Introduction to Ayurveda via Charaka Samhita

Purpose of Ayurveda: Dharma, Artha, Kama, Mokshanam

Definition of Happy Life:
"The person is not afflicted with any somatic (body) or psychic (mind) disorder, is particularly youthful (kumari), capable with strength (bala), energy (virya paramita, prana, qi), reputation, manliness (or femininity if one is a woman) and prowess; possessing knowledge (vidya, maha prajna paramita, jyana paramita), specific knowledge and strong sense organs (pancha buddhendriya - eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body [skin], mind) and sense objects (sights, sounds, smells, tastes, objects of touch); having immense wealth (artha) and various favorable enjoyments (sukha), has achieved desired results of all actions and moves about where he likes. Contrary to this is an unhappy life."

Source: Charaka Samhita, Sutrasthana Summary Section 30#24

"Ayurveda is the science of health and disease that which deals with good, bad, happy and unhappy life, it’s promoters and non-promoters, measurement and nature."

Source: Charaka Samhita, Sutrasthana Summary Section 1#41

"Definition of Ayurveda: that which gets the Ayus (life) known (this is done by means of 1) defining ‘Ayus’ (life), and by 2) describing it’s Types - happy and un-happy, beneficial and non-beneficial, 3) it’s Measure, and 4) it’s Non-measure. That which imparts knowledge about the substances (including drugs) along with their properties and actions as to their conduciveness or otherwise to life."
Source: Charaka Samhita, Sutrasthana Summary Section 30#3

"It (Ayurveda) is said as eternally continuing."
Source: Charaka Samhita, Sutrasthana Summary Section 30#27

"The Reasons for the Eternal Nature of Ayurveda: Ayurveda is said as eternally continuing because of its beginning-lessness, because the characters of its entities are determined by universal nature and because the characters of all substances are eternal." (see time)
Source: Charaka Samhita, Sutrasthana Summary Section 30#27

Buddhism can refute that "the characters of all substances are eternal."

"There was never non-existence of the flow of life or intellect." (The flow of mind and life is beginningless)
Source: Charaka Samhita, Sutrasthana Summary Section 30#27

"The knower of Ayurveda is also eternally continuing."
Source: Charaka Samhita, Sutrasthana Summary Section 30#27
(that is to say that the Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, Pratyekabuddhas, Arhats, God, Gods, Goddesses, and Rishis who have ended their birth and death via realizations of the 12-Fold-Links and Prajna Paramita -- have realized Bodhi or Anuttarasamyaksambodhi -- such beings have realized immortality - timeless mind - via enlightenment or bodhi using the Buddha Dharma and Dharmas of Ayurveda)

"Pleasure (the state of health) and pain (the state of disease) along with material factors, causes and symptoms, because of their inter-relations, are also eternal."
Source: Charaka Samhita, Sutrasthana Summary Section 30#27
Buddhism refutes that "pleasure and pain are eternal."

Discuss this via Buddhism and the five skandhas and anitya and upeksha.

"All these point towards the eternal continuity of Ayurveda."
Source: Charaka Samhita, Sutrasthana Summary Section 30#27

"Also, the 10 pairs of qualities and the Law of Similars and the Law of Opposites (similar qualities increase each other; opposite qualities decrease each other) are all eternal."
Source: Charaka Samhita, Sutrasthana Summary Section 30#27

"Thirdly, the 5 elements, and their properties are also eternal."
Source: Charaka Samhita, Sutrasthana Summary Section 30#27

Buddhism refutes this eternal statement – shatter empty space!

Source: Charaka Samhita, Sutrasthana Summary Section 30#27

(Original Source: Charaka Samhita)

(Additional Sources: Buddhist Ayurveda Level I Study-Guide, Lad, 2001 and Anonymous Buddhist Monk, June 9, 2007)

(NOTE: Numerous corrections and enhancements have been made under Shastra tradition and "Fair Use" by an Anonymous Buddhist Monk Redactor of this Online Buddhist Ayurveda Encyclopedia Compilation)

Primary Original Source: The Tripitaka Sutra, Shastra and Vinaya teachings
(as found in the scripture storehouse of the Indian Sanskrit-Siddham, Chinese, Tibetan and Japanese traditions of the Nalanda Tradition of ancient Nalanda University) of Shakyamuni Buddha, and his Arya Sagely Bodhisattva Bhikshu Monk and Upasaka disciples.

These Good and Wise Advisors (Kaliyanamitra) Dharma Master teachers include Arya Venerables Nagarjuna, Ashvaghosha, Aryasura, Kumarajiva, Shantideva, Chandrakirti, Chandragomin, Vasubandhu, Asanga, Hui Neng, Atisha, Kamalashila, Dharmarakshita, Tsong Khapa, Thogme Zangpo, Patanjali, Sushruta, Charaka, Vagbhata, Nichiren, Hsu Yun, Hsuan Hua, Shen Kai, Tenzin Gyatso, Kyabje Zopa, Ajahn Chah, Vasant Lad, and other modern day masters. We consider them to be in accord with Master Hsuan Hua’s "Seven Guidelines for Recognizing Genuine Teachers"

Nalanda Online University's teachings are based especially on the Dharma Flower Lotus Sutra, the Avatamsaka Sutra, the Shurangama Sutra, the Ksitigarbha Sutra, the Bhaisajya Guru Sutra, the Dharani Sutra, the Vajra Sutra, the Prajna Paramita Hridayam Sutra, the Guhyasamaja, the Kalachakra and their commentaries (shastras) by the above Arya Tripitakacharya Dharma Masters.

At Nalanda Online University we practice daily and introduce you to (via downloadable multimedia MP3 audio and WMV video lectures) the teachings and practices of the Five Traditions transmitted by the Buddha Shakyamuni:

1. Teaching School (Mahayana Sutrayana - Paramitayana - Hua Yan and Tian Tai, Yogachara, Nalanda Prasangika Madhyamika, Theravada Sutta)

See also: Tripitaka (1. Sutras, 2. Vinaya, 3. Shastras or Abhidharma, or Tantra), Taisho Catalog Numbering System, Dharma, and names of individual sutras (such as Shurangama Sutra, Avatamsaka Sutra [Flower Adornment Sutra], Lotus Sutra [Wonderful Dharma Flower Sutra], Earth Store Sutra, Dharani Sutra, Brahma Net Sutra, Medicine Master Buddha Sutra, Sixth Patriarch Platform Sutra, Sutra in 42 Sections, Sutra on the Buddha's Bequeathed Teaching, et al.

2. Moral Regulations School (Vinaya Pratimoksha Shila - Bodhisattva Pranidhana - Vajrayana-Samaya - Yogic Yama)

3. Esoteric School (Vajrayana - Mantrayana - Tantrayana - Dharani - Secret School of the Mahayana)

4. Meditation School (Indian Dhyana Samadhi - Shamatha - Vipassana, Chinese Chan, Japanese Zen,
        Tibetan Mahamudra of Kagyupa, and Tibetan Dzogchen of Nyingmapa)

5. Pure Land Devotional School (Bhakti Puja - Buddha-Bodhisattva Mindfulness and Nama Japa --
         Name Recitation of Buddhas Amitabha-Amitayus, Medicine Buddha - Bhaisajya Guru - Akshobhya,
         and Bodhisattvas: Avalokiteshvara-Guanyin-Chenrezig-Mahakala, Tara, Samantabhadra Universal Worthy,
         Manjushri-Kalarupa Great Wisdom, Maitreya Great Loving-Kindness, Mahasthamaprapta Great Strength,
         Ksitigarbha - Earth Store Great Vows, Vajrapani, Vajrasattva,
         Chandraprabha Moonlight Radiance, Suryaprabha Sunlight Radiance, Medicine King Bodhisattva, Medicine Superior Bodhisattva
         and others Dharma Protecting Dharmapala Lokapala Bodhisattvas, Gods and Goddesses)

Compilation Sources for the Above Material on the Teachings of the Buddha:

Primary Compilation Source: Epstein, Ronald B., Ph.D, compiler, Buddhist Text Translation Society's Buddhism A to Z, Burlingame, California: Buddhist Text Translation Society, 2003. ISBN: 0881393533 Paperback: 284 pages. www.BTTSOnline.org www.Amazon.com
http://www.bttsonline.org/product.aspx?pid=118 http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0881393533/ref=ase_medicinebuddh-20

Secondary Compilation Source: The Seeker’s Glossary of Buddhism, 2nd ed., San Francisco, California: Sutra Translation Committee of the United States and Canada, 1998: www.budaedu.org.tw

Secondary Compilation Source: Muller, Charles, editor, Digital Dictionary of Buddhism [DDB], Toyo Gakuen University, Japan, 2007: Username is "guest", with no password.
http://buddhism-dict.net/ddb - Based in large part on the Dictionary of Chinese Buddhist Terms with Sanskrit and English Equivalents (by Soothill and Hodous) Delhi, India: Motilal Banarsidass, 1997.

Secondary Compilation Source: Ehrhard, Diener, Fischer, et al, The Shambhala Dictionary of Buddhism and Zen, Boston, Massachusetts: Shambhala Publications, 1991. 296 pages. ISBN 978-0-87773-520-5 www.Shambhala.com, http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0877735204/ref=ase_medicinebuddh-20,
http://www.shambhala.com/html/catalog/items/isbn/978-0-87773-520-5.cfm

The Dharma is a Priceless Jewel,
thus these research compilations
and audio and video teaching materials are
offered free-of-charge by this anonymous Buddhist Monk
for the Bodhi Resolve benefit of All Sentient Beings in the Universe...

...under a Creative Commons License.

The rights to textual segments ("quoted, paraphrased, or excerpted") of the are owned by the author-publisher indicated in the brackets next to each segment and are make available and commented on (under the "shastra tradition") under Fair Use. For rights regarding the Buddhist "Encyclopaedia - Glossary - Dictionary" compilation as a whole, please know that it is offered under this Creative Commons License.

This Nalanda University site (www.Nalanda-University.com)
is redacted by an anonymous Buddhist monk
for the benefit of all living beings
so they may diligently (virya paramita) cultivate freely to
realize Bodhi enlightenment for the sake of all.

On the Buddha Shakyamuni's Birthday 2007,
this free redaction is offered (received, upheld, read, recited, studied, pondered, explained, and written out),
in accordance with the Lotus Saddharma Pundarika Sutra Chapter 19: "Merit and Virtue of a Dharma Master" as a
selfless offering to the Buddhas and Bodhisattva Sangha above to adorn the Pure Lands and
to liberate living beings suffering in samsara below by compassionately helping them to plant good roots in this and their future rebirths.

The merit is dedicated to anuttarasamyaksambodhi.

Increasing Effect Mantra:
Om Sambhara Sambhara (These Bhikshu Bodhisattva Bodhichitta Vows) Bimana Sara (Spread) Maha (Greatly) Java (Rapidly) Hum (recited 7x)

To increase by 100,000 times the merit created:
Tadyatha Om Pancha Griya (five offerings or five faces) Ava Bodhani Svaha (7x)

Om Dhuru Dhuru Jaya (Victory) Mukhe (Face or Mouth) Svaha (7x)

I Now Universally Transfer the Merit and Virtue of to All Beings to realize Anuttara-Samyak-Sam-Bodhi
(“Unsurpassed Proper and Equal Right Enlightenment”)

Sarva Mangalam.
May all be Auspicious.

Arya Bhikshu Shantideva’s Bodhisattvacharyavatara says:
Just as Manjushri works
To fulfill the aims of all limited beings
To the far reaches of space in the ten directions,
May my behavior become just like that.

For as long as space remains,
And for as long as wandering beings remain,
May I too remain for that long,
Dispelling the sufferings of wandering beings.

(Like Ananda says in the Shurangama Sutra introduction to the Shurangama Mantra,
"And even could the nature of shunyata melt away, my vajra-like Supreme Resolve would still remain unmoved.)

Whatever sufferings wandering beings might have,
May all of them ripen on me,
And through the Bodhisattva assembly,
May wandering beings enjoy happiness.

May the teachings,
the sole medicine for the sufferings of wandering beings
And the source of all happiness,
Continue to endure for a very long time,
With material support and shows of respect.

Updated May 10, 2008