A common man marvels at uncommon things. A wise man marvels at the commonplace. CONFUCIUS

Saturday 11 June 2016

Relationship and Illusion

I'm reading, and much enjoying, Krishnamurti to Himself: His Last Journal . . .

It is odd that we have so little relationship with nature, with the insects and the leaping frog and the owl that hoots among the hills calling for its mate. We never seem to have a feeling for all living things on the earth . . . Man has killed millions of whales and is still killing them. All that we derive from their slaughter can be had through other means. But apparently man loves to kill things, the fleeting deer, the marvellous gazelle and the great elephant. We love to kill each other. The killing of other human beings has never stopped throughout the history of man's life on this earth. If we could, and we must, establish a deep long abiding relationship with nature, with the actual trees, the bushes, the flowers, the grass and the fast moving clouds, then we would never slaughter another human being for any reason whatsoever. Organized murder is war, and though we demonstrate against a particular war, the nuclear, or any other kind of war, we have never demonstrated against war. We have never said that to kill another human being is the greatest sin on earth . . .

. . . We are always trying to identify ourselves with our race, our culture, with those things which we believe in, with some mystical figure, or some saviour, some kind of super authority. Identifying with something seems to be the nature of man . . . One wonders why this craving, longing, for identification exists. One can understand the identification with one's physical needs — the necessary things, clothes, food, shelter and so on. But inwardly, inside the skin as it were, we try to identify ourselves with the past, with tradition, with some fanciful romantic image, a symbol much cherished. And surely in this identification there is a sense of security, safety, a sense of being owned and of possessing. This gives great comfort. One takes comfort, security, in any form of illusion. And man apparently needs many illusions.

Jiddu Krishnamurti 1983

7 comments:

George said...

The last line of your quote — "man apparently needs many illusions" — says it all. Strip away the illusions and the world as we know it would probably descend into chaos. Ironically, however, virtually all great wisdom traditions call upon us to break through the illusions in order to directly encounter reality, enjoy true freedom for the first time, and ultimately live authentic lives. Indeed, I think that tearing down the wall of illusions is at the heart of the ancient wisdom, found not only in Christianity but in many other traditions, that we must die to one way of life in order to be "born again" in another. Love Krishnamurti — he gets it on so many levels, but particularly with respect to the reluctance of most human beings to fully accept and embrace reality.

The Solitary Walker said...

I love Krishnamurti too. The essence of his teaching is to try to show us how so many of our beliefs are the result of delusory thought processes, how time and thought are subjective and imprisoning. We cling to these beliefs out of fear, needing to believe they provide a kind of truth or at least some sort of comfort. But the truth is relative and the comfort, in the long term, false.

bogpan said...

Exodus

And if ever you don’t see
Exodus,
dig in the soil like a fruit
worm
and lift the stone of yourself
heavier,
to find a word
harder than Maya.

And if you ever demand for more,
dig the sky.

Amanda Summer said...

One of my favorite quotes is from Krishnamurti. When giving a talk, he asked the audience if they wanted to know his secret for a happy, contented life. The audience went quiet waiting for him to divulge his secret, which was:
"I don't mind what happens."

The Solitary Walker said...

A good approach to life, Amanda! Thanks for visiting.

Heidrun Khokhar, KleinsteMotte said...

From birth we are conditioned and molded by what surrounds us. We as youngsters have to find ways to sooth our angsts. What we accept is our inner truths as reality thus becoming our compass to help us navigate our personal needs. And only the very strong and curious can move out past their comfort zone. I shall read a bit more by the writer you proposed. Thanks.

The Solitary Walker said...

And thanks for your recent comments, KleinsteMotte!