Creating your own destiny (Digest 455)

[Guest guest]

The idea that we create our own destiny through our thoughts, beliefs and

expectations

is certainly an intriguing one and it would be interesting to know what support

there is for it in the Hindu scriptures. Here are two quotations that I'm aware

of;

can anybody add to this list?

 

Ashtavakra Gita 1.11:

 

If you think you are free

You are free.

If you think you are bound

You are bound.

For the saying is true:

You are what you think.

 

Maitri Upanishad VI.34:

 

One's own thought, indeed, is samsara; let a man cleanse it by effort. What a

man

thinks, that he becomes, this is the eternal mystery. For by the serenity of

one's

thought, one destroys all actions, good or bad. Dwelling within the self, with a

serene self, he enjoys imperishable happiness. If the thought of man is so fixed

on Brahman as it is on the things of this world, who will not then be free from

bondage?

 

Regards,

 

Patrick

[Guest guest]

Namaste Patrick,

 

The idea that previous Karma acts today and that our present karma will be our

tomorrow is a fundemental aspect of all Hindu scriptures. You can quote from

almost any scripture , you will find some line that supports this. In fact it

is said that the ancient sages were so much struck with this idea that instead

of holding God as the ultimate omnipotent entity, they insisted that it was

Karma that is omnipotent. This was wrong. Though karma acts on us, it acts only

on the "externalized " mind. The mind subdued by the Self is not acted upon by

Karma. Therefore to get rid of this wrong notion that Karma is superior to God,

it is said in the scriptures , that Lord Shiva appeared before the Rishis and

danced His celestial dance and the beats from the drum He holds in His hand fell

as words of Truth on the Rishis and these became the Spoken words of wisdom, the

Shruthis.

 

In modern times Sri Ramana Maharshi starts his beautiful work, Upadesa Saram

with a reference to this history by saying,

"Karthru Agnaya Prapyathe Phalam.

Karma Kim Param Karma Thath Jadam ".

 

"By the will of the Creator , the fruits of action are obtained,

Why is Karma superior ? Karma is inert ".

 

Sincerely,

Anand

>The idea that we create our own destiny through our thoughts, beliefs and

expectations

>is certainly an intriguing one and it would be interesting to know what support

>there is for it in the Hindu scriptures. Here are two quotations that I'm aware

of;

>can anybody add to this list?

 

 

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