26 July

Krishnamurti In India: The Last Decade

Madras (Chennai) 1983/84  – 4th Public Talk

21    The human brain requires activity, challenge. Either that brain is going to be entertained , the entertainment industry is going to take over that brain, as you are being taken over now – sports, cinema, magazines, temples, they are all entertainments – and football, you know, cricket and all the rest of it. Then what is going to happen? Your brain is taken over by entertainment industry. And it is being done now, of which you may not be conscious of it. And gradually your brain becomes quite dull, if not already. And either you’re going to be entertained, or you turn totally in a different direction, inwardly. If you turn inwardly there is immense, infinite, everlasting security.

22    So, we are talking about peace. One can have complete peace within oneself, not peace of mind, which is silly, peace which is living, quality, depth, not just superficial quoting of peace. And that can only happen when there is no conflict whatsoever.

23    And also we ought to talk over together what is religion. And to find that out, go into it very, very deeply, we must talk over together, you and the speaker talk over, have a conversation, what is meditation. The word ‘meditation’ means to ponder over, think over. And also that word ‘meditation’ means measure. You understand? To think over, to ponder over, and also the capacity to measure. And if you want to find, if there is to be… Religion has to be understood, not intellectually, not romantically and all that rubbish that is going on in the world, but to find out, to discover, to see the full meaning of that word, can only take place when there is no fear, when there is no conflict. And to find out – not to find out – for that sacred, if there is anything sacred, to find that truth, not through search, not through various experience, various gurus, going from one racket to another, but to see the truth of it there must be meditation.

24    What is meditation? Meditation generally is understood, whether it is Zen or every other form of meditation – Hindu, Tibetan, Buddhist – they all now have become systems, practices. Any system – any system whether it is bureaucratic or religious or a system of thought, philosophy – any system has inherently in it decay, degeneration. You see that happening. So, one must be free from all systems to meditate. Right? Will you be free of systems to meditate, or you have your own particular pet method to bring about tranquillity of the brain? Which is, you may have found through meditation a sedation. You understand? Putting yourself to sleep, to hypnotise yourself through repetition. Right? So we are going to find out together what is meditation. The speaker is not telling you how to meditate. The word ‘how’ doesn’t exist in spiritual matters. The word ‘how’ implies the method. You have had a thousand methods and that has left you where you are.