Dr. Vijai S Shankar MD.PhD.
Published on www.academy-advaita.com
The Netherlands
25th August 2018
Destiny
“Uncontrollable”
Destiny means the events that will necessarily happen to a particular person or thing in the future. Destiny is not predetermined by a supernatural power, whereas fate is considered to be predetermined by a supernatural power.
Destiny is fundamentally uncontrollable and unmanageable. Destiny is also spontaneous and unpredictable. This is one of the reasons why destiny cannot be predetermined.
The other reason is: life is a singular flow of light, sound and colours and light, sound and colours cannot be predetermined. Knowledge makes man believe that destiny can be controlled and managed.
Wisdom reveals that destiny cannot be controlled or managed. This wisdom needs understanding.
Wisdom reveals that matter, vegetation, animal kingdom and humans live in every moment of life. Wisdom also reveals that the moment in life was in life much before matter, vegetation, animal kingdom and humans were in life, so that the moment could accommodate them.
Wisdom further reveals that what is in the moment cannot be other than what is in the moment.
This signifies the matter that is in the moment cannot be another matter than the matter which is in the moment. Wisdom also reveals the state of the matter in the moment cannot be in any other state than the state which is in the moment.
This further signifies the vegetation that is in the moment cannot be other vegetation than the vegetation which is in the moment. Wisdom also reveals the state of the vegetation in the moment cannot be in any other state than the state which is in the moment.
This further signifies the species of animal that is in the moment cannot be a species other than the species which is in the moment. Wisdom also reveals the state of the species of animal in the moment cannot be in any other state than the state which is in the moment.
For the same reasons humans that are in the moment cannot be a different human than the human who is in the moment. Wisdom also reveals the physical and mental state of the human in the moment cannot be in any other state than the state which is in the moment.
Wisdom, therefore, reveals that destiny cannot be controlled or managed by man’s efforts, though man believes destiny is in his hands. Destiny is as it is meant to be for each living and non-living entity in every moment in their respective lifetime.
The enlightened accept with unconditional love and compassion each living and non-living entity as they are and do not expect them to be other than who or what they are.
Author: Dr. Vijai S. Shankar
© Copyright V. S. Shankar 2018
Editor’s Note:
Man has come to believe that his existence has a significance that marks him out from everything else that exists. Furthermore, that his or her existence may be superior or inferior to that of other human beings. Unconditional love and compassion are strangers to this company. In sharing the deep understanding of the enlightened that is revealed here, the journey of our life is transformed.
Julian Capper, UK.
German Translator’s Note:
Man quarrels with his destiny. He wants to have it different than it is, he wants to control and influence it. But if it were possible to influence destiny, then it would no longer be destiny. Dr. Shankar shows that in life only destiny is at work, precisely, in every moment. And the human mind is included in the destiny of the whole life. Nothing is predetermined, everything happens spontaneously, albeit illusory. This understanding is a shock to those who only understand it superficially because they want to take control of their lives to improve it. And it's never good enough. However, this wisdom is a liberation for those who deeply understand it. That at the end of the article, Dr. Shankar points to the unconditional love and compassion born of the wise understanding of destiny means a lot: Without unconditional love, wise understanding has not yet evolved.
Marcus Stegmaier, Germany