Smacks you in the brain!April 17, 2007 6 out of 7 found this review helpful
Underneath everything is what we are. With the help of Krishnamurti and this book (the first of his I've read), you'll find that what we are is nothing. Not a lonely "nothing", but the calm, amazing truth that remains when we "know" that we are only what we think we are...
Ahhhh, yes. This book and Krishnamurti do an amazing job of opening the eyes! Read it and really digest it. It will smack you...
What I ordered.January 10, 2007 1 out of 19 found this review helpful
Gave me what I ordered on time. What else can you expect?
One of Krishnamurti's great books, but less accessible than some othersDecember 23, 2006 9 out of 10 found this review helpful
Krishnamurti was certainly a scholar who thought deeply on life and the complications that are inherent to life. He stresses avoiding relying on external authorities and favors inner exploration. In fact, one of his purposes is to encourage freeing yourself of conditioned thinking i.e. the scripts than run us unconsciously. He believes that in "choiceless" or pure awareness we discover our deepest self.
Krishnamurti believes we should be moving in an out of constant inquiry. While he offers no specific method, he attempts to reach truth by negating our unexamined assumptions. He refers to truth as a pathless land and deconstructs a lot of common arguments concerning the nature of life and living. This in itself is useful and leads one to a deeper connection to Being.
This is not one of Krishanmurti's easiest reads. However, if you are a fan of this type of book or Krishamurti in general, you will no doubt enjoy it.
Blow your mind to save your mind.July 28, 2006 19 out of 20 found this review helpful
A friend turned me on to this book and it changed my whole perspective on life in general and my life personally.
I think that this is the kind of book that will change you and open up your mind if you are ready for it, open to new ideas, and not too attached to your ego and your "self". If you're not at the point spiritually, then from my experience you will dismiss it as hogwash and/or be threatened by and hate the ideas that the book presents.
I say this after discussions with a few friends at various levels of spiriual awareness. Some of my friends who are more "average -thinking" or into particular religious dogmas hated the book and said that it was simply BS. They violently opposed many of the ideas presented in the book. And they couldn't get past some of the contradictory ideas that Krishnamurti presents. (Yes he does contradict himself in places. He is human after all.) I understand (but am saddened by) their reaction because I know where they are spiritually. I think some of this comes from these people's need for absolute "rules" and "answers".
On the other hand, those friends of mine who are more spiritually driven absolutely loved the book and said it really opened their minds and hearts and allowed them to free themselves of some of the baggage and rules and perceptions that we humans are want to acquire. That was my reaction too.
So I think if you are a spiritual seeker and open to new and sometimes challenging ideas then you will love this book. If you're not then don't buy it.
Excellent but brutalJuly 18, 2006 17 out of 18 found this review helpful
One of the few books I've read that I recommend time and time again to my students - an excellent but brutal analysis of the human condition.
It is certainly not light reading and I found it to be quite pessimistic in terms of its overall outlook. The analysis however is clinical and cuts to the bone. This book would probably bode better with intellectuals than those inclined to read the standard self-help motivational pulp.. definitely a book to stimulate thought and reflection.
