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Metaphysics, Ethics and Spiritual Development
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ment of the senses and the man becomes conscious of the impending unavoidable death and of the necessity of concentrating on the pure qualities of the soul. When one's body has become utterly weak and useless and hence a burden to others, voluntary renunciation of one's body is an act of compassion towards others. Thus out of this feeling of compassion, one takes recourse to this voluntarily chosen death called samlekhanā. In the aspirant, there is no dissatisfaction, no sorrow, no fear, no dejection, no turpitude; the mind is cool, calm, composed; the heart is filled with the feeling of universal love and compassion.
Some put an end to their lives by jumping from holy peaks, or by disappearing into the sea, or by some such acts. These forms of suicide are absolutely improper, they are inspired by blind faith. To sacrifice one's life on the altar of duty is the true sacrifice. To lay down one's life while protecting or serving others is the true sacrifice. The belief that meeting death at a particular place or while muttering a particular name makes one attain heaven or liberation is nothing but blind faith. And if inspired by this blind faith one destroys one's life, then it is an absolutely improper act.
Except fasting all other methods of voluntarily chosen death are forbidden in Jainism. This is the praiseworthy improvement. When one is utterly weak or afflicted with incurable diseases and consequently has to depend on the services of others, one is allowed to put an end to one's life by fasting unto death; this is the only proper method. Fasting is not to be severe and short. It is to be gradual. In the beginning, the aspirant subsists on tasteless solid food. This intake of solid food is gradually reduced to nothing. Then he subsists on liquids of a progressively less sustaining nature, for example, from butter-milk to plain pure water. This is a long process drawn out into many days, several months or a few years. The distress which the sudden death causes to the aspirant as well as others is conspicuous by its absence in this long drawn out process. Again, this long process can become the means (upāya) not only of death, but also of life. That is, on account of this long drawn out process, it may so happen that a fatal illness undergoes remission or complete cure during the course of the process of progressive fasting. And if the aspirant is cured of the disease during the process, he should discontinue it, now there being no purpose or cause for the voluntarily chosen death called samlekhanā.
There is a difference between the treatment-by-fasting and samlekhana.
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