Sallekhana (ritual fast unto death under strict conditions)
E872370
Sallekhana is a Jain religious vow of voluntarily embracing a gradual, disciplined fast unto death, undertaken under strict ethical and spiritual conditions to purify the soul and detach from worldly ties.
Observed surface forms (1)
| Surface form | Occurrences |
|---|---|
| Sallekhana | 0 |
Statements (52)
| Predicate | Object |
|---|---|
| instanceOf |
Jain religious vow
ⓘ
ritual fast unto death ⓘ |
| appliesWhen |
old age with incurable disease
ⓘ
severe physical incapacity that hinders spiritual practice ⓘ terminal illness ⓘ |
| associatedConcept |
ahimsa
ⓘ
aparigraha ⓘ karmic shedding ⓘ samyak darshan ⓘ spiritual austerity ⓘ vairagya ⓘ |
| culturalRegion | primarily practiced in India ⓘ |
| ethicalCondition |
must be based on full awareness and consent
ⓘ
must be free from external coercion ⓘ must be undertaken with spiritual intent rather than despair ⓘ must be undertaken without passion or aversion ⓘ must be voluntary ⓘ should be approved or guided by a spiritual teacher ⓘ should be undertaken when death is imminent or body is no longer capable of spiritual practice ⓘ should not be motivated by desire for fame or recognition ⓘ should not be used to escape worldly responsibilities improperly ⓘ |
| goal |
attainment of spiritual equanimity at death
ⓘ
detachment from worldly ties ⓘ purification of the soul ⓘ |
| hasAlternativeName |
Isth Maran
ⓘ
Panchapada NERFINISHED ⓘ Samadhi-marana ⓘ Santhara NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| historicalPractice | recorded among both Digambara and Svetambara Jains ⓘ |
| legalStatusDebate |
compared with euthanasia in public discourse
ⓘ
subject of legal and ethical controversy in modern India ⓘ |
| practicedBy |
Jain laymen
ⓘ
Jain laywomen ⓘ Jain monks ⓘ Jain nuns NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| process |
accompanied by confession and repentance
ⓘ
accompanied by forgiveness of all beings ⓘ accompanied by meditation and prayer ⓘ accompanied by recitation of scriptures or mantras ⓘ accompanied by seeking forgiveness from others ⓘ gradual reduction of food intake ⓘ gradual reduction of water intake ⓘ progressive renunciation of bodily needs ⓘ |
| religion | Jainism ⓘ |
| requires |
long-term preparation in vows and discipline
ⓘ
mental stability and clarity ⓘ renunciation of attachment to body and possessions ⓘ |
| textualSource |
discussed in Jain Agamas
ⓘ
discussed in later Jain commentaries ⓘ |
| viewedAsByJains |
culmination of a disciplined spiritual life
ⓘ
distinct from suicide ⓘ non-violent death ⓘ |
Referenced by (1)
Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.