Jiddu Krishnamurti or J. Krishnamurti, (12 May 189517 February 1986) was a writer and speaker on philosophical and spiritual issues including psychological revolution, the nature of the mind, meditation, human relationships, and bringing about positive social change. He came to early prominence thanks to claims, made on his behalf, that he was to be a Messiah. As a young man he repudiated these claims and declared himself unbound by any tradition or philosophy. He spent the rest of his life presenting a uniquely expressed philosophy of life around the world in talks, discussions, and writings.

About the works Author biography

Jiddu Krishnamurti was born 1895 in the town of Madanapalle in then-colonial India, to a family of middle class Telugu Brahmins. His father was associated with the Theosophical Society, and in the early part of the 20th century young Krishnamurti was promoted by the Adyar, India based leadership of the Society as the so-called World Teacher, a new messiah. However, in 1929 he disavowed this role, dissolved the worldwide organization (the Order of the Star) formed to support it, and shortly afterwards severed his ties to Theosophy and the Theosophical Society.

Denouncing the concept of saviors, spiritual leaders, and any other intermediaries to reality, Krishnamurti stressed the need for a revolution in the psyche of every human being. He posited that such revolution cannot be brought about by any external entity, be it religious, political, or social. He urged people to directly discover the underlying causes of the problems facing individuals and society, and stated that such discovery is the natural outcome of absolute and unconditional psychological freedom, which he declared as being within everyone's reach.

Krishnamurti set out to work towards this goal of universal psychological freedom, and until his death in 1986 traveled the world as an independent speaker, presenting his message to large and small groups and in discussion with interested individuals; a large number of these talks and discussions have been published in various formats and media. He also articulated his message in writing, authoring several books and other works.

Distribution and availability Official institutions

A number of successive non-profit institutions have been organized in order to preserve and disseminate Krishnamurti's work, originally by his Theosophist patrons, later by Krishnamurti and contemporary associates. , the latest incarnations of the official Krishnamurti-related entities are the Krishnamurti Foundations, organized in the late 1960s to early 1970s. Among other activities, the Foundations have continued, after his death, to publish new titles consisting of Krishnamurti's talks and writings, or new editions of older titles, in a variety of formats and media; a notable effort is the freely available online resource Jiddu Krishnamurti Online.

Availability

, according to one source, Krishnamurti-related materials numbered "2,412 works in 4,580 publications in 53 languages and 46,822 library holdings", while a trade concern stated, "His teachings of more than 20,000,000 words are published in more than 75 books, 700 audiocassettes, and 1200 videocassettes. Thus far, over 4,000,000 copies of books have been sold in twenty-two languages.". Around the same time, Krishnamurti works in a variety of media were widely available through online and traditional retailers worldwide, in several different formats.

Listing of works Works in print Krishnamurti on Krishnamurti Krishnamurti rarely wrote (or spoke in public) about himself. In the following, he again usually refers to himself in third-person as noted above. However these works, being published diaries, are largely autobiographical. Krishnamurti's Notebook (1976). Published journal that Krishnamurti kept between June 1961 and March 1962. With the publication of this book, the general public had access to first-hand descriptions of , a strange condition that started in the 1920s and intermittently affected Krishnamurti throughout his life. Also contains numerous (explicit and implicit) references to a state of consciousness Krishnamurti often called , among other designations. Krishnamurti's Journal (1982). A personal journal, that he started in 1973 and kept intermittently until 1975. Krishnamurti to Himself: his last journal (1987). Transcribed from audiotape recordings made at his home in the Ojai Valley between February 1983 and March 1984. Mary Lutyens, editor. M. Lutyens edited several of his books.

Pre-1933 works These works by Krishnamurti cover the years 1910 to 1933, which include his involvement with the Theosophical Society and with the various incarnations of the Order of the Star. At the Feet of the Master (1910).;; The author of this book may also be listed or co-listed (in different editions) as Alcyone, a pseudonym of Krishnamurti. However the identity of the author of works originally listed as authored by so-called Alcyone has been the subject of debate. Regardless of the extent of Krishnamurti's actual involvement, these works are considered Theosophical literature. Education as Service (1912). Another Alcyone book whose authorship has been questioned. "Lecture delivered at Benares on December 28th, 1921" (September 1922). A talk by Krishnamurti at the 1921 Theosophical Society Convention, which took place at Benares. Published in the Herald of the Star, then official bulletin of the Order of the Star in the East (a precursor organization of the Order of the Star). The Immortal Friend (1928).;; Poetry collection. Krishnamurti composed over 60 poems, published in the official bulletins of the Order of the Star, book collections of his poetry, and elsewhere. The pool of wisdom (1928). Life in Freedom (1928).;; Compiled from so-called campfire addresses given in Benares, Ojai, and Ommen, during the 1928 Star Camps. These were annual multi-day gatherings of members of the Order of the Star. "The Dissolution of the Order of the Star: A Statement by J. Krishnamurti" (September 1929). The speech by which Krishnamurti dissolved the Order of the Star. Originally delivered 3 August 1929 during the Ommen Star Camp, it was printed in its entirety in the Order's official magazine, the International Star Bulletin. The Dissolution of the Order of the Star: A Statement (1929). Krishnamurti's speech, listed above, was included in this special 14-page pamphlet published by the Star Publishing Trust. On the cover are the Order's founding and dissolution dates and places: "January 11, 1911 Benares Ommen August 3, 1929". "India's aspirations" (7 June 1930). Article in London's current affairs magazine The Nation and Atheneum with byline "by J. Krishnamurti; (The 'New World Teacher')". Pre-Indian independence, Krishnamurti applies his message to the "Indian problem" asserting, "The true enemy of freedom is dead tradition". The article was reprinted from the December 1929 issue of the International Star Bulletin. The Song of Life (1931). Poetry. The final collection of poems Krishnamurti published. Early Writings Series (1969–1972). Seven-volume series of early works by J. Krishnamurti. The series compiles material from 1927 to 1933, originally in bulletins, journals and pamphlets published by the Star Publishing Trust. From Darkness to Light (1980). Poetry, prose, and parables originally published between 1923 and 1931. Also subtitled "The Collected Works of Krishnamurti Volume One", this is completely different from the Collected Works Volume 1 listed below.

Post-1933 works War abolished: One way to permanent peace (1943). Originally published 1940 as Authentic notes of discussions and talks given by Krishnamurti Ojai and Sarobia, 1940. Los Angeles: Star Publishing Trust Contains talks by Krishnamurti in Ojai and Pennsylvania during 1940. These were edited into chapter-based layout by "L.L.W." (L.L.Woolacott) and published as the second volume in Sydney-based Currawong Publishing's Unpopular Pamphlets series. Currawong was known as a publisher or licensee of anti-war pamphlets and books from a wide variety of authors, as well as of other works of political nature. During World War II Krishnamurti's stance was often construed as pacifism or subversion during a time of patriotic fervor, and for a time he came under surveillance by the FBI in the United States. Authentic report of sixteen talks given in 1945 & 1946 (1947). Publication of two series of talks at Ojai. With short preface by Krishnamurti. In these talks and others from 1944 Krishnamurti introduced concepts that eventually became regular aspects of his message. A new approach to living, The way of living, The way of peace (c. 1948). 16-page pamphlet contains transcripts of three talks broadcast from All India Radio at Madras and Bombay between 16 October 1947 and 3 April 1948, during a period of turmoil and change in India. The First and Last Freedom (1954). Includes a comprehensive foreword by Aldous Huxley. Commentaries on Living Series (1956–1960). A three-volume series subtitled "From the notebooks of J. Krishnamurti". The series editor was Rajagopal Desikacharya, at the time a close associate and friend of Krishnamurti. Series One (1956). Series Two (1958). Series Three (1960). This Matter of Culture (1964). Rajagopal Desikacharya, editor. Think on these Things (1970). Republication of This Matter of Culture with new title and publisher. Freedom from the Known (1969). Mary Lutyens, editor. The Only Revolution (1970). Mary Lutyens, editor. The Urgency of Change (1970). Mary Lutyens, editor. Book-length question and answer session, with questions posed by Alain Naude, Krishnamurti's personal secretary in the 1960s. Second Penguin Krishnamurti Reader (1973). This book compiles The Only Revolution and the Urgency of Change. Krishnamurti biographer Christine V. Williams was one of those who credited this mass market two-volume Penguin Reader series with introducing Krishnamurti and his work to a truly wide audience, and with helping to establish his reputation as a philosopher of note both with the general public and within intellectual circles. The first volume had been published in 1970. The Impossible Question (1972). You Are the World (1972). Subtitled, "Authentic Reports of Talks and Discussions in American Universities"at Brandeis University, University of California (Berkeley and Santa Cruz), and Stanford University in 1968 and 1969. The Awakening of Intelligence (1973). Cornelia and George Wingfield Digby, editors. Beyond Violence (1973).;; Consists of two series of talks (in Santa Monica, California, and London) and a single talk in Rome, Italy. All talks delivered during 1970. Meditations (1979).;; Compilation of quotes and writings on meditation. Evelyne Blau, editor. The Network of Thought (1982). Consists of talks at Saanen and Amsterdam, in July and September 1981. A commentator described this work: "Krishnamurti compares bad education with computer programming, in which minds are turned into biological and emotional machines to fit into preconceived patterns, or mental networks, for controlling social and political behavior. Self-observation without thought is the paradoxical way to break out of these networks." The Flame of Attention (1984). The Way of Intelligence (1985). Last Talks at Saanen, 1985 (1987). Krishnamurti spoke at annual meetings at Saanen, Switzerland, between 1961 and 1985. Krishnamurti biographer Pupul Jayakar wrote that these meetings became a focus for "serious ... people concerned with the enormous challenges to humankind". The Future Is Now: Last Talks in India (1988). Includes edited versions of Krishnamurti's last public talks, and also of discussions with Hindu and Buddhist scholars.