THE LIFE WITHIN

Evening Star, Issue 19918, 14 July 1928, Page 11

THE LIFE WITHIN

XRISHNAMURTI'B TEACHINGS “It as not any intention to-night to win you to believe in Krislmamurti as the world teacher,” said Dr J. J. Van der Lceuw, at the beginning of an address on “ Krislmamurti,' in the Burns Hall last evening. Mr W. M. Hogg presided. “ Belief in the teacher is not so important as understanding of the teaching, and if Christians had been more intent on understanding Christ’s teaching than on winning others to believe in Christ the Teacher, the ■ world would be very much better to-day,” said-the lecturer.

Continuing, he said wo must first understand what was meant by the term, “ World Teacher.” Many had hailed Krislmamurti as the Messiah, as Christ come back, or us the Buddah. He did not make those claims. What he did assert was that he had reached the kingdom which the other great teachers had reached and about which they taught. It did not matter whether it was spoken of as perfection, illumination, union with the divine, or liberation, it was the goal of life which, being attained, made the one who had attained it the teacher of .the world. . Krislmamurti,' in his attainment of life’s action, had become one with the life in all things/ representative of the life of all mankind. Groat men wore always representative. As long as a man lived as “unto himself alone his words or actions had validity only for him. But as his life expanded he became the life of an ever-increasing group of human beings What he said and did then became romesentative of that group. When, therefore, an awakening of new life took place in a group there was always the representative man. The one who appeared its the representative man was the world teacher.

Roman civilisation had become more and more individual, and man had strayed from the centre of life where unity and understanding were to be found. 'The World War and the revolution in Roman times before the coming of Christ were but_ inevitable outcome of centuries of selfishness, hatred, greed, and lust for power. ■ At the same time, however, there was a universal yearning after better things. Christ came to express in His own life what humanity was searching for. At present wo were living in an age where man again had strayed far from the centre of life within him. But once again life was_ awakening, man was searching in religion, art, science, etc. He was seeking life. In all races and in all nations there was the new awakening. And once again it was inevitable that there should bo one who could voice that new life In Krishnamurti we could indeed see one who had attained the goal of lifeliberation and union. He had that which no other had—utter freedom from all externals. When ho spoke life awakened in those around him. He was the great awakener. Krishnamurti did not ask people to believe in him and follow him, but rather he told them to seek the inner reality, the kingdom of happiness within them. In the°practice of silence and solitude we Mould find ourselves. The way of the teacher was the way of life, the way which each found in himself lending'to happiness that could never be lost, the freedom of life itself. At the conclusion of the lecture a hearty voto of thanks to Dr Van ocr Leeuw was carried by acclamation.