J. Krishnamurti (1895-1986) devoted his life to counselling and teaching. For more than half a century he was a public figure, traveling continuously around the world to share a message that has been heard and read assiduously by countless persons of all ages. He wrote many books including the Ending of Time, Awakening of Intelligence, First and Last Freedom, Total Freedom.

Chapter One

Man's Search-The Tortured Mind-the Traditional Approach-The Trap of Respectability-The Human Being and the Individual-The Battle of ExistenceThe Basic Nature of Man --Responsibility --TruthSelf --transformation --Dissipation of Energy--Freedom from Authority

Man has throughout the ages been seeking something beyond himself, beyond material welfare--something we call truth or God or reality, a timeless state --something that cannot be disturbed by circumstances, by thought or by human corruption.

Man has always asked the question: what is it all about? Has life any meaning. at all? He sees the enormous confusion of life, the brutalities, the revolts, the wars, the endless divisions of religion, ideology and nationality, and with a sense of deep abiding frustration he asks, what is one to do, what is this thing we call living, is there anything beyond it?

And not finding this nameless thing of a thousand names which he has always sought, he has cultivated faith-faith in a saviour or an ideal-and faith invariably breeds violence.

In this constant battle which we call living, we try to set a code of conduct according to the society in which we are brought up, whether it be a Communist society or a so-called free society; we accept a standard of behaviour as part of our tradition as Hindus or Muslims or Christians or whatever we happen to be. We look to someone to tell us what is right or wrong behaviour, what is right or wrong following this pattern our conduct and thought, and inour thinking become mechanical, our responses automatic. We can observe this very easily in ourselves.

For centuries we have been spoon-fed by our teachers, by our authorities, by our books) our saints. We say, 'Tellme all about it--what lies beyond the hills and the moun-tains and the earth?' and we are satisfied with their descrip-tions, which means that we live on words and our life isshallow and empty. We are second-hand people. We havelived on what we have been told, either guided by ourinclinations, our tendencies, or compelled to accept bycircumstances and environment. We are the result of allkinds of influences and there is nothing new in us, nothingthat we have discovered for ourselves; nothing original,pristine, clear.

Throughout theological history we have been assuredby religious leaders that if we perform certain rituals, repeat certain prayers or mantras, conform to certain patterns, suppress our desires, control our thoughts, sublimate our passions, limit our appetites and refrain from sexual indulgence, we shall, after sufficient torture of the mind and body, find something beyond this little life. And that is what millions of so-called religious people have done through the ages, either in isolation, going off into the desert or into the mountains or a cave or wandering from village to village with a begging bowl, or, in a group) joining a monastery, forcing their minds to conform to an established pattern. But a tortured mind, a broken mind, a mind which wants to escape from all turmoil, which has denied the outer world and been made dull through discipline and conformity--such a mind, however long it seeks, will find only according), to its own distortion.

So to discover whether there actually is or is not something beyond this anxious, guilty, fearful, competitive existence, it seems to me that one must have a completely different approach altogether. The traditional approach is from the periphery inwards, and through time, practice and renunciation, gradually to come upon that inner flower, that inner beauty and love-in fact to do everything to make oneself narrow, petty and shoddy; peel off little by little; take time; tomorrow will do, next life will do-and when at last one comes to the centre one finds there is nothing there, because one's mind has been made incapable, dull and insensitive.

Having observed this process, one asks oneself, is there not a different approach altogethcr--that is, is it not possiblc to explode from the centre?

The world accepts and follows the traditional approach. The primary cause of disorder in ourselves is the seeking of reality promised by another; we mechanically follow somebody who will assure us a comfortable spiritual life. It is a most extraordinary thing that although most of us are opposed to political tyranny and dictatorship, we inwardly accept the authority, the tyranny, of another to twist our minds and our way of life. So if we completely reject, not intellectually but actually, all so-called spiritual authority, all ceremonies, rituals and dogmas, it means that we stand alone and are already in conflict with society; we cease to be respectable human beings. A respectable human being cannot possibly come near to that infinite, inmeasurable, reality.

You have now started by denying something absolutely false --the traditional approach-but if you deny it as a reaction you have created another pattern in which you will be trapped; if You tellyourself intellectually that this denial is a very good idea but do nothing about it, You cannot go any further. If you deny it, however) because you understand the stupidity and immaturity of it, if YOU reject it with tremendous intelligence, be-cause You are free and not frightened, you will create a great disturbance in yourself and around you but you will step out of the trap of respectability. Then you will find that you are no longer seeking. That is the first thing to learn-not to seek. When you seek you arc really only window-shopping.

The question of whether or not there is a God or truth or reality or whatever you like to call it, can never be answered by books, by priests, philosopher's or saviours. Nobody and nothing can answer the question but you yourself and that is why you must know yourself- Immaturity lies only in total ignorance of self.

In this classic work, Krishnamurti shows how people can free themselves radically and immediately from the tyranny of the expected, no matter what their age. And, by first changing themselves, people can then change the whole structure of society and their relationships. The vital need for change and the recognition of its very possibility constitute the rich essence of Krishnamurti's message in 'Freedom From The Known'. Major themes include: Awareness, Man's Search, and The Tortured .Mind. Once again the great teacher provides a brimming spiritual well from which readers may profitably draw.