Jiddu Krishnamurti

Jiddu Krishnamurti was a philosopher, speaker, and writer from India who developed
a profound understanding of human personality. His ideas about personality were
deeply rooted in his own personal experiences, as well as his studies of philosophy,
psychology, and spirituality. Krishnamurti believed that personality was a complex
and ever-evolving phenomenon that was shaped by a variety of factors, including
genetics, environment, culture, and individual experience.

Krishnamurti saw personality as a concrust of the mind, an illusory creation of the

mind that gave the individual a sense of identity and purpose. He believed that this
illusion of personality was formed through the conditioning of the mind, which was
influenced by various factors such as cultural norms, social expectations, and
individual experiences. According to Krishnamurti, this conditioning led to the
creation of a false sense of self that was based on memories, beliefs, and emotions.

Krishnamurti argued that the true nature of the self could only be understood by
developing a state of awareness that he called "choiceless awareness." This state of
awareness involved being fully present in the moment, without judgment or
preconceived ideas, and allowing experiences to unfold without resistance or
attachment. Through this state of awareness, individuals could see the illusory nature
of the self and gain a deeper understanding of their true nature.

Krishnamurti also emphasized the importance of self-knowledge in the development

of personality. He believed that individuals needed to examine their own thoughts,
emotions, and behaviors in order to gain a deeper understanding of themselves and
their place in the world. Krishnamurti argued that the only way to truly understand
oneself was to be aware of the ways in which one was conditioned by the mind and to
question those conditioning factors.

Krishnamurti's ideas about personality were closely tied to his concept of "self-
realization." He believed that self-realization involved transcending the limitations of
the mind and personality and achieving a state of consciousness that was characterized
by freedom, creativity, and compassion. According to Krishnamurti, self-realization
was the ultimate goal of human life.

Krishnamurti's ideas about personality were often challenging and thought-provoking.

He argued that the self was an illusion and that individuals needed to move beyond the
limitations of the mind to achieve true understanding and freedom. This required a
willingness to question one's own assumptions and to be open to new ideas and
experiences.

Krishnamurti's ideas about personality have continued to influence contemporary

philosophical and psychological thought. His emphasis on the importance of self-
knowledge and awareness has been embraced by many modern thinkers and has led to
the development of new forms of therapy and personal development.

In conclusion, Jiddu Krishnamurti's ideas about personality were characterized by a

profound understanding of the nature of the mind and the limitations of the self. He
saw personality as an illusory creation of the mind that was influenced by various
conditioning factors. Krishnamurti emphasized the importance of self-knowledge and
choiceless awareness in the development of personality and saw self-realization as the
ultimate goal of human life. His ideas continue to inspire and challenge individuals to
question their assumptions about themselves and the world around them.

Sri Aurobindo

Sri Aurobindo was a prominent Indian philosopher and spiritual teacher who
developed a comprehensive system of philosophy and yoga. One of the central
concepts in his philosophy is the idea of the human personality, which he described
using two main models: the concentric system and the vertical system.

THE CONCENTRIC SYSTEM

The concentric system is the term Sri Aurobindo uses to describe what one encounters
when one ventures inward from the surface nature in the direction of one’s innermost
self. In the concentric system, Sri Aurobindo distinguishes three major realms:
an outer nature and an inner nature and inmost, or true nature, which belongs to the
Self.

The concentric system is a model of the human personality that describes the different
layers or levels of consciousness that make up the individual. At the center of the
concentric system is the psychic being, which represents the true self or soul of the
individual. The psychic being is surrounded by the inner mental, vital, and physical
layers of consciousness, which become progressively more external and less essential
to the individual's true nature. Finally, the outermost layer of the concentric system is
the external or outer being, which represents the individual's external personality and
social identity.

Outer nature is the term Sri Aurobindo uses for that part of being that a person is
conscious of, at least to some extent, in his or her normal everyday life. In this outer
nature, physical, emotional, cognitive, and conative elements are all mixed-up
together.

Inner nature is the term Sri Aurobindo uses for that part of the being which is not
fully accessible to an individual in his or her ordinary waking consciousness. The
word inner might give the impression that one is dealing only with a small, dark, and
purely private territory. According to Sri Aurobindo, the opposite is true: The inner
nature (a) is vaster and more luminous than the outer nature; (b) has access to broader
and higher ranges of experience and knowledge; and (c) is more, not less, connected
to others and the rest of the world

True being and central being are terms Sri Aurobindo uses for what one can
experience as a kind of vertical axis at the core of one’s individualized existence:

Sri Aurobindo believed that the goal of human life is to develop and integrate all of
these layers of consciousness into a unified and harmonious whole. He advocated a
practice of integral yoga, which involves the development of all aspects of the
individual's being, including the physical, vital, mental, and spiritual dimensions.
Through this practice, individuals can awaken to their true nature and develop a
deeper understanding of their place in the universe.

THE VERTICAL SYSTEM

The vertical system is built around an ancient Vedic division in seven layers, which
Sri Aurobindo calls The Sevenfold Chord of Being. From top-down, the layers are:

 Existence (sat),
 Consciousness-Force (cit-tapas),
 Bliss (ānanda),
 Supermind (vijñāna, mahas),
 Mind (manas),
 Life, or Vital (prāṇa),
 Matter (annam).3

The vertical system is another model of the human personality that Sri Aurobindo
developed. This model describes the different levels of consciousness that individuals
can reach as they progress in their spiritual journey. The vertical system consists of
three main levels: the lower hemisphere, the higher hemisphere, and the supramental
level.

The lower hemisphere represents the levels of consciousness that are associated with
the ordinary human experience, such as the physical, vital, and mental planes. These
levels of consciousness are characterized by a sense of limitation, fragmentation, and
ignorance.

The higher hemisphere represents the levels of consciousness that are associated with
the spiritual experience, such as the higher mind, illumined mind, and intuitive mind.
These levels of consciousness are characterized by a sense of unity, harmony, and
insight.

The supramental level represents the highest level of consciousness that individuals
can reach in their spiritual development. This level of consciousness is characterized
by a complete integration of all the previous levels and a direct contact with the divine
consciousness.

Sri Aurobindo believed that the ultimate goal of human life is to reach the supramental
level and establish a new level of consciousness on Earth, which he called the
"supramental consciousness." He believed that this new level of consciousness would
bring about a transformation of human life and society, leading to a new era of
spiritual evolution and harmony on Earth.

In conclusion, Sri Aurobindo's ideas about the human personality and its development
are characterized by two main models: the concentric system and the vertical system.
The concentric system describes the different layers or levels of consciousness that
make up the individual, while the vertical system describes the different levels of
consciousness that individuals can reach as they progress in their spiritual journey.
Both of these models emphasize the importance of developing all aspects of the
individual's being and achieving a harmonious integration of all levels of
consciousness. Through the practice of integral yoga, individuals can awaken to their
true nature and reach the highest levels of consciousness, ultimately leading to a
transformation of human life and society.