Tuesday, March 27, 2007

Whatever happens, happens for a reason - LoL

More on the teachings of the Bhagwat Gita,

It says,

“"You have control over doing your respective duty, but no control or claim over the result. Fear of failure, from being emotionally attached to the fruit of work, is the greatest impediment to success because it robs efficiency by constantly disturbing the equanimity of mind." A farmer is responsible for working his land yet has no control over the harvest. But, if he does not work his land he cannot expect a harvest. "The boundary of one's jurisdiction ends with the completion of one's duty. Do your duty to the best of your ability, O Arjuna, with your mind attached to the Lord, abandon worry and attachment to the results. Remain calm in both success and failure. Such selfless service brings peace and equanimity of mind." (2.48)”

Now, I would take the liberty to question it by asking if it is that we are told not to think of the result and act that would mean that we don’t have a vision and that we don’t know what we are getting into. It means we are doing something with no love/desire for the goal. And is it not human that if we are not passionate about what we want to do / what we are doing, we would not do it well.

It means about accepting whatever we get – even if we do or do not deserve it – that again disillusions the concept of “a fair world” of the “reap what you sow” concept. Why is it that we are treating ourselves like children? Its like we are giving ourselves some condolence by telling ourselves that ‘whatever happened for good’. God damn it!! Is it so difficult to realize that its one of the grossest thing someone can say? No tragedy can be condoled by saying that it happened for good and that one day we will know that even this tragedy had a reason. Oh come on!!

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Whatever happens,happens for a reason ::: true, true, true but sometimes the reason is not of our concern or favour...

We choose to do a thing when we have a vision or when we were expecting a particular outcome....so i dont think its ever that u dont have a vision but the point said was when u ve decided to do it, the undersirable,unexpected outcome should be acceptable. That is what i think : I am most elated,contented when i do something after deciding that its ok if it doesnt goes the way i thought it to be....

Actually it is totally personalized view, there are ppl who want result ,when not acheived are sad and they do better next time ; there are ppl who are happy of its happening, the process , the journey....

Deepshikha said...

I appreciate your point of view but per me, I think believing that “Everything – good or bad – expected or unexpected, happens for a reason” is actually a very convenient way of preparing and healing oneself.
I am also arguing on the logic which says that if one is fearful / worried about the result of his actions towards a goal then the task is not done well -- let me give u a practical example: if we are not fearful about failing an exam, would we have burnt the mid night oil, stayed up all night and studied .. we did all that because we feared failure. And inspite of good preparation if you still fail, it is unfair -- not that it is the end of the world but it is unfair,, but I am convinced that I would not like it or accept it if someone tries to sell the logic ki jo hota hai acche ke liye hota hai and that you deserved it even if was not for good.

You are right when you point out that there is a vision -- but the idealistic living preaches to not be passsionate -- which is actually a good thing but then it comes back to the same question that how can someone put in their heart and soul in something he/she is not passionate about. Yaar idealistic life is easy to imagine -- you can say thing like 'why not.. why can this not be .. i can do this ..' -- but look at life -- it is far more complex -- Agar hum sab 'buddha' ho sakte hai then nothing like it.

But then if you read about buddha's life you will find that he gave up everything and he did not say that the world is a good place and that it is utopian -- infact all his teachings rotate around the principle fact that the world is full of sufferings.

Anyway i could go on and on.. now would like to hear from you.

Anonymous said...

What do u think about the word 'risk' ??
When a person is passionate about something, he is ready to risk everything...he doesnt mind loosing them as the thing he is running after is worth. Now after all this, if he doesnt achieve the desired, should be start cribbing about all he lost ?? U have to take risk...
Dont try, dont loose...and if u try, be ready to face the consequences...
U cant say that since i have tried, i must be getting this...Is it very hard to accept that 'sometimes our best is not enough'
If it goes as u say, then each of us will feel unjust of not being a student in IIT,IIMS, AIIMS etc...
Is a student studies due to the fear of failing, then he is more passionate about fear,status,impression than passing the exam...(one of the reasoning, most of the kids inherit...which i am totally anti towards)

Deepshikha said...

Divya, I agree to the risk perspective of yours. Losing some in oder to win something more important is acceptable if at the end you either achieve what you started looking out for or, if you really have an exceptionally optimistic outlook towards life. In case you, or anyone falls under the two categories, it is very good.

Anonymous said...

Do you know that Buddha actually went back to his family and convinced them to join his commune.

"You need to be philosophical to realize that philosophy is useless".

Deepshikha said...

Dear Anonymous

Buddha did return to visit his family once he attained nirvana. And he did that not to convince his family to join the sangha. Infact, per records, Buddhas younger (step) brother joined the sangha much later and so did his son. But when his (step) mother expressed her wish to join him, Buddha actually was against it. Because he did not want women in his team. Some people argue with this fact that Buddha did not think of men and women to be equal. Coming back to the facts, when Buddha denied admission to his mother, then, his mother asked him "Does that mean that women are not eligible to attain nirvana?" and this question left Buddha to change his mind and accept his mother into the sangha. And thats how, Buddha step mom was the first female sage to join the sangha.

PS: I liked the one liner :) and kind of hold similar opinions :D