In The Presence Of Krishnamurti

Mary Zimbalist's account of her time with Krishnamurti

Mary Zimbalist was Jiddu Krishnamurti's assistant, travelingcompanion, hostess, and the person closest to him since hisbrother died in 1925. Krishnamurti asked her to write aboutwhat it was like to be with him. From his death in 1986 untilher own in 2008, she worked diligently and continuously atdoing this using her extraordinary daily dairies as her source.She never finished, but this beautifully written testimonial to aremarkable man conveys a sense of him and their relationshipthat is unequaled. It is unfinished, but it is not incomplete.

An account of Krishnamurti's last nine months written from notes made at the time.

J. Krishnamurti (1895-1986) was thought by many to be a modern-day equivalent of the Buddha. In fact, he was once even considered to be the second coming of Christ. While many think it wonderful to live and work in close proximity with such a person, its difficult to understand the depth of what this means and how challenging this might be. In Knocking at the Open Door, author R.E. Mark Lee provides an ordinary person view of what being close-up and working together with such a man means, how it challenges one at every turn, and how it causes one to question ceaselessly, even more deeply than one ordinarily would. Lee offers an insightful, candid, and heartfelt narrative that reveals various unknown facets of the eminent world teacher J. Krishnamurti and highlights his distinctive vision for education worldwide. This comprehensive volume brings alive the practical and everyday interactions Lee had with Krishnamurti during a twenty-year period in India and the United Sates. Knocking at the Open Door shares a clear and honest account that demonstrates the challenges of working with Krishnamurti in running a school that is true to the teaching and yet able to function in the reality of modern parental, student, and educational establishment expectations.

In these talks in India , Krishnamurti begins by stating his intention to begin answering questions put forth to him by others. He points out that if an answer is to be right, the question itself must also be. "...a serious question put by a serious person, by an earnest person who is seeking out the solution of a very difficult problem, then, obviously, there will be an answer befitting that question."

For nearly half a century the charismatic, strikingly handsome spiritual teacher J. Krishnamurti gathered an enormous following throughout Europe, India, Australia and North America. From the age of eighteen he was the forerunner of the type of iconoclasm that would bring immediate fame to cult figures in the late twentieth century. Yet recent biographies have left large areas of his life in mystifying darkness. This, however, is no ordinary study of Krishnamurti, for it is written by one whose earliest memories are dominated by his presence as a doting second fathertolerant of pranks and pets, playful and diligent. For over two decades in their Ojai California haven, where Aldous Huxley and other pacifists found respite during the war years,Krinsh developed his philosophical message. He also placed himself at the centre of her parents Rosalind and Rajagopals marriage. In a spirit of tenderness, fairness, objective inquiry, and no little remorse, the author traces the rise of Krishnamurti from obscurity in India by selection of the Theosophical Society to be the vehicle of a new incarnation of their world teacher. Breaking from Theosophy, Krishnamurti inspired his own following, retaining the dedication of his longtime friend Rajagopal, himself highly educated, to oversee all practicalities and the editing and publication of his writings. How this bond of trust was breached and became clouded in confusion with a new wave of devoteeism lies at the heart of this extraordinary story. So does a portrait of intense romantic intimacy and the conundrum of Krishnamurtis own complex character.

"The first edition was published in 1976 by Victor Gollancz Ltd., but additional pages in Krishnamurti's handwriting were found in 2000."

Originally published in 1995 to mark the centennial of Krishnamurti's birth, this first fully illustrated biography is now available in paperback. An inspiring collection of writings, recollections, and photos, "Krishnamurti: 100 Years" presents a tribute to the almost mythical story of the world-renowned prophet who touched millions. 125 duotone photos.