What is salekhana

Salekhana (also spelled sallekhana or santhara) is the Jain rite of voluntary fasting unto death. It is practiced with complete equanimity and self-control, typically when a person consciously decides that death is near and continues the process until life ends.

Key points:

• It is not suicide. It is a disciplined, voluntary spiritual practice aimed at purifying karma and freeing the soul from attachments.
• The process is gradual: it involves a steady reduction of food and drink under the guidance of a Jain teacher/guru, with careful attention to physical and mental health.
• It is undertaken with the intention of spiritual progress and to cultivate detachment, not out of despair or fear.
• There are differences in emphasis between Digambar and Śvetāmbar traditions, but the core idea—voluntary, planned fasting with spiritual intent—remains shared.

If you’d like, I can give you a simple breakdown of how it is described in the Jain scriptures and how each tradition views it.