Rating: 
Summary: Masterful study of the esoteric K
Review: A deeply thoughtful and well supported look at a previously obscured dimension of K's life. Scientifically rigorous in it's honest approach of this topic, the book is a must have for anyone who has been touched by the life of Jiddu Krishnamurti.
Rating:
Summary: Masterful study of the esoteric K
Review: A deeply thoughtful and well supported look at a previously obscured dimension of K's life. Scientifically rigorous in it's honest approach of this topic, the book is a must have for anyone who has been touched by the life of Jiddu Krishnamurti.
Rating: 
Summary: Spiritual Dishonesty
Review: As a longtime student of K's teachings, which I consider some of the most transformative given by a spiritual teacher in the last or any century. Yet as a theosophist I am fully aware of how K fits into into the overall historical scheme of Theosophy, and I find Aryel Sanat's book an attempt at esoteric historical revisionism. Interpreting K's relationship & role with the Theosophical Society as one of wish fullfilment on the author's part, rather than historical accuracy. As a theosophist I really wanted to like this book, but I could not. Because the author is attempting to create a role for K within the theosophical movement that simply cannot be validated by the facts. K fully and completely sought to disengage himself from the occult nonsense & perversions thrust upon Theosophy by the Besant/Leadbeater gang, with all its aberations i.e. Liberal Catholicism, co-masonry, and all other ritualized psychic capers they attempted to infiltrate into Theosophy. Completely undermining the original vision of Blavatsky's perrenial philosopy. K's gift to humanity was a rational spitiuality based on personal responsibility. The K presented in this book is a false messiah of the authors imagination.
Rating:
Summary: Theosophical speculation
Review: As Krishnaji himself might have said, this volume is Theosophical propaganda published by the Theosophical Society.The new biography by Vernon is recommended as a much more realistic alternative,
Rating:
Summary: A Long Overdo Book
Review: I have read Krishnamurti for many years, and as a student of the Ancient Wisdom, found there really seemed to be an esoteric relationship between the two. I saw no conflict at all as I believe that he had the message, but those who raised him were not able to accept it put in another way. K seemed to expound upon another aspect of the Wisdom teachings: The complete self reliance of the individual. Now, this is usually lost in the fog when people begin to study the Masters of the Wisdom and get too caught up in how tall they were, where do they live...ect. I see K as saying that is a stupid and shallow way to come to truth, and that only leads to illusion and not what we are really needing. I recommend this book to dispel myths about how K was "denouncing the Masters" as well as "denouncing the wisdom teachings." He never denied that true masters did exist as he wrote of in "Toward Discipleship" in the late 20s. He did say a lot of people had false ideas of Masters, and they were false, but he did not dispute they existed. As this book shows, he did not, but rather went to the heart of it all which is "Know Thyself". New Age people will not like this book, but those with a true understanding of the Ancient Wisdom of the ages will see a golden thread connecting K with the Sacred Wisdom, one must look carefully, but it is there.
Rating:
Summary: A Long Overdone Book
Review: Let us just for a minute imagine Krishnamurti himself reading this book. Would he invite the author for tea afterwards? I think not. One can only imagine why a writer who supposedly understood Krishnamurti's ideas would be so interested in what Krishnamurti himself bent over backwards to avoid discussing. The author claims that K didn't reembrace the Theosophical Society legends surrounding his enlightnment journey to protect his devotees from their own distracting fantasies about the occult, etc. Pul-leese! Krishnamurti's neverending emphasis was on his listeners' ability to do their own investigations into what was "the case." Thereby hung their salvation from conditioning. The picture painted of Krishnamurti by some recent authors, including Sanat, has been of a secretive man interested in concealing both his so-called inner and personal lives from the spiritually unwashed masses. Perhaps, but this author does not make a convincing case for Krishnamurti as a closet Theosophist.
Rating: 
Summary: First-rate synthesis of Theosophy and Krishnamurti
Review: One of the main goals in the founding of the Theosophical Society
was not only to revive lost ancient teachings, but moreover to point to
a unity of the deeper, esoteric traditions of all religions. Theosophy
posits that there is a perennial wisdom that spans all true spiritual
teachings across time, and that there are certain Masters who help guide
humanity in its evolution back to the One. A true Theosophist seeks to
find common ground among seemingly disparate teachings. As the author
proves both in what he writes as well as his point of view throughout
this very fine book, finding the unity and explaining occult teachings
in everyday language actually points to the Source of esoteric wisdom. Mr. Sanat attempts to show in "The Inner Life of Krishnamurti" that
not only was K one of the perennial teachers himself, but that he was
undeniably guided and aided, throughout his life, by the Masters of
wisdom identified by the early Theosophists. I feel that Mr. Sanat
proves this main point very well, no matter what the critics are
saying. He cites quote after quote to back up his contention, statements
that K himself said at different points in his life, incl. comments made
long after he supposedly renounced his ties to the Masters, and the author
also uses references from authors who wrote about K and yet wanted nothing
to do with Theosophy. For example, on pp. 124-6 he cites P. Jayakar's book
on K for a vivid account account of K's initiation by the Masters. In addition to proving that K did not deny the existence of the
Masters in his life, Mr. Sanat also definitively answers the question why
K would almost never talk about these matters in public. Perhaps the best
passage is on p. 186: "In other words, what he attacked was not the
esoteric itself, but the way people took as lightweight and frivolous
- as mere belief and opinion - what to him were serious and sacred."
As well clearly K, as H.P. Blavatsky before him, wanted to stress was
that seeking knowledge and powers w/o transforming the mind and soul, was
meaningless, an extension of the "me." Mr. Sanat has a thorough understanding of K's teachings, and this
book can be read just to enforce and expand one's own understanding
of the perennial wisdom, regardless of one's feelings about Masters, the
occult, etc. In my opinion the best chapter is Chapter Eight, "Ecce
Homo." Mr. Sanat discusses authority, relationships, the tricky concept
"the observer is the observed," and other subjects, clearly and
from deep inspiration. Another dimension to the unity of concepts discussed here are
illuminating discussions from a wealth of sources, like Nietzsche
("Superman"), Heidegger (authenticity), and many other books
such as "The Reimagination of the World." I have observed
that many followers of K are apt to dismiss any analysis of K
and unifying his teachings with others because to them "K and
only K is it." For those willing to synthesize across
a range of other sources, a deeper understanding can be achieved, and I
compliment the author highly for what he does in this area. This is not a perfect book- few are. My main disagreement is Sanat's
contention that K was a successor to HPB - no way! Nevertheless the book
is an inspiring read, of a writer who embodies the Theosophical ideals
of searching for truth, and trying to unify rather than divide.
Rating: 
Summary: Title Belies Book's Hidden Agenda
Review: The title of this book indicates that Krishnamurti had an "outer" and an "inner" life, the latter to be reveal by the author. However, it was my impression that this book is merely restatement of the old agendas of the Theosophical Society in Krishnamurti packaging, to wit: the Theosophical Society is the crucible of all esoteric knowledge; the T.S. was annointed by "Masters" unrecognized by any other faith but believed by them to rule the affairs of the world and to "save" said world; Krishnamurti was the second coming of Christ (called the Buddha Maitreya by the T.S.) appointed and trained by the Masters as the only means of world salvation in this age. Additionally, he was the sole beneficiary of the highest initiation process ever performed on a human. The author invites "positive" criticism of his ideas, but cautions that since his research is based in "fact" only, that he has no viewpoint to debate. To those who find elitist theologies appealing, this book will be intriguing.
Rating:
Summary: Star Wars
Review: This book is an extraordinary achievement, since it shows, for the first time ever, the very real connection there is between the theosophical movement and Krishnamurti, as well as between Krishnamurti and the ancient perennial wisdom. Sanat does this not by speculating or spinning unsupported opinions (as has been done quite dishonestly by some of his reviewers below). He achieves this by appealing by actual historical facts, by actually quoting what K REALLY said (as opposed to OPINIONS some people have formed without reference to FACTS). This is, so far, the ONLY book on Krishnamurti that addresses these issues without preconceptions, but by quoting sources and giving precise references, and by appealing to what actually happened.
Unlike every other author on this subject to date, Sanat lets his reader know when he is offering his own personal perceptions of the many facts that he marshals. When he does that, it is clear that he bends over backwards to let the reader come to his/her own conclusions.
It is unfortunate that some reviewers, who have obviously some pet theory to defend, have misrepresented the real worth of this excellent piece of research. I am particularly intrigued by the fact that the first "two" reviewers sent their messages within two days of "each other," and say pretty much the same thing. One of "them" was from "San Felipe, CA," & "the other" claims to be from New Mexico, yet does not know how to spell his own hometown, calling it "Albuquerqui." Then there is yet another reader from San Felipe, CA, writing three years later, but saying pretty much the same thing! I smell a rat!
If you are serious about understanding who K was, please do yourself a favor, and read this book. But do so with an open mind. What Sanat has achieved here is almost like solving a Zen koan: What K said was simultaneously compatible with the best that the perennial wisdom has taught throughout the ages, yet at the same time was breaking new ground, by showing us the dire need to disassociate ourselves COMPLETELY from all identifications, such as with Buddhism & Advaita Vedanta, before there can be clarity in our lives. Sanat has done a magnificent job, in showing with astonishing clarity that what has been considered incompatible, is actually eminently compatible. In doing this, he has placed K in a proper historical setting, something that had never been done before by anyone, because in order to do that, one must do the enormous work it must have taken for him to have been able to achieve this.
Contrary to what some reviewers have said, Sanat has shown how and why what really matters is that each of us engage in a transformative lifestyle. K's status, or lack thereof, is absolutely irrelevant in that quest. THAT is what Sanat makes crystal clear, unsupported criticisms of his work notwithstanding.
So do read the book. But be prepared to do a great deal of research yourself (like Sanat has done), before coming to conclusions based on previous knowledge. This book is a genuine creative effort, and deserves being read with a genuinely open mind.
Rating:
Summary: WONDERFUL BOOK
Review: This is a wonderful book. Not only because it explores for the first time and in the deepest way, the inner life of one of the most astonishing figures in world history, but because it's a very lucid exploration into the teachings of Krishnamurti. This exploration makes clear of the urgency there is for an actual human transformation. Our insensibility and our shalowness have reached to a very critical point of ignorance which is the real cause of violence, our suffering and our sence of meaninglessness. It is of great importance that we realize that only through an individual investigation we will be able to trancend our ignorance. Such an investigation cannot be of the nature of past investigations, which have been governed by the analytical mind. As it is expressed in this book and in countless times by K himself, one must totally die to the past and to our personal history to engage in this kind of observation. This is not an easy task for us, people of the 21st century, deeply conditioned by the patterns of our culture and by all of our ideas and preconceptions of what life is supposed to be.There can be no other real revolution than that of the psique. We must effortlessly renounce to all the methods that have been offered to us, and to all the happiness manuals that promess freedom and elightment if we do this or that. We have to be able to stand alone for the first time and listen to life without the influence of words, we must aproach life in new and unknown ways. This is how we can become trully responsable with life as a whole. Freedom and real maturity won't come in the future, they can only occur now because the present moment is all we have, it's where reality actually takes place.
I am a young person living in this messed up world swamped with information, entertainment, competition, greed, violence and worst of all, a big sence of meaninglessness. But I do feel there is a way out of this, and I do feel that life can be much simpler, richer and meaningful than we could ever imagine, but this calls for real work and real engagement.
There is a highly recomended book which is quoted by Sanat and can be found at Amazon.com : "The Paradox of Intention" by Marvin Shaw.
(I want to thank Ariel Sanat for this wonderful piece of work, which has touched me and other people I know, in a very profound way. If anyone knows how to contact the author I would be really grateful-my mail is aprilandseptember@yahoo.com thanks)
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