Mahavira and his Teaching

Author(s): C C Shah, Rishabhdas Ranka, Dalsukh Malvania
Publisher: Bhagwan Mahavir 2500th Nirvan Mahotsava Samiti

Page 121

114
COLETTE GAILLAT
are over (they differ according to the case) both "go forth" to the death-bed, and are termed sādhu when they take leave from the world:
samtharaya-pavvajjam pavvajjai ..... aha so.................. sāhū ........ carimam paccakkhāmi ttı (Bh 33-34).
Moreover, according to these later texts, any Jaina monk who really wishes to do so can successfully undertake the mahā paccakkhana, even though his life in religion has not altogether been satisfactory (Bh 15; S 52; etc.). In fact, Bh S admit that the last rites are resorted to when the individual's span of life is drawing to its end, whether because of old age, or of disease, or of external circumstances (Bh 14; S 32). The case is absolutely different in the Vimoha, where only the religious who is perfectly trained and tested is allowed to fast unto death: this will take place only if he is undoubtedly apt and prepared, physically and spiritually. Ā yaranga, (p. 37-38) recalls the hard and continuous austerities which the niggantha must have successfully gone through: they have contributed to reduce and annihilate his passions ("kasãe payanue kuccā”, 37, 17); spiritually pure, the monk has gained true knowledge, realised the fundamental distinction between the soul (appā) and all extrinsic accretions, though they are intertwined in the empirical existence; he knows he is "one and alone", "ego aham amsı: na me atthi koi na yaham avi kassai" (37, 7-8).1 Now, his training being complete, he can well conclude: “enough of dragging this body. ..." (37, 15). At this point, he will beg grass, lay it down in a "pure” place, and will conduct a limited fast in order to test his possibilities, ittiriyam kuija (37, 26). In case he succeeds, he is allowed to wait for death, fasting and, at the same time, restricting his movements, less, and less, or even remaining altogether motionless, kāyam ca jogam ca iriyam ca paccakkhāejjā (38, 21). 1. Cp : annam imam sariram anno ziva tu .. S 100,
... anno pivo sariram annam tr, S 113, cf. Markandeya Purana, 37, 38; etc.