Physical security

Questioner: If we have rightly understood your teachings, shouldn’t we all end up as beggars ourselves?

Krishnamurti: Physical security must not be confused with psychological security. We all need decent clothes, the right food and a roof above our heads, don’t we? That kind of security is essential to keep the body healthy. But do we need the satisfaction of having so many gods and idols and beliefs? So when you seek psychological security in this way, you are chasing illusions, aren’t you?

Q: You have said that intelligence is the only security.

K: That’s right. So try throwing off all your attachments.

Q: Being a beggar and walking the streets is not at all easy. No proud person would be prepared to beg. I would like to become a beggar because having to beg for my needs will teach me humility.

K: Humility cannot be acquired by behaving like a beggar. Humility cannot be cultivated by the cunning intellect. Just see that it is your pride which says “I want to be humble”. The carefully cultivated humility of the religious people is really a disguised form of pride. So what is important is seeing yourself as you are, right now, seeing the fact of what is, without bothering about what should be.