Fate, Freedom and Prognostication in the Context of Giving, Gifts and Their Exchanges in Indian Society

Marcus Schmücker

If one sees fate in the context of Indian tradition it is obvious to connect it with the Indian theory of karman. For a human being fate determines the future and produces rebirths. Any prog­nostication serves to protect a human being from fate in the sense of evil, passion, rebirth, pain, death etc. In contrast, freedom has the meaning of free­dom from suffering (mokṣa) and can be related to whatever frees the human being from the cycle of rebirth and gives immortality. Thus, I will understand freedom in op­position to fate and prognostication.

Against this background I would like to point out the role of the gift (dana) and its exchange. The society of classical India relies on the exchange of gifts. How can fate and freedom play a role for the fundamental act of a gift and its exchange in India? If one connects, for instance, fate with the concept of exchange to which each person as a member of society is bound and with the duty to give and to receive, freedom means not being bound to social obligations/duties.

One of the most eminent states one can point out in the context of overcoming the contradiction between freedom and fate is the state of being without fear (

abhaya

). In this case, a human being does not need any prognostication for the future. But one implication is this: If no fate exists in the sense of determination by failures in the act of giving and receiving, there is also no social relation. However, in which way can a person live without relation, and why is such a person said to have no fear?

Examples of the Indian tradition for the irreversible state of having no fear will be given in order to determine in which way the contradiction between fate and freedom is solved.