The focal point of this paper is to evaluate and analyze India’s traditional Medicine and its view of human nature. It should be remembered that the view of human nature generated by the India’s traditional Medicine or Ayurveda is deep rooted in the religion of Hinduism that considers a human being as a part of the nature and states that an individual is linked to each and every living things on earth. As per Sanskrit grammar the term “Ayurveda” is a combination of two words. The first one is “Ayus” meaning life and other is “Veda” meaning compilation of knowledge.
Thus in this context the knowledge signifies a combination of soul and mind with the influence of sense organs or the body as a whole. This is synonymous to the fact that the elements prevent the body from dying and decay by sustaining the mind and soul over a period of time and ultimately helps in reincarnation. Human nature in accordance to Ayurveda is thus an amalgamation of materialistic existence and spirituality. The human nature, apart from its spirituality, is composed of six major ingredients.
The first one is Kasaya or Astringent medium that acts as an agent of gumminess mode and is considered to be one of the most important elements of the human nature. Second in line is the aspect of Tikta or Pungent flavor that balances weight and stimulate the mind. The third element of human nature is Katu or bitter that is used as a peacekeeping element and purifying agent. Lavan or Salt is the next main aspect of the human nature and it controls warmth and oiliness of the mind and body. Amla or sour softens the nature of human and Madhura or sweet cools the mind. (King, 2001)
Thus it is obvious that these six elements balances the human nature and places its existence in the world of living things. It is this view of the India’s traditional Medicine that survived for three thousand years and is being practiced still in India, China and Sri Lanka in many different forms. But the bottom line remains that the aspects of human nature, in accordance to the methods of India’s traditional Medicine, is juxtaposed with the basic elements of the nature and considers the human mind to be a part of it that can be purified, generated and regenerated by the proper application of natural means.
(Lamb, 2004) Thus it can be easily stated that the human nature is but a source of energy that create the cosmological fundamentals of spiritualities and Ayurveda is a method to channel this energy into a path that elevates the human nature into the level of a pure existence of living life. In conclusion it can well be stated that the human nature in accordance to the India’s traditional Medicinal ideas is more spiritual in nature than materialistic existence as view in modern medical science.
However, it should be taken into account that even though this practice has survived for thousands of years and thus can be stated as practical and so its views of the human nature certainly holds substantial truth no matter how much it conflicts with modern medical science.
References:
King, H; (2001); Ayurvedic Principals; Auckland: HBT & Brooks Ltd Lamb, D; (2004); Cult to Culture: The Development of Civilization on the Strategic Strata; Wellington: National Book Trust