The Essential Krishnamurti

386 Pages, Size – Demmy

As the title of this book indicates, Total Freedom: The Essential Krishnamurti is both an introduction to Krishnamurti’s teachings and an essential, extensive collection. It includes selections that range from his early works to the talks he gave before his death, besides excerpts from his well-known books; these consist of talks, writings, and dialogues. All these provide valuable insights into the human condition, the activities of the self with its conflicts and anxieties, the importance of awareness and freedom, and the mystery of life and death.

‘Philosophic fads came and went; Krishnamurti endured’, says Professor Ralph Buultjens in his Foreword to the book. He attributes the ‘timelessness’ of Krishnamurti to the fact that his ‘discourses resonate across the boundaries of time and place’. In his Introduction, Dr Allan W Anderson explains why he has deliberately avoided taking an academic approach to Krishnamurti’s teachings: ‘To have done so would have falsified his spirit and quite missed the mark of his message.’