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The Krishnamurti Reader
J. Krishnamurti was renowned for the penetrating insight and immediacy of his spiritual teaching. 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 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.
- GenresPhilosophyNonfiction
191 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 11, 2011
23 people are currently reading
125 people want to read
About the author
J. Krishnamurti
1,337 books4,310 followersJiddu 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
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
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
November 5, 2020
Impactful to say the least. This books makes you put your life into perspective, even if you don’t agree with it. I wish everyone would read it.
June 10, 2023
It's odd to review a book that is both a collection and speeches rendered into text. Given the latter, the "writing" style is casual and less precise than traditionally expected of a formal treatise. But this actually makes his writing more approachable, as the reader doesn't need to pause to try to understand a string of loaded words in run-on sentences as with much philosophy.
The themes in the book are the same as in Freedom from the Known. Krishnamurti is concerned with people being enthralled to their beliefs – including the meaning of past experiences. True freedom, he says, comes daily without regard for the past or planning for the future. Of course, this is inherently impractical in modern society. Even saying I would want to do that, the very wanting is problematic as it entails strife between what is and what could be. Any kind of comparison or desire reveals conflict. "There is fear when there is measurement." Fear is the movement of thought, which must be abandoned. As such, Krishnamurti admonishes the audience simply to be – without consciously relating between subject and object.
While I remain unable to achieve the state of emptiness that enables full attentiveness, reading his words are nevertheless a helpful reminder of how concerned we are with making plans and our worldly affairs. There is good reason for this, of course, and ironically we can plan to just be for a certain amount of time; but our responsibilities to others will eventually come to bear sooner or later. Even thinking about this is what Krishnamurti understands as meditation, rather than how the term is typically bandied as striving for inner peace or oneness or anything at all. Striving is anathema to meditation. Meditation is simply being aware of your thoughts; taking action to remove sources of stress is a bonus, but meditation itself is awareness.
The themes in the book are the same as in Freedom from the Known. Krishnamurti is concerned with people being enthralled to their beliefs – including the meaning of past experiences. True freedom, he says, comes daily without regard for the past or planning for the future. Of course, this is inherently impractical in modern society. Even saying I would want to do that, the very wanting is problematic as it entails strife between what is and what could be. Any kind of comparison or desire reveals conflict. "There is fear when there is measurement." Fear is the movement of thought, which must be abandoned. As such, Krishnamurti admonishes the audience simply to be – without consciously relating between subject and object.
While I remain unable to achieve the state of emptiness that enables full attentiveness, reading his words are nevertheless a helpful reminder of how concerned we are with making plans and our worldly affairs. There is good reason for this, of course, and ironically we can plan to just be for a certain amount of time; but our responsibilities to others will eventually come to bear sooner or later. Even thinking about this is what Krishnamurti understands as meditation, rather than how the term is typically bandied as striving for inner peace or oneness or anything at all. Striving is anathema to meditation. Meditation is simply being aware of your thoughts; taking action to remove sources of stress is a bonus, but meditation itself is awareness.
December 23, 2022
Interesting ideas, very mind-opening in terms of seeing unhappiness and conflict in life in new ways that are bound more to logic than to nebulous mysticism. A bit redundant at times but that's probably to be expected from a collection of lectures as opposed to a written guide. Excellent read nonetheless. The final chapter is my favorite and seems the most immediately translatable into daily practice.
March 17, 2023
This is definitely not one for the simple minded. The book makes you think about what it means to live. The focus is on a life where you are not limited by thought, desire or conflict instead the writer wants us to observe inwards without judgement or prejudice. Once we do that then we eliminate the conflict within ourselves then we can see things as a whole and live life. The key to this lies in meditation that looks to empty thoughts and only then can one realize the timeless.
April 14, 2023
Really heady
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews