--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: To understand yourself is the beginning…" description: "\"To understand yourself is the beginning of wisdom.\" — Jiddu Krishnamurti" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/135/jiddu-krishnamurti-249_birth_to-understand-yourself-is-the-beginning_1310547.jpg" --- # To understand yourself is the beginning of wisdom. ![“To understand yourself is the beginning of wisdom.” quote by Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/135/jiddu-krishnamurti-249_birth_to-understand-yourself-is-the-beginning_1310547.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/135/jiddu-krishnamurti-249_birth_to-understand-yourself-is-the-beginning_1310547.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/135/jiddu-krishnamurti-249_birth_to-understand-yourself-is-the-beginning_1310547.jpg) > “To understand yourself is the beginning of wisdom.” [Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Self‑knowledge is the foundation for true wisdom, enabling deeper insight into life and actions. **In simple terms:** Knowing yourself starts wisdom. Key Takeaway Reflect daily to understand your motives. Themes self‑awareness wisdom personal growth Mood contemplative serene Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - meditation - journaling - therapy - life decisions Key Concepts philosophy mindfulness Questions to Reflect On - What aspects of yourself are hardest to accept? - How does self‑knowledge change your choices? A Different Perspective Self‑knowledge can be uncomfortable or unsettling. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Beginning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beginning/) [Beginning Wisdom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beginning-wisdom/) [Birth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/birth/) [Learning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learning/) [Understand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/understand/) [Understand Beginning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/understand-beginning-1918110/) [Wisdom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wisdom/) ## Related quotes > [To understand life is to understand ourselves, and that is both the beginning and the end of education.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/to-understand-life-is-to-understand-ourselves-and-that-is-both-the/) [Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) > [“Everybody asks why I started at the end and worked back to the beginning, the reason is simple, I couldn't understand the beginning until…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-fitch/everybody-asks-why-i-started-at-the-end-and-worked-back-to-the/) [Janet Fitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-fitch/) > [Fear can indeed be the beginning of wisdom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-ward-baroness-jackson-of-lodsworth/fear-can-indeed-be-the-beginning-of-wisdom/) [Barbara Ward, Baroness Jackson of Lodsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-ward-baroness-jackson-of-lodsworth/) > [The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/solomon/the-fear-of-the-lord-is-the-beginning-of-wisdom/) [Solomon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/solomon/) > [That is the first thing to learn — not to seek. When you seek you are really only window-shopping. The question of whether or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/that-is-the-first-thing-to-learn-not-to-seek-when-you-seek-you-are/) [Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) > [“Self-knowledge is the beginning of wisdom, which is the ending of fear.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/self-knowledge-is-the-beginning-of-wisdom-which-is-the-ending-of-fear/) [Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) > [Not to know is the beginning of wisdom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/not-to-know-is-the-beginning-of-wisdom/) [Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) > [The beginning of wisdom is a definition of terms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/the-beginning-of-wisdom-is-a-definition-of-terms/) [Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/) > [“fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom;         all those who practice it have  f a good understanding.         His  g praise endures forever!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/fear-of-the-lord-is-the-beginning-of-wisdom-all-those-who-practice-it/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Perhaps the exhaustion of the passions is the beginning of wisdom, if you care to alter the proverb.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hilton/perhaps-the-exhaustion-of-the-passions-is-the-beginning-of-wisdom-if/) [James Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hilton/) > [“Forgetfulness is the beginning of happiness as fear is the beginning of wisdom.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/forgetfulness-is-the-beginning-of-happiness-as-fear-is-the-beginning/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It's not that there aren't a million other things to learn about God, but He says you've got to start with the fear of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-chan/it-s-not-that-there-aren-t-a-million-other-things-to-learn-about-god/) [Francis Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-chan/) > [“The beginning of all wisdom is to understand that you don't know. To know is the enemy of all learning. To be sure is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-villasenor/the-beginning-of-all-wisdom-is-to-understand-that-you-don-t-know-to/) [Victor Villasenor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-villasenor/) > [“You have your own stories, the dramatic and more ordinary moments where what has gone wrong becomes an opening to more of yourself and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krista-tippett/you-have-your-own-stories-the-dramatic-and-more-ordinary-moments/) [Krista Tippett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krista-tippett/) > [A wholesome oblivion of one's neighbours is the beginning of wisdom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-le-gallienne/a-wholesome-oblivion-of-one-s-neighbours-is-the-beginning-of-wisdom/) [Richard Le Gallienne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-le-gallienne/) ## More by Jiddu Krishnamurti > [A dialogue is very important. It is a form of communication in which question and answer continue till a question is left without an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/a-dialogue-is-very-important-it-is-a-form-of-communication-in-which/) [Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) > [I have only one purpose: to make people free, to urge them towards freedom, to help them to break away from all limitations, for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/i-have-only-one-purpose-to-make-people-free-to-urge-them-towards/) [Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) > [Its beautiful to be alone. To be alone does not mean to be lonely. it means the mind is not influenced and contaminated by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/its-beautiful-to-be-alone-to-be-alone-does-not-mean-to-be-lonely-it/) [Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) > [Knowing the cause of something is not going to help you to be free of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/knowing-the-cause-of-something-is-not-going-to-help-you-to-be-free-of/) [Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) > [Whatever discipline you exercise should be based on the goal your child is eventually to reach, namely, freedom and happiness. I would show him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/whatever-discipline-you-exercise-should-be-based-on-the-goal-your/) [Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) > [Begin where you are. Read every word, every phrase, every paragraph of the mind, as it operates through thought.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/begin-where-you-are-read-every-word-every-phrase-every-paragraph-of/) [Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) > [Without discontentment, without revolt, you can never attain harmony. It is a necessary stage, which must be gone through by everyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/without-discontentment-without-revolt-you-can-never-attain-harmony-it/) [Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) > [Meditation is a state of mind which looks at everything with complete attention, totally, not just parts of it. And no one can teach…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/meditation-is-a-state-of-mind-which-looks-at-everything-with-complete/) [Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) > [Learning is the very essence of humility . . .](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/learning-is-the-very-essence-of-humility/) [Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) > [We need tremendous energy to bring about a psychological change in ourselves as human beings, because we have lived far too long in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/we-need-tremendous-energy-to-bring-about-a-psychological-change-in/) [Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) > [“Life is a movement, a constant movement in relationship; and thought, trying to capture that movement in terms of the past, as memory, is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/life-is-a-movement-a-constant-movement-in-relationship-and-thought/) [Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) > [“Meditation is like going to a well, the waters of which are inexhaustible, with a pitcher that is always empty. The pitcher can never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/meditation-is-like-going-to-a-well-the-waters-of-which-are/) [Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) > [The observer is the observed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/the-observer-is-the-observed/) [Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) > [When we stop fighting with ourselves, we aren't creating anymore conflict in our mind. Then our mind can for the first time relax and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/when-we-stop-fighting-with-ourselves-we-aren-t-creating-anymore/) [Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) > [A lily or a rose never pretends, and its beauty is that it is what it is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/a-lily-or-a-rose-never-pretends-and-its-beauty-is-that-it-is-what-it/) [Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) [Explore all 807 Jiddu Krishnamurti quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) ## More Beginning quotes > [At the very beginning, I was a page at Letterman, and I freelanced for any place that would let me write any word. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-schwartz/at-the-very-beginning-i-was-a-page-at-letterman-and-i-freelanced-for/) [Ben Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-schwartz/) > [People pay far too much attention to the television and they're quite literal in some ways. At the beginning, when I was playing very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ardal-o-hanlon/people-pay-far-too-much-attention-to-the-television-and-they-re-quite/) [Ardal O'Hanlon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ardal-o-hanlon/) > [Every Finish Line is the beginning of a new race](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/every-finish-line-is-the-beginning-of-a-new-race/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Always keep the smile, because the smile is the beginning of love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-imad/always-keep-the-smile-because-the-smile-is-the-beginning-of-love/) [Adam Imad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-imad/) > [We are beginning to see intimations of this in the implantation of computer devices into the human body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-kurzweil/we-are-beginning-to-see-intimations-of-this-in-the-implantation-of/) [Ray Kurzweil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-kurzweil/) > [The only vocal training I had was playing with a tape recorder as a kid, and you know, doing the beginning of the 'Lone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-buffer/the-only-vocal-training-i-had-was-playing-with-a-tape-recorder-as-a/) [Michael Buffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-buffer/) > [January is the beginning of a new year for us in the Western world. Let us give to God what belongs to him: the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-white/january-is-the-beginning-of-a-new-year-for-us-in-the-western-world/) [Paula White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-white/) > [In the beginning, if you look at those early label albums of the Chicks, we didn't write all that much. We had an A&R…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martie-maguire/in-the-beginning-if-you-look-at-those-early-label-albums-of-the/) [Martie Maguire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martie-maguire/) > [You need more than a beginning if you're going to start a book. If all you have is a beginning, then once you've written…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/you-need-more-than-a-beginning-if-you-re-going-to-start-a-book-if-all/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [When there is a mission before you, you see it from its beginning to its conclusion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-white/when-there-is-a-mission-before-you-you-see-it-from-its-beginning-to/) [Jesse White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-white/) > [When God made the world, all things began with him. Life, death, it all began when he said so. That includes you and me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manae-poet-of-carisis/when-god-made-the-world-all-things-began-with-him-life-death-it-all/) [Manae Poet Of Carisis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manae-poet-of-carisis/) > [From the beginning at Intel, we planned on being big.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-noyce/from-the-beginning-at-intel-we-planned-on-being-big/) [Robert Noyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-noyce/) > [In the very beginning, Yelp started as a service where we really didn't think people would write reviews for fun. The whole concept of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-stoppelman/in-the-very-beginning-yelp-started-as-a-service-where-we-really-didn/) [Jeremy Stoppelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-stoppelman/) > [Some projects feel like the stars are aligning for them from the very beginning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-smith/some-projects-feel-like-the-stars-are-aligning-for-them-from-the-very/) [Gregory Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-smith/) > [Do not judge me by my beginning, Only by my end, Nor by the path I took, But where it led me](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacklyn-h-lucas/do-not-judge-me-by-my-beginning-only-by-my-end-nor-by-the-path-i-took/) [Jacklyn H Lucas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacklyn-h-lucas/) [Browse all 3,566 Beginning quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beginning/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "To understand yourself is the beginning of wisdom.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jiddu Krishnamurti" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/to-understand-yourself-is-the-beginning-of-wisdom/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Beginning" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/to-understand-yourself-is-the-beginning-of-wisdom/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/135/jiddu-krishnamurti-249_birth_to-understand-yourself-is-the-beginning_1310547.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/135/jiddu-krishnamurti-249_birth_to-understand-yourself-is-the-beginning_1310547.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/135/jiddu-krishnamurti-249_birth_to-understand-yourself-is-the-beginning_1310547.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“To understand yourself is the beginning of wisdom.” — Jiddu Krishnamurti", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Jiddu Krishnamurti", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "To understand yourself is the beginning...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/to-understand-yourself-is-the-beginning-of-wisdom/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/to-understand-yourself-is-the-beginning-of-wisdom/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```