A report on Jainism and Sallekhana

The hand symbolizes Ahiṃsā, the wheel dharmachakra, the resolve to halt saṃsāra (transmigration).

Nishidhi, a 14th-century memorial stone depicting the observance of the vow of Sallekhana with old Kannada inscription. Found at Tavanandi forest, Karnataka, India.

Classification of Saṃsāri Jīvas (transmigrating souls) in Jainism

An inscription (No.130) in memory of Vinayadevasena who observed Sallekhana. 7th-century Kannada script. Found at Shravanbelgola, Karnataka, India.

Lord Neminatha, Akota Bronzes (7th century)

Doddahundi nishidhi inscription was raised in honor of Western Ganga King Nitimarga I in 869 CE who observed Sallekhana.

Jain miniature painting of 24 tirthankaras, Jaipur, c. 1850

The chamber for the ascetics to observe Sallekhana at Udayagiri hills, Odisha, India

Jain temple painting explaining Anekantavada with Blind men and an elephant

A Jain monk in meditation, wearing the characteristic white robe and face covering

Nishidhi stone, depicting the vow of sallekhana, 14th century, Karnataka

Praying at the feet of a statue of Bahubali

Jain worship may include ritual offerings and recitals.

Celebrating Das Lakshana (Paryushana), Jain Center of America, New York City

The birth of Mahavira, from the Kalpa Sūtra (c.1375–1400 CE)

A symbol to represent the Jain community was chosen in 1975 as part of the commemoration of the 2,500th anniversary of Mahavira’s nirvana.

Rishabhdev, believed to have lived over 592.704×1018 years ago, is considered the traditional founder of Jainism.

The ruins of Gori Jain temples in Nagarparkar, Pakistan, a pilgrimage site before 1947.

Saavira Kambada Basadi, Moodbidri, Karnataka

Sallekhana (IAST: ), also known as samlehna, santhara, samadhi-marana or sanyasana-marana, is a supplementary vow to the ethical code of conduct of Jainism.

- Sallekhana

The Sallekhana (or Santhara) vow is a "religious death" ritual observed at the end of life, historically by Jain monks and nuns, but rare in the modern age.

- Jainism

6 related topics with Alpha

Jain Śrāvaka praying at Gommateshwara statue

Śrāvaka (Jainism)

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In Jainism, the word Śrāvaka or Sāvaga (from Jain Prakrit) is used to refer the Jain laity (householder).

The Sallekhana, a voluntary vow of self-starvation if the vows are impossible to uphold by reducing eating of food and partaking of liquids or die while engrossed in meditation with equanimity of mind.

Ratnakaranda śrāvakācāra

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Ratnakaranda śrāvakācāra is a Jain text composed by Aacharya Samantbhadra Swamy (second century CE), an acharya of the Digambara sect of Jainism.

6) Sallekhanā

Rashtrakuta dynasty

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Rashtrakuta (IAST: ) (r.

Kashivishvanatha temple at Pattadakal, Karnataka

Jain Narayana temple at Pattadakal, Karnataka

A stanza from the 9th century Kannada classic Kavirajamarga, praising the people for their literary skills

Kailasa temple, is one of the largest rock-cut ancient Hindu temples located in Ellora.

The early kings of this dynasty were influenced by Hinduism and the later kings by Jainism.

Indra IV, the last emperor, committed Sallekhana (fasting unto death practised by Jain monks) at Shravanabelagola.

Western Ganga dynasty

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Important ruling dynasty of ancient Karnataka in India which lasted from about 350 to 1000 CE.

Old Kannada inscription of c. 726 CE, discovered in Talakad, from the rule of King Shivamara I or Sripurusha

Ganga Dynasty emblem on a 10th-century copper plate

The Panchakuta Basadi, Kambadahalli was an important center of Jainism during the Ganga period.

Gangas of Talakad (Western Gangas). Circa 1080-1138 AD

A mantapa (hall) at the Jain Panchakuta basadi of 9th–10th century at Kambadahalli

Gommateshwara at Shravanabelagola (982–983) C.E.

Kalleshwara Temple Complex, built in the 10th century by the Nolambas, a Western Ganga feudatory, at Aralaguppe in the Tumkur district

Hero stone (870–906 A.D.) with old Kannada inscription at Kalleshvara temple in Aralaguppe

The famous Atakur inscription (949 C.E.), a classical Kannada composition pertaining to the Western Ganga-Rashtrakuta victory over the Chola dynasty of Tanjore in the famous battle of Takkolam

Mahasthambha (pillar) and Chandragupta Basadi at Chandragiri Hill in Shravanabelagola

Chandragiri hill temple complex at Shravanabelagola

Ceiling sculpture, Panchakuta Basadi, Kambadahalli

Chavundaraya basadi on Chandragiri hill in Shravanabelagola temple complex

Old Kannada inscription at the base of Gomateshwara monolith in Shravanabelagola (981 CE.)

The famous Begur inscription in old Kannada, dated to c. 908–938 CE, from the rule of Western Ganga dynasty King Ereyappa.

The Western Ganga kings showed benevolent tolerance to all faiths but are most famous for their patronage toward Jainism resulting in the construction of monuments in places such as Shravanabelagola and Kambadahalli.

Ritual death by sallekhana and by jalasamadhi (drowning in water) were also practiced.

Medieval stone relief at Digambara pilgrimage site Shravanabelagola, Karnataka. It has been interpreted as Bhadrabahu and Chandragupta Maurya, but some disagree.

Chandragupta Maurya

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Ruler of Iron Age South Asia who expanded a geographically-extensive kingdom based in Magadha and founded the Maurya dynasty.

Statue of Shepherd Chandragupta Maurya at Parliament of India

7th-century Bhadrabahu inscription at Shravanabelagola (Sanskrit, Purvahale Kannada script). This is the oldest inscription at the site, and it mentions Bhadrabahu and Prabhacandra. Lewis Rice and Digambara Jains interpret Prabhacandra to be Chandragupta Maurya, while others such as J F Fleet, V. R. Ramachandra Dikshitar, and Svetambara Jains state this interpretation is wrong.

Chandragupta's guru was Chanakya, with whom he studied as a child and with whose counsel he built the Empire. This image is a 1915 artistic portrait of Chanakya.

Chandragupta had defeated the remaining Macedonian satrapies in the northwest of the Indian subcontinent by 317 BCE.

A modern statue depicting Chandragupta Maurya, Laxminarayan Temple, Delhi

Silver punch mark coin of the Maurya empire, with symbols of wheel and elephant (3rd century BCE)

1,300 years Old Shravanabelagola relief shows death of Chandragupta after taking the vow of Sallekhana. Some consider it about the legend of his arrival with Bhadrabahu.

A statue depicting Chandrgupta Maurya (right) with his spiritual mentor Acharya Bhadrabahu at Shravanabelagola.

Chandragupta Maurya having 16 auspicious dreams in Jainism

The Footprints of Chandragupta Maurya on Chandragiri Hill, where Chandragupta (the unifier of India and founder of the Maurya Dynasty) performed Sallekhana.

According to the Jain accounts dated to 800 years after his death, Chandragupta abdicated his throne and became a Jain monk, traveled away from his empire to South India and committed sallekhana or fasting to death.

Buddhism, Jainism and Ajivika gained prominence alongside Vedic and Brahmanistic traditions, and minority religions such as Zoroastrianism and the Greek pantheon were respected.

Shantisagar

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Acharyas of the Shantisagar parampara, Virasagar, Shivsagar, Dharmsagar, Ajitsagar, Vardhmansagar, Posters at Paporaji

Acharya Shri Shantisagar (1872–1955) was an Indian monk of the Digambara school of the Jain faith.

On 18 September 1955, he completed the practice of Sallekhana, a gradual reducing of intake of fluid and food leading to death.