India’s most famous and influential philosopher and public speaker, Jiddu Krishnamurti are a non-resident of India. He is widely acclaimed as the “father of modern science” in India. Achieving a high level of popularity among Indians as a consequence of his many books, seminars and discussions, he continues to be feted as the “father of modern thought”. Excelling as a speaker, author, academician, author of many books on various aspects of life, Jiddu Krishnamurti is often described as a “master teacher” and as the “man behind the mask”.
According to him, all thought in the universe is expressed in the language of thought. This is a grand statement. The expression of all thought can be seen in the human mind. It is one of the greatest triumphs of modern physics, that the human mind has evolved as an “abstract machine” whose activity can be monitored and controlled by machines.
In this talk Jiddu speaks of the nature of the human mind, its relation to society, and how it can be made more efficient. He speaks of “the problem of communication”. Communication is the key to societal harmony and peace in an era of nuclear proliferation and other global issues. Jiddu also speaks of the need for communication, which is faster and stronger than ever before.
Speaking of speed and communications, India has been able to benefit greatly from global technology. Communication and fast internet in India have led to growth in all fields. Information technology has given rise to the Information Communication Technology sector of India. The impact on India has been tremendous. The growth of Information Technology in India has led to increased levels of literacy among its people, liberalization of private and public industries, globalization of India’s economy, liberalization of foreign investments in India, and liberalization of India’s media.
With such a gigantic success, Jiddu’s influence over the world has been tremendous. He has written numerous books and dozens of articles on philosophical topics. He has written over twenty-five books on yoga, metaphysics, life, and God. And he has translated many books into many languages including Marathi, English, Tamil, Kannada, and Hindi. As a prolific writer and speaker, he is an icon among spiritual leaders, educators, and seekers.
Jiddu was born in 1913 in what was then the state of Maharasthra, now in India’s east. Jiddu was a child of the Rajput clan of the erstwhile South Indian states. His father was a renowned scholar and educator who worked tirelessly to introduce western education to the world through his influential work in various educational institutions in the state. His efforts resulted not only in Jiddu Krishnamurti being one of the most famous Yoga sutras in the world today, but also in the spread of education to other states in India and abroad.
Jiddu’s life’s work primarily stems from his conviction that our minds are deeply conditioned by our experiences. His book, The Supreme Goal, is an attempt at establishing a philosophy of life based on this premise. In this book, Jiddu states: “If we understand the limitations of our mind, we find that our consciousness never ceases, for the mind itself is eternal, indestructible, and thus unlimited in duration”. In many of his writings he has expressed these ideas in clear, simple sentences, often using extremely simple language. He is often quoted as saying, “A man is not measured by the places he has made in the alphabet, but by the number of books he has read.”
This sutra, translated by P.N. Ramachandran, is frequently referred to as “The Nitya Sutra”, which means “the Universal Sutra”. The word “nitya” literally means “not existing” in Sanskrit, but more commonly refers to a literary composition. However, some have interpreted the meaning of the title as meaning “the knowledge of consciousness”. A more literal translation would be, “the knowledge of consciousness existing within”. Other sutras which were written by Jiddu are The Nanda Sutras, The Chandrakala Sutras, The Brahma Nanda Sutras, and the Upanishads.