The Krishnamurti Reader

by J. Krishnamurti

J. Krishnamurti was renowned for the penetrating insight and immediacy of his spiritual teachings. Radical in his day for seeking truth beyond the boundaries of religion, ideology, or tradition, he declared that "Truth is a pathless land, and you cannot approach it by any path whatsoever." He traveled and lectured throughout the world, calling for a new approach to life and spirituality.

In this compilation of Krishnamurti's most essential teachings, he explores what he calls "the art of living." The topics addressed include such perennial human concerns as: living life without conflict and confusion, how to act with skill and clarity, the significance of meditation, death and dying, true freedom, and bringing the sacred into everyday life. These timeless teachings guide us to live our lives simply, intelligently, and with great love—free from the bonds of sorrow and fear.

Genres: Nonfiction, Spirituality, Philosophy, Psychology

160 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1954

About the author

Jiddu Krishnamurti was born on 11 May 1895 in Madanapalle, a small town in south India. He and his brother were adopted in their youth by Dr Annie Besant, then president of the Theosophical Society. Dr Besant and others proclaimed that Krishnamurti was to be a world teacher whose coming the Theosophists had predicted. To prepare the world for this coming, a world-wide organization called the Order of the Star in the East was formed and the young Krishnamurti was made its head.

In 1929, however, Krishnamurti renounced the role that he was expected to play, dissolved the Order with its huge following, and returned all the money and property that had been donated for this work.

From then, for nearly sixty years until his death on 17 February 1986, he travelled throughout the world talking to large audiences and to individuals about the need for a radical change in humankind.

Krishnamurti is regarded globally as one of the greatest thinkers and religious teachers of all time. He did not expound any philosophy or religion, but rather talked of the things that concern all of us in our everyday lives, of 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 humankind to free itself from inner burdens of fear, anger, hurt, and sorrow. He explained 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 spiritual quality.

Krishnamurti belonged to no religious organization, sect or country, nor did he subscribe to any school of political or ideological thought. On the contrary, he maintained that these are the very factors that divide human beings and bring about conflict and war. He reminded his listeners again and again that we are all human beings first and not Hindus, Muslims or Christians, that we are like the rest of humanity and are not different from one another. He asked that we tread lightly on this earth without destroying ourselves or the environment. He communicated to his listeners a deep sense of respect for nature. His teachings transcend belief systems, nationalistic sentiment and sectarianism. At the same time, they give new meaning and direction to humankind's search for truth. His teaching, besides being relevant to the modern age, is timeless and universal.

Krishnamurti spoke not as a guru but as a friend, and his talks and discussions are based not on tradition-based knowledge but on his own insights into the human mind and his vision of the sacred, so he always communicates a sense of freshness and directness although the essence of his message remained unchanged over the years. When he addressed large audiences, people felt that Krishnamurti was talking to each of them personally, addressing his or her particular problem. In his private interviews, he was a compassionate teacher, listening attentively to the man or woman who came to him in sorrow, and encouraging them to heal themselves through their own understanding. Religious scholars found that his words threw new light on traditional concepts. Krishnamurti took on the challenge of modern scientists and psychologists and went with them step by step, discussed their theories and sometimes enabled them to discern the limitations of those theories. Krishnamurti left a large body of literature in the form of public talks, writings, discussions with teachers and students, with scientists and religious figures, conversations with individuals, television and radio interviews, and letters. Many of these have been published as books, and audio and video recordings.

This author also writes under: Jiddu Krishnamurti

Reviews

[Natalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

My dad gave me this book. I read it through some hard times in my early twenties. Reread in my thirties. So interesting and helpful, but not for everyone.

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

A core idea is that looking inward, knowing is the experience of freedom.

[Sverre · Rating 1 out of 5]

==Cerebral convolutions==
I recall trying to "get into" Krishnamurti (K) some thirty years ago from a book I had borrowed from a friend. The first third of the book I was fascinated by his unconventional, chopped-up reasoning. Notably, there were no references to other Masters or bodies of wisdom that I knew of. What I was looking for was some direction and guidance on the spiritual path--a mentor with spiritual but practical advise. Half way through the book I gave up on reading the rest. I figured maybe I wasn't smart enough to grasp what K was trying to teach.

So, now I thought that maybe I would give K another try. After all, looking at the preponderance of five star reviews on Amazon, his books still have a very large fan base. By the time I got half way through this book I felt rationally conflicted and spiritually unenlightened. Out of more than a hundred mystical, religious or self-help authors I have heard or read, K comes across as having the most disconnected presentation. K was a genius, no doubt about it, and I am not, but for an average mortal I found myself still too mentally challenged to benefit from this book. When a commuication fails to make sense it misses its target. An incoherent muddle is not uplifting. His repetitive put-downs in judgment of us miserable mortals' failures put us on the defensive. His condemnation of systems and organizations based on "beliefs" is disconcerting. Trying to follow K's reasoning is for me like driving on the chaotic streets of downtown Calcutta blindfolded...it ends in chaotic gridlock. Admittedly, his messages can at moments be sagaciously uplifting, even liberating, but then, in the next breath, they can crush us down with seeming incongruous contradictions or leave us trying to cling to following chimerical injunctions. K puts the standard of thinking and behaviousr so high--disassociated from normal evaluations--that for me it loses its relevance.

Love and peace to all those who are his avid followers, and I should probably not be concerned that by trying to escape from the problems and challenges of material human existence they may get lost in the maze of K's ethereal convolutions. Krishnamurti was/is highly regarded by his fans (but, bafflingly, so was/is Proust). "Krishnamurti is one of the greatest philosophers of the age," has been attributed to His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Another holy man, Baha'u'llah, is reputed to have opined that "philosophy is the science of little substance that begins with words and ends with more words and rarely does it leave any legacy of significant consequence." Admittedly too reactionary, but having some merit. I wonder: What is K's legacy? Have his teachings helped to solve the world's conflicts or steer us mortals any closer to Nirvana?

Some quotes to ponder: "Thought can never bring about a holistic observation of life." P. 27. "Belief indicates a life that is based on make-believe, which has nothing to do with actuality." P. 47. "To listen there must be no direction." P. 47. "God is an invention of the intellect." P. 55. "Escape into meditation leads only to illusion." P. 56. "...as long as the brain is conditioned to solving problems we will never find the right answer." p. 60. "Distortion is brought about by any form of motive, purpose, direction." P 68. "The structure of the self arises only when there is registration of everything that is not necessary." P. 69. "...a person who is afraid in any way has no compassion." P. 71. "So, when there is analysis, there must inevitably be conflict." P. 74. "There is nothing holy, divine, or eternal about culture." P. 133. "Seeing is to be intimately in contact with it [human life], and you cannot be intimately, actually, in contact with it if you have concepts, beliefs, dogmas or opinions. p. 142. "But there is no compassion or love if you are attached to some religious organization or belief in something." p. 160.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Heady material, but worthwhile, either as a reminder of what you've already taught yourself or an introduction into what you're capable of teaching yourself. With that said, set some time aside, it's a short book, but it could take your awhile.

[Lostaccount · Rating 1 out of 5]

Read this guy when I was in my teens and thought he was a pure genius, took every word for gospel. Then a curious thing happened - I read him again when I grew up and decided he was full of shit about almost everything.

[Abhishek Biswas · Rating 1 out of 5]

I didn't like this book at all. It started with a bad taste and the "not this not this" approach, which I appreciate, but he spends too much time and words just to sound cool or philosophical. The basic ideas that can be found in any spirituality for beginners feel good books can be found here, just with a taste of sourness.

For example, if he wants to say "the food was delicious, I loved it",
He says: The combination of the natural items taken from earth and made into this fascinating unnatural eating material is marvelous, I and my taste buds really enjoyed the opportunity of having to consume this astonishing piece of perfection.

And he does this all throughout the book, hardly coming to the point, just beating the bush.

[Fred Kohn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some may remember that when I reviewed At the Feet of the Master, I mentioned that I would probably read another Krishnamurti book in the future, despite the fact that I thought that that book was "hideous." This one is much better. In fact, I may reread it at some time in the future. It seems like the kind of book one could come back to time and again.

[Valentina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Il messaggio di questo libro è rivoluzionario: difficile da comprendere ma altrettanto difficile da attuare. Frasi da ricordare e che fanno riflettere: "Ciò che siete dentro è stato proiettato all'esterno, sul mondo; ciò che siete, ciò che pensate e sentite, ciò che fate nella vostra esistenza quotidiana, viene proiettato fuori di voi e va a costituire il mondo"..."Le idee sono sempre fonte di inimicizia, confusione, conflitto"

[Steven H · Rating 3 out of 5]

SELECTIONS FROM THREE OF KRISHNAMURTI'S BOOKS

Jiddu Krishnamurti (1895-1986) was singled out by Charles W. Leadbeater, a leader of the Theosophical Society, as the coming "World Teacher"; and he was groomed for this role by Leadbeater and fellow TS head Annie Besant, who formed an organization, the Order of the Star, to support him in this role. However, in 1929 he famously rejected this role, and became an independent spiritual teacher for the rest of his life, writing many books such as 'You are the World,' 'Commentaries on living,'i, etc.

This book was edited by Mary Lutyens [author of the 3-volume biography, 'Krishnamurti: The Years of Awakening,' 'Krishnamurti: The Years of Fulfillment' and 'Krishnamurti: The Open Door'], and includes excerpts from Krishnamurti's books 'The First and Last Freedom,' 'Life Ahead: On Learning and the Search for Meaning,' and 'This Matter of Culture.'

He notes, "Thought has not solved our problems and I don't think it ever will. We have relied on the intellect to show us the way out of our complexity. The more cunning, the more hideous, the more subtle the intellect is the greater the variety of systems, of theories, of ideas. And ideas do not solve any of our human problems; they never have and they never will. The mind is not the solution; the way of thought is obviously not the way out of our difficulty." (Pg. 82)

He adds, "surely there is a state of intelligence which is not individual or collective. Then the problem of the relationship of the individual to society... to the community... to reality, ceases; because then there is only intelligence, which is neither personal nor impersonal. It is this intelligence alone, I feel, that can solve our immense problems." (Pg. 84)

He replies to a questioner, "Real freedom is not something acquired, it is the outcome of intelligence. You cannot go out and buy freedom in the market. You cannot get it by reading a book, or by listening to someone talking... To be creative, which is to have real initiative, there must be freedom; and for freedom there must be intelligence. So you have to inquire and find out what is preventing intelligence. You have to investigate life, you have to question social values, everything, and not accept anything because you are frightened." (Pg. 176)

To another questioner, he said, "It is [modern education] not a failure, sir? When you go out on the street you see the poor man and the rich man; and when you look around you, you see all the so-called educated people throughout the world wrangling, fighting, killing each other in wars. There is now scientific knowledge enough to enable us to provide food, clothing and shelter for human beings, yet it is not done. The politicians and other leaders throughout the world are educated people... and yet they have not created a world in which man can live happily. So modern education has failed, has it not? And if you are satisfied to be educated in the same way, you will make another howling mess of life." (Pg. 211-212)

He cautions, "It does not matter what I am. What matters is to find out the truth or the falseness of what is being said. If you think such-and-such a thing is important because so-and-so is saying it, then you are not really listening, you are not trying to find out for yourself what is true and what is false." (Pg. 219)

When asked about life after death, he replied, "If you really want to know, how are you going to find out? By reading what Shankara, Buddha or Christ has said about it?... They may all be totally wrong. Are you prepared to admit this---which means that your mind is in a position to inquire? You must first find out, surely, whether there is a soul to survive... The word 'soul' implies something beyond mere physical existence, does it not?... The other part is: what is death?... You want to know if there is survival after death but, you see, that question is not important. The important question is: can you know death while you are living?... you can find out for yourself what death is, not after you are dead, but while you are living, healthy, vigorous, while you are thinking, feeling." (Pg. 233-234)

He asks, "is there a perceiver, or only perception?... Is there a thinker, or only thinking? Surely, the thinker does not exist first. First there is thinking, and then thinking creates the thinker---which means that a separation in thinking has taken place. It is when this separation takes place that there comes into being the watcher and the watched, the perceiver and the object of perception... you will discover that when the mind is very quiet, completely still... then that very stillness has its own creative understanding. In that stillness the mind is transformed into something else. But... it does not come about through sitting in a corner and trying to concentrate. That stillness comes when you understand the ways of the mind." (Pg. 245)

This collection is an excellent "introduction" to Krishamurti's many books.

[Simone Gherbe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Krishnamurti a certi piace, a certi non piace, fa parte del dualismo delle cose, ma capisco che ad alcuni Jiddu può risultare ostico, irritante, ecc...
A me onestamente non dispiace leggerlo e irritarmi per le cose che dice di cui uno può non essere d'accordo sarebbe solo dargli ragione, siccome in sé noi lo giudichiamo solo attraverso i nostri condizionamenti, che è ciò su cui Jiddu Krishnamurti vorrebbe che riflettessimo.
Il linguaggio è uno strumento dualistico a cui non sembra possibile divincolarsi, parlare di qualcosa genera automaticamente contraddizione e ''la parte opposta'', per questo vale la regola del Taoismo: Il tao che è tao non è tao, ovvero, appena se ne parla, è già stato depurato e frainteso, per questo può essere inteso solo dall'intuizione, non dall'intelletto razionale.

Inconsapevolmente, Krishnamurti ha molte concordanze con il Taoismo, Eraclito e Ramana Maharashi.

[Giuseppe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Krishnamurti è stato senza dubbio una delle menti più affascinanti della storia. In questo libro ci guida a comprendere quanto sia importante e trascendentale la conoscenza di sé. Senza conoscenza, senza una comprensione di noi stessi, qualunque cosa facciamo con l'obiettivo di cercare la felicità non avrà alcun senso.

[Sean Murray · Rating 2 out of 5]

Word Salad

Sadly, I had to give up on this one. Kept contradicting himself, logically and philosophically. As Humans, we of course contradict ourselves all the time. But if I am going to read your findings from life, I need more than a spray of self-contradictory platitudes…. if I was wanting that, I’d be into politics, not philosophy.

[Durim Morina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Be aware or beware of yourself!

'He helps us te see ourselves as we really are, for it is in seeing with absolute clarity that the inward revolution takes place.'

[Ana B. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Un libro che potrebbe fare la differenza, con delle risposte ben formate, chiare e originali. Mi è piaciuto tanto, vorrei avere la mente più chiara per poter capire di più.

[Eleonora Lola · Rating 5 out of 5]

Il mio grande maestro spirituale . Con me ad ogni colazione .

[Sara Letture · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ci sono un bel po' di spunti di riflessione, ma è davvero troppo ripetitivo

[Angie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very insightful, a perspective little thought about in my life. Showing the serious flaws in caring about society, and being apart of society