Nandanvana

SR No.: 006597
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: N L Jain
Publisher: Parshwanath Vidyapith
Publication Year: 2005
Total Pages: 592
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 25 MB

Page 255

Medical Sciences in Jaina Canons :
(235)
Kinds of Death
Basically, death has two varieties- (i) natural, timely or normal and (ii) unnatural, untimely or accidental. It is very difficult to define natural death except that it occurs when the life-span karma for the current birth is destroyed. There are very few varieties of living beings, which might have natural death. Most have other form of death due to causes described above. The canons, however, indicate two types of death- (i) death of a fool, ignorant and (ii) death of a prudent. They have many classes under each head in canons as shown in Table 6. They may vary from five to seventeen with different names, order and sometimes meanings. It is seen that Bhagavati classification is a mixed one having many causes in addition to types. The other classifications give either qualification or condition of the dying person. It is said that death of a prudent is better than that of the fool. The BA has classified prudent in four varieties and the fools in five classes. Alternatively, BA has five types of deaths, which seems simplification of seventeen types.
Table 6. Kinds of Death in Canons Bhagavati 56
Samavão (i) Death of Fools 1. By starvation By starvation
By starvation 2. By over-sense
2. By over-sense submission 2. By over-sense submission
submission 3. By inner thorns 3. By inner thorns
3. By inner thorns 4. By condemning same birth 4. Condemning same birth 4. Condemning birth 5. Due to hanging 5. Due to hanging
5. Due to hanging 6. Due to piercing by wild 6. Due to piercing by wild 6. Due to piercing animals animals
by wild animals 7. Due to fall from
mountains 8. Due to fall from tree 9. Due to drowning in water10. Due to entering in fire 11. Due to taking poisons 12. Due to hurt by weapons 7. Extreme death
7. Extreme death 8. Limiting death
8. Limiting death 9. Wavelike death
9. Wavelike death 10. Beginning-end
death
B.A.58