Jiddu Krishnamurthy was an Indian philosopher and educator who advocated for integral and holistic education. He believed that education should cultivate the whole person by developing their capacities to face life's challenges, gain self-knowledge, and have integrated experiences. Krishnamurthy saw the shortcomings of the prevailing education system as making independent thinking difficult and failing to enable understanding of the higher significance of life. He emphasized educating students as whole people, not just parts, and saw the purpose of education as inner transformation and liberation. Krishnamurthy established schools to put his philosophy of integral education into practice.

1. JIDDU KRISHNAMURTHY
(1895- 1986)
Introduction:
A BRIEF LIFE HISTORY
Jiddu Krishnamurthy‘s family migrated from Telugu Desam and settled in Madanapalli in Tamil Nadu, His bouts
of fever and his father‘s frequent transfers interrupted his schooling. He did not like book learning and the school
atmosphere, but was a keen observer.
About his school he wrote in his memoir ―”I cannot say I was particularly happy at school, for the teachers
were not very kind and gave me lessons that were too hard for me.” He made three unsuccessful attempts to pass
matriculations.
At the age of 15, Krishnamurthy accompanied Miss Annie Besant to England in 1911. Like his father he also
became a member of the Theosophical Society. In 1912, he wrote a book entitled ‘Education as Service’ in
which he described the life of an ideal school where love rules and inspires, where the students grow in to noble
adolescents under the fostering care of teachers who feel the greatness of their vocation.
Concept Presentation:
Krishnamurthy’s Philosophy of Life
Krishnamurthy claimed no authority or religions. His message to mankind was ―First understand the purpose of
our existence, the purpose of our life, and understand what we were thriving for. Then utilize everything, to
strengthen us.
To find out what you really love to do is one of the most difficult things. That is part of education.
(Krishnamurthy 1974) (Part 1, Chapter 8)
Krishnamurthy described the relationship between ‘being’ and ‘doing’ frequently. It is not ‘doing is being’ but
‘being is doing’.
Freedom: Freedom is at the beginning, it is not something to be gained at the end.
Mind Your Mind: He observed that it is necessary to encourage the development of a good mind that is capable
of dealing with many issues of life holistically, instead of trying to run away from them. For this, one should be
well aware of one‘s own conditioning, motives and purpose of life. Thus knowledge is essential only as a means
of cultivating the mind and not an end in itself.
Krishnamurthy believed in the totality of perception. Generally, we see things in fragments, we function as a
nationalist, as an individualist, we fail to see the mankind as a whole.
The Concept of Self The self is made up of a series of defensive and expansive reactions.
Experience cannot be free from conflicts, confusion and pain as long as we translate experience in terms of the
self, the ego i.e. me, mine and I and try to maintain itself through its reactions.
Freedom comes only when one understands the ways of the self, - the experience.

2. Any partial development of our temperament is bound to be disastrous both for ourselves and for the society.
Hence it is very important that we approach our problems with an integrated point of view.
Jiddu Krishnamurthy’s Philosophy can be summed up in two F’s i.e Freedom of Mind and Fearlessness
Aims of Education
For Krishnamurthy education is:
(i) Educating the whole person.
(ii) Educating the person as a whole (not as an assemblage of parts).
(iii) Educating the person within a whole. (as part of society, humanity, nature, etc.).
For him education is about preparation for the whole life and not preparation for part of life (like work).
For Jiddu Krishnamurthy, the intentions of education must be the inner transformation and liberation of the
human being and, from that, society would be transformed.
“Right education is to help you to find out for yourself what you really, with all your heart, loves to do. It does
not matter what it is, whether it is to cook, or to be a gardener, but is something in which you have put your
mind, your heart.” (Krishnamurthy 1974) (Part 1, Chapter 8)
Shortcomings of the Prevailing System of Education:
Krishnamurthy observed the following shortcomings of the Indian education.
The conventional education:
1) Makes independent thinking extremely difficult.
2) Strangulates spontaneity.
3) Leads to dull and lackluster mind.
4) Develops fear in the mind to deviate from established standards even if they are legitimate.
5) Fails to enable us to understand the higher and wider significance of life.
6) Fails to integrate thoughts and feelings.
7) Is lopsided and doesn‘t provide overall growth of the individual.
8) Trains us only to seek personal gains and security and fight for ourselves.
9) Considers examinations and degrees as criteria for intelligence.
10) Merely train the mind to be cunning and avoid vital human issues.
11) Helps in making us subservient, mechanical and thoughtless.
12) Though it awakens intellectually, leaves us incompetent and uncreative.
Function of Education: Integral education and creation of Integrated Individual:
Integral education enables a learner for the following characters:
1. Development of capacities to face the challenges:
If the individual is to grapple with life‘s problems, intricacies, mysteries, and sudden demands, he must be free
from theories and particular patterns of thoughts.

3. 2. Development of self knowledge:
To Krishnamurthy the individual is of first importance; not the system. Understanding comes only through self
knowledge which is awareness of one‘s total psychological process. Education in the true sense is the
understanding of oneself for it is within each one of us that the whole of existence is gathered.
3. Helping to have integrated experience:
Krishnamurthy says ―the right kind of education which encourages the language of technique should help man
to experience the integral process of life which is of greater importance. It is this experiencing that will put
capacity and technique in their right place‖.
4. Freedom from readymade ideals:
The ideals have no place in education for they prevent the comprehension of the present and escaping into the
future cannot make one aware of what is to be after an idea indicates sluggishness of mind and a desire to avoid
the present. What we need is not an idealistic entity or mechanical minds but integrated human beings who are
intelligent and free.
5. Development of free and mature human beings:
The right kind of education is free from ideology and conditioning. The conditioning of the child‘s mind to fit a
particular ideology whether political or religious breed‘s enmity between man and man will not help to bring
about brotherhood and change in the society. The Indian scenario gives ample examples of lack of brotherhood
understanding and resistance.
6. Re-Education:
Right education comes with transformation of ourselves. We must learn to be compassionate, to be content with
little and to seek the supreme for, only then can there be the true salvation of mankind.
7. Development of Right Understanding of Environment.
There are several entities in environment, all revolving round the ‘me’, the “self”. The self is made of these
entities, which are merely desires in various forms. From this conglomeration of desires arises the central figure,
the thinker, the will of the ‘me’ and the ‘mine’. A division is thus established between the ‘self’ and the “non-
self”, between the “me’ and the environment i.e. the society. This separation is the beginning of conflict, inward
and outward.
8. Development of Wisdom and not Acquiring Knowledge:
Education includes knowledge and the way of action. We are holding a branch; assume it is the whole tree.
Through the knowledge of the past, we can never realize the joy of the whole. Intellect alone can never give a
holistic view because it is only a segment of the whole.
9. Development of Attitude of Love towards Others:
Only true love and right thinking will bring about revolution within oneself. What can be done is to keep
ourselves free from hatred, greed, exploitation envy and ego.

4. 10. Development of Right Relationship:
Education should help an individual to cultivate right relationship between individuals and society and this is
possible only if he understands his own psychological process.
11. Development of freedom and integration.
To educate a child is to help him to understand freedom and integration. To have freedom, there must be order
and order is achieved only through virtue. Integration is achieved through simplicity- simplicity in both our
inward life and outward needs.
12. Development of creative intelligence.
The spirit of constant inquiry and the feeling of discomfort in the existing system can bring forth creative
intelligence. Most people do not want their children to have this kind of intelligence, the reason being the
uncomfortability they have to face when the established values are questioned.
13. Development of International understanding.
We normally dodge this point and instead of owning up the responsibility, put the government, religious and
ideologies responsible. Until we change ourselves fundamentally there can neither be right education nor a
peaceful world.
14. Freedom from ideology.
Jiddu Krishnamurthy, says conditioning of the child‘s mind to fit a particular ideology, weather political or
religious breed‘s enmity between man and man. In a competitive society we cannot have brotherhood.
15. Freedom and discipline.
Only the right kind of education offers freedom that love and goodness. Here, discipline becomes a substitute for
love. Freedom can never be achieved through discipline. Freedom is not a goal or an end to be achieved. Freedom
is at the beginning and not at the end. A sincere teacher will protect and help the children towards the right kind
of freedom.
16. Rewards and punishments.
Reward and punishment in any form only make the mind subservient and dull. Discipline may be an effective
way to control a child, but it doesn‘t help him to understand the problems in living. If a child persists on
disorderliness or is unreasonably mischievous, the educator should inquire into the cause which may be found in
wrong diet, lack of rest, family wrangles or some hidden fear.
17. Spiritual Training and not Religious Education.
Religious education in the true sense is to encourage the child to understand his own relationship to people,
Things and to nature. There is no existence without relationships. There is hope for a better world only if the
youth have the spirit of inquiry and the urge to search out the truth of all things.
Methods of Teaching According To Krishnamurthy:
 We should not teach the students “what to think” and “how to think”.
 The student should be treated as an equal partner.
 Problem solving and explorative methods should be encouraged.

5. Role of the Teacher
1. Understanding of the child not Thrusting Teacher’s idea ―The right kind of education consists in
understanding the child as he is without imposing up on him an ideal of what we think he should be. Ideals are an
actual hindrance to our understanding of the child and to the child‘s own understanding of himself.
2. Keen observer: The best way for a teacher to understand a child is to observe him at play, work, and at
different moods. The ideal teacher will desist from molding him to fit his idiosyncrasies, prejudices and ideas
which gratify h himself.
3. Integrated Educator: If a lamp doesn‘t burn itself, it cannot light other lamps. If the teacher himself / herself
is not an integrated personality, we cannot expect him to help the children become integrated personalities.
The True Teacher
A True teacher must possess a good conduct. Six points of good Conduct which are specially required by a
teacher are given by the Master. They are:
Krishnamurthy’s Contribution To Education: He established nearly a dozen co-educational schools in India and
abroad to translate his ideas into practice. Ten percent of the seats in these institutions were reserved for non-
paying pupils. He used to visit them every year for discussion with the students and teachers. His emphasis on the
development of an integrated personality through integral approach to education is highly commended by almost
all thinkers
Educational Implication:
1) J. Krishnamurthy to spell out his aims for education, by articulating three central aims:
 Cultivation of a global outlook
 Concern for human beings and the natural environment
 Inquiry into all dimensions of human life
2) As part of it one should understand one‘s purpose of life and use everything to achieve it. Knowing what one
“loves” to do is part of education. He says it is not “doing is being”, but “being is doing”.
TRUE
TEACHER
Self control
as to the
mind
Self control
in action
Tolerance
One -
Pointed
action
Confidence
Cheerfulness

6. 3) The purpose of education and the role of schools in human societies have been seen through various
metaphorical lenses. Schools have been viewed as moulds for the reproduction of traditions and social norms, or
as a means of transmission of culture. They have also been seen as an arena for nation-building, or as
opportunities for development and progress (of the individual and the collective). In recent decades schools are
increasingly being seen as service providers that cater to changing job-markets of a globalized economy.
4) He identified the shortcomings of the present education system and suggested integrated education, integrated
learning and integrated man as a solution. The central concern of education is to do with inner liberation.
5) Both the students and the teachers are learners and therefore equal.
6) Teacher shouldn‘t be a giver of knowledge but should show the way to wisdom and truth. Truth is more
important than the teacher himself. The search for the truth is religion. Without the search for truth the society
will gradually decay. To create a new society each one of us has to be a teacher. A good teacher must possess self
- self-control of mind, control on action, quality tolerance, confidence and cheerfulness.
Self Reflection:
Each child is a unique creation and allows each child to grow according to his ability and leanings.
We send our children to school to learn some technique by which they can eventually earn a livelihood. We want
to make the child first and foremost a specialist, hoping thus to give him a secure economic position. But does the
cultivation of a technique enable him/her to understand themselves. Thus, J Krishnamurthy emphasis on the
concept of freedom of mind, self and fearlessness so the child can know himself/herself interest and make those
interest their livelihood.
Present-day education is a complete failure because it has overemphasized technique. In overemphasizing
technique we destroy man. To cultivate capacity and efficiency without understanding life, without having a
comprehensive perception of the ways of thought and desire, will only make us increasingly ruthless, which is to
engender wars and jeopardize our physical security. The exclusive cultivation of technique has produced
scientists, mathematicians, bridge builders, space conquerors; but they don’t understand the total process of life.
Technological progress does solve certain kinds of problems for some people at one level, but not the wider and
deeper issues of life. To live at one level, disregarding the total process of life is to invite misery and destruction.
The greatest need and most pressing problem for every individual are to have an integrated comprehension of life,
which will enable him to meet its ever-increasing complexities.
References:
Education As Service. Krishnamurthy Jiddu (1912) Adyar, Madras: Theosophical Publishing Society.
Education and the significance of life J. Krishnamurthy, Chapter -2 “Right kind of education”
Life Ahead on learning and search for meaning by J. Krishnamurthy
http://www.jkrishnamurti.org/index.php
https://www.magnetschool.edu.in/jk-right-education/