________________
Vardhamana Mahâvîra Sovereign Inspirer
181
of one's life voluntarily, is also an adjunct of Jain yoga. To those who criticize this observance as suicide, Justice T.K. Tukol has the
answer:
The person committing suicide is actuated by a desire to escape some disgrace or his inability to withstand some emotional strain; there is neither the consciousness of the spirituality of his soul nor the idea that his action amounts to violence to the vitalities of his own self under the passionate activities of his mind and body; he is a victim of his own passions and emotions. On the contrary, one who observes the vow of Sallekhana is thoroughly free from passions and emotions; his mind is at peace, engaged as he is in austerities and meditation, gradually marching to selfrealization, much to the delight and reverence of the community at large.
Again, Mahâvîra's own life is witness to the unbounded enrichment of man through meditation. The Jain emphasis on Dharma Dhyana is aimed at knowing the reality around us. Among places preferred for such meditation are a garden with a lotus tank and the summit of a mountain. When there is a problem and one's mind gets distracted, one should study the scriptures, such reading with a full sense of involvement itself becomes Dharam Dhyana, auspicious meditation. Justice Tukol places this ancient method in a wider perspective and shows how religious can promote individual salvation and universal harmony:
If not anything else, such a person will have such peace of mind and contentment that he will be able to enkinde kindered thoughts in others. In this age of turmoil and distractions, it has been ordained that attainment of Dharma Dhyana alone is possible. Let us, therefore, cultivate and achieve the Three Jewels so that we may pave our path to a meaningful life.
