Man is Not The Measure Dialogues With J Krishnamurty

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WE are always comparing ourselves with somebody. It begins at school when the boy is told that he must be as good as his brother. That is comparison, that is measurement, and that process continues throughout life. So, is it possible to live without comparison, without measurement? Because, the word better is measurement. The word more is measurement. Self- improvement is measurement. So find out whether it is possible to live without measurement, which means without comparison. You know, part of meditation is to inquire into not-becoming; becoming is measurement.

Talk in New Delhi, 30 October 1982, Mind without Measure.

The mind knows only the measurable, the compass of itself, the frontiers, ambitions, hopes, desperation, misery, sorrows, and joys. Such a mind cannot invite freedom. All that it can do is to be aware of itself and not condemn what it sees; not condemn the ugly or cling to the beautiful, but see what is. The mere perception of what is the beginning of the breaking down of the measurement of the mind, of its frontier, its patterns just to see things as they are.

The capacity to inquire, to discover what is truth cannot be cultivated. All that the mind can do is to be aware that it is incapable of inquiry, and not keep on imitating, copying. Sirs, it is like leaving the window open; then the fresh air comes in as it will, if there is fresh air. Similarly, all that one can do is to leave the window of the mind open-not ask how to leave it open, but actually leave it open. I hope you see the difference between the two. To ask, 'How am I to leave the window of the mind open, so that reality can come into being only makes you incapable of leaving it open. When you want to know the 'how', the method, you are a follower of the method, and to the method you become a slave. Any method can produce only its own result, which is not the opening of the mind: the moment you really understand this. The mind is open. Then you will see that your inquiry no longer has a particular object; and because the mind is open, free of any system, it is capable of receiving something immeasurable. That immeasurable thing is not to be talked about, it has no meaning if it is merely read about and repeated. It must be experienced.

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