Paperback 312 Pages: Publisher Quest Books (IL): Published: January 1967
£12.95 GBP
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ISBN-10: 0835604020
ISBN-13: 9780835604024
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Aldous Huxley encouraged J. Krishnamurti to write these commentaries on life, which consists of a series of a dialogues with ordinary human beings whom Krishnamurti met in different parts of the world. Set in India, Europe and America, against a wide variety of landscapes, the encounters recorded here are both intense and illuminating.
In these dialogues, the ways of the self are unreeled through Krishnamurti’s probing intelligence. Krishnamurti helps to restore in us the ancient faith that human beings can make themselves whole — not through any external agent, or through faith, but right attention and a listening ear.
The Commentaries on Living series represents an entirely new genre of writing — a blend of lyrical descriptions of nature, philosophical reflections and psychological insights, all informed by a deeply religious sensibility and couched in lucid, absorbing prose.
Customer Reviews
This book contains another world by Stephen Dedalus (India)
Customers Rating:
When I first got this book I had absolutely no idea who the man Krishnamurti was or what his life was like. I was simply intrigued by the title of the book. After reading the first two commentaries I began to realize that this wouldn’t be like anything I’ve ever read before. I was reading it through the haze of my own conditioning and I would have dropped the book right there, as nothing was making sense. But something made me want to just read on – I don’t know if it is the sheer lyrical beauty of the descriptions in his book or the lure of something that is really true. Whatever the reason, I just could not keep my hands off it after I went on.
It can really be a tumultous experience to suddenly realize that the basis of everything that you have believed in and taken support or refuge in is all false. But once you are over that, you then start looking at life very differently. You just stop running with the mad crowd and you stand aside and ask yourself “What have I been doing with my life so far?” Thats the kind of effect that this book had on me and I cannot imagine that a serious reader will go through this book without wanting to change his life after that.
Beauty, insight and mystery by L. Van Den Muyzenberg (Cannes France)
Customers Rating:
This is a remarkable book. It is actually three books in 88 chapters. Each chapter starts with an absolutely magic description of people in nature. That is the first book. The second book consists of people telling about their problems and comments of Krishnamurti. These comments are very fresh, original and give new insights. They evoke the reaction “why did I never looked at it that way”. The third book, the third part in every chapter describes his view of life. This is very difficult to understand. I am not sure I am able or should voice an opinion on this part because it so unique. There are no reference points. It is not a philosophy, it is not a religion, and it is not a spiritual path. From time to time you get the feeling, “I understand”, the next moment it is again a mirage.
When we look at a beautiful landscape, we can be totally absorbed by the experience of looking. We are not thinking or analyzing. Krishnamurti’s idea is that that is the way we should live all the time. He refers to that as “experiencing”. As soon as we start thinking or want to achieve something, we will forever be unhappy. Buddha teaches that through concentration and meditation it is possible, by “taming” the mind one can arrive at “experiencing”. Krishnamurti totally rejects the need for experience, training and effort. The idea of living without thinking is for me not imaginable. One thing I do not like is that Krishnamurti rejects the wisdom of everybody. Logically, he also totally rejects the idea that people should ever consider becoming his followers or disciples. The risk I see with the book is that people read it as a smorgasbord. Pick up ideas that correspond to those they already have and reject the inconvenient ones. All in all for people with genuine spiritual interests it is a gold mine.
This book cannot be judged by R. Johnson (Dallas, TX USA)
Customers Rating:
J Krishnamurti’s Commentaries on Living are a living testament to the beauty as well as the complexity of life. The peace of the mind which wrote these is almost tangible. When the source is pure, every drop (as every sentence in this book) leads one to purity. But approach Krishnamurti with trepidation, as it is too easy to battle verbally with oneself and others after having listened to him with a haughty seriousness. All he can do is to make you question your own self. That is the beginning. After that, you are on your own, and therefore, free. Nobody can teach you, but you can get taught by everything.
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