


Rishi Valley 1981

Rishi Valley 2nd Talk with Students 15th December 1981

K: What would you like me to talk about?

Q: Sir, can we go on where we left off last time?

K: Where did we leave off?

Q: You said there was an alternative to the way we were living, and you said that you wouldn't provide the answers and that we would have to look for them ourselves with your help.

K: All right sir.

First, may I talk a little bit about what I want to talk about and then we can talk about what you want? I would like to ask a question: what do we mean by learning? We learn mostly from books, printed word, or instructed, or told, or informed by the educator, who is already chock full of his own particular subject. We learn through hearing, seeing; and also we learn, if I may use the word, through our heart, which is affection, sympathy, generosity. So there are several ways of learning about life, which is a very complex process. And most schools, and most educational institutions are concerned only with book knowledge. And that knowledge limits our minds, our brains. And we are only using part of our brain, not the whole of our brain. If you are interested in it we can go into the idea, or into the reality of what it is to live or to act with a holistic mind, holistic brain. That is, with the whole of your brain, not with only one small part of it. The small part of it is the accumulated knowledge called learning from experience, from books, from incidents, from observation and so on.

So learning apparently as it is now being taught or learnt is limited to a particular subject, to a particular field, scientific, biological and so on. So is there a learning which is not restricted to a particular point of view? Is there a learning which is not only with the eyes but also with the hearing, not only with the sensual ears but listening much more deeply? And learning from your heart, if I can use that word, or that sense, which is as I said generosity, sympathy, a great deal of affection, consideration, kindliness, a great sense of love. When all the three are in complete harmony, working together, that is holistic, or the operation of the whole of the brain.

Because most of us are very selfish, concerned with ourselves, concerned about our exams, concerned about our future, concerned about our own particular little problems, concerned about our own success and so on. Most of us are very, very self-centred. You understand that word, self-centred? That is, very selfish. And apparently we seem to find it terribly difficult to move out of that area. Surely education is not only concerned with the so-called academic side but also it is concerned with the whole development of man, which is your heart, your hearing, your seeing, and learning about yourself: learning what you are. And through that learning go beyond yourself. This is surely part of our education, not merely fix your eyes on a book; there is this vast beautiful valley, this country, seeing what is happening in this country; corruption seems to be the way of life, where tribalism is growing more and more, separatism, the south against the north, the east against the west, and so on. Learning about what the government is, learning about the way your act, the way you think, the way you live. So all that is part of our learning. And nobody can teach you how to learn about yourself. The psychologists, the psychiatrists and the philosophers, have pointed out, what you think, you are. So if we follow them, you are following not what you are but what they think you are. I hope this is clear.

So education is really basically to learn about yourself and your relationship to the world, your relationship to your brother, to your wife, to your husband, to your sister, to your neighbour and so on. Because if we don't learn to understand our relationship with each other we cannot possibly create a new society. And that is part of our education. And also it is part of our education to see that we are good human beings. We explained what that word means. So this is the whole process of learning about the world and oneself, and the relationship between yourself and the world.

Now, I will ask you a question to continue with what we were talking about the other day.

Q: I just wanted to ask one thing: you said that it is important to learn through sympathy and affection. I don't understand that.

K: He is asking: it is important to learn about sympathy, affection, generosity and all that, and he says, 'I don't understand what you mean by it'. Is it so very difficult to be generous? You have to learn about it? If you have a shirt, an extra shirt, will you give it to somebody?

Q: No.

K: No, sir! Quite right. There is all this vast poverty around you, and you seem to be fairly well off, or your parents are well off, and you have got an extra shirt, or extra skirt, will you give it to somebody who is poorer than you? Have you ever done it? That is, to give it to somebody without asking anything in return, that is generosity.

Q: I have, sir, but I have noticed one thing: it is only at certain times that we are prompted to do this.

K: He is only generous at certain times.

Q: He says he is only prompted to do it at certain periods.

K: He is not generous all the time, he is generous when it suits him.

Q: I wouldn't say that either.

K: You won't say that either. Then when are you generous? We are not restricting this to him alone: when are you generous? Are you generous at any time?

Q: When you are happy.

K: When you are happy you are generous. Is that it? When are you happy? So are you saying we are only generous when it suits us, really? Right? When it is convenient for us; when you have some old clothes to give away you are very generous.

Q: No.

K: Are you saying no? When are you then generous? When are you feeling affectionate, kind, generous, sympathetic? Or do you never feel it? Or only occasionally?

Q: Only occasionally.

K: Why, sir? When you say, occasionally, what do you mean by that word? Rarely. Is it?

Q: I would say that.

K: You would say that. That is once a year.

Q: No time, sir.

K: When do you feel generous?

Q: When I am moved by something.

K: When you are moved by something. It is a strange phenomenon, isn't it? Sir, last night you saw that beautiful dance, were you moved by it? Moved in the sense you felt the movement of it, you felt you could almost dance yourself? You followed the rhythm. What made you do that? You saw the beauty of it, the rhythm, the posture, the vitality, the strength of it, and it appealed to you, your sense of the aesthetic, the beauty was aroused. Right? At the moment would you have given anything? You forgot yourself, didn't you?

Q: I very nearly did.

K: Sir, can you be generous without a motive? To give somebody something without a motive?

Q: I don't think so.

K: No. So you are not generous, it is only when it suits you. Not you, sir, I am talking generally, to the whole lot of us. So we neglect totally all that side, the beauty of the land.

Sirs, may I ask you a question, all of you? You know this country is in a state of corruption, corruption is the way of life here. Right? Do you all agree to that? Right? What are you going to do about it? Will you join that corruption?

Q: I really don't know, sir.

K: You don't know. But I am asking you, what will you do. Now think about it sir. Isn't it part of your education to find out your relationship to this country, which is politically, religiously, economically in a state of corruption?

Q: (Inaudible)

K: Yes, sir, yes, I know all that. What will you do about it? What is your responsibility about it?

Q: I don't even know that I shall do anything about it.

K: Can you do anything about politics which is corrupt?

Q: I don't know.

K: You can't. Can you stop the corruption of the other people? You can't, can you?

Q: No.

K: So will you be responsible not to be corrupt yourself?

Q: I can do that.

K: You can do that. So you are responsible not to be corrupted.

Q: That way you become selfish again.

K: Ah! That way, the girl says, you become selfish again. Would that be selfishness to say I will not be part of this corruption?

Q: You start thinking about yourself again.

K: No. You may think about yourself, but surely when you see corruption around you, not to join that corruption is not selfishness.

Q: But that is not going to get rid of corruption.

K: Of course not, but you at least are not corrupt. Right? That's something, isn't it?

Q: You won't know what is right and what is not.

K: What do you mean what is right?

Q: I mean you know the actions are not right.

K: Yes, sir, just listen. You know what corruption is, do you know what that word means?

Q: I know what it means today.

K: The word comes from Latin, which means to break, rompere is to break. You understand? Break something to pieces. Corruption exists as long as you act fragmentarily. Do you understand what I have said? No, careful. As long as you act contradictorily for yourself, say one thing and do another. That's corruption. Promise and not keep that promise, that is corruption. Think one thing and do something else, that is corruption. Which means you are fragmented, broken up, self-contradictory. Right? That is corruption. Corruption is that, and also corruption as it is understood is to bribe, cheat, be dishonest, all that is corruption. Now will you join that group who are corrupt?

Q: I wouldn't like to join them but I don't know.

Q: At this stage one is reminded of an old saying: if you can't beat them, join them. (Laughter)

K: I know this. If you can't beat them, join them. If you can't lift it, paint it. Now I am asking you a very serious question, sir, because we are all facing that in this country, where corruption is the way of life. Will you, as an educated person, sympathetic, generous, will you join that? Don't say, no, or yes. Think about it, look at it, go into it. Because, sir, do you realize one person can do a tremendous lot. You have heard of Hitler, haven't you? Look, one man, what he did. He was a crazy man, but look what he did. So if you are incorruptible, absolutely, then you will stand against the whole current, won't you? Can you?

Q: Sir...

K: Don't answer something else, sir. I am asking you.

Q: That life may be wrong. If you are going to withstand that, it is going to be a lonely life.

K: Lead a lonely life. Stick to what you think is right. This is right, not to join the corrupt world.

Q: Sir, that current of corruption is very strong in this country.

K: I know that, sir, we have agreed to that. What will you do about it? Will you stand up against it? Isn't that part of your education to find out if you can withstand all that ugliness? Do you realize, sir, the gurus are corrupt, religion is corrupt, politics is corrupt, our relationship is corrupt, and you are being educated to join all that? Do sirs, please answer me. You are all very good at discussing, arguing, tell me.

Q: Sir, I can resist corruption or not, but I consider one thing that I won't be corrupt. That is, I won't do a job which will make me corrupt. I will take up a job where I won't be corrupt. I'll find it.

K: Will you, as you grow up, will you stand up against all that?

Q: Yes, sir.

K: Sir, listen, if you say, 'Yes, sir', you mean it and stick to it. You may starve, you may have no job.

Q: He said that he will do a job like farming, with no corruption, and not join the corrupt gang.

K: So will you become a farmer?

Q: Yes.

K: That's right, sir.

Q: We can't all become farmers.

K: Of course not. We are all so afraid to go against the current, to stand alone. Right? Why?

Q: Because deep down in every human being...

K: No, not in every human being, about you.

Q: OK. It was me I was talking about.

K: Yes.

Q: Deep down in me I have got a feeling that I want to be part of the whole.

K: Part of the gang?

Q: Yes.

Q: You feel quite secure in that position.

Q: I feel that if you want to go against the crowd you have to have a lot of mental strength.

K: Exactly. You need a lot a strength to stand up against all this. Will you learn about it, how to have strength to stand against all this? You see you really want to go with the current. Right? So you are all cowards. Yes, sir. Right sir?

You asked the other day if there was an alternative to exams, jobs, and all that. Do you want an alternative? You started that question, some of you, do you want an alternative? Do you want to find out?

Q: Yes.

K: Yes? Suppose we get a hundred acres and will you learn how to farm, be trained in that, and a few of you join together and start farming on your own, will you? You understand my question? We are thinking of getting a hundred acres, somewhere, where those of you who do not want to join the gang, or the corrupt business, can go there, learn all about farming and go out and buy a piece of land, perhaps two or three of you together and start farming - would you undertake that?

Q: Right now I am financially dependent on my mother.

K: You are. So tell your father, have the courage, the guts to say to your father, 'I don't want to go and join this stupid business, I want to go and farm, with a few of us'. Will you do that? The other day you asked what is the alternative. Are you frightened of that too?

Q: I don't want to become a farmer, it doesn't sound very hopeful.

Q: He is a lawyer!

K: And becoming a lawyer is very hopeful? Do you know how many people there are who want to become lawyers? You asked for an alternative the other day, and there is this alternative, something else other than the usual passing exam, jobs and stuck for the rest of your life.

Q: There is no security in the job, there is not enough security in farming as a family job.

K: What are you talking about?

Q: Ask the farmer today.

K: It all depends. If two or three of you joined together and bought so many acres, or a hundred acres, you could get a marvellous living out of it.

Q: Excuse me. Speaking for myself, I have a natural sort of inclination - well, what I am saying is that this life seems too good to be true, and naturally I am cautious.

K: What do you mean too good to be true?

Q: I am getting all that I want.

Q: He means here.

K: Farming.

Q: The life seems too good to be true, so naturally I get cautious.

K: What?

Q: He seems to imply that if he took to farming his life would be too good to be true, he has no challenge.

K: There is plenty of challenge.

Q: No, I don't mean that.

Q: What do you mean?

Q: You said that you could get some land and farm of it.

K: A group of you.

Q: A group of us.

K: You understand? Get the idea first. A group of you, with your parent's help, after being trained to be good farmers, you know, modern farmers, buy a piece of land for yourself, with the help of your parents - they will give it to you - and work at that. You are completely secure there.

Q: Yes, sir, that is what I am saying. So I am a human being, naturally I am cautious of that because we have come to a stage where everything we are offered has got something else, some strings attached to it.

K: There is no string attached to this.

Q: There may not be to this. I am sceptical because my experience has always been that there is some string attached.

K: There is no string attached, it is your land. You are all frightened, old boys, that is what it is. Frightened to move along a different line.

Q: I dislike farming.

K: You dislike farming, why?

Q: I don't like it.

K: What do you mean, you don't like it?

Q: You can become a dancer, you can become a musician, you can become an artist, you don't have to become a lawyer because your father is a lawyer.

K: Sir, you can become a photographer, a top photographer, if you want to. An artist, dancer, anything you want to make of your life you can.

Q: But I want to become a lawyer.

K: Well, go ahead. Join the corruption. (Laughter)

Q: Sir, it is possible to become a politician, or lawyer and not be corrupt.

K: Can one become a politician and not be corrupt?

Q: He says it is possible to become a lawyer and politician...

K: Oh, yes, anything is possible, but will you be? Go on, sir.

Q: The first thing my father will do is to put me in an asylum! (Laughter)

K: Perhaps, behind the asylum you may be the most sane man. You understand, sir, how mad the world is: preparing for war, right, that's madness, isn't it? Right? It's madness to live in a small community resisting all the other communities. Tribalism is wrong, isn't it? Nationalism is wrong, it is corrupt, destructive. Right? No? You see you don't think along these lines. You are just bookish; your father was a lawyer, you are going to be a lawyer, your father was a politician, you want to be a politician. You don't say, let's find out a different way of living.

Q: It is a new experience for us.

K: It is a new experience. All right. Murdering is a new experience.

Q: That's only one form.

K: I see. So how do you know law isn't corrupt as it is now? You want to go through that to find out?

Q: Possibly.

K: Possibly. Wait. Will you get drunk to find out what drunkenness is? Will you take drugs?

Q: No.

K: Exactly. So you take what you want to do, what pleases you because your father, your grandfather, your great grandfather, was a butcher, a lawyer, or something or other, you join them.

Q: There is a very interesting joke about the model of a lawyer: get on with honour, get honoured.

K: Oh, lord. Go on sir, you were asking another question the other day, what was it?

Q: The alternative.

K: We said, that sir. We are offering you an alternative, something else to do rather than just following the usual traditional rut for educated people, so-called educated people.

Q: Couldn't I be a lawyer as well as a photographer?

K: Oh, you can do a lot of things together, but where is your heart in all that? I can be a photographer, a dancer, a lawyer, a politician, what is your main interest? Why do any of these things? Why be a lawyer? Seek injustice, or making money?

Q: Both.

K: Both. Sir, I used to know a man, he came to see me once, an oldish man, a white beard, he was some kind of judge in this country. Listen to what I am saying please. After one of the talks he came to see me. He said, 'I used to be a judge and passing sentences on what is right.' So one morning he woke up and said, 'I really don't know what is right, what is justice. I must go into it'. So he went off into the woods leaving the family - the good old tradition - and he meditated for eleven years to find out what is justice, what is truth. Will you do that? Of course not, you haven't got the guts to do anything.

Q: But...

K: Wait a minute, let me finish my story. Eleven years after he came to one of the talks and he came to see me afterwards and he said, 'You know for eleven years I have been mesmerizing myself not being able to find out what is truth.' He was an old man. You understand, to have the courage to say after all these years, 'I haven't found it.' You understand?

What else would you like to ask questions about?

Q: What is right action?

K: What do you mean by the word 'right' and 'action'? Just think it out, sir, think it out first, don't just say anything that comes to your head, think it out what do you mean by 'right'?

Q: Right now what I think right is a comparison.

K: Quite, so is that right? Wait, listen carefully: something comparing. You compare this with that, and you think that is right. Now this may be wrong and you compare with that, and your comparison may also be wrong. So that may be not right. So eliminate comparison. Right? Right?

Q: The world is made up of comparisons.

K: I know that. I know the world is made up, sir, I am eighty six, I have lived in the world, so don't tell me the world is made up of comparisons. I am asking you.

Q: Sir but always my thought is marred by comparison.

K: Sir, to compare, what does that mean? You are missing it, I won't move from it. I am asking you, what is right? It must be right under all circumstances. Right? It can't vary according to circumstances. Correct? It must be right under all pressure. Right? It must be so accurate whether it is in this climate or another climate, it is right under all circumstances. Right? So what is that? When you use right doesn't it mean precise, accurate, true - not true according to some ideas of some people but true according to your own perception, and that perception being accurate, logical, sane, rational, that you would call, and much more, right.

Now what do you mean by 'action'? Go on sir, what do you mean by action?

Q: Everything that I do.

K: Everything that you do is action, right?

Q: It seems so.

K: So what you do, does it depend on some future idea? Go on, sir, answer. Go on.

Q: It depends on past ideas.

K: Yes, so if your action is based on past or future ideas, is that action? You know what action means? The doing. The doing not according to the past, or the future, but the doing. Right? Which is what is happening now. So is your action based on belief? Is your action the result of some tradition? Is your action dependent on your father, mother? Is your action based on what other people say?

Q: As far as I can see it is not a right action.

K: Of course not. So right action is action that is accurate, objective, non-personal. Right? That does not vary according to circumstances. And action is the doing without the pressure of the past or the future. Find out what it means to live that way.

Q: The mind has got memories, and the past is always showing.

K: You come up here. What were you saying?

Q: We are memories, sir, we remember things.

K: So you are memory. Careful! Stick to it. You have said something accurate, stick to it. That is, all of you, your thinking, your action, your behaviour, your relationship is based on memory. You are memory. You are not spiritual, you are not divine, you are not something, something superior. You are entirely memory. You understand that? You understand? Hold it, hold it. Memory means the past. Right? Is there an action not based on the past, which is memory? Think it out. Think it out very carefully. Our action is based on memory; memory of the past, clouding the present, and the future. That memory is essentially the result of past thoughts, past. Now is there an action which is not the outcome of the past?

Q: I think memory shouldn't come in between.

K: Don't say, 'should', 'should not', find out, go into it, investigate it, discover for yourself if there is an action which is not based on memory. Find out. Don't ask somebody to tell you what it is, but find out for yourself if there is such action. Or there may be no such action, so find out, spend time, think about it, worry about it, ask your teacher, probably he doesn't know either. So go into it.

Q: Sir, can thought be absent?

K: Thought is memory. Thought is the response of memory. Right? Listen, listen, first find out. You have got it? Thought is experience, knowledge, memory, the response of memory is thought and action. Now I am asking is there an action which is not based on this?

Q: How about thinking?

K: Thinking itself is the past.

Q: What about learning?

K: I am helping you to learn about this. Find out, take time, take trouble, think, go into it, see if there is such a thing as action without all the burden of the past. You understand, this is education because it will make you much more subtle. You understand? Are all of you asleep?

Q: One more thing you said was, end comparison. What do you mean by that?

K: Have you been to museums?

Q: Yes.

K: Yes. Have you seen paintings? Can you look at one painting without comparing it with another painting?

Q: I think I have no memory of it, sir.

K: No, I am asking a question. Just listen.

Q: I have never done that.

K: Do it.

Q: I can't do it.

K: How do you know, have you tried it?

Q: I don't know, sir.

K: Have you tried it? You are a lawyer, you have made a statement which you haven't tried, there is corruption! That is corruption, saying something without examination, without understanding, without going into it.

So you compare yourself with your brother, who is shorter, or taller, or brighter, more intelligent, why do you do that? Why do you compare yourself with another who may be more clever, why?

Q: You want to know where you are.

K: Why? No, sir, go into it a little more.

Q: It will make me work harder.

K: Oh, you think it will make you work harder because you want to be like that? He may be an idiot.

Q: I don't think he is.

K: Wait. Sir, you are all too quick, you don't get the meaning of all this? When you compare yourself with your brother who is brighter, in comparison you think you are not as clever as he is, isn't it. But if you didn't compare what would happen? Would you be clever? Would you be dull?

Q: You are what you are, sir.

K: That's just it: you are what you are. Right? You have said it, stick to it. You are what you are. Move from there, not because your brother is smarter.

Q: But yes, I do compare, why do we compare?

K: I am asking you. Because it is part of our tradition, your school, college, university, go to business, climb, climb, climb. So all that indicates you are not what you are. You have never found out for yourself what you are. You are always imitating somebody else. Right? Right, sir? So you become a secondhand human being, don't you?

Q: How do I find out what I am?

K: That is a different question. I'll tell you, but first realize by comparing yourself with somebody you never find out what you are. Right? Then ask the question, what are you? Go on, tell me, what are you? BSc?

Q: I don't think so. I mean you can answer that, but what do you mean by what are you? You are asking me to compare with something else.

K: No. You said it, what you are, you are what you are.

Q: I mean you can't say what you are.

K: Wait, wait. You said, you are what you are. What are you? Not only you, everybody: what are you? Your name, your form, the way you look: go on, I am telling you, tell me.

Q: Your thoughts.

K: Your thoughts.

Q: Your images.

K: Your images about yourself.

Q: My beliefs.

K: That's right, your beliefs. Go on!

Q: I think I am not myself at all.

K: Stick to it. You have said something good, for goodness sake find out, don't just say something and then go off. You are all these things, aren't you. So you are all these things, aren't you? So are you all these things? Obviously you are. Right? Your name, your form, the way you are physically, what you have learnt, your BA, MA, whatever it is, MAD! Right? You are all that, aren't you, that's what you are. You are all that.

Q: I am not what I am. Or is it that I am not what I am supposed to be?

K: What you are supposed to be is also part of that. You see, you are your name, your form, passing an examination, BA, MA, or whatever it is, you are the tradition, the beliefs, you are all that.

Q: What am I then?

K: You are that. Not, 'what am I then', you are that.

Q: If I am that, so what?

K: I am not saying, so what. You are that.

Q: I want to know.

K: Now, what a minute. Is it possible for your to go beyond all that?

Q: It is very difficult.

K: Why do you say, very difficult?

Q: I mean I can't live without all that because I don't know where I am staying, where I am going.

K: You mean by comparing you feel secure? Right? Are you? By comparing one lawyer against another lawyer, is that security?

Q: Not for you, sir. At times when you compare you might be insecure.

K: Of course you are. Where you are insecure you compare, if you are secure you don't compare. Right? If you are the greatest photographer, as this gentleman is in India, he is secure, he knows he is top of his profession.

Q: Sir but we have to live at times we are very insecure, so he has to live up to that.

K: No. He is good at his profession. If you are a master carpenter and you are top of that, you are secure.

Q: Everybody can't be top of his profession.

K: So what are you good at then? What do you want to do then?

Q: Try to be the top.

K: You can never be the top, old boy. If you keep on trying you will never be the top. But if you are good at something, you understand, not compare. Wait a minute. If you say, I'd love to be a carpenter - not you, you all want to be somebody on top - I want to be a good first-class carpenter, a master carpenter because I love that. I won't compare myself because I love what I am doing.

Q: If I want to be a lawyer...

K: Old man, don't be a lawyer.

Q: To do something excellently you have to be interested in it.

K: That's right.

Q: So how will you find out what interests you, there are so many things in this world, sir.

K: I know there are so many things in this world, but find out what you are interested in. Put your thought sir to it. Don't say, I am interested in gardening, interested in being a farmer, interested in becoming a rich man, in becoming whatever you want. Find out what it is you deeply want.

Q: I think deeply I want to be secure.

K: What? Secure physically?

Q: Physically.

K: Think it out, think it out. First physically.

Q: Yes.

K: You must have that, you must have clothes, food and shelter, that is absolutely necessary. Then finished with that. What is your interest? What are you interested in? This applies to all of you, for god's sake, listen. What are you interested in?

Q: To have...

K: Not interested in, what would you like to do for the rest of your life? Everything is open to you: become a lawyer, politician, a religious bug, a marvellous painter, poet, anything, what is it you want to do? You see, your teachers don't help you in this. Right? Ask, demand, find out together, discuss it.

Q: Only a few are willing, sir.

K: I am asking you now, old boy.

Q: I don't know what I am interested in. I just want to be young.

K: Oh, no. I may as a young boy wanting to be a pilot. Right? As I grow a little older I throw that out. Then I say I want to be a businessman. So I keep on until I am dying and I never find out, because you have never asked what you love to do. Not compare because it gives more money, or my father wants it or that, what is it that you really love to do out of your heart?

Q: Sir, what I want to do people will call me a fool.

K: Let them call you a fool, who cares! If you love something to do it doesn't matter what people say. Look, I am doing what I love to do. Right? And I don't care what people say, it doesn't matter because I love this. Do find out, you are young, find out, give your attention to it, ask.

Q: Sir, I am interested in doing something, very interested but at the same time I can't do it because of responsibility.

K: You have responsibilities at your age? Have you responsibilities?

Q: Yes, sir.

K: What? Feeding your mother, feeding your father, feeding your brothers, feeding your uncle? Do you understand what that word 'responsibility' means? You plant a tree, you are responsible that the tree is protected, watered, looked after, cared for. Right? Have you such a responsibility? Or is it just an idea that you are responsible?

Q: They have to spend a lot of money here and they expect something; so if I do something different they are going to be hurt.

K: Yes. Your mother and father produce you, so they are responsible for you. But it doesn't mean you should do exactly what they want you to do. You have a responsibility for yourself, the way you life.

Q: How can I go against them when they have done so much for me?

K: Oh, really, are you serious in saying this? When they have done so much for you how can you go against them? Right? Aren't you going against them now?

Q: No.

K: Ah, careful! Aren't you going against them when you are listening to what the speaker is saying? That's just a trick of words saying, I am responsible because they have spent so much on me. And you are doing something exactly that they don't want you to do. Don't play those kind of tricks, sir.

All right, that's enough sir, isn't it, right? Right sir? Will you sit quietly now for a few minutes? Really quiet. Close your eyes, keep absolutely quiet.


Rishi Valley 1981

Rishi Valley 2nd Talk with Students 15th December 1981

Texts and talks of Jiddu Krishnamurti. Krishnamurti quotes. Books about
J Krishnamurti. Philosophy.

Art of War

ancient Chinese treatise by Sun Tzu

free to read online

48 Laws of Power

a different universe by Robert Greene?

free summary online