62 Facts About Jiddu Krishnamurti

Jiddu Krishnamurti was a philosopher, speaker and writer.

Jiddu Krishnamurti's interests included psychological revolution, the nature of mind, meditation, holistic inquiry, human relationships, and bringing about radical change in society.

Jiddu Krishnamurti stressed the need for a revolution in the psyche of every human being and emphasised that such revolution cannot be brought about by any external entity, be it religious, political, or social.

Jiddu Krishnamurti was raised under the tutelage of Annie Besant and Leadbeater, leaders of the Society at the time, who believed him to be a 'vehicle' for an expected World Teacher.

Jiddu Krishnamurti said he had no allegiance to any nationality, caste, religion, or philosophy, and spent the rest of his life travelling the world, speaking to large and small groups, as well as individuals.

Jiddu Krishnamurti wrote many books, among them The First and Last Freedom, The Only Revolution, and Krishnamurti's Notebook.

The date of birth of Jiddu Krishnamurti is a matter of dispute.

Jiddu Krishnamurti used calculations based on a published horoscope to derive a date of 11 May 1895 but "retains a measure of scepticism" about it.

Jiddu Krishnamurti's birthplace was the small town of Madanapalle in Madras Presidency.

Jiddu Krishnamurti was fond of his mother Sanjeevamma, who died when he was ten.

Jiddu Krishnamurti's parents had a total of eleven children, of whom six survived childhood.

In 1903 the family settled in Cudappah, where Jiddu Krishnamurti had contracted malaria during a previous stay.

Jiddu Krishnamurti suffered recurrent bouts of the disease over many years.

In memoirs written when he was eighteen years old Jiddu Krishnamurti described psychic experiences, such as seeing his sister, who had died in 1904, and his late mother.

Jiddu Krishnamurti sought employment at the headquarters of the Theosophical Society at Adyar.

Jiddu Krishnamurti was eventually hired by the Society as a clerk, moving there with his family in January 1909.

Jiddu Krishnamurti's was a vegetarian from birth and his family were strict vegetarians.

Jiddu Krishnamurti was an opponent of meat eating, based on ethical and spiritual reasons.

Jiddu Krishnamurti was like a vessel with a large hole in it, whatever was put in, went through, nothing remained.

Lutyens says that later in life Jiddu Krishnamurti came to view his "discovery" as a life-saving event.

Jiddu Krishnamurti was named as its head, with senior Theosophists assigned various other positions.

Mary Lutyens, a biographer, says that there was a time when Jiddu Krishnamurti believed that he was to become the World Teacher after correct spiritual and secular guidance and education.

Jiddu Krishnamurti eventually gave up university education after several attempts at admission.

Jiddu Krishnamurti did take to foreign languages, in time speaking several with some fluency.

Meanwhile, Jiddu Krishnamurti had for the first time acquired a measure of personal financial independence, thanks to a wealthy benefactress, American Mary Melissa Hoadley Dodge, who was domiciled in England.

Jiddu Krishnamurti was initially described as a halting, hesitant, and repetitive speaker, but his delivery and confidence improved, and he gradually took command of the meetings.

In 1921 Jiddu Krishnamurti fell in love with Helen Knothe, a 17-year-old American whose family associated with the Theosophists.

At Ojai in August and September 1922, Jiddu Krishnamurti went through an intense 'life-changing' experience.

Jiddu Krishnamurti seemed to lapse into unconsciousness but later recounted that he was very much aware of his surroundings, and that while in that state he had an experience of "mystical union".

Jiddu Krishnamurti stated that "Too much of everything is bad".

Jiddu Krishnamurti had received their assurances regarding Nitya's health, and had come to believe that "Nitya was essential for [his] life-mission and therefore he would not be allowed to die," a belief shared by Annie Besant and Krishnamurti's circle.

Jiddu Krishnamurti dissolved the Order during the annual Star Camp at Ommen, the Netherlands, on 3 August 1929.

Jiddu Krishnamurti stated that he had made his decision after "careful consideration" during the previous two years, and that:.

Jiddu Krishnamurti soon disassociated himself from the Theosophical Society and its teachings and practices, yet he remained on cordial terms with some of its members and ex-members throughout his life.

Jiddu Krishnamurti often referred to the totality of his work as the teachings and not as my teachings.

Jiddu Krishnamurti resigned from the various trusts and other organisations that were affiliated with the defunct Order of the Star, including the Theosophical Society.

Jiddu Krishnamurti returned the money and properties donated to the Order, among them a castle in the Netherlands and 5,000 acres of land, to their donors.

From 1930 through 1944 Jiddu Krishnamurti engaged in speaking tours and in the issue of publications under the auspice of the "Star Publishing Trust", which he had founded with Desikacharya Rajagopal, a close associate and friend from the Order of the Star.

The business and organizational aspects of the SPT were administered chiefly by D Rajagopal, as Krishnamurti devoted his time to speaking and meditation.

Jiddu Krishnamurti did not speak publicly for a period of about four years.

Jiddu Krishnamurti broke the hiatus from public speaking in May 1944 with a series of talks in Ojai.

Jiddu Krishnamurti had remained in contact with associates from India, and in the autumn of 1947 embarked on a speaking tour there, attracting a new following of young intellectuals.

In Poona in 1948, Jiddu Krishnamurti met Iyengar, who taught him Yoga practices every morning for the next three months, then on and off for twenty years.

When Jiddu Krishnamurti was in India after World War II many prominent personalities came to meet him, including Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru.

Jiddu Krishnamurti continued speaking in public lectures, group discussions and with concerned individuals around the world.

Nevertheless, Krishnamurti met and held discussions with physicists Fritjof Capra and E C George Sudarshan, biologist Rupert Sheldrake, psychiatrist David Shainberg, as well as psychotherapists representing various theoretical orientations.

In 1984 and 1985, Jiddu Krishnamurti spoke to an invited audience at the United Nations in New York, under the auspices of the Pacem in Terris Society chapter at the United Nations.

Jiddu Krishnamurti had commented to friends that he did not wish to invite death, but was not sure how long his body would last, and once he could no longer talk, he would have "no further purpose".

Jiddu Krishnamurti was concerned about his legacy, about being unwittingly turned into some personage whose teachings had been handed down to special individuals, rather than the world at large.

Jiddu Krishnamurti did not want anybody to pose as an interpreter of the teaching.

Jiddu Krishnamurti warned his associates on several occasions that they were not to present themselves as spokesmen on his behalf, or as his successors after his death.

Jiddu Krishnamurti added that the "supreme intelligence" operating in his body would be gone with his death, again implying the impossibility of successors.

Jiddu Krishnamurti died of pancreatic cancer on 17 February 1986, at the age of 90.

Jiddu Krishnamurti decided to go back to Ojai after his last talks in Madras, which necessitated a 24-hour flight.

The cancer was untreatable, either surgically or otherwise, so Jiddu Krishnamurti decided to go back to his home at Ojai, where he spent his last days.

Jiddu Krishnamurti died on 17 February 1986, at 10 minutes past midnight, California time.

Jiddu Krishnamurti's ashes were divided into three parts: for Ojai, India and England.

Jiddu Krishnamurti founded five schools in India, one in England, Brockwood Park School, and one in California, Oak Grove School.

The Jiddu Krishnamurti Foundation, established in 1928 by him and Annie Besant, manages six schools in India and abroad.

Jiddu Krishnamurti attracted the interest of the mainstream religious establishment in India.

Jiddu Krishnamurti engaged in discussions with several well known Hindu and Buddhist scholars and leaders, including the Dalai Lama.

Notable individuals influenced by Jiddu Krishnamurti include George Bernard Shaw, David Bohm, Jawaharlal Nehru, Dalai Lama, Aldous Huxley, Alan Watts, Henry Miller, Bruce Lee, Terence Stamp, Jackson Pollock, Toni Packer, Achyut Patwardhan, Dada Dharmadhikari and Eckhart Tolle.