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On Samlekhanā or Suspension of Aliment
NATHMAL TATIA
CAMLEKHANĀ or suspension of food and drink with a view to face
death peacefully, undisturbed by worldly thoughts, is an important item of the Jaina code of spiritual discipline. We propose to consider the rational aspects of this dogma and also refer to a similar practice in Brāhmaṇism and Buddhism.
Life and will to live without any ulterior purpose and end have very little significance for the spiritual aspirant. Hedonistic ethics which sets forth pleasure as the end of life has not carried conviction to serious contemplative thinkers. It fails to draw the line of demarcation between life of the brute and life of the man. Apart from the question whether the world abounds in pleasure or pain, the aspirant for perfection is not satisfied with the present set up in spite of his capacity for amelioration. It is the presupposition of all religions that human life is susceptible to infinite improvement which reaches consummation in infinite perfection in every dimension. Life is thus a means for this consummation. When by age, disease and decrepitude of powers, a human being finds himself incapable of spiritual and moral advance and the physical existence becomes rather a handicap, a Jaina is asked to strive to get rid of this handicap by samlekhan, or suspension of food and drink till death. It is misery in excelsis to
1 Tattvārthabhäsya, VII. 17
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