The Power of Freedom from the Known: Krishnamurti's Insights on Fear, Desire and Thought
What is Freedom from the Known?
Freedom from the Known is a book by Jiddu Krishnamurti, a renowned spiritual teacher who was born in India in 1895 and died in California in 1986. He traveled around the world giving lectures and writings on philosophical subjects, challenging people to question their assumptions and beliefs about themselves and life. He was not affiliated with any religion, organization or ideology, but spoke from his own direct experience of reality.
FreedomfromtheKnown
The book contains excerpts from his previously unpublished talks selected and edited by Mary Lutyens, one of his authorized biographers and a lifelong friend. It was first published in 1969 and has since been translated into many languages. It is one of his most accessible works, as it reveals how we can free ourselves radically and immediately from the tyranny of the expected. By changing ourselves, we can alter the structure of society and our relationships.
The main message of the book is that we are trapped in a prison of our own making, which is the known. The known is everything that we have learned, accumulated, remembered and identified with throughout our lives. It includes our memories, habits, opinions, beliefs, traditions, authorities, fears, desires and thoughts. The known gives us a sense of security, continuity and identity, but it also limits our perception, understanding and action. It prevents us from seeing things as they are, rather than as we think they are or should be.
Krishnamurti invites us to step out of this prison and discover freedom from the known. He says that freedom is not something that we can achieve by following a method, a system or a guru. It is not something that we can acquire by escaping from our problems or seeking pleasure. It is not something that we can postpone for the future or hope for after death. It is something that we can realize here and now, by being aware of ourselves and observing our own mind.
Why do we need to free ourselves from the known?
We need to free ourselves from the known because it is the source of our suffering and confusion. It is also the source of our conflict and violence with others. The known makes us live in the past and project it into the future. It makes us repeat the same patterns of behavior over and over again. It makes us depend on external factors for our happiness and security. It makes us conform to the norms and expectations of society. It makes us afraid of the unknown and the new.
Krishnamurti says that living in the known is living in bondage. He says that we are not really living at all, but merely surviving. He says that we are not really human beings, but machines. He says that we are not really free, but slaves. He says that we are not really alive, but dead.
How can we free ourselves from the known?
We can free ourselves from the known by becoming aware of ourselves and observing our own mind. Krishnamurti says that awareness is the key to freedom. He says that awareness is not a process of analysis, comparison or judgment. It is not a process of accumulation, identification or attachment. It is not a process of suppression, expression or control. It is a process of observation, attention and learning.
Krishnamurti says that observation is the act of seeing things as they are, without any distortion or interference from the known. He says that attention is the state of being fully present and alert, without any distraction or diversion from the unknown. He says that learning is the movement of discovering and understanding, without any conclusion or expectation from the known.
Krishnamurti says that by observing ourselves and our mind, we can see how the known operates and influences us. We can see how it creates fear, desire and thought, which are the main obstacles to freedom. We can see how they create attachment, dependence and conflict, which are the main causes of suffering. We can see how they create division, confusion and illusion, which are the main barriers to truth.
The role of fear in preventing freedom
Krishnamurti says that fear is one of the most powerful factors that prevent us from being free. He says that fear is not only a reaction to physical danger, but also a psychological state that arises from our attachment to the known. He says that we are afraid of losing what we have or not getting what we want. We are afraid of being hurt or rejected by others. We are afraid of being wrong or ignorant. We are afraid of being alone or isolated. We are afraid of being different or inferior.
Krishnamurti says that fear creates a sense of insecurity and anxiety in us. It makes us cling to the known and resist the unknown. It makes us depend on others and seek their approval and acceptance. It makes us conform to society and follow its rules and regulations. It makes us avoid facing ourselves and our problems. It makes us escape from reality and seek comfort and pleasure.
Krishnamurti says that fear also creates a sense of violence and aggression in us. It makes us compete with others and try to dominate them. It makes us fight with others and try to destroy them. It makes us hate others and try to hurt them. It makes us separate ourselves from others and try to protect ourselves.
The role of desire in preventing freedom
Krishnamurti says that desire is another powerful factor that prevents us from being free. He says that desire is not only a natural impulse for survival and reproduction, but also a psychological state that arises from our dissatisfaction with the known. He says that we desire more than what we have or different from what we have. We desire things that we think will make us happy or secure. We desire people that we think will love us or respect us. We desire experiences that we think will enrich us or enlighten us.
Krishnamurti says that desire creates a sense of frustration and suffering in us. It makes us restless and discontented with what we have. It makes us chase after things that we don't have or can't have. It makes us struggle with things that we have but don't want or need. It makes us suffer from things that we lose or miss.
Krishnamurti says that desire also creates a sense of illusion and delusion in us. It makes us project our own images and expectations onto things, people and experiences. It makes us believe that they will fulfill our needs and wants. It makes us ignore their limitations and imperfections. It makes us overlook their consequences and costs.
The role of thought in preventing freedom
Krishnamurti says that thought is another powerful factor that prevents us from being free. He says that thought is not only a useful tool for communication and computation, but also a psychological state that arises from our memory of the known. He says that thought is the process of recalling, organizing, interpreting and expressing our past experiences, knowledge and information. He says that thought is the basis of our language, logic and science.
division and confusion in us. It makes us categorize and label things, people and experiences. It makes us compare and contrast them. It makes us judge and evaluate them. It makes us accept or reject them. It makes us divide ourselves and the world into opposites and contradictions.
Krishnamurti says that thought also creates a sense of illusion and delusion in us. It makes us create our own images and concepts of ourselves and the world. It makes us identify with them and cling to them. It makes us mistake them for reality and truth. It makes us live in a world of our own making, which is separate from the actual world.
What are the benefits of freedom from the known?
Krishnamurti says that freedom from the known is not a negative state of emptiness or nothingness. It is a positive state of fullness and wholeness. He says that freedom from the known is not a goal or an end in itself. It is a means to an end, which is the discovery of a new way of living and relating. He says that freedom from the known is not a static or fixed condition. It is a dynamic and fluid movement, which is constantly changing and evolving.
Krishnamurti says that freedom from the known brings three qualities to our life: freedom, love and truth. He says that these qualities are not separate or independent from each other, but interrelated and interdependent. He says that these qualities are not something that we can cultivate or acquire, but something that we can uncover and reveal. He says that these qualities are not something that we can possess or own, but something that we can share and express.
The quality of freedom
Krishnamurti says that freedom is the quality of being free from fear, desire and thought. He says that freedom is the quality of being free from attachment, dependence and conflict. He says that freedom is the quality of being free from division, confusion and illusion. He says that freedom is the quality of being free from the known.
Krishnamurti says that freedom brings clarity, intelligence and creativity to our life. He says that clarity is the ability to see things as they are, without any distortion or interference from the known. He says that intelligence is the ability to understand things as they are, without any conclusion or expectation from the known. He says that creativity is the ability to act on things as they are, without any limitation or restriction from the known.
The quality of love
Krishnamurti says that love is the quality of being free from fear, desire and thought. He says that love is the quality of being free from attachment, dependence and conflict. He says that love is the quality of being free from division, confusion and illusion. He says that love is the quality of being free from the known.
Krishnamurti says that love brings compassion, empathy and harmony to our life. He says that compassion is the feeling of care and concern for others, without any pity or sympathy from the known. He says that empathy is the feeling of understanding and sharing with others, without any judgment or evaluation from the known. He says that harmony is the feeling of cooperation and communication with others, without any conflict or expectation from the known.
The quality of truth
Krishnamurti says that truth is the quality of being free from fear, desire and thought. He says that truth is the quality of being free from attachment, dependence and conflict. He says that truth is the quality of being free from division, confusion and illusion. He says that truth is the quality of being free from the known.
Krishnamurti says that truth brings insight, understanding and wisdom to our life. He says that insight is the perception of reality as it is, without any projection or interpretation from the known. He says that understanding is the comprehension of reality as it is, without any analysis or explanation from the known. He says that wisdom is the application of reality as it is, without any prescription or direction from the known.
How can we apply freedom from the known in our daily life?
Krishnamurti says that freedom from the known is not a theoretical or abstract concept. It is a practical and concrete reality. He says that freedom from the known is not something that we can practice or implement occasionally or selectively. It is something that we can live and experience constantly and completely. He says that freedom from the known is not something that we can reserve or restrict for ourselves or a few others. It is something that we can extend and expand to everyone and everything.
Krishnamurti says that we can apply freedom from the known in our daily life by being aware of ourselves and observing our mind in every situation and circumstance. He says that we can apply freedom from the known in our daily life by being attentive to the present moment and responding to it appropriately and intelligently. He says that we can apply freedom from the known in our daily life by being open to the unknown and learning from it creatively and joyfully.
Krishnamurti says that we can apply freedom from the known in three main areas of our life: relationships, work and society. He says that these areas are not separate or independent from each other, but interrelated and interdependent. He says that these areas are not fixed or static, but changing and evolving. He says that these areas are not problems or challenges, but opportunities and possibilities.
Freedom from the known in relationships
Krishnamurti says that relationships are one of the most important and difficult aspects of our life. He says that relationships are the mirror in which we see ourselves and the world. He says that relationships are the means through which we express ourselves and connect with others. He says that relationships are the test of our freedom from the known.
Krishnamurti says that we can have freedom from the known in our relationships by communicating and cooperating with others without conflict or expectation. He says that we can communicate with others without imposing or demanding our opinions, beliefs or values on them. He says that we can cooperate with others without competing or dominating them. He says that we can respect and appreciate others for who they are, not for what they have or do.
Krishnamurti says that we can have freedom from the known in our relationships by loving and caring for others without attachment or dependence. He says that we can love others without possessing or controlling them. He says that we can care for others without pitying or sympathizing with them. He says that we can help and support others without expecting or wanting anything in return.
Freedom from the known in work
Krishnamurti says that work is another important and difficult aspect of our life. He says that work is the expression of our energy and creativity. He says that work is the contribution of our skills and talents to society. He says that work is the test of our freedom from the known.
Krishnamurti says that we can have freedom from the known in our work by finding meaning and purpose in our activities without stress or boredom. He says that we can find meaning in our work by doing it with passion and enthusiasm. He says that we can find purpose in our work by doing it with responsibility and integrity. He says that we can enjoy and learn from our work without being attached to the results or outcomes.
that we can overcome fear and hesitation in our work by being confident and courageous.
Freedom from the known in society
Krishnamurti says that society is another important and difficult aspect of our life. He says that society is the reflection of our collective consciousness and behavior. He says that society is the structure of our laws and institutions. He says that society is the test of our freedom from the known.
Krishnamurti says that we can have freedom from the known in our society by contributing to positive change in the world without violence or conformity. He says that we can contribute to positive change in the world by being aware of the problems and challenges that we face as a humanity. He says that we can contribute to positive change in the world by being compassionate and empathetic to the suffering and needs of others. He says that we can contribute to positive change in the world by being creative and intelligent in finding and implementing solutions.
Krishnamurti says that we can have freedom from the known in our society by being independent and responsible citizens without dependence or authority. He says that we can be independent in our society by thinking for ourselves and not following others blindly. He says that we can be responsible in our society by acting ethically and morally and not harming others intentionally. He says that we can respect and obey the laws and institutions of our society without being oppressed or exploited by them.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Freedom from the Known is a book by Jiddu Krishnamurti that shows us how we can free ourselves from the prison of our own mind and discover a new way of living and relating. He says that freedom from the known is not a negative state of emptiness or nothingness, but a positive state of fullness and wholeness. He says that freedom from the known brings three qualities to our life: freedom, love and truth. He says that freedom is the quality of being free from fear, desire and thought. He says that love is the quality of being free from attachment, dependence and conflict. He says that truth is the quality of being free from division, confusion and illusion.
He says that we can realize freedom from the known here and now, by being aware of ourselves and observing our mind. He says that we can apply freedom from the known in our daily life by being attentive to the present moment and responding to it appropriately and intelligently. He says that we can apply freedom from the known in three main areas of our life: relationships, work and society. He says that we can have freedom from the known in our relationships by communicating and cooperating with others without conflict or expectation. He says that we can have freedom from the known in our work by finding meaning and purpose in our activities without stress or boredom. He says that we can have freedom from the known in our society by contributing to positive change in the world without violence or conformity.
He invites us to step out of the prison of the known and explore the unknown with curiosity and wonder. He invites us to live freely, love fully and discover truth for ourselves.
FAQs
What is Freedom from the Known?
Freedom from the Known is a book by Jiddu Krishnamurti that shows us how we can free ourselves from the tyranny of the expected.
Who is Jiddu Krishnamurti?
Jiddu Krishnamurti was a renowned spiritual teacher who was born in India in 1895 and died in California in 1986. He traveled around the world giving lectures and writings on philosophical subjects, challenging people to question their assumptions and beliefs about themselves and life.
What are the main obstacles to freedom from the known?
The main obstacles to freedom from the known are fear, desire and thought, which create attachment, dependence and conflict.
What are the main benefits of freedom from the known?
The main benefits of freedom from the known are freedom, love and truth, which bring clarity, intelligence and creativity; compassion, empathy and harmony; insight, understanding and wisdom.
How can we practice freedom from the known?
the known by being aware of ourselves and observing our mind in every situation and circumstance. We can practice freedom from the known by being attentive to the present moment and responding to it appropriately and intelligently. We can practice freedom from the known by being open to the unknown and learning from it creatively and joyfully. 71b2f0854b