Theos-Talk Archives (May 2001 Message tt00019)

Doss,

Sorry, I wasn't clear. I meant the review on the Krishnamurti Book by
Vernon.

...Peter

> -----Original Message-----
> From: ramadoss@infohwy.com [mailto:ramadoss@infohwy.com]
> Sent: 06 May 2001 19:43
> To: theos-talk@yahoogroups.com
> Subject: RE: Theos-World Jiddu Krishnamurti Book - Vernon
>
>
> Dear Peter:
>
> Yes. But the book costs around $15.00 and hence would try to get
> it from a
> library or wait until a less expensive paperback is available. There was
> one comment on Internet that her talk was more impressive than the book.
> The reason I posted the msg is that she seems to have gotten to the core
> of Buddha's philosophy and very practical approach to life and when I
> listened to her, it sounded like a theosophist talking about
> Buddha without
> all the SD jargon. Her talk is available on video tape and would be
> interesting to view.
>
>
> MKR
>
> PS: She was a Roman Catholic Nun and any one exposed to their system is
> likely to be love hierarchical system (with its controls from top
> downward). Some on the list may know some "theosophists" exposed to the
> system and can vouch for this. But in her case, it is very refreshing to
> see the open minded (democratic) approach and I was very impressed.
>
>
> At 07:27 PM 5/6/01 +0100, you wrote:
> >Dear Doss,
> >
> >Did the review leave you feeling you wanted to read the book?
> >
> >..Peter
> >
> > > -----Original Message-----
> > > From: ramadoss@infohwy.com [mailto:ramadoss@infohwy.com]
> > > Sent: 06 May 2001 19:19
> > > To: theos-talk@yahoogroups.com; theos-l@list.vnet.net
> > > Subject: Theos-World Jiddu Krishnamurti Book - Vernon
> > >
> > >
> > > I am reposing after reformatting to make it easily readable.
> > >
> > > ___MKR___
> > >
> > >
> > > A Star in the East :Krishnamurti, the Invention of a Messiah
> > > by Roland Vernon
> > > Hardcover - (March 2001) 336 pages
> > >
> > > Editorial Reviews
> > >
> > > Amazon.com
> > >
> > > Roland Vernon's biography of Krishnamurti, subtitled The
> Invention of a
> > > Messiah, could also have been called simply Understanding the
> > > Man.Krishnamurti's life has been well chronicled, but Vernon keeps his
> > > sights on the people and events that shaped Krishnamurti's
> life. We learn
> > > about Charles Leadbeater, the allegedly pedophilic discoverer of
> > > and tutor
> > > to Krishnamurti; Annie Besant, the notorious social activist and
> > > Krishnamurti's second mother; and the mysterious and painful
> > > "process"that
> > > brought Krishnamurti to enlightenment. Besides the influences on
> > > his public
> > > persona, Vernon is also fascinated by the sometimes contradictory
> > > and less
> > > well-known private side of Krishnamurti. He had close ties to
> his brother
> > > Nitya, whose death galvanized Krishnamurti to forsake the
> > > organization that
> > > created him. And he carried on an extended clandestine affair
> > > with Rosalind
> > > Williams Rajagopal, his early companion and later wife of his
> friend and
> > > business partner. Not quick to pass judgment,Vernon looks at various
> > > perspectives of these people and events,unafraid finally to come
> > > down with
> > > his own well-reasoned opinions. Star in the East depicts
> > > Krishnamurti as a
> > > complex man who encouraged everyone to think for themselves.
> --Brian Bruya
> > >
> > > From Publishers Weekly
> > >
> > > Vernon, a professional writer educated at King's College,
> > > Cambridge,offers
> > > the most comprehensive Krishnamurti biography to date,
> > > promising"water-tight impartiality." He presents detailed
> accounts of the
> > > New Age teacher's life (1895-1986) and career in chronological
> > > order, using
> > > primary and secondary sources scrupulously quoted as well as un
> > > attributed
> > > interviews with students, friends and colleagues. However,Vernon's
> > > objectivity is a fairly unreflective one that often fails to
> > > systematically
> > > interpret and connect the details of Krishnamurti's life and career to
> > > important trends of his time. Vernon fails to recognize, for
> > > example, that
> > > Krishnamurti's story does not so much herald the arrival of Eastern
> > > mysticism in the West as it clearly describes and anticipates the
> > > construction of a unique Eastern mysticism by the West. Also,
> Vernon does
> > > not detect the apparent influence of Victorian notions of
> sexuality and
> > > hygiene on Krishnamurti's early trance inductions and later physically
> > > punishing purification experiences (known collectively as the
> > > "Process").The custody and training of young Krishnamurti by the
> > > Theosophist Charles Leadbeater clearly involved what would today
> > > be viewed
> > > as child sexual abuse, and the author's reluctance to
> acknowledge it as
> > > such precludes a more comprehensive and accurate psychological
> > > interpretation of Krishnamurti's important religious
> experiences.However,
> > > this biography is still the best available, providing a
> wealth of detail
> > > that will be appreciated by followers of Krishnamurti.
> > >
> > > From Library Journal
> > >
> > > Vernon offers a compelling account of the legendary
> Krishnamurti,groomed
> > > from childhood as the Theosophical Society's messiah and
> spiritual savior
> > > of the world. With penetrating analysis, the author sifts through
> > > controversies surrounding Krishna's tutelage under the notorious Annie
> > > Besant and Charles Leadbeater, who initiated the
> transformation of a shy
> > > and apathetic boy into a dynamic and spiritual genius. The author
> > > carefully
> > > handles Leadbeater's infamous sexual perversion, misogyny, and various
> > > deceits (such as forging "At the Feet of the Master," purportedly
> > > penned by
> > > Krishna). The author candidly but fairly examines the life of a molded
> > > messiah whose travels, emotional development, and maturing
> > > spiritual views
> > > culminated in his astonishing 1929 dissolution of the Order
> of the Star,
> > > declaring that "Truth is a pathless land, unapproachable by any path,
> > > religion, or organized belief." This is a balanced study of a
> > > world teacher
> > > who, in denying his own messianic role and spiritual
> authority, became,
> > > ironically, even more influential and left behind a legacy of
> schools in
> > > the decades to come. Recommended for all libraries to fill the void of
> > > comprehensive treatments of this figure. Loren RossonIII,
> Nashua P.L., NH
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > Book Description
> > >
> > > The extraordinary story of Krishnamurti, hailed early in life as the
> > > messiah for the 20th century, is told here in the light of a
> century of
> > > changing spiritual attitudes. It is a tale of mysticism,
> sexual scandals,
> > > religious fervor and chicanery, out of which emerged one of the most
> > > influential thinkers of modern times. Krishnamurti was
> "discovered" as a
> > > young boy on a beach in India by members of the Theosophical Society,
> > > convinced that they had found the new world leader, a
> spiritual savior as
> > > historic and as influential as Jesus himself. By the 1920s he was
> > > attracting worldwide press attention and people flocked to his
> > > talks in the
> > > thousands. In 1922,Krishnamurti broke with the society and
> set out on a
> > > teaching mission of his own as a secular philosopher of
> spirituality. He
> > > ultimately had a career that spanned six decades, founded
> seven schools,
> > > published 50 booksand encompassed thousands of talks. This
> extraordinary
> > > story is told forthe first time by Roland Vernon in the full light of
> > > 20th-century attitudes ina narrative that is as compelling as
> any novel.
> > >
> > > About the AuthorRoland Vernon lives in Somerset, England with his
> > > wife and
> > > children.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
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> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
>
>
>
>
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