Page 166 - Courage Redifined

All these are mithya (false) talks not in accordance with
Jainism.

How can you call the above talks false ?

i) Destiny (bhavitavyata) fixes the states of existence in the
world. Why is this a false belief ?

This belief belongs to Goshala’s Aajivak sect. This is absolutely
false because the state of existence is due to karma as well as
the soul’s right and wrong efforts. Does it mean that destiny
creates all these states ?
Are the karmas dependent on the mithyatva*, avirati*,
kashayas*practised by a soul or is purushartha regulated by
the soul itself or by destiny ?

If it is destiny which regulates the state of karma, then why are
mithyatva, arivati etc. called the causes of binding karmas ?
Also the path of samyakdarshan, gyana and charitra laid down
by Lord Mahavira and the efforts preached to achieve them
will also become futile. Because according to the above belief
efforts cannot do anything productive. Did Lord establish the
path of salvation without understanding the law of destiny ?
No, this implies that all this is absolutely false.

Alongwith destiny, karma and efforts also have an independent
identity. If only destiny is considered powerful, then other
factors will not exist.

In such a case, you will have to consider destiny to be the
cause of curd and not milk, destiny to be the cause of food
cooked and not fire, destiny to be the cause of a full stomach
and not a good meal, because according to the above belief,
destiny has fixed all the states of existence. Hence, the one
who puts curd in milk to attain curd may be considered foolish.
Also, the one who tries to explain this importance of destiny

156 Courage Redefined