Krishnamurti (1895-1986) - 2 -

anecdotes

One of the scenic attractions of Colombo [Ceylan] is a famous seafront called Galle Face Green, where K was fond of walking leisurely in the evenings. K and I were walking there one evening in November 1980. During the hour we spent together several noteworthy things happened.
K saluted the stormy bluish green sea by respectfully bowing before it. He also bowed four times by turning northwards, southwards, eastwards and westwards. It was as though he were solemnly performing some ancient mystical ceremony. I suppose that was his way of marvelling at the infinite vastness of space and the beauty of nature. The multicoloured sky is enchantingly beautiful immediately before the sun sets and soon afterwards.
(Susunaga Weeraperuma)

En route pour la maison, je conduisais ; Mary était assise à côté de moi et Krishnaji était seul à l’arrière. Nous traversions la plaine de Beauce et, sur notre droite, le soleil se couchait dans une gloire de couleurs.
Soudain, nous entendîmes derrière nous un chant, une psalmodie sanskrite.
(Jean Michel Maroger)

As the conversation idly flowed around films, acting, and actors, Krishnamurti remarked quite generally, “Actors are terribly vain.”
At this, the actress stopped chewing her food and her dark eyes flashed, perhaps because she took his remark as being directed against her. Composing herself, she retorted without anger but with a somewhat cool intonation, “But, Krishnaji, aren’t you also a little vain ? After all, you comb your hair to conceal the bald spot on your forehead.”
Her matter-of-fact, calm delivery softened the forthright statement and resulted in a minuscule silence around the table. I, for one, was taken by surprise, both by her acute observation and by the fact that until then I simply hadn’t noticed that he did have a large bald spot which was covered by an adventurous sweep of hair.
Krishnamurti didn’t react at all. For a breathless second he quietly looked at her, not batting an eyelid, nor uttering a word. With a tiny smile around his lips, he brought the fork to his mouth to take food.
The conversation continued amiably.
(Michael Krohnen)

Muriel Payne told me once that on her first meeting with Krishnamurti, her first appointment, she had not spoken. Not one word. He had indicated a seat. She sat down and suddenly, irrationally, and totally unexpectedly burst into tears and continued crying for the whole half-hour. He handed her a handkerchief and sat through her turmoil with her.
When she rose to leave he said, “If you wish, come again”. It was the first time in her adult life that she had experienced total, uncontrollable release.
(Ingram Smith)

Conduite par mon amie, je traversai un vaste verger de citronniers et, au-delà d’une maison d’assez grande taille, atteignis une « cabane » d’une seule pièce. On me demanda de retirer mes chaussures et, les laissant dehors, je pénétrai seule dans la pièce abritée du soleil.
Attendant là, tranquillement assis sur le plancher, se tenait le plus bel être que j’aie jamais vu. Il était aussi timide que moi, et je ne me rappelle pas un mot de notre conversation ou si nous nous sommes seulement parlé.
Je le quittai avec la certitude qu’il y avait quelque chose dans la vie que je n’avais pas encore suspecté. Quelque chose d’autre que l’écriture et la musique et l’art - quelque chose d’autre que le christianisme et les peaux blanches.
(B. Matthias)