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The Flame of Attention
Brings insight and compassion to bear on the problems of insecurity and anxiety, and the solutions one finds through "attentiveness''--the key to true intelligence.
- GenresPhilosophy
150 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1983
17 people are currently reading
251 people want to read
About the author
J. Krishnamurti
1,334 books4,266 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 - 10 of 10 reviews
May 28, 2011
During the Power of Myth interview between Joseph Campbell and Bill Moyers, Joseph Campbell introduced me to the idea of finding an author that grabs you and to read everything they have written. This has been one of the single most important pieces of advice I have ever heard. Whether you're reading Marcel Proust, J.K. Rowling, or Leo Frobenius-- whatever it is that grabs you, read everything they have written.
I'm in the middle of reading everything I can find by J. Krishnamurti, and I highly recommend reading him in this fashion. In his body of work Krishnamurti slowly inquiries into the nature of human thought, knowledge, fear, and psychological suffering-- and over the 60 or so years he was speaking and writing, there is a wonderful evolution of language and voice; continuously inquiring into universal themes despite the limitations of words and cultural bias.
The specific quote from Joseph Campbell, if you're interested:
I'm in the middle of reading everything I can find by J. Krishnamurti, and I highly recommend reading him in this fashion. In his body of work Krishnamurti slowly inquiries into the nature of human thought, knowledge, fear, and psychological suffering-- and over the 60 or so years he was speaking and writing, there is a wonderful evolution of language and voice; continuously inquiring into universal themes despite the limitations of words and cultural bias.
The specific quote from Joseph Campbell, if you're interested:
"Sit in a room and read--and read and read. And read the right books by the right people. Your mind is brought onto that level, and you have a nice, mild, slow-burning rapture all the time. This realization of life can be a constant realization in your living. When you find an author who really grabs you, read everything he has done. Don’t say, “Oh, I want to know what So-and-so did”--and don’t bother at all with the best-seller list. Just read what this one author has to give you. And then you can go read what he had read. And the world opens up in a way that is consistent with a certain point of view. But when you go from one author to another, you may be able to tell us the date when each wrote such and such a poem--but he hasn’t said anything to you."
January 14, 2008
Reading this book really was like taking a walk with a close friend, and talking and thinking deeply about life. Amazing.
June 23, 2015
Yazarın hayat hikayesiyle ilgili bilgi sahibi olursanız eğer yazılarında, konuşmalarında neler olduğunu tahmin edebilirsiniz ama ben okuduğum şu 85 sayfalık kitapta çok fazla şey buldum.
Başlarken sert cümlelerle başlıyor, ben guru değilim ben mesih değilim, sizlere ne yapmanız gerektiğini söyleyecek biri değilim, reklam yapmıyorum, size bir şey satmıyorum, benim peşimden gelmenizi istemiyorum. Bu söylev sadece kitabın başlangıcında kalmıyor. Tüm sayfalar boyunca yazarın nefesi ensenizde:) Dolayısıyla etkilenmemek elde değil.
Ne söylediğine gelirsek eğer, düşüncenin daha doğrusu kararsız düşüncenin ne gibi zararlara sebep olabileceğinden bahsediyor yazar. Düşünce nedir? Bilgi nedir? Doğru diye bir şey var mıdır? Din nedir? gibi soruları cevaplıyor. Eylemlerden, tecrübelerden edindiklerimiz bizi bilgiye oradan da düşünceye götürüyor. Bir şey, bir kişi hakkındaki düşüncelerimiz onunla yaşadıklarımızdan doğuyor. Ve bu düşünce bizi o kişi hakkında bir imaj oluşturmaya itiyor. Sonuç olarak oluşturulan imajlar, beklentiye sürüklüyor bizleri. Tanıdığımızı sandığımız insanları düşünelim örneğin, beklentileriniz dışında davranışları olmuştur muhakkak. Ucu size dokunduğunda gözünüzdeki imaj yerinden oynamıştır belki? Hatta nefret etmiş bile olabilirsiniz.
Beraber bir şeyler paylaştığınız insanları tanıdığınızı sanıyorsunuz diyor yazar. Onu tanıyorum demek, aslında tanımadığınızı gösterir. Biliyorum diyebiliyorsanız aslında bilmiyorsunuzdur. Bilmiyorum diyebilen insan azdır, diyor.
Sadece ölüleri bilebiliriz ki o da hatıralardan. Yaşayan hiçbir kimseden emin olunamaz.
Farkındalığa gelirsek eğer, düşünmeden ve bir imaj oluşturmadan gözlem yapabilmek sizi acılarınızdan, incinmekten alıkoyar. Anın içindeyken sadece o ana odaklanmak, anı anın içinde yaşamak, tüm farkındalığınızı ona vermek bunun belleğinize kaydolmasına engel olur diyor. Bizleri üzen şeyler, acı hatıralardır. Geriye dönüp bakıldığında mutlu olduğunuz şeylerden önce acı çektiklerinizi hatırlarsınız. Çünkü mutluyken mutluluğa odaklanır, anı yaşar ve anıyı kaydetmezsiniz. Ancak üzüntü içindeyken, kendinize acır, bu acının sizi nasıl üzdüğünü düşünür sadece olumsuzluğa odaklanırsınız. Sebebi budur diyor. Yani ben öyle anladım. (farkındalığım yettiğince)
Bilgiye ulaşmak için her türlü kaynağa sahibiz. Teknoloji ilerliyor sürekli. Ancak bilgi ne adalet, ne özgürlük ne de iyilik getiriyor. Adaleti bu dünyada bulamayanlar ki insanlar zengin doğuyor, fakir doğuyor, sakat doğuyor. Farklı şartlarda doğuyor ve büyüyorlar. Adaleti burada bulamayanlar, düşüncenin yarattığı bir tanrıya, adaletin olduğu başka bir dünyaya inanarak kendilerini avutuyorlar. Düşünce üretiyor, insan üretiyor ve yine insan tapınıyor, diyor Jiddu.
Zeka ve sevgi nedensizdir. İkisi bir aradayken gerçektir ancak nedeni olan bir sevgi, gerçek sevgi değildir. Sevgiliniz beni neden seviyorsun? Neden ben, anlatsana biraz... dediğinde buradan alıntı yapabilir, günü kurtarabilirsiniz. (ooo yeees)
Kısacası, balık vermek değil de balık tutmayı öğretmek diye bir söz var hani. Yazar hazır bir balık vermiyor asla, tutmanıza yardımcı olmak adına yanınızda olmak istiyor. Ve bunun sebebi de kendisinin farkında olması.
Başlarken sert cümlelerle başlıyor, ben guru değilim ben mesih değilim, sizlere ne yapmanız gerektiğini söyleyecek biri değilim, reklam yapmıyorum, size bir şey satmıyorum, benim peşimden gelmenizi istemiyorum. Bu söylev sadece kitabın başlangıcında kalmıyor. Tüm sayfalar boyunca yazarın nefesi ensenizde:) Dolayısıyla etkilenmemek elde değil.
Ne söylediğine gelirsek eğer, düşüncenin daha doğrusu kararsız düşüncenin ne gibi zararlara sebep olabileceğinden bahsediyor yazar. Düşünce nedir? Bilgi nedir? Doğru diye bir şey var mıdır? Din nedir? gibi soruları cevaplıyor. Eylemlerden, tecrübelerden edindiklerimiz bizi bilgiye oradan da düşünceye götürüyor. Bir şey, bir kişi hakkındaki düşüncelerimiz onunla yaşadıklarımızdan doğuyor. Ve bu düşünce bizi o kişi hakkında bir imaj oluşturmaya itiyor. Sonuç olarak oluşturulan imajlar, beklentiye sürüklüyor bizleri. Tanıdığımızı sandığımız insanları düşünelim örneğin, beklentileriniz dışında davranışları olmuştur muhakkak. Ucu size dokunduğunda gözünüzdeki imaj yerinden oynamıştır belki? Hatta nefret etmiş bile olabilirsiniz.
Beraber bir şeyler paylaştığınız insanları tanıdığınızı sanıyorsunuz diyor yazar. Onu tanıyorum demek, aslında tanımadığınızı gösterir. Biliyorum diyebiliyorsanız aslında bilmiyorsunuzdur. Bilmiyorum diyebilen insan azdır, diyor.
Sadece ölüleri bilebiliriz ki o da hatıralardan. Yaşayan hiçbir kimseden emin olunamaz.
Farkındalığa gelirsek eğer, düşünmeden ve bir imaj oluşturmadan gözlem yapabilmek sizi acılarınızdan, incinmekten alıkoyar. Anın içindeyken sadece o ana odaklanmak, anı anın içinde yaşamak, tüm farkındalığınızı ona vermek bunun belleğinize kaydolmasına engel olur diyor. Bizleri üzen şeyler, acı hatıralardır. Geriye dönüp bakıldığında mutlu olduğunuz şeylerden önce acı çektiklerinizi hatırlarsınız. Çünkü mutluyken mutluluğa odaklanır, anı yaşar ve anıyı kaydetmezsiniz. Ancak üzüntü içindeyken, kendinize acır, bu acının sizi nasıl üzdüğünü düşünür sadece olumsuzluğa odaklanırsınız. Sebebi budur diyor. Yani ben öyle anladım. (farkındalığım yettiğince)
Bilgiye ulaşmak için her türlü kaynağa sahibiz. Teknoloji ilerliyor sürekli. Ancak bilgi ne adalet, ne özgürlük ne de iyilik getiriyor. Adaleti bu dünyada bulamayanlar ki insanlar zengin doğuyor, fakir doğuyor, sakat doğuyor. Farklı şartlarda doğuyor ve büyüyorlar. Adaleti burada bulamayanlar, düşüncenin yarattığı bir tanrıya, adaletin olduğu başka bir dünyaya inanarak kendilerini avutuyorlar. Düşünce üretiyor, insan üretiyor ve yine insan tapınıyor, diyor Jiddu.
Zeka ve sevgi nedensizdir. İkisi bir aradayken gerçektir ancak nedeni olan bir sevgi, gerçek sevgi değildir. Sevgiliniz beni neden seviyorsun? Neden ben, anlatsana biraz... dediğinde buradan alıntı yapabilir, günü kurtarabilirsiniz. (ooo yeees)
Kısacası, balık vermek değil de balık tutmayı öğretmek diye bir söz var hani. Yazar hazır bir balık vermiyor asla, tutmanıza yardımcı olmak adına yanınızda olmak istiyor. Ve bunun sebebi de kendisinin farkında olması.
November 5, 2020
Very splendid contribution by J Krishnamurti for the humanity .If anyone is new to JK’s philosophy I recommend you to read this one book and you will have enough understanding of his entire teachings as a whole .This is like a summation of all his works with respect to the appalling human problems and the enormous importance of an individual’s attentiveness which give immense insight in thought process and inevitably make one do a righteous action.
I read a lot of JK and I feel I have some hold of his teaching but we can never catch hold of a moving and living thing psychologically...So K emphasis on the need to be aware of ones own thoughts ,actions and feeling from moment to moment .
His language in this book is very much matured and precise compared to earlier works and he shows the truth by making the reader see this in totality ,non verbally and appeals for a fundamental transformation .
He says the attentive mind arrests the formation of centre in our daily lives and the action emanating from non centre is immeasurable and that catches upon something which is eternal .
He explains the drama of me ,self and it’s manifestations ,which are causing great havoc which dull and makes man miserable .So to be observant of that without the desire to suppress it is all the work one needs to do and regular scale to achieve wholeness in life!
Attention is like a flame which comes between the thoughts and sensations .This understanding by each one in ones life is very important and K has spent whole life to tell this and appeal humanity to see the futility and sorrows related to our misunderstanding and lack of self knowledge!
Just BE AWAKE and always welcome the unknown by having complete freedom from all the known(conditioning)
I read a lot of JK and I feel I have some hold of his teaching but we can never catch hold of a moving and living thing psychologically...So K emphasis on the need to be aware of ones own thoughts ,actions and feeling from moment to moment .
His language in this book is very much matured and precise compared to earlier works and he shows the truth by making the reader see this in totality ,non verbally and appeals for a fundamental transformation .
He says the attentive mind arrests the formation of centre in our daily lives and the action emanating from non centre is immeasurable and that catches upon something which is eternal .
He explains the drama of me ,self and it’s manifestations ,which are causing great havoc which dull and makes man miserable .So to be observant of that without the desire to suppress it is all the work one needs to do and regular scale to achieve wholeness in life!
Attention is like a flame which comes between the thoughts and sensations .This understanding by each one in ones life is very important and K has spent whole life to tell this and appeal humanity to see the futility and sorrows related to our misunderstanding and lack of self knowledge!
Just BE AWAKE and always welcome the unknown by having complete freedom from all the known(conditioning)
July 24, 2018
Fire
It's a little, insightful and bright book, so the review should be smaller too.
The Flame of Attention talks about anxiety, the feeling of insecurity, what's natural for a man and what's not, and Nirvana too.
Jiddu Krishnamurti beautifully narrated these splendid ideas about one's consciousness, thought process, ideas etc.
He emphasizes on the importance of being attentive to things, to little details, and understanding things more.
It's a good read, and a tasty delight to start with reading his writing more.
This is the first book I've read written by him.
Akshat Solanki
It's a little, insightful and bright book, so the review should be smaller too.
The Flame of Attention talks about anxiety, the feeling of insecurity, what's natural for a man and what's not, and Nirvana too.
Jiddu Krishnamurti beautifully narrated these splendid ideas about one's consciousness, thought process, ideas etc.
He emphasizes on the importance of being attentive to things, to little details, and understanding things more.
It's a good read, and a tasty delight to start with reading his writing more.
This is the first book I've read written by him.
Akshat Solanki
February 18, 2020
I hated the long rant and beating about the bush.
May 15, 2022
A masterpiece for the matured reader. If you are searching for answers you will find them in these 112 pages.
October 26, 2014
I really enjoyed this book. It's easy to read in short segments, each chapter is a transcript of a short lecture given in a different city on the same topic.
One interesting thing to me was how much his perspective resonates with a psychological technique called Focusing by Eugene Gendlin. They both emphasize the transformative power of paying very close attention to experience and just being fully present and deeply aware without analysis or judgment. The Krishnamurti book gives a theoretical description of the benefits. Gendlin just tells you how to do it. Ann Weiser Cornell also writes about how to do it. Krishnamurti explains why it's a good idea.
One interesting thing to me was how much his perspective resonates with a psychological technique called Focusing by Eugene Gendlin. They both emphasize the transformative power of paying very close attention to experience and just being fully present and deeply aware without analysis or judgment. The Krishnamurti book gives a theoretical description of the benefits. Gendlin just tells you how to do it. Ann Weiser Cornell also writes about how to do it. Krishnamurti explains why it's a good idea.
November 14, 2020
Remembering what I learned about conscious thought: we experience, gain knowledge, remember it, and act. Then , repeat. So using attention to observe the whole structure of the mind, the cycle, reduces hurt, confusion...relieves pressure. Easy right ? Haha!
January 20, 2016
Nothing new here if you're familiar with Krishnamurti, just another selection of transcribed talks. But its worth reading as he can communicate the same messages in ways that elucidate and elevate previous material to more understandable levels.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews