A comment by Tadros & Jolly (Reference Tadros and Jolly2001) that ‘Hinduism and Buddhism, among other Eastern religions, have not had a traditionally negative view of suicide’ is not totally correct. According to Hinduism, ‘The law of action is inexorable and inescapable. It is not bound by the chain of time. If you commit suicide now, you may get the circumstances in the next birth which are worse than those at the present’ (Reference BhatiaBhatia, 1991). Sikhism propagates, ‘Suicide in the face of misery and misfortune implies lack of faith in the goodness and righteousness of God’ (Reference BhatiaBhatia, 1985). Jainism advocates that the killing of any living being is unethical and a sin (Reference BhatiaBhatia, 1991). The view of Islam about suicide is ‘Do not commit suicide and make your hands the instrument of your destruction’ (Reference BhatiaBhatia, 1991). Aristotle, Pythagoras, St Thomas Aquinas, St Augustine, Jesus Christ, Guru Nanak and Socrates also considered suicide as unlawful and a sin.

Because of the stigma attached to suicide, the practice of Sati (a custom practised by Hindu women after the death of their husbands in which they used to burn themselves on their husband's pyre) has been discarded by society and is now regarded as a crime (Reference Chadda, Shome and BhatiaChadda et al, 1991). Religiosity in India bears a negative correlation with suicide rate and is, in fact, a preventive factor against suicide (Reference BhatiaBhatia, 2000). It is appropriate to suggest that scientific approaches and spiritual approaches can work together to eliminate the stigma attached to communication of suicidal ideas and attempts and to encourage timely professional help-seeking.