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Tibetan Medicine |
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| Introduction |
Tibetan medicine, a traditional
system of medicine called Emchi, is essentially based on ayurvedic
principles which has been practiced for over 2500 years and is still practiced today in
Ladakh, Darjeeling, Sikkim, and in some of the metropolitan cities of India. Tibetan
medicine lays a lot of stress on healthy living. Buddhism has a great impact on tibetan
medicine.
Tibetan Medical and Astrological Institute (headquarters) is based in Dharamsala, North
India. Here, tibetan medicines are manufactured and the doctors receive their training for
a minimum of seven years. For a student to understand the medical texts, knowledge of
tibetan linguistics, grammar and poetry is required. Tanjur, a voluminous tibetan
religious scripture, is a translation of twenty-two Ayurvedic works. Tibetan secular
literature also contains many medical works, the most popular one is the rGyud-bzhi.
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| Theory
of Tibetan Medicine |
| The basic theory of tibetan medicine is to keep in
balance the Nyipa sum - they are rLung (vayu), mKhris-pa (pitta) and
Bad-kan (kaph). Like Ayurveda, tibetan system also believes that equilibrium among the
dosha and dhatus should not be changed beyond the normal limit. This
change is brought about by both physical and mental factors. The long-term
causative factors of Nyipa sum are the three poisons desire, hatred and
delusion. This only confirms the close connection between tibetan medicine and buddhist
philosophy. |
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| rLung |
rLung is a
subtle flow of energy and out of the five elements (air, fire, water, earth and space) it
is most closely connected with air. However it is not simply the air, which we breathe, or
the wind in our stomach, it goes much deeper than that. The general function of rLung is
to help growth, movement of the body, exhalation and inhalation and to aid the function of
mind, speech and body. rLung separates nutrients and waste products in our
stomach. However it’s most important function is to carry the movements of mind,
speech and body. The nature of rLung is both hot and cold.
rLung is of five types. First is the Srog-'dzin (life-grasping rLung).
The source of rLung comes from the brain and it is used for swallowing of food, inhalation
and spitting, eructation and sneezing, clearing the senses and intellect, and steadying of
the mind.
Gyen-rgyu (upward moving rLung) is the second type of rLung.
Its location is in the chest and its functions are responsible for speech, the increase of
bodily vigour and health, the giving of lustre to the skin and the promotion of mental
endeavour and diligence.
The third type of rLung - Khyab-byed (all pervading rLung) is located
in the heart. It is responsible for lifting, walking, stretching, grasping of limbs, the
opening and closing of the mouth, eyelids, anus etc.
Me-mnyam (fire accompanying rLung), the fourth type of rLung, located in the
stomach, functions to promote digestion and the metabolism, and ripen the seven bodily
sustainers known as lus-zung dhun. Thur-sel (downward cleansing rLung) is the fifth
type of rLung. It is located in the rectum and it functions to expel faeces, urine,
semen, menstruation and the foetus.
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| mKhris-pa |
Just as rLung
is related to air (vayu), mKhris-pa is related to fire (agni). The nature of mKhris-pa
(pitta) is hot like fire or the sun. mKhris-pa is described as oily, sharp,
hot, light, pungent and moist. The most important function of mKhris-pa is to keep
in balance the bodily temperature. It helps with the digestion of food and makes a person
feel hungry and thirsty. It also gives lustre to the skin and helps to keep the pores
clear.
mKhris-pa are also of five types. 'Ju-byed (digesting mKhris-pa), is
located between the stomach and intestine.Its function is to promote digestion and
to break down essential nutrients from foodstuffs and fluids and then to separate essence
and waste.It promotes bodily heat and helps to provide energy to the other four types of mKhris-pa.
The second type of mKhris-pa is Grub-byed (accomplishing mKhris-pa)
which is located in the heart.Its function is to cause anger, aggression and
hatred. It provides the initial driving force behind the minds of desire, achievement and
ambition. Mdangs-sgyur (colour changing mKhris-pa) is located in the liver.
It functions to maintain and promote the red colouring of essential nutrients in the
blood.
mThong-byed (seeing mKhris-pa) is located in the eyes and it promotes
vision.
The fifth mKhris-pa is mDog-sel (complexion clearing mKhris-pa) and
is located in the skin. It clears and promotes the skin lustre by giving it a healthy and
wholesome colour. Back |
| Bad-kan |
Of the five elements, Bad-kan
(kaph) is related to both water and earth. Bad-kan is oily, cool, heavy, blunt,
smooth, steady and sticky. The main function of Bad-kan is to sustain the bodily
liquids. It helps to mix food in the stomach, steady the mind, and it helps to keep our
joints flexible. The nature of Bad-kan is cold, like water or the moon.
Bad-kan is of five types. rTen-byed, the first Bad-kan is located in the
chest, and it's function is to support the remaining four Bad-kans.
The second Bad-kan called Myag-byed mixes liquid and solid foodstuffs into a
semi-liquid state.
Myong-byed, the third Bad-kan, is located in the tongue. It’s function is to
sense and experience the six primary tastes.
The fourth Bad-kan is called Tsim-byed. It is located in the head and is
required to increase and satisfy the power of the five senses.
'Byor-byed which is located in the joints is the fifth type of Bad-kan. It is
responsibile for the flexibility of the joints.
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| Imbalance of Nyipa sum |
The long-term causes of the
imbalance of Nyipa sum are the three poisons desire, hatred and delusion. The
short-term causes of imbalance are the time and season, improper diet and improper
behaviour.
A person continiously eating foods such as pork and goat's meat, milk and yogurt, strong
tea and coffee, soya, vegetables, pulses, skimmed milk continuously, will suffer from
rLung problems. rKhri-pa problems arise if someone drinks lots of milk and alcohol,
and eats lots of meat, full-fat cheese, nuts, sugar, ice cream, lard, butter, chocolate,
cookies with lots of oil. Eating a lot of raw food such as uncooked meat, salad, raw fish,
cold drinks, raw milk will lead to problems related to Bad-kan.
If a person does a lot of fasting and meditation, does not sleep much, takes meals at
improper times, strains or over controls his bowel and urinary functions, has lots of
mental pressure and tension and talks too much, then rLung will arise.
'nKhris-pa arises through straining the body by carrying heavy loads, digging hard
dry soil, running in the middle of the day in the peak of summer, falling through sudden
jerks to the body, such as falling off a horse or a roof and accidents. Bad-kan results from
not doing physical exercise, sleeping for most of the day after
eating a heavy meal, taking cold showers every day, exposing your body through inadequate
clothing, and working in damp and cold places.
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| Balanced
Nyipa sum |
Tibetan medicine believes that germs
are only a secondary cause of disease, the primary cause being the disequilibrium of nyipa
sum. When the Nyipa sum are balanced, seven bodily sustainers are also balanced. These
seven bodily sustainers are essential nutrients, blood, muscle tissues, fat, bone, marrow,
and regenerative fluid.
When we eat or drink something, it goes to the stomach. Here, Bad-kan will help to
mix it, mKhris-pa will help to digest it and the rLung will help to separate
the essential nutrients from the waste products. The essence of the essential nutrients
forms blood, the essence of blood forms muscle tissue, the essence of muscle tissue forms
fat, the essence of fat forms bones, the essence of bones forms marrow and the essence of
bone marrow forms the regenerative fluid.
This process shows how important it is for rLung, mKhris-pa and Bad-kan
to be kept in balance. back to top |
| Diagnosis |
In Tibetan medicine
diagnosis is done through Observation, Palpation and Questioning.
Observation is done by urine analysis and looking at the tongue. In Tibetan medicine urine
analysis is divided into eight sections; the physician examines the colour, vapour, odour,
bubbles, sediments and albumin of the urine. The colour of the urine is determined by the
intake of food and drink, seasons and diseases.
For the rLung patient, urine is very clear like water and it has big bubbles. For the mKhris-pa
patient, urine is a reddish-yellow colour, there is much vapour and a very strong
odour. For the Bad-kan patient, urine is white in colour and there is little
odour and vapour. Generally a reddish colour indicates a hot disorder while transparency
indicates a cold disorder.
When observing the tongue, rLung patient has a very red, dry and rough tongue.
For mKhris-pa patient, the tongue is yellow with a thick coating. The tongue of
a Bad-kan patient is white, smooth and wet.
The second method of diagnosis is by reading the pulse. In Tibetan medicine pulse reading
is divided into thirteen sections. For the Tibetan physician the arts of pulse reading
provide an invaluable source of information because the pulse is like a messenger between
the doctor and the patient. To read the pulse it is very important for the patient to be
as rested as possible. The physician places the index, middle and third fingers on the
radial arteries. The space between each of the three fingers is the width of a grain of
rice, and the fingers are placed half an inch from the crease of the wrist. The physician
will use both hands to examine the pulse; for a male patient the left wrist is read first,
while for the female patient right wrist is read first.
The third and final method of diagnosis is by questioning - asking the patient how and
when the problem started, its location and which sort of food harms or helps them.
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| Treatment |
The Tibetan system of medicine
regards the individual as a complete entity, and the entire body, mind, and spirit are
examined before attempting treatment of any disease. Both the body and the mind are
treated simultaneously. Aspects like prevention of disease and promotion of positive
health are given due importance. Remedies prescribed include the use of medicines,
prayers, mantras, religious rituals and other regimen. Religion, therefore, forms an
essential part of Tibetan medical practice.
While treating a patient, Tibetan doctors normally advice the patient regarding diet,
behavior, prescribe medicine and even perform surgery if needed.
rLung patient should try eating nutritional food. mKhris-pa patient should eat
fresh vegetables and less greasy food. The Bad-kan patient should have honey,
plenty of hot water and cooked vegetables.
For behaviour the rLung patient should stay in dark and warm places with pleasant
and quiet surroundings. The patient should rest both physically and mentally without any
worries. mKhris-pa patient should have cold baths and showers and sit in shaded
places. Bad-kan patient should have lots of sun, warm fires in his home; he should
do lots of exercise.
The third method of treatment is the prescribing of medicine. It can be administered in
various forms like powder, pills etc. Some of the life saving drugs contains gems, jewels,
and metals, including minerals. These metals are detoxicated and transformed into bhasma
or calcinated. Surgery is the final treatment given to the patients.
Tibetan medicine aims at making the body strong and unsuitable for the attack of germs.
Instead of killing the germs, Tibetan medicine practitioners try to restore the balance of
Nyipa sum. If germs invade an individual, they die natural death and become
incapable of producing any disease.
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