Page 165 - Faith Personified

“Whatever is destined, will take place.”

With this thought we continue exercising the above sinful
activities leading to attachment, hatred and other negative
emotions which result in the bondage of Mohaniya karma.
This karma in turn will increase our negative emotions; thus
it’s a vicious cycle! Our cycle of birth and death is also bound

to expand. Look for yourself – what did you gain in relying
completely on destiny? Instead, had you realised the nature
of karmas – both dependent on specific causes as well as
those that are independent - and thus wisely given them up
and decreased exercising the negative causes, then you would
have been saved from these negative emotions of attachments,
hatred, etc.

Just as destiny does not play a role in determining the bondage

or results of our karmas, similarly it does not have any effect
on our positive or negative efforts (i.e. Purushartha).

How can you say so?

Because our scriptures emphasize putting forth positive efforts
and stopping negative efforts. If destiny was responsible for
these specific efforts then Almighty’s preachings would prove
to be futile. The soul’s independence of being able to forsake
the wrong path and striving to walk on the right path would

be at stake. If destiny is the ultimate doer, then what is the
need of scriptures? Why did Almighty Arihanta establish the
Shasana? Why think about the religious activities that we
ought to do?

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