CONQUERING THE WORLD OF IMAGES THROUGH AWARENESS A CRITICAL EVALUATION OF JIDDU KRISHNAMURTI s NOTION OF AWARENESS

GILBERT I. YAP
MA PHILOSOPHY (MAY 2009)
Department of Philosophy

Abstract

The presence of an image is the root cause of every problem in this world-be it in the field of politics, religion, economy, and society. The reason why there are seriously prevailing problems is that individuals create images of themselves. Every individual has his own self-image. An entrepreneur has his own image, an artist has his own image, and a student has his own image. This image includes behaviour, preferences, aspirations as well as the other characteristics of an individual. That is why an individual may also have an image of being generous, stubborn, or courteous.

The main problem caused by images is deception. An image is considered to be a deception since it is not the truth or the actual state. And, when an individual is filled with deception, his whole individuality including this thoughts and actions will also be filled with deception. And, this makes an individual problematic. A problematic individual creates a problematic world. An image is of the past and the future that is merely projected. When an individual creates images, he fails to live in the present state. Instead, he is living in the past and the projected future. And, this is undeniably complicated. It would be difficult for an individual to be in the present state while living in the past and the projected future. How can an individual live in the present, that is, the actual state? How can an individual remove images? How can an individual address confusing problems?

Problems in this world begin with the individual as he engages with image-making. That is why the answer to these problems lies also in the individual. Using Krisnamurti’s philosophy, this thesis research defends that awareness addresses the problems caused by images. It is only through awareness that images occupying the individual mind can be removed. It is only awareness that an individual can see and live the present as it is. It is only through awareness that one can address day-to-day problems.