The First Step is the Last Step

by J. Krishnamurti

'The first step is the last step. The first step is to perceive, perceive what you are thinking, perceive your ambition, perceive your anxiety, your loneliness, your despair, this extraordinary sense of sorrow, perceive it, without any condemnation, justification, without wishing it to be different. Just to perceive it, as it is. When you perceive it as it is, then there is a totally different kind of action taking place, and that action is the final action. Right? That is, when you perceive something as being false or as being true, that perception is the final action, which is the final step.'

This book consists of the talks Krishnamurti have between December 1970 and January 1971. For those who have gone seriously into Krishnamurti teachings, this book offers strikingly new perspectives on man's ancient quest for self-knowledge.

286 pages, Paperback

Published January 1, 2004

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

[S.Ach · Rating 3 out of 5]

Krishnamurti says,

"I think there is only one fundamental question, which is, how to live in this world with intelligence, sanity, with great affection, beauty, in spite of all our complications; how to live a life that has depth, that in the very living there is significance, a life that is without conflict, a sane, healthy life with freedom and great intelligence."

And he doesn't suggest a lengthy procedure or prescribe an arduous ritual to achieve it. In fact, he doesn't suggest any guaranteed solution. All he advises is to observe oneself deeply, free from previous conditioning and biases.

"The first step is the last step.  The first step is the step of clear perception, and that clear act of clear perception is the last act.  When you see danger, a serpent, that very perception is complete action.  We said the first step is the last step.  The first step is to perceive–perceive what you are thinking, perceive your ambition, perceive your anxiety, your loneliness, your despair, the extraordinary sense of sorrow.  Perceive it without any condemnation, justification, without wishing it to be different, just perceive it as it is.  When you perceive it as it is, then there is a totally different kind of action taking place, and that action is the final action.  That is, when you perceive something as being false or as being true, that perception is the final action, which is the final step."

I admire the teachings of Krishnamurti, a lot.

Then why didn't I rate this book highly? Because, this book contains transcripts of several talks of the much venerated Indian philosopher and teacher in various cities of India during 1970-71. Hence, the concepts in the talks are often repetitive and need editing to be presented to a later reader. With voice modulation, tonality, pauses - talks are more meaningful. Hence, when you listen to a talk, you get a different feeling and understanding than when you read the transcripts. For example, most of the answers given by the speaker in the question-answer section of the talks, read pretty dismissive.