Jiddu Krishnamurti viewed the idea of being “born again” (reincarnation) as a continuity of the “me”—the bundle of memories, conditioning, and thought-based self-interest. He argued that true freedom is not about manipulating future lives, but about ending the continuity of this self in the present moment.
Here is how Krishnamurti described not being “born again,” which he called “real incarnation” or dying while living:
- Die to the Past Daily
Krishnamurti taught that “death” is the ending of everything accumulated, such as wounds, pains, and memories.
Ending the “Me”: Reincarnation is the continuation of thought-based consciousness. To not be born again is to stop this continuity.
Dying Now: You must “die” to your attachments, conditioning, and personality every day. “Die to everything of yesterday, so that your mind is always fresh, young, innocent, full of vigour and passion”.
Total Negation: The mind must strip itself of all knowledge and conditioning.
- End Conflict in the Present
Krishnamurti maintained that the future is built by the present, so changing the future depends entirely on “what is” today.
Immediate Action: “Incarnate today, afresh – not in the next life!”.
No Postponement: Hoping for a better next life is a postponement of tackling one’s inner chaos.
Remaining with “What Is”: Conflict ends when you observe your greed or jealousy as a fact without trying to change it into its opposite (like non-violence).
- Dissolve the “Self”
The “self” is a bundle of memories and thoughts, which creates a center that perpetuates itself.
No Center: When the mind is free from the center (the “I”), it is free from the limitations of time and memory.
Total Observation: When you observe the self-centered activity of the mind with total attention, that observation brings its own ending.
- Empty the Mind
For something totally new to emerge, the mind must be silent, which is only possible when it is empty of the known.
Silence of the Mind: “A mind that has understood the whole movement of thought becomes extraordinarily quiet, absolutely silent. That silence is the beginning of the new”.
No Method: You cannot use a method, system, or discipline to achieve this, as those are tools of thought that strengthen the self.
In summary, Krishnamurti’s way of not being born again is to live with such total attention and awareness that the “me” dies completely in each moment, leaving the mind fresh, silent, and new, without the burden of the past.
Know Thyself 