Jiddhu
Krishnamurti (11th May 1895—17th February 1986) was born to amiddle-class family in South India. In 1908, at only thirteen
years of age, he was ‘discovered’ by the leaders of the
Theosophical Society, Mrs Annie
Besant and C.W. Leadbeater, and declared to be the 'Lord Maitraya' -
'World Teacher', or returned Buddha, awaited by the Theosophists.
In his early life, Krishnamurti had several mystical experiences
that deeply transformed him and gave him a new vision and
outlook on life. In 1929, he abandoned the organization set
up the the Theosophists.
From
then on until 1986 (i.e. until the age of 91), Krishnamurti traveled a
round the worldgiving
lectures and spreading his teachings, which were based not on book
knowledge and scholarship, but on his insight into the human condition
and his vision of the sacred. Krishnamurti lived through a period
that experienced phenomenal progress in various technological and
scientific fields. His prophetic vision warned us of coming events far
ahead of time. Decades before we became aware of the danger to the
planet by exploiting its resources, he was already teaching
children at school to take care of the earth.
Krishnamurti
is regarded by many as the teacher with the most profound impact
on human consciousness during our modern times. Declaring that his only
concern was to set man absolutely and unconditionally free, he sought to
liberate man from his deep conditioning of sorrow, fear, violence, and
selfishness. He enriched the lives of millions of people around the
world, and gave new meaning and content to religion by pointing to a way
of life that transcends all organized religions.
Although he is recognized both in the East and the West as one of the
greatest religious teachers of all times, Krishnamurti himself belonged
to no religion, sect, or organization , nor did he follow any school of
political or ideological thought. On the contrary, he maintained that to
'follow another is evil' and that these are the very factors that divide
man from man and bring about conflict and war. He emphasized again and
again that we are first and foremost human beings, that are not
different from one another. His teachings, besides being relevant to
the modern age, are timeless and universal, and are aimed at bringing
about a new civilization, free from violence and wars.
Krishnamurti’s works have been translated into close to fifty
languages. His talks, dialogues, journals and letters have been
preserved in seventy books and in hundreds of audio and video recordings.
His living legacy remains in the minds and hearts of millions of people
whose lives he touched and transformed with his understanding of life
and great compassion for all beings.
He
created no organization of believers and disciples, authorized no one to
become an interpreter of his work and asked only that, after his death,
those who shared his concerns preserve for posterity an authentic record
of his talks, dialogues and writings and make them widely available to
the public.
This
comprehensive record of Krishnamurti's teaching is an excellent,
wide-ranging introduction to the great philosopher's thought. Within
general discussions of conflict, fear, violence, religious experience,
self-knowledge, and intelligence, Krishnamurti examines specific issues,
such as the role of the teacher and tradition; the need for awareness of
"cosmic consciousness"; the problem of good and evil; and
traditional Vedanta methods of help for different levels of seekers.
Krishnamurti discusses these themes with Jacob Needleman, Alain Naude,
and Swami Venkatasananda, among others. The Awakening of Intelligence
is indispensable for all those intent on a fuller understanding of
Krishnamurti's teaching.
Krishnamurti
ranks up there with Kahlil Gibran in what you might call common sense mysticism.
Repudiating his upbringing as a Theosophist World Leader,
Krishnamurti pushed a sort of religious self-reliance, as
evidenced in the title of this collection of essays, This
Light in Oneself. Meditation for Krishnamurti has nothing
to do with gurus, postures, or concentration exercises, nor is
its purpose "to sleep longer, do your job better, or to
get more money." What it is can be a bit slippery,
though. As Krishnamurti states it, meditation is a
psychological state--a kind of choiceless awareness, "a
state in which the 'me' is totally absent." His argument
comes out gradually in this series of essays that are here
published for the first time. But since each essay was
originally a self-enclosed lecture on meditation, there is
much overlap of material. So the reader must approach the book
like a spaceship that circles planets and moons in order to be
slingshot to further reaches. Path: unknown. Final
destination: enlightenment. --Brian
Bruya
To
Be Human To Be Human presents Krishnamurti's
radical vision of life in a new way. At the heart of this extraordinary
collection are passages from the great teacher's talks that amplify and clarify
the nature of truth and those obstacles that often prevent us from seeing it.
Most of these core teachings have not been available in print until now. Besides
presenting the core of Krishnamurti's message, the books alerts the reader to
his innovative use of language, the ways in which he would use 'old words with
new interpretations,' then gives practical examples, showing that we can clarify
our understanding of life itself - and act on this new understanding. The
splendid introduction by David Skitt discusses Krishnamurti's philosophy as a
guide to knowledge and experience, the roles knowledge and experience should
play in our lives, and the times when it is best to cast the aside and 'look and
act anew'. The book's source notes will aid the inquisitive reader who wishes a
deeper understanding of this great teacher's message.
The
Awakening of Intelligence
