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KUMAR: PHILOSOPHY OF SALLEKHANĀ
Asravais the movement of karmic materials towards jiva (soul), while bandha (bondage) denotes the stage of actual bondage of the soul with the karmic matter. Before commencing the process of liberation it is necessary that there should be a stoppage of the influx of new karmas and this is called samwara or the stoppage of fresh ties of karmas. The process of shedding of old karmas is designated as the principle of nirjarā. The final result after all the above process is called mokṣa (liberation). Papa and Punya are known as auspicious and inauspicious deeds of a living being and are included within the concept of Asrava.
Sallekhanā is a process which checks the influx of incoming new karmas towards the self and also emaciates the old karmas overlayered on the self. Thus it includes samvara and nirjarā both. It is adopted by a living being for the dissociation of non-sentient karmic matter and attaining liberation. Liberation is the dissociation of soul from karmas. Without bondage we cannot understand the fact of liberation and it is defined as association of karmas with soul. All the auspicious means adopted by Jiva is to cast off ties. Sallekhanā also signifies the same meaning. Thus we can say that the process of sallekhanā is inserted at all stages of the seven categories.
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The concept of seven categories possesses an aim to introduce the people about reality and also puts forth a path of liberation, and helps the people to cross the ocean of the world. There are several means for this crossing, sallekhanā is one of them. It is considered as a good ship and helps the seeker to cross over the stream of sea of the world.
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