Theos-Talk Archives (April 1998 Message tt00184)

Hi

Here is an excerpt from Ernest Wood's book " Is this Theosophy..?".
Ernest Wood had first hand knowledge of TS and was also one of the
instructors for Krishnaji. Some will find it interesting.

.......doss
=======================

I saw much of Krishnamurti during his visit to New York and on subsequent
occasions. I tried to grasp how life appeared and what it meant to him. That
was difficult, because it did not mean anything at all. It stood for itself
and required no interpretation. He said he had reached liberation; he was
free, but he could not describe that freedom. Mind could no more grasp life
than teeth could bite the air. Life was knowing itself direct in him, not
through the veil of mind, with its clumsy categories of past, present and
future.

I could see clearly what he was driving at in describing so many things as
hindrances, but I was not able to grasp the positive and superior life of
which he spoke. After all, his position seemed to be that of the yoga school
of India, which I knew well. It was simply that the mind (perception and
reason) is not the instrument for knowing the positive element of being that
is, life itself, but is concerned with the limited department of production
and understanding of forms. Its enhancement could not lead to discovery of
fundamental truth any more than could development of abnormal muscularity.
On the other hand its suppression could not lead to it, any more than
material suicide.

We ought not, therefore, to picture our evolution into some godly or angelic
type of being. and stultify our present power by waiting or working for
that. That would not be different from the way in which stupid devotees set
aside their own judgment and waited for orders from above. Nor, on the other
hand, should we discredit our present capacity by going backwards, as it
were, to the peaceful animal state of mind. In short, the secret of the real
is to click with the present, to be fully what we are. Consolation, hope,
remorse, and any philosophy which softens the incidence of life upon us in
the present stands in the way of life's realization of itself. The mind can
help only by removing the obstacles, the errors created by itself. To think
of life in its fullness is to make only a picture on canvas. Life is life,
and cannot be known mentally by comparison with any object. You cannot put
God in a box.

Several times I discussed with Krishnamurti the function of the Theosophical
Society. He said: " You cannot organize truth."

I pointed out that the Society was intended to be only a business
organization. It existed for the promotion of truth, but did not say what
that truth was.

" I am afraid you cannot have such a brotherhood," was his reply. " Consider
the weakness of human nature. Some creed will get control of the thing, or
will be fighting for it and giving trouble all the time."

I pointed out that the position is maintained in scientific and learned
societies; the Chemical Society does not advocate the use of any particular
brand of soap or matches.

" People can be impersonal with reference to soap and matches," was the
substance of his reply, " but your society proposes to deal with man
himself, and you will find that people simply will not face the truth with
reference to themselves."

" Let us put it to the test of experience," said I. At any rate I am going
to try to make the position clear, since there ought to be a society where
people may meet to discuss and criticize their various efforts to find the
truth.

" Go ahead," was his conclusion. " I shall watch the effort with great
interest, but I think there is little hope."

I had still to learn that there are no truth-seekers, because really to want
it would be to have it: it is because we do not really want it that we are
what we are, embodiments of wanting something less.

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