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PREFACE The Tibetan medical system, more popularly known as Sowa Rigpa (Knowledge of Healing), is undoubtedly as old as Tibetan civilization itself. The earliest inhabitants of Tibet were confronted with a host of difficulties due to the way they had to live during those ancient times. The only means of sustenance and survival was to rely on the various natural resources around them. These early people gradually learned the uses and medical efficacy of natural resources. The inherent discernment of these early people led them to discover natural remedies for various healthrelated problems. Their innate urge to overcome physical discomfort, combined with their curiosity about the world around them, made them create some effective natural remedies for many common illnesses. Drinking and sprinkling cold water against fever, compressing cold stone on an inflamed swelling, using heated oil to stop bleeding, drinking hot water for indigestion, eating boiled foods rather than eating them raw - these insights1 and many others have proven their effectiveness and have continued to be of use even to this day. The development of the Tibetan science of healing is based on the wisdom of such ancient medical practices. The application of a medical remedy against poisoning2 as pronounced by Tsiblha Karma Yolde to the first king of Tibet Nyatri Tsenpo (circa 300 B.C.) clearly demonstrates that the early inhabitants of Tibet had knowledge of the therapeutic value of herbs and minerals even during that time. Medical knowledge continued to be passed on by means of various oral traditions and has kept alive the knowledge of numerous remedies over many centuries. Before Buddhism and the present Tibetan script were introduced to Tibet, the Bon religious and cultural traditions flourished in the region of Shang Shung in southwestern Tibet. The legendary Bon master and cultural founder Tonpa Shenrab Miwoche was born in Purang, Tibet, at the time of the Lord Buddha. The Bon master authored many important medical literatures such as Sojay Kyi Do Ghu, Sorig Chegyud Daser, Sojay Nadbum Nagpo3, Sojay Manbum Karp4, Sothab Chedbum Trawo5, and Tsawa Thukbum Khangon6 and he established the foundation for the development of the Bon medical tradition. His eldest son, Chebu Trishey, learned the art of medicine from his father and later became a very important figure in the development of the Bon medical system. At that time, Bon religion and culture were at their height and shamanistic ways of healing were very popular throughout Tibet. They undoubtedly influenced the existing Tibetan medical knowledge and practices. The Gyueshi (Four Tantras) which is the fundamental text of Tibetan medicine, contains mantras and the names of some medicinal substances, compounds, and diseases in the original Bon language. This is a clear indication of the influence of Bon on Tibetan medicine. We can therefore assume that there was knowledge and practices of medicine before the reign of King Lha Thothori Nyentsen and before the introduction of the present Tibetan script during the 7th century.
PREFACE The traditional Tibetan medical system is composed of vast indigenous healing knowledge and practices, and offers holistic treatment aimed at regulating and maintaining the balance of the functional principles of the mind and body. These principles are related to the characteristics of the elemental cosmic energies and as such, it is understood that any disturbances in the environment can directly or indirectly affect the health of a person. The long history it enjoys, the sound foundations on which it is established, and the increasing popularity it has earned are clear indications that Tibetan Medicine is relevant and important even in the modern world. This valuable medical treasure is found in the highly esteemed Gyueshhi (Four Tantras), a complete and profound multi-faceted text, encompassing the unabridged theories and practices of Tibetan Medicine. It is the creation of eminent ancient scholars of Tibet and was achieved by practice, invention, and development through their intellectual wisdom. Based on practical experience with the ancient medical knowledge of the Tibetans, which relates to their unique culture, customs, and environment, the legendary Yuthok Yonten Gonpo, Father of Tibetan Medicine, composed the Gyueshhi by incorporating the essence of the then known Asian medical systems, such as Ayurvedic, Chinese, and Greek medicine, making it one of the oldest, most comprehensive and reliable medical systems in the world. Tibetan Medicine offers a complete system of diagnostic and treatment methods based on an enormous herbal pharmacopoeia produced by complex and systematic manufacturing processes. The essential principles of Tibetan Medicine are harmony and balance, which lends it an inspiring relevance to the health problems of the modern world, including the prevention of various psychosomatic disorders. The teaching and practice of Tibetan Medicine is mainly concentrated in Tibet; however, the entire belt of the Himalayan region, India, Mongolia, Kalmykia, and Buryatia, as well as a few Western countries also share in the practice of Tibetan Medicine. Due to the growing popularity of Tibetan Medicine worldwide, the increasing number of people interested in this discipline, and in line with the enduring wishes of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, the time has come to pass on this precise knowledge and instruction. Our goal is to share Tibetan medical knowledge and its practices by making it available particularly to non-Tibetans, and for it to be widely used by English-speaking medical practitioners, scientists, and researchers who have a commitment to providing quality health care to all human beings. Hence, overcoming the narrow attitudes of seclusion and secrecy, Men-Tsee-Khang started a translation project to make an authentic interpretation of the original Tibetan medical knowledge available to interested people everywhere, so that new thoughts and methods can be introduced into daily practice and provide greater benefits for the peoples of the world.
The Traditional Tibetan medical system is composed of a vast indigenous healing knowledge and practices offering a holistic treatment aimed at regulating and maintaining the balance of the functional principles of the mind and body. These principles are related to the characteristics of the cosmic elemental energies and as such any disturbances in the environment directly or indirectly affect the health of a person. The long history it enjoys, the sound foundations on which it is established and the increasing popularity it has earned are clear indications that Tibetan Medicine is relevant and important in the modern world. These valuable medical treasures are found in the highly esteemed “Gyueshhi”(Four Tantras), a complete and profound multi-faceted fundamental text of Tibetan Medicine, encompassing the unabridged theories and practices of Tibetan Medicine. It is the creation of ancient eminent scholars of Tibet by means of practice, invention and development through their intellectual wisdom. Based on the practical experience of the ancient medical knowledge of Tibetans that relates to their unique culture, its custom and environment, the legendary Yuthok Yonten Gonpo, father of Tibetan Medicine, composed Gyueshhi by incorporating the essence of the then known Asian medical systems including Ayurveda, Chinese and Greek medicine; making it one of the oldest, most comprehensive and reliable medical systems in the world. Tibetan Medicine is one of the oldest surviving medical systems with an enormous herbal pharmacopoeia, complex and systematic manufacturing processes and a complete system of diagnosis and treatment. The most essential principles of Tibetan Medicine are harmony and balance, establishing it with an inspiring relevance to the health problems of the modern world and in the prevention of various psycho-physical disorders. The teaching and practice of Tibetan Medicine is mainly concentrated in Tibet, however, the entire belt of the Himalayan region, India, Mongolia, Kalmykia, Buryatia and a few countries in the West also shared the practices of Tibetan Medicine.
PREFACE The famous Tibetan doctor and physician to His Holiness the 13th Dalai Lama, Ven. Dr. Khenrab Norbu (1883-1962 A.D.)1, in one of his compositions, illustrated the First Tantra -The Root Tantra- in a tree form, dividing the content into roots, trunks, branches, leaves and fruits of a tree, using the essential concepts of Traditional Tibetan Medicine- The Four Tantras- in a simple way. With the aim to help his students quickly adapt to the theoretical concepts of Tibetan Medicine in a minimum time, the allegorical tree featuring the gist and overview of Traditional Tibetan medicine was illustrated. Darmo Menrampa Lobsang Choedak (1638-1711 A.D.)2 reasoned out in his commentary of the Explanatory Tantra, legs shes gser gyi thurma3, that “It has the significance of widening one’s own wisdom at large and inspire and attract other fellow students to learn the methods of understanding the medical knowledge through an allegorical tree”. Kempa Tsewang (15th century)4 stated “The root holds the foundation of the entire text, the trunk summarizes the meaning of the text, the branches elaborate on the particular meaning, the leaves expound on the details of the meaning. On them blossoms the flower of health and longevity that bears the three fruits of spiritual life, prosperity and happiness.” Having thus been stated, it has been a curriculum in Tibetan Medical Institutes, such as Chakpori Medical College and Lhasa Men Tsee Khang in Tibet, to memorize the allegorical text and to give oral examination of the same. Manually arranging the roots, trunks, branches and leaves was a part of the traditional exam, along with the oral examination. This tradition still continues to these days in many Tibetan Medical Institutes around the world. Similarly, the sole reason to publish this book is to disseminate and promote the comprehensive knowledge of Traditional Tibetan Medicine (Sowa-Rigpa)5, in an easier and a simpler way, and to benefit those non-Tibetans who are keen to learn the ancient medical science, but are unable to read and understand Tibetan language. Hence, this publication will serve as material for those seeking an English version of the Tibetan medical text. Since this book on the allegorical tree of the Four Tantras is the first of its kind to be published in English, I indeed hope that it will serve as a small contribution from my part towards the dissemination of our traditional healing science. In this book, the medical terms used are extracted from or are uniformly based on the books “The Root Tantra and The Explanatory Tantra from the Quintessential Instructions on the Eight Branches of the Ambrosia Essence Tantra” and “The Subsequent Tantra from the Secret Quintessential Instructions on the Eight Branches of the Ambrosia Essence Tantra”, translated into English by Men-Tsee-Khang6. Priority has been given to directly translate as much Tibetan terms into English as possible, but in certain cases where direct translation has been a challenge such as loong, tripa, baekan, maevel, surya,etc. the Tibetan terms have been written in Tibetan phonetics and italicized to avoid mistranslation. The reason for keeping those terms in Tibetan phonetics is to enhance readability and provide the right pronunciation of the terms. Meanings for the Tibetan phonetics that appear very often throughout the book, Tibetan phonetics of medicinal compounds and the equivalent scientific terms for the Tibetan medicinal ingredients are given in the glossary section at the end of this book. Equivalent transliterated terms for the phonetics have also been included. The Tibetan terms whose meaning relates only to specific chapters are put as footnotes in their respective places.
Bodies in Balance: The Art of Tibetan Medicine is the first comprehensive, interdisciplinary exploration of the triangular relationship among the Tibetan art and science of healing (Sowa Rigpa), Buddhism, and arts and crafts. Generously illustrated with more than 200 images, Bodies in Balance includes essays on contemporary practice, pharmacology and compounding medicines, astrology and divination, history and foundational treatises. The volume brings to life the theory and practice of this ancient healing art. 2015 Best Art Book Accolade, ICAS Book Prize in the Humanities Category Bodies in Balance: The Art of Tibetan Medicine is the first comprehensive, interdisciplinary exploration of the triangular relationship among the Tibetan art and science of healing (Sowa Rigpa), Buddhism, and arts and crafts. This book is dedicated to the history, theory, and practice of Tibetan medicine, a unique and complex system of understanding body and mind, treating illness, and fostering health and well-being. Sowa Rigpa has been influenced by Chinese, Indian, and Greco-Arab medical traditions but is distinct from them. Developed within the context of Buddhism, Tibetan medicine was adapted over centuries to different health needs and climates across the region encompassing the Tibetan Plateau, the Himalayas, and Mongolia. Its focus on a holistic approach to health has influenced Western medical thinking about the prevention, diagnoses, and treatment of illness. Generously illustrated with more than 200 images, Bodies in Balance includes essays on contemporary practice, pharmacology and compounding medicines, astrology and divination, history and foundational treatises. The volume brings to life the theory and practice of this ancient healing art.
Knowledge and Context in Tibetan Medicine is a collection of ten essays in which a team of international scholars describe and interpret Tibetan medical knowledge. With subjects ranging from the relationship between Tibetan and Greco-Arab conceptions of the bodily humors, to the rebranding of Tibetan precious pills for cross-cultural consumption in the People’s Republic of China, each chapter explores representations and transformations of medical concepts across different historical, cultural, and/or intellectual contexts. Taken together this volume offers new perspectives on both well-known Tibetan medical texts and previously unstudied sources, blazing new trails and expanding the scope of the academic study of Tibetan medicine. Contributors include: Henk W.A. Blezer, Yang Ga, Tony Chui, Katharina Sabernig, Tawni Tidwell, Tsering Samdrup, Carmen Simioli, William A. McGrath, Susannah Deane and Barbara Gerke
Explaining Dzogchen teachings for the Western audience, this text provides a study and translation of the 'Authenticity of Open Awareness', a foundational text of the Bon Dzogchen tradition. This book provides an introductory and explanatory material that situates it in the context of Tibetan thought.
This book examines childcare in ancient Indian health systems from the perspective of developmental psychology. The author extensively studies ancient texts and charts from Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha and Tibetan medicines and analyses how gleanings from these systems can be useful in creating preferred practices for modern childcare systems. Though the four systems originated in different geographical regions, they share many common core constructs of a holistic approach consisting of mind-body unity. The core of psychological healing in these systems rests on bringing about harmony and balance of disturbed functions through diet, daily regimen and drugs. However, despite commonalities, understanding of childcare in the four systems varies a great deal. The differences seem to be rooted in local sociocultural, religious and folk healing practices. Remarkably, in all of them, prescriptions of drugs and behaviour are psychologically grounded and uncannily modern from the perspective of developmental psychology. The book raises the following questions as important for further research: whether holistic approaches be adopted for the empirical study of indigenous health systems, where their strength lies; whether personality frameworks identified in the four systems can be incorporated into contemporary medical practice to its advantage; whether preferred childcare practices among the four systems can be studied empirically in current paediatric, psychological and parenting research; and whether faith, if it is of importance to the patient, can be incorporated as an element into contemporary medical practice.
Tibetan Literature addresses the immense variety of Tibet's literary heritage. An introductory essay by the editors attempts to assess the overall nature of 'literature' in Tibet and to understand some of the ways in which it may be analyzed into genres. The remainder of the book contains articles by nearly thirty scholars from America, Europe, and Asia—each of whom addresses an important genre of Tibetan literature. These articles are distributed among eight major rubrics: two on history and biography, six on canonical and quasi-canonical texts, four on philosophical literature, four on literature on the paths, four on ritual, four on literary arts, four on non-literary arts and sciences, and two on guidebooks and reference works.
Originally published in 1997, Religions of Tibet in Practice is a landmark work--the first major anthology on the topic ever produced. This new edition--abridged to further facilitate course use--presents a stunning array of works that together offer an unparalleled view of the Tibetan religious landscape over the centuries. Organized thematically, the twenty-eight chapters are testimony to the vast scope of religious practice in the Tibetan world, past and present. Religions of Tibet in Practice remains a work of great value to scholars, students, and general readers.