mind but was unable to gain final liberation due to illness. While believing himself again in a state of temporary liberation it occurred to him to cut his own throat, in hopes thus to be reborn in a high realm. The Buddha was said to have stated: Ultimately, tales like these could be read as implying past Buddhist beliefs that suicide might be acceptable in certain circumstances if it might lead to non-attachment. In both above cases, the monks were not enlightened before dying by suicide but they hoped to become enlightened following their deaths. The Channovàda-sutra gives a third exceptional example of one who died by suicide and subsequently attained enlightenment. In an entry in The Encyclopedia of Religion, Marilyn J. Harran wrote the following: Sokushinbutsu in Japanese Buddhism involves asceticism to the point of death and entering mummification while alive. This is done to attain Buddha-nature in one's body. Hinduism In Hinduism, suicide is spiritually unacceptable. Generally, taking your own life is considered a violation of the code of ahimsa (non-violence) and therefore equally sinful as murdering another. Some scriptures state that to die by suicide (and any type of violent death) results in becoming a ghost, wandering earth until the time one would have otherwise died, had one not died by suicide. The Mahabharata talks of suicide, stating those who commit it can never attain to regions (of heaven) that are blessed. [not in citation given] Hinduism accepts a person's right to end one's life through Prayopavesa. Prayopavesa is for old age yogis who have no desire or ambition left, and no responsibilities remaining in this life. Another example is dying in a battle to save one's honor. Jainism In Jainism, suicide is regarded as the worst form of himsā (violence) and is not permitted. Ahimsā (nonviolence) is the fundamental doctrine of Jainism. According to the Jain text Puruşārthasiddhyupāya, "when death is near" the vow of sallekhanā (fasting to death) is observed by properly thinning the body and the passions. It also mentions that sallekhanā is not suicide since the person observing it is devoid of all passions like attachment. Abrahamic religions Christianity There is no express biblical warrant condemning and prohibiting suicide, and there are persons mentioned within the Bible who die by suicide. Depending on a denomination's canon of books, there are six or eleven suicides mentioned in the Bible. On the other hand, the