MY aRTICLE pAGE !
Samādhimaraņa (Sańthārā / Sallekhanā)
Sallekhanā, sańyāsa, samādhi, nirupādhi and vīriyamaraņa are all synonyms of Sallekhanā.
According to the religious texts, it is an eternal law that an entity, which is
born, will also have to die. One can also die prematurely due to the activation
of inauspicious karmas (pāpa karma).
One can earn auspicious or meritorious karmas by practicing religious austerities
intelligently and die peacefully when one is faced with incurable diseases or old
age that makes it clear that the end is approaching fast. If one does not practice
religious austerities, then he/she earns inauspicious karmas. In this way death
is inevitable in both situations and according to the philosophy of rebirth, he/she
will enjoy the fruits accordingly in the next birth/s.
All living beings know that body and soul are different and distinct but from eternity
the belief that body and soul are one has taken root. Since one is busy enjoying
the subjects of five senses and four passions (anger, deceit, greed and pride) and
hence could never understand the real nature of the soul/self. Until one understands
the true nature of self i.e. intuition, knowledge and bliss; he will continue to
be deluded in attachments and aversions with other living and non-living beings
and hence keep on accumulating karmas resulting in the endless cycle of birth and
death. Until one experiences the true nature of pure soul, he cannot eliminate the
attachment and aversion with other living and non-living beings. By eliminating
attachment and aversion, we will have neither enemies nor friends and a state of
equanimity will develop. Equanimity will result in dissociation of accumulated
karmas and further bondage will be stopped. But it is not easy to suppress or destroy
desire. Until we acquire complete knowledge about the nature of self, we cannot
understand this reality. By taking a vow not to indulge in sinful and ill activities
along with repenting upon the wrong deeds done, and contemplating on the nature
of the self; developing belief in it (nature of self) and practicing right conduct,
one can stop influx and bondage of new karmas. Penance/austerities will then
dissociate all existing karmas resulting in attaining the pure state of the self.
This knowledge of the true nature of self is possible only in the company and with
the blessings of the monks and holy teachers.
Here I will like to emphasize that till recently, knowledge of yoga,
prāņāyāma, meditation etc. was available to a privileged few although
these were explained in detail in the holy texts of various Indian philosophies.
But now the situation has changed. Yoga, its practice and such techniques had been
taught to common persons for whom the credit goes to our
sādhus, ācāryasand teachers. As a result a number of people tried
to understand Yoga and then started practicing it to maintain good health, concentrate
their mind on useful and productive activities and move forward on the spiritual
path of purification. Hence it is important to know correct and specific spiritual
purification activities.
Till now, even I was ignorant about Sallekhanā and
Sańthārā. Now after some efforts, I have found detailed and crisp description
of these two doctrines and techniques in Jain literature. Keeping these in mind,
I am making a humble attempt of writing this paper to arouse the interest of others
too.
Jain philosophy has a detailed discussion on the doctrine and practice ofSallekhanā.
True and eternal nature of the self is knowledge and perception (jňātā-dŗşţā).
By accepting body and self as same, one cannot understand the true nature of self.
But he is an intelligent one who understands body, sensual organs as distinct from
the self/soul. By suppressing the desires, the soul gets purified easily. Virtues
(dharma) can exist in a pure soul only and it helps in making the self
purer. Soul, which is free from the kārmika bondage, is called
paramātmā. Once the soul achieves this pure state, it stays
happy in all lives to come.
Jain religion is one of the ancient religions that prescribes human values. This
religion not only talks about human welfare but also extends it to the animal world.
Jain religion asserts that consciousness is present not only in humans, but in all
animal world, for example an elephant and even an ant. This has been emphatically
stated on the basis of experience by the first
tīrthańkaraŖşabhadeva and reemphasized by the 24th
tīrthańkara Lord Mahāvīra.
All this knowledge was traditionally handed to the
Śrutakevalis and finally
to theācāryas who codified it.
This tradition is still maintained by the
ācāryas, monks, spiritual leaders, intelligent beings etc.
None of the tīrthańkaras were born in the Jain tradition. There
were from theKşatriya/ Yādava
class. They traversed the path themselves and showed the path of winning oneself
to others. The one who wins his own self is the
Jinaand who is a worshipper and follower of
Jina is a Jain.
Samādhimaraņa (Sańthārā
/ Sallekhanā) is the path that changes the life of the individual and is mentioned
in the Jain philosophical scriptures and other literature. The issue of death is
also discussed in other religious and philosophical systems, but they do not discuss
as a rite of the end. They discuss it only from the point of view of attaining siddhis
(divine powers) and to know the self (ātma Śākśātakāra). In
Vedic literature this path is one among the 16
sańskāras (rituals of life)
and also known as Mŗtyū Sańskāra. As a last ritual
of life, any lay follower can performs it. It is worth noticing that this rite by
Hindus is performed for the pleasures and gifts are given in the name of the one
who dies. We get a little insight about such death as a spiritual death, or for Mokşa. There is less information
on the nature of liberation, that is, to liberate oneself from cycles life and death.
In Jainism, on the other hand, the importance is wholly on the spiritual death and
liberation. In this rite, since there are no passions involved, there is no bondage
on the soul.
There are many such examples of lay followers, monks, saints, who after renouncing
(dikşa), undertake the rite
of Sallekhanā. They not only
destroy their attachments, cravings and hatred but also the craving for food and
dotapa with equanimity to give
up their body. They free themselves from Karmas and attain liberation. Not all are
fortunate to follow this path.
Pańdita Āśādhara in
his Sagāradharmāmrta has extensively written on this issue and has mentioned that Sallekhanā
is under taken when a person lives his life holistically. Kundakundācārya
(1st cent.A.D.) has mentioned in hisCaritra Pāhuda
(Gāthā No. 26) about the special rite of
Sallekhanā. Samantabhadra (2nd cent A.D) in his Ratnakarańdaśrāvakācāra
(Sloka No. 122) shows that this type of death is necessary:
upasarge
durbhikşe, jarasi rujāyan ca nihi pratīkāre\\
dharmāya tanuvimocanamāhu sallekhanāmāryāhā.\\
i.e. when faced with hurdles, famine, old age, or disease, one should for religion,
observe Sallekhanā.
To discard ones body in this way is calledSallekanā. Further
he states,
Antakriradhikaraņa
tapahafalam Sakaladarshinha stuvate\
Tasmāt yāvadvibhavan Samādhimarana Prayatitanvyam\\
At the end of life when one attains such a death, it is considered as the fruit
oftapa. That is why to attain such a death should be the aim of one’s life.
With this the Indian seers have attained the heights of knowledge of the self. At
the point of death if there are no passions then the person discards his body without
any pain and does not have any fear of death and dies calmly. If one is capable
to attain a good destiny (gati)
on his own, then the previous bad karmas cannot do anything; but if at the moment
of death there is a mental distress even the good karmas will not help him for a
good gati
(State of existence). In this manner a series of bad destinies continue.
Hence it is worth to notice the significance of
Sallekhanā.
Taptasya
tapasaścāpi pālitasya vratasya ca \
Pathitasya Śrutasyāpi falam mŗtyu samādhina
(Mrtyu
Mahotsava- 16)
It means, penance followed by observing vows, and reading scriptures, give the fruits
when one attains the Samādhimaraņa,
otherwise all is futile.
One should not therefore doubt that, “when all things happen withSamādhimaraņa,
only, then why should one do japa-tapa,
one will attainSamādhi at the
end of life”. Only by engaging oneself in
tapa, lessening ones passions, will lead to a proper Samadhi Death. Probably
this is the reason that Kundakunda has given this death a place in
Śikśā Vrata. InSamādhimaraņa
and the tapa as a form of conduct there is a cause-effect
relationship. When difficulties arise, or sudden death arises, or if any wild animals
attack, or fire, or storm occurs, then the practice of
tapa alone helps. If
one spends his whole life in conduct and at the moment of death deviates from the
self, then the dośa does not fall on conduct, but possibly lack of self-effort on
his part and the lack of self-discipline.
Ācārya Śivakoti says, “when there is no rescue, when wild animals approach you,
on proper conducive food is attained in famine, when no proper rules of conduct
can be followed or when old age appears or when diseases are there, then in such
a case it is necessary to take Sallekhanā and abandon the body.”
One who does sādhanā
is a seeker. At the time of death one who engages in his soul is also a seeker.
At the end of life, to see body and soul as different and to overcome attachment
to the body one has to take refuge in
Sallekhanā. But if for the whole life when one when does
tapa, but at the end
engages in attachment and hatred, his life is wasted.
Ācārya Śivakoti says, one attains many lives if he cannot sustain a proper death
even if he in his whole life he works for
Jňāna, darśana, caritra. But
on the other hand if sallekhanā is pursued than the seeker enjoys the
bliss.
Upāsakadhyayana (896) says, an aspirant who is fasting etc. and engaging in studying
in order to overcome passions, such a person should come to thesangha and undertake
Sallekhanā.
Ācārya Śivakoti who has highly recommended
Sallekhanā; says, one who dies at instant that is at that moment with sallekhanā, he never lives more
than 7 to 8 lives”. Expressing the importance of
sallekhanā, he further writes, “one who is fully engaged in service
of a sallekhana practitioner also attains the pleasures of the
devagati or heavenly
destiny and then attains the highest place (liberation).
Similarly Pujypāda Devanandi (6th Cent A.D.) in his Sarvathasiddhi highlights the
importance and necessity of Sallekhanā and says all don’t like death. If at all
disease attacks the body then a seeker who undertakes
sallekhanā,automatically is liberated from the effect of the disease.
Ācārya Amrtacandra, in his Puruşārthasiddhaupāya (10th Cent. A.D.), wrote that when
death is nearing and it is confirmed at that time when aspirant is on the path of
liberating from all passions, then how it is that the self is destroyed. One who
is engaged in activities with anger has his self destroyed definitely.
All the tīrthańkaras
, ācāryas, saints, monks,
gurus, have asserted this path as necessary for the wellbeing of all humans.
Sāgāradharmarta has the following numbers of gāthās 8/1, 8/6,
8/7-8, 8/9. 8/12, 9/2 vividly describing
Sallehkanā.
In Bhagavati Ārādhanā there are around 2500 gāthās, and there
are reflections on Sallehkanā in numbers 25,28,64, 65 and others.
In this text there is a vast description on one of the death called
Bhakta Pratyākhyāna.
If a sinner who has committed sins throughout his life asks forgiveness at the end
of his life, can liberate him from the guilt. Similarly a sinner who undertakes sallekhanā
at the end of his life can attain a good state of existence. Even Vedic
literature mentions that one who repents for sins attains a place near God (vaikuntha).
Ajāmīla, committed sins through out his life; but towards the end repented by reciting
the name of Nārāyaņa, he attained Vaikuntha. Jivandharakumāra, pronounced Namokāra
Mantra to a dying dog and tīrthańkara Pārśvanātha uttered this mantra
to snakes dying in fire. The snakes attained devagati. Even Manusmrti mentions about sallekhanā. Sant Kālidasa, Kabir,
Tukarama also have mentioned it.
After the war of Mahābhārata, Bhişma also asked for voluntary death.
Sallekhanā is a special tapa, which is done for spiritual growth and self-development. Hence after attaining such a death only very few births are left for the person to attain liberation. Once all the karmas are gone liberation is attained. Sallekhanā.
