Divine Grace and Free Will

[Guest guest]

In spiritual quest an aspirant often faces a peculiar dilemma or

question of ‘Divine Grace’ vs. ‘Free Will’. However, there is no easy

and satisfactory answer to this problem. On the one hand, the Scriptures

maintain that no amount of self effort can be enough to realize Divine

Consciousness, and on the other, it proclaims that Divine Grace cannot

come without sincere efforts and spiritual practice! How to resolve

these two contradictory statements?

Read complete article at:

 

http://www.geocities.com/neovedanta/a125.html

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c s shah

[Guest guest]

Reproduction of a previous posting in srk_devotees:

 

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Sarat Maharaj says: " It seems that our progress in life is often

retarded because we very often fail to understand the significance of

these two sets of teachings of the Master and strike a balance between

free will and pre-destination, self-effort and self-surrender. "

 

In Sri Ramakrishna's own words: " All Jackals howl alike! " (meaning to

say, all great Masters speak the same Truth). So here are two

descriptions of the same, the one according to Sri Ramakrishna and

followed by the other in the words of Christ !

 

" There is, however, one thing: He does not give one more power, if the

little that is given is not properly used. This is why individual

effort and perseverance are necessary. Don't you see, everyone has to

make some effort, however small, before he gets God's grace? " -- Sri

Ramakrishna

 

" Take therefore the one talent from him, and give it unto him which

hath ten talents. For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he

shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away

even that which he hath. " - Jesus The Christ (Matthew 25: 14)

 

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6. To the class of devotees who think that the efforts of the

incarnations of God for the attainment of truth or the fullest

manifestation thereof in life are mere simulation, our answer is that

we never heard the Master express such a view. Rather, we have heard

him say often, " When the Divine sports as a human being, He behaves

exactly like an ordinary man and experiences weal and woe and attains

perfection by dint of personal effort, endeavor and austerity. " The

history of the religions of the world bears witness to this. Besides,

it is clear that otherwise the very purpose of the Divinity

incarnating will itself be defeated.

 

The Master's teachings on the question of free will and

self-surrender can be classified into two categories. On the one hand

we find him saying to his devotees: " I have cooked the food, just sit

down and partake of it " ; " The mold is prepared, now cast your own

minds in it and get the form " ; " If you cannot do anything at all, give

me your power of attorney " . On the other hand, we find him also

instructing: " Give up all desires one by one, that is the way to

success " ; " Be like a cast-off leaf blown by the wind " ; " Give up lust

and greed and call on God " ; " I have done all the sixteen parts, do at

least one part yourselves. " It seems that our progress in life is

often retarded because we very often fail to understand the

significance of these two sets of teachings of the Master and strike a

balance between free will and pre-destination, self-effort and

self-surrender.

 

One day at Dakshineswar we had a long discussion with one of our

friends, Swami Niranjanananda, on free will and pre-destination, and

not being able to arrive at any conclusion, went to the Master for a

solution of our difficulty. The Master was amused at our boyish

discussion at first, but then added seriously, " Is there any one who

has free will or anything like that? It is by God's will alone that

everything has always happened and shall happen. Man understands it in

the long run. But then something has to be added. Just as, when a cow

is tied to a post with a long tether, it can stand at a distance of

one cubit from the post, or it can go up to the whole length of the

tether according to its choice, so too it is with the free will of

man. A man ties a cow with the idea, 'Let her lie down, stand or move

about as she likes within that area.' Similarly God has given man some

power. And He has also given him freedom to utilize it as he likes.

That is why man feels himself free. But the rope is fastened to the

post. And mark this: If anyone prays to Him in all humility, He may

remove him to another place and tie him there; or He may lengthen its

tether or even remove it completely from his neck. "

 

Thus instructed, we asked, " Is it then that man has no duty or

responsibility in the matter of practicing spiritual disciplines? Can

he say, 'Whatever I do, is according to His will' ? " The Master

replied: " Of what avail is it merely to say so? They are empty words.

Is there any use telling, 'There is no thorn; it is no pricking', when

you actually cry out 'ugh', startled on touching the thorn. If men

were free to practice Sadhana, all would have undertaken it. But how

is it that they can't? There is, however, one thing: He does not give

one more power, if the little that is given is not properly used. This

is why individual effort and perseverance are necessary. Don't you

see, everyone has to make some effort, however small, before he gets

God's grace? When one does so, the experience due to be undergone in

ten lives will come to fruition in one, and man will attain to

spiritual realization immediately. But one has to make some effort.

Listen to a story:

 

7. " Vishnu, who eternally sports in Goloka, for some reason, cursed

Narada that he should go to hell. Narada's anxiety knew no bounds. He

sang hymns in His praise and pleased Him. Then he said, 'O Lord, I

wish to know what and where hell is and how many kinds of hell there

are. Please be gracious to tell me all about it.' Vishnu then drew on

the ground with a piece of chalk, heaven, earth and hell as they were

situated, and said, 'This is heaven and this is hell.' Narada said,

'Is that so? My experience of the suffering of hell can then be

undergone here as well.' So saying, he rolled on the hell drawn on the

ground, got up and bowed down to the Lord. Vishnu smiled and said,

'What's that? Can that be suffering hell?' Narada replied, 'Why not,

Lord? Are not heaven and hell your creations? When you drew hell and

called it such, the spot really became hell. And when I rolled on it,

it was a real suffering of hell for me.' Narada said so with deep

faith. That was why Vishnu said, 'Be it so'. But Narada had to roll on

that hell drawn on the ground with true devotion and faith. It was by

making that little effort that his suffering was annulled. " The Master

explained to us from time to time with the help of this story, how

there was room for perseverance and individual effort in the realm of

grace too.

 

" Divine Incarnation as a Sadhaka "

Sri Ramakrishna, The Great Master

by Swami Saradananda

© Sri Ramakrishna Math, Mylapore, Madras - 600 014.

 

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The parable of the talents

 

Who hath ears to hear, let him hear. For the kingdom of heaven

is as a man traveling into a far country, who called his own servants,

and delivered unto them his goods. And unto one he gave five talents,

to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his

several ability; and straightway took his journey. Then he that had

received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them

other five talents. And likewise he that had received two, he also

gained other two. But he that had received one went and digged in the

earth, and hid his lord's money.

 

After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth

with them. And so he that had received five talents came and brought

other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five

talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more. His lord

said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast

been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many

things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

 

He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou

deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other

talents beside them. His lord said unto him, Well done, good and

faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will

make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

 

Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I

knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown,

and gathering where thou hast not strawed: And I was afraid, and went

and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine.

His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant,

thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have

not strawed: Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the

exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with

usury.Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which

hath ten talents. For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he

shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away

even that which he hath. (Matthew 25: 14)