The Seven Spychosomatic Natures in Tibetan Medicine

we are here to do this matter very carefull for the benefits of all the sentient beings on this matter. 

The Relationship between Mind and Body

There are many views on the mind and body relationship. Some views, for example, are:  when the mind and body interact, God makes it happen; mind and body are the two sides of the same coin; mind is a byproduct of the brain; and mind and body are separate but they affect one another. However, there is no view which both traditional and scientific perspectives encompass and accept. In this article I wish to present prospective views on the mind-body relationship according to Tibetan medicine after explaining some of the Western philosophical views.

                                 

Venesection

Venesection simply known as bloodletting was practiced across the world. In the Himalayan regions the therapy is still practicing through the waving scenario of its pros and cons. In Tibetan medicine, venesection, which is one of the five cleansing therapies, is indicated for high level of impure blood accumulation. When blood becomes unhealthy, it resembles a polluted stream running through a canal. Without thinking over and over, we come to know that, sooner or later, the canal will be blocked. Under such situation   the blood needs to be purified by removing the unwanted.

The Practice and Significance of Venesection was written and presented by Kunsang Gyal. The presentation contains bilingual illustration of bloodletting points, pictures of bloodletting points before and after the venesection, which enables us know the exact points of venesection. The article I have seen so far is the best to read.              

Article The Practice and Significance of Venesection

Correspondence gsorig (November 11, 2011 online) 

Full text (PDF)

Significance of Lineage

There are three distinguishable features of traditional knowledge, that can separate it from the modern, scientific knowledge. First, divine source of knowledge, for Buddhism, which is a traditional knowledge and evolved from the enlightened body, not from ordinary ones. Second, logical reason, which supports the fundamental principles of tradition, cannot be changed from time to time. Third, lineage, which means transmission of knowledge from one generation to the next generation, father to sons, teachers to students.  In the traditional system of Tibetan medicine lineage is upheld as important qualification for being a better physician, as the Gyueshi or the Four Tantras mentions:

A physician without medical lineage

Just as a fox which enthrones itself to the seat of the king

is not able to earn everyone's respect

Even if respected, cannot hold the kingdom down      

  

The seven psychosomatic natures in Tibetan medicine

We all human beings are equal; there are no more differences in terms of communication and bodily activities such as walking, dancing and eating. However, with regards to physical condition and mental stage, we find difference within us. Some are big, whereas some small. Some are tolerant, whereas some are not. These differences arise due to proportional presence of five elements in our body. Without understanding the type of our body, we could manage our body and mind at the best level. Maintain your health by understanding your body type

A loong type of bod

thin

Dry and rough skin

Too short or too tall

Have stooped body shape

Dark or bluish complexion

Creaking sounds from the joints while walking

Emotional

Restlessness

Variable appetite

Sensitive to cold wind

Light sleep

Talkative

Fond of recreational activities

A tripa type of body

Intelligent

proud

Short-tempered

Aggressive nature

Yellowish stool, hair, skin and urine

Excess body heat

Oily skin

unpleasant smell

Sensitive to sunbeam and heat

Good appetite

Excessive thirst and hunger

Average lifespan

Middle class

Medium height

craving for sweet and cold foods

A baeken type of body

Giant

Fair complexion

Upright body posture

Cool body

Less appetite

Tolerante

deep sleeper

Financially wealthy

Longer lifespan

Procrastinator

Longer lifespan

Preferring to hot taste diet

After reading the feature of body type, you may understand the type of your body is. If you find your body is a loong type, then, you are recommended to take more nutritious and warm-natured foods, such as ginger tea. If your body is a tripa type, you should not eat oily foods, try to take less. If your body is a baeken type, then you should eat warm-natured foods, very often noodles, well-cooked food and do daily exercise such as walking.     

see also

Human Health and Spring

How Does Season Affect Human Health? 

With reference to the Four Tantras of Tibetan Medicine, "During monsoon, the prevailing oily and cool qualities tend to accumulate tripa, however it does not manifest due to prevailing coolness of the season. It manifests during autumn, when oily and warm qualities prevail, and is pacified with the onset of cool quality of the early winter."The strongest evidence of human seasonality comes in the form of seasonal effective disorder, or SAD. Its victims suffer major depressive episodes related to the seasons, usually beginning in late Fall or early Winter, and subsiding in Spring or Summer. This is one of the modern scientific evidences suggesting positive effect of Spring on human health.Spring is the time when the body is in sync with its surroundings. The endocrine system is rejuvenated and this can up-regulate your mood in the best manner. Spring can get you going as it is this time when the body is most comfortably managing the heat-exchange or energy production and expenditure.This is the time when your appetite is normalized as compared to those cold 'hogging' Winter days and hot 'anorexic' Summer days. Spring is the time when your hormonal system is at its best. This also increases your libido, sexuality, euphoria and spirituality.These long-sunny Spring days would be a perfect time to start with a new fitness program  This is because it will get you the optimum 'fat-burn' during the coming Summer. Summer is the time when the heat-exchange will become faster supporting quicker and better fat-loss.

An Introduction to Tibetan Medicine

Tibetan Medicine

Tibetan medicine is a herbal medicine mainly practiced in the land of snow from immemorial time. Traditional medicines such as Ayurveda, Greek medicine, Chinese medicine and Sita greatly influenced the traditional system of Tibetan medicine at large, thereby calling synthesized form of medicine. The similarity among these traditional medicines is many as all based on the five elements: earth, water, fire, air and space. The difference among these lies on  the principle of religious faith. The basic concept of Tibetan medicine deeply rooted in Buddhism and thus makes it different from the rest of the traditional medicines as well.

The fundamental principle of Tibetan medicine

 "The Four Tantras" or rgyud bzhi is the fundamental textbook of Tibetan science of healing and was composed by the Great Master, who has acquired full knowledge on the ultimate characteristics of the external and internal elements, which are described as materials for forming our body, as factors for aggravating diseases, and as active ingredients for administering remedies. Thereby it is a genuine science and can be used in any circumstances without measure of inadequacy. The subject matter of rgyud bzhi is very profound and systematic as it explains "the Eight Branches" one by one, through the mainstream principles of the three bodily energies i.e., rlung, the movement energy; mkris pa, the heat energy, and bad kan, fluids of the body. Out of the profound subject matter of the eight branches, I shall explain the elementary nature of the body, the disease and the remedies.

Present Status of Tibetan Medicine  

The Relationship Between Mind and Matter

Tashi realized his previous life and went on in search of his home. One day, he met his previous life family members in person, being able to call them by their names, one by one. It remains an unresolved fascination for those who do not believe in the pre-existing mode of life. Do you believe in such even? You may, “Yes” and continues, “because he did remember it well and I am fully convinced with his correct realization.” In contrast, you may say, “No, I don’t remember even my old days well. How did he remember it well? He was making a deliberate lie.” Arguably, should I say there are many more peoples across the world remembering their previous life; however, you will response with the saying. “Go to wash your mouth.” On the other side, it is true because not everybody remembers the previous mode of life but only a few who seems to be fabulists.

I was brought up culturally on the idea of pre-existing mode of life and even today, I believe in his saying and perfect finding of his dear and near. My belief in pre-existence of something is not only reflection of Tashi’s event but also deeply rooted in Tibetan traditional culture. As we could not explain the mysterious phase of life on the physical ground, scientist could not see it even with a highly sophisticated microscope. It is like a blink man blaming non-existence of celestial objects by the virtue of his invisibility. At this point, hopefully, you may agree with the quotation “Unseen anything is not matter of non-existence of something.”

In the USA 2005 debating topic always goes with discussion of the theory of Intelligent Designer verse theory of evolution. According to Darwine’s theory of evolution, the origin of life emerges from spontaneous generation of non-living matters, since then many people had been hoping to prepare a human life in laboratory. On the biological ground, our body is composed of 100 trillion cells. Each cell contains forty-six chromosomes, carrying message of genes. The genes have two main chemical composites: DNA (de-oxynucleic acid) dominates at the centre of nucleus and RNA (ribose nucleic acid) predominates in cytoplasm, around cellular nucleus. DNA is chemically constructed structure like a double strain thread. In DNA four nucleotides contain the base adenine (A), guanine (G), cytosine (C), thymine (T). The base pair forms naturally only between A and T; between G and C, with bond of hydrogen. RNA is a single strain thread, and in where protein synthesis mainly done after the DNA uncoil their structure. In the meanwhile, RNA acts as chemical messenger of DNA. Therefore, DNA determines the color of your eyes or curly hair. Therefore, the nucleus cell contains genome, all the information necessary to build up human beings. So here, DNA is master molecule of life and scientists once thought that it was possible to synthesis life in laboratory. In the year of 1970, Dr Khurana was able to synthesis E coli gene. However, he failed to synthesize a total gene and to create life. The quality of gene seems to have quality of mind but in reality, it has no ability to sense anything such emotion, judgment, thinking by itself.  “In search for secret of life I ended up with atoms and electrons which have no life at all” as quoted saying by the Noble Prize winning Szer-Gyorg. So, the majority of Americans believe in the theory of Intelligent Designer against Darwinism. I think the theory of Intelligent Designer is based on a reasonable faith. someone said that faith originated in Tibet just because the influx of Tibetan devotees to Lhasa, the capital city of Chinese occupied Tibet, were found months of journey on prostrating rather than walking and /or travelling by vehicles, it is absolutely true case but I don’t think the origin of blink faith is in Tibet. Our faith on existence of previous life is not baseless.

In Western embryology, human body is composed of million cells, originating from zygote-unification of egg and sperm. Each germ contains 23 chromosomes and pairs up 46 chromosomes when they unify in fallopian tube. This cell contains gene as explained above. Therefore, we see an offspring completely carbon copy of his father but he differs metaphysically a lot from his father. It indicates zygote is not only union of gem cells but also inclusive of conscious mind. When the fertilization takes place in fallopian tube, the eternal mind is associating with the forming cell (zygote). This is again an unseen episode of unification. However, it could be screened out with a clear-cut example given in the commentary books of Gyueshi (the Four Medical Tantras). A magnifying glass (me shel) which has ability to concentrate the heat of light, can burn combustible grass by keeping it under sunlight, and just focusing its sunbeam on grasses. We could not see the processor heat energy passing out to them. Yet it makes them burn. Likewise, you could not able to see the process of subtle mind associating with forming zygote.

In the advent of neuroscience, they just have come to know the working of neurons cells in human brains. These cells have two fibers: dendrite gives chemical stimuli away from cell body and axon receives chemical stimuli to cell body. In an addition, neuroscientists are able to map specific parts of the brain, which work specific functions, e.g., certain part of the occipital lobe, which receives optical images and its immediate part interprets it. It is as if electricity goes through the wire. They seem to be explaining the mind on the physical ground. The brain receives information from outside environment and interprets them very clearly through electrical current, so they do not consider mind apart from brain.

According to modern psychology and cognitive science, the function of mind hypotheses in two ways:  1) mind acts controller of soul and it is adapting environment. 2) Mind acts as a co-coordinator of internal thought and external behavior. It is very clear that mind acts as a controller at the same as a co-coordinator. Therefore, we can say mind is like supervisor of a cotton factory.  He is not engaged in collecting and / or peeling off cottons, etc; but he supervises them in the right direction. In Indian traditional culture, some schools accept the existence of soul or atama in Sanskrit as many did remember their previous life and yogis did experience the existence of soul. In contrast, Tibetan traditional Buddhism does agree with the existence of previous life but rejecting independent origination of soul. Some say we can think because of mind. On the other hand, some say we can think because of brain. It is as if a blind man explains an elephant. Some tells its tail but some tell its head. Both lack the entire explanation of the elephant. In order to understand mind as whole we can compare the mind to a computer.

Mind as Electricity

The nature of mind is clarity and awareness. It is very clear intrinsically like a blue sky. However, as long as we are imprisoned in this samsara( the six cyclic existence of all sentient beings), our mind remains polluted like the cloudy sky. The mind has ability to know others and oneself with help of other five sub-consciousnesses. In Tibet the five sub-consciousnesses is called “kun ‘gro lnga”. Literally, it means where the mind goes there they go. The true nature of mind is enlightened, so we quest for enlightenment or Buddha-hood. Therefore, the clarity indicates the nature of mind whereas the awareness shows the function of mind.

It is very important to know that the relationship between the  loong (movement energy) and the subtle mind. As the true nature of mind is enlightened, it has ability to see where to go. On the other hand,  loong has the nature of light and mobile faculty, so it has the ability to move anywhere. In order to understand the cornerstone of mind in its relation to  loong energy, metaphorical explanation needs here. The mind is like a fee-stricken person who is able to see everything but cannot move an inch. Fortunately,  loong is as an eyes-stricken man could not see anything. In such situation, the former rides over the latter and the two form one perfect. By knowing the relationship between two, we can say  loong is an integral part of the mind. This subtle mind enters mother’s womb and unifies with germ cells. Optical mind dominate the passageway of optical nerves and able to receive reflected image. Otherwise, we could not see anything.

Channels as Wire

One month after the conception of fetus in the mother’s uterus, at the central heart of the fetus develops the basic form of channels as grounding pathway for all other forms of  loong. As the subtle  loong has the primitive qualities of the five basic elements, it gives rise to from the five major divisions of  loong the five minor divisions of loong. The space elementary quality of it gives rise to form life sustaining loong and descending loong. The loong elementary quality is responsible for forming fire accompanying loong and rus sbal. The fire elementary quality is responsible for evolving ascending  loong and rtsang pa. The water elementary quality gives rise to form klu and nor gyal. Four months after the conception period, these basic forms of channels move sin specific direction due to their originating qualities of the five elementary rLugn energies. The channels for life sustaining loong and five minor divisions of loong go upward; thereafter, channel of life sustaining loong localizes around the area of brain, and coordinates five minor divisions of loong. The five minor divisions of loong connect with sensory organs. Klu apprehends vision from receptors in eye. Russ bal apprehends hearing from receptors in ear. Rtsang pa apprehends smell from receptors in the upper nasal cavity. Lhas sbyin apprehends tastes from receptors in the tongue. Nor rgyal apprehends heat, cold, pain and touch from the skin.

Brain as Sceen

On the breakthrough of neuroscientists’ findings on the brain area, they never considered mind apart from the brain. Neurons have ability to receive experiences and interpret them. Although neurons work in co-ordination of all other some areas, do special work. For example, vision center is mapped in the occipital lobe. In the case of damaging this area, your vision is lost. So they think optical consciousness does not exist independently. In Tibetan traditional culture, brain can be compared to a monitor screen. It can show us the thing we have installed in it. However, the screen has no ability to make any program by itself. Similarly, neurons have ability to receive experiences from receptors located in different sensory organs, and can only apprehend them not calculate at all as Gyueshi says:

To apprehend five sensatory organs

Brain in where one main channel

And five hundred tiny channels around it.

In order to receive vision, hearing, smelling, sound, and sense of temperature or pain, etc., there are twenty-four channels serving as the seat of five subdivision of loong energy. They are located in a part of the brain known as klad pa pkhyil, in where specialized channels are functioning in different way with connection of five hundred tiny channels as a whole.

Heart as CPU

Gyueshi says heart is the central seat of the life force and the subtle mind. In Tibetan traditional Buddhism also says the seat of the subtle mind is in the heart. I think heart is like a CPU in where major processes of the computer already installed and it goes work as we commend. Likewise, the brain receives information from external world and sends them to the heart where it calculates them very clearly. This subtle mind comes from beginningless mode of life and cradles in the center of the heart. As and when it leaves the temporary body clinical death declares in Tibetan culture. In the advent of science and technology, cardiologists have succeeded in operating hearts and heart transplantation. Most of patients are found no obvious change of their personality or conventional behavior after the surgery. Moreover, cardiologists could not experience the sensitivity of so-called the subtle mind at the time of heart surgery. Afterwards they consider human heart as an ordinary organ. On contrary Dr Pema Dorjee during his lecture at T.M.A.C. (Tibetan Medical and Astrological College) arguably said, “As the operation is done on an anesthetized organ, of course, there is no means and way of experiencing the sensitivity of the subtle mind.” Our memory power also pertains to heart as Gyueshi says:

To apprehend the memory organ

Heart in where one main channel

And 500 tiny channels around it.

It can be explained that there is certain arena in the center of the heart so-called Yid bzang ma being considered the main mechanism of very tiny five hundred never cells. As the subtle mind resembles the king of nerves, it simulates memory function in coordination or surrounding nerves. Here the expression of never-count 500 does not mean there are exactly five hundred nerves but indicates so many nerves coordinating with the main channel known as Yid bzang ma. The way of converting short-term memory into long term memory totally depends on the degree of concentration. When you see an object at first time, it influences the subtle mind a bit. So it is easy to forget. The more you look at the object carefully, the longer it remains in your mind. So you could remember it long. Due to this reason, only some remember their previous life. In contrast with the explanation of long-term memory, in anatomical studies of neuroscience the tiny extension called fibrils form at nynapeses in the cerebral cortex, som impulses can travel more easily from neutron to another. The number of these fibrils increases with age. In physiological studies found that repetition of the same information again, accelerates and potentates the degree of transfer of short-term memory to long-term memory. It has been found that a pwrson who is wide-awake memorizes far better than a person who is in a state of mental fatigue. It also has been noted that the brain is able to organize information so that new ideas are stored in the same ones in which ones have.

Bottom Ling

Writing an article based on cultural chauvinism is absurd, coward act. I am always ready to expose my obsession with the pre-existence of life if science proves it perfect. Yet, it is very important to know why we believe in pre-existence of life. Many people say, “Replacing faith by knowledge is dangerous. I never agree their notion because faith sows hypothesis and reaps universally acclaimed theory. I hope that you will research why we believe in the existence of mind or pre-existing mode of life, not blindly rejecting our faith. To remind you clearly we never consider plants as living beings on ground that they do not possess the quality of mind evolving from the preexisting one. As mind is eternal and not made of matters, it is impossible to prove its existence on physical ground. The visible force of mind needs places where it can work. So here loong is place of mind; channels are place of  loong. They co-ordinate each other in the process of mind as well as in the process of body. In spite of the subtle mind permanently living in the heart, the mind always moves through channels: arteries, veins and nerves. It is apt to say that where there is channel there is mind moving. The best way to find or analyze her invisible force of mind is “meditation”. Yogis have purely experienced the existence of mind in ancient time. Therefore, it comes in conclusion that man evolves from matter and pre-existing mode of life under invisible force of karma. As science believes in certain proof not in imagination, but lack of proof in itself is not the proof of non-existence of something.

Published on Gangri-Langtso, Issue no. 13, Year 2007