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At the outset, I would like to explore the meaning of the word
'communion', which Krishnamurti often
used in his writing. One of the meanings
offered by the dictionary is 'fellowship with
others'.Years ago, when I started reading K's
books, apart from the psychological insights,
I was enthralled by the sheer beauty of his
description of the natural world. The
description revealed to me his keen sense of
perception, his love of nature and his deep
sensitivity. I also felt that his writing was not
just a mere description of the physical world,
but had a transcendental quality, and his
words had a certain freshness. I began to
understand the implication of the meaning
of the word 'communion', and this
communion with nature became very
important to me.
In this regard, I have been fascinated by
the potential of haiku, a form of poetry which
originated in Japan. A haiku is a short poem.
A haiku poet is one who observes the natural
world, and in observing it, experiences a
'moment'. He shares this experience with
his readers. The experience is his perception;
it is an insight, which reveals a link between
human nature and the natural world. In a
haiku, there is a reference to a particular
season. The seasonal word is called the kigo.
The haiku poet is in touch with the gradual
movement of seasons as he observes the
changes in theworld around him.
The great Japanese poet Basho is
considered the father of haiku.There were
many other poets during his time who also
explored this form. For these master poets,
writing was a way of living; it portrayed their
philosophy and their deep aesthetic sense.
They were religious poets, who lived the
doctrines of Zen Buddhism.
Let us now look at a few haiku poems,
both traditional and contemporary.
Chrysanthemums bloom
in a gap between the stones
of a stone-cutter's yard.
(Basho)
Beginning of Spring -
the perfect simplicity
of a yellow sky.
(Issa)
Behind the dunes
amidst rustling pines
the sailors' graveyard.
(Adri van den Berg)
leafless trees -
the sea
visible again.
(K. Ramesh)
Haiku Novine (March 2002)
When a haiku poet shares an experience,
he does it by simply stating what has caused
the experience, without making an attempt
to write about the feelings which the
experience has evoked in him. In this manner,
he is different from a poet who writes a
sonnet or any other form of western poetry.
With very few words, and one or two images,
the haiku poet captures the essence of an
experience and also transcends it. The theme
dealt with in haiku is always in the present .
what the poet sees or observes now in nature.
The images are sensory - visual, auditory
and olfactory. The experience of the haiku
poet, like a scent, permeates the mind of the
reader and leaves one with a sense ofwonder.
The depth of the poet's perception and his
insightmay not be apparent the first time one
reads his haiku. Often, the depth is hidden in
the simple words.Thus, the brevity of haiku
is a challenge to anyone who attempts to write
it.
 I am reminded of the significance
J. Krishnamurti gave to keeping all the senses
awake. In his interactions with students, he
often posed the question: can all our senses
be open, when we are looking at a blossom
or a tree or when we listen to someone? He
considered 'looking' an art in itself.
According to him, when a person looks at
nature with all the senses alive, there is space
in the mind and this space has energy. When
one begins to look at the outer world in this
manner, the looking can become a
movement from the outer world to the inner
realm of mind. This can lead to the
understanding of 'what is' in oneself.
Haiku poets have a deep reverence for
life.We can see this in Issa.s haiku,much of
which is on various life forms.
Come with me,
let's play together -
swallow without a mother.
A haiku poet is an environmentalist. His
message for the world is that every life form
has its right to live on this planet. It is the
anthropocentric view of man that runs the
world now. Reading haiku, one hears distinct
voices that have deep concerns for life. Small
though it may be, a haiku speaks about the
interconnectedness in nature.
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