Showing results by author "Jiddu Krishnamurti" in All Categories

This comprehensive record of Krishnamurti’s teachings is an excellent, wide-ranging introduction to the great philosopher’s thought. With among others, Jacob Needleman, Alain Naude, and Swami Venkatasananda, Krishnamurti examines such issues 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.

On its 40th anniversary, Krishnamurti was invited to speak to the United Nations. He was then 90 years old, and they used the opportunity to give him a peace medal. The editors at the Krishnamurti Foundation of America were then requested to add more content from various recorded talks to create a book to be distributed by the World Future Society. The book was given out for free at their convention in Washington, D.C. in 1992 but other than that it has never been published. The location of the talks transcribed ranges from Brussels to Mumbai, and from San Diego to Colombo.

The roots of psychological conflict. 1 April 1980. Duration: 82 minutes. Has humanity taken a wrong turn? What is the root of this tremendous inward conflict of humanity? When I am trying to become something, it is a constant battle. Can the brain itself see that it is caught in time and as long as it is moving in that direction conflict is eternal, endless? Can the mind realise, resolve a psychological problem immediately?

Is thought detrimental? 15 August 1965. Duration: 63 minutes. Why does one seek pleasure? Can the mind face only facts and not thought? Why have I never said, 'Thought is poison' to myself? Meeting something one doesn't know, facing something which has no answer. Acting without knowing. What is a state of mind which is silent? Time is detrimental. Are we twisting everything to our core of pleasure?

Can the mind be free? 3 February 1969. Duration: 99 minutes. The society in which we live is the result of our psychological state. Where there is fear there is aggression. For most of us, freedom is something that we don’t want. Inaction is total action. What is the machinery that builds images? Questions from the audience follow the talk.

To look without a concept is to be aware of the observer and the thing observed. 20 May 1967. Duration: 88 minutes. Violence and sorrow are not limited to the West or the East; they are parts of the human structure psychologically. Is it possible to bring about a change radically, a total revolution in the psyche itself, not through time? The first and last freedoms are when the mind is totally free from concepts and the mechanical process of building a formula.

What is truth, and what is reality? 18 May 1975. Duration: 70 minutes. What is truth, and what is reality? Anything that thought thinks about or reacts upon or projects - that is reality. And that reality has nothing to do with truth. The art of seeing is to place reality where it is and not move that in order to get truth. You can't get truth. How am I to empty that consciousness and yet retain knowledge - otherwise I couldn't function - and reach a state which will comprehend reality?

At the Feet of the Master authored by Jiddu Krishnamurti when he was 14 years old. Written under the name Alcyone, it was first published in 1910. It was his first recorded message to the world. Included in this selection are a collection of quotes from the 1960’s talks representative his midlife wisdom. Krishnamurti died when he was 90 years old in 1986.

Complete freedom from thought. 9 September 1972. Duration: 76 minutes. Learning is instant perception and action. What place has thought in learning? To learn about freedom, must thought be completely silent? Does insight into freedom take time? Can thinking, however rational, bring about a psychological revolution in us? Is thought always conditioned? Is freedom the nonexistence of thought?

What is the operation of thought? 14 July 1974. Duration: 84 minutes. In the world around us and inside us, is there a relationship between the inner and the outer? Are you free to listen, or do you listen with interpretation and prejudices? Do I observe the content of my consciousness as an outsider?

To perceive 'what is' is the basis of truth. 7 February 1971. Duration: 86 minutes. Where there is division, there must be conflict. A mind in conflict must inevitably be distorted, and therefore it cannot possibly see clearly what is truth. We need a total change, a deep revolution, psychological revolution, the inward revolution, without which you cannot possibly create a new society. Is it possible to observe, to perceive without the observer?

The role of the teacher. 26 March 1971. Duration: 56 minutes. There is much talk of a spiritual revolution among young people. Do you see in this very mixed phenomenon any hope of a new flowering for civilisation or possibility of growth? One can go into oneself at tremendous depths and find out everything. To go into oneself is the problem. Not being able to do it, we ask for help. If there were no books, no gurus, what would you do?

Is thought detrimental? 15 August 1965. Duration: 63 minutes. Why does one seek pleasure? Can the mind face only facts and not thought? Why have I never said, 'Thought is poison' to myself? Meeting something one doesn't know, facing something which has no answer. Acting without knowing. What is a state of mind which is silent? Time is detrimental. Are we twisting everything to our core of pleasure?

Living with a sustained seriousness. 21 February 1970. Duration: 91 minutes. What does it mean to be serious? Becoming. Why do I compare myself with you or with somebody else? Do I look at people through images? Can the brain operate without recourse to the past? 22 February 1970. Duration: 92 minutes. Is there self-progress? Conflict. Security. Any form of division within oneself is a source of conflict. Can the brain be quiet?

To communicate, we must know that the word is not the thing and also be in that state of mind whose quality is attention, care. That can only take place if we are serious. We are the world and the world is us. To bring about a radical transformation, which is so essential in society, there must be radical transformation in ourselves. Analysis of violence does not end violence, nor is violence ended by thinking of non-violence.

Seven public talks, including 'Does self-knowledge come through searching? - 16th July 1949' and 'Relationship has significance only when it is a process of self-revelation. - 17th July 1949' and more.

Attention implies the total abandonment of the 'me'. 6 March 1971. Duration: 100 minutes. Can the mind undergo a radical revolution? How do you observe the world? What solves our human problem is observing the whole process of ourselves without judging, condemning, translating or rejecting - just to observe.

Though we have plenty of energy, apparently we lack the drive, enthusiasm, vitality to bring about a change in ourselves. As long as there is fear, there must be violence, aggression, anger, hatred. Thought is the source of fear. Is it possible to live everyday life without thought interfering? Thought is always old. When you worship thought, you are worshipping some thing that is dead.

A radical transformation in the psyche itself. 8 November 1968. Duration: 80 minutes. To communicate we must know that the word is not the thing and also be in that state of mind whose quality is attention, care. That can take place only if we are serious. We are the world, and the world is us. To bring about a radical transformation, which is so essential in society, there must be radical transformation in ourselves.

We shall explore together into this life, existence, in which is included relationship, love and death, not merely as a phenomenon but as something tremendously significant, to be cherished, deeply lived. Meditation is the approach to this problem of living.