Fasting Unto Death According To Jaina Tradition

SR No.: 269284
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Colette Caillat
Publisher: Colette Caillat
Total Pages: 24
Language: English
Classification: Article
File Size: 2 MB

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COLETTE CAILLAT
voluntary death in the Buddhist and Brahmanical traditions have been published by Jacques Gernet2 and Jean Filliozat, stimulating views being developed by these scholars.*
To the body of knowledge concerning suicide in India which has been collected and scrutinized up till now I propose in this paper to add the relevant material that can be drawn from another important Indian tradition, that of the Jainas.5.The Jaina position H(istory of) Dh(armaśāstra), vol. II 2, p. 924-929; III, 939; 949; 958-959; IV, 603-614; (II 2, p. 927-928 on the Jainas). For a recent general survey, see Upendra Thakur, The History of Suicide in India. An Introduction. Delhi [1963].
'Les suicides par le feu chez les bouddhistes chinois du Ve au Xe siècle', Mélanges publiés par l'Institut des Hautes Études Chinoises II (Paris, 1960), p. 527-558.
'La mort volontaire par le feu et la tradition bouddhique indienne', JA, 251,1, 1963, p. 21-51; 'L'abandon de la vie par le sage et les suicides du criminel et du héros dans la tradition indienne', Arts Asiatiques, 15, 1967, p. 65-88.
4 Cf. also Louis Renou's study, 'Le jeûne du créancier dans l'Inde ancienne', JA, 234, 1943-45, p. 117-130, on the 'holding', or obstruction of the debtor by the creditor who threatens to starve to death (dharṇā). L. R. recalls the Celtic counterparts of this custom, evidently an old survival in these marginal IndoEuropean societies (p. 123-124), cf. Miles Dillon, 'Celt and Hindu', Vishveshvaranand Indological Journal, 1, 2, 1963 [203-223], 222. Moreover, H. von Stietencron, 'Suicide as a religious Institution'. Bharatiya Vidya 27 (1967), p. 7-24.
5 For all that concerns Jinism, see W. Schubring, Die Lehre der Jainas nach den alten Quellen dargestellt, Berlin Leipzig, 1935 [English translation, Delhi, 1962]; hereafter: Lehre (references to paragraphs). Other usual references to: Ludwig Alsdorf, Les Études jaina. État présent et tâches [so read] futures, Paris, 1965 (hereafter: Etudes); Colette Caillat, Les expiations dans le rituel ancien des religieux jaina, Paris, 1965 (: Expiations); id, Candāvejjhaya. Introduction, Édition critique, Traduction, Commentaire, Paris, 1971; Jozef Deleu, Viyahapannatti (Bhagavai). The fifth Anga of the Jaina Canon. Introduction, Critical Analysis, Commentary and Indexes, Brugge, 1970 (: Deleu; or Deleu, Viy); Kurt von Kamptz, Über die vom Sterbefasten handelnden älteren Painņa des Jaina-Kanons, Hamburg, 1929 (: Kamptz); R. Williams, Jaina Yoga. A Survey of Medieval Śrāvakācāras, London, etc., 1963.
The main svetämbara works quoted are (abbreviations as in Lehre, and Deleu): Acar Acaranga-sutra. Erster Śrutaskandha. Text... Walther Schubring. Leipzig, 1910; Antagaḍa(dasão), Sutt'āgame ed., Muni Śri Phulchandji, Gurgaon Cantt, 1953-54; Anuttarovavāiya(dasão), ib, (references to page and line): English translation, L. D. Barnett, The Antagada-dasão and the Anuttarovavāiya-dasão, London, 1907; Aup Das Aupapátika Sûtra... Text ... Ernst Leumann. Leipzig, 1883; Ayar(angasutta), 1, ed. Schubring (Acar, ref. to page and line); translation Schubring, in Worte Mahaviras, Leipzig, 1926, p. 66-121; Jacobi, S(acred) B(ooks of the) E(ast), 22, 1884, p. 1–213 (Āyār 1-2); Bh(attaparinna), ed Ag(amodaya) S(amiti,) Bombay, samvat 1983 (= 1927); Candāv(ejjhaya), ed Caillat (supra); Isibhāsiyāim.