making of the universe: accidents

2/12/18

“Yet more clearly does this come out in the working of such things as railway accidents, shipwrecks, floods, cyclones, etc.

A train is wrecked, the catastrophe being immediately due to the action of the drivers, the guards, the railway directors, the makers or employees of that line, who, thinking themselves wronged, send clustering thoughts of discontent and anger against it as a whole.

Those who have in their accumulated karma – but not necessarily in their ripe karma – the debt of a life suddenly cut short, may be allowed to drift into this accident and pay their debt;

another, intending to go by the train, but with no such debt in his past, is “providentially” saved by being late for it.

Collective karma may throw a man into the troubles consequent on his nation going to war, and here again he may discharge debts of his past not necessarily within the ripe karma of his then life.

In no one case can a man suffer that which he has not deserved, but, if an unforeseen opportunity should arise to discharge a past obligation, it is well to pay it and be rid of it for evermore.”

 

Annie Besant