Editing Jiddu Krishnamurti (section)

==Biography==

===Family background and childhood===
[[File:Jiddu Krishnamurti house.jpg|thumb|alt=House in which Krishnamurti was born |House in [[Madanapalle]], in which Krishnamurti was born]]
[[File:At the feet of the master pg 2.jpg|thumb|Krishnamurti in 1910]]
Born during the late [[British Raj]], The date of birth of Krishnamurti is a matter of dispute. [[Mary Lutyens]] determines it to be 11 May 1895,<ref>Lutyens (1995), footnotes 1, 2.</ref> but Christine Williams notes the unreliability of birth registrations in that period and that statements claiming dates ranging from 4 May 1895 to 25 May 1896 exist. She used calculations based on a published horoscope to derive a date of 11 May 1895 but "retains a measure of scepticism" about it.<ref>Williams (2004), p. 465.</ref>

His birthplace was the small town of [[Madanapalle]] in [[Madras Presidency]] ({{As of|2011|alt=modern-day}} [[Chittoor, Andhra Pradesh|Chittoor District]] in [[Andhra Pradesh]]). He was born in a [[Telugu language|Telugu]]-speaking [[Brahmin]] family.<ref>Lutyens (1975). p. 7.</ref><ref>{{Cite book|last=Lutyens|first=Mary|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=iG2hHtxiXyoC&q=brahmin|title=Open Door|date=2003|publisher=Krishnamurti Foundation Trust Ltd.|isbn=978-0-900506-21-5|language=en}}</ref> His father, Jiddu Narayanaiah, was employed as an official of the British colonial administration. Krishnamurti was fond of his mother Sanjeevamma, who died when he was ten.<ref>Lutyens (1975). p. 5.</ref> His parents had a total of eleven children, of whom six survived childhood.<ref>Williams (2004), pp. 471–472.</ref>

In 1903 the family settled in [[Kadapa]], where Krishnamurti had contracted [[malaria]] during a previous stay. He suffered recurrent bouts of the disease over many years.<ref>Lutyens (1975), pp.2–4.</ref> A sensitive and sickly child, "vague and dreamy", he was often taken to be intellectually disabled, and was beaten regularly at school by his teachers and at home by his father.<ref>Lutyens (1975), pp. 3–4, 22, 25.</ref> In memoirs written when he was eighteen years old Krishnamurti described [[psychic]] experiences, such as seeing his sister, who had died in 1904, and his late mother.<ref>Lutyens (1983a), pp. 5, 309</ref> Even from his childhood he felt a bond with nature which was to stay with him for the rest of his life.<ref>J. Krishnamurti (2004), p. 16.</ref> Writing in  his journal Krishnamurti states "He always had this strange lack of distance between himself and the trees, rivers, mountains. It wasn't cultivated."<ref>Krishnamurti’s Journal, 17 September 1973.</ref>

Krishnamurti's father retired at the end of 1907. He sought employment at the headquarters of the [[Theosophical Society Adyar|Theosophical Society]] at Adyar. Narayanaiah had been a [[Theosophist]] since 1882. He was eventually hired by the Society as a clerk, moving there with his family in January 1909.<ref>Lutyens (1983a), pp. 7–8.</ref> Narayanaiah and his sons were at first assigned to live in a small cottage that was located just outside the society's compound.<ref>''Star In The East: The Invention of A Messiah'', by [[Roland Vernon]], Palgrave 2001, p 41.</ref>

Krishnamurti was a [[Vegetarianism|vegetarian]] from birth and his family were strict vegetarians. He was an opponent of [[meat eating]], based on ethical and spiritual reasons.<ref>Williams, C. V. (2004). ''Jiddu Krishnamurti World Philosopher (1895–1986) : His Life and Thoughts''. Motilal Banarsidass Publishers. p. 104. {{ISBN|978-8120820326}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.krishnamurtiaustralia.org/articles/vegetarian.htm|title=Krishnamurti on Eating Meat & Vegetarianism|website=Krishnamurti Australia|access-date=10 May 2023|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230511020937/http://www.krishnamurtiaustralia.org/articles/vegetarian.htm|archive-date=11 May 2023}}</ref> Krishnamurti was also a "[[teetotalism|teetotaler]], nonsmoker and practitioner of [[yoga]]."<ref name=Saxon />

===Discovered===
In April 1909, Krishnamurti first met [[Charles Webster Leadbeater]], who claimed [[clairvoyance]]. Leadbeater had noticed Krishnamurti on the Society's beach on the Adyar river, and was amazed by the "most wonderful [[Aura (paranormal)|aura]] he had ever seen, without a particle of selfishness in it."{{efn|According to [[occult]] and Theosophical lore, auras are invisible emanations related to each individual's so-called [[Subtle body|subtler planes of existence]], as well as her or his normal plane. The ability to discern a person's aura is considered one of the possible effects of clairvoyance. Leadbeater's occult knowledge and abilities were highly respected within the Society.<ref>Lutyens (1975), pp. 15, 20–21</ref>}} [[Ernest Wood]], an adjutant of Leadbeater's at the time, who helped Krishnamurti with his homework, considered him to be "particularly dim-witted."<ref name="Lutyens1975p21">Lutyens (1975), p. 21.</ref> Leadbeater was convinced that the boy would become a spiritual teacher and a great [[orator]]; the likely "vehicle for the [[Maitreya (Theosophy)|Lord Maitreya]]" in Theosophical [[doctrine]], an advanced spiritual entity periodically appearing on Earth as a World Teacher to guide the evolution of humankind.<ref name="Lutyens1975p21" />

In her biography of Krishnamurti, [[Pupul Jayakar]] quotes him speaking of that period in his life some 75 years later: "The boy had always said 'I will do whatever you want.' There was an element of subservience, obedience. The boy was vague, uncertain, [[wikt:woolly-minded#Adjective|woolly]]; he didn't seem to care what was happening. He was like a vessel with a large hole in it, whatever was put in, went through, nothing remained."<ref>Pupul (1986), p. 28.</ref> Krishnamurti himself described his state of mind as a young boy: "No thought entered his mind. He was watching and listening and nothing else. Thought with its associations never arose. There was no image-making. He often attempted to think but no thought would come."<ref>Krishnamurti’s Journal, 15 September 1973.</ref>
[[File:Povedano - Jiddu Krishnamurti.png|thumb|Krishnamurti by [[Tomás Povedano]]]]
Following his discovery by Leadbeater, Krishnamurti was nurtured by the Theosophical Society in Adyar. Leadbeater and a small number of trusted associates undertook the task of educating, protecting, and generally preparing Krishnamurti as the "vehicle" of the expected World Teacher. Krishnamurti (often later called ''Krishnaji'')<ref>Jayakar (1986), p. xi. The suffix&nbsp;–ji in Hindu names is a sign of affection or respect.</ref> and his younger brother Nityananda (''Nitya'') were privately tutored at the Theosophical compound in Madras, and later exposed to an opulent life among a segment of European [[High society (social class)|high society]] as they continued their education abroad. Despite his history of problems with schoolwork and concerns about his capacities and physical condition, the 14-year-old Krishnamurti was able to speak and write competently in English within six months.<ref>Vernon (2001), pp. 51–72.</ref> Lutyens says that later in life Krishnamurti came to view his "discovery" as a life-saving event. When he was asked in later life what he thought would have happened to him if he had not been 'discovered' by Leadbeater he unhesitatingly replied "I would have died".<ref>Lutyens (1995)</ref>

During this time Krishnamurti had developed a strong bond with [[Annie Besant]] and came to view her as a surrogate mother. His father, who had initially assented to Besant's [[legal guardian]]ship of Krishnamurti,<ref>Lutyens (1975), p. 40.</ref> was pushed into the background by the swirl of attention around his son. In 1912 he sued Besant to annul the guardianship agreement. After a protracted legal battle, Besant took custody of Krishnamurti and Nitya.<ref>Lutyens (1975), pp. 54–63, 64–71, 82, 84.</ref> As a result of this separation from family and home Krishnamurti and his brother (whose relationship had always been very close) became more dependent on each other, and in the following years often travelled together.<ref>Lutyens (1975), pp. 3, 32.</ref>

In 1911 the Theosophical Society established the Order of the Star in the East (OSE) to prepare the world for the expected appearance of the World Teacher. Krishnamurti was named as its head, with senior Theosophists assigned various other positions. Membership was open to anybody who accepted the doctrine of the ''Coming of the World Teacher''. Controversy soon erupted, both within the Theosophical Society and outside it, in [[Hinduism|Hindu]] circles and the Indian press.{{efn|Lutyens (1975), pp. 40–63 [cumulative]. The news regarding Krishnamurti and the World Teacher was not universally welcomed by Theosophists and led to upheavals in the Society; Lutyens (1983a), pp. 15–19, 40, 56. Part of the controversy was Leadbeater's role. He had a history of being in the company of young boys–pupils under his spiritual and Theosophical instruction, and there was gossip about child abuse&nbsp;— although no accusations were ever proven.}}

===Growing up===
[[Mary Lutyens]], a biographer, says that there was a time when Krishnamurti believed that he was to become the World Teacher after correct spiritual and secular guidance and education.<ref>Lutyens (1975), p. 10-11, 93.</ref> Another biographer describes the daily program imposed on him by Leadbeater and his associates, which included rigorous exercise and sports, tutoring in a variety of school subjects, Theosophical and religious lessons, [[yoga]] and meditation, as well as instruction in proper hygiene and in the ways of British society and culture.<ref>Vernon (2001), p. 57.</ref> At the same time Leadbeater assumed the role of guide in a parallel [[Mysticism|mystical]] instruction of Krishnamurti; the existence and progress of this instruction was at the time known only to a select few.<ref>Lutyens (1975), "Chapter 4: First Initiation" and "Chapter 5: First Teaching" pp. 29–46 [cumulative].</ref>

While he showed a natural aptitude in sports, Krishnamurti always had problems with formal schooling and was not academically inclined. He eventually gave up university education after several attempts at admission. He did take to foreign languages, in time speaking several with some fluency.<ref>Lutyens (1997), pp. 83, 120, 149.</ref>

His public image, cultivated by the Theosophists, "was to be characterized by a well-polished exterior, a sobriety of purpose, a cosmopolitan outlook and an otherworldly, almost [[wikt:beatific|beatific]] detachment in his demeanor."<ref name=Vernon2001p53>Vernon (2001), p. 53.</ref> Demonstrably, "all of these can be said to have characterized Krishnamurti's public image to the end of his life."<ref name=Vernon2001p53 /> It was apparently clear early on that he "possessed an innate personal magnetism, not of a warm physical variety, but nonetheless emotive in its austerity, and inclined to inspire veneration."<ref>Vernon (2001), p. 52.</ref> However, as he was growing up, Krishnamurti showed signs of adolescent rebellion and emotional instability, chafing at the regimen imposed on him, visibly uncomfortable with the publicity surrounding him, and occasionally expressing doubts about the future prescribed for him.{{efn|Lutyens (1975), "Chapter 10: Doubts and Difficulties" through "Chapter 15: In Love" pp. 80–132 [cumulative].}}

[[File:Annie-Besant-J-Krishnamurti-Ernest-Wood.jpg|thumb|alt=Photograph of Krishnamurti with his brother Nitya, Annie Besant, and others in London 1911|Krishnamurti in England in 1911 with his brother Nitya, [[Annie Besant]], and [[George Arundale]]]]
Krishnamurti and Nitya were taken to England in April 1911.<ref>Lutyens (1975), pp. 50–51.</ref> During this trip Krishnamurti gave his first public speech to members of the OSE in London.<ref>Lutyens (1975), pp. 51–52.</ref> His first writings had also started to appear, published in booklets by the Theosophical Society and in Theosophical and OSE-affiliated magazines.<ref>Lutyens (1997), pp. 46, 74–75, 126. Krishnamurti was named Editor of the ''Herald of the Star'', the official bulletin of the OSE. His position was mainly as a figurehead, yet he often wrote editorial notes, which along with his other contributions helped the magazine's circulation.</ref> Between 1911 and the start of [[World War I]] in 1914, the brothers visited several other European countries, always accompanied by Theosophist [[Chaperone (social)|chaperones]].<ref>Vernon (2001), p. 65.</ref> Meanwhile, Krishnamurti had for the first time acquired a measure of personal financial independence, thanks to a wealthy benefactress, American [[Mary Melissa Hoadley Dodge]], who was domiciled in England.<ref>Lutyens (1975), pp. 4, 75, 77.</ref>

After the war, Krishnamurti embarked on a series of lectures, meetings and discussions around the world, related to his duties as the Head of the OSE, accompanied by Nitya, by then the Organizing Secretary of the [[#Order|Order]].<ref>Lutyens (1975), p. 125.</ref> Krishnamurti also continued writing.<ref>See [[Jiddu Krishnamurti bibliography]].</ref> The content of his talks and writings revolved around the work of the Order and of its members in preparation for the ''Coming''. He was initially described as a halting, hesitant, and repetitive speaker, but his delivery and confidence improved, and he gradually took command of the meetings.<ref>Lutyens (1975), pp. 134–35, 171–17.</ref>

In 1921 Krishnamurti fell in love with [[Helen Nearing|Helen Knothe]], a 17-year-old American whose family associated with the Theosophists. The experience was tempered by the realisation that his work and expected life-mission precluded what would otherwise be considered normal relationships and by the mid-1920s the two of them had drifted apart.<ref>Lutyens (1975), pp. 114, 118, 131–132, 258.</ref>

===Life-altering experiences===
In 1922 Krishnamurti and Nitya travelled from [[Sydney]] to [[California]]. In California, they stayed at a cottage in the [[Ojai, California|Ojai Valley]]. It was thought that the area's climate would be beneficial to Nitya, who had been diagnosed with [[tuberculosis]]. Nitya's failing health became a concern for Krishnamurti.<ref>Vernon (2001), p. 97.</ref><ref>Lutyens (1975), pp. 149, 199, 209, 216–217.</ref> At Ojai they met [[Rosalind Rajagopal|Rosalind Williams]], a young American who became close to them both, and who was later to play a significant role in Krishnamurti's life.<ref>Lutyens (1991), p. 35.</ref> For the first time the brothers were without immediate supervision by their Theosophical Society minders.<ref>Vernon (2001), p. 113.</ref> They found the Valley to be very agreeable. Eventually, a [[Trust law|trust]], formed by supporters, bought a cottage and surrounding property there for them. This became Krishnamurti's official residence.<ref>Lutyens (1983b), p. 6.</ref>

At Ojai in August and September 1922, Krishnamurti went through an intense 'life-changing' experience.<ref>Jayakar (1986), pp. 46–57.</ref> The initial events happened in two distinct phases: first a three-day [[Religious experience|spiritual experience]], and two weeks later, a longer-lasting condition that Krishnamurti and those around him referred to as ''the process''. This condition recurred, at frequent intervals and with varying intensity, until his death.{{sfn|Vernon|2001|p=282}}

According to witnesses, it started on 17 August 1922 when Krishnamurti complained of a sharp pain at the nape of his neck. Over the next two days the symptoms worsened, with increasing pain and sensitivity, loss of appetite, and occasional delirious ramblings. He seemed to lapse into unconsciousness but later recounted that he was very much aware of his surroundings, and that while in that state he had an experience of [[Mysticism#Types of experience|"mystical union"]]. The following day the symptoms and the experience intensified, climaxing with a sense of "immense peace".<ref>Lutyens (1975), pp. 158–160.</ref> Following&nbsp;— and apparently related to&nbsp;— these events<ref>Lutyens (1975), p. 165.</ref> the condition that came to be known as ''the process'' started to affect him, in September and October that year, as a regular, almost nightly occurrence. Later the ''process'' resumed intermittently, with varying degrees of pain, physical discomfort, and sensitivity, occasionally a lapse into a childlike state, and sometimes an apparent fading out of consciousness, explained as either his body giving in to pain or his mind "going off".{{efn|Lutyens (1975), "Chapter 18: The Turning Point" through "Chapter 21: Climax of the Process" pp. 152–188 [cumulative]. The use of the term "going off" in the accounts of the early occurrences of the process apparently signified so-called [[out-of-body experience]]s.<ref>Lutyens (1990), pp. 134–135.</ref> In later usage the meaning of "going off" was more nuanced.}}

These experiences were accompanied or followed by what was interchangeably described as, "the benediction", "the immensity", "the sacredness", "the vastness" and, most often, "the otherness" or "the other".<ref name = Lutyens1988>Lutyens, M. (1988). [https://www.scribd.com/doc/12794647/Mary-Lutyens-3-Krishnamurti-The-Open-Door J. Krishnamurti: The Open Door.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110627161308/http://www.scribd.com/doc/12794647/Mary-Lutyens-3-Krishnamurti-The-Open-Door |date=27 June 2011 }} Volume 3 of Biography, p. 12. {{ISBN|0-900506-21-0}}. Retrieved on: 19 November 2011.</ref> It was a state distinct from the process.<ref name="jkrishnamurti">{{cite web|url=http://www.jkrishnamurti.org/krishnamurti-teachings/view-text.php?tid=27&chid=319&w=|website=jkrishnamurti.org|title=J. Krishnamurti, Krishnamurti's Notebook, Foreword by Mary Lutyens|access-date=28 November 2017|archive-date=27 September 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160927062200/http://www.jkrishnamurti.org/krishnamurti-teachings/view-text.php?tid=27&chid=319&w=|url-status=dead}}</ref> According to Lutyens it is evident from his notebook that this experience of ''otherness'' was "with him almost continuously" during his life, and gave him "a sense of being protected".<ref name = Lutyens1988 /> Krishnamurti describes it in his notebook as typically following an acute experience of the ''process'', for example, on awakening the next day:
{{blockquote|... woke up early with that strong feeling of otherness, of another world that is beyond all thought&nbsp;... there is a heightening of sensitivity. Sensitivity, not only to beauty but also to all other things. The blade of grass was astonishingly green; that one blade of grass contained the whole spectrum of colour; it was intense, dazzling and such a small thing, so easy to destroy&nbsp;...<ref name = Notebook>Krishnamurti, J. (1976). [http://www.jkrishnamurti.org/krishnamurti-teachings/view-text.php?tid=27&chid=68289&w= Krishnamurti's Notebook] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160927062100/http://www.jkrishnamurti.org/krishnamurti-teachings/view-text.php?tid=27&chid=68289&w= |date=27 September 2016 }}, Part 3 Gstaad, Switzerland 13th July to 3rd September 1961. J. Krishnamurti online. {{ISBN|1-888004-63-0}}, {{ISBN|978-1-888004-63-2}}.</ref>}}

This experience of the ''otherness'' was present with him in daily events:
{{blockquote|It is strange how during one or two interviews that strength, that power filled the room. It seemed to be in one's eyes and breath. It comes into being, suddenly and most unexpectedly, with a force and intensity that is quite overpowering and at other times it's there, quietly and serenely. But it's there, whether one wants it or not. There is no possibility of getting used to it for it has never been nor will it ever be&nbsp;..."<ref name = Notebook />}}

Since the initial occurrences of 1922, several explanations have been proposed for this experience of Krishnamurti's, including [[Temporal lobe epilepsy|epilepsy]].{{sfn|Vernon|2001|p=124-128}}{{efn-la|name="proces_explanation"}} Leadbeater and other Theosophists expected the "vehicle" to have certain [[paranormal]] experiences but were nevertheless mystified by these developments.<ref>Lutyens (1975), pp. 163–4, 188–9.</ref> During Krishnamurti's later years, the nature and provenance of the continuing ''process'' often came up as a subject in private discussions between himself and associates; these discussions shed some light on the subject but were ultimately inconclusive.<ref>Jayakar (1986), p. 133.</ref> Krishnamurti himself gave aless dramatic description of his development to Rom Landau:
{{blockquote|Rom Landau: How did you come to that state of unity with everything?<br>Krishnamurti: People have asked me about that before, and I always feel that they expect to hear the dramatic account of some sudden miracle through which I suddenly became one with the universe. Of course nothing of the sort happened. My inner awareness was always there; though it took me time to feel it more and more clearly; and equally it took time to find words that would at all describe it.<br>It was not a sudden flash, but a slow yet constant clarification of something that was always there. It did not grow, as people often think. Nothing can grow in us that is of spiritual importance. It has to be there in all its fullness, and then the only thing that happens is that we become more and more aware of it. It is our intellectual reaction and nothing else that needs time to become more articulate, more definite.<ref>Rom Landau, ''God Is My Adventure''</ref>}}

As news of these experiences spread, rumours concerning the [[Messianism|messianic]] status of Krishnamurti reached fever pitch as the 1925 Theosophical Society Convention was planned, on the 50th anniversary of its founding. There were expectations of significant happenings.<ref>Lutyens (1975), p. 223.</ref> Paralleling the increasing adulation was Krishnamurti's growing discomfort with it. In related developments, prominent Theosophists and their factions within the Society were trying to position themselves favourably relative to the ''Coming'', which was widely rumoured to be approaching. He stated that "Too much of everything is bad". "Extraordinary" pronouncements of spiritual advancement were made by various parties, disputed by others, and the internal Theosophical politics further alienated Krishnamurti.<ref>Lutyens (1990), pp. 57–60.</ref>

Nitya's persistent health problems had periodically resurfaced throughout this time. On 13 November 1925, at age 27, he died in Ojai from complications of [[influenza]] and tuberculosis.<ref>Lutyens (1975), p. 219.</ref> Despite Nitya's poor health, his death was unexpected, and it fundamentally shook Krishnamurti's belief in Theosophy and in the leaders of the Theosophical Society. He had received their assurances regarding Nitya's health, and had come to believe that "Nitya was essential for [his] life-mission and therefore he would not be allowed to die," a belief shared by Annie Besant and Krishnamurti's circle.<ref>Lutyens (1975), pp. 219, 221.</ref> Jayakar wrote that "his belief in the Masters and the hierarchy had undergone a total revolution."<ref name=Jayakar1986p69>Jayakar (1986), p. 69.</ref> Moreover, Nitya had been the "last surviving link to his family and childhood.&nbsp;... The only person to whom he could talk openly, his best friend and companion."<ref>Vernon (2001), p. 152.</ref> According to eyewitness accounts, the news "broke him completely."<ref>Lutyens (1975), pp. 220, 313 (note to p. 220).</ref> but 12 days after Nitya's death he was "immensely quiet, radiant, and free of all sentiment and emotion";<ref name=Jayakar1986p69 /> "there was not a shadow&nbsp;... to show what he had been through."<ref>Lutyens (1975), p. 221.</ref>

===Break with the past===
Over the next few years, Krishnamurti's new vision and consciousness continued to develop. New concepts appeared in his talks, discussions, and correspondence, together with an evolving vocabulary that was progressively free of Theosophical terminology.<ref>Lutyens (1983c), p. 234.</ref> His new direction reached a climax in 1929, when he rebuffed attempts by Leadbeater and Besant to continue with the Order of the Star.

Krishnamurti dissolved the Order during the annual [[#OSE|Star Camp]] at [[Ommen]], the [[Netherlands]], on 3 August 1929.<ref>Lutyens (1975), p. 272.</ref> He stated that he had made his decision after "careful consideration" during the previous two years, and that:

{{blockquote|text=I maintain that truth is a pathless land, and you cannot approach it by any path whatsoever, by any religion, by any sect. That is my point of view, and I adhere to that absolutely and unconditionally. Truth, being limitless, unconditioned, unapproachable by any path whatsoever, cannot be organized; nor should any organization be formed to lead or coerce people along a particular path. ... This is no magnificent deed, because I do not want followers, and I mean this. The moment you follow someone you cease to follow Truth. I am not concerned whether you pay attention to what I say or not. I want to do a certain thing in the world and I am going to do it with unwavering concentration. I am concerning myself with only one essential thing: to set man free. I desire to free him from all cages, from all fears, and not to found religions, new sects, nor to establish new theories and new philosophies.<ref name=Krishnamurti1929 /><ref name="v525">{{cite book | last=Lutyens | first=Mary | title=J. Krishnamurti: A Life | publisher=Penguin Books | year=2005 | isbn=978-0-14-400006-7 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jUmApIe_dbcC&pg=PA279 | access-date=7 July 2024 | page=279}}</ref>}}

[[File:Jiddu Krishnamurti by Witzel.jpg|thumb|Krishnamurti in the early 1920s]]
Following the dissolution, prominent Theosophists turned against Krishnamurti, including Leadbeater who is said to have stated, "the Coming had gone wrong."<ref>Lutyens (1997), pp. 277–279.</ref> Krishnamurti had denounced all organised belief, the notion of [[guru]]s, and the whole teacher-follower relationship, vowing instead to work on setting people "absolutely, unconditionally free."<ref name=Krishnamurti1929>J. Krishnamurti (1929).</ref> There is no record of his explicitly denying he was the World Teacher;<ref>Vernon (2001), pp. 166–167.</ref> whenever he was asked to clarify his position he either asserted that the matter was irrelevant<ref>J. Krishnamurti (1972), p. 9. "I think we shall have incessant wrangles over the corpse of Krishnamurti if we discuss this or that, wondering who is now speaking. Someone asked me: 'Do tell me if it is you speaking or someone else'. I said: 'I really do not know and it does not matter'." From the 1927 "Question and answer session" at Ommen. [Note weblink in reference is ''not'' at official Krishnamurti-related or Theosophical Society website].</ref> or gave answers that, as he stated, were "purposely vague".<ref>J. Krishnamurti (1928a), p. 43. "I am going to be purposely vague, because although I could quite easily make it definite, it is not my intention to do so. Because once you define a thing it becomes dead." Krishnamurti on the World Teacher, from "Who brings the truth," an address delivered at Ommen 2 August 1927. Note weblink in reference is ''not'' at official Krishnamurti-related or Theosophical Society website. Link-specific content verified against original at [[New York Public Library Main Branch]], [http://catalog.nypl.org/record=b14583087 "YAM p.v. 519" [call no.].</ref>

In hind-sight it can be seen that the ongoing changes in his outlook had begun before the dissolution of the Order of the Star.<ref>Lutyens (1975), p. 262.</ref> The subtlety of the new distinctions on the World Teacher issue was lost on many of his admirers, who were already bewildered or distraught because of the changes in Krishnamurti's outlook, vocabulary and pronouncements–among them Besant and Mary Lutyens' mother Emily, who had a very close relationship with him.<ref>Vernon (2001), p. 189.</ref><ref>Lutyens (1975), p. 236.</ref> He soon disassociated himself from the Theosophical Society and its teachings and practices,{{efn|Lutyens considers the last remaining tie with Theosophy to have been severed in 1933, with the death of Besant. He had resigned from the Society in 1930 (Lutyens, 1975; pp. 276, 285).}} yet he remained on cordial terms with some of its members and ex-members throughout his life.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Schüller |first=Govert |title=Krishnamurti and the World Teacher Project: Some Theosophical Perceptions |url=https://www.theosophyforward.com/pdf/Krishnamurti_and_the_World_teacher.pdf |journal=Theosophical History |volume=V |issue=Theosophical History Occasional Papers |quote=After Annie Besant died in 1933 relations between Krishnamurti and the Theosophical Society were severed although he would still have private contacts with individual members. |via=}}</ref>

Krishnamurti often referred to the totality of his work as ''the'' teachings and not as ''my'' teachings.<ref>Lutyens (1990), p. 210. Emphasis in source.</ref>

Krishnamurti resigned from the various trusts and other organisations that were affiliated with the defunct Order of the Star, including the Theosophical Society. He returned the money and properties donated to the Order, among them a castle in the Netherlands and {{convert|5000|acre|ha|0}} of land, to their donors.<ref>Lutyens (1975), pp. 276–284.</ref>

===Middle years===
From 1930 through 1944 Krishnamurti engaged in speaking tours and in the issue of publications under the auspice of the "''Star Publishing Trust''" (SPT), which he had founded with Desikacharya Rajagopal, a close associate and friend from the ''Order of the Star''.{{efn|Born in India in 1900 and of Brahmin descent, Rajagopal had moved in Krishnamurti's circle since early youth. Although regarded as an excellent editor and organizer, he was also known for his difficult personality and high-handed manner. Upon Nitya's death, he had promised Besant that he would look after Krishnamurti. See Henri Methorst, ''Krishnamurti A Spiritual Revolutionary'', Edwin Publishing House, 2003, ch 12.}} Ojai was the base of operations for the new enterprise, where Krishnamurti, Rajagopal, and Rosalind Williams (who had married Rajagopal in 1927) resided in the house known as ''Arya Vihara'' (meaning ''Realm of the Aryas'', i.e. those noble by righteousness in [[Sanskrit]]). The business and organizational aspects of the SPT were administered chiefly by D. Rajagopal, as Krishnamurti devoted his time to speaking and meditation. The Rajagopals' marriage was not a happy one, and the two became physically estranged after the 1931 birth of their daughter, Radha.<ref>''Lives in the Shadow with J. Krishnamurti'' by Radha Rajagopal Sloss, Bloomsbury Publishing, 1991, ch 12.</ref>  Krishnamurti's friendship with Rosalind became a love affair. According to Radha Rajagopal Sloss, the affair between Krishnamurti and Rosalind began in 1932 and it endured for about twenty-five years.{{efn|The two also shared an interest in education: Krishnamurti helped to raise Radha, and the need to provide her with a suitable educational environment led to the founding of the ''Happy Valley School'' in 1946. The school has since re-established itself as an independent institution operating as the [http://www.besanthill.org/ Besant Hill School Of Happy Valley]. See Sloss, "Lives in the Shadow," ch 19.}}{{efn|Radha's account of the relationship, ''Lives in the Shadow With J. Krishnamurti'', was first published in England by Bloomsbury Publishing Ltd. in 1991, and was soon followed by a rebuttal volume written by Mary Lutyens, ''Krishnamurti and the Rajagopals'', Krishnamurti Foundation of America, 1996, in which she acknowledges the relationship but was never confirmed by Krishnamurti himself.}}{{efn|Mark Lee: I heard it from Erna Lillifelt, who learned it from Krishnaji. Krishnaji has told Mary Zimbalist and Erna Lilliefelt that there was something that Rajagopal had against him. They asked him what it was. And he said "I had sexual relations with that woman". See Padmanabhan Krishna, "A jewel on a silver platter", Ch 8.}} Radha Sloss, daughter of Rajagopal, wrote about the affair in her book ''[[Lives in the Shadow with J. Krishnamurti]]''.

During the 1930s Krishnamurti spoke in Europe, Latin America, India, Australia and the United States. [[George Bernard Shaw]] in his later years was acquainted with Krishnamurti  and declared Krishnamurti to be the "most beautiful human being" he had ever met.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Moody |first=David Edmund |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-lBbBgAAQBAJ&q=jiddu+krishnamurti+schools |title=The Unconditioned Mind: J. Krishnamurti and the Oak Grove School |date=2013-01-07 |publisher=Quest Books |isbn=978-0-8356-3034-4 |language=en}}</ref>  In 1938 he met [[Aldous Huxley]].<ref>Vernon, "Star in the East," p 205.</ref> The two began a close friendship which endured for many years. They held common concerns about the imminent conflict in Europe which they viewed as the outcome of the pernicious influence of nationalism.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.journal.kfionline.org/issue-1/aldous-huxley-and-krishnamurti | title = Journal of the Krishnamurti Schools | access-date = 4 June 2018}}</ref> Krishnamurti's stance on [[World War II]] was often construed as pacifism and even [[subversion]] during a time of patriotic fervor in the United States and for a time he came under the surveillance of the [[FBI]].<ref>Vernon, "Star in the East," p 209.</ref> He did not speak publicly for a period of about four years (between 1940 and 1944). During this time he lived and worked at ''Arya Vihara'', which during the war operated as a largely self-sustaining farm, with its surplus goods donated for relief efforts in Europe.<ref>Vernon, "Star in the East," p 210.</ref> Of the years spent in Ojai during the war he later said: "I think it was a period of no challenge, no demand, no outgoing. I think it was a kind of everything held in; and when I left Ojai it all burst."<ref>Jayakar, "Krishnamurti" p 98.</ref>

Krishnamurti broke the hiatus from public speaking in May 1944 with a series of talks in Ojai. These talks, and subsequent material, were published by "''Krishnamurti Writings Inc.''" (KWINC), the successor organisation to the "''Star Publishing Trust''." This was to be the new central Krishnamurti-related entity worldwide, whose sole purpose was the dissemination of the teaching.<ref>Lutyens, "Fulfillment," Farrar, Straus hardcover, p 59-60. Initially, Krishnamurti (along with Rajagopal and others) was a trustee of KWINC. Eventually he ceased being a trustee, leaving Rajagopal as President–a turn of events that according to Lutyens, constituted ''"... a circumstance that was to have most unhappy consequences."''</ref> He had remained in contact with associates from India, and in the autumn of 1947 embarked on a speaking tour there, attracting a new following of young intellectuals.{{efn|These included former freedom campaigners from the Indian Independence Movement, See Vernon, "Star in the East," p 219.}} On this trip he encountered the Mehta sisters, Pupul and Nandini, who became lifelong associates and confidants. The sisters also attended to Krishnamurti throughout a 1948 recurrence of the "''process''" in [[Ooty|Ootacamund]].<ref>See Jayakar, "Krishnamurti," ch 11 for Pupul Mehta's (later Jayakar) eyewitness account.</ref> In [[Poona]] in 1948, Krishnamurti met [[B. K. S. Iyengar|Iyengar]], who taught him [[Asana|Yoga practices]] every morning for the next three months, then on and off for twenty years.<ref>Elliot Goldberg, ''The Path of Modern Yoga'' (Rochester VT: Inner Traditions 2016), p. 380.</ref>

When Krishnamurti was in India after World War II many prominent personalities came to meet him, including Prime Minister [[Jawaharlal Nehru]]. In his meetings with Nehru, Krishnamurti elaborated at length on the teachings, saying in one instance, "Understanding of the self only arises in relationship, in watching yourself in relationship to people, ideas, and things; to trees, the earth, and the world around you and within you. Relationship is the mirror in which the self is revealed. Without self-knowledge there is no basis for right thought and action." Nehru asked, "How does one start?" to which Krishnamurti replied, "Begin where you are. Read every word, every phrase, every paragraph of the mind, as it operates through thought."<ref>Jayakar, "Krishnamurti," p 142.</ref>

===Later years===
Krishnamurti continued speaking in public lectures, group discussions and with concerned individuals around the world. He met with many prominent religious leaders and scholars including [[Swami Venkatesananda]], [[Anandamayi Ma]], [[Lakshman Joo]], [[Walpola Rahula]], and Eugene Schalert. In India he also met with many sanyasis and monks throughout his life. In the early 1960s, he made the acquaintance of physicist [[David Bohm]], whose philosophical and scientific concerns regarding the [[essence]] of the physical world, and the psychological and sociological state of mankind, found parallels in Krishnamurti's philosophy. The two men soon became close friends and started a common inquiry, in the form of personal dialogues–and occasionally in group discussions with other participants–that continued, periodically, over nearly two decades.{{efn|Bohm would eventually serve as a [[#External links|Krishnamurti Foundation]] trustee.}} Several of these discussions were published in the form of books or as parts of books, and introduced a wider audience (among scientists) to Krishnamurti's ideas.<ref>See [[#List of Books|Selected Publications/List of Books]] subsection.</ref> Although Krishnamurti's philosophy delved into fields as diverse as religious studies, education, psychology, physics, and consciousness studies, he was not then, nor since, well known in academic circles. Nevertheless, Krishnamurti met and held discussions with physicists [[Fritjof Capra]] and [[E. C. George Sudarshan]], biologist [[Rupert Sheldrake]], psychiatrist David Shainberg, as well as psychotherapists representing various theoretical orientations.<ref>See ''On Krishnamurti'', by Raymond Martin, Wadsworth, 2003, for a discussion on Krishnamurti and the academic world.</ref> The long friendship with Bohm went through a rocky interval in later years, and although they overcame their differences and remained friends until Krishnamurti's death, the relationship did not regain its previous intensity.{{citation needed|date=July 2013}}{{efn|Their falling out was partly due to questions about Krishnamurti's private behaviour, especially his long and secret love affair with Rosalind Williams-Rajagopal, then unknown to the general public.{{citation needed|date=July 2013}}}}{{efn|After their falling out, Bohm criticised certain aspects of the teaching on philosophical, [[Methodology|methodological]], and psychological grounds. He also criticised what he described as Krishnamurti's occasional "verbal manipulations" when deflecting challenges. Eventually, he questioned some of the reasoning about the nature of thought and self, although he never abandoned his belief that "Krishnamurti was onto something". See ''Infinite Potential: The Life and times of David Bohm'', by [[F. David Peat]], Addison Wesley, 1997.}}

In the 1970s, Krishnamurti met several times with then Indian prime minister [[Indira Gandhi]], with whom he had far-ranging, and in some cases, very serious conversations. Jayakar considers his message in meetings with Indira Gandhi as a possible influence in the lifting of certain emergency measures Gandhi had imposed during periods of political turmoil.<ref>See Jayakar, "Krishnamurti" pages 340–343.</ref> In 1974 Krishnamurti was interviewed on [[PBS]] television in a series of 19 dialogues with Alan W. Anderson. The dialogues resulted in two books being published.<ref name="WDWL">{{cite book |last1=Krishnamurti |first1=J. |last2=Anderson |first2=Alan W. |title=A Wholly Different Way of Living |date=1991 |publisher=Krishnamurti Foundation Trust Ltd |location=Hampshire, England |isbn=978-81-87326-14-4 |url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/A_Wholly_Different_Way_of_Living/Sa49OoLiyPMC |access-date=14 April 2025}}</ref><ref name="OKT">{{cite book |last1=Anderson |first1=Alan W. |title=On Krishnamurti's Teachings |date=2012 |publisher=Karina Library Press |location=Ojai, California |isbn=978-1-937902-00-1 |url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/On_Krishnamurti_s_Teachings/F6F2MAEACAAJ |access-date=14 April 2025}}</ref>

Meanwhile, Krishnamurti's once close relationship with the Rajagopals had deteriorated to the point where he took D. Rajagopal to court to recover donated property and funds as well as publication rights for his works, manuscripts, and personal correspondence, that were in Rajagopal's possession.{{efn|D. Rajagopal was the head or co-head of a number of successive corporations and trusts, set up after the dissolution of the ''Order of the Star'' and chartered to publish Krishnamurti's talks, discussions and other writings.}} The litigation and ensuing cross complaints, which formally began in 1971, continued for many years. Much property and materials were returned to Krishnamurti during his lifetime; the parties to this case finally settled all other matters in 1986, shortly after his death.{{efn|''Formation of the Krishnamurti Foundation of America and the Lawsuits Which Took Place Between 1968 and 1986 to Recover Assets for Krishnamurti's Work'', by Erna Lilliefelt, Krishnamurti Foundation of America, 1995. The complicated settlement dissolved the ''K & R Foundation'' (a previous entity), and transferred assets to the ''Krishnamurti Foundation of America'' (KFA). However certain disputed documents remained in the possession of Rajagopal, and he received partial repayment for his attorney's fees.}}

In 1984 and 1985, Krishnamurti spoke to an invited audience at the United Nations in New York, under the auspices of the [[Pacem in terris|Pacem in Terris Society]] chapter at the United Nations.<ref>Lutyens, "The Open Door," p 84-85. Also Lutyens, "The Life and Death of Krishnamurti," p. 185.</ref> In October 1985, he visited India for the last time, holding a number of what came to be known as "farewell" talks and discussions between then and January 1986. These last talks included the fundamental questions he had been asking through the years, as well as newer concerns about advances in science and technology, and their effect on humankind. Krishnamurti had commented to friends that he did not wish to invite death, but was not sure how long his body would last (he had already lost considerable weight), and once he could no longer talk, he would have "no further purpose". In his final talk, on 4 January 1986, in Madras, he again invited the audience to examine with him the nature of [[inquiry]], the effect of technology, the nature of life and meditation, and the nature of [[Creation myth|creation]].{{citation needed|date=July 2013}}

Krishnamurti was also concerned about his legacy, about being unwittingly turned into some personage whose teachings had been handed down to special individuals, rather than the world at large. He did not want anybody to pose as an interpreter of the teaching.<ref>Lutyens, "Fulfilment," Farrar, Straus hardcover, p 171, statement of Krishnamurti published in the Foundation Bulletin, 1970.</ref> He warned his associates on several occasions that they were not to present themselves as spokesmen on his behalf, or as his successors after his death.<ref>Lutyens, "Fulfilment," Farrar, Straus hardcover, p 233.</ref>

A few days before his death, in a final statement, he declared that nobody among either his associates or the general public had understood what had happened to him (as the conduit of the teaching). He added that the "supreme intelligence" operating in his body would be gone with his death, again implying the impossibility of successors. However, he stated that people could perhaps get into touch with that somewhat "if they live the teachings".<ref>See Lutyens, "The Life and Death of Krishnamurti," London: John Murray, p 206. Quoting Krishnamurti from tape-recording made on 7 February 1986.</ref> In prior discussions, he had compared himself with [[Thomas Edison]], implying that he did the hard work, and now all that was needed by others was a flick of the switch.<ref>Lutyens, "Fulfilment" Farrar, Straus hardcover, p 119.</ref>

===Teachings===

According to him, the root of each evil are the categories established by the human intellect.<ref name="k245">{{cite book | last=Krishnamurti | first=Jiddu | title=The Awakening of Intelligence | publisher=Victor Gollancz | date=1973 | isbn=978-0-575-01680-4 | url=https://www.google.nl/books/edition/The_Awakening_of_Intelligence/KATXAAAAMAAJ?hl=nl&gbpv=1&bsq=%2522Thought,+the+intellect,+dominates+the+world.+And+therefore+intelligence+has+very+little+place+here.%2522&dq=%2522Thought,+the+intellect,+dominates+the+world.+And+therefore+intelligence+has+very+little+place+here.%2522&printsec=frontcover | access-date=2025-04-16 | page=521 | quote=Thought, the intellect, dominates the world. And therefore intelligence has very little place here.}}</ref><ref name="r844">{{cite web | title=Thought and time are always together | website=J. Krishnamurti | date=2017-10-30 | url=https://jkrishnamurti.org/content/thought-and-time-are-always-together | access-date=2025-04-16 | quote= We are constantly categorizing, putting them into some drawer so that they are this, they are communists, socialists, capitalists and so on. Now, our life, if you observe closely, our life is broken up. Right? Our life is fragmented. And if we understand the nature why we human beings who have lived on this marvellous earth for thousands of millions of years, or one million year, or fifty thousand years, why we are so fragmented, so broken up. [...] So, one of the factors of the why human beings are fragmented, is thought.}}</ref>