26 November 9-15, 2019 TheSouthAsianTimes.info THE ART OF DYING: Jain of

The news quickly spread through the Jain diaspora that two well-known embraced Sallekhana in just 2 months in India. Significantly, Sallekhana is NOT similarto or physician-assisted . It is the pious practice of voluntarily to by gradually reducing the intake of food and liquids.

By Prof Shailendra C. Palvia death by gradually reducing the intake of food and liquids. This person should hilosophers have differed on the Vidyanandji endure all the hardships, but if he/she Psubject of Life after Death or rein‑ Last day of Sallekhana: September 19, 2019 falls ill or is unable to maintain the peace carnation. Aristotle holds the sci‑ of , then he/she should give up entific version while and his mentor Sallekhana and resume taking foods and believed in the religious version. other activities. Sallekhana is considered Scientific premise asserts that after death, a pious death and is always voluntary, there is no life; it ends in eternal oblivion. undertaken after public declaration, and Religious premise states that only body never assisted with any chemicals or tools. perishes, soul survives forever; soul has The fasting causes thinning away of body eternal existence through countless cycles by withdrawing by choice food and water of birth and death. Sallekhana is relevant to oneself with full knowledge of more in the context of religious premise colleagues and spiritual counsellor. In due to the implication of better‑ some cases, Jains with ment. undertake this vow with permission from What is Sallekhana their spiritual counsellor. For a successful Sallekhana, also known as sallekhana, the death must be with "pure Samadhimaran, is a controversial reli‑ means", voluntary, planned, undertaken gious practice in which a Jain starts fast‑ with calmness, peace and joy where the ing with the intention of preparing for person accepts to scour out the body and death. Among the many practices of Jains, focuses his or her mind on spiritual such as vegetarianism, meditation, for‑ matters. giveness, and fasting, Sallekhana is the After the sallekhana vow, the ritual charya Vidyanandji took samadhi‑ of knowledge and great amount of most austere and it is practiced primarily preparation and practice can extend into maran at the age of 95. He was a research in old scripts was reflected in his by strict adherents, Jain monks and nuns. A years. The sixth part of the Ratnakaranda of exceptional caliber, actions, thinking, discourses and many Sallekhana literally means thinning out of śrāvakācāra describes Sallekhana and its vision, knowledge, and managerial skills. books written by him. the body (Kaya) as well as passions procedure as follows: Giving up solid food Many historical and landmark projects He traveled across the length and (). According to Acharya by degrees, one should take to milk and were undertaken by him to help the Jains breadth of India covering thousands of Samantbhadra in the 6th chapter of whey, then giving them up, to hot or to come together cutting across the sec‑ miles on barefoot including visit to ice Ratnakarnda Shravakachar: spiced water. [Subsequently] giving up hot tarian barriers. His command over many covered Amarnath Caves in Himalayas water also, and observing fasting with full languages (current and ancient), depth accessible only for a few days in a year. determination, he should give up his body, trying in every possible way to keep in mind the Namokar . During the Sallekhana is embracing the death Chinmayasagar Muni entire process of Sallekhana, five voluntarily when both householders and transgressions must be avoided: (a) the ascetics foresee that the end of the life is Last day of Sallekhana: October 18, 2019 desire to be reborn as a human, (b) the very near either due to old age, incurable desire to be reborn as a divinity, (c) the disease, or severe famine and there is no hinmayasagar Muni Jungle desire to continue living, (d) the desire to other option but to embrace death CWale Baba (A forest Monk) die quickly, and (e) the desire to live a peacefully. lived deep inside forests, sensual life in the next life. Other While observing Sallekhana, one doing his meditation amongst wild transgressions include: recollection of overcomes all the passions and abandons animals. Many wild animals affection for friends, recollection of the all the worldly attachments by observing were sitting around him in a calm pleasures enjoyed, and longing for the austerities such as gradually abstaining and quite mood due to the positive enjoyment of pleasures in the future. from food and water and simultaneously power of his deep meditation[1]. On Sallekhana is a vow available to both meditating on the true of the taking deeksha (embracing monk‑ Jain ascetics and householders and both until the soul departs the body. The hood), the saint travelled barefoot in men and women, including queens in Jain principle behind the special vow of several places including Uttar history. The inscriptions on rocks dating Sallekhana is that a person ‑‑ while giving Pradesh, Uttarkhand, , back to the 7th century in up this body with complete peace of mind, Rajasthan and . Unlike suggest sallekhana was originally an calmness, and patience, without any fear other religious leaders who live in ascetic practice which later extended to at all ‑‑ not only prevents the influx of the posh ashrams, Chinmay Sagar chose Jain householders. Its importance as an new but also purges the old to meditate in forests so as to be ideal death in the spiritual life of karmas which are attached to the soul, accessible to everyone. He said, householders ceased by about the 12th ultimately liberating the soul from the “Forests are open spaces and all are century. The practice was revived in 1955 cycle of birth, death and rebirth. An welcome irrespective of their religious co. His yeomen services earned him doc‑ by the monk Acharya approximate assessment of the remaining leanings.” He tirelessly worked on several torates from the universities of Sri Lanka, Shantisagara. It is estimated that some span of the life is necessary in order to projects for betterment of humanity United Kingdom and the US and visits 200 Jains fast to death each year, many of adjust to the nature of the fasting. It is the including helping millions get rid of their from world leaders to get his blessings them monks. But the fast can be ended at religious practice of voluntarily fasting to bad habits like drugs, alcohol and tobac‑ and guidance. Continued on page 27 TheSouthAsianTimes.info JAINISM November 9-15, 2019 27

Continued from page 26 Netherlands became the first country in suicide. Sources: Internet, Wikipedia, and the world to formally legalize euthanasia India's Supreme Court considered a ʻAagam ke aalok mein, samadhimaran ya any point if the person has a change of when the lower house of parliament ruling by Rajasthan state court that sallekhanaʼ (in Hindi) by Dr. Hukmachand heart. Recent happenings in India confirm approved a "Mercy Killing" Bill by a two‑ Sallekhana practice was a form of suicide Bharill. the continuation of this practice in spite of thirds majority in year 2000. Assisted and must be banned. legal challenges. suicide is legal in Switzerland, Germany, It can be construed as an attempt to Between 1800 and 1992, at least 37 Netherlands, and the US states of commit suicide and thus punishable under instances of Sallekhana are recorded in Washington, Oregon, Colorado, Hawaii, Section 309 of . Also . There were 260 and 90 Vermont, Montana, Maine, New Jersey, those who facilitate Sallekhana are recorded Sallekhana among and California, as also Washington, D.C. culpable under Section 306 on account of Svetambara and Digambara Jains By comparison, Sallekhana is a natural aiding and abetting an act of suicide. The respectively between 1993 and 2003. death since it is not induced by lethal Supreme Court overruled and stayed the Statistically, Sallekhana is undertaken injection or medication. Rajasthan court ruling until a full hearing both by men and women of all economic Is Sallekhana similar to suicide? No, it is can be scheduled. classes and among the educationally not because it is not an act of passion, nor Essentially, these penal codes forward Jains. It is observed more often does it deploy poisons or weapons. criminalize suicide. Are eastern religions by women than men. According to Jainism, Sallekhana is a non‑ being judged by the standards of Western violent and peaceful way of leaving the law inherited from Britain, including the Is Sallekhana similar world when bodily functions had statute that makes suicide a crime? to euthanasia, assisted significantly deteriorated and no Nobody knows how the Supreme Court death, or suicide? meaningful living was possible. Instead of will ultimately rule. Jain community it being a mournful end, argued that prohibiting the practice is a Is Sallekhana similar to euthanasia or views death as a welcome gateway to the violation of their , a physician‑? Assisted death next birth. Like many of India's great fundamental right guaranteed by Article is a model that includes both what has religions, followers of Jainism believe in 15 and Article 25 of the Constitution of been called physician‑assisted "suicide" and . Not eating is a India. Dr. Shailendra C. Palvia is and voluntary active euthanasia. nonviolent way to detach from this life Some will argue that choosing Professor of MIS at Long Island Physician‑assisted suicide entails making and prepare for the next while purifying Sallekhana for death is an evil similar to University (LIU) Post. An invited lethal means available to the patient to be the soul. All religions emphasize the art of (when a widow used to jump over the speaker to several countries, he used at a of the patient's own living. burning pyre of her dead husband). has led several initiatives choosing and provides the opportunity for Jain religion goes beyond and also Clearly, there was no free will of the including a world class journal teaches the art of dying. The preparation widows in such cases and they became the patient to change his or her mind up and annual international to the last moment. By contrast, voluntary for sallekhana must begin early, much victims of the cruel tradition perpetrated active euthanasia entails the physician before the approach of death, and when and perpetuated by men. conferences. He was Fulbright‐ taking an active role in carrying out the death is imminent, the vow of Sallekhana Finally, it is important to note that 25% Nehru Senior Research Scholar patient's request, and usually involves is observed by progressively reducing the of Medicareʼs annual spending in USA is 2016‐17. Dr. Palvia is an ardent intravenous delivery of a lethal substance. body and the passions. used by the 5% of patients during the last follower of Jainism and has Euthanasia contains a much smaller One can argue that a person who kills 12 months of their lives. Religious attended several biennial JAINA chance for mistakes and may be necessary himself by means like poison, weapon, like Sallekhana can conventions. e‐mail: in cases where a patient is too sick for hanging, drowning is swayed by drastically cut down such astronomically [email protected]; attachment, aversion or infatuation. But high medical expenses in aggressive self‑administration, or no longer capable Ph: 732‐983‐7034. of swallowing, holding down food, or he who practices holy death is free from measures undertaken to prolong the lives absorbing oral medication. desire, anger and delusion. Hence it is not of the dying. Immigration By Michael Phulwani, Esq. and Dev B. Viswanath, Esq. When petitioner dies after petition approved:

f an individual applies for a Humanitarian Reinstatement green card through a relative Iwho is a Lawful Permanent from a substitute sponsor or Form 4 If the beneficiary had waited cannot be appealed and therefore Resident or US Citizen, but the VISA I‑864W, for an exemption. The an unusually long time for the if denied the beneficiary will need Petitioner passes away before the substitute sponsor must meet the case to be processed and the delay to find a different way of getting application process is complete, following requirements: is because of the government. an immigrant visa or green card. the individual may still receive 4 A U.S. citizen, national, or If the humanitarian reinstate‑ But it also does not preclude the their green card, in some circum‑ TALK lawful permanent resident; ment request is granted USCIS will beneficiary from filing for rein‑ stances. The principal beneficiary 4 18 years old or older; and notify the beneficiary and send its statement again, if more equities may request humanitarian rein‑ ment application. The request 4 Be the beneficiaryʼs spouse, decision to either the Department are discovered or if they have new statement of a petition only if the would normally include the follow‑ parent, mother‑in‑law, father‑in‑ of State or to the USCIS officer legal counsel who may have the petition had already been ing documents (but this is at a law, sibling, child, son, daughter, processing the beneficiaryʼs ability to present a stronger case approved before the death of the minimum): son‑in‑law, daughter‑in‑law, sister‑ adjustment case, if they are out‑ than previously submitted. This is petitioner. Humanitarian reinstate‑ 4 The name of the primary in‑law, brother‑in‑law, grandpar‑ side the U.S. If the humanitarian a great form of relief for people ment is a discretionary form of beneficiary and the deceased peti‑ ent, grandchild, or legal guardian. reinstatement request is not grant‑ and families when they have relief which means the positive tionerʼs name; When deciding on whether or ed USCIS will notify the benefici‑ already suffered the loss of a loved factors for granting the petition 4 The receipt number of the not to grant request humanitarian ary in writing. USCISʼs decision one. must be significant. petition; reinstatement USCIS considers There is no form or fee required 4 of the many factors such as: Dev Banad Viswanath is the Principal Attorney of The when asking for humanitarian deceased petitioner; 4 If the beneficiary is elderly or Banad Law Offices PC in the United States, and Banad Immigration in India for which Attorney reinstatement. The primary bene‑ 4 A substitute sponsor; in poor health; Michael Phulwani is also affiliated as Of Counsel. With ficiary must make a written 4 Proof of the substitute spon‑ 4 How long the beneficiary had Offices in Manhattan, Queens, Bangalore, and Mumbai, request with supporting evidence sorʼs relationship to the benefici‑ resided in the U.S.; the firm is able to assist clients with all facets of the to the USCIS office that had origi‑ ary; and 4 If the beneficiary has strong immigration process, including Employment Visas, nally approved the petition. If the 4 Any evidence showing that a ties to their home country; Consular Visa Assistance, Student Visas, Removal & beneficiary had already properly favorable exercise of discretion 4 The impact of revocation on Deportation, US Citizenship and Green Card filed an application for adjustment should be given to the beneficiary. the family living in the U.S., espe‑ Applications based on Family or Employment. Dev B. of status with USCIS then the If the beneficiary was required cially on the family who are U.S. Viswanath can be reached at [email protected] and 718‑361‑5999. Dev will be working from the India request for reinstatement should to have Form I‑864 and the peti‑ citizens or lawful permanent resi‑ offices from November 5th to November 20th for any be sent to the USCIS office that tioner dies, the beneficiary must dents or other relatives lawfully assistance or consultations. has jurisdiction over the adjust‑ either have a new Form I‑864 living in the U.S.; and