Traditional Tibetan Medicine

History

 

Tibetan medicine is among the oldest medical traditions in the world. It is a synthesis of a variety of Asian medical teachings and has elements of the Indian ayurveda, the shamanistic traditions of the Bönpas, the Chinese and Persian medicine and Buddhist teachings of life and wisdom.

The most important textbook in TTM is the so called Gyüshi which was compossed in the eight and 12. century. The Gyüshi describes 1,600 different disturbances, 404 diseases and illustrates 2,293 remedies. Together with its commentary, the blue beryll, and 79 artful medicine-thangkas (banners) it still constitutes the main cornerstone in the education of Tibetan physicians.

Traditional Tibetan Medicine (TTM) was and still is practiced in several regions in Asia. These include Tibet, Nepal, Sikkim, Bhutan, Ladakh, Mongolia, Poland and Russia. After the destruction of most of the medical traditions and schools in Tibet by the Chinese communists, the escape of the XIVth Dalai Lama in 1959 forced the teaching of Tibetan medicine out of Tibet. In India, the Men-Tsee-Khang (Institute for Tibetan Medicine and Astrology, TMAI) and the Chakpori (iron hill) were refounded to conserve and pass on knowledge of TTM. According to the information of PADMA AG do exist about 2,000 trained Tibetan physicians worldwide. Full article in German.

Foundations

The Traditional Tibetan Medicine is dominated by Tibetan Buddhism and its philosophy. According to this, a distracted individual is lost in a Samasara that is concerned with suffering. Spiritual ignorance is the cause of all disease. The five elementary energies of space, warmth, air, water and earth and the three physiological factors of lung, tripa and bäkän determine the mentral and physical health. Full article in German.

Scientific Studies

Contacts