Originally posted by annoy-you-must:
I remain unconvinced that anybody, even Buddha, can actually
prophecise the future.
Let's put it this way. A fortune teller tells me that I'll have a
successful career. I know it's false because whether or not I have
a successful career cannot be a pre-determined fate. Even though
the success of my career partially depends on uncontrollable
factors such as my enviroment and whether or not I have good
collegues, etc, it also depends on controllable factors such as
whether or not I bother to work hard and work smart. If I want to,
I can even make sure that the prediction does not come true by
ruining my career on purpose.
In short, I'm the one who decides my own fate. This goes very well
with the theory of cause, conditions and effects.
The prophecy that this world is doomed towards degeneration may
goes well with the law of impermanence, as some of you have
mentioned. However, this also implies that no matter humanity does,
the effects will be the same. No matter what the causes and
conditions are, the effects will remain unchanged. The world's fate
is already decided.[/b]
Buddha also didn't use the exact date or time. there's also plus
an minus per se, depending on the people's actions, He use
estimates...u cannot compare a small example of one person with the
WHOLE of humanity. changing the destiny of one person is still
workable, but you also cannot change the fact that we all will die
oneday, right?
even nowaday, we know we will live about 70+ or so mah.
so i don't see any contradictions.
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