On inattention, and the gap between understanding and action | J. Krishnamurti

Subtitles available in: CHINESE, ENGLISH, FINNISH, FRENCH, ROMANIAN, SPANISH
Saanen 1980 - Question #2 from Question & Answer Meeting #3
'Must there be a Krishnamurti, the books and recordings to keep us alert? Why this gap between understanding and immediate action?'
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[@user-jd1hy9bg1d]

*Perception is complete(wholly, whole), when the mind is JUST quietly listening, NOT accepting. Just observing.* You observe the mind, how it forms the image into desire, how it judges what the senses pick up, but people do not see how the mind just goes on and on, never realizing you are not the mind, you are truly the awareness, when you see it, the body can function on maximum efficiency, with the lest effort, senses are no longer limited by your concentration and judgement, you will get a totally new level of clarity ! (I wish I can continue the Krishnamurti legacy, and go speak all over the world)

[@akashdeep-xc6nc]

Your comment is stimulating but unfortunately any kind of stimulus wears off.

[@gabrielr8642]

saying you are not the mind but awareness is another Identification process.

[@kirkfred2284]

the level of comprehension in which you’ve just written, indeed you should

[@ujjwalbegins]

wow..to be aware of inattention is attention... great..

[@footballsingh9506]

Everytime listening to j.krishnamurthty bring tears of love.such a nice beautiful human.

[@tnnism2891]

I've never been feeling bored reading or listening to J. K since I was in high school. It's been almost 30 years now. Thanks for the video!

[@springmorning7177]

so 30 years has passed , what was the result ?

[@srinivasarao6171]

@@springmorning7177 why is one looking for results? Each time one listens, like the spring morning, its afresh, anew and alive! Again, are we merely listening to words? I am afraid, if it is so, one is not actually delving deep into oneself to find out what is true and what is false. In staying with 'what is' there is no time. Only 10% of an iceberg is visible on the surface waters; and K's words are something tremendous and potent.

[@zimmo9352]

I’ve been listening to him for 4/5 years. I’ve seen that what he has sad is true. If you contact the attention that he is speaking about a physical change in the body happens. Is not something mystical or magical but a relaxation of your muscles and of your belly takes place. Is an emotional realising that leads peace in the body, in consequence of that what’s going on in your mind is irrelevant.. you simply don’t care because you are in peace. After this relaxation I don’t have any fear and worry even if before of that my life situation seemed very dreadful.

[@gabrielr8642]

@@zimmo9352 what do you mean by listening to him?

[@akashdeep-xc6nc]

Sorry but this give you pleasure that's why You comes again and again

[@RogerHeathers]

The way he talks and prompts responses from his audience, I often find myself replying to his questions. It’s amazing that he really wanted to explore these questions together. It makes it way more real and much less like an entertainment video to just have playing while your mind wanders.

[@kimirakash999]

🙌🏾

[@Prasad_advait]

When you are aware that, you can not be aware always, continuous, then this attention of inattention, is attention or awareness🕊️ Thank You🍁

[@allpointstoone4346]

the attention of inattention is attention...very good... so many great messages in his talks, a very wise and great man

[@marieb.7192]

When I watch him speak I am totally just watching without any movement of thought..... that is awareness

[@dianacrow7509]

When he says "Or" he leaves choice in belief. So gentle, kind and accurate...I adore him!

[@venkataramana22]

Listening his speech makes peaceful mind and clarity in look into the things

[@Archie1981]

Jiddu ji is Einstein of philosophy and psychology ❤

[@Deepanudaiyar]

jiddu's video helps me to start the week with fresh attitude..thank u so much guys..much appreciated...any J.K's fans in toronto?!!!

[@KFoundation]

Website of the Canadian Information Centre: www.krishnamurti-canada.ca/

[@StartupClicks]

How about portugal

[@RavinderSingh-vz4ip]

Marvellous. Thanks for the post.

[@chinnojeerao2756]

Your level of perception changes, when your mind is not interfering. You see the clarity. You start discovering yourself. Knowing yourself, as you are, without effort, is meditation.

[@chinnojeerao2756]

No legacy required for a treasure, teaching, like this. It has its own strength, divine blessings to blossom on its own. It is a teaching which will spread the whole world one day on its own strength.

[@srinivasarao6171]

@@chinnojeerao2756 but one must have passion, the energy to find out, to enquire into, to apply, to break through. The job is for oneself, not for others, and a mere wishful thinking doesn't help either.

[@happiedasie878]

between awareness and discernment, never is the explanation the reality.

[@beverleymkatshwa8310]

Thank you for this message! Needed to hear this ❤️✌️

[@nikitasenthilkumar6477]

Beautiful

[@deepakm7143]

profound insights

[@cecileqwertyuiop098]

Bright !

[@raynefarooq7728]

World teacher

[@rajupatel-xt3vo]

Such a holy man

[@veenahassan5045]

I love the question!

[@lornamcgourty858]

please

[@lornamcgourty858]

please

[@lornamcgourty858]

please

[@satyadubey6248]

Par excellent

[@AnthonyHoward-ru8su]

To be aware is free from the past because of how the summation of the past is what is viewed as the present and free from the future because the projections into the future is yet happening in the present

[@welcomelife-somethoughtsfr3584]

Explained for our easy understanding

[@turugasairam2886]

I am yet to find a video that I donot like when he speaks. Lots of gratitude.

[@gentiantafa4619]

🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

[@gentiantafa4619]

🔥i don't know what i said 🔥 this phrase said by him in that moment 🔥 show the intensity of attention& the absence of the "ego" 🔥intens & still 🔥 at the same moment

[@chayadevi33]

Awareness is ALL

[@ramongomez8849]

🙏🏻

[@poornasalim2490]

❤️

[@dr.keshavamurthy2785]

In the flame of Attention, I burn my old thoughts and emotions Attention transmutes my suffering into peace

[@VitaminProtein25]

I also liked to ask the 2nd question

[@indianblues77]

Please increase the volume, most of the videos are low at volume. Thank you!!!

[@lornamcgourty858]

thanks in

[@lornamcgourty858]

thanks in

[@manoharmishra7369]

14:00 understanding

[@feandjk2]

Excelente la 2 pregunta: (21.05) Siendo uno, un humano fragmentado, el entendimiento (contexto que nos atañe) que uno ES, no generara mas desorden?

[@jatinkay23]

16:52 - 21:09 "Understanding takes place (not merely intellectually only), when the mind is (naturally) quiet & listening: completely (not accepting or rejecting)...When there is profound perception of what has been said, false or true, & one can discover the truth in the false...Then in that state of silent observation, action is naturally immediate. ... If the perception is complete, which can only take place when the mind is quietly listening (not accepting or denying), then that perception & the action are the same. It's not perception, & I wait for action"

[@gabrielr8642]

Awareness and Alertness are the not the same thing. Awareness is to perceive.

[@manoharmishra7369]

13:10 awareness can not be maintained all the time

[@MJsholocron]

17:00

[@Rareme530]

8:42

[@gabrielr8642]

Can someone else confirm this please. I find this ebb and flow...... the mind in thoughts and suddenly mind out of thoughts. This allows me to observe and learn about myself during inattention. I find Inattention to be of great value because during inattention I usually behave instinctively or spontaneously - so I can really see what sort of person I'm during inattention. Then there is the mind out of thoughts and in this there is attention and the first thing I notice is breathing which has been autonomous during the mind in thoughts has suddenly become voluntary. Its not like I'm trying to pay attention to my breathing but I just notice this change.

[@manoharmishra7369]

12:00

[@MartinMcEvoy]

A thing cannot exist without thought, so there is nothing (no thing) wrong in this world but there is something (some thing) wrong with the thought.. Change people's minds not who (the thing) they are.

[@VER_TRISTEZA]

Can we get the script of this video?

[@footballsingh9506]

It will nice if there are subtitles in it hard to understand his voice but he is great.

[@KFoundation]

We plan to add subtitles to Q&A extracts in the future, for the time being I hope the transcript will help: (1/2) 2nd Question: One realises deeply the importance of awareness, of one’s inner and outer actions, yet one slips into inattention so easily. Must there be a Krishnamurti, the books, the cassettes, to keep us alert? Why? Why this gap between understanding and immediate action? You have understood the question? Why is inattention so easy, so common? It is taking place all the time. And to be aware of what is happening inside the skin, and what is happening outside the skin. (Laughs) Sorry to use that word. And must there be somebody to remind you of it? Right? That is the question. Clothes don’t make a man - right? By putting on good clothes you don’t become a man. By putting on robes - monks’, you don’t become a saint. So either - let’s see very carefully - either the clothes remind you that you must be constantly aware, then you depend on the clothes, whether the clothes be some kind of... it is unimportant. Or without this outward garment, can one be aware without slipping into inattention? And why is there a gap between understanding, realizing, comprehending, and immediate action? That is the question - right? What is it to be aware? Is this awareness - whatever it is, we will go into it presently - is it to be cultivated, developed, through practice, say, ‘I must be aware’ and meditate on that awareness, and have some kind of thing to remind you of it constantly - whether a picture, a shirt which is most uncomfortable, a robe that irritates you so that you are constantly reminded, to be aware. So let’s find out what it means to be aware. We can’t know everything that is happening in the world - right? What the politicians are doing, what the Secret Service is doing, what the army is doing, what the scientists who are helping the army, the government, are doing, we don’t know what your neighbour is doing, nor what your wife or husband is doing inwardly. So we can’t know everything. But we can know, or become aware of this movement inwardly. Now is that movement different from the outer movement? We must be very clear on this point. Is that which is outside - the pollution, the corruption, the chicanery, the deception, the hypocrisy, the violence, is that very different from us, from each one of us? Or it is a movement out and a movement in? Vous avez compris? Right? It is a constant movement, like the tide going in and out. Can one - please listen - can one be aware of this movement? Aware being, know, recognise, see, observe. Or in the very process of observation of this flow, this unitary movement, take choice in it, make choice in this movement: I like this, I don’t like that. I am a subject of Britain and I like to be British - or a Swiss citizen. It gives me a passport, I can travel all over the world etc., etc. So in this movement, is the awareness based on choice, the observation? You are following all this sirs? Watch it sir, as you are sitting there, would you, if I may suggest, would you watch it, aware. And if you are, your reactions are so quick, you say, ‘I better have that, and not that’. Right? So can you observe this movement, which is you and the world, and the world is you, this movement, can you observe without any choice? That observation is awareness, which you don’t have to cultivate, which you don’t have to have somebody to remind you of it - books, tapes and all the rest of the business. Once you see for yourself the truth of this, that this movement out there and the movement in here are essentially similar, they may vary a little bit here and there but it is the same movement that has created the world, the society, the army, the navy, the scientist, the politician, that movement is you. And can you seriously, not deceive yourself - no fun then, if you want to deceive yourself you are welcome, but it doesn’t lead anywhere; but if you want to go into it very, very deeply, awareness without choice and the observation of this movement without any direction. That requires not compulsive, lopsided, neurotic awareness, saying ‘I am aware, I am fully aware’ - and you know jolly well he is not, because you see it by his actions, by his attitude, by his values, he already lives in the illusion that he is aware. One has to be extremely watchful.

[@KFoundation]

(2/2) And naturally that attention, awareness cannot be constant - cannot. But to know it is not constant - you are following this? - to be aware that it is not constant, is to be aware of inattention. I wonder if you understand sir? You understand what… I don’t know what I have said but I will come back to it. It is - to be aware of inattention is attention - right? And as one cannot reasonably, sanely say ‘I am going to be alert from the moment I wake up till the moment I sleep’ - you can’t, unless you are a neurotic, unless you practise, practise and say, ‘Yes, I am going to be aware, I am going to be aware’ - then it becomes words, it has no meaning. But if you see that this attention, awareness cannot be maintained all the time, which is a fact, then inattention, not being attentive, has its value, has its meaning. You understand? Because in attention you discover that you are not attentive. You have got it? Good. And the questioner says, why is there a gap between understanding and immediate action? What do we mean by understanding? I understand that the Communist world, Russia, has entered Afghanistan. I understand that. I understand what terrible thing they have done - not only Russia, but all countries have done this. And the present state in Afghanistan is terrible. I understand it. What has been the cause - the desire to expand, dominate and so on. I understand it. Somebody explains the nature and the structure of the atom, I listen carefully, I say, ‘Yes, I understand what you are saying’. I listen to some philosopher and I say, ‘Yes, I understand the structure of your words and theories’. That is, all that is intellectual discernment - right? And that is the function of the intellect - to discern, to evaluate, to analyse. And at that level you say, ‘I understand’. And the questioner asks: why is there a gap between understanding of that kind and immediate action? The word is not the thing - right? K is not the word, or you are not the word. So that is the first thing one has to deeply understand, never the word is the thing, never the explanation is the actuality - right? Now understanding takes place not merely intellectually only, when the mind is quiet. You are telling me something, something serious, philosophic, doesn’t matter whatever it is, you are telling me something serious. And if my mind is chattering, wandering away, I can’t fully comprehend what you are saying. Right? So I must listen to you, not translate what you are saying, or interpret what you are saying, or listen partially because I am frightened of what you might say. Then the mind is disturbed, moving, changing, is volatile, whereas if I really want to listen to what you are saying, the mind must be naturally quiet. I hope it is now. Then there is a depth of understanding which is not merely intellectual, verbal. When there is that profound perception of what has been said, false or true, and one can discover the truth in the false - all right? Then in that state of silent observation action is naturally immediate, there is no gap between the two. Look sir, when you are standing on a precipice, you don’t argue, your intellect doesn’t say let’s discern, let’s think about it, you jump away from the danger - right? There is immediate action which is a form of self protection, which is healthy, natural, normal. You don’t stand in front of a bus which is running you down, or stand looking at a dangerous snake or animal. It is a natural, instinctive response to save yourself - unless you are drugged and say, ‘Well, I am going to stop the tiger’ - then of course, jump out of the window and show you how strong I am against gravity and so on. But if perception is complete - you understand? - which can only take place when the mind is quietly listening, not accepting, not denying but listening, then that perception and action are the same. It is not perception - and I’ll wait for action. Right? May I move to the next question?

[@user-xt9fm9bz9g]

Turn subtitles on

[@samarthachaitanya2500]

By just putting robes you will not become a monk or sanyaasi....A gap between Garb and reality ...JK jee explaining here. Is that Inner movement is different from outward movement? Whether one is completely of the knowledge of this mismatch!!!! Without any deceit, when one is fully aware of the inner and outer and match, to be aware of inattention is attention and is REAL MEDITATION. Discovering inattention is itself is awareness he says...

[@asterixdergallier2743]

"when perception is complete...not 'accepting' or 'denying'...perception and action are naturally the same...no gap in between..." this is so, as the speaker pointed out, because no one would stay at a precipice or close to a rattlesnake, thinking, deliberating, but immediately, naturally, jump away from the danger. My question: Suppose "someone" (the person asking this question) has earlier in his life crossed the line of insanity by knowingly staying in the danger zone, and has since then done that repeatedly, just like an addict going on with his abuse, knowing it is unhealthy, or like a murderer going on killing knowing he should not...in the same manner, this person has killed the ' inner Buddha' , or whatever name you wish to give this this instinctive knowledge of what is right, healthy, sane......only just because he had the power to do so... could anyone see a chance that even such a one could return to "normality" " humanness", " sanity"? Or is it really a point of no return that has been crossed? Can this be known, can it be found out, can the doubt be settled other than accepting to be doomed?

[@asterixdergallier2743]

...another way to put the same question: can the questioner go beyond his (selfish) concern about being doomed or not, and regardless of his own fate concern himself with the welfare of the world he has created...being compassion for this world, and completely dispassionate about himself? Is this possible for one who has been oriented towards pursuit of pleasure and comfort exclusively, even in His so-called "spiritual" pursuit? Is it possible to act without selfish motivation?

[@Acaenum]

Sticking to what K is talking about; Awareness implies immediate action. Therefore one would not "knowingly" do anything. As it implies choice. There is no room for choice.

[@lilafrench]

22:20 “‘I have understood the things you’ve talked about during these meetings. Shall I talk about your teachings with friends or will I not produce more confusion and mischief?’”

[@srinivasarao6171]

What is an understanding? Verbal or something profound and deep (and therefore non verbal)? A mere sharing of verbal understanding is very superficial and may be counter-productive. If there is a profound understanding of oneself (not necessarily of K's) then out of that intelligence acts, not thought.

[@thespacefrogdigbaby2508]

Jiddu is so wise but hellishly dry....i wish his pace was increased.

[@goodreason6462]

That's the point. He's not trying to entertain you. If that was the case, that would be totally outside of his teachings

[@dr.dhirajsinhamedicalconsu577]

🌹🌹🙏🙏

[@leilamobasserii]

❤

[@thejvmaster]

❤