Sambodhi 1977 Vol 06

Author(s): Dalsukh Malvania, H C Bhayani, Nagin J Shah
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

Page 50

J. KRISHNAMURTI AND THE TRADITIONAL INDIAN THOUGHT
R, K. Sbringy
J. Krishnamurti is neither an academician nor a speculative philosopher. He is, as it is well known, a public speaker, who expounds in his talks all over the English speaking world, a philosophy of life, and in his endeavour to do so he is mainly concerned with the act of comprehending life, of understanding life in terms of everyday existence and the reality that it signifies. He concerns himself with the fundamental causes of the problem of human existence and seeks to reach for their solution cutting at the very roots of their growth. In other words, he is not directly concerned with philosophy, or to be more precise, he does not philosophise in order to construct an intelligible and a logically consistent world view, or to account for the how and why of the creation as such, but in the process of understanding the problems of human existence he incidentally presents a certain perception of "what is', which leads to a philosophy of life in terms of reality and existence that is necessarily implied in it. Consequently, the Philosophy of life that he presents points out not only the structure of existence and hints at its foundations, but also indicates the best possible way in which it could be, utilised. Thus his thought and speech as well as his action constitute not only a philosophy but also a way of life.
Is this not the distinguishing characteristic feature of almost all the schools of Indian philosophy, the darśana-s as they are called ? Any attempt at intellectually isolating the philosophical doctrines from their pragmatic orientation and application to the problems of every day existence is bound to create a total misunderstanding of the Indian approach to life. It has rightly been observed that Indian Philosophy does not concern itself with organising the material world or political kingdoms but concerns mainly with the spiritual problems of man, his ignorance and suffering, old age and death, It is therefore distinguished by an intimate relation between philosophical speculation and practical life which accounts for its focus on human life.!
Though Krishnamurti is an Indian by birth, he is a British citizen today; not because he considers himself to be such but because he holds a British passport. As far he is concerned, as he says, he belongs, to no 1. Cf. Chethemathann John B, Patterns of Indian Thought, pp. 60-62