Jainism and Karnataka Culture

SR No.: 011062
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: S R Sharma
Publisher: Karnataka Historical Research Society Dharwar
Publication Year: 1940
Total Pages: 263
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 9 MB

Page 239

APPENDICËS
193 was made up of soul and body; matter was the bondage of the spirit. Liberation of the soul from material bondage was the Ideal. What could be more logical then, than to train the soul like the caterpillar to slowly but surely relinquish the cocoon? Misguided you might call them, but no better test of the hold of a religion upon the mind of a people could be given. The number of people who died by this vow is certainly impressive. It is not every instance that occurs that is recorded; yet no less than 94 individual cases are recorded at Sravana Belgoļa alone, besides the 700 who are said to have followed the example of Prabhācandra in performing Sallékhana noted in SB No. 1. The other inscriptions of Śravaņa Beļgoļa which record such deaths are Nos. 11,64-66, 117, 118, 126-129, 159, 389 and 477 and eighty others. The earliest goes back to the 7th century A. D. These include both men and women, mostly monks and puns: 64 males and 16 females. Out of these 48 of the former and 11 of the latter died between the 7th and 8th centuries. Samādhi and Sanyasana are the synonyms of Sallékhana used in the epigraphs.
According to the Dharmāmita by Aśädhara, “Firm faith in Jainism, observance of Anu-guna- and sikşa-vratas, and sallékhana according to rules at the time of death-these complete the duties of a householder."
But Sallékhana was not to be performed without the guru's permission, as evidenced by Samantabhadra.10 It was to be performed only in cases where ordinary death was felt imminent, as
उपसर्ग दुभिधे जरसि रुजायां च निःप्रतीकारे ।
धर्माय तनुविमोचनमाहुः सल्लेखनामार्याः ॥१॥ Even then, it was to be done according to rule
सल्लेखनायां भव्यैनियमेनप्रयत्नतः कर्तव्योऽत आह:अंतःक्रियाधिकरणं तपः फलं सकलदर्शिनः मुक्ते।
तस्मायावद्विभवं समाधिमरणे प्रतितम्यम् ॥२॥ 9 Of. Ep. Car. II Introd., pp. 69-70. 10 Ibid., p. 83 2. 4.