Tibetan medicine vs Ayurveda

[retrofuturist]

Greetings,

I was wondering if someone might be able to point out a couple of the key differences and similarities between Tibetan medicine and Indian Ayurveda? I see similarities on the surface but I'm not close enough to either to have an accurate picture.

Thanks.

Maitri,
Retro.

[mañjughoṣamaṇi]

Hi,

The theoretical underpinnings are very similar. The Explanatory Tantra (bshad rgyud) that describes embryology, physiology, conditions of disease etc, is largely identical to the āyurvedic text the Aṣṭāṇgahṛdayasaṃhitā (AHS), appearing only after the translation of the AHS into Tibetan by Rinchen Zangpo. The largest differences are in the diagnostic methods, religious bases, and in their respective pharmacopeias.

Pulse diagnosis in Tibetan Medicine appears to predate its Āyurvedic counterpart, and makes use of the 5 phases found in Chinese Medicine (Fire, Earth, Metal, Water, and Wood) to draw connections between the internal organs and external seasons. There are also differences in urine analysis.

As far as the religious underpinnings go, both use the common Indian 5 elements (pañcabhūtā) as the building blocks for the three doṣa-s, the tastes etc. Tibetan Medicine does not make use of the tattvas of the sāṃkhya system, instead using Dharma as a foundation. Āvidyā gives rise to the three poisons of desire (rāga), hatred (dveṣa) and delusion (moha), which in turn give rise to the three doṣas (vāta, pitta, kapha).

Being located inbetween China and India, Tibetan Medicine makes use of a range of medicinal substances, indigenous, Chinese and Indian.

There are other differences in how some of the treatments are now done, but the differences above seem to be the most prominent.

Wishing you all the best.

[retrofuturist]

Greetings,

Thank you.

Maitri,
Retro.

[Malcolm]

Hi,



Being located inbetween China and India, Tibetan Medicine makes use of a range of medicinal substances, indigenous, Chinese and Indian.

There are other differences in how some of the treatments are now done, but the differences above seem to be the most prominent.

Wishing you all the best.

Not a bad summary. There are also differences in Anatomy -- Tibetan Medicine has many influences form Galen; and through Galen, influences that go back as far as Hippocrates.

Whereas internal anatomy in Ayurveda is not terribly well developed, it is very well developed in Tibetan Medicine. Further, since Tibetan Medicine is also a tantric system, it is integrated completely with Yuthog Nyinthig (as well as other related systems), and as such has deep connections with the teaching of the great perfection.

[username]

I don't know anything about medicine as it is not one of my fields of expertise (nor do I like it) but for the last 15 years I have been regularly travelling to Kerala for various reasons. What I've been told by people there and a doctor friend who also goes there regularly to learn when he can is that Ayurveda was in decline a few decades ago. Not many were studying seriously with the last few livining masters. They say one needs to learn Sanskrit very well as well as the long proper courses under a traditional master which takes 15 years or so and that is why no one was taking it up properly due to the long training, low financial incentives at the time and modern medicine's hegemony back then. Then about over 20 or so years ago interest was revived and just in time people started to learn it properly from the last masters. So now there are hundreds of good doctors who have just finished or are either finishing that proper long course or will in the next few years. They also practice while learning. And many more have joined in the last decade or so due to a full revival not to mention the commercial demand and increased prestige. So like the Dravidian martial art of Kerala, Kalari Payat, it was saved just as the last old masters were giving up hope. However most doctors/clinics advertising, specially to tourists and foreigners or in the west, are not properly trained masters. The good ones know each other very well.

[seraphim]

Great Info, thanks! So can we say that most Tibetan doctors are Nyingmapas, and to what extant is the Yuthog Nyingtik practiced today as a Dzogchen practice (not as a medicine practice)?

[Malcolm]

Great Info, thanks! So can we say that most Tibetan doctors are Nyingmapas, and to what extant is the Yuthog Nyingtik practiced today as a Dzogchen practice (not as a medicine practice)?

Most Tibetan doctors should be practitioners of Yuthog Nyinghig. No one practices Yuthog Nyinthig who is not a doctor.

[Stewart]

Hi N,

I sent you a PM...but I'm not sure if you accept them, also emailed you on your TM site.

No biggie if you can't get back to me.

Best wishes,

s.

[laurahill]

I think this is really a great information shared here..very helpful info..thanks!!