--- On Sun, 12/13/09, Frederick Noronha <[email protected]> wrote: > > Is Samadhi the same as suicide? Here's another view: >
Here are the legal and medical definitions of suicide, which apply to the act of taking a samadhi, prayopavesa or santhara: Suicide - "The voluntary and intentional act of taking one’s own life." http://www.yourdictionary.com/law/suicide Suicide - "The act of causing one's own death." http://www.medterms.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=24337 Please note that it says nothing about whether the person "is still very much in need and aware of his/her physical self". Also please note the quote below which indicates that a fast unto death is acceptable in Hinduism: "Prayopavesa, or fasting to death, is an acceptable way for a Hindu to end their life in certain circumstances." ....quoted by Admin. F. Noronha from a BBC website It is understandable that devout Hindus would try to find whatever sophistic justifications and rationalizations they can to deny the fact that these acts constitute suicide. The claim that fast unto death is not suicide because it is "non-violent" and "natural" takes the cake in this regard. Please see: http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/hinduism/hinduethics/euthanasia.shtml I wonder if murder can also be justified in this manner. I am pretty sure no life insurance company would buy these contrived rationalizations. Cheers, Santosh --- On Sun, 12/13/09, Frederick Noronha <[email protected]> wrote: > >Here i'd like to clear that Samadhi is NOT suicide, as in > suicide one > kills oneself because because he/she is still very much in > need and > aware of his/her physical self. Whereas a Samadhi is taken > by a person > who alleviates himself above the physical constraints of > the body and > dwells in the form of the soul even while using the body. > Such a state > is very rare to attain and many a great sages n seers live > in pursuit > of this goal > http://in.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20070917040251AAnF9gu >
