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as the highest end to be achieved in the course of spiritual struggle, and finds there no cause for tears.69 But it has to be noted that, even at this stage, such a course of death has to be adopted only with the permission of the teacher. The Ācāranga Sūtra exhorts the monks to practise this great penance as the final end of the religious course to reach the triumphant end of spiritual struggle. In the Manu Smsti we get a similar instruction to the ascetics. They are asked to walk straight, fully determined in the north-easterly direction, subsisting on water and air, until the body sinks to rest." This is the great journey (mahāprasthāna) which ends in death. When the ascetic is incurably diseased or meets with a great misfortune he should accept voluntary death. It is taught in the Sāstras; it is not opposed to the Vedic rules which forbid suicide.? Buhler remarks that voluntary death by starvation was considered at that time to be a befitting conclusion of a hermit life. The antiquity and the general prevalence of the practice may be inferred from the fact that the Jaina ascetics too consider it particularly meritorious. Among the Maharāştra mystics we mention the name of Jñāneśvara who gave up his life voluntarily, though it cannot be compared to the Jaina vow of Saṁlekhanā." It is necessary to note that, according to the Jainas, Samlekhana is to be practised only when ordinarily death is felt imminent.
At the proper time, having taken the permission of Guru, one must prepare oneself for the practice of this type of end. It needs physical and mental preparation. Gradual development of self-control is to be effected; the passions have to be conquered, emotions subdued and the urges to be controlled and channelised to the fulfilment of the desired end. One
69. Ācārānga Sutra, 1, 7, 6. 70. Ibid. 17. 6. 71. The Manu Smrti. (SFE Vol. XXV) VI, 31. 72. Tre Manu Smsti, comment. 73. Ibid, Commentary Buhler. 74. Nämadeva Gärhå (Poona 1924) Samadhi Prakarana
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