ISJS Jainism Study Notes E5 Vol 02

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

Page 313

याय घरमा
B.4.5.1
Samādhimaraņa (Santhārā / Sallekhana)
Justice N. K. Jain
Sallekhanā, saryāsa, samadhi, nirupādhi and vīriyamarana are all synonyms of Sallekhanā. According to religious texts, it is an eternal law that an entity, which is born, has to die also. One can die prematurely also due to the activation of inauspicious karmas (pāpa karma).
One can earn auspicious or meritorious karmas by practicing religious austerities intelligently and die peacefully when one is faced with incurable diseases or old age makes it clear that the end is approaching fast. If one does not practice religious austerities, then he/she earns inauspicious karmas. In this way death is inevitable in both situations and according to the philosophy of rebirth, he / she has to enjoy the fruits accordingly in their next birth/s.
All living beings know that body and soul are different and distinct but from eternity the belief that body and soul are one has taken root. He is busy enjoying the subjects of five senses and four passions (anger, deceit, greed and pride) and hence could never understand the real nature of the soul /self. Until one understands the true nature of self i.e. intuition, knowledge and bliss; he will continue to be deluded in attachments and aversions with other living and non living beings and hence keep on accumulating karmas resulting in the endless cycle of birth-death. Until one experiences the true nature of pure soul, he cannot eliminate the attachment and aversion with other living and non-living beings. By eliminating attachment and aversion, we will have neither enemies nor friends and a state of equanimity will develop instead. Equanimity will result in dissociation of accumulated karmas and further bondage will be stopped. But it is not easy to suppress or destroy desire. Until we acquire complete knowledge about the nature of self, we cannot understand this fact / reality. By taking a vow not to indulge in sinful and ill activities along with repenting upon the wrong deeds done, and contemplating on the nature of the self, developing belief in it (nature of self) and practicing right conduct can stop influx and bondage of new karmas, penance lausterities will then dissociate all existing karmas resulting in attaining the pure state of the self. This knowledge of the true nature of self is possible only in the company and with the blessings of the monks and holy teachers.
Here I will like to emphasize that till recently, knowledge of yoga, prāņāyāma, meditation etc was available to a privileged few even though these were explained in details in the holy
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STUDY NOTES version 5.0