Presentation and Inquiry with Hillary Rodrigues, May 3, 2026

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We met at the Swanwick Centre, outside on the lawn. Hillary Rodrigues, our facilitator for May, began the gathering with a short talk on the similarities and differences between Krishnamurti’s teachings and those of the Buddha, setting the ground for a shared inquiry rather than a formal presentation. Hillary introduced the Four Noble Truths, beginning with the simple observation that “we all experience sorrow,” something inseparable from being alive. Similarly, Krishnamurti often spoke about the sorrow of humanity, asking, “Why is humanity in so much conflict?”

The reasons for suffering were explored through both perspectives. In the Buddha’s teaching, desire is central, while in Krishnamurti’s teaching, thought plays a key role. Hillary pointed to the movement of conflicting identities being constantly reborn in us. Simple examples revealed the subtlety of this process. The movement of saying, “I am impatient, I should be patient,” was seen as creating an inner division. Instead of observing what is present, there is an immediate movement toward becoming something else.

When it was said, “there is no now,” it pointed to how easily the mind turns concepts into something to grasp. Even phrases like “be here now” can become something we try to achieve. And so the question of a path to liberation then came into focus. Buddhism offers structured paths toward liberation, while Krishnamurti states that “truth is a pathless land.” This raised a natural tension. Is any path already based on the assumption of a self moving toward a goal? And yet, without a path, how do we proceed? It was observed that “a path implies movement away from what is,” while at the same time, even the idea of “no path” can become another concept to hold onto.

By the end, the sense remained that both the Buddha and Krishnamurti are pointing to something that cannot be approached through method or time, but only seen directly. Whether in silence or in dialogue, the question stayed alive: can there be a simple, choiceless awareness of what is, in which conflict naturally comes to an end?

  • Anastasia Shtamina