Tibetan Medicine in 21st Century

Published  in Gang-Ri-Lang-Tso in the year of 2004, 1st Year Medical student

Tibetan median can play a significant role in health. The universal appeal for it shows stepping stone to guarantee success. However, Tibetan medicine remains a paradox to a person who has limited knowledge of Tibetan Medicine at a time when advertisement attracts minds and hearts of people. I do not want to leave the people confused at mysterious events of mercury abuses in Tibetan Medicine and disputed origin of traditional Tibetan medicine.

In the aftermath of Chinese occupation of Tibet, Chinese began to claim that Tibetan Medicine belongs to their culture at the same time Indian does the same. However, the history of Tibetan Medicine justifies these claims. Chronologically, Tibetan Medicine flourished in Tibetan society prior to the arrival of Ngatri Tsenpo, the first king of Tibet. The basic knowledge of healing system definitely existed as he uttered an event of poisoning effects at the time his enthronement, in turn, the local people unanimously replied at their pride, “They have an antidote to the poisoning it.” Our ancestors had put marathon efforts for for their betterment and eventually culminated the discovery of treatment and medication of diseases in kind.

For instance, a nicely boiled water was found highly effective against indigestion and a melted butter was for bleeding. Those first hand practical experiences of our ancestors were yearly accumulated and subsequently passed on to young generations. By the way, it became storehouse of knowledge over many centuries. Thus, history concludes that Tibetan Medicine is a systematic form of culture and having three thousand years of historical background and such that only belongs to Tibetan culture.

On the pretext of mercury abuse on the Tibetan Medicine, some pharmacies interestingly put an arrogant remark on Tibetan Medicine because demand for their chemical drugs falls at diminishing rate whereas demand for Tibetan Medicine increases. Everybody knows mercury is a poisonous substance but it becomes medicine after completing systematic process of its detoxification. Let us go inside the chronological events of mercury practice in Tibetan Medicine. The pharmaceutical description of mercury was well treasurized in tantric textbook of Tibetan Medicine composed by Youthok Y Gonpo, and found in high level of Tantric doctrines. Pakmo Cado handed over the secret practical method of mercury to Ugyen Richen, a great Tantric practitioner, and he brought it not practice. Since then it has been widely practicing for 7500 years neither counteracting any side effects nor posing fatal threat to life. The lineage of secret method of mercury practice became endangered in 20^th century. But, Dr Tworo Tsenam and Dr Tenzin Choedrak revived the holistic method of mercury practice in 1988, and widely practised it in Kongpo region of Chinese occupied Tibet. Dr Tenzin Choedak escaped from Tibet and came to Dharamsla where he began to serve Men-Tsee-Khang Institution. Due to his practical experience, Tibetan Medical and Astrological institute was able to adopt the practice in the same way.

The recent research undertaken by the Chinese Government of Tsothel (mercury-contained medicines) lead to the conclusion that Tsothel neither provoke side effects nor damage cells and tissues. Both scientifically and historically proves that mercury used in Tibetan Medicine is for the sake of well being of the body. Tibetan Medicine plays a significant role in preventive measures in 21^st century. It keeps focus on destroying the favorable condition responsible for proliferation of the diseased diseases. In Tibetan Art of healing, mind has always been a part of healing. The health of human body is closely interrelated with same spiritual forces responsible for our existence. Ignorance is a universal cause of all diseases. It leads to desire, hatred and delusion, which forms the root cause of rLung, mKrispa and Badkan. The imbalance of these three principles is regarded as the diseased state of the body.