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CHAPTER
XVII
SALLEKHANA
Bhagavān Mahāvīra has said that there are two ways of ending life with death : death with one's will, and death against one's will. An ignorant man attached to pleasures and amusements, transgresses the law of Dharma and embraces unrighteousness trembles in fear when death is at hand and dies in misery having lost his chance of making the best of life. The virtuous who control themselves and subdue their senses face death full of peace and without i jury to any one; such a death falls to the lot. of every monk and some superior house-holder. 1
Saliekhanā is facing death (by an ascetic or house-holder) voluntarily when he is nearing his end and when normal life according to religion is not possible due to oldage, incurable disease, severe famine;” he should subjugate all his passions and abandon all worldly attachments, observe all austerities, gradually abstain from food and water and lie down quietly meditating on the real nature of the self until the soul parts from the body. The basic concept of this vow is that man who is the architect of his own fortune should face death in such a way as to prevent the influx of new Karmas and liberate the soul from the bondage of Karmas that may be still clingnig to it.
Every soul is pure and perfect by nature; it is characterised by infinite perception or faith, infinite knowledge, infinite bliss and infinite power. It is associated with Karma from eternity
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