Views on Fate Vs Free Will

So, this is in continuance of last live session on Fate Vs Free Will - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FdcRPoSSgd0&t= . Let me add few more points to this complicated topic which easily could be misunderstood and I always feel that I can explain things much better while writing.

So, there are two ways you can deal with a situation or event in your life.

1. It was God's wish and destined. I can't do anything about it. 

2. I acted in a certain way which made this event happen. It is result of my act.

Both ways have its positive/negative points. Like,

For the path of destiny -

a. Leaving everything on God looks very spiritual and it looks like person is directly connected with source energy but its real test is when person leaves all events on God. It doesn't matter if he suffers any loss or profit in life, he leaves on destiny whatever is the result. But that's not what happens in reality. Whenever we achieve anything or some positive things happen in life, we assert ourselves that "I did this and I took this decision and I was so smart then this positive result was possible". And whenever we suffer a little bit of pain then automatically blame goes to God/Destiny that "how can God do this to me? I am such a nice person. I go to temple daily.   :D ".

b. Well, if achievement is yours then how failure can be God's and likewise, if failure is God's then how achievement can be yours? So, when I talk about everything is destined then I include EVERYTHING. All positives and all negatives. In that case, you can't keep anything with you. It is a path of total surrender. So, if you can do that then path of destiny is yours.

c. Now, there are 2 problems with this path. One age-old argument that what if a person commits a crime and blames it on God or Destiny. And there is no scope of improvement as this path can make a person lazy as he may say that how I can go beyond God's will?

d. For both issues, simplest response is that such people didn't understand the concept of leaving everything on God or Destiny. As I said, this is the path of total surrender, i.e. surrender of ego. Now, any crime or any negative action is done to satisfy ego. Like, I may steal money because I need money. So, ego satisfaction is involved here. But path of destiny is of a person who has totally surrendered his ego and willing to live on God's wish. Such person won't commit any crime because he knows that blame will go on God. Likewise, such person will never stop improving because again blame will go on God. Basically, he surrenders all his actions to God. So, there is no chance that he can surrender any crime to God or laziness to God.

Now, for the path of free-will -

a. It looks like the path of ego assertion because person says that I can manage my life and do actions as per my will. So, this is one drawback but there is one positive thing here that this person is taking responsibility of his actions if he is totally following the path of free-will. Here again, the problem is that people are selective about paths. When they get positive results then it is because of their own actions as per free-will but when they see bad results then they blame it on destiny.

b. So again, if person is truly following the path of free-will then he should take responsibility of ALL his actions, i.e. good, bad or ugly. Now, if he takes responsibility of his actions then there is a huge possibility of improvement. Person won't accept that because of his own actions he is in a mess. Hence, next time, he will put better actions to improve because as per him, results are only as good as his actions. So, positive thing attached with the path of free-will is immense possibility of improvement.

c. As Osho said in one of his preaching that whatever life you are living is result of your own efforts. If you are happy then it is because of your actions and awareness. If you are unhappy then also it is because of your inactions and ignorance. And you can change the scenario in this very moment through your actions and awareness again. Osho says, there is no need to blame God for your situation because God doesn't get any benefit by making you suffer. So, take responsibility on yourself.

So if we see, then both path have its drawbacks and positive points but as I see, the positive use of both paths is on improving your situation. A person who leaves everything on God has to look for better life because if he is living a life of suffering then his God will be blamed for it and as a true lover of God, he won't like to see that. A person who thinks that there is free-will would obviously put his best efforts to improve his situation as he knows that there is none else to do the same for him.

This is how I see it.

Now, the working area of free-will and destiny?

As I said in video, when you put your best effort in achieving anything, at that time you are in free-will zone. During that time of putting efforts you feel that you can manage things your way. Then when you completely exhaust yourself and there is no strength left to put a single more second of effort in that area of life then you have reached to the destined result. So for me, free-will is a way to reach destiny. For ex, there is a guy/girl who is trying hard to get a job and they tried for long time and made all efforts possible but didn't get any favorable result. Now, someone tells them to apply for a job again and all they felt is disgust at very thought of applying again and no strength or desire to go through that process again, then it shows that their free-will is over and they have reached their destiny in that particular area of life.

And as I said in video, we can change things through free-will only in the very initial stages of any thought coming in our mind. But once we get ourselves attached with that thought and give it our attention and energy, it will be stronger than free-will then and will be able to overpower us.

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As we are heading towards a New Moon in Taurus and as I am feeling a lack of energy/will to start any new series, I just thought of writing on the 3 elements Sat-Raj-Tam, which I mentioned in last session on fate vs free will (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FdcRPoSSgd0&t=19s), and how they make us or we allow them to make us perform some action, good-bad-ugly.

So, content is from Bhagwad Geeta where Arjun asked Krishna as to when none in this world wants to commit anything wrong or evil then how does evil happen? Who makes us do evil?

Krishna replies and Osho interprets it like this -

1. Different people from different times have given different responses to this question. Those who didn’t go much deep, they said there is another power beyond God and that is Devil. Devil makes us do wrong actions. But this response is neither logical nor scientific because a thoughtful person like Arjun would say that it means Devil is more powerful than God. If it is so then let me worship Devil only.

2. Then there are few people who went deep into finding answer and came up with the concept that it is neither God nor Devil, but this nature/life/Universe functions on the basis of 3 elements or Guna. These are Satva, Rajas and Tamas. Rajas is a creative force. Tamas is a destructive or stopping force. Satva is the balancing point between the two.

3. Then we get reference of these 3 elements in different walks of life too. Like, Science has also accepted that Atom can finally be broken into 3 parts, i.e. Proton, Electron and Neutron. Proton is like Rajas, a positive force. Electron is like Tamas, a negative force. And Neutron is like Satva, the neutral or balancing point.

4. We can see it in religious metaphors too where Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh perform similar actions to Rajas, Satva and Tamas respectively. Actually, the word GOD is made of G-Generator, O – Organizer and D – Destroyer.

5. So, when we say that this nature/life/Universe functions on the basis of Satva, Rajas and Tama Guna, it means that we all are born with these 3 elements or qualities within ourselves. We all have some creative tendencies which are reflective of Rajas element. We all have anger or malefic desires which are reflective of Tamas element. And we all can use wisdom or awareness to balance Rajas & Tamas, which is Satva element.

6. Then we think that Tamas is a negative energy, hence it is considered as an evil energy. We feel that Tamas is destructive or energy of stoppage, hence it should not be there. But every energy is there for a purpose. The gravitational pull of Earth is nothing but Tamas energy which keeps us on Earth else we would be flying around in Universe. If there is no Tamas element then people will start walking and will never be able to stop themselves which would lead to an insane death. So, every element is necessary for our life if it is utilized in a balanced proportion.

7. Best example to understand it is someone driving a vehicle. Accelerator is Rajas element, necessary to move forward. Brake is Tamas element, necessary to stop at desired destination or in urgent situations. The Satva between these 2 elements is that Driver who is using both accelerator and brakes judiciously.

8. Now, if someone is driving too fast then there is chance of accident. Likewise, if someone is putting brakes every now and then without thinking then there is chance of accident. You want driver to be aware and wise to balance between accelerator and brake.

9. Likewise, every element is necessary and good when it is used within its limitations or purposes. Once we utilize it in excess then there is every possibility of an evil act taking place.

10. Like, if someone focuses too much on Rajas, which is also pleasure giving element, that person can commit crime if his need of pleasure is not satisfied. Likewise, if a person focuses too much on Tamas energy then it can also lead to destructions. All we need is balance between two, i.e. Satva element to be active within us.

11. This is where I said in session that we can control over actions in the moment when a thought 1st came in mind. If it is an evil thought (Tamas energy) and person is wise and alert (Satva Element), he won’t give much energy and attention to it and move to another thought. But if the person is unaware and he pursues that thought, acts or speaks about it then energy is out in the universe and universe is bound to respond to it. Then it has gone out of your limits of free will and you can’t do anything but to wait for the destiny to show its results.

12. So, evil actions happen when someone gives too much attention or energy on either of Rajas or Tamas element. But if person pays attention to Satva energy then things can remain in balance.

13. Last but not the least, attention towards Satva energy can only be developed through meditation and awareness.

Thanks,

Swami Premanand Bharti