Loyalty and truth

Jiddu Krishnamurthy, the famous philosopher, said in an interview that even nationalism is wrong. What he meant was that to feel attached to one’s country and feel patriotic in contrast to feeling that one is a citizen of this world or one of the life forms in the universe is wrong. By this definition all of us can be accused of terrible wrong doing. This is applicable to us Indians more than any one else. Here one’s loyalty begins with his own self first. Then comes his immediate family and then his extended family and then his caste and then his community and then his religion and last his country. Add to this his loyalty to the village, town, district, state, the country comes last. Then comes language. The worst kind of loyalty next only to religion in one’s love for one’s language. Sometimes the inability to learn or the lack of interest in other languages is directly attributable to this excessive attachment.

If one is attached to so many and the country comes last in her or his attachment, what are his concerns for the health and well being of the world? None seems to be bothered about becoming citizens of this world. The deep rooted division amongst us based on the many schisms [isms] described above has kept us separate from one another and has clouded our thinking and is a great impediment to intellectual progress and realization of the truth.

The truth as I see it is that this life and this planet are like bubbles of air. One will burst and die. Another bubble will form and it will also burst. This cycle will go on and on with no beginning and no end. That is the truth. You and I when we are alive, foolishly quarrel and constantly try one-upmanship.

Ridiculous, is it not?