FAQ's = Frequently Asked Questions on 
Jiddu Krishnamurti

I sincerely and respectfully only ask if you have 'conflict' when sharing Krishnamurti, and at the same time being so involved with Theosophy?

How did you co me into contact with J. Krishnamurti's work?

I found the Theosophical Society in 1993. Many of its members adore J. Krishnamurti, so through them I learnt about him, and fell in love.

I thought Jiddu Krishnamurti left the Theosophical Society, why then does a person interested in Jiddu Krishnamurti also have a big website on theosophy?

The question might as well be the other way around: Why does a person interested in theosophy have a Jiddu Krishnamurti - Website? First, briefly, the historical facts.

J. Krishnamurti was discovered on the beach in Adyar by Leadbeater. The pure aura of the boy attracted his attention and he thought that this would be the new world-teacher. An organization was created to celebrate the followers of this new leader. A mythology grew up in absence of the teachings of the boy, because he had not yet grown up. This part of the history is recorded often in books and pamphlets and websites on K. (=Krishnamurti). But K. grew tired of the admiration and felt that spiritual growth is something that does not need a path, or a leader or a guru, but is in our own consciousness. Eventually this lead Jiddu Krishnamurti to disband the Order of the Star of the East, the organization that was created in his honor and that he became the leader of. But he did not leave the Theosophical Society (so TS [=Theosophical Society - Adyar] - rumor has it) until years later. Some people say he was forced out. I do not know the exact circumstances. Anyhow the relations with individual TS - members stayed cordial. In fact Radha Burnier, current president of the TS-Adyar, was a friend of Krishnamurti's. 

Krishnamurti's dismantling the order of the star created a big shock in TS-circles as can be imagined. Many people left the TS altogether and in membership numbers the TS never fully recovered. But those who stayed did learn from it all. And studious as TS-members are (in comparison to other new age groups), they study Jiddu Krishnamurti as often if not more often than they study a theosophical classic like H.P. Blavatsky's Secret Doctrine. 

So when I became a member of the TS, I almost immediately met people who were Jiddu Krishnamurti-fans. In fact, I learned about his existence through the Theosophical Society. My love for theosophy and my love for Jiddu Krishnamurti are interlaced, started at the same seed and cannot be separated. The effect of K's leaving the TS is visible in the way the study of our personal consciousness is now a major part of what TS-members perceive theosophy to be about. Also it has become part of TS-culture that no guru can lead you - you have to walk the path yourself. Personally I believe that Blavatskyan theosophy and Jiddu Krishnamurti's study of the now complement each other in scope and focus. Also, though K. repudiated the theosophy he was taught, he probably did not read one letter of H.P. Blavatsky's work. Especially in the so called "more difficult" esoteric writings and the Secret Doctrine (the stanzas of Dzyan for instance) links between the two TS inspirators (there are more of course, but I don't think I exaggerate if I call H.P. Blavatsky and J. Krishnamurti the two main ones) are not at all difficult to find. Aryal Sanat has shown this in his book on this subject. 

In studying both there are questions left open that point to paradoxes. There are paradoxes internally: for instance, Jiddu Krishnamurti did not want to be a guru, yet his function in life was clearly a guru-like function. An example from theosophy: the monad is part of the universal source, the universal all, the One - yet it seems to reincarnate individually in people. How does that divine individuality connect to the divine all - which is the same for everybody, presumably.
These are difficult questions, which go to the core of understanding each. Yet the fact that these questions exist only makes theosophy and Jiddu Krishnamurti more fascinating. Because somehow these questions seem essential in trying to come to grips with living a spiritual life, in the hustle and bustle of daily life. In short: what seem to be the conflicts between theosophy and Jiddu Krishnamurti, are only part of the many questions this study process. And they don't stop me from being fascinated by both.

Another way of looking at it is that Krishnamurti wanted to set us free, and he spoke for all of humanity. Speaking for all of humanity would make it logical for him to leave the limited organisation of the Theosophical Society. Setting us free also means that each of us is free to study what we choose, including the combination of theosophy and Krishnamurti.

Then again, Krishnamurti told Radha Burnier to run for president of the Theosophical Society (she had been high up in the Krishnamurti Foundation before that). He would not have done that if he didn't think the Theosophical Society was important.

> Hi, 
> By chance I read some pages of the book "Think on These Things" by J. 
> Krishnamurti which I found in a Vietnamese temple at Oakland. I really 
> felt delighted and deeply touched by the way that Krishnamurti answered 
> some questions related to contradictions and conflicts in our life. So, 
> could you tell me where to buy Krishnamurti's teachings? Can I order 
> books about Krishnamurti on the Internet? 

You can order books on Krishnamurti at Amazon.com of course, but I've also made a selection of the best books by him here: J. Krishnamurti books.

How can I stop my child from becoming corrupted by society?

Well, this is difficult. I am absolutely convinced that each child has their own responsibility. The way he/she is brought up does make a difference, of course, but if your child is going to be "corrupted", he/she is going to be corrupted. Your fear of such corruption may be just as much a trigger to that as anything else.

Second: trust yourself. If your interest in Krishnamurti (and/or theosophy) is genuine and reaches your heart, you will pass that fire on in some form. But again: the child will decide what form that is. No teaching you can give it (reincarnation, karma, angels or anything) will be able to enshrine the sacred in their heart. Love, nature and patience are far more potent. So I would advice walks in nature (nature reserves, parks, woods), taking time to talk to your children and reading to them as long as they like that. Simple ethics should also obviously be a part of things. Honesty, dharma (duty), silence etc. 

Krishnamurti himself advised someone that if they wanted to study his work, they should start at the end and then, if it was interesting, perhaps work backward. According to that advice, I would go to your local bookstore, look what Krishnamurti books they have, and then take the one that is from his latest talks - or diary. Or in short - the latest date of the first publication of that book. 

added january 2006: 

To be thoroughly grounded for studying Krishnamurti, I would advice studying theosophy. Implicit in Krishnamurti's teachings are many theosophical assumptions. For many people this is highly confusing, unless they have studied some theosophy first. I suggest the following on this site:

• Introduction articles in theosophy
• Why I've changed my position regarding theosophy and Krishnamurti