"We live in the prison of our own Thinking - Jiddu Krishnamurthy"

Awaken Intelligence is one of the most popular books by Jiddu Krishnamurti. It features many of his profound and thought-provoking conversations. Krishnamurti was one of the most influential philosophers of the 20th century, and his speeches and writings continue to inspire people even today. Unlike many traditional philosophers of his time, Krishnamurti took a completely different path. He boldly stated that praying to imagined gods or merely reading sacred texts like the Vedas does not necessarily lead to a better life.

Awaken Intelligence presents Krishnamurti‘s talks in simple, plain English, making his ideas accessible to everyone. He emphasized the importance of self-observation rather than judgment as the key to living a better life. According to his philosophy, judgment of others or situations creates inner and outer conflict. Krishnamurti believed that we do not need to depend on a guru or teacher to solve our problems; instead, we can resolve our own conflicts through awareness and observation.

He also pointed out that the act of separating the observer from the observed in our thoughts leads to division and conflict. Therefore, he encouraged people to accept reality as it is and to avoid making decisions based solely on past experiences. In his speeches, Krishnamurti often mentioned that true listening requires complete attention–when the mind is distracted or occupied, genuine listening becomes impossible.

Furthermore, he discouraged identification with any ideology–be it Hinduism, Islam, or Buddhism–because such identification, rooted in the past, inevitably creates division and conflict. Krishnamurti urged people to “revolt” against the conditioning of the mind in order to live without inner conflict. He also asked a deeply insightful question: when you observe something, do you recognize the object, or do you simply enjoy the moment of observation? He explained that recognition creates memory, and memory can lead to conflict when we respond based on the past rather than the present moment.

Krishnamurti was a deeply sensitive person who placed great importance on emotions and awareness. In my opinion, Awaken Intelligence is one of the best books I have ever read. Krishnamurti‘s speeches have completely changed the way I see life.

What do you think about Krishnamurti‘s philosophy? I‘d love to hear your thoughts.