The Mystique of Enlightenment: The Radical Ideas of U.G. Krishnamurti

Although I rate this book with five stars, I should add the rider that this book and other similar books by UG lack universal appeal and are not for everyone. UG is not an author as he does not write books. He does talk a lot however, and some of his close associates have recorded his talks and these recordings are edited into several books. UG was associated with the Theosophical society during the days of J Krishnamurti, whom he knew personally. Over time, UG disagreed with J Krishnamurti's ideas and eventually broke away from the society which forms the basis for most of UG's philosophy. UG takes the extreme path of denying spirituality and everything associated with spirituality such as God, spirit, soul, Gurus, Enlightenment/Liberation, reincarnation and anything else one might think of, on the grounds of credibility. UG is not the first person to take this position nor will he be the last. Non-conformists have been around in this world since time immemorial. UG's logic is, there is no way one can understand what the other person is saying as these concepts are beyond the realms of thought and experience. The Gurus (sometimes referred to as jokers) are either bogus, unscrupulous cheats who are accomplished actors, expert in fooling the general public or else they are deluded themselves, simply repeating what they heard from somewhere else. UG says this situation is inevitable as this is what people want. People want to believe in something fantastic, which promises permanence beyond death, something that takes them away from the boring tedium of daily life. People want to believe; people need Gurus/religion to offer promises of a better and permanent world. Since UG does not offer such promises and denies permanent existence, he is not an appealing product to the masses. UG is mostly liked by people who have invested considerable time and effort into spiritual activities and have reached a cul-de-sac where they realize things are not what they seem and something is wrong with what they are looking for. Such people - who are willing to face reality, however it may turn out to be - have a good chance of benefiting by reading UG. For the rest, who have belief in souls, heaven/ reincarnation and permanent existence, it is best they avoid UG. As a final note, as UG himself says, it is important that the reader does not believe in what UG says. Once belief comes in, then UG is being seen as a Guru which takes away the whole point. The idea is to ask basic questions, not to be satisfied with empty promises, refuse to accept dubious answers and to objectively see things as they are, without bringing in sentiments.

If there is one single message one should incorporate in one's consciousness from UG, it is: there is one in a billion chance that you will reach enlightenment. He does not know why those that do get enlightenment, do; and why others won't. In any case, there is nothing you can do to get there. This tells me that there is some kind of predispostion to expanded consciuosness, that most likely depends on genetics. Personally, I am so happy to learn this at last. No more reading the Gurus, faking spirituality, making believe everyone that has anything to say on the subject. Thank you UG. I dont recall any other Guru, including J Krishnamurty, tell us that it is literally impossible to get there. He does tell you there is no path, but the hidden message is: keep trying, though fake it as if you are not. Nor does he ever describe (that I have come accross) the states that he went thru in the transformation and how, if, he feels after it, nor how or why he is superior(or not) than the common man. The truly egoless UG tells it all! That is the sign of a true enlightenment.

I really wish I never read this book, stay away from it. It opened my eyes to "things" and now I have no idea what to do. The real reason for me being spiritiual was for me to be special and know more than the next man and for people to garnish their attention on me. I always knew this but I was lying to myself. anyway, great book, dont read it. it will turn you upside down.

A unique and radical view on the idea of enlightenment that is an interesting read. In this U.G. Krishnamurti goes to the extreme side of the ineffable, he has no message to give, as all thoughts, all teachings, are contaminations, all of them!. This book is not for all who wish to metaphysically transcend. And Krishnamurti specifically says so. Do not follow him. Do not look for meaning into anything he has to say. Do not imitate anything he speaks of. If you do follow or try to learn from him then you have completely missed the point of his book. Krishnamurti's answer to our search of enlightenment is that if we look to him for answers, we are wasting our time, he has none to give us. Nor does he have any worthwhile information at all except the idea that searching for truth is in itself a worthless task. Then why be interested in reading what Krishnamurti has to say? Three factors. First of all, Krishnamurti was originally from the Theosophy Society, which he rejected. Secondly, he spent seven years with K. Krishnamurti, who he also rejected. Third, and most significant, he has encountered major biological changes in his body, which he goes into some fascinating details; an interior explosion of some sort that effects every last cell in the body. Most of us would interpret such bodily changes as pointing to Buddha consciousness. This Krishnamurti emphatically rejects, stating that there is no type of consciousness called Buddha, Christ, & etc. consciousness, as such ideas are completely erroneous. The whole biological change in him he relates as an individual flowering of the self that occurs differently in all people, that is, in the very few, only one in a million/billion or so, that possibly have these changes take place in them. He defines these changes as completely biological, not anything taught or learned, neither spiritual nor metaphysical and there is absolutely no benefit in reading, learning, obtaining, following and imitating any spiritual formalities, ideas, mediation techniques, and so forth. He goes on to say that even a murderer, rapist and thief can mysteriously flower individually and acquire these biological changes, which appear to us the readers as enlightened characteristics.. The changes he speaks about may be the evolutionary turn of a human into a fuller being, a flowering of the seed. And yet he states that these changes are not bliss, nor paradise, not at all. Instead, they took a few years to fully incorporate themselves and were very painful and discomforting, something that most persons who are desiring enlightenment would adamantly reject, as they do not want this. To desire enlightenment is to attach, to desire; this is not any goal of any intellectual or knowledgably desire. This actually has nothing at all to do with that, it is different in a completely other sense. The problem is if anyone acquires such changes they loose their value in society and will be entirely rejected by society for there is

There's nothing to be said about U.G. except that he is absolutely mandatory reading for the serious seeker. This isn't warm and fuzzy spirituality, this is burning-down-the-house spirituality, and this book should have a prominent place in any thoughtfully-stocked spiritual library.