Think on These Things

I gave away my personal copy of this book to a friend of mine. I found myself missing it and ordered a new copy. Krishnamurtis books are books everyone should read. I think he is more well spoken and thought provoking than most of what you see on the shelves now. I recieve a good quality copy and am pleased with my purchase.

I've read over 25 Krishamurti books, including all the "big ones" like Freedom from the Known, The First and Last Freedom, Total Freedom, Awakening of Intelligence, Flight of the Eagle, Krishmaurti's Notebook, etc., many of which I've read more than once. I've given all of them away to share K's message but kept four of them which I keep as references for focused daily reflection/meditation (as opposed to the meditation of all waking life). The four I've kept are Freedom from the Known, On God, On Right Livelihood, and Education and the Significance of Life (the last one of great relevance to me since I'm an educator). And so now I always recommend (and often give) the first three books on that list I just mentioned to anyone who wants to learn more about K's "teachings." "Freedom from the Known" is the single best, most concise and thorough summary of all K's teachings. "On God" should greatly help anyone who is searching for ultimate reality, Truth, God, Enlightenment, Nirvana, The Meaning of Life, or whatever one wants to call it. No summary will do it justice; you must read it for yourself. "On Right Livelihood" addresses the issue of our daily living, in work, leisure, and even to some degree home life and family relationship, becuase, as K emphasizes, they all should be an integrated whole, not fragmented parts of our lives. "Education and the Significance of Life" is also or relevance to anyone who has children or who teaches; it will transform the way you view childrearing and education. I would say that those four books would be all a person would need to transform one's life; to have a radical revolution in living. Now that being said, why do I still highly recommend "Think on These Things?" It and Life Ahead are numbers Five and Six on my list; those two are books that I never keep for myself, but I often give to others: mostly children and young adults, or people who otherwise either wouldn't enjoy or couldn't handle the relatively more complex and philosophically-oriented nature of K's other works; I even gave copies of them to my mentally-disabled adult sister, and she is able to understand these latter two books. This is because both "Think on These Things" and "Life Ahead" were talks given to young students and their parents, and both the language K uses and the ideas themselves seem much more simple and direct, yet retain all their power and vibrancy. I highly recommend "Think on These Things" and "Life Ahead" as gifts, or for any reader who wants a more "accessible" Krishnamurti.

I discovered Krishnamurti during my freshman year in college and it shattered the way I looked (or didn't look) at life. Ten years later, this book still remains by my side. It's hard to pigeonhole it into a particular category. It could be seen as a self-help book, but it really isn't. Krishamurti's advice is among the most unpractical and difficult you'll ever find and there are no magical recipes here. It could be seen as a book on religion, and even though you get a feel for eastern mysticism, it's very much against the superstitions and dogma we associate with religion. To me it's a book on philosophy in the truest sense of the word. Instead of parroting or following a line of thought set forth by others, it is an exercise in the art of questioning everything, in particular the assumptions, traditions, and prejudices that society imposes on us and which we live by without even being aware. It encourages us to discover for ourselves what we mean by truth, beauty, goodness, and God. Buy this book, read it as many times as you can, and please, think on these things.

I have read literally hundreds of books and manuals in my search for understanding of both myself, and those other sojourners that I share this planet with. To wit, two manuals of life and understanding have impacted my life beyond all others combined, they are, "The Holy Bible", and "Think On These Things", by J. Krishnamurti. The wisdom contained in this book defies, even mocks the words to describe it. If you are looking for truth, wisdom, and are open to rattle the very foundations of both your life and the true meaning of education (both in and out of the home), then I cannot encourage you enough to spend the rest of your life with this book of revelation. And may I wish you peace in your search for a greater meaning in life....

This is perhaps the most accessible collection of Krishnamurti's teachings and insights, which isn't to say he's an obscurantist, or that the content is easy. Unlike the scores of self-appointed gurus and self-help peddlers pandering to lazy and impatient seekers, Krishnamurti offers direct, often uncomfortable, but ultimately liberating insights into the hows and whys of the human mind, and what lies beyond it. Personally I've read this book dozens of times and always see a little more clearly and deeply with each re-reading. Folks who are repelled by both traditional religion and New Age trash, yet hunger for deeper questions and answers, may draw tremendous wisdom from this book.