Jiddu Krishnamurti Intellectual powerhouse, spiritual leader, author, public speaker, philosopher (May, 11 1895 - Feb 17, 1986)
"I am not your guru. Your guru resides within you."
My personal comments in RED.
Stumbling Upon Jiddu Krishnamurti Jiddu Krishnamurti has been a recurring constant since my high school days. I stumble upon friends who talk about him, I stumble upon videos of him giving a lecture, and stumble upon other learned people praising him, and come upon features of him in social media. But I've never really rolled up my sleeves to dig deep into this remarkable man. Until now.
My very first encounter with his name was in high school when a classmate, Noel Alparaz, wanted to commit suicide after reading a book by Krishnamurti (Noel passed on just a few years back from 'depression' - nothing to do with Krishnamurti). I didn't ask why, but it left me petrified about reading his book. In those impressionable years, I thought that any book by Krishnamurti was dangerous.
Later on in life, in one of my 10-day Vipassana courses, the course manager, Jessie Severino, talked about Krishnamurti as the closest thing to enlightenment, if not yet. I believe the talk stemmed from Osho. Somehow, a talk about Krishnamurti or Osho invokes the presence of the other - as perhaps 2 spiritual leaders who cannot be more diametrically opposed.
During my attendance at the weekly Theosophical Society meetups, Krishnamurti is often mentioned by group moderator, Lovorn Ang as an intellectual powerhouse. It's interesting to note how these Theosophists would say that about Krishnamurti but roll their eyes with a suppressed chuckle on the mention of Osho(admittedly, I share the eye roll and the chuckle).
Krishnamurti giving a public talk in a public square
Yogi Sunira In yogic folklore, it is said that 40,000 years ago, a mahasiddha(great yogi with superhuman abilities) named Sunira, embarked on an ultra-ambitious project that would remain unfulfilled until his death - the creation of a human Shiva - a perfect teacher for the transformation of human consciousness. Sunira began to create the energy body for this teacher (but the physical human body was yet to be manifested). Great yogis after Sunira continued this ambitious project, all of them failing to complete it within their lifetimes.
Theosophical Society It was during our time in 1909 (imagine, from 40,000 years ago !!! ), when the Theosophists embarked to take on this project upon 'discovering' J. Krishnamurti. JK would be the physical body for the energy body that has already been developed through the ages by a succession of great yogis. These theosophists undertook the task of educating, protecting and preparing JK for the ambitious role he would be playing. The founders, Madame Blavatsky, Charles Leadbeater, and Annie Besant, ensured the grooming of Krishnamurti as a polished and sophiticated world teacher. They devoted time and effort to cultivate JK as the perfect teacher for humanity - an incarnation of Maitreya, the prophesied 'next Buddha'.
These theosophists were brilliant intellectuals and were well-read into the occult and mysticism. They had the largest library of occult books during their time - which still exists today in Madras, India. However, while they were immensely knowledgeable with sharp intellects, they didn't have the experience or inner guidance to see the project through. They capitalized entirely on their immense knowledge base and intellectual prowess.
I am not the Guru Finally, JK was introduced to the public at large by the Theosophical Society as the perfect teacher, the new World Teacher. This long-heralded arrival was met with a bombshell. JK unpretentiously announced that he was not the guru - that the guru resides within each and every one of us. He eventually broke ties with the theosophists and went through life writing books, giving talks and conducting lectures. His message focused consistently on forging a relationship between man and his environment, man and his spiritual evolution, and the harmonious singularity of all seemingly disparate parts (that there is no separation, no duality).
The Critics Even JK's critics have very good things to say about him before they point out the 'issues', as follows:
Sadhguru - Sadhguru clearly loved Krishnamurti and couldn't praise him enough. Still, Sadhguru stated that JK was a pure distillation of Gnana Marga - yoga of pure intellect. His teachings were powerful and profound but incomprehensible to 99% of the population. It didn't help that JK offered no practice, no process, nothing to hold on to, but the intellectual content of the teachings.
I have listened to a few video talks by Krishnamurti. Yes, they are highly intellectual, impassioned, powerful and cut through the nonsense. But they were not that abstract. It was understandable and actionable. But yes, there was no codified practice on how to integrate that into day-to-day life. His teachings came across as an FYI(for your information) instead of a specific call-to-action.
Kapil Gupta - a recent acquaintance, Kristijonas, introduced me to Kapil. I looked him up and read his article about Krishnamurti. He too has praises for JK when he said that Jiddu Krishnamurti was a genuine and serious seeker of truth. Yet he said that JK wasted his time upon the masses and denied the rare and sincere humans - that this displayed a particular lack of understanding which ultimately destroyed him and poisoned his pursuit.
I find this criticism a little too harsh. Humanity's great spiritual leaders talked to everybody - the poor, the uneducated, the intellectuals, people in high office, people with wealth, etc. They always talked to people at the person's level of understanding. The teachings could be transmitted by way of metaphors or parables to be understood. JK did not seem to have this range. He was always one-dimensional as the no-nonsense teacher with a sharp intellectual insight and realization.
Famous Jiddu Krishnamurti Quotes
We all want to be famous people, and the moment we want to be something, we are no longer free
Violence is not merely killing another. It is violence when we use a sharp word, when we make a gesture to brush away a person, when we obey because there is fear. So violence isn't merely organized butchery in the name of God, in the name of society or country. Violence is much more subtle, much deeper
The ability to observe without evaluating is the highest form of intelligence
The beauty of listening lies in being highly sensitive to everything about you
When you call yourself an Indian, or a Muslim, or a Christian or a European, or anything else, you are being violent. Do you see why it's violent? Because you are separating yourself from mankind. When you separate yourself by belief, by nationality, by tradition, it breeds violence. So a man seeking to understand violence does not belong to any country, to any religion, to any political party or partial system; he is concerned with the total understanding of mankind
It is no measure of health to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society
Ending Thoughts Two things come to mind when I think about Krishnamurti:
sharp intellect - when he talks, this frail short man can cut through a mountain of rocks through the sheer force of his intellect
he walked away - Maitreya, the next Buddha, has long been prophesied. Usurpers and pretenders made daring claims to be them. Many would lie, kill or steal to covet that title. But to Krishnamurti, he was even coerced to accept that title, served to him on a silver platter. But he had enough sensibility to say 'no' and walked away.
I agree with Jessie that Krishnamurti is perhaps the closest thing to enlightenment, if he hasn't yet. This is a lucky generation for it has captured on video the talks and lectures given by this man. We never had this with Christ, Mohammed or Buddha. Generations from now, people will learn about Krishnamurti's teachings, not from translators or commentary writers, but from Krishnamurti himself. His videos are all over the internet and on his website, jkrishnamurti.org.
Every once in a hundred years, a man like Krishnamurti comes into existence. I feel privileged he existed in my lifetime.
Lovorn Theosophical Society in the Philippines (Jan 25, 2022) Outsiders can only speculate what's really going on w/ krishnaji, he refused to be trapped by the notion that he is enlightened, semi-enlightened, plain intellectual, etc. Though personally, his teachings are much more intended to those who no longer need structures & / or scaffoldings.
Different people may have different impact after reading krishnaji, intellectuals tend to be more arrogant and argumentative. Depressed individuals will be more depressed finding no meaning of existence. Others w/ weak intellectual fiber will just be suffocated & getting mental indigestion. Reading krishnaji, one must have at least, a developed discernment. It has a lot of paradoxes. And it will help as well to have an extensive reading of other esoteric readings, 'cause his teaching is not something new.
It has parallelism with the the Advaita Vedanta(the neti- neti principle), with Zen Buddhism, with Gurdjieff, etc.
(Jan 31, 2022) Slice of life in Chiang Mai. Life reveals itself in our day-to-day surroundings - the poetry, the abundance, the grace, etc. But only if you're mindful enough to capture the moment in pixels....more »»
(Jan 31, 2022) 2021 started off bright and promising but ended up on a melancholic note of reflection and re-alignment. I un-Friended most of my Chiang Mai 'woke' friends and ultimately left Facebook, happy to just have a few but trusted friends. This created a void that seems to be filled in with the onset of 2022.....more »»
Chiang Mai INFORMATION
Chiang Mai Map
Chiang Mai, Thailand
IMPORTANT PLACES
Bus Station Train Station Chiang Mai International Airport Nong Buak Hard Park - free yoga classes daily
HOTEL
Arun Dara Villa - 7 exclusive rooms, 1 swimming pool for every room, grand opening
Nawa Sheeva Hotel - big rooms, high ceiling, salt-water pool, restaurant, cafe
Nawa Saraan Hotel - low density (4 spacious rooms), stone garden setting, Koi fish pond, Old City location
Arun Suite - 3 bedrooms in a 3-storie guesthouse within Old City, ideal for families
MOTORBIKE RENTAL
Tawan Bike - motorcycle rental | +66 91 635 2863 | Si Phum, Mueang Chiang Mai District, Chiang Mai 50200
Chiang Mai FYI / Tips
crop-burning season in Chiang Mai is between late Feb to early April. But laws change everytime. This year, 2019, there is a 61-day ban on burning so the farmers started burning early. When my plane was approaching Chiang Mai on Jan 24, 2019, there was already a thick blanket of smog covering the entire city (and beyond). But within the city itself, you won't feel it (but that doesn't mean the air is healthy). To monitor air conditions in real time, refer to site: Chiang Mai Air Pollution: Real-time Air Quality Index (AQI)
hot season begins March and lasts until June
wet season begins July and lasts until September
best time to visit Chiang Mai is mid-September to mid-February - after the monsoon and before the burning
you have to try Khao Soi, this is north Thailand's culinary staple
the tourist area where most of the hotels, restaurants, ticket offices, tour operators are, is located in the Old City
to exchange your dollars to Thai Baht, the Super Rich Money Exchange give the best rates. There are many branches scattered around Chiang Mai
get a red cab (songthao) outside the train station for Baht 50 (instead of paying B100 if inside the train station) to Old City - if you haggle nicely enough...I did!
shared red taxi (songthao) - B30 standard fare plying all over Old City
for only B50/day, best to rent a bike to go around the Old City - it's a 2.5km2 with lots to discover
FREE daily yoga classes from 9:00am to 10:15am at Nong Buak Hard Park (southwest corner of Old City). Resident and passing-through teachers take turns conducting yoga classes.
Blues/Jazz Bars in Chiang Mai
North Gate Jazz Coop - at Chang Phueg Gate, great Tuesday jam session, Blues on Sundays at 11pm by the Chiang Mai Blues band
Boy Blues Bar - at the Night Bazaar. Mondays at 9:30pm is open mic
My Secret Cafe - near Wat Phra Singh. Tuesdays at 7:30pm for the changing front-act and 9:00pm for the Panic Band
Taphae East - 88 Thapae Rd. (just north of Night Bazaar). Fridays at 9:30pm by Chiang Mai Blues Band
Chiang Mai Cost Index
B60 Chiang beer
B250 1 hour drop-in yoga session
B200 one hour Thai body massage at WAYA Massage(highly recommended)
B50 noodle soup with meat
B50 coffee
B40 pad thai
B30/kilo wash-only laundry
B50/kilo wash+iron laundry
B100-150 dorm bed/night
B250 fan room/night
B30 internet cafe/hour
B170-190 Movies Sat-Sun and public holidays
B130-150 Movies weekdays
B100 Movies Wednesdays (movie discount day)
B750 1/2 day Thai cooking lessons
B900-1000 1 full day Thai cooking lessons
B400 Muay Thai boxing ticket
B2500 starting room rate at the luxury hotel, Nawa Sheeva(highly recommended)
Transportation
B450 bus, Chiang Mai to Bangkok
B160-180 bus, Chiang Mai to Pai
B1250 bus, Chiang Mai to Luang Prabang
B1650 slow boat, Chiang Mai to Luang Prabang
B210 bus, Chiang Mai to Chiang Rai, 3-4 hours
B360 Green VIP bus, Chiang Mai to Mae Sai (Thai border town for visa run to Tachileik, Myanmar)
B50 bicycle rental, 24 hours
B200 motorbike rental, 24 hours
B273 #51 sleeping train from Bangkok to Chiang Mai
Book Online - direct booking with State Railway of Thailand. Best to register first. If going to BKK from CNX, click "Northern Line".
note -- big difference between booking direct with the State Railway and booking with an online 3rd party agent. 12GO was charging B1330 for the same trip that only cost me B941 with the State Railway.
note -- Oct 2022, I took the #10 Train from CNX to BKK, upper berth, 2nd class, a/c, sleeper, B941. The train was clean, fast, comfortable and modern. If you have heavy luggage that will cost more money in flight checkin, I would suggest this train. Otherwise, the flight now is so much cheaper it doesn't even make sense to take the bus or train.
Bangkok to Chiang Mai by Train from Bang Sue Train Station
10:22pm - #51 Train, arrive Chiang Mai 12:10pm, sleeper, 3rd class B270 (non sleeper), 2nd class B438, B728 upper deck, B798 lower deck
Loei to Chiang Mai by Bus
From Loei town center, take a tuk-tuk ride to the bus station, B30. There is only one bus station.
As of June 28, 2020 (still on Covid schedule), there are only 3 night trips: 8:30pm, 9:30pm and 12 midnight. 9 hours, B470.
The bus makes the following stops at the following times from a 9pm Loei departure: Phu Ruea (9:50pm), Phitsanulok (12:40am), Uttradit (2:20am), Lampang (4:35am)
Final bus stop is at the Red Bus Arcade, Chiang Mai, 9 hour-trip, arriving 6am (from 9pm Loei departure).
Take a red songthaew to Old City, B50. They'll try to charge you B100, but they'll take B50 (just assure the driver you won't tell the other passengers).
How to Get a 60-Day Thai Tourist Visa and then Extend by another 30 Days
This process is BEFORE Covid 19. Not sure what it is now.
60-Day Thai Tourist Visa
NOTE: There is no need to go back to your country to get the Thai tourist visa. Any major city with a Thai Embassy will do. Apparently there is also no need to have an invitation from a Thai establishment to justify the visa.
Bring the following to the Thai embassy:
a) proof of money (bank statement will suffice)
b) flight booking to Thailand
c) onward flight back to your country from Thailand
d) filled-in tourist visa form
e) 2 passport pictures
f) hotel booking in Thailand (they didn't ask me for this but better be safe)
g) passport with at least 6 months validity
After handing over all the documents, they will ask you to come pick your passport with the visa the following day from 4 to 5pm. That's it!
NOTE: after 2 successful attempts, I was already questioned the 3rd time.
30-Day Extension
NOTE: When your 60-day visa is close to expiry and you want to extend your stay. No need to leave Thailand.
bring the following to the Immigration Office:
a) passport (make sure your Tourist Visa hasn't expired yet)
b) Baht 1900
c) photocopy of your passport + visa duration date stamp + TM6 card (white immigration card) and sign all the copies
d) completed TM7 visa extension form (available at the Immigration Office)
e) one 4cmx6cm passport picture
submit the above to the Front Desk. They will give you a stub with your number on it. Take a seat and wait for your number to be called
when your number is called, your picture will be taken. Then go back to your seat. They will call you again.
when they call you again, they'll give you your passport with your extended visa. That's it!
when there are no lines, the whole process can take only 10 minutes
arrive early - in case there is a snag (visa snag, documentation snag, transport ticket snag, etc.), you will have ample time to troubleshoot the problem if you arrive early (to the airport, to the bus terminal, etc.)
put detailed itinerary on the Calendar apps of your smart-phone according to timelines - this is where you do all your thinking and planning. Once written down, you don't have to think anymore while you are on the journey...you just follow the steps. This frees your mind for something else that might happen while you are already en route
avoiding scams - as a general rule, I ignore the touts or anyone I don't know who call out to me. The calling comes in many forms - "Hi! Where are you from?", "Excuse me! Excuse me!", "Where are you going?". I don't look them in the eye and I remain non-verbal with them. If you reply to them, you just gave them an 'in' to hound you. In order not to look rude, I smile and wave the 'not interested' hand to them, without looking at them.
power bank - hand-carry your power bank. Do not check it in. You can be called in when you are already inside the plane to go all the way to the loading dock so you can personally remove the power bank...and chances are, you'll have to surrender it to them. And you might delay the plane departure!