Q: What happens when the result of an action is the complete opposite of what you are wanting and that result is something very terrible?
Why would I give thanks to ishvara for things like war or suffering?
Good question, a common dilemma.
There are two parts to this question … a) about the result of action to me personally, and b) suffering in the world.
About “a very terrible result”
As discussed in the previous article on Karma yoga, my contribution to an action being performed is only about 10%. Implied is the fact that 90% is from factors other than my conscious contribution. There are unknown factors within myself like my conditioning from childhood and current conditioning, my personal tendencies, etc. There are unknown factors in my environment like events in my society, in the world, etc. There are unknown factors further afield, like the three forces in nature, the Gunas, solar flares affecting the Earth, floods and fire, etc.
When there are so many factors other than my contribution, it should not be any surprise that I am not in control of the results of action. All these factors influence the outcome. It is the experience of everyone that not all expectations are fulfilled, not even for the most successful. There is always some disappointment, some failure, unexpected negative outcomes and complications. This is the duality of life we face, like gain-loss, success-failure, pleasure-pain, health-sickness, birth-death. Everyone without exception experiences both swings of duality.
As stated before, the results can be as expected which is pleasing, more than expected which is exhilarating, less than expected which is somewhat disappointing, or the very opposite of the expected which can be very disheartening. Any of these outcomes is possible and NOT in our control. This is common human experience.
So, the result of action is that any of the stated outcomes is possible. There is no problem managing positive outcomes. How negative outcomes are handled depends on the maturity of the individual experiencing the outcome. One does not have to be ‘spiritual’ to understand outcomes and manage the reaction. Even with some psychological maturity, a reasonably mature person understands how results happen, experiences the positives and negatives and is able to manage any reaction in a productive way, even a result which is “something very terrible”.
A highly successful CEO was asked the secret of his success. The conversation went as follows:
Interviewer: What is the secret of your success?
CEO: Making decisions.
Interviewer: What kind of decisions do you make?
CEO: Right decisions.
Interviewer: How do you make right decisions?
CEO: By previously making wrong decisions!!
It all depends on how we manage negative outcomes, even terrible outcomes. Failure, even terrible failure, can be interpreted, understood and managed in such a way as to have a productive outcome. It depends on one’s personal maturity, knowing the facts about action and results of action, supported by one’s experiences in life. Of course, having a spiritual understanding gives one an edge in managing results, especially negative outcomes. This is the benefit of the Karma yoga attitude.
About “Why would I give thanks to Ishvara for war and suffering in the world”
Ishvara does not order events by whim and fancy to produce war and suffering in the world. We humans do. We have been given intellects with which to think and make appropriate choices and proper actions.
Every human being acts instinctively to avoid being hurt and instinctively knows that the other does not want to be hurt. Every human being acts instinctively to have good happen to him/her and instinctively knows that the other also wants good to happen. “Do unto others what you want others to do to you. Don’t do to others what you don’t want others to do to you.”
This is a principle inbuilt into every human being and does not need to be taught. It is beyond societal norms, legality and even beyond religion. It applies to every human being irrespective of race, family, society, nationality, religion. If every human being on the planet followed this simple principle, there would be immediate peace in the world. There will be an immediate end to war and suffering.
Then, why is there war and suffering? Because this basic principle is overridden, disobeyed, discarded. Who makes these decisions? Not Ishvara. It is human beings who have lost or suppressed or don’t believe in this principle.
It is not about ‘thanking Ishvara’. It is about us human beings taking responsibility for our actions and doing the right thing. Take for example, climate change and the harmful events that follow. Is Ishvara to blame? Or us humans with the choices we make?
Ishvara is like a computer. Put negativity/garbage in, we get garbage out. Put in good, we get good in return. Ishvara is the sum total of all the forces, powers, principles, laws, energies, matter, etc. which govern the universe. The universe is benign and is supportive. Ishvara is benign and supportive. If we humans are benign and follow the principles of right living, there will be peace. If not, we can expect war and suffering to continue.
Ishvara cannot be blamed for war and suffering. We humans are responsible.
