Samlekhna Ek Shreshth Mrutyukala - Book Summary

Here's a comprehensive summary in English of the Jain text "Samlekhna Ek Shreshth Mrutyukala" by Saubhagyamal Maharaj, based on the provided pages:

Book Title: Samlekhna Ek Shreshth Mrutyukala (Samlekhna: An Excellent Art of Dying) Author: Saubhagyamal Maharaj

Core Theme: The text delves deeply into the Jain concept of Samlekhna, which is presented as an art of dying well, a superior way to approach death. It argues that just as one learns the art of living, learning the art of dying is equally, if not more, crucial for a truly meaningful life.

Key Arguments and Concepts:

Life vs. Death Art: The author asserts that while humanity has extensively researched how to live a happy life, the art of dying peacefully and joyfully has been largely overlooked. A life is incomplete without mastering the art of death, as the fear and pain of dying can negate all the joy experienced during life. This is likened to a driver who knows how to accelerate but not how to brake – a skill ultimately useless.
Understanding Death: The text aims to demystify death. It likens death to the sunset after sunrise or night after day – a natural, inevitable part of a cycle. Fear of death stems from ignorance and attachment to the current physical existence. The Gita's concept of death as a "change of clothes" is presented as a way to view it: shedding old, worn-out garments for new ones.
The Illusion of Life and the Reality of Death: Life itself is described as a continuous process of death. Every moment, a part of our lifespan is consumed, akin to water dripping from cupped hands. This "instantaneous death" (Aavichi Maran) is a constant reality. However, it's the Tadbhav Maran (death of the current body) that causes fear.
Fear of Death and its Causes: The text identifies three primary reasons for the fear of death:
1. Misconceptions about Death: Viewing death as an absolute end rather than a transition.
2. Attachment to Life: Clinging to worldly pleasures, relationships, and possessions.
3. Lack of Merit in Past Lives: Insufficient virtuous karma to ensure a favorable rebirth.
The Inevitability of Death: Drawing from scriptures and logic, the author emphasizes that death is unavoidable for anyone born. No amount of power, effort, or even divine intervention can alter one's lifespan. This inevitability should lead to acceptance, not fear.
Preparation for Death: Merit and Virtue: The text argues that the fear of death can be overcome by cultivating good deeds, penance, meditation, and spiritual practice. A person who has lived virtuously, accumulating merit (punya) and practicing spiritual disciplines, faces death with equanimity and confidence, knowing they have secured a good destination.
Moksha (Liberation) as the Ultimate Goal: The ultimate aim of mastering the art of dying is to achieve Moksha or liberation, breaking the cycle of birth and death.
Types of Death (Maran): The text introduces classifications of death based on Jain scriptures:
- Baal Maran (Ignorant Death) / Akama Maran (Unwished Death): This is death characterized by ignorance, attachment, fear, and lack of spiritual preparation. It leads to repeated cycles of birth and death.
  - Twelve Types of Baal Maran: The text lists twelve specific ways of experiencing Baal Maran, including dying of hunger/thirst (when it leads to renouncing vows due to difficulty), succumbing to sensory pleasures, dying with unpurified inner afflictions (Antahshalyya), dying with a desire to regain the same body, accidental deaths (falls, drowning, fire), suicide (poison, weapons, hanging), and being devoured by animals. These are all seen as unfortunate ends that perpetuate suffering.
- Pandit Maran (Wise Death) / Sakama Maran (Wished Death): This is death approached with wisdom, equanimity, and spiritual insight. It leads to the cessation of rebirth.
  - Pandit Maran is characterized by calmness, self-reflection, acceptance of death as a friend, and a sense of fulfillment in having lived according to dharma. The fear of death is absent, replaced by peace.
  - Types of Pandit Maran: The text details several forms of Pandit Maran, primarily discussed as the methods of Samlekhna:
    - Bhakta Pratikhyaan: Renouncing all food and drink for the rest of one's life (or a significant period). This can be Yavtkathik (lifelong) or Itvarik (for a specified period, like six months).
    - Ingini Maran: Renouncing all food and drink and remaining in a fixed place, undertaking spiritual practices within that confined space.
    - Padapopagaman Maran: Similar to Ingini, but with complete stillness, like a tree, ceasing all physical movements except essential bodily functions for maintaining life until death.
- Bal-Pandit Maran: This is a category for lay followers (Shravakas) who, while not fully ascetics, practice Pandit Maran with devotion and adherence to vows, often seen as a less stringent form of the ascetic's Pandit Maran.
Samlekhna (The Art of Dying):
- Definition: Samlekhna literally means to weaken or make lean the body and the passions (kashayas). It is the deliberate, disciplined process of preparing for death.
- Purpose: The aim is to purify the soul by reducing physical and mental attachments, cultivating forgiveness, practicing introspection, and ultimately achieving a state of equanimity and spiritual readiness for the end of life.
- Distinction from Suicide: Samlekhna is explicitly distinguished from suicide. Suicide arises from despair, weakness, and uncontrolled emotions. Samlekhna, however, is a conscious, determined, and spiritually motivated act undertaken by a resolved individual with a clear purpose of karmic purification and liberation.
- Method and Stages: The text outlines the methodology of Samlekhna, which can span up to twelve years (the excellent (utkrushta) form). This involves progressive reduction of food intake (tapa), alongside the mitigation of passions, introspection, and meditation. It's a gradual process of self-purification and detachment, culminating in a state where the body is weakened in preparation for the final act of Anshan (fasting unto death) or related practices like Padapopagaman or Ingini Maran.
- Role of Sadhana: Samlekhna is not just about fasting; it's about the entire spiritual discipline—purifying thoughts, practicing patience, forgiveness, and deep meditation.
The Ideal of Samlekhna: The ideal Samlekhna practitioner is one who has lived a virtuous life, fulfilled their duties, and now consciously undertakes this final spiritual practice to expedite liberation. They are not motivated by a desire to die, nor by despair with life, but by a profound understanding of the soul's journey and a commitment to its ultimate purification.

In essence, "Samlekhna Ek Shreshth Mrutyukala" by Saubhagyamal Maharaj is a profound exploration of the Jain perspective on death, presenting Samlekhna not as a morbid end, but as a noble, conscious, and spiritually potent practice for achieving liberation and transcending the fear of mortality. It advocates for understanding death as a natural transition, preparing for it through virtuous living and disciplined spiritual practices, and ultimately transforming the act of dying into an occasion of spiritual triumph.