________________
192
Jaina View of Life
impossible he does his best to preserve at least the goods. The ware-house is the body and the goods are the Vratas."
b) One who practises Samlekhaná must not be agitated by the desire for life nor for death. He should not, for a moment, feel that he would live for some more time; nor should he feel overpowered by the agony of the fast; he should get speedy death to free himself from the pain.81 Desire for life, fear of death, memories of the days that we spent, attachment to the relatives and friends and craving for the glories of the future happiness as a consequence of the practice of Samlekhanā are transgressions of the vow of Samlekhanā. They are to be avoided at any cost.
c) It may also be noted that, according to the Jainas, the body is not to be considered as merely a prison-house to be discarded at the earliest possible moment. It is a means, a vehicle of attaining the highest end of perfection. We are reminded that it is rare to get a human life; it is rarer still that we get an opportunity of the possibility of spiritual progress. We should not wantonly cast away the human body that we have got, without making use of it for the struggle to reach the stages of self-realisation. This is possible by the control of mind and body for spiritual culture.
d) Above all, the Jainas are the greatest champions of non-violence. Ahimsa is the creed of the Jaina religion. It is the first Mahāvrata (the great vow). It would be inconsistent to believe that those who considered life as sacred and those who condemned himsä (injury of any type) should have no regard for life and preach self-destruction.
e) It is for this reason that the Jaina considered wanton self-destruction by other methods like taking poison and falling
80. Tattvårthasūtra, viii. 22, with commentary by Pujyapāda, Also
refer to Puruşārtha-Siddhyupaya of Amftacandra, 175. 81. Ratnakarand aka sråvak ācāra. 129 Commentary.
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
