Spiritual Discipline and Practices in Jainism

Author(s): Bhagchandra Jain
Publisher: Z_Vijyanandsuri_Swargarohan_Shatabdi_Granth_012023.pdf

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soul and death is the sole object of spirituality which causes disturance with materialistic perspectives Religion is to curb the very tendencies and curtail the mind from worldly affairs to scrapping or emaciating of the Kasayas (anger, conceit, intrigue, and greed). To conquer over the natural fear of death is itself a great art which is called in Jaina scripture the Mrtyu-mahotsava 36
Sallekhana, the spiritual death in Jaina tradition, is the third stage of a householder which is very close to an ascetic where the subjugation of senses is conducive to the removal of passions. It is making the physical body and the internal passions emaciated by abandoning their sources gradually at the approach of death with pleasure and not by force.
Acarya Kundakunda included Sallekhana into the Siksavratas as the fourth one. He is followed by Sivarya, Devasena, Jinasena, Vasunandi etc. But Acarya Umaswami is followed by Samantabhadra, Pujapada,
idyananda, Somadeva, Amitagati etc. who do not accept the view on the ground that the Siksavratas require the practice whereas the Sallekhana is to be accepted immediately on the eve of the death.
Various reasons may decide a person to perform Sallekhana. According to the Bhagawati Aradhana, the old age, physical weakness, famine, incurable disease, calamities etc. are such reasons which render the performance of Avasyakas impossible. It should be performed at the Jain temple or one's own house or in the jungle on the eve of the death, so that one could achieve better prospects in the next birth.
The Svetambara traditional scripture does not deal much with the Sallekhana. The Acaranga, the commentaries over the Thananga and the Nayadhammaahao explain, of course, the nature of the vrata.” The Pravacna saroddhara refers to it as the procedure of Anasanavrata and the Nisithacurni accepts it as the means of getting rid of kasayas.
The death is of two types, viz. Balamarana and panditamarana. The Bhagawatisutra (2.1) enumerates the balamarana of twelve kinds, viz. valaya, vasatta, attosalla, tabbhave, giripadana, tarupadana, jalappavesa, jalanappavesa, visabhakkhana, satthovadana, vehanasa, and giddapittha. The person who is full of sensual desires and kasayas gets the Balamarana. The other one panditamaran is of two types pavovagamana and bhattapaccakkhana. The 17 types of maranas are also referred to in the Samavayanga, viz. avicimarana, avadhimarana, atyantikamarana,
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Shri Vijyanand Suri Swargarohan Shatabdi Granth