•  
  •  
  •  
  •  
 

Santhara : Confusion Galore!

 

By Mr. Pravin K. Shah

 

Santhara is neither a cause nor an instrument of death. It is a name given to the last part of an elaborate Jain spiritual practice called Sallekhana or Samlekhana (ultimate vow). The meaning of the term Sallekhana is: to properly emaciate passions and body. Santhara literally means a bed of hay; the practice derives the name because when the time of death approaches the aspirant sits or lies down on a bed of hay renouncing all possessions, attachment and intake. The reflection of this practice can be seen in every household when a person is brought down from his high level bed to a mattress on the ground during presumed last moments of his life. The oldest, authentic and first mention of Sallekhana is found in Acharanga Sutra, accepted by Shwetambar Jains as the first sermon of Bhagavan Mahavir. According to philologists the first Shrutskandh of Acharanga Sutra depicts the earliest phase of Jainism of about 3rd century BC. It is the oldest available text in Jain tradition. All other discussions about Sallekhana belong to later periods.

Here is what Acharanga states : "If an ascetic realizes that now it is gradually becoming impossible for him to sustain the body for his essential (ascetic) duties, he should gradually reduce his food intake through austerities. While reducing the food intake he should also reduce his passions (anger, ego, deceit, and greed). After reducing passions he should acquire mental serenity. Becoming thin by honing both sides, body and passion, like a plank of wood, that ascetic should make himself stable (free of agitations of body and mind) and rise (prepare to embrace meditational death or Samadhi Maran).

If that ascetic has enough energy to walk, he should go to a village or city (any populated place) and beg for hay or a stack of straw. When he gets a stack of straw he should retire into seclusion. He should then thoroughly clean that spot and make a bed of straw (Santhara) there. Now he should occupy the straw-bed and observe itvarik fast (fasting for a predetermined period)."(Acharanga Sutra 8/6/225)

There is a code defining conditions and circumstances when this spiritual practice can be accepted. "Sallekhana is done in circumstances like drought, old age, incurable fatal disease, and gradual depletion of the strength of the body." (Ratankarandak Shravakachar 122).

Unlike suicide that is done in an agitated state of mind, Sallekhana is accepted in a peaceful state of mind and after much deliberation as well as seeking permission from family members and the guru. According the commentary on Acharanga Sutra there are two special provisions :

* If an ascetic observing sallekhana practices gets sick, unconscious, or dizzy due to lack of food and nutrition, he should stop rigorous austerities, terminate the sallekhana process and accept food.
* If he develops an aversion for food or has lack of appetite, he should give up sallekhana.

The practice loses its spiritual value if there is intent of death at any time during this practice. In fact desire for death is listed as one of the faults in practice of Sallekhana.

"An ascetic, who is practicing sallekhana or anashan, should neither desire to live nor pray for death. He should remain detached both from life and death.” (Acharanga Sutra 8/8/233)

Sallekhana is a spiritual practice dissociating one's mind from the body in order to attain a tranquil and equanimous state of mind; something like Samadhi. Death in such serene state of mind is classified as Samadhi maran (meditational death), which is common to almost all religions. In this practice there is no invitation to death. It is, in fact, detached and serene acceptance of the inevitable. The only connection Sallekhana has with death is that it is a practice, preparatory to embracing death, employed in terminal conditions.

In medical parlance it is nearest to the condition of a patient in painful terminal condition put on sedatives. Doctors say that nothing can be done to cure him. They just inform him about an estimated survival period, stop almost all treatment and leave the patient to his own fate. Heavy dosage of sedatives is given neither for cure nor for prolonging life but to reduce his suffering. In other words, they try to put the patient, awaiting death, in a tranquil state of mind. Sallekhana is similar to this condition. The difference is that the former is induced by a drug and is a state of stupor. The latter is self induced and fully conscious state; something like self-hypnosis.

It is also something like extended practices of chanting mantras or holy words to a dying person, feeding holy water to a dying person, and many other such practices of providing peaceful and pleasant atmosphere prior to death. These practices in one form or the other are common to all religious and social communities throughout the world.

 

-----------------------------------------------------

Author : Mr. Pravin K. Shah,  E-Mail : education@jaina.org

-----------------------------------------------------

Mail to : Ahimsa Foundation
www.jainsamaj.org
R280806