In response and addition to the article "Traditional
Asian Medical Cultures encounter Biomedical Research" by Eric Jacobson
and Barbara Gerke (see AyurVijnana Vol. 1, June 1996)
we received the following:
To what extent do we have to consider the fact that we are not dealing with a medical system which is based on science, but with a traditional medical culture which, moreover, shows Gnostic intersperses of undefinable size. In addition to this, immense parts of the Tibetan pharmaco-therapy have sprung from personal experiences and the teachings of the lineages have been transmitted by the great masters.
For many centuries the tradition of Tibetan medicine, especially on therapy and diagnosis, has come down to us through the main work of Tibetan medicine, known as Gyushi (Tib. rgyud bzhi). Until the present days the Tibetan medical student was asked to memorise most of this four-volume treatise, which comprises 156 chapters and 5900 verses. In the West a method of studying medicine similar to this is unknown.
We have to take into account that Tibetan medicine has certainly been practised successfully but we have also to raise the question whether this can be evaluated and proven by methods which are commonly used in the West - such as t he double-blind test. Or, do we have to consider the particular context of Tibetan medicine? Here, we should not neglect the operational factors.
The famous Gyushi have been written
in form of a dialogue. Already this inner dialogue between the two Sages
Rigpa Yeshe (Tib. rig pa’i ye shes) and Yidlakye (Tib. yid las
skyes) who are to be understood as emanations of the Buddhas of speech
and mind, may give us a hint as to how to solve this problem in a better
way. Discovering knowledge by raising the question in one's own mind has
not only been a method used in the Tibetan tradition. Plato's ‘Republic’
evolved out of the author's inner dialogue between Socrates and his disciples.
Krishnamurti encouraged his students to raise questions and find the answers
within themselves, free from religious dogmas. The Buddhist tradition teaches
us to evaluate knowledge through the power of our own mind, the inner teacher.
We may thus prefer to encourage this inner dialogue between the two Sages
and thus enter the plane of Tibetan medicine rather than exposing ourselves
immediately to scientific medicine.
(*) Dr. Gerhard Mentzel is a retired medical director, a physician specialised in neurology & psychiatry, psychoanalysis & psycho-social medicine in D-34596 Zwesten, Germany. He spent two months at the ITTM centre Vijnana Niwas at Kalimpong and took an active part in the 6-day workshop (23 - 28 September 1996) on curricula development for further training programmes in traditional medical cultures of India and Tibet. Also, as an invited advisor to the Trust, he shared his valuable experiences on management and co-ordination.
Dr. Gerhard Mentzel
Lerchenweg 15
34596 Bad-Zwesten- Oberurff
Germany
phone: 0049 (5626) 925557