History and Doctrines of the Ajivikas: A Vanished Indian Religion c22.6

c22.6

Fatalism proper finds no place in orthodox Hinduism, Buddhism, or Jainism. A man's fortune, his social status, and his happiness or grief, are all ultimately due to his own free will. The Indian doctrine of *karma*, as it is usually interpreted, provides a rigid framework within which the individual is able to move freely and to act on his own decision. His present condition is determined not by any immutable principle, but by his own actions performed either in this life or in his past lives. By freely choosing the right course and following it he may improve his lot and ultimately win salvation either by his own unassisted efforts, or, if he is a member of a devotional sect, with the aid of a personal deity.