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September 2001.CONTENTS:-1) KANZ Newsletter #35: Front page including a description of a discussion meeting with Krishnamurti2) KANZ Newsletter #35: The Krishnamurti Association in New Zealand3) KANZ Newsletter #35: Contacts4) KANZ Newsletter #35: Funds5) KANZ Newsletter #35: News6) KANZ Newsletter #35: South Island study gathering / retreat 2001~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~1) KANZ Newsletter #35: Front page including a description of a discussion meeting with KrishnamurtiKANZ Newsletter 35 - Spring 2001 - FreeKrishnamurti Association in New ZealandP O Box 3057, Ohope, Whakatane 3085I am that manIngram Smith describes a discussion meeting with Krishnamurti in Sri Lanka in 1949At one discussion meeting in Colombo there was a change. A row of chairs had been reserved for the leading member of the opposition in the Sri Lanka Parliament, Dr Perera -- a barrister and a communist -- and for his shadow cabinet.Eleven parliamentarians arrived early and took their seats. Soon Krishnamurti came in, took up his position on a low dais, and slowly viewed the audience. "What would you like to discuss?" he asked. Dr Perera stood up. He said he would like to discuss the structure of society and social cohesion, and that such a debate must include an understanding of the basic principles of communism. He talked for some minutes on the logic of state control as the supreme authority. Krishnamurti asked if we wanted to discuss this.When no one spoke, Krishnamurti smiled. "Well, let's begin." The barrister, who had continued to stand, took up his theme. He spoke at length. It was a clear exposition of the communist philosophy and dialectic. I wondered how Krishnaji would deal with the proposition that the state was all and the individual subservient to its all-powerful central authority. Unexpectedly, he did not oppose what had been said. When he spoke, it was as though he had left his place on the dais facing the barrister and crossed over to the other's side to view the human condition from the communist's position and through his eyes. There was no sense of confrontation whatsoever, but a mutual investigation into the ways in which the communist philosophy operated. After half an hour or so, when Dr Perera was still asserting that everyone must be made to conform, Krishnaji drew back. "What happens," he asked, "when I, as an individual, feel I cannot go along with the supreme command's decision? What if I won't conform?""We would try to convince you that individual dissent, perhaps valid before a decision is taken, cannot be tolerated after. All have to participate.""You mean obey?""Yes.""And if I still couldn't or wouldn't agree?""We would have to show you the error of your ways.""And how would you do that?""Persuade you that in practice the philosophy of the state and the law must be upheld at all times and at any cost.""And if someone still maintains that some law or regulation is false. What then?""We would probably incarcerate him so that he was no longer a disruptive influence."With simplicity and directness, Krishnaji said, "I am that man." Consternation! Suddenly, total confrontation. An electric charge had entered the room.The lawyer spoke carefully, quietly. "We would jail you and keep you there as long as was necessary to change your mind. You would be treated as a political prisoner."Krishnaji responded, "There could be others who feel and think as I do. When they discover what has happened to me, their antithesis to your authority may harden. This is what happens, and a reactionary movement has begun."Some of Dr Perera's colleagues were now showing nervousness. Krishnaji continued, "I am this man. I refuse to be silenced. I will talk to anyone who will listen. What do you do with me?""Put you away.""Liquidate me?""Probably. You would not be permitted to contaminate others.""Probably?""You would be eliminated."After a long pause, Krishnamurti said, "And then, sir, you would have made a martyr of me. And what then?"Dr Perera was silent. Krishnamurti waited, and then quietly went back through the course of the dialogue. He talked of the destructiveness of ideals, of life for a belief, for some blueprint for the future – the imposition of formulae on living beings. The need, not for environmental change, important as that is, but for inward transformation. When he finished, Dr Perera rose and slowly wove his way through the crowd facing Krishnaji. He walked right up to Krishnaji, who had now risen and was standing, watching, waiting. Stepping onto the low dais, the barrister opened his arms and enfolded Krishnaji. They stood there for a few moments, in each other's arms. Then, without a word, he returned to his colleagues and the audience began to move. The meeting was over.~This abbreviated excerpt is taken from "The Transparent Mind: A Journey with Krishnamurti", by Ingram SmithPhotograph of J Krishnamurti circa 1950 courtesy of the Krishnamurti Foundation of America Archives2) KANZ Newsletter #35: The Krishnamurti Association in New ZealandThe Krishnamurti Association in New Zealand is a registered charity, providing information and services relating to the teachings of Jiddu Krishnamurti (1895-1986).The main activities of the association are: arranging study gatherings, keeping a library of videos available for hire, keeping a library of books for sale, distributing the bulletin published by the Krishnamurti Foundation of England, and publishing this newsletter. The association has no members, and the trustees are responsible for its main activities and, more generally, for disseminating Krishnamurti's teachings.The Trustees of the Association are Warwick Bradshaw, Carol Galvin, Arcot Somashekar and Keith Symonds.Please address all correspondence to:- Warwick Bradshaw, KANZ Administrator, P O Box 3057, Ohope, Whakatane 3085; phone: (07) 312 4860; fax: (07) 312 4861.The costs of study gatherings, video hire and book prices reflect the expenses to the Association of these activities and are priced to cover out-of-pocket costs only. Subscription to the newsletter by either email or hard copy (paper) is offered free of charge to anyone who wishes to receive a copy. Currently, 65 email newsletters and 674 hard copy newsletters are circulated to 456 subscribers in NZ and overseas. This activity is funded by donations and can mean that at times we do not have sufficient funds to publish a newsletter.3) KANZ Newsletter #35: ContactsContact people throughout New Zealand provide information on activities in their area, which usually take the form of video showings or small group dialogues.Auckland: Warren Snow....(09) 443 7276Auckland: Colin Watson....(09) 627 9278Coromandel Peninsula: Dan Hansen....(07) 866 3848Hamilton: Jane Evans....(07) 856 6523Whakatane: Warwick Bradshaw....(07) 312 4860Hawkes Bay: Keith Symonds....(06) 875 0180New Plymouth: Carol Galvin....(06) 759 1700Palmerston North: Peter W French....(06) 357 5967Palmerston North: Arcot Somashekar....(06) 354 9660Lower Hutt: Dick and Betty Packard....(04) 565 1949Wellington: Glenn Muir....(04) 972 3598Nelson: Ulla Schneider....(03) 548 9375Christchurch: Paul and Pauline Matsis....(03) 385 94614) KANZ Newsletter #35: FundsThe response to our appeal for donations in the last issue has allowed us to cover the costs of this hard copy (paper) newsletter issue, and one further issue. If the response to our current appeal for funds permits, we will perhaps return to a double-page newsletter published more than twice a year. At present, there are insufficient donation funds tagged to web site development to allow the registration of a KANZ domain name or the installation of community discussion forum software on a web site.5) KANZ Newsletter #35: NewsThe KANZ 2001 North Island study gathering / retreat at Pirongia in March went off well, attracting 32 participants, including Professor Krishna, the rector of Rajghat Education Centre, Krishnamurti Foundation India. During his visit to New Zealand, Professor Krishna gave a series of talks in the North Island, hosted by the Theosophical Society (who contributed generously to the costs of his visit, as did the guarantors). He also gave two talks in Christchurch, hosted by KANZ, and a news item on these talks appeared on local television. Transcripts of sixteen of Professor Krishna's talks are now available online at www.jkrishnamurti.org/PKrishna.We are happy to announce the participation of Donald Ingram Smith and Gabriele Blackburn in the 2001 South Island study gathering / retreat. Donald Ingram Smith was responsible for recording Krishnamurti's talks for many years and is the author of "The Transparent Mind: A Journey with Krishnamurti", an excerpt from which appears on the front page of this newsletter. Gabriele Blackburn is the author of "The Light of Krishnamurti".Please note that the gathering is in October, so please respond promptly if you would like to attend.Bill Taylor, who founded KANZ and organised the first KANZ study gathering / retreat in 1989, will be visiting New Zealand in January 2002. Bill has worked for some years at Brockwood Park, a Krishnamurti school in the UK, and participates in the annual international meetings of the Krishnamurti Foundations. Contact Warwick Bradshaw on (07) 312 4860 if you would like to meet Bill during his visit, to learn more about Brockwood Park, or to talk over anything connected with the Krishnamurti Foundations.6) KANZ Newsletter #35: South Island study gathering / retreat 2001The Krishnamurti Association in New Zealand will host a South Island study gathering / retreat at Raincliffs Station (South Canterbury near Timaru), from the afternoon of Friday 19 October to the afternoon of Tuesday 23 October 2001. A comprehensive library of Krishnamurti books and tapes (audio and video) will be available. Transport from Christchurch can be arranged for people travelling by bus or air.Participation in the retreat is open to anyone who wishes to enquire into Krishnamurti's teachings, either alone or with others. The retreat will have no formal structure apart from meal times. Participants are requested to help with the reparation and cleanup of meals, which will be vegetarian. The cost is NZ$30 per person per day, and includes food and accommodation. Raincliffs Station is a large homestead with modern facilities. It has some shared bedrooms and some individual bedrooms; you will need to bring a sleeping bag, pillow, warm and wet-weather clothing, and perhaps an insect repellent.Please confirm your booking as soon as possible with a deposit of NZ$40 toward food purchases to "KANZ South Island Retreat", P O Box 12235, Christchurch. Enquiries phone Chris Eilers on (03) 337 2317. |