June 30th ~ Surely that thing which you fight you become. . . . If I am angry and you meet me with anger what is the result? More anger. You have become that which I am. If I am evil and you fight me with evil means then you also become evil, however righteous you may feel. If I am brutal and you use brutal methods to overcome me, then you become brutal like me. And this we have done for thousands of years. Surely there is a different approach than to meet hate by hate? If I use violent methods to quell anger in myself then I am using wrong means for a right end, and thereby the right end ceases to be. In this there is no understanding; there is no transcending anger. Anger is to be studied tolerantly and understood; it is not to be overcome through violent means. Anger may be the result of many causes, and without comprehending them there is no escape from anger.
We have created the enemy, the bandit, and becoming ourselves the enemy in no way brings about an end to enmity. We have to understand the cause of enmity and cease to feed it by our thought, feeling, and action. This is an arduous task demanding constant self-awareness and intelligent pliability, for what we are the society, the state, is. The enemy and the friend are the outcome of our thought and action. We are responsible for creating enmity and so it is more important to be aware of our own thought and action than to be concerned with the foe and the friend, for right thinking puts an end to division. Love transcends the friend and enemy.
January 6th, 2020 ~ In a video of Krishnamurti I watched the last couple of days, it talks about violence and freedom from violence. It is so poignant in the world today. Rather than preach non-violence, K is saying freedom from violence. Do you see the difference? The video is about making progress. I have heard people saying the world is less violent then it has ever been. The violent behavior is more advanced then it has ever been so it looks like we are less violent. But it is disguised since the manufacturing of weapons have greatly improved. Are we any less violent? Again, K says this is an arduous task, demanding constant self-awareness. . . .