Does Life Have A Purpose?, by J. Krishnamurti

¿Tiene la vida un propósito?
--por J. Krishnamurti

Pregunta:
¿Por qué dices que la vida no tiene propósito? Si la vida no tiene propósito, entoces la vida individual tampoco puede tener ningún propósito, inclusive cuando sólo se es, porque la perfección individual sólo puede tener significado cuando hay un propósito en la creación.

Krishnamurti:
Lo que quiero decir con vida, es esa vida que es la verdad, en la que no hay división, en la que todas las cosas son consumadas, esa vida de la que todas las cosas dependen, en la que todas las cosas existen... esa vida no tiene ningún propósito, porque es.

Aquello que es, no puede tener un propósito, porque lo incluye a todo. En aquello existen el tiempo y el espacio, y la existencia individual. Pero la existencia individual, en la cual la totalidad aún no ha sido percatada, si tiene un propósito. Ese propósito es darse cuanta de esta totalidad.

La individualidad no es un fin en sí misma porque la individualidad es imperfección. Está cargada de lo incompleto; y así, el aumento de esa individualidad, sin importar en qué medida, seguirá siendo individualidad. Lo que es imperfecto no puede ser perfeccionado a través de un aumento o una multiplicación.

Entonces, el verdadero propósito de la existencia individual es darse cuenta de esta unidad de las cosas, esta realidad, en la que no existe el objeto y sujeto, "tú" y "yo", en la que no hay reacciones, sino solo el puro sentido de ser, que es positivo, dinámico (y cuando uso la palabra "positivo", no excluyo el negativo). Esta vida está en todas las cosas, en esta mesa, así como en el ser humano más culto.

Pero el individuo en quien hay separación, en quien hay distinción entre objeto y sujeto, en quien hay división, debido a su limitación, a su imperfección, debe satisfacerse a sí mismo en la perfección, en la incorruptibilidad.

Por lo tanto, la existencia individual tiene un propósito, pero la vida no tiene propósito.

Preguntas semilla para la reflexión: ¿Cómo te relacionas con la idea de satisfacerte a tí mism@ en la perfección? ¿Puedes compartir una historia personal de alguna vez en la que sentiste la vida en todas las cosas? ¿Qué te ayuda a incluir lo negativo en tu entendimiento de lo positivo?â€‹

por J. Krishnamurti, de una reunión en Oomen, en la parte del Planeta que llamamos Holanda, en 1930

by J. Krishnamurti, from a gathering at Oomen, Holland, 1930

Seed Questions for Reflection

How do you relate to the directive to fulfill oneself in perfection? Can you share a personal story of a time you felt life in all things? What helps you include the negative in your conception of the positive?

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Add Your Reflection

10 Past Reflections

shashidhar

Jan 8, 2025

So, what is the purpose of life after we realize this unity of things? Sorry to say but what JK says doesn't make. Every existence has its individuality and there has to be a separation. Can you sit in front of a tiger and say we united in some sense so don't eat me. The purpose of human existence who is full of intelligence is to realize his position in this creation analyze and live with sense of gratitude towards nature and time thus elevating oneself to the supreme unlimited realm where there is no anxiety, fear and curiosity.

Ed Aug 19, 2025

That there is no "oneself" to elevate - that such notions of individuality and separation are illusory - is the basis of Buddhism. J. Krishnamurti has been described as 'picking up where the Buddha left off'.

Palash Roy

Jun 24, 2020

J. Krishnamurti reading not for amusement but digging deeper. Here the real meaning individuality and all-inclusiveness

Sylvia Blackwell

Jan 23, 2018

I am the a proud 89 year African-American family Matriarch,,,,four children, 9 grandchildren, and 6 great-grand children! My progeny has met challenges, overcome disappointments and rejoiced with successes.
My being is manifested in their beings --morally, spiritually and physically.

Jaap Puran

Jan 23, 2018

I absolutely love this. Beautifully expressed.

Prasad

Jan 22, 2018

I love the response that JK gave. Life has no purpose. Because it is. It has no beginning and no ending and it including you, me and everything that we love and hate. What it means to me is that when I am full of life, when I am just being in the moment, when I am fully present, there is no purpose, no time or no goal. Only life is present and there is no I or individual consciousness. When I am thinking, planning and mourning, then I have a purpose to make myself whole by doing, feeling and embracing the polarity that I am running away from. Think about it, just like life has no purpose, death has no purpose either. But we try to find meaning and give meaning to death. My father passed away last year. His life is fulfilled and death took him away. By mourning, by being upset that he died only makes me unable to participate in life. I am not engaged with life everytime I live in the memories of my father or when I am upset. When I serve others, when I celebrate other's success a... View full comment

me Jan 26, 2018

To know, to love and to serve the Lord ... is my top priority while here on earth. This purpose is life's foundation. Without God, Jesus and Holy Spirit, (even though one appears to be "living") she/he is already dead.

david doane

Jan 19, 2018

To fulfill oneself in perfection means to fulfill myself in being all of what I am, being total and whole, being all of me present and manifesting. I think I never felt life in all things, unless it was somewhere between conception and about age two. I have come to think that there is life in all things, and that awareness has been enlivening for me and has helped me feel more one with all resulting in increased compassion for and with all. What helps me include the negative in my conception of the positive is considering and believing that there is no negative and positive in nature, they are only in my perception. There is one nature/reality that I am part of -- some of it I like and some I don't, some I agree with and some I don't, some of which I embrace and some of which I fear, but I know I and it are really all part of the one.

James Wermuth Jan 23, 2018

There is no difference between you and I, between the molecule or the rock than I. What pretense for Jiddu Krishnamurti to proclaim what is perfect, what is imperfect; every one of us if part of the timeless course of life. It is our errant perceptions where we, either singularly or in harmony, fail. Nature is imbued with potential to conflict with the flow of life. Whether it be holding onto a memory or a pain to feel more alive, or simple preoccupation, we all have but to release our notions and find the stream of life.

Jagdish P Dave

Jan 19, 2018

Reading J. Krishnamurti's writing makes me think, inquire and reflect. As I am reading this article questions do arise in my mind. Questions such as why individuality does not have a purpose? Can I have individual existence without having separation between my individual existence and another person's individual existence? Can I relate to the other person's individual existence harmoniously while we both respectfully accept our differences? These are not idle philosophical questions. I face them almost everyday. I keep an open mind and really listen to the other person as an individual.

My individual existence has a purpose that is to create unity or harmony within my different voices within me and with another individual' existence. It s like being in a concert with different players and instruments creating concord and harmony. Or it is like a rainbow with seven different colors and merging into each other creating unity or oneness.

I know from my own experience that this is the truth that creates positive energy, joy, excitement and peace. Realizing this truth is an ongoing challenging journey for me and I am happy to work on it. patiently. Yesterday, I had an exiting and delightful conversation with my friend talking about what is true education and what is the essence of human nature. When we talk about my premise on basic human nature quite different from his premise on human nature, dark clouds of friction started building up up. We are good friends and have great long standing relationship. Both of us took deep breaths to create a space to mindfully respond and not to react. This helped us to be open to each other and relate to each other compassionately. Such experiences have been very helpful to me in building bridges to help us remain connected with each other. Such a way of working on individuality opens the door to experiencing oneness. I know this is an ongoing journey. I have patience and determination to walk on this way.

May we remain open minded and open hearted to flourish the richness of our individual existence and live harmoniously.
Namaste.
Jagdish P Dave

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