ISJS Jainism Study Notes E5 Vol 02

Author(s): International School for Jain Studies
Publisher: International School for Jain Studies

Page 311

o He should not be attached to the transitory pleasures, nor to the greater ones; should
he not nourish desire and greed. Looking only for eternal praise. (23) o He should be enlightened with eternal objects, and not trust in the delusive power of
the gods; a Brāhmaṇa should know of this and cast off all inferiority. (24) o Not devoted to any of the external objects he reaches the end of his life; thinking that
patience is the highest good, he (should choose) one of the described three) good methods of entering nirvāna. (25) Thus I say.
Spiritual Way of Meeting Death The end of life is death. All is well that ends well. If one becomes disturbed at time of death it has a great impact on his future. One has to be careful that he is able to perform his religious duties. And his body becomes a burden on him rather than serving as a means of a monk, is expected to face death with equanimity and voluntarily.
Of course, the wisest from of death is that of a perfect soul who has attained the summum bonum of his life and who will not take any birth after his death.
The second form of death is one who has been following spiritual past to the best of his capabilities but has stopped short of perfection and, therefore, he leaves his body voluntary in case of a situation where his body his body does not help him in spiritual practices. He forsakes food.
The third stage is that of a householder who has practiced partial self control but could not take up monk's life but at the time of death he also for sakes food and faces death with equanimity.
The forth type of death is of a person who has believed in wrong principles of life. We have thus the last vow of asceticism called Sallekhanā or Santhārā where one faces death with equanimity by facing death voluntarily.
The nature of Sallekhana is such that one is likely to confuse it with suicide. The Jain Ācāryas have, therefore is justified if the body becomes incapable of observance of vratas.
In view of what has been said above, Sallekhana has been recommended when someone is confronted with calamity, famine, senility, disease, and when the sustenance of spiritual practices is endangered. Sallekhanā can also be practiced at a time when the natural death
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STUDY NOTES version 5.0