Jain Journal 2000 04

Author(s): Jain Bhawan Publication
Publisher: Jain Bhawan Publication

Page 12

JAIN JOURNAL: Vol-XXXIV, No. 4 April 2000 Self-mortification is usually understood as inflicting pain upon oneself. But in a religious and ethical sense it does not result in pain. It is rather the joy of offering oneself in sacrificial service. To an observer the act might evoke sympathy, etc. but the motivation offers tremendous satisfaction and joy to the one who is involved in such a practice.
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In Buddhist tradition, there are examples of self-sacrificial attitude in a Bodhisattva. According to Prajñāpāramitā sūtra, Śikṣāsamuccaya and certain other Mahāyāna texts, a Bodhisattva shows compassion or karunā by resolving to suffer the torments and agonies of the dreadful purgatories during innumerable aeons, if need be, in order to lead all beings to perfect enlightenment.32 The story of Purna in the Samyutta Nikaya explains to what extent forbearance of an individual can go.3: A Bodhisattva is the greatest forgiver and embodiment of forbearance. Even if his body is destroyed and cut into hundred pieces with swords and spears he does not conceive any anger against his cruel persecutors.34
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Jaina moral tradition upholds a practice called Sallekhanā. This vow is taken with the objective to fulfill what is known as samādhi marana or peaceful passing away, sannyāsa marana or disease in asceticism, pāṇḍitya marana or the wise man's demise. This practice has been frankly recognised as religious self-purification and it is highly commended for both the laity and the monks. It is described at length in the first anga of the Acārāngasūtra (i. vii. 6ff) and its preliminaries are described in detail in the Aurapaccakkhāna, the Samthārā, the Mahāpaccakkhāna and the Candavejjhaya, the 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th of the Painnas. Jaina tradition also gives a list of those who took to Sallekhanā: Tirthankara Parsva and Ariṣṭanemi35, monk Khandage36, Layman Ambada37 and all those celebrated in the Uvāsagadasão. From middle age till recent years this practice of extreme asceticism is seen:
32. Śikṣāsamuccaya, P.L. Vaidhya, edn. The Mithila Institute of Post Graduate Studies and Research in Sanskrit Learning, Darbhanga, 1961, p. 148.
Samyutta Nikaya, C.A.F. Rhys Davids and F.L. Woodward, The Book of the Kindred Sayings, Vol. 1-5, London, 1917-1930, Vol. 4, p. 60. 34. Śikṣāsamuccaya, ibid., p. 103.
35. Kalpasūtra, 168, 182, Sacred Books of the East, Vol. 22.
36.
Bhagavatisūtra, Comm. Abhayadeva, Bombay-Ahmedabad, Vik. Sam. 1974-1988, p. 300.
37. Ovavaiya Sutta, 100.
33.