Category:Sallekhana
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The devout Jains, specially munis, accept death as a natural part of life. Death is renewal, since it is shedding of one body by the eternal soul, and taking up another one. Many of them, when the end of life is imminent, gradually give up food and other sustainance and enter the final stage of samadhi, which is termed sallekhana or "santharo". Some of the non-Jain Hindu spiritual scholars like Vinoba Bhave have also undertaken salekhana.
The Jains accept medical treatment, and many of the distinguished doctors in India are Jain. However generally they regard artificial prolongment of life unnecessary.
