Krishnamurthi’s teaching on “observer” / Observed i.e. Drk Drshya viveka struck me immensely in my early days, to understand the “conditioned mind” and transforming it to a “silent mind”. I think the First and Last Freedom is one of his best and complete books, easier to read, and with very pertinent Q&A. The linked document contains introduction from the book and its list of contents.
The core of Krishnamurti’s teaching is contained in the statement he made in 1929 when he said, ‘Truth is a pathless land’. Man cannot come to it through any organisation, through any creed, through any dogma, priest or ritual, not through any philosophical knowledge or psychological technique. He has to find it through the mirror of relationship, through the understanding of the contents of his own mind, through observation and not through intellectual analysis or introspective dissection.’
Nuggets of J. Krishnamurthi’s teachings
Concentration, Choiceless Awareness and Attention
Concentration: Concentrate mean making an effort of mind to focus on something. Can be stressful for longer periods.
Choiceless Awareness: Just be Aware of your surroundings. No stress. No choices/comparision/judgements to make based on past memory/experiences. Relax in awareness
Attention: Be fully attentive in the present moment to whatever is going on. Listening, tasting, smelling etc. Effective understanding happens with full attention.
Conciousness and its contents
Consciousness: Consciousness as generally described (in the western world) in term of “conscious of an object/experience etc”. However this is based on prior knowledge or conditioning (biases, upbringing, accumulated knowledge etc). That conditioning is the “consciousness content” and brings about a “limited being” (a subject) that sees and interprets the “other” object. That brings about duality.
The aim of self-discovery is to understand this process of duality and then recognize and give up the conditioning i.e. “empty the contents of consciousness”. Then this individual consciousness (Jivahood) disappears and allows for deeper understanding.
Meditation and Movement (Being)
Meditation After emptying the contents of individual consciousness (Jivahood is dissolved), comes deep silence. This is fullness and acceptance. There is oneness. This is Meditation.Movement in silence Then any “movement” in silence is not tied to personal desires, and hence not in space and time.
However, since we have a body and mind, actions/movement happen in the present moment and “flow with the winds” of prarabda karma with sharanagati/acceptance and compassion.
Core Teachings: J Krishinamurthi
1. Truth Is a Pathless Land
Krishnamurti’s foundational insight is: “Truth is a pathless land.” He taught that truth, or direct understanding of life, cannot be reached through any organized religion, dogma, spiritual authority, philosophical system, or psychological technique. Genuine insight comes only through self-discovery, not through following another.krishnamurticentre+1
2. Self-Observation and Awareness
He emphasized “choiceless awareness,” which means observing oneself and one’s thoughts, emotions, and actions without any judgment, bias, or desire to change what is observed.kfoundation+1
True freedom is found in this pure observation—freedom is not the result of choice, willpower, or reaction, but the clarity that arises from seeing without interference.krishnamurticentre+1
3. Freedom and Conditioning
Krishnamurti argued that humanity is deeply conditioned by tradition, society, family, and religion, leading to psychological conflict and suffering. Liberation is possible only by recognizing and dissolving this conditioning through direct awareness, not analysis.innerspiritualawakening
“Freedom is found in the choiceless awareness of our daily existence.” This freedom is immediate—not something to be attained in the future.krishnamurticentre
4. Relationship as Mirror
Relationships are a “mirror” in which the self is seen. Every interaction reveals the contents of our mind, our conditioning, and our patterns. By observing how thought creates division and conflict, one can transcend the ego and find real communion.innerspiritualawakening+1
5. The Ending of Conflict
All division—between people, between the “self” and the “should be”—is the root of suffering and conflict. Seeing through this division, with clarity and non-judgment, brings an end to inner and outer conflict.innerspiritualawakening
6. Intelligence, Not Intellect
Krishnamurti distinguished intelligence from mere intellect. Intelligence is a deep, holistic awareness unclouded by fear, belief, or division, and it blossoms from direct seeing, not logical analysis.innerspiritualawakening
7. Education for Awakening
True education, for Krishnamurti, is not about collecting information, passing exams, or acquiring status, but about freeing the mind from conditioning, fostering compassionate intelligence, and awakening to life.innerspiritualawakening
8. Inner Revolution
Change does not come from reforming social institutions or adopting new beliefs; it comes from a radical inner revolution—breaking free from all forms of conditioning and seeing life with new eyes.innerspiritualawakening
9. Living in the Present
Life is only in the present moment. Thought, rooted in past and future, blocks genuine living. One must be fully awake to “what is”, without resistance or distraction.innerspiritualawakening
Key Quote
“Man cannot come to truth through any organisation, creed, dogma, priest or ritual… He has to find it through the mirror of relationship, through the understanding of the contents of his own mind, through observation and not through intellectual analysis or introspective dissection.”reddit+2
Summary:
Krishnamurti’s teachings center on self-awareness, freedom from conditioning, the importance of direct observation, the ending of psychological division, and the call for a revolution of consciousness—rejecting all authority and tradition in favor of personal discovery and living in the present.kfoundation+2
Krishnamurti did not accept Brahman as an absolute, permanent reality in the Vedantic sense. He often described concepts such as “Brahman,” “the Absolute,” or “God” as mental projections—ideas invented out of fear, longing, or the desire for security. He emphasized that the search for something permanent is itself a movement of thought and psychological escape.awakeningtoreality+1
He stated explicitly:
“Out of confusion, you invent something permanent – the Absolute, the Brahman or God. But what you actually are, is the movement of thought… That thought may invent the idea that you have got the spark of divinity in you, but it is still the movement of thought.”
Krishnamurti saw such metaphysical concepts as attempts to create psychological security rather than direct observations of reality.neevselfinquiry+1
Atman
On Atman, Krishnamurti’s approach was closer to Buddhist Anatta (“not-self”) than to the Hindu concept of a permanent, individual soul. He rejected the idea of an unchanging, eternal self. For him, “the self” is a process, a movement of thought, shaped by conditioning, memories, and social influences.krishnamurti+1
That said, some interpretations of his work highlight that he occasionally spoke of “that aspect of human nature which is beyond time, space and self (ego), untouched by anything worldly, and cannot be grasped by thought.” However, Krishnamurti warned not to turn this into a concept or belief—the realization comes only when the mental activity ceases, and psychological knowledge ends.anmolmehta+1
He stated:
“Buddhism does not accept a self, Atman or soul or ego which is permanent, eternal, everlasting, unchanging. But Buddhism accepts man is composed of five aggregates…”
Krishnamurti’s own views were closer to this Buddhist stance—discouraging belief in a permanent self, and encouraging observation of the arising and falling of thoughts, sensations, and identity without identification.krishnamurti+1
Key Differences from Advaita Vedanta
Advaita Vedanta upholds that Atman is the true Self, identical to Brahman and always present, even if not realized. In contrast, Krishnamurti focused on the total ending of the ego and psychological constructs, with no emphasis on discriminating between Self and ego.neevselfinquiry
For Krishnamurti, all experiences and ideas about the higher self, Brahman, or Atman are part of the movement of thought. True freedom arises when the mind is completely silent, free from the psychological “observer” and all belief constructs. This is not about arriving at a metaphysical Truth, but about a radical psychological transformation.awakeningtoreality+1
Summary:
Krishnamurti rejected the traditional notions of Brahman and Atman as permanent metaphysical realities, viewing them instead as psychological constructs and concepts. He emphasized direct observation, ending of conditioning, and freedom from all beliefs and ideas—including those about Brahman and Atman—as the real path to liberation.anmolmehta+2
