Santhara Sanleshna Ek Chintan - Book Summary

This document, "Santhara Sanleshna Ek Chintan" (Santhara Sanleshna: A Contemplation) by Devendramuni Shastri, discusses the Jain practice of Santhara or Sallekhana, which is a ritual fast unto death. The text delves into the philosophy behind this practice, its classification, and its significance in Jainism.

Here's a summary of the key points discussed in the provided text:

1. The Inevitability of Death and the Fear of It:

The text begins by acknowledging the universal certainty of death, stating that even powerful beings like lions, elephants, and celestial beings tremble at its approach.
It highlights that while life is dear to all, death is universally dreaded. This fear is considered the greatest among the seven types of fears mentioned in Jain literature.
An anecdote of a king and the wise physician Luqman illustrates how the fear of death itself can lead to physical decline, suggesting that attempts to escape death are futile.

2. Death as an Art Form:

Indian thinkers consider life itself an art. Similarly, the text proposes that death can also be mastered as an art.
Just as a driver must learn to stop a vehicle as well as drive it, one must learn the art of dying along with the art of living.
A person who has mastered the art of death will face it with equanimity, joy, and peace, understanding it as a natural transition, like a fruit falling from a tree or the sun setting.

3. The Fear of Death and the Need for Preparedness:

The primary reason for the fear of death is the focus on living and the avoidance of contemplating death. People have mastered the art of "spreading the canvas of life" but not the art of "folding it up."
The text draws a parallel between waking and sleeping, and life and death, suggesting they are complementary.

4. Purity of Death (Maran Shuddhi):

While purity of life is important, the text emphasizes that purity of death is even more significant for a spiritual seeker.
Achieving mastery in the art of death, which involves overcoming the cycle of worldly existence, is considered the attainment of a great treasure in the form of Dharma.

5. Types of Death in Jainism:

The text categorizes death into two main types: Balamaran (childish or ignorant death) and Panditmaran (wise or knowledgeable death).
Balamaran is associated with attachment to worldly pleasures, ignorance, and intense emotions, leading to unfavorable rebirths.
Panditmaran is characterized by equanimity, knowledge, virtuous conduct, and detachment, leading to liberation or favorable rebirths.
The text then delves into various classifications of death mentioned in Jain scriptures, such as:
- Aavichi Maran: Continuous, wave-like attrition of life-span, experienced by all beings except the liberated.
- Avadhi Maran: Dying in the same realm in the next life.
- Atyantik Maran: Death leading to ultimate liberation, never to be reborn in that realm.
- Balayamaran: Death due to loss of self-control and adherence to the path of austerity.
- Vashyartamaran: Death driven by sensory desires.
- Antahshalyamaran: Death with lingering regrets or unconfessed faults.
- Tadbhavamaran: Death in the current life.
- Panditmaran: Death with proper knowledge, conduct, and equanimity.
- Balpanditmaran: A mixed state of death, pertaining to those with partial spiritual understanding.
- Chhadmasthamaran: Death of those who have not attained omniscience.
- Kevalimaran: Death of an omniscient being.
- Vaihaysamaran: Accidental death due to falling from heights or other external causes.
- Gridhprasthamaran: Death where vultures or other creatures consume the body.
- Bhaktapratyakhyanamaran: Renunciation of food and drink, leading to death.
- Inginimaran: Self-imposed fasting and care by the practitioner, without external help.
- Padopagamanamaran: Walking to a suitable place and then undertaking the fast unto death. This is also known as Prayopagamana or Prayopavesan in Jain and Vedic traditions respectively.

6. Santhara and Sallekhana:

Santhara is described as the act of undertaking a fast unto death, and Sallekhana is the purification process that precedes it.
Sallekhana is considered the final and most crucial spiritual discipline, undertaken to purify oneself at the time of death.
It is a voluntary process, not a call for death but a careful and conscious transition.

7. The Importance of Sallekhana:

Sallekhana is essential for both monks (Shramanas) and lay disciples (Shravakas).
It is the ultimate test of one's spiritual practice. Even a lifetime of austerities can be rendered futile if one succumbs to attachment or aversion at the time of death.
Sallekhana signifies a state of supreme spiritual awareness and detachment from the body.

8. The Art of Sallekhana:

Sallekhana involves gradual reduction of intake of food and drink, along with purification of thoughts and emotions.
It's a process of weakening both the body and the passions (kashayas).
The text details the prescribed methods and durations for Sallekhana, emphasizing the importance of detachment and equanimity throughout the process.

9. Sallekhana vs. Suicide:

The text strongly differentiates Sallekhana from suicide. Suicide is seen as an act of cowardice driven by fear, despair, or unfulfilled desires.
Sallekhana, on the other hand, is a conscious, planned, and spiritually motivated act of shedding the mortal coil, undertaken with equanimity and the goal of spiritual liberation. It is an act of will and spiritual mastery, not of desperation.
It is compared to a surgeon's operation to remove a tumor to save the patient's life, where the pain is a means to a greater good.

10. Jain Perspective on Life and Death:

Jainism does not deny life but renounces attachment to it. The focus is on living a life that leads to spiritual progress.
If life becomes a hindrance to spiritual practice or causes more suffering, then letting go of the body is considered appropriate.
The ultimate goal is to achieve spiritual purity and break free from the cycle of birth and death.

11. Comparison with Other Traditions:

The text briefly touches upon the Vedic tradition's concept of Prayopavesan (fasting unto death), noting similarities and differences. It also mentions practices like Sati in the Vedic tradition, which is presented as a form of voluntary death, though viewed differently from Jain Sallekhana.
It contrasts the Jain approach with suicide in Buddhism and other traditions, highlighting the emphasis on conscious detachment and spiritual intent in Jain Sallekhana.
The text points out that Vedic traditions, while sometimes advocating for voluntary death for specific purposes, also condemn suicide as a major sin.

12. Key Features of Sallekhana:

The soul and body are distinct entities.
The soul is inherently pure and blissful, and karmic impurities cause suffering and rebirth.
Austerities, including Sallekhana, are means to purify the soul by burning away karmic matter.
Sallekhana requires complete detachment from the body and worldly possessions, and the eradication of all desires and resentments.
It is a process of self-purification and a preparation for spiritual liberation.

In essence, "Santhara Sanleshna Ek Chintan" presents Santhara and Sallekhana as profound spiritual arts, rooted in Jain philosophy, that enable individuals to consciously and peacefully relinquish their mortal bodies, thereby transcending suffering and moving towards ultimate liberation. It emphasizes that this practice is a testament to the Jain understanding of the soul's eternal nature and the transient reality of the physical body.