Sallekhana: The Art of Dying

Sallekhana is a sacred spiritual discipline in which the body gradually weakens while the soul grows ever purer. At the physical level, it is known as kāya sallekhanā, in which the body is gradually reduced. At the spiritual level, it is kaṣāya sallekhana, where inner passions such as anger, pride, deceit, greed, jealousy, envy, and similar impurities are gradually diminished.
Thus, just as the mind gradually detaches from the body, the passions are also reduced. With growing inner peace , the practitioner progressively relinquishes the body. The word sallekhana is derived from sat and lekhana. Sat means "in the proper manner" — without any pressure and without any ulterior motives. Lekhana means ‘to diminish.’ This process of diminishing takes place both externally and internally. Externally, the body is reduced step by step. Internally, at the level of the soul, karmas attached to the soul are diminished, and one rises above mental pleasure and pain. As the mind gradually detaches from the body, spiritual strength enhances with an attitude of equanimity.