It is a popular belief that everything that happens comes to pass according to a predetermined pattern and that we have little scope to change the course of events. This is the philosophy of fatalism. Stoics were confirmed fatalists among whom Epicurus and Zeno are still remembered. Among Christians, St. Augustine and Calvin were of the view that God determined in advance the destiny of each soul and that no mortal had the right or the power to question the divine will which is inscrutable. Shakespeare gives expression to the fatalistic philosophy of his times in his play, Hamlet: "There is a divinity that shapes our ends, rough-hew them how we will." In Julius Caesar; however, he conveys a seemingly opposite view, when he makes Cassius say: "Men at some time are masters of their fates: The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, but in ourselves, that we are underlings." The famous Kannada poet, Dr. D. V. Gundappa, in his epic poem, Manku Thimmana Kagga, portrays the fatalistic philosophy when he compares man to a horse yoked to a cart, obliged to go wherever directed by the driver of the cart. This describes the condition of the people who prefer to surrender their "will to act" and assume a passive fatalistic outlook.
The fatalistic philosophy may be found soothing to some natures when up against problems or when faced with making difficult choices. Instead of acting in all situations with courage and responsibility, they derive comfort in the thought that there is an unseen power that determines the course of events and that they have no choice but to resign to the inevitable. However comforting it may appear to some, the fatalistic philosophy does not square with truth and reality. We can never get round the basic truth that the universe is governed by an impersonal Law which is universal and inexorable, and that every action of every being on all planes brings its appropriate reaction. There is no Deity other than the Universal Law of Harmony, called Karma. It is the ultimate Law of the Universe. As every action brings its appropriate reaction, none can escape the consequences of his actions. At the same time, none can fail to rise above apparently adverse circumstances fashioned by ourselves that hem us in—through right attitude and right effort.
Of all beings in the universe man occupies a unique position and the uniqueness of man consists in his mind principle or Manas, which makes him morally responsible for his every thought, word and deed. Unlike the lower kingdoms of Nature, he has to make moral choices each instant, exercise his power of discernment—Buddhi—to discriminate and choose betwen good and evil, right and wrong. Once we make the choice, the result of that action is past recall. Nor can we escape from the consequences, whatever they may be, happiness or sorrow—they have to be met and experienced. Karmic balance struck and lessons implicit in the experiences have to be learnt. It is thus that the Ego tastes of the fruit of good and evil from the Tree of Life, learns and makes progress.
Yes, there is destiny in our life. But we have made that destiny, and not any outside agency—in this or in a previous life. But we have the freedom to choose one way or the other every moment. When the inevitable reactions flowing from our own choices and actions meet us to produce pain or happiness, there are lessons implicit in them. They are lessons of the School of Life, from which we ought to learn—learn to act more harmoniously, more responsibly, unselfishly, for weal and progress of all. As the whole of mankind is all tied up together in a bond of Brotherhood which cannot be wished away, individual Karma is inextricably bound up with collective Karma.
Karma predestines nothing and no one. We, by our actions, create causes and feel the effects of those causes which are our teachers. Our spiritual progress is possible only by self-effort. We must assume responsibility for our actions and not try to evade it by religious sacrifices and ceremonies. When King Bimbisara was about to sacrifice a goat in a religious ceremony, with the priests invoking the gods to transfer all the sins of the king on to the poor, innocent, helpless animal, the Buddha intervened and counselled the king to stop the inhuman, superstitious practice. He spoke to the congregation about
The fixed arithmetic of the universe,
Which meteth good for good and ill for ill,
Measure for measure, unto deeds, words, thoughts;
Watchful, aware, implacable, unmoved;
Making all futures fruits of all the pasts.
Help, assistance and enlightenment will come to us in this Great Journey only if we strive towards the enlightenment and emancipation of all, and when we deserve and merit such help by our actions. Far from being fatalism, Karma places in our hands our own evolution. By knowledge of this Law of our being and of the essential and real oneness of all beings, we have to learn to act in harmony with Nature for the general weal and progress of all. It is only through knowledge of the Karmic Law in all its ramifications that man may fulfil his Karmic destiny.
Each man is responsible for his own external affairs, conditions, and circumstances, for his character, qualities and tendencies, for his mental, moral, psychic and spiritual nature, upon every plane of consciousness. He is likewise responsible for the effects of his thought and action on his fellow-men, and on the kingdoms below man; he cannot save himself at the expense of any other being, nor can he have true happiness so long as any of his fellow-men suffer. As he is a self-conscious being with the power of acquiring qualities, and of manipulating the lower natures, it devolves upon him to understand the nature of all things that he may use them beneficently. Only when the feeling of responsibility which is the beginning of selflessness moves men to clarification of their minds, and to conformity of feeling, thought, and act with the true rationale of life, can this understanding be had.
—Robert Crosbie