Japanese proverbs
- Even the fortune-tellers do not know their destiny (Who does?)
- The good walk on, whatever befalls (especially when facing racism)
- What one does, one becomes (the reincarnation path of Destiny)
- If I peddle salt it rains; if I peddle flour the wind blows (my life)
Note: The words in brackets are my response
Shakespeare
- ‘The ancient saying is no heresy; hanging and wiving goes by destiny’ (The merchant of Venice)
- ‘As flies to wanton boys, are we to the gods; they kill us for their sport’ (King Lear)
English proverb
‘He that is born to be hanged shall never be drowned’ (16th century)
Reminds of that conundrum in Buddhism: the need to be compassionate towards all sentient beings when being attacked by a hungry tiger!
COMMENT
- Destiny is not Fate, It is, in my (optimistic) view, a pathway, a trajectory – not an outcome.
- The Koran apparently says that ‘When its time has come, the prey goes to the hunter.’ Not so! This is also to suggest that everything written in the Good Book of a religion need not bind all, everywhere, on Earth. Remember free will!
- Since some conservative Hindus attribute mishaps to karma, but not success, and also because they see karma as fate, I prefer Destiny, but as also defined by Hinduism.
RAJA ARASA RATNAM 