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Re: REQUEST: How is suicide viewed in the Hindu religion?
Suicide is considered a major sin , according to the Dharmashastras, and
carries a severe penalty in terms of number of births to be retaken as a
result of the action. The primary explanantion for this is that by not
'living out' your karma so to speak, you are short-changing the jeevan-
samsaara sequence man must go through to ultimately attain liberation.
That is why you will see in virtually all our great Puraanaas, individuals
going through untold suffering, still attempting to realize the Truth ,
through their suffering. From a social connotation point of view, it became
part of the tradition to strongly condemn and discourage so that people do
not abdicate their various responsibilities in life (e.g. if a depressed
mother or father committs suicide, and leaves the children helpless). This
social concept was reinforced through religious doctrine. Suicide however,
is not, as far as I know, one of the sapta-mahaa-paapaas stated in the
Dharmashaastras.
Prabhu
