About this person
Jiddu Krishnamurti was an Indian philosopher, writer and one of the most important spiritual thinkers of the twentieth century. His lectures focused primarily on human freedom, self-knowledge, fear, interpersonal relationships and the possibility of fundamental inner transformation.
He was born in southern India in 1895. In his youth, he was noticed by representatives of the Theosophical Society, who began preparing him for the role of a future spiritual teacher. In 1929, however, Krishnamurti dissolved the organisation created around him and rejected the status of messiah and spiritual authority.
He argued that truth could not be found through religious organisations, dogmas, rituals or by following any leader. In his view, people must arrive at it themselves by observing their own minds, relationships and everyday actions. He emphasised freedom from fear, social conditioning and automatic patterns of thought.
For most of his life, he travelled around the world, lecturing and holding discussions with scientists, philosophers, writers and educators. He also helped establish schools in India, the United Kingdom and the United States. He died in California in 1986, but his books, lectures and discussions continue to reach readers around the world.