Investigating The Matter Of Euthanasia: Insights From Buddhist And Jain Perspectives

Abstract

The problem of euthanasia has been a throughly discussed problem in the contemporary world. It is a controversial issue for the reason that it involves the intentional killing of a human life. Euthanasia may be defined as an action in which a person is intentionally killed or allowed to die because it is believed that the individual would be better if dead. For example, in the case of an irreversible coma, or the vegetative state or the brain dead state where there is no chance of revival. Etymologically the word euthanasia is derived from two Greek words eu which means 'well' or good', and thanatos which means 'death'. When it comes to make questions like whether euthanasia is ever justified, Buddhism in fact does not really have a standard set of answers. The Buddhist approach to ethics is to say that what we need to do is to develop our virtues. In Jainism, the concept euthanasia is related to the ethical code of conduct Sallekhana, which is also known as samlehna, santhara, samadhi-marana or sanyasana- marana, it is a supplementary vow to the ethical code of conduct of Jainism.