The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-12-16

The author begins with an historical sketch of
suicide In early times. 1t is plain that the
teachings of Brahminism powerfully favor the
commission of suicide. To the Brahmins, life Is
. curse. q thing to be got rid OF rs soon as possi-
BILE. The one object Is to have done with life
and the world. and get back to rest In Brahma.
This. however, could only be attained by a GER
tain number Of painful sojourns upon earth. be-
coming less painful as the soul became purer.
As . consequence Of this belief, when tho Brah-
min thought he had gone some way in the puri-
ncation Of his soul by prayer and other spiritual
exercises, ho hurried from tho world. By this
act he not only shortened the period OF separa-
ton from God, but, In his next Incarnation, he
entered upon . life purer and happier than that
which he had given up. Numbers Of persons
who felt themselves doomed TO many more
transmigrations In penalty for sin. and were dis
satisfied with their present condition, would
commit suicide in tho hope OF improving them
by the next incarnation: for of the sInfulness Of
suicide there seems not TO have been the slight
est suspicion. Among the diseased and other
wise AFFLICTED, As would naturally DO expected,
suicide was even moro common than among the
healthy. Tho former had . double incentive
to the act OF tho thousands who annually
sought and found an end OF life In the Ganges
or other sacred streams. or beneath the wheels
OF the car OF Juggernaut, q majority were prob
ably the victims OF religious fanatieism; but
very many also were impelled by tho de-
sire to escape physical sufferinGs. Indeed,
1t the present day 1t is a widely prevalent
custom for those attacked by an incurable dis
ease or by q tedious and painful illness to put
an end 20 their existence in some sacred river.
Several other modes Of destroying life wore
p~ractised by the Hindoos. among which may
be mentioned casting ones self into the DIRE, self
decapitAtion, precipitation from heights. burial
alive, and starvation. Nevertheless, drowning
has been ct all times the favorite mode OF
quitting life among tho BrAhmIns. By the
Buddhists suicide is looked upon, even in the
present day, a. justifAbls under almost any cir
cumstAnceA. Tho Buddhist stands 70 gain by
death even more than the Brahmin. and as his
estimate OF the value OF earthly life Is no higher,
he 10 still more addicted 10 self-destruction.
An insult for instance. or some trivial Affront
Is among the Chinese and Japanese Buddhists
frequently followed by the death not OF the AE-
gressor. but of the offended one.
Among the early jews, apparently. suicide was
lsss common than IL came to be later on. In the
Old Testament. As 1t present arranged. there are
but four examples of the Act-thOse, namely, of
Samson. OF Saul and his armor bearer. and OF
Ahitophel. Tho case OF Abimelech, indeed. was
virtually one OF suicide, though It is not gen
orally reckOnsd As such. Having had his skull
broken by . stone flung from a height by a wo-
man. this leader waB despatched at his own bid
ding, that he might escape the humiliation Of
dying by . wOmAn's hand. In the ApOcryphA we
have a detailed account OF tho terrible suicide OF
Rails. This case, while showing with what deter
minAtiOn defeated Jewish leaders sought death.
also makes IL clear that the Jews looked upon
such suicide with favor. In the case OF EleAIAr
and those who took refuge with him In MesSabA
after the capture OF Jerusalem by Titus, We have
an axamnla NJ = Nhnla Iauaah garrlson rhnnaIng
death before submission. JOsephus, who relates
the story. came himself very near 10 disappear
ance In > like slaughter. While leading a jew
ish army against the Romans, he aud his soldiers
we're beseiged in JOtaphaL PeTreiyins IhAt his
position sGs hopeless. he decided 70 sur
render 70 the enemy. To this. however, thu
6Oops E0ala nee AkSA and. with tkroAth