Santhara - Questions Regarding Legality

Questions Regarding Legality

Like most Dharmic religious traditions, Jainism considers suicide a wrong that only retains the karma from the current life and does not allow escape from the cycle of births and rebirths. Suicide involves an intentional act of harm against oneself with a known outcome that negatively affects those left behind. With Sallekhana, death is welcomed through a peaceful, tranquil process providing peace of mind for everyone involved.

Because people who take the vow of Sallekhana are elevated to a position of reverence, admiration and worship, it is difficult to parse out the individual’s true intentions in taking the vow of Sallekhana. For some, Sallekhana is probably motivated by belief alone. For others, their decision to end their life may be motivated by reasons ranging from the economic hardship to the desire for redemption for some bad act. Regardless of the motives, speaking out against Sallekhana is rare and it is commonly understood in the Jain community that preventing or interrupting Sallekhana is not required as individuals who do it are in full control of their own intellect. It is never done by someone because of poverty or illness as it would simply prolong a long process. Statistically Sallekhana is undertaken by more women than men and some have argued that in this way Sallekhana serves as a means of coercing widows and elderly relatives into taking their own lives.