Is Everything Predetermined?

Sri Ramana Maharshi

One summer afternoon I was sitting opposite Bhagavan with a fan in my hand in the Old Hall, and said to him: "I can understand that the outstanding events in a man's life, such as his country, nationality, family, career or profession, marriage, death etc. are all predestined by his karma, but can it be that all the details of his life, down to the minutest, have already been determined? Now, for instance, I put this fan that is in my hand down on the floor here. Can it be that it was already decided that on such and such a day, at such and such an hour, I shall move the fan like this and put it down here?"

Bhagavan replied, "Certainly. Whatever this body is to do and whatever experiences it is to pass through was already decided when it came into existence."