Sallekhana

Author(s): John M Koller
Publisher: John M Koller

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recommend this practice, saying, for example: "Speaking the truth, the saint who has crossed the stream of transmigration, leaves his frail body, putting an end to existence at the appropriate time. This is good, it is joyful and proper. This should be done; it leads to salvation." (Acaranga Sutra 1.7.6).
Sallekhana needs to be seen in the context of fundamental Jaina beliefs and practices. As I noted in the chapter on Jainism in my book, The Indian Way, Jainism is a way of compassion and ascetic self-restraint designed to liberate the jiva or soul from the bondage of karmic matter. Jainas see the universe as a vast organism, pulsating with life. Countless billions of souls pervade the universe. Although trapped in various bodies, all are inherently pure and capable of omniscient knowledge—which means that liberation is possible for all. " But because liberation requires the cessation of all actions, the holy death fast is often thought of as the ultimate goal of life, for it liberates the soul from the bondage of the mind and body.
Jainism emphasizes the importance of developing an attitude of mind which brings about restraint, self-discipline and non-attachment and focuses on equanimity of thought and conduct in order to achieve liberation. Fasting, meditation and other austerities are part of the Jaina way of life and extend to the Jaina way of dying.
The philosophy underlying this way of living and dying is that one's body is mortal but the soul is immortal; the ritual of the holy death fast is to be performed in order to liberate the immortal soul from the mortal body. No one who is born can escape death: he or she must die some day. For those who identify the soul with body, the fear of death is the greatest fear. But those who, like the Jainas, believe in the immortality of soul and liberation from the cycle of birth and death can face death calmly and peacefully, maintaining their mental equilibrium. The vow of Sallekhana simply extends the Jaina way of living to the Jaina way of dying, recognizing that dying is an important part of living and should be done with the greatest of care. Sallekhana is, above all, a course of discipline intended to prepare a person for a noble and holy death.
A comprehensive analysis of Sallekhana is found in the Jaina text Ratnakarandaka Sravakascharaby Samantabhadra. There we read: "Prior to the adoption of the vow one should give up all love, hatred and attachment to possessions, with a pure mind, and obtain forgiveness of one's relations while also forgiving them oneself. One should give up grief, fear, anguish, attachment and keep oneself engaged in meditation. Then he should give up gradually food, then liquid and even water. During the observance of the vow one should not commit any of the transgressions, entertaining a desire to live, or wishing for speedy death, exhibiting fear etc."
In the same work Samantabhadra sets out the circumstances in which this vow is advised to be taken. They include:
1. Conditions of extreme calamity, natural or otherwise 2. Famine 3. Very old age. 4. Terminal illness.
Samantabhadra, as do other respected Jaina teachers, provides a list of guidelines to be followed in the practice of sallekhana. They include: 1. A person should acquire mental-spiritual poise before adopting the vow because it is to
be undertaken as a great penance at the last moments of his life. 2. The undertaking of the penance at the time of death contains a full review of all past
activity with the purpose of weakening the bonds of worldly attractions and one's body so as to have the best form of peaceful and perfect happy ending. At this time, no excitement is felt, no pain is experienced, but under perfect self control, complete ecstasy
is enjoyed and one breathes one's last happily. 3. Sallekhana is a completely voluntary death.