Sallekhana: Embracing Death

Jainism is one of the oldest religion that is known to the world. The founder of Jainism, Mahavira, who was the last of the twenty four tirthankaras that is the divine teachers. There are three ethical tenets of Jainism they are (i) right faith, (ii) right knowledge and (iii) right conduct. The Jains strictly believe and accept no violence. They have a very different diet as keeping in mind that no violence should be committed against animals though it may be for their eating or clothing purposes. They believe that salvation can only be attained when one has achieved all these three important tenets and to attain these tenets they regularly keep on fasting. One such kind of fasting is Sallekhana Vrata, in this Vrata one peacefully gives worldly pleasures and attachments and to give up food and water and embrace death slowly. Sallekhana has been in controversies lately believing it to be a suicide or a process of euthanasia. It was also stated that Sallekhana is violating Article 21 that is Right to life. For anyone to take vow of Sallekhana there has to be some prescribed conditions. Sallekhana holds very important and glorifying value as the Founder Mahavira had fasted for a very long time. Even Bhadrababu and Chandragupta Maurya had this ritual fasting to their death.