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FASTING UNTO DEATH ACCORDING TO THE JAINA TRADITION 61
a good education; later, that of the mature monk, who should be proficient in ascetic discipline as well as in the superior religious knowledge; then comes the culminating point of the monk's career, when he will have to die the wise man's death.70 The Candav here emphasizes that this last stage has to be prepared by constant exercise, that it requires unflinching watchfulness and the total purity of spiritual life. This requirement is fulfilled through confession, repentance, atonement, in the presence of one's guru, guru-sagāse (gāthā 151). His presence is absolutely necessary for who can possibly foresee how he will react at the time of disintegration, in the face of death ?71 Being well trained, having performed all these preparatory rites, the muni takes his place on his death-bed (samthāra, skr. samstāra-). Then, having confessed, repented, made atonement, he is absorbed in meditation on religious themes.72 One should concentrate, it is said, on the scriptural phrases, or words, which have previously proved spiritually efficient, for they will be propitious at the instant of death also. This is how, with the assistance of one's spiri
70 Candav, successively ga. 4-67; 68-116; 117-173; cf. Caillat, § 96. 71 Candav 150:
handi baliyam pi dhīrā, paccha, marane uvaṭṭhie sante,
maraṇa-samugghāeņam avasā nijjanti micchattam,
'Alas! even the firm and wise, later, when death is imminent, because of the blowing up that is death, are, against their will, drawn towards error.'
Cp. Matsya Purāņa 182, 22-25, quoted and translated in Kane, HDh IV 611 foll. and n. 1389:
anta-käle manuṣṇāṇām chidyamâneșu marmeşu vāyчnā preryamāṇānāṁ smṛtir nalvôpajāyate,
'at the time of death when the vital parts of the human body are being shattered, memory must fail a human being that is about to be pushed on (to another body) by the vital breath (when it leaves the mortal coil)'.
72 Candav 159-169:
samthāram paḍivanno iņamo hiyaeņa cintejjā: (159 c-d), 'ekko me sãsao appā ... (160),
'ekko 'ham n'atthi me koi n'atthi va kassai aham (161);
etc., enumerating various aņupekkhas (compare 160-161 and Ayar 1, 37, 7-9, n. 59).
73 Candav 93-95 (and others; cf. Caillat, p. 52 for concordances):
ekkammi vi jammi pae samvegam viyaraya-maggammi
vaccai naro abbhikkham tam maraṇ'ante na mottavvam (Candāv 93).
