "Yes, in the pure sense but not in
the traditional accepted sense of the word." [55]
Krishnamurti would only refer to his teachings as "the" teachings and not as "my" teachings. His concern was
always about "the" teachings: the teacher had no importance, and spiritual authority was denounced.
"All authority of any kind, especially in the field of thought and understanding, is the most destructive, evil thing. Leaders
destroy the followers and followers destroy the leaders. You have to be your own teacher and your own disciple. You have to
question everything that man has accepted as valuable, as necessary."[56]
Krishnamurti returned all monies and properties donated to the Order of the Star - including a castle in Holland and around
acres ( km²) of land - to their donors[57]. He
subsequently spent the rest of his life holding dialogues and giving public talks across the world on the nature of belief,
truth, sorrow, freedom, death, the apparently eternal quest for a spiritually-fulfilled life, and related subjects. Following on
from the "pathless land" notion, he accepted neither followers nor worshippers, seeing the relationship between disciple and guru
as encouraging the antithesis of spiritual emancipation - dependency and exploitation. He constantly urged people to think
independently and clearly and to explore and discuss specific topics together with him, to "walk as two friends". He accepted
gifts and financial support freely offered to him by people inspired by his work, and relentlessly continued with lecture tours
and the publication of books and talk transcripts for more than half a century[58].
Middle Years
From 1930 through 1944, Krishnamurti engaged in speaking tours and issued publications under the auspice of the "Star
Publishing Trust" (SPT) which he had founded with his close associate and friend from the Order of the Star, D. Rajagopal. The
base of operations for the new enterprise was in Ojai, where Krishnamurti, Rajagopal, and Rosalind Williams (now the wife of
Rajagopal), resided in the house known as "Arya Vihara"[59]. The business and organizational aspects of the SPT were administered chiefly by D. Rajagopal as
Krishnamurti devoted his time to speaking and meditation. Throughout the 1930s, Krishnamurti spoke in Europe, Latin America,
India, Australia and the United States.
In 1938, Krishnamurti made the acquaintance of Aldous Huxley, who had arrived from Europe during 1937.[60] The two began a long friendship which endured for many years. They held
common concerns about the imminent conflict in Europe which they viewed as the outcome of the pernicious influence of
nationalism. Krishnamurti's stance on World War II was often construed as pacifism and even subversion during a time of patriotic
fervor in the United States and for a time he came under the surveillance of the FBI.[61]He did not speak publicly for a period of about four years between 1940 and
1944. During this time he lived and worked quietly at Arya Vihara, which during the war operated as a largely self-sustaining
farm, its surplus goods donated for relief efforts in Europe.[62]
Krishnamurti broke the hiatus from public speaking in May 1944 with a series of talks in Ojai. These talks, and subsequent
material, was published by "Krishnamurti Writings Inc" (KWINC), the successor organization to the "Star Publishing Trust". This
was to be the new central Krishnamurti-related entity worldwide, whose sole purpose was the dissemination of the
teaching.[63]
When in India after World War II, many prominent personalities came to meet with him, including Prime Minister
Jawaharlal Nehru. In his meetings with Nehru, Krishnamurti elaborated at length on the
teachings, saying in one instance, “Understanding of the self only arises in relationship, in watching yourself in
relationship to people, ideas, and things; to trees, the earth, and the world around you and within you. Relationship is the
mirror in which the self is revealed. Without self-knowledge there is no basis for right thought and action.” Nehru asked,
“How does one start?” to which Krishnamurti replied, “Begin where you are. Read every word, every phrase, every
paragraph of the mind, as it operates through thought.”[64]
Later years
Krishnamurti continued speaking around the world, in public lectures, group discussions and with concerned individuals. In
late 1980, he reaffirmed the basic elements of his message in a written statement that came to be known as the "Core of the
Teaching". An excerpt follows:
"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, nor through any
philosophical 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 sense of security—religious, political, personal. These manifest as symbols,
ideas, beliefs. The burden of these dominates man's thinking, relationships and his daily life. These are the causes of our
problems for they divide man from man in every relationship."[65][66]
In April 1985 he spoke to an invited audience at the United Nations in New York, where he was awarded the United Nations 1984
Peace medal.[67]
In November 1985 he visited India for the last time, holding a number of what came to be known as "farewell" talks and
discussions between then and January 1986. These last talks included the fundamental questions he had been asking through the
years, as well as newer concerns related to recent advances in science, technology, and the way they affected humankind.
Krishnamurti had commented to friends that he did not wish to invite death, but was not sure how long his body would last (he had
already lost considerable weight), and once he could no longer talk, he would have "no further purpose". In his final talk, on
January 4, 1986, in Madras, he again invited the audience to examine with him the nature of inquiry, the effect of technology, the nature of life and meditation, and the nature of creation:
"...So, we are enquiring into what makes a bird. What is creation behind all this? Are you waiting for me to describe it, go
into it? You want me to go into it? Why (From the audience: To understand what creation is[)]. Why do you ask that? Because I
asked? No description can ever describe the origin. The origin is nameless; the origin is absolutely quiet, it's not whirring
about making noise. Creation is something that is most holy, that's the most sacred thing in life, and if you have made a mess of
your life, change it. Change it today, not tomorrow. If you are uncertain, find out why and be certain. If your thinking is not
straight, think straight, logically. Unless all that is prepared, all that is settled, you can't enter into this world, into the
world of creation."[68]
Krishnamurti was also concerned about his legacy, about being unwittingly turned into some personage whose teachings had been
"handed down" to special individuals, rather than the world at large. He wanted nobody to pose as an "interpreter" of the
teaching.[69] He warned his associates on several
occasions that they were not to present themselves as spokesmen on his behalf, or as his successors after his death.[70]
A few days before his death, in a final statement, he emphatically declared that "nobody" among his associates, or the
general public, had understood what had happened to him (as the conduit of the teaching), nor had they understood the teaching
itself. He added that the "immense energy" operating in his lifetime would be gone with his death, again implying the
impossibility of successors. However, he offered hope by stating that people could approach that energy and gain a measure of
understanding "...if they live the teachings".[71]
In prior discussions he had compared himself with Thomas Edison, implying that he did the hard work, and now all was needed by
others was a flick of the switch.[72] In another instance
he talked of Columbus going through an arduous journey to discover the New World, whereas now, it could easily be reached by jet;
the ultimate implication being that even if Krishnamurti was in some way "special", in order to arrive at his level of
understanding, others didn't need to be.[73]
J. Krishnamurti died on February 17, 1986, at the age of 90, from pancreatic
cancer. His remains were cremated and scattered by friends and former associates in the three countries where he had spent
most of his life; India, England and United States of America.
Recurrent themes
Knowledge
Krishnamurti constantly emphasized the right place of thought in daily life. But he also pointed out the dangers of thought as
knowledge and mental images when it operates in relationships. Some excerpts:
"How is the mind which functions on knowledge – how is the brain which is recording all the time – to end, to see the
importance of recording and not let it move in any other direction? Very simply: you insult me, you hurt me, by word, gesture, by
an actual act; that leaves a mark on the brain which is memory. That memory is knowledge, that knowledge is going to interfere in
my meeting you next time – obviously. ... Knowledge is necessary to act in the sense of my going home from here to the place I
live; I must have knowledge for this; I must have knowledge to speak English; I must have knowledge to write a letter and so on.
Knowledge as function, mechanical function, is necessary. Now if I use that knowledge in my relationship with you, another human
being, I am bringing about a barrier, a division between you and me, namely the observer. That is, knowledge, in relationship, in
human relationship, is destructive. That is knowledge which is the tradition, the memory, the image, which the mind has built
about you, that knowledge is separative and therefore creates conflict in our relationship." [74]
"The brain has been trained to record for in that recording there is safety, security, a sense of vitality; in that recording
the mind creates the image about oneself. And that image will constantly get hurt. Is it possible to live without a single image
about yourself, or about your husband, wife, children, or about the politicians, the priests, or about the ideal? It is possible,
and if it is not found you will always be getting hurt, always living in a pattern in which there is no freedom. When you give
complete attention there is no recording. It is only when there is inattention that you record. That is: you flatter me; I like
it; the liking at that moment is inattention therefore recording takes place. But if when you flatter me I listen to it
completely without any reaction, then there is no center which records." [75]
"The brain is the source of thought. The brain is matter and thought is matter. Can the brain – with all its reactions and its
immediate responses to every challenge and demand – can the brain be very still? It is not a question of ending thought, but of
whether the brain can be completely still? This stillness is not physical death. See what happens when the brain is completely
still." [76]
Fear and pleasure
Fear and pleasure were lifelong themes in his public talks. The following is an excerpt from his talk in San Diego in
1970.
“Fear is always in relation to something; it does not exist by itself. There is fear of what happened yesterday in relation to
the possibility of its repetition tomorrow; there is always a fixed point from which relationship takes place. How does fear come
into this? I had pain yesterday; there is the memory of it and I do not want it again tomorrow. Thinking about the pain of
yesterday, thinking which involves the memory of yesterday’s pain, projects the fear of having pain again tomorrow. So it is
thought that brings about fear. Thought breeds fear; thought also cultivates pleasure. To understand fear you must also
understand pleasure – they are interrelated; without understanding one you cannot understand the other. This means that one
cannot say ‘I must only have pleasure and no fear’; fear is the other side of the coin which is called pleasure.
Thinking with the images of yesterday’s pleasure, thought imagines that you may not have that pleasure tomorrow; so thought
engenders fear. Thought tries to sustain pleasure and thereby nourishes fear.
Thought has separated itself as the analyzer and the thing to be analyzed; they are both parts of thought playing tricks upon
itself. In doing all this it is refusing to examine the unconscious fears; it brings in time as a means of escaping fear and yet
at the same time sustains fear.” [77]
Meditation
Krishnamurti used the word meditation to mean something entirely different from the practice of any system or method to
control the mind. At a public talk in Bombay in 1971, he spoke on meditation and its implications at length.
“A mind that is in meditation is concerned only with meditation, not with the meditator. The meditator is the observer, the
censor, the thinker, the experiencer, and when there is the experiencer, the thinker, then he is concerned with reaching out,
gaining, achieving, experiencing. And that thing which is timeless cannot be experienced. There is no experience at all. There is
only that which is not nameable.” “You know, in all this there are various powers like clairvoyance, reading somebody’s thought –
which is the most disgusting thing to do: it is like reading letters that are private. There are various powers. You know what I
am talking about, don’t you? You call them siddhis, don’t you? Do you know that all these things
are like candles in the sun? When there is no sun there is darkness, and then the candle and the light of the candle become very
important. But when there is the sun, the light, the beauty, the clarity, then all these powers, these siddhis – developing
various centres, chakras, kundalini, you know all that business – are like candlelight; they have no value at all. And when you
have that light, you don’t want anything else.” [78]
"Meditation is one of the greatest arts in life-perhaps the greatest, and one cannot possibly learn it from anybody,
that is the beauty of it. It has no technique and therefore no authority. When you learn about yourself, watch yourself, watch
the way you walk, how you eat, what you say, the gossip, the hate, the jealousy-if you are aware of all that in yourself, without
any choice, that is part of meditation."[79]
“Man, in order to escape his conflicts, has invented many forms of meditation. These have been based on desire, will, and the
urge for achievement, and imply conflict and a struggle to arrive. This conscious, deliberate striving is always within the
limits of a conditioned mind, and in this there is no freedom. All effort to meditate is the denial of meditation. Meditation is
the ending of thought. It is only then that there is a different dimension which is beyond time.”[80]
“Meditation is the emptying of the mind of all thought, for thought and feeling dissipate energy. They are repetitive,
producing mechanical activities which are a necessary part of existence. But they are only part, and thought and feeling cannot
possibly enter into the immensity of life. Quite a different approach is necessary, not the path of habit, association and the
known; there must be freedom from these. Meditation is the emptying of the mind of the known. It cannot be done by thought or by
the hidden prompting of thought, nor by desire in the form of prayer, nor through the self-effacing hypnotism of words, images,
hopes, and vanities. All these have to come to an end, easily, without effort and choice, in the flame of awareness.”[81]
Education
Krishnamurti founded several schools around the world. When asked, he enumerated the following as his educational
aims:[82]
1. Global outlook: A vision of the whole as distinct from the part, and that it should never be a sectarian outlook but always
a holistic outlook free from all prejudice.
2. Concern for man and the environment: Man was part of nature, and if nature was not cared for, it would boomerang on man. He
said that only right education and deep affection between people was needed everywhere to resolve many human problems.
3. Religious spirit, which includes the scientific temper: The religious mind is alone, not lonely. It is in communion with
people and nature.
Influence
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Krishnamurti's lasting influence is hard to gauge in an objective way; there is no organizational or other entity, based on his
"philosophy", whose progress can be measured. His insistence that there be no successors or interpreters has so far prevented any
individual or group from claiming to represent a continuity, or a unique understanding, of his philosophy. Krishnamurti himself
had remarked in 1929 at the disbanding of the Order of the Star, that he was not interested in numbers saying “If there are
only five people who will listen, who will live, who have their faces turned towards eternity, it will be sufficient.”
However, there exists, as of early 2007, anecdotal and other evidence suggesting that interest in him and "the teachings" has
not abated since his death. A large number of books, audio, video, and computer materials, remain in print and are carried by
major online and traditional retailers. The four official Foundations continue with the maintenance of archives, dissemination of
the teachings in an increasing number of languages, new conversions to digital and other media, development of websites,
sponsoring of television programs, and with organising meetings and dialogues of interested persons around the world.[83] According to communications and press releases from the
Foundations, their mailing lists, and individuals' inquiries, continue to grow. The various schools and educational institutions
also continue to grow, with new projects added along their declared goal of "holistic education".[84] There are also active "unofficial" Krishnamurti Committees operating in
several countries, in a role roughly similar to the Foundations'.
Since his death, biographies, reminiscenses, research papers, critical examinations, and book-length studies of Krishnamurti
and his philosophy have continued to appear. Cursory (and necessarily incomplete) examination of internet search traffic and
group discussion forums indicates that among similar topics, interest on Krishnamurti remains high.
Because of his ideas and his era, Krishnamurti has come to be seen as an exemplar for those modern spiritual teachers who
disavow formal rituals and dogma. His conception of truth as a pathless land, with the possibility of immediate liberation, is
mirrored in teachings as diverse as those of est, Bruce Lee, and even the Dalai Lama.
George Bernard Shaw declared Krishnamurti to be the most beautiful human being he
ever saw. [85] Krishnamurti was close friends with
Aldous Huxley. Huxley wrote the foreword to The First and Last Freedom (see
"Published Works" section below). Krishnamurti was also friends with, and influenced the works of, the mythologist
Joseph Campbell and the artist Beatrice Wood.
Author Deepak Chopra was also profoundly influenced by Krishnamurti. [86]
Physicists Fritjof Capra, George Sudarshan,
writer/philosopher Iris Murdoch and biologist Rupert
Sheldrake also met and held discussions with Krishnamurti. Psychotherapists representing various theoretical orientations
including Freud, Horney, Sullivan, and Rogers met and held discussions with Krishnamurti. [87] Live's album Mental Jewelry is based on Krishnamurti's philosophies.
In India, with its long tradition of wandering "holy" men, hermits, and independent religious teachers, Krishnamurti attracted
the attention (and occasionally the unwanted admiration) of large numbers of people in public lectures and personal interviews.
He was, and is presently, considered a "great teacher" by such diverse religious figures as the respected mystic Ramana Maharshi,[88] the
spiritual teacher Anandmai Ma[89], as well as figures
more well-known to the West such as Osho. Although Krishnamurti had a special tenderness for the
true sannyasi or Buddhist monk, his criticism of their rituals, disciplines, and practices, was
devastating. In a typical exchange, Anandamayi Ma had asked him “Why do you deny
gurus? You who are the Guru of Gurus” to which Krishnamurti replied, “People use the guru as a crutch.”[90]
As was often the case elsewhere, Krishnamurti also attracted the interest of the mainstream religious establishment in India.
He was friendly, and had a number of discussions with, well known Hindu and Buddhist scholars and leaders, including the
Dalai Lama.[91]
Several of these discussions were later published as chapters in various Krishnamurti books.
As already noted, Krishnamurti also met with influential people in the Indian political stage, including prime ministers Nehru
and Indira Gandhi with whom he had far ranging, and apparently, in some cases very serious
discussions. His true impact on Indian political life is unknown; however Jayakar considers his attitude and message on meetings
with Indira Gandhi as a possible influence in the lifting of certain "emergency measures" Mrs. Gandhi had imposed during periods
of political turmoil.
Twentieth-century gnostic philosopher and occultist Samael Aun Weor praised
Krishnamurti's teachings, stating that his "inner spirit" was a "highly realized Buddha", although he questioned his handling by
the theosophists and its effect on his spiritual development.[92]
Any discussion of influence, however expansive, deserves to be weighed against Krishnamurti's own "measure" of success i.e.,
whether individuals really understand, and therefore "live and breathe", the teaching.[93] Regarding this measure of influence or success, the last, and only, definitive
public statement belongs to Krishnamurti himself. In a dismal prognosis, delivered 10 days prior his death in 1986, his words
were simple, and emphatic: "nobody" – among his associates or the world at large – had understood Krishnamurti, his life,
or the teaching he exposed.
Criticism
A number of people questioned whether Krishnamurti's attitudes were conditioned by privilege, as he was supported, even
pampered, by devoted followers starting as far back as his "discovery" by the theosophists. Helen Nearing, who had known
Krishnamurti in the 1920s, made such an assesment in an autobiographical volume (Loving and Leaving the Good Life, see
"Other Biographies" section below). She also thought that he was at such an "elevated" level that he was incapable of forming
normal personal relationships.[94] Others have accused
him of personal hypocrisy in concern to certain of his teachings. Krishnamurti himself rarely
responded to such criticism; his constant pronouncement that the "teacher is unimportant" did little to silence the
critics.
In her 1991 book, Lives in the Shadow with J. Krishnamurti (see "Other Biographies"), Radha Rajagopal Sloss, the
daughter of Krishnamurti's associates, Rosalind and Desikacharya Rajagopal, wrote of Krishnamurti's relationship with her parents
including the secret affair between Krishnamurti and Rosalind which lasted for many years. The public revelation was received
with surprise and consternation by many individuals, and was also dealt with in a rebuttal volume of biography by Mary Lutyens
(Krishnamurti and the Rajagopals, also see "Other Biographies").[95]
Krishnamurti's once close relationship to the Rajagopals deteriorated to the point that Krishnamurti, in his later years, took
Rajagopal to court in order to recover donated property and funds, publication rights for his works, manuscripts and personal
correspondence being withheld by Rajagopal.[96] The
resulting litigation and cross complaints continued for many years and though the verdict was eventually in Krishnamurti's favor
he did not personally benefit as this was after his death in 1986.[97]
David Bohm, after his falling out with Krishnamurti, criticised certain aspects of "the
teaching" on philosophical, methodological, and psychological grounds. He also criticised
what he described as Krishnamurti's occasional "verbal manipulations" in order to deflect challenges. Eventually, he questioned
some of the reasoning concerning the nature of thought and self, although he never lost his belief that "Krishnamurti was on to
something."[98]
Perhaps the harshest critic of Jiddu Krishnamurti, the way he operated, and his choice of, and elaborations on, subjects such
as "choiceless awareness" and "the art of listening", was U. G. Krishnamurti.
Partial list of published works
Except for a few noted exceptions - see especially the first three works - Krishnamurti's books are transcripts of his talks
and discussions. (Title, year of first publication, different editions: ISBN, notes)
- Krishnamurti's Notebook, 1976, Krishnamurti Publications of America
expanded 2004 edition: ISBN 1-888004-63-0. (Published journal that Krishnamurti kept between June 1961 and March 1962). [With
the publication of this book, for the first time the general public was informed about the so-called "process", a strange
condition that having started in the 1920s, intermittently affected Krishnamurti throughout his life].
- Krishnamurti's Journal, 1982, Harper & Row: ISBN 0-06-064841-4,
LCC B5134.K765A34 1982. (A personal journal, written from 1973 to
1975).
- Krishnamurti to Himself: His Last Journal, 1987, HarperCollins 1993 paperback: ISBN 0-06-250649-8. (Transcribed from
audio tape recordings made at his home in the Ojai Valley).
As noted previously, various entities have published, and continue to publish, transcripts of Krishnamurti's talks and
discussions. These verbatim reports and transcritions are not included here. See also Collected Works in next section. Following
works ordered by year of publication:
- At the Feet of the Master: Towards Discipleship, 1910, Quest Books
2001 edition: ISBN 0-8356-0803-4. [The author of this book is also listed as "Alcyone". There is considerable scepticism among
Krishnamurti's biographers and others about Krishnamurti's true role in the production of this and other works by so-called
"Alcyone". Among other objections, a consensus of the sceptics considers such works as Theosophical literature.]
- The Immortal Friend, 1928, Boni & Liveright New York: no ISBN, poetry
- Life in Freedom, 1928, Satori Resources 1986 reprint: ISBN 0-937277-00-2
- Education and the Significance of Life, 1953 (Krishnamurti Foundation Trust), HarperSanFrancisco 1981 edition: ISBN
0-06-064876-7
- The First and Last Freedom, 1954, HarperSanFrancisco 1975 reprint:
ISBN 0-06-064831-7]]
- Commentaries on Living: Series One, 1956, Quest Books 1994: ISBN
0-8356-0390-3. (D. Rajagopal, editor)
- Commentaries on Living: Series Two, 1958, Quest Books 1967: ISBN 0-8356-0415-2. (D. Rajagopal, editor)
- Commentaries on Living: Series Three, 1960, Quest Books 1967: ISBN 0-8356-0402-0. (D. Rajagopal, editor)
- Life Ahead: On Learning and the Search for Meaning, 1963, Harper & Row, New World Library 2005 edition: ISBN
1-57731-517-0
- Think on These Things, 1964, Harper Perennial 1989 reprint: ISBN 0-06-091609-5. (D. Rajagopal, editor)
- Talks with American Students 1968, 1970, Shambhala Publications: ISBN 0-87773-021-0
- Freedom from the Known, 1969, HarperSanFrancisco 1975 reprint: ISBN
0-06-064808-2. (M. Lutyens, editor)
- The Only Revolution, Harper 1970. (M. Lutyens, editor)
- The Flight of the Eagle, Harper & Row 1971. (Authentic report of talks and discussions in London, Amsterdam,
Paris, and Saanen, Switzerland)
- The impossible question, Harper & Row 1972: ISBN 0-0606-4838-X
- You Are the World: Authentic Reports of Talks and Discussions in American Universities, 1972, Harper & Row: ISBN
0-06-080303-7, Krishnamurti Foundation India 2001 edition: ISBN 81-87326-02-6
- The Awakening of Intelligence, 1973, Harper & Row paperback 1987: ISBN 0-06-064834-1
- Beyond Violence, 1973, HarperCollins College Div.: ISBN 0-06-064839-2
- Beginnings of Learning, London: Gollancz, 1975: ISBN 0-5750-1928-X. (Edited transcripts of Krishnamurti's discussions
on education with students and staff at the Brockwood Park School, England).
- Truth and Actuality, 1977, London: Victor Gollancz: ISBN 0-575-02325-2, HarperSanFrancisco 1980 edition: ISBN
0-06-064875-9
- Krishnamurti on Education, 1977, HarperCollins: ISBN 0-06-064794-9, Krishnamurti Foundation of America 2001 edition:
ISBN 81-87326-00-X
- The Wholeness of Life, 1978, HarperCollins 1981 paperback: ISBN 0-06-064868-6. (Abridgement of discussions held
between Krishnamurti, David Bohm, and psychiatrist David Shainbert).
- Meditations, 1979, Shambhala Publications 2002 edition: ISBN 1-57062-941-2. (Compilation of quotes/writings on
meditation, Evelyne Blau, editor).
- From Darkness to Light: Poems and Parables: The Collected Works of Krishnamurti Volume One, 1980, Harper & Row:
ISBN 0-06-064832-5. (This is completely different from the Collected Works Volume 1 listed below)
- Exploration into Insight, 1980, HarperCollins: ISBN 0-06-064811-2
- The Ending of Time, San Francisco: Harper & Row, 1985: ISBN 0-06-064796-5. (Discussions with the phycisist David
Bohm).
- The way of Intelligence, 1985, Krishnamurti Foundation India: ISBN 81-87326-47-6
- The Future of Humanity: A Conversation, HarperCollins, 1986: ISBN 0-06-064797-3. (Further discussions with the
physicist David Bohm).
- Last Talks at Saanen, 1985, HarperCollins, 1987: ISBN 0-06-064798-1
- The Future Is Now: Last Talks in India, HarperCollins, 1989: ISBN 0-06-250484-3
- Meeting Life: Writings and Talks on Finding Your Path Without Retreating from Society, 1991, HarperSanFrancisco: ISBN
0-06-250526-2
- Freedom, Love, and Action, Shambhala 1994, 2001 paperback: ISBN 1-5706-2826-2. (Based on talks given at Brockwood Park
School, England)
- Total Freedom: The Essential Krishnamurti, 1996, HarperSanFrancisco: ISBN 0-06-064880-5. (Introduction to Krishnamurti
and selections from the breadth of his works, M. Cadogan, A. Kishbaugh, M. Lee, and R. McCoy editors).
- Limits of Thought: Discussions, 1999, London: Routledge: ISBN 0-415-19398-2. (More discussions with the phycisist
David Bohm).
- This Light in Oneself: True Meditation, 1999, Shambala Publications: ISBN 1-57062-442-9
- The Concise Guide to Krishnamurti: A Study Companion and Index to the Recorded Teachings, 2000, Krishnamurti
Publications of America: ISBN 1-888004-09-6
- To Be Human, Shambhala, 2000, paperback: ISBN 1-5706-2596-4. (David Skitt, editor)
- Can humanity change?, Shambhala 2003, paperback: ISBN 1-5706-2826-2. (Subtitled "J. Krishnamurti in dialogue with
Buddhists", David Skitt, editor)
- The First Step is the Last Step, Krishnamurti Foundation India, 2004: ISBN 8187326565
The Collected Works of J. Krishnamurti
- Volume I (1933-1934): The Art of Listening, 1991, Krishnamurti Foundation of America, ISBN 0-8403-6341-9
- Volume II (1934-1935): What Is the Right Action?, editor Edward Weston, 1991, Krishnamurti Publications of America,
ISBN 1-888004-32-0
- Volume 3 (1936-1944): The Mirror of Relationship, 1991, Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company, ISBN 0-8403-6236-6
- Volume 4 (1945-1948): The Observer Is the Observed, 1991, Kendall/Hunt Publishing, ISBN 0-8403-6237-4
- Volume 5 (1948-1949): Choiceless Awareness, 1991, Kendall/Hunt Publishing, ISBN 0-8403-6238-2
- Volume 6 (1949-1952): The Origin of Conflict, Kendall/Hunt Publishing, ISBN 0-8403-6262-5
- Volume 7 (1952-1953): Tradition and Creativity, 1991, Kendall/Hunt Publishing, ISBN 0-8403-6257-9
- Volume 8 (1953-1955): What Are You Seeking?, 1991, Kendall/Hunt Publishing, ISBN 0-8403-6266-8
- Volume 9 (1955-1956): The Answer is in the Problem, 1991, Kendall/Hunt Publishing, ISBN 0-8403-6260-9
- Volume 10 (1956-1957): A Light to Yourself, 1991, Kendall/Hunt Publishing, ISBN 0-8403-6268-4
- Volume 11 (1958-1960): Crisis in Consciousness, 1991, Kendall/Hunt Publishing, ISBN 0-8403-6272-2
- Volume 12 (1961): There is No Thinker, Only Thought, 1991, Kendall/Hunt Publishing, ISBN 0-8403-6286-2
- Volume 13 (1962-1963): A Psychological Revolution, 1992, Kendall/Hunt Publishing, ISBN 0-8403-6287-0
- Volume 14 (1963-1964): The New Mind, 1992, Kendall/Hunt Publishing, ISBN 0-8403-6288-9
- Volume 15 (1964-1965): The Dignity of Living, 1992, Krishnamurti Foundation of America, ISBN 0-8403-6282-X
- Volume 16 (1965-1966): The Beauty of Death, 1992, Kendall/Hunt Publishing, ISBN 0-8403-6307-9
- Volume 17 (1966-1967): Perennial Questions, 1992, Kendall/Hunt Publishing, ISBN 0-8403-6314-1
References
Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to:
Principal biographies
- Pupul Jayakar, Krishnamurti: A Biography, San Francisco: Harper & Row, 1986: ISBN 0-06-250401-0. (Official
biographer).
- Mary Lutyens, Krishnamurti: The Years of Awakening,
London: John Murray, 1975. Discus reprint 1983: ISBN 0380007347, Shambhala reprint edition 1997: ISBN 1-57062-288-4. (Also
official biographer. This first volume of a three-volume biography covers years from birth to 1935).
- Mary Lutyens, Krishnamurti: The Years of Fulfilment,
London: John Murray, 1983: ISBN 0-7195-3979-X, Farrar, Straus, Giroux paperback: ISBN 0-374-18224-8, Avon Books 1991 reprint:
ISBN 0-380-71112-5. (Covers 1935 to 1980).
- Mary Lutyens, The Open Door, London: John Murray, 1988: ISBN 0-7195-4534-X.
(Covers 1980 to 1986, the end of Krishnamurti's life).
- Mary Lutyens, The Life and Death of Krishnamurti, London: John Murray, 1990: ISBN 0-7195-4749-0, Nesma Books India
1999: ISBN 81-87075-44-9, ISBN 0-900506-22-9, also published as Krishnamurti: His Life and Death, St Martins Press 1991:
ISBN 0-312-05455-6. (An abridgement of her trilogy on Krishnamurti's life).
Other biographies/memoirs/reminiscences
A fair number of biographical works have been published. Most are by people who knew Krishnamurti at some point in his life,
or/and were close associates for varying lengths of time. Some mention Krishnamurti only in passing; others are posthumous
scholarly works with or without the co-operation of the people close to him. The following are arranged according to publication
date:
- Candles in the Sun - Emily Lutyens, London: R. Hart-Davis, 1957. Philadelphia: Lippincott, 1957. (Interesting memoir
by Mary Lutyens' mother, Lady Emily, who had a long and very intimate relationship with Krishnamurti).
- The Boyhood Of J. Krishnamurti - Russell Balfour-Clarke, Bombay: Chetana, 1977 (Reminiscences from one of the young
Theosophists trusted with the boy Krishnamurti's upbringing)
- One Thousand Moons: Krishnamurti at Eighty-Five - Asit Chandmal, Harry N Abrams, 1985: ISBN 0-8109-1209-0
- Krishnamurti: The Reluctant Messiah - by Sidney Field, and Peter Hay, Paragon House Publishers; 1st edition, 1989:
ISBN 1-55778-180-X
- Truth Is A Pathless Land: A Journey with Krishnamurti - Ingram Smith, Theosophical Publishing House; 1st edition,
1989: ISBN 0-8356-0643-0. Also published, with additional material and updates, as The Transparent Mind: A Journey with
Krishnamurti, Edwin House, 1999: ISBN 0-9649-2473-0
- Krishnamurti: the man, the mystery & the message - Stuart Holroyd, Element, 1991, paperback: ISBN
1-8523-0200-3
- Lives in the Shadow with J. Krishnamurti - Radha Rajagopal Sloss, London: Bloomsbury, 1991. Reading, MA:
Addison-Wesley, 1991. (A critical look at the private life of Krishnamurti)
- Loving and Leaving the Good Life - Helen Nearing, White River Jct., VT: Chelsea Green, 1992
- Krishnamurti: 100 Years - Evelyne Blau, Stewart, Tabori and Chang; Reprint edition, 1995: ISBN 1-55670-678-2
- The Kitchen Chronicles: 1001 Lunches with Krishnamurti - Michael Krohnen, Edwin House Publishing, 1996: ISBN
0-9649247-1-4
- Krishnamurti and the Rajagopals - Mary Lutyens, Ojai, CA: Krishnamurti Foundation of America, 1996: ISBN
1-888004-08-8. (Contains a detailed refutation of the allegations contained in the Sloss book above, by one of Krishnamurti's
authorized biographers).
- A Vision of the Sacred: My Personal Journey with Krishnamurti - Sunanda Patwardhan, South Asia Books; 2nd edition,
1999: ISBN 0-14-029447-3
- As The River Joins The Ocean: Reflections about J. Krishnamurti - Giddu Narayan, and Chandramouli Narsipur, Edwin
House Publishing, 1999: ISBN 0-9649247-5-7
- The Beauty of the Mountain: Memories of Krishnamurti - Friedrich Grohe, The Krishnamurti Foundation Trust Ltd,
2001
- Star In The East: Krishnamurti: The Invention of a Messiah - Roland Vernon, Palgrave, 2001: ISBN 0-312-23825-8.
Sentient Publications, 2002: ISBN 0-9710786-8-8
Bibliographies
- A bibliography of the life and teachings of Jiddu Krishnamurti - Susunaga Weeraperuma, Brill, 1974.
- Supplement to A bibliography of the life and teachings of Jiddu Krishnamurti - Susunaga Weeraperuma, Bombay, Chetana,
1982: ISBN 0-8618-6717-3
Other Works
A number of books, monographs, research papers in various disciplines etc, have appeared through the years examining different
aspects of Krishnamurti. An indicative selection follows. Please bear in mind that Krishnamurti himself accepted no interpreters,
contemporary or future.
- Krishnamurti and the Unity of Man - Carlo Suares, Chetana, Bombay, 1953
- A Note on Krishnamurti (In The New Religions, by Jacob Needleman, Doubleday, N.Y., 1970)
- The Mind of J. Krishnamurti - Luis S. R. Vas, Jaico Publishing House, Bombay, 1971
- The Quest of the Quiet Mind: The Philosophy of Krishnamurti - Stuart Holroyd, Aquarian Press 1980, paperback: ISBN
0-85030-230-7
- J. Krishnamurti and awareness in action - A. D. Dhopeshwarkar, Popular Prakashan 1993: ISBN 8-1715-4759-1
- The inner life of Krishnamurti: private passion and perennial wisdom - Aryel Sanat, Quest 1999: ISBN 0-8356-0781-X. (A
Theosophical examination of Krishnamurti)
- The joy of creative living - Scaria Thuruthiyil, LAS 1999: ISBN 8-8213-0410-8
- The phenomenology of compassion in the teachings of Jiddu Krishnamurti - V. Boutte, Edwin Mellen Press 2002: ISBN
0-7734-7090-5. (An examination through the lens of Phenomenological Psychology)
Footnotes
- ^ Krishamurti: The Years of Awakening, by Mary Lutyens, Discus Books
reprint 1983, p 1. Lutyens was an authorized biographer and close confidant of Krishnamurti.
- ^ Lutyens, "Awakening", Discus, p 1. See "...As the eighth child, who
happened to be a boy, he was, in accordance with common Hindu practice, named after Sri Krishna."
- ^ Lutyens, "Awakening", ch 1
- ^ Lutyens, "Awakening", Discus, p 5. Quoting from Krishnamurti's memoirs,
"...'I may mention that I frequently saw her [my mother] after she died.'"
- ^ Krishnamurti was very close with his mother (who he describes as also
having psychic experiences) and highly affected by her passing. See Lutyens, "Awakening", Discus, p 5
- ^ Lutyens, "Awakening", Discus, p 7, see "...Theosophy embraced all
religions"
- ^ Lutyens, "Awakening", Discus, p 8
- ^ Star In The East: The Invention of A Messiah, by Roland Vernon, Palgrave
2001, pg 41
- ^ According to occult/theosophical lore,
"auras" are invisible emanations related to each individual's purported "subtler" planes of existence, as well as his/her
"normal" plane.
- ^ Krishnamurti: The Years Of Awakening, by M. Lutyens, Farrar, Strauss
and Giroux hardcover edition, p 21. Quoting Leadbeater's description to assistant Ernest Wood.
- ^ Lutyens, "Awakening", Farrar, Straus hardcover, p 21. Leadbeater was a
fascinating and complicated character who remained a mystery even to those close to him.
- ^ Krishnamurti: A Biography, by Pupul Jayakar, Harper & Row
1986, hardcover edition. Jayakar, one of the authorised biographers, and a close confidant of Krishnamurti, in chapter 2
questions at length the account of the boy Krishnamurti's physical appearance, implying that the cultural background of the
English theosophists might have influenced their impressions. She considers young Krishnamurti "beautiful", based on contemporary
photographs. Even if that was the case, it could be said that Krishnamurti was "chosen" despite the theosophists' cultural
background, rather than because of it.
- ^ Jayakar, "Krishnamurti", p 28. Krishnamurti in private conversations
during his later years would refer to this "vacancy" often, considering it fundamental to his later development. Apparently,
Leadbeater thought so too, although for different reasons.
- ^ Krishnamurti’s Journal: 15.9.1973
- ^ According to theosophical doctrine, the "World Teacher" is a
"messianic" figure corresponding to, and combining aspects of, Christ, Maitreya, and the Avatar, among others.
A founder of the Theosophical Society, H. P. Blavatsky, had divulged to select
associates prior to her death that the ultimate purpose of the Society was to prepare the way for this "imminent" arrival.
- ^ The suffix "-ji" in Hindu names is a sign of affection and/or
respect.
- ^ Vernon, "Star in the East", chap 4
- ^ Jayakar, "Krishnamurti", ch 3
- ^ Lutyens, "Awakening", Farrar, Straus hardcover, ch 7
- ^ Lutyens, "Awakening", Farrar, Straus hardcover, p 46
- ^ see also Order of the Star for
list of "the 6 principles" of the Order
- ^ Jayakar, "Krishnamurti", ch 3
- ^ Lutyens, "Awakening", Farrar, Straus hardcover, pages 56 & 59, also
chapters 5 through 7
- ^ Part of the controversy was Leadbeater's role. He had a history of being
in the company of young boys, and there was gossip concerning abuses. This was vehemently denied by Annie Besant, but the gossip
greatly disturbed Krishnamurti's father. See Lutyens, "Awakening", Discus, p 15
- ^ Star In The East: The Invention of a Messiah, by Roland Vernon,
Palgrave 2001, p 57.
- ^ Vernon, "Star In The East", Palgrave, p 53
- ^ Vernon, "Star In The East", Palgrave, p 52
- ^ Lutyens, in "Awakening" (Farrar, Straus), deals extensively with these
issues, see especially chapters 10 to 15. Vernon, in "Star In The East" (Palgrave), offers a concise summation in chapters 5
& 6
- ^ Vernon, "Star in the East", p.65
- ^ Vernon, "Star In The East', Palgrave, p 67
- ^ See "Edwin Lutyens, His Life, His Wife, His Work", by Jane Ridley,
Pimlico 2003,and "Candles In the Sun", by Emily Lutyens, 1957, Rupert Hart Davis
- ^ Vernon, "Star in the East, Palgrave, p 97
- ^ Vernon, Star in the East, Palgrave, p 113
- ^ Rosalind Williams, of Hollywood, had been asked to act as companion and
nurse to the ailing Nitya. The two soon developed a romantic attachment. See "Lives in the Shadow with J. Krishnamurti", by Radha
Rajagopal Sloss, Addison Wesley, 1991, chap 6
- ^ Krishnamurti:His Life and Death, by Mary Lutyens, St. Martin's Press
1990, p 35
- ^ Lutyens, "Fulfilment", Farrar, Straus hardcover, p 6
- ^ Jayakar, "Krishnamurti", p 46 onwards
- ^ Lutyens, "Awakening", Farrar, Straus hardcover, p 152 onwards
- ^ The world at large, first found out details and first hand decriptions of
"the process" in 1976, with the publication of Krishnamurti's Notebook (Krishnamurti Publications of America. Consists of
a journal that Krishnamurti kept between June 1961 and March 1962).
- ^ Krishnamurti and the others with him (Nitya, two prominent theosophists,
and Rosalind Williams, a young American who would play a significant role in Krishnamurti's life) each gave detailed, near
contemporary accounts of the 1922 incident
- ^ "...There was a man mending the road; that man was myself; the pickaxe
he held was myself; the very stone which he was breaking up was a part of me; the tender blade of the grass was my very being,
and the tree beside the man was myself. ...I was in everything, or rather everything was in me, inanimate and animate, the
mountain, the worm, and all breathing things. All day long I remained in this happy condition." Lutyens, "Awakening", Farrar,
Straus hardcover, p 158. Quoting Krishnamurti's written account, now in the Krishnamurti Archives, Krishnamurti Foundation
America
- ^ Nitya, and R. Williams, also had ecstatic experiences of their own,
described in their accounts.
- ^ Lutyens, "Awakening", Farrar, Straus hardcover, p 159-160. Quoting
Krishnamurti's written account, now in the Krishnamurti Archives, Krishnamurti Foundation America
- ^ The one most frequently put forth is the view that it represented the
so-called "awakening of kundalini", a process that, in Hindu mysticism, culminates in
transcedent consciousness (see Jayakar, "Krishnamurti", p 46, footnote). Others view it in Freudian terms. A theory, expounded in the Harvard Theological Review ("Mystical Union and Grief:
the Ba'al Shem Tov and Krishnamurti", July 1993, v86 n3), contends that this was basically a projection of Krishnamurti's
accumulated grief over the death of his mother. Still others, have viewed it as a purely physical event centered on sickness or
trauma. As far as Krishnamurti was concerned, he had encountered Truth.
- ^ Vernon, "Star In The East", Palgrave, p 131-132. See also Lutyens,
"Fulfilment" (Farrar, Straus) p 6-8, for description of Krishnamurti's "...new stature and authority". Lutyens adds, in a
somewhat confusing sentence, that (because of the process) "He became less vague and more beautiful."
- ^ Krishnamurti, in his "Notebook", strongly suggests that these
experiences, continuing unabated at the time of its writing in the early 1960s, served as facilitators of, and conduits to, the
"teaching" and its public exposition.
- ^ Lutyens, "Awakening", Farrar, Straus hardcover, p 219, describing
Krishnamurti's conviction that "...Nitya was essential for K's life-mission and therefore he would not be allowed to die."
Elsewhere, Lutyens mentions the theosophists' "assurances" about Nitya's importance to the "mission".
- ^ Lutyens, "Awakening", Farrar, Straus hardcover, p 220
- ^ Krishnamurti writing in the bulletin of the Order of the Star (The
Herald of the Star, January 1926)
- ^ Some sources erroneously list the date as August 2nd
- ^ Read the full text here: Dissolution Speech
- ^ Lutyens "Awakening", Farrar, Straus hardcover, ch 33, also online link in
previous footnote
- ^ Lutyens "Awakening", Farrar, Straus hardcover, ch 33, also online link in
previous footnote
- ^ Lutyens "Awakening", Farrar, Straus hardcover, p 278
- ^ Page 83, The Life and Death of Krishnamurti.
- ^ Freedom from the Known, by Jiddu Krishnamurti, edited by M.
Lutyens, HarperSanFrancisco 1969, p 21
- ^ Lutyens, "Awakening", Farrar, Straus, hardcover, ch 34, also Jayakar,
"Krishnamurti" pages 79 to 85
- ^ See chronology and annual speaking schedule here: Chronol