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24
THE AINA GAZETTE
long abstinence from food. This form of dying is called “ Samlekhiania" or Sallekhana. This used to be more frequently resorted to in the heroic olden times, when, according to Jain Tradition, Sadhus, taking the great determination, placed themselves upright, motionless, assuming some special posture, in some lonely place in the jungles, vowing not to stir voluntarily, but to hold out, till exhaustion would throw them to the ground, and death put an end. This mode of dying is known under the name of " Padapopagamana," i.o., assuming the state of a tree.'
2. U nodarikä Tapa, i.e., reduction of one's food below the quantity required, for an optional number of meals.
3. Vriltisankshepa, i.e., renunciation of certain kinds of food, or of food available in certain localities, or at certain times, or under certain circumstances, for an optional period. This form of renunciation is only of small practical value for the layman, who can arrange for his own meals, their time, place, etc., whereas it plays a considerable part in the life of the ascetic, who is completely dependent on circumstances in getting bis food.
4. Rasalyaga, i.e., renunciation of the “Vikritis," of which four, as we saw before, viz., meat, butter, honey, and alcohol (the so-called “Great Vikritis ") are prohibited completely, whereas the remaining six, viz., milk, curds, ghee, oil, molasses, and certain fried things, can be renounced in an optional measure, as far as there are no fixed prescriptions for certain special forms of austerities.
5. Kayaklesa, or mortification of one's body, consists in sitting or standing, for a certain time to be fixed, in one or other of the various Asanas, or ascetical postures, which play such a great part in the rites of certain Hindu Sects. With the Jains, the most frequent postures are the Kayotsarga posture, i.o., standing with one's heels nearly touching each other, and one's arms hanging loosely down, without coming into contact with the body, and the Padmasana posture, i.e., sitting with crossed legs in a particular way. Certain particular forms of austerities require the
Shree Sudharmaswami Gyanbhandar-Umara, Surat
www.umaragyanbhandar.com
