{"product_id":"path-without-form","title":"Path Without Form","description":"\u003cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003eThese essays and shorter pieces of writing were produced over a period of almost thirty years. Some of them are outward-looking, dealing with events of the day (Part One); others are inward-looking, in a meditative sense, and are somewhat more technical in their treatment of the subject (Part Two). This division is basically for the convenience of the reader, for ultimate-ly the outer and the inner are one. Yet, at the same time, the sequence of the material in the book reflects some-what the way I have developed spiritually, if not in the nature of my understanding, then in depth of insight.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003eInitially, my vision and writings were strongly influenced by J. Krishnamurti and his mode of expression, and this is apparent in Part One. Later, as I sought to deepen and broaden my understanding, I found the teachings of two modern Indian sages, Sri Ramana Maharshi and Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj, who each express the traditional Upanishadic lore in their Own uniquely creative way, extremely helpful. There were also many meeting points with that which I already had discovered on my own. In view of Krishnamurti's total rejection of the traditional wisdom, the reader may wonder whether this indicates a change in spiritual orientation, or even a regression, on my part. No, it does not. More accurately, it may be said to represent a change in scope and perspective.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003eKrishnamurti's teaching, in my view, is essentially a psychological teaching; it is concerned with the psyche as distinct from the material world. His primary thrust is to expose our conflict-ridden mind, to clear it of all forms of conditioning through a process that he calls \"choiceless awareness.\" He never ceases to stress the necessity for a total transformation in consciousness, in order to create a better world. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003eThe teaching has the virtue of simplicity and, if understood correctly, may lead to a realization of the state of Non-Duality or Advaita that is the very goal of the Upanishadic Masters. Yet, philosophically speaking, my scientific curiosity never felt completely satisfied. There still seemed to remain a subtle form of duality between body and mind, matter and spirit. In my own explorations, I had already perceived the unreality of such divisions, and I found the same unified vision in the Maharshi and later when I came upon Nisargadatta. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003eAlso, I noticed that there was much less emphasis, less missionary zeal as it were, on improving the world and more on living with the existing order, since in the end, all that is illusory any-way and the only thing that is truly Real and matters is one's Self, which is perfect the way it is. Also, once one has realized the illusion of separateness and the non-existence of a \"doer,\" who is there to transform the consciousness and affect the world? And what is the entity whose consciousness needs to be transformed? In Krishnamurti, despite his statement \"You are the world,\" one misses recognition of the latter element since he does not acknowledge the existence of Maya or Illusion as a veil, or superimposition, on the Self. Nisargadatta once stated that even if a perfect society were theoretically possible, it would not be durable since such a society would be utterly unstable.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Robert Powell","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49432384995466,"sku":"9788178221357","price":325.0,"currency_code":"INR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0592\/8583\/1818\/files\/Screenshot2026-05-16132504.png?v=1778918130","url":"https:\/\/www.motilalbanarsidass.com\/products\/path-without-form","provider":"Motilal Banarsidass","version":"1.0","type":"link"}