The Jaina Theory of Samlekhana: A Critique

Summary

T. G. Kalghatgi’s article examines the Jain practice of samlekhanā—voluntary and gradual fasting unto death—and addresses misconceptions that equate it with suicide. The essay begins by situating samlekhanā within a broader Indian context where acts of fasting to achieve political or religious goals have sometimes been condemned. Kalghatgi notes that Jain scriptures condemn violent or coercive forms of death and emphasise non‑violence. For the Jains, samlekhanā is a disciplined austerity undertaken to purify the soul and attain liberation when ordinary living becomes untenable. It is practiced either as an emergency measure during famine, foreign invasion, incurable disease or old age, or as the final stage of a rigorous spiritual career following gradual stages of renunciation. The article stresses that samlekhanā requires the permission of a teacher and must be performed without desire for life or death; practitioners must cultivate equanimity, conquer passions and detach themselves from worldly attachments. Kalghatgi outlines mental and physical preparations described in texts such as the Ratnakaraṇḍa Śrāvakācāra: practitioners first seek forgiveness and forgive others, then gradually reduce their intake from solid food to liquids and finally water. Two forms of samlekhanā are distinguished: kasāya samlekhanā (mental discipline) and kāya samlekhanā (gradual fasting). The essay argues that samlekhanā cannot be classified as suicide because it lacks the intention to kill and arises from detachment rather than aversion or craving; suicide in the legal sense involves volitional self‑destruction driven by passion. The article cites scriptural and historical sources to show that samlekhanā is seen as the highest form of tapas and an honourable culmination of spiritual striving. It compares the practice to similar injunctions in Hindu texts and differentiates it from other ascetic or suicide practices in Jainism, Buddhism and Hinduism. By emphasising the ethical framework and strict guidelines surrounding samlekhanā, Kalghatgi seeks to dispel misunderstandings and present the practice as a legitimate, compassionate way to embrace death when life can no longer support spiritual progress.