Jiddu krishnamurti on 'Action based on idea is very Superficial' Question: For Truth to come, you advocate action without idea. Is it possible to act at all times without idea, that is, without a purpose in view? Jiddu Krishnamurti: What is our action at present? What do we mean by action? Ou r action - what we want to do or to be - is based on idea, is it not? That is al l we know; we have ideas, ideals, promises, various formulas as to what we are a nd what we are not. The basis of our action is reward in the future or fear of p unishment. We know that, don don t we? Such activity is isolating, self-enclosing. You have an idea of virtue and according to that idea you live, you act, in rela tionship. To you, relationship, collective or individual, is action which is tow ards the ideal, towards virtue, towards achievement and so on. When my action is based on an ideal which is an idea - such as I must be brave brave , I must follow the ex ample ample, I must he charitable charitable , I must be socially conscious conscious and so on - that idea shape s my action, guides my action. We all say, There is an example of virtue which I must follow; which means, I must live according to that . So action is based on tha t idea. Between action and idea, there is a gulf, a division, there is a time pr ocess. That is so, is it not? In other words, I am not charitable, I am not loving, there is no forgiveness in my heart but I feel I must be charitable. So there is a gap, between what I am and what I should be; we are all the time trying to bridge that gap. That is our activity, is it not? Now what would happen if the idea did not exist? At one st roke, you would have removed the gap, would you not? You would be what you are. You say I am ugly, I must become beautiful; what am I to do? do? - which is action based on idea. You say I am not compassionate, I mus t become compassionate compassionate . So you introduce idea separate from action. of what you are but always action based on tupid man always says he is going to become to become; he never stops, he never says I d on idea, is not action at all.
Therefore there is never true action the ideal of what you will he. The s clever. He sits working, struggling am stupid stupid . So his action, which is base
Action means doing, moving. But when you have idea, it is merely ideation going on, thought process going on in relation to action. If there is no idea, what wo uld happen? You are what you are. You are uncharitable, you are unforgiving, you are cruel, stupid, thoughtless. Can you remain with that? If you do, then see w hat happens. When I recognize I am uncharitable, stupid, what happens when I am aware it is so? Is there not charity, is there not intelligence? When I recogniz e uncharitableness completely, not verbally, not artificially, when I realize I am uncharitable and unloving, in that very seeing of what is is there not love? Don t I immediately become charitable? If I s ee the necessity of being clean, it is very simple; I go and wash, But if it is an ideal that I should be clean, then what happens? Cleanliness is then postpone d or is superficial. Action based on idea is very superficial, is not true action at all, is only ide ation, which is merely the thought process going on. Action which transforms us as human beings, which brings regeneration, redemption, transformation - call it what you will - such action is not based on idea. It is action irrespective of the sequence of reward or punishment. Such action is timeless, because mind, whi ch is the time process, the calculating process, the dividing, isolating process , does not enter into it. This question is not so easily solved. Most of you put questions and expect an a nswer yes yes or no no. It is easy to ask questions like What do you mean? mean? and then sit back and let me explain but it is much more arduous to find out the answer for yourse lves, go into the problem so profoundly, so clearly and without any corruption t
hat the problem ceases to be. That can only happen when the mind is really silen t in the face of the problem. The problem, if you love it, is as beautiful as th e sunset. If you are antagonistic to the problem, you will never understand. Mos t of us are antagonistic because we are frightened of the result, of what may ha ppen if we proceed, so we lose the significance and the purview of the problem.
