Spiritual Drifts from The River of Karma

- Jiddu Krishnamurti


In the Oxford dictionary (2000), the word solution is defined as the “means of solving a problem or dealing with different situation”. By itself in the English language, the word solution is categorized as a Noun.

In the study of Mathematics, solution also considered the same; the answer to a problem.

While Maths and English may differ in the actual usage of “what” and “where” a solution is, the interpretation of the word remains nearly identical – The immediate, short term, and long term end to a problem. Meaning to say in different sense, the complete neutralization of a state that shows something is missing.

It’s inherent in a way. For every problem, there exists a neutralizing answer. In simpler word, for every problem there is an answer. Some days I look at, it seems almost a must – For every problem there will be a solution.

Of course, we face problems everywhere – From the choice of food we choose to consume for lunch, to color of shoes to match a specified outfit, a need of society to which businesses cater for, even dealings with family relatives right up to the need for software updates. No one in anyway would be exempt. A very usual situation is that romantic girlfriend/boyfriend phase. They’re usually loaded with problem landmines waiting to go off.

Perhaps, in a very uniquely positioned point of view, if you were look at it from an angle, it almost says the “problem” is only half of a whole; the “Answer” being the other half. Both combined to form……something. Say a lesson perhaps? Maybe.

Afterall, we do learn when we find the answer don’t we? On top of that, we also become a better person for it. I’m digressing; that’s not the point of this post.

Now, say for a minute one was to throw a monkey wrench into this scenario. I’m being figurative here when I ask this question - what if the “solution” that was supposed to get rid of the problem didn’t exactly do it? What if, say after X amount time of implementing the solution, the problem reappears? Would that by technical definition still fall under “Solution”?

I think I can hear many of my readers going “Not really!” Well, in a way of language, I agree with you. The reason here is, if the problem rears its head again, then it wasn’t solved.

Which means what was applied to it wasn’t a solution so much as it was just another way of looking the problem. A different perspective; different view on looking at the scenario.

Therefore then, we haven’t in actual terms, “solved” anything. And it is this very fact that gets me.

Every time a system or a Religion, any religion, comes about claiming and promising to be solution to all of people’s woes and misdeeds, then go on to conveniently blame the same people for being bad at implementing it when the problem re-appears, only in some ways just show that they misconstrued the concept of solving a problem.

Theft, murder, rape, gays, lesbians, what ever it is that supposedly to be an ailment to mankind. If a problem is solved, then its gone. Its’ done, its over, it neutralized, its finished, its ended, bye bye, hasta la vista, bon voyage. But if it hasn’t disappeared, then one cannot make the claim to be the answer to anything.

Why? Because if nothing has changed, then nothing was solved.

If it’s a solution, once you apply it – in this case the religion – to the context, it should eventually disappear. Be it people you know or don’t; it just shouldn’t exist. But that’s not happening. The promised utopia on Earth has not come to pass.

More interestingly, we find people from within a system or religion going out to perform the very same evils that very system or religion has promised to eradicate. Now what?


To add, we find believers are more incline to believe the problem is “out there” with other people, and go so far as to condemn them to an eternity of punishment in a fiery hell or with threats to ones life to forcefully follow that particular system. Which of the two is the worst of the lot? I don’t know.

We have missed the point I think.

I’m going to end this post this way. Why? Simply because there is no real answer or solution I can give to this. Neither am I claiming this post will provide one. But perhaps if we all took a great big look, someone might come up with one. Maybe. Then for sure, we wouldn’t have this problem anymore.




PS to E-Sanctuary peeps: Nice to see you too!