To Be Human

To Be Human presents Krishnamurti's radical vision of life in a new way. At the heart of this extraordinary collection are passages from the great teacher's talks that amplify and clarify the nature of truth and those obstacles that often prevent us from seeing it.

Besides presenting the core of Krishnamurti's message, the book alerts the reader to his innovative use of language, the ways in which he would use `old words with new interpretations', then gives pratical examples, showing that we can clarify our understanding of life itself - and act on this new understanding.

The splendid introduction by David Skitt discusses Krishnamurti's philosophy as a guide to knowledge and experience, the roles knowledge and experience should play in our lives, and the times when it is best to cast them aside and `look and act anew'

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J. Krishnamurti (1895 - 1986) is regarded as one of the greatest philosophers and religious teachers of all time. For more than sixty years he travelled the world over, giving talks and holding dialogues, not as a guru but as a friend. His teachings are not based on book knowledge and theories, and therefore they communicate directly to anyone seeking answers to the present world crisis as well as to the eternal problems of human existence.

WHAT WOULD IT MEAN to talk about "a rebirth of philosophy"? It would have to mean something like restoring its relevance to the way that you and I live our everyday lives. It would also presuppose that the philosophy be expressed in words that are sufficiently intelligible to us, which in turn would require a passionate concern by the philosopher to communicate his or her insights as clearly and widely as possible.

Candidates without these qualifications need not apply. A rebirth of philosophy might also be seen to demand that the word philosophy be used in its original, true sense- the love. of wisdom, a word one has only to say to realize how little we use it, though it still appears, one hopes not too precariously, in the Concise Oxford English Dictionary. And how is wisdom defined? The 1995 version is "experience and knowledge together with the power of applying them critically." In a previous edition it was "the intelligent application of knowledge."

These definitions come surprisingly close to the heart of what Krishnamurti is talking about - let us call it, for the moment, his "philosophy." Again and again he points to the crucial importance o: applying knowledge and experience where they have their place and of not applying them where they do not, where life demands that we look and act anew. This turns out not to be as simple as it sounds. It has deep implications for the way we see and act, whether personally, socially, or politically. These implications and what prevents the human mind from performing well and harmoniously in both areas, the known and the unknown, are matters Krishnamurti tirelessly explores.

**Contents and Sample Pages**