"You know what it means to attend - when you are listening to that rain, completely, there is no resistance to the rain - you don't say, 'Oh, I wish it would go away, I want to find out, I want to learn' - there is no impatience, there is no resistance against it, there is no condemnation - you are completely listening. Now when you are so listening, is there a centre which is the monkey operating? You find out sir, don't wait for me to tell you - find out. It's raining now - all right. Are you listening to the speaker? Listening, which means complete attention. Are you? Which means you are not interpreting what he is saying, you are not agreeing or disagreeing, you are not comparing or translating what he is saying to suit your own particular mind. When all such activity takes place there is no attention. To completely attend means a mind that's completely still to listen. Are you doing that? Are you listening to the speaker now, just now, with that attention? If you are, is there a centre there?"
– J. Krishnamurti Public Discussion 7 Saanen, Switzerland - 8 August 1970 |