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 Live with Dignity - Die with Dignity

 To Uphold Human Dignity, 

Peaceful End-of-Life is a Blessing

 

Life is all about Human Dignity. Life and death go together and a person cannot have a dignified life without a dignified death. 

But, it doesn't happen that way because death is still such a taboo. We have broken the taboos of sexuality and mental health etc. but we still don't talk about dignified death openly.

It is high time we appreciate and support dignified death via end-of-life choices to save our loved ones from the pain and humiliation in their old age. Choosing your end-of-life (EOL) option is not suicide, rather it’s a choice of ‘dignity over longevity’.

Secondly, life is a journey and according to the ancient wisdom, it requires 72 kinds of skills out of which the 'art of living' and the 'art of dying' are the most crucial. Exercising EOL option is nothing but an 'art of dying' with peace & dignity. 

In ancient times, exercising your EOL option was seen as a transcendental virtue and a matter of honour. On this basis, there used to be various provisions in the society. Many great men, like Bhishma Pitamah, Lord Ram, Swami Ramtirtha, Acharya Vinoba Bhave etc. also chose their EOL options, and set an example that voluntarily leaving the mortal body can also be a divine and honourable experience.

1. Lord Ram left his mortal body voluntarily 

Lord Ram, while seated on his throne,  suddenly announced that "Now there is no purpose left for me to live. Therefore I want to leave my mortal body." The people present around, who loved him very much, requested him not to do so, but Lord Ram went to the Saryu river, some disciples also went with him, and voluntarily renounced his mortal body.  In today's language, one can say that he committed suicide but there is a lot of difference between adopting an EOL option and suicide.

 

2. Exercising your EOL option is not suicide 

Although both involve the sacrifice of the mortal body, suicide arises from a negative connotation, but exercising EOL option is the result of a highly positive and dignified outlook. Suicide is the name of giving up, and leaving the journey of life midway whereas EOL option gives you a dignified closure of the journey after its culmination. 

The basis of suicide is a kind of weakness whereas choosing your EOL option is a bold statement - 'My life, My death, My decision'.

Also, according to religious scriptures the soul is immortal, the soul doesn't die.  As far as leaving the mortal body is concerned, it has to happen, if not today then tomorrow. Then, why not to end it gracefully!

3. Acceptance of EOL options

Often the body gets diseases in old age, and the scriptures say even to this extent that Old age is a disease in itself, which is called 'Zara Rog'. And, to save oneself from the suffering, pain and humiliation, many EOL options have been prevalent, like in Jainism it is called 'Santhara', and in ancient Indian Hindu tradition, it's called 'Prayopaveshan'.

There are many countries like Switzerland, Australia, Netherlands, Canada, Colombia, Spain etc., where EOL options are honoured and also have constitutional recognition from the government.

Even from the constitutional point of view, 'Right to life' is the fundamental right of any human being, and the right to life includes the right to die.  The right to life is incomplete in itself without the right to die, that too in a dignified manner.

 

4. Right time for exercising EOL option

ANYTIME IS RIGHT TIME. When an individual feels like, is the right time. No one else has any right over life (and death) of anyone else. 

There have been many great people in history who exercised their EOL option. This is a very pure and sacred sacrament, which is achieved only from a very high state of mind when a person, knowing the transience and futility of this world, rises above the attachments associated with it.

In fact, he lives life so completely that his mind rises above pleasures and desires, his will to live ends, he decides to leave his mortal body, such is his state of transcendental consciousness.  Also, according to religious scriptures, the right time to exercise the auspicious EOL option is when only three things – eating, drinking and sleeping – are left in life, and life becomes a burden on others.

 

5. Some examples from history

•  Acharya Vinoba Bhave, who was honored with awards like 'Magsaysay' and 'Bharat Ratna', also exercised his EOL option. He voluntarily left his mortal body in 1982, by adopting 'Prayopaveshan' - an ancient tradition of Indian Hindu culture which includes giving up water and food. This transcendental state is considered as the highest achievement of his spiritual life.

• Swami Ramtirtha at the age of just 32, exercised his EOL option by voluntarily jumping from a high peak and dedicating his mortal body to the holy river Ganga.

• When Guru Arjan Dev Ji Maharaj had to sit on a hot plate, considering his physical condition, he expressed his desire to take a bath in the river Ravi flowing nearby, and left his mortal body there.

• The practice of Jauhar that existed among the Rajput kings was also another form of EOL option. The concept was similar that if the times ahead are going to be that of slavery, rape and torture etc, then in such situations dying is better than living. So, willfully leaving the body was like a blessing.

 

6. From a social point of view 

When we look at such a topic from a social point of view, it may seem as if this philosophy is against life or is a result of some mental illness like depression.  But the enlightened people know that EOL option is not a negative thought, rather it is a choice for a dignified closure of life.  Life is a journey, it has to end, so why not end this journey in a dignified way!

And when we look at this topic from health point of view then often in old age, physical conditions and dependence increase so much that life has no meaning left, and practically only eating, sleeping and hospital-visits  remain.  At such a time, leaving the mortal body is absolutely appropriate because in this situation, a person becomes a cause of suffering for himself, his family and also a burden on the society.  In the modern times, it may seem that hospital visits in the old age, may prolong our lives, but the truth is that they often prolong our suffering.

 

Conclusion

Exercising EOL option is a blessing.  May the end of life's journey be dignified. Let it not be full of sorrows, pain and humiliation, let it not become a burden on the world. 

Let everyone complete one's life journey with a smile and self-respect, and leave behind a sweet and beautiful memory. Such humanitarian sentiments can be achieved by adopting and promoting EOL options.