We all have moments where we wonder: “Is there really a God?” or “Is there really life after death?”
Some people say “Yes, definitely.” Others say “No, that is just superstition.” It can be very confusing.
But did you know that a French mathematician and the Lord Buddha both gave a very similar answer to this question? They didn’t use magic or complicated scriptures. They used simple logic. They treated life like a game of risk and safety.
Let’s understand this “Safe Bet.”
Blaise Pascal’s ” Wager“
In the 1600s, there was a brilliant man named Blaise Pascal. He was a genius at math. He said that since we cannot prove 100% if God exists, we should look at it like a bet.
Imagine you have to bet your life on a coin toss. Heads means God exists. Tails means He doesn’t.
Here is how Pascal explained the options:
- If you believe in God, and He exists: You win everything! You get Heaven, peace, and eternal happiness. (Big Win).
- If you believe in God, and He doesn’t exist: You lose very little. Maybe you spent some time praying or following rules, but you still lived a decent life. (Small Loss).
- If you DON’T believe, and God exists: You lose everything. You miss out on Heaven and face punishment. (Big Loss).
- If you DON’T believe, and He doesn’t exist: You gain a little bit of freedom to do whatever you want, but that’s it. (Small Gain).
Pascal’s Advice: A smart person always bets on the Big Win. It is safer to believe in God, just in case He is real.
The Buddha’s “Safe Bet” (Apannaka Sutta)
Long before Pascal, Gautama Buddha visited a village called Sala. The people there were confused because so many gurus were saying different things.
The Buddha gave them a teaching that is very similar to Pascal’s, but with an Indian twist. He focused on Karma (Action) rather than just belief.
The Buddha explained it like this:
- The Unlucky Path: Suppose you say, “There is no Karma, no rebirth.” So, you do bad things (lie, cheat, hurt others).
- Risk: If you are wrong and the afterlife exists, you will suffer in the next life.
- Double Loss: Even if there is no afterlife, you still lose because people will dislike you now, and you will live with guilt.
- The Safe Path: Suppose you say, “Maybe Karma exists.” So, you do good things (tell the truth, help others).
- Safety: If the afterlife exists, you will go to a happy place (Heaven).
- Double Win: Even if there is no afterlife, you still win because you live happily now, without fear, and people respect you.
The Buddha’s logic was simple: Why take the risk? Living a good life is a “Double Win.”
What We Can Learn (The Similarities)
Both Pascal and the Buddha tell us the same practical thing: Don’t take unnecessary risks with your soul.
It is like buying car insurance. We hope we don’t crash, but we buy the insurance just to be safe. Similarly, living a religious or ethical life is like “spiritual insurance.” If the scriptures are right, you are safe. If they are wrong, you haven’t lost much.
A Gentle Thought (The Critique)
While this logic is very smart, there is a small “catch” that Indian philosophy helps us understand.
In India, we talk about Bhakti (Devotion) and Nishkama Karma (Action without desire).
- Is it true love? If you are only praying to God because you want to “win the bet” or “avoid Hell,” is that real love? It feels a bit like a business deal.
- The higher path: Real spirituality isn’t just about fear or safety. It is about loving the Divine because the Divine is beautiful.
Pascal and Buddha help us start the journey. They use logic to get us to stop doubting. But once we start walking the path, we shouldn’t just do it to “win a bet.” We should do it because it brings peace to our hearts.
Conclusion
So, is God real? Is Karma real?
Pascal’s Wager and the Apannaka Sutta teach us that atheism or nihilism is a high-risk gamble with little reward.
However, the ultimate goal of Indian spirituality is to move beyond the bet. We start by following Dharma because it is “safe.” But as we grow, we follow Dharma because it is our nature (Swadharma).