Professional Documents
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Vasanta Vihar Newsletter July - October 2008
abide being treated like a guru. Stan forgot himself. He didn’t just of time, a kind of dropping of the
And this was the crux of his effect sit quietly with Krishnamurti’s ego and of one’s own time and
on us. When we were speaking or question for a while. He answered place so as to be someone and
acting from what he called our right up, asserting that the best somewhere else. And wasn’t that
‘second-hand lives’, he would not way to bring history alive for exactly what Krishnamurti was
abide us. That was the harsh side students was to introduce them to always recommending as the way
of his behaviour, his rudeness, if the interesting and powerful fact to live?!
you will. Once by way of warning that the inner life of each person ‘No sir!’ he said. No
he said to us, ‘I am not a nice has all of history within it, that in qualification, no extenuation.
man.’ However within his the life of each boy and girl there This abruptness was typical of
apparent rudeness or impatience are the seeds of kings and slaves, Krishnamurti during the years
there was a stunningly powerful victors and victims, and all the that we were associated with the
and positive attitude towards us. stages of society, from hunter- Oak Grove School. Oftentimes he
However little we actually gatherers to the sophistication of did not say the ‘rational’ thing or
expected of our lives, the modern era. even the ‘fair’ thing. For instance,
Krishnamurti always proceeded The answer met with murmurs he did not say to Stan, ‘Well sir,
as though we were capable of of assent from some of the perhaps there is some merit in
Truth—today, right now, here. He gathering and murmurs of what you say, but on the other
always behaved as though our misgiving from others, but hand...’ etc. That sort of response
lives were the very stuff of which would probably have been lost on
Truth is made, or not at all. The Stan at the time—and on anyone
upshot was that though many of
We tried to cajole else who was similarly launched
us had worked with teachers who Krishnamurti, to threaten into a defence of one of his or her
were nicer, none of us had ever him, to seduce him, to flatter pet theories.
met anyone who took us as him. We complained to him. Over the years, Krishnamurti
seriously as Krishnamurti did. We were angry with him, hurt had met up with whole
So it was that our most fruitful by him, even downright generations of passionately
parent-teacher meetings with contrived theories about
disgusted with him. But,
Krishnamurti took the form of important matters. In the face of
challenges, of wrestling matches,
finally, never disappointed. them, what he said was ‘No!’ In
of confrontation. The household Stan’s case what Krishnamurti
that comprised our group were Krishnamurti’s response was meant—in his look, his bearing
‘second-hand’ in their various immediate and sure. ‘No, sir!’ he and his seriousness—was
ways so the confrontations varied, said. ‘No, sir!’ he repeated. ‘The something like: ‘Sir, you have
as now this person’s life and then speaker does not need to know wasted too much time and energy
that person’s life came into that he contains all of humanity. on your precious humanities. It is
intersection with the force of That path starts with the time that you stopped inflicting
Krishnamurti’s attention. The personality—with the ego—and it them on yourself, your friends,
most important life-lesson for our can go on forever, collecting and your co-workers, and the children.
particular household came up one interpreting one’s dreams, seeking You, sir, are doing yourself harm
day during an encounter between evidence of past lives, spending by analysing your own depths.
Stan and Krishnamurti on the years in psychoanalysis. Since the Let the whole of humanity be your
question of creating teaching chain of causation is unending, depth and your “own” life will
methods. Krishnamurti had asked the analysis of causes is come round.’
our group how we thought unending. It is not important for That was always
children should be taught history. one to know that K is mankind, Krishnamurti’s way with us—to
As it turned out, my husband had rather that mankind is K.’ start from wholeness. The risk
thought about this matter; he had Stan didn’t want to hear this with such a procedure is that a
been an educator for some time, He was deeply attached to the arts meeting may never get moving at
teaching college classes in various and to the humanities, and all. On the other hand, a meet-
subjects. So Stan not only had a Krishnamurti’s response seemed ing that starts with particulars
ready answer for Krishnamurti’s to be a radical devaluation of always gets moving but often
question, he had an answer that those disciplines. Stan argued never achieves universality.
he was proud of. A deadly passionately that the secret of the Krishnamurti apparently
combination. humanities—their magical core, preferred the first risk to the
In his desire to give his answer, even—was a kind of cancellation second. In a sense,
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Vasanta Vihar Newsletter July - October 2008
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Vasanta Vihar Newsletter July - October 2008
KRISHNAMURTI: What is
implied in a system of education?
A framework into which you the intelligence to use a system left or of the right, either
are fitting the child; and the when necessary, and to drop it Montessori or any other. To study
questioner wants to know which when it is not necessary. But the child implies a swift mind, a
framework will best help the child. when we turn to a system in place quick response, and that can take
Will any system of education really of affection, understanding and place only when there is affection.
help to bring about integration? intelligence, then the teacher But in a class of sixty children,
Or must there be, not a particular becomes merely a machine, and how can you have such affection?
system, but intelligence on the therefore the child grows up an Modern society demands that
part of the teacher to understand unintegrated individual. Systems boys and girls should learn certain
the child, to see what kind of child have a use only in the hands of professions, and for that there
he is? There must be very few an intelligent teacher: your own must be efficiency in education.
children for each teacher. intelligence is the factor that will When your object is to produce,
It is very easy to have a system help. not intelligent, alert human
for a large number of people—that But most of us who are teachers beings, but efficient machines,
is why systems are popular. You have very little intelligence, obviously you must have a system.
can force a great number of boys therefore we turn to systems. It is Such a system cannot produce
and girls into a particular system, so much easier to learn a system whole, integrated individuals who
and then you, the teacher, need and to apply it, whether understand the importance of life,
not spend your thought on them. Montessori or any other, for then but only machines with certain
You practise your system on the the teacher can sit back and responses; and that is why the
poor children. Whereas, when you watch. Surely, that is not present civilization is destroying
have no system, you must study education. Mere dependence on a itself.
each child, and that requires a particular system, however The Collected Works, Vol. V. P
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Vasanta Vihar Newsletter July - October 2008
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Vasanta Vihar Newsletter July - October 2008
K rishnamurti Foundation
India and the Bombay
Executive Committee of the KFI
send us their addresses.
Please note that there is a
Krishnamurti Centre in Bombay,
made available under the title
‘The art of meditation’. The subject
of the second MP3 will be ‘Why
plan to hold a two-day event in the address of which is: man does not change’; this will
Bombay, on 18 and 19 October Bombay Executive Committee also consist of public talks given
2008, to create an awareness of – KFI, Himmat Nivas, 31 at various places.
Krishnamurti and his teachings. Dongersey Road, Malabar Hill, The third MP3 is meant mainly
To be held at the P.L. Bombay - 400 006. Tel: (022) for those interested in gaining an
Deshpande Maharashtra Kala 23633856. E-mail: overview of Krishnamurti’s vision
Academy in Prabhadevi, the kfimumbai@vsnl.net of education—school-children,
programmes will consist of: college students, parents, and
1. A photo exhibition on the life Forthcoming teachers working in mainstream
and teachings of Krishnamurti
aimed at bringing home to the
releases schools and colleges. This includes
a statement made by
viewer the contemporary
relevance and the timeless quality
of the teachings.
T he question and answer
meetings that Krishnamurti
held in Madras, Bombay, and
Krishnamurti on education, his
talks to the school students of the
Rajghat Besant School in
2. Video screenings of Rajghat between 1981 and 1985 Varanasi and college students of
Krishnamurti’s talks/ docu- will form the contents of a new Bombay University and excerpts
mentaries, in English and book to be published by KFI and from his talks at a conference of
Marathi released later this year. parents and teachers, held at the
3. Brief, thematic video In 1981, Krishnamurti Rishi Valley School.
clippings switched over from the format of Since all these are under
4. Sale of books and DVDs free-wheeling discussions with the various stages of preparation, it
(English and Marathi) public to that of answering is not possible to indicate now
5. Information about the written questions. Fourteen such when they will be ready for sale.
Foundation, Study Centres, and discussions comprising nearly 75 However, if you wish to be notified
schools. questions are included in this at the time of release of each,
In addition, there will be two book, the title of which is yet to be kindly write to the Editor or
public talks on the morning of 19 decided. e-mail: editor@kfionline.org P
October—one by Mr Nandan
Nilekani, Chairman of Insfosys,
Published in November, March, and July. Periodical
Registered with The Registrar of Newspapers
on the theme ‘Social for India under No. TNENG/2003/12846
Responsibility’, and the other by
well-known journalist Mr Ranjit
Hoskote on the theme ‘The
contemporary relevance of
Krishnamurti’s teachings’.
This will also be an occasion for
the launch and sale of new books,
DVDs, and MP3s.
Details of the events, which
will be open to one and all, are
being worked out. Those of you
who are on our Mailing List will
receive invitations in early
October. Announcements will If undelivered please return to:
be also be posted on KRISHNAMURTI FOUNDATION INDIA
Vasanta Vihar, 124, 126 Greenways Road
www.kfionline.org.
Chennai - 600 028. Tel: 24937803/24937596
If you wish invitations to be
E-mail: publications@kfionline.org
sent to those known to you, kindly Websites: .www.kfionline.org/www.jkrishnamurti.org
Published by G. Rajeev on behalf of the Krishnamurti Foundation India, Vasanta Vihar, 124,126 Greenways Road, Chennai - 600 028.
Printed by N. Subramanian at Sudarsan Graphics Offset Press, 27 Neelakanta Mehta Street, T. Nagar, Chennai – 600 017. Editor: K. Krishnamurthy