Topic awaiting preservation: Philosophy

Do someone on this website know the work of J. Krishnamurti ? I ended up on his website ( The Teachings of J. Krishnamurti and I found it excellent. Here is an excerpt :

quote:

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Questioner: What is the ultimate reason or purpose of human existence?

Krishnamurti: Do you know any purposes? The way we live has no meaning
and no purpose. We can invent a purpose, the purpose of perfection,
enlightenment, reaching the highest form of sensitivity; we can invent
endless theories. And we are caught in those theories, making them our
problems. Our daily life has no meaning, no purpose, except to make a
bit of money and lead an idiotic kind of life. One can observe all this,
not in theory but actually in oneself; the endless battle in oneself,
seeking a purpose, seeking enlightenment, going all over the world -
specially to India or to Japan - to learn a technique of meditation.
You can invent a thousand purposes but you need not go anywhere, not to
the Himalayas, to a monastery, or to any ashram - which is another form
of concentration camp - because everything is in you. The highest, the
immeasurable, is in you, if you know how to look. Do not assume it is
there; that is one of the stupid tricks we play upon ourselves: that we
are God, that we are the 'perfect' and all the rest of that childish stuff.
Yet through the illusion, through 'what is', through the measurable, you find
something that is immeasurable; but you must begin with yourself, where you
can discover for yourself how to look.

---

And what do you think of it ?


Ultimately all things are known because you want to believe you know. -Zensunni koan

I have a couple of his books but haven't read them in years. I do remember been quite struck with them when I picked them up but now, some 10 years on, I find them too new agey for my tastes. Maybe new agey is not the word.. spiritual perhaps. Not for me anymore anyway. But definitely an interesting and worthwhile read.

I'm not sure he actually wrote anything. From what I recall he would talk and the lectures or discussions were written down.

I was not familiar with him until I saw your post. I would have to read a bit more to get a better understanding of his positions.

On the surface and from what you quoted, I would say I disagree with him on a very basic point when he says there is no real purpose to life.

. . : slicePuzzle

No purpose? Fwah. Aside from 'inventing' one, there is real purpose...even if it is only the propagation of the species...survival, etc.

How do I know this? Do you feel the need for air, under water? Do you get thirsty? Do you get hungry? Wet, cold, hot, etc? Do you have the fear of dying? If not for a purpose, then what?

These are all 'underlaying' purposes...you don't notice them, until you are suffering from one (or more) of the above conditions...then you feel those purposes, even if you don't recognize them as such...they become, at that moment, the most important of all things.

As for Ultimate purpose...that's another question...

Fwah?

...that's my purpose in life--to seek out new word forms and new civilizations.

Sorry, but it's late, and I just had a few pints of Guinness. You can't expect me to be all that deep right now.

Isn't Krishnamurti the "prophet" that the Hari-Krishna's follow? You know, the fellows with yellow robes and funky haircuts that are always shown in an airport somewhere proselytizing?

We have an "Ultimate" purpose in life? I always thought it was just to enjoy what you have right now and make it alive to the next day...


Bodhi - Cell 617

The purpose of life is different for everyone.

For me, the purpose of life is to understand as much as possible about the motives for people's apparently random idiotic non-caring behavior.

Also, my purpose in life is to learn every lesson that is being taught to me through my various circumstances.

And, also to play as much X-Box as possible.

Cell 816 ~ teamEarth ~ Asylum Quotes

Well I surely not understood this like you did
In fact, I understood it like an answer to all the persons asking to themselves : " What is my purpose ?". Otherwise, I agree with your point of views...

Silence is another speech. -Me

No, Jiddu Krishnamurti nothing to do with the Hari Krishna religion. Not as far as I know at least (maybe I'm wrong...) The Krishna's use the Bhagavad Gita as their sacred text. Krishnamurti seemed to be opposed to organized religion and spoke mainly about freedom. Again, I think... he took forever to make a point.

thank goodness for google.com
the hari krishna leader was (he has died i think?) Srila Prabhupada.
his image is top left here.

[edit- fix link

[This message has been edited by velvetrose (edited 02-16-2003).]

Multiply that the true purpose...keep our spieces alive....just like any living organism on earth