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Theory of chance

Srimad-Bhagavatam

SB Canto 4

The theory of chance can best be explained in the Vedic literature by the words ajñāta-sukṛti, which refer to pious activities performed without the actor's knowledge. But these are also planned.
SB 4.21.27, Purport:

The theory of chance can best be explained in the Vedic literature by the words ajñāta-sukṛti, which refer to pious activities performed without the actor's knowledge. But these are also planned. For example, Kṛṣṇa comes like an ordinary human being, He comes as a devotee like Lord Caitanya, or He sends His representative, the spiritual master, or pure devotee. This is also the planned activity of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. They come to canvass and educate, and thus a person in the illusory energy of the Supreme Lord gets a chance to mix with them, talk with them and take lessons from them, and somehow or other if a conditioned soul surrenders to such personalities and by intimate association with them chances to become Kṛṣṇa conscious, he is saved from the material conditions of life.

Kāraṇātmane: everything has a cause. The theory of chance is repudiated in this verse.
SB 4.24.42, Purport:

Kāraṇātmane: everything has a cause. The theory of chance is repudiated in this verse. Because everything has its cause, there is no question of chance. Because so-called philosophers and scientists are unable to find the real cause, they foolishly say that everything happens by chance. In Brahma-saṁhitā Kṛṣṇa is described as the cause of all causes; therefore He is addressed herein as kāraṇātmane. His very personality is the original cause of everything, the root of everything and the seed of everything. As described in the Vedānta-sūtra (1.1.2), janmādy asya yataḥ: (SB 1.1.1) the Absolute Truth is the supreme cause of all emanations.

SB Canto 8

The demons believe in the "chance" theory of creation, whereas the demigods believe in creation by the hand of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
SB 8.6.38, Purport:

There are two classes of living entities—the demons and the demigods—and the Supreme Personality of Godhead is above them both. The demons believe in the "chance" theory of creation, whereas the demigods believe in creation by the hand of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The omnipotence of the Supreme Lord is proved here, for simply with one hand He lifted Mandara Mountain, the demigods and the demons, placed them on the back of Garuḍa and brought them to the ocean of milk. Now, the demigods, the devotees, would immediately accept this incident, knowing that the Lord can lift anything, however heavy it might be. But although demons were also carried along with the demigods, demons, upon hearing of this incident, would say that it is mythological. But if God is all-powerful, why would it be difficult for Him to lift a mountain? Since He is floating innumerable planets with many hundreds and thousands of Mandara Mountains, why can't He lift one of them with His hand? This is not mythology, but the difference between the believers and the faithless is that the devotees accept the incidents mentioned in the Vedic literatures to be true, whereas the demons simply argue and label all these historical incidents mythology.

SB Canto 10.1 to 10.13

Even if we accept the theory of chance, the immediate cause for the change of body is the agitation of the mind.
SB 10.1.69, Purport:

There is no such thing as chance. When a tree is burning in a forest fire and although the nearest tree is spared a distant tree catches fire, this may appear to be chance. Similarly, one may seem to get different types of bodies by chance, but actually one receives these bodies because of the mind. The mind flickers between accepting and rejecting, and according to the acceptance and rejection of the mind, we receive different types of bodies, although we superficially seem to obtain these bodies by chance. Even if we accept the theory of chance, the immediate cause for the change of body is the agitation of the mind.

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

So the asuras' theory of creation is aparaspara-sambhūtaṁ kim anyat kāma-haitukam. It is a chance theory, but we don't accept.
Lecture on BG 16.7 -- Sanand, December 26, 1975:

The modern scientists, philosophers, Western people, they don't accept that God is the creator of everything. And their theory of creation is the chemical composition. One gentleman has written one book, "Chemical Evolution." They think that chemical combination is the cause of life. So the asuras' theory of creation is aparaspara-sambhūtaṁ kim anyat kāma-haitukam. It is a chance theory, but we don't accept. We are preaching against them, writing books against them. We are challenging this atheistic theory of creation. So this asuric... The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is against the asuras.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

That is Buddha theory, that "By chance, a combination of material elements has formed these bodies, and by chance, a living force has come out, manifested, and on account of the living consciousness, we are feeling pains and pleasure. So in order to stop the so-called pains and pleasure, you dismantle this machine."
Lecture on SB 2.9.13 -- Melbourne, April 12, 1972:

That is called nirvāṇa, finished. That is Buddha theory, that "By chance, a combination of material elements has formed these bodies, and by chance, a living force has come out, manifested, and on account of the living consciousness, we are feeling pains and pleasure. So in order to stop the so-called pains and pleasure, you dismantle this machine. Then there is no more... You become zero. Then there is no more pains and pleasure." This is Buddha's theory. The same principle, that you have got some pain on your head, so the theory is that break your head. Sometime I suggested to our Sarasvatī, that "You break your head and there will be no pain." So this theory is like that. Instead of mending... This is the lack of knowledge. Mūḍha. Mūḍha. The pains and pleasure... One man in the prison life, he is simply suffering so many pains and pleasure. There is no pleasure, simply pain. So he is trying to commit suicide.

Conversations and Morning Walks

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

There is nowadays the chance theory.
Room Conversation with Svarupa Damodara -- February 28, 1975, Atlanta:

Prabhupāda: Your mathematics is also imperfect because you are imperfect. You are imperfect. There is nothing chance. There must be cause. You do not know the cause. You cannot find out. You are taking a loophole, chance. Then why you are making so many scientific research? Chance, let it happen, everything, by chance. Then what is the use of your scientific research? Let everything happen by chance. There is no chance.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Another answer that we come across when we talk with these people...

Prabhupāda: There is nowadays the chance theory.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: No, chance is not so much popular, but the answer that "chemicals were supplied by nature," that's a very...

Prabhupāda: No, what is nature? That you cannot explain.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: That is the answer, theirs. When we ask the scientists...

Prabhupāda: But what is this nature?

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Yes, the nature is not understood.

They bring this theory of chance. But we don't find any such chance in practical life.
Morning Walk -- July 28, 1975, San Diego:

Prabhupāda: ...explain; therefore they bring this theory of chance. But we don't find any such chance in practical life. "There was a fool and he became high-court judge." Is there any? "There was a fool. He became a high-court judge." Is there any evidence like that? "There was ape. It became human, human being." I am simply surprised how this kind of argument is accepted by other fools.

All of a sudden, you see, from within a bubble comes "phut!" There is no reason, but it comes. That means the thing is there within the pond, the situation. All of a sudden, without any time, it comes. They put this chance theory like this. But this is not chance.
Room Conversation -- October 29, 1975, Nairobi:

Prabhupāda: It is dependent. Just like all of a sudden some idea come to us. That means we had contact with such idea. It is compared with... Just like there is a big pond. All of a sudden, you see, from within a bubble comes "phut!" There is no reason, but it comes. That means the thing is there within the pond, the situation. All of a sudden, without any time, it comes. They put this chance theory like this. But this is not chance. If... Because we are changing our life, so everything is recorded in the mind, dictaphone. So sometimes some idea which I had contact with many, many years ago, it comes. It comes. It is not chance. I had contact with such thing. All of a sudden, that idea comes.

Law, nature is not giving him chance. And he's depending on chance theory.
Conversation on Roof -- December 26, 1975, Sanand:

Haṁsadūta: On the one hand, they say that the creation was a chance, accident, and on the other hand, they're trying to find the law of nature. So this is a contradiction.

Prabhupāda: Just see. And the law. Just see. And law, law, nature is not giving him chance. And he's depending on chance theory. He's so unfortunate rascal that he does not get even the chance. So discuss these things in different ways and issue a small pamphlet in Russian language. Or any language. Doesn't matter.

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Nothing by chance. It is a wrong theory.
Morning Walk -- March 17, 1976, Mayapura:

Guru-kṛpā: The other day, Śrīla Prabhupāda, I went in the shower, and I turned on the shower, and the thing broke and hit me on the head. It was chance.

Prabhupāda: Yes, because you are rascal, therefore it hit you.... (laughter)

Guru-kṛpā: So it was chance.

Prabhupāda: It was not chance. You are a rascal, and you were hit on the head.... (laughs) That is not chance. The cause is your rascalism. So you cannot find out anything by chance. Madhudviṣa Mahārāja, you can find out anything by chance? This is simply rascaldom, chance theory.

Pañca-draviḍa: What about...? What about gambling, Prabhupāda? Somebody wins; somebody loses. That's by chance.

Prabhupāda: That is not chance.

Madhudviṣa: They would say, "Everything is by chance." You say green, yellow flower with green leaf. So.... But through evolution there has been so many other combinations. Now we're just...

Prabhupāda: But then evolution is the cause. Then evolution is the cause. How you can say "chance"?

Madhudviṣa: No, it's just many, many different combinations. Now you are seeing the yellow and green...

Prabhupāda: That's all right.

Madhudviṣa: ...so you are appreciating.

Prabhupāda: There is a process in the evolution. Therefore you find. You cannot say it's chance.

Pañca-draviḍa: Well the evolution happens by chance.

Prabhupāda: No.

Trivikrama: Just like he said. All the trees are growing up, not one going this way, not by chance one is...

Prabhupāda: Yes. Yes. Nothing by chance. It is a wrong theory.

They want to cover their ignorance by this theory, "chance." They want to become very intelligent by chance.
Morning Walk -- March 17, 1976, Mayapura:

Satsvarūpa: If you throw dice, they may come up in one...

Prabhupāda: Then dice becomes cause? Chance?

Satsvarūpa: Well, what causes it to be seven or eleven or another number?

Pañca-draviḍa: Chance.

Prabhupāda: Not chance. You do not know. Therefore you say.

Hṛdayānanda: Ah! Because they don't know, they say "chance."

Trivikrama: That's right, because I don't know, ignorant.

Prabhupāda: Yes. They want to cover their ignorance by this theory, "chance." They want to become very intelligent by chance. That is their.... That is not the fact. For intelligence you have to learn from a superior person. It cannot be done by chance. Who has become learned scholar by chance? There is none.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Because that is śūdra philosophy, this chance philosophy.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Everyone has to work very hard, pass examination, and then he becomes an educated man. Where is by chance one has become learned?

Pañca-draviḍa: What about two people born in the same circumstance? Each has equal education and equal background, but one becomes rich and one remains poor. That's chance.

Prabhupāda: Yes. That is the fate. Fate is the cause, destiny. Otherwise, so many people are working hard. Why not everyone is becoming rich by chance?

They have researched and done so many years now, their scientific knowledge is liquidated. Now they are giving this chance theory, therefore, because they cannot explain anything. That's all.
Morning Walk -- March 17, 1976, Mayapura:

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: This philosophy pervades all of modern science.

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: This chance theory.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: They say that "By chance, after some time..."

Prabhupāda: Because they have finished their science. They have researched and done so many years now, their scientific knowledge is liquidated. Now they are giving this chance theory, therefore, because they cannot explain anything. That's all. Their vidyā buddhi is finished. That is the problem now. For the scientists, it is a problem now. Now, so far their limited knowledge is concerned, they have done everything, discovered everything. Now there is no scope of working and discovering. That is the position of the scientists.

There is no evidence that things are happening by chance.
Morning Walk -- May 29, 1976, Honolulu:

Prabhupāda: ...was as you say (indistinct).

Devotee (1): About the origin of the universe?

Prabhupāda: No.

Devotee (2): Chance theory.

Devotee (1): To prove that theory of chance.

Prabhupāda: And still they accept it?

Devotee (1): Yes.

Prabhupāda: What do you think?

Devotee (2): There's no evidence, because you've explained many times that an orange always comes from an orange tree, a banana always comes from a banana tree, man always comes from man, and monkey always comes from monkey. We find that actually things are not happening by chance. That they're very much controlled.

Prabhupāda: There is. Nobody can deny it. Only this tenth-class man will deny it. Even third-class man, fourth class, he'll not deny. But what is that intelligence, one should make it a science. Intelligence there is no doubt about it.

Devotee (2): There's another theory that God created the universe, and then things are just happening haphazardly. There's no actual design or ultimate plan of creation. Simply He created, and things were set in motion.

Prabhupāda: That is another foolish notion. Just like the seed, banyan tree seed, every plan is there: how the tree will grow, how the fruits will flower, flowers will come. Everything is there. That is intelligence. Within a small seed everything is there potency. Aśakti vividaiva. Sarvavidya. It comes certainly.

What they call chance theory, that is grace of God.
'Life Comes From Life' Slideshow Discussions -- July 3, 1976, Washington, D.C.:

Sadāpūta: So it's interesting, it's really striking to observe how various people create things in mathematics and science and art, like that. It's very striking. So we made two examples here. This one is a mathematician names Gauss. He lived in the nineteenth century, and his concern was to solve mathematical problems. The interesting thing is that in a very difficult mathematical problem, the person never solves it by figuring it out consciously, step by step. But what happens is that he tries very hard to figure it out for a long time, and nothing happens, and then all of a sudden the answer comes to him. So it's hard to read that quote. This is a quotation by this Gauss describing how that happened to him.

Devotee: "I've succeeded not on account of my painful effort, but by the grace of God. Like a sudden flash of lightning, the riddle happened to be solved. I myself cannot say but when the conducting thread which connected what I previously knew with what made my success possible."

Prabhupāda: So the chance theory is the grace of God.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Grace of God?

Prabhupāda: Yes, because if God sees that the rascal is trying for so many years, "All right, give him a chance." (laughter) That is His mercifulness. So what they call chance theory, that is grace of God.

They criticize our destiny theory, believing in the destiny. They criticize it. So why they'll depend on chance theory? What is the difference, destiny and chance?
Room Conversation -- August 11, 1976, Tehran:

Devotee (2): I was reading the other day that they are doing some experiments on Mars. They have twenty-two different theories about this one idea. Just this one little idea, twenty-two different theories.

Prabhupāda: Theory means they are not certain.

Devotee (2): The misfortunate thing is that people in general have faith in the scientists.

Prabhupāda: So you have to create people to have faith in Kṛṣṇa. If people are going by faith, so you have to create this faith that Kṛṣṇa (indistinct). They can create, you can create. And they criticize our destiny theory, believing in the destiny. They criticize it. So why they'll depend on chance theory? What is the difference, destiny and chance?

Page Title:Theory of chance
Compiler:Labangalatika
Created:09 of Jun, 2010
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=4, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=2, Con=10, Let=0
No. of Quotes:16