Bhaishajya, Bhaiṣajya: 13 definitions

Introduction
In Hinduism
1. Ayurveda
In Buddhism
1. Mahayana
Languages
1. Marathi
2. Sanskrit
3. Kannada
See also
Buy products

Introduction:

Bhaishajya means something in Buddhism, Pali, Hinduism, Sanskrit, Marathi. If you want to know the exact meaning, history, etymology or English translation of this term then check out the descriptions on this page. Add your comment or reference to a book if you want to contribute to this summary article.

The Sanskrit term Bhaiṣajya can be transliterated into English as Bhaisajya or Bhaishajya, using the IAST transliteration scheme (?).

In Hinduism

Ayurveda (science of life)

Source: archive.org: Vagbhata’s Ashtanga Hridaya Samhita (first 5 chapters)

Bhaiṣajya (भैषज्य) refers to “remedies”, as mentioned in verse 4.29-31 of the Aṣṭāṅgahṛdayasaṃhitā (Sūtrasthāna) by Vāgbhaṭa.—Accordingly, “[...] If (a patient) has been debilitated by medicine, strengthening (him) gradually by food such as rice, sixty-day-old rice, wheat, mung-beans, meat, and ghee—(which), in combination with cardiac and stomachic remedies [viz., hṛdaya-dīpana-bhaiṣajya], (is) promotive of appetite and digestion—as well as by inunctions, massages, baths, and purgative and lubricant enemas (is) wholesome. Thus he recovers comfort, intensity of all the fires, faultlessness of intellect, colour, and senses, potency, (and) longness of life”.

Note: hṛdaya-dīpana-bhaiṣajya (“cardiac and stomachic remedies”) has been translated yid oṅ drod skyed sman, which literally means “remedies pleasing the heart (and) producing (gastric) heat”. The interpretation in this context of hṛdya as (“pleasant”) is quite untenable, though.—Remedies of the above description include, according to Aruṇadatta, dry ginger (śuṇṭhī), long pepper (pippalī), fresh ginger (ārdraka) cinnamon (tvac), cardamom (elā), or the like.

context information

Āyurveda (आयुर्वेद, ayurveda) is a branch of Indian science dealing with medicine, herbalism, taxology, anatomy, surgery, alchemy and related topics. Traditional practice of Āyurveda in ancient India dates back to at least the first millenium BC. Literature is commonly written in Sanskrit using various poetic metres.

In Buddhism

Mahayana (major branch of Buddhism)

Source: Wisdom Library: Maha Prajnaparamita Sastra

1) Bhaiṣajya (भैषज्य) refers to “(taking) medicine at the proper time”, according to Mahāprajñāpāramitāśāstra (chapter 2).—Accordingly, “[When it is a question of ‘food at the improper time’ (akālabhojana), or ‘medicine at the proper time’ (kālabhaiṣajya) or ‘robes at the proper time’ (kālavastra), the word ‘kāla’ is always used. Why not say ‘samaya’?]—[Answer:]—Lay people do not understand the expression in the Vinaya; how then could the heretics understand it? They would take up wrong views. Everybody understands the expression ‘samaya’ in the other texts. Therefore by saying ‘samaya’, they are prevented from producing wrong views. ‘Samaya’ is a contrived word, ‘kāla’ likewise is a metaphorical expression. Besides, in the Buddhist texts, the word ‘samaya’ is often used and rarely the word ‘kāla’. Since its use is rare, no objection can be made”.

2) Bhaiṣajya (भैषज्य) refers to “therapeutic knowledge”, having its roots in the four Vedas, according Mahāprajñāpāramitāśāstra (chapter IV). Accordingly, at the time of the Buddha, the knowledge of therapeutics (bhaiṣajya) was commonly exchanged between Brahmins and cow-herders.

According to chapter 36, “the Buddha is like the king of physicians (vaidyarāja), the Dharma is like good medicine (bhaiṣajya) and the Community is like a nurse (glānopasthāyaka)”.

context information

Mahayana (महायान, mahāyāna) is a major branch of Buddhism focusing on the path of a Bodhisattva (spiritual aspirants/ enlightened beings). Extant literature is vast and primarely composed in the Sanskrit language. There are many sūtras of which some of the earliest are the various Prajñāpāramitā sūtras.

Languages of India and abroad

Marathi-English dictionary

Source: DDSA: The Molesworth Marathi and English Dictionary

bhaiṣajya (भैषज्य).—n S The practice of medicine; medical treatment.

context information

Marathi is an Indo-European language having over 70 million native speakers people in (predominantly) Maharashtra India. Marathi, like many other Indo-Aryan languages, evolved from early forms of Prakrit, which itself is a subset of Sanskrit, one of the most ancient languages of the world.

Sanskrit dictionary

Source: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionary

Bhaiṣajya (भैषज्य).—[bhiṣajaḥ karma, bheṣaja-svārthe vā ṣyañ]

1) Administering medicines, medical treatment.

2) A medicament, medicine, drug; सर्वस्नेहधान्यक्षारलवणभैषज्य (sarvasnehadhānyakṣāralavaṇabhaiṣajya) ......... Kau. A. 2.4.22.

3) Healing power, curativeness.

Derivable forms: bhaiṣajyam (भैषज्यम्).

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English Dictionary

Bhaiṣajya (भैषज्य).—n.

(-jyaṃ) A drug, a medicament. E. bheṣaja, ṣyañ aff.

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Benfey Sanskrit-English Dictionary

Bhaiṣajya (भैषज्य).—i. e. bhiṣaj + ya, I. n. A medicament, a drug, [Hitopadeśa] i. [distich] 110, M. M.; a remedy. Ii. m. The descendant of a physician.

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Cappeller Sanskrit-English Dictionary

Bhaiṣajya (भैषज्य).—[neuter] curativeness, a cert. sanative ceremony, remedy against (—°).

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary

1) Bhaiṣajya (भैषज्य):—[from bhaiṣaja] m. [patronymic] [from] bhiṣaj, or bhiṣaja [gana] gargādi ([Kāśikā-vṛtti])

2) [v.s. ...] n. curativeness, healing efficacy, [Vājasaneyi-saṃhitā]

3) [v.s. ...] a [particular] ceremony performed as a remedy for sickness, [Kauśika-sūtra]

4) [v.s. ...] any remedy, drug or medicine (‘against’ [genitive case]), [Śatapatha-brāhmaṇa; Suśruta]

5) [v.s. ...] the administering of medicines etc., [Monier-Williams’ Sanskrit-English Dictionary]

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Yates Sanskrit-English Dictionary

Bhaiṣajya (भैषज्य):—(jyaṃ) 1. n. A medicament.

Source: DDSA: Paia-sadda-mahannavo; a comprehensive Prakrit Hindi dictionary (S)

Bhaiṣajya (भैषज्य) in the Sanskrit language is related to the Prakrit word: Bhesajja.

[Sanskrit to German]

Bhaishajya in German

context information

Sanskrit, also spelled संस्कृतम् (saṃskṛtam), is an ancient language of India commonly seen as the grandmother of the Indo-European language family (even English!). Closely allied with Prakrit and Pali, Sanskrit is more exhaustive in both grammar and terms and has the most extensive collection of literature in the world, greatly surpassing its sister-languages Greek and Latin.

Kannada-English dictionary

Source: Alar: Kannada-English corpus

Bhaiṣajya (ಭೈಷಜ್ಯ):—

1) [noun] an administering of a medicine; medical treatment.

2) [noun] a substance or preparation used in the treatment of illness; a medicine.

3) [noun] the healing efficacy of a medicine.

context information

Kannada is a Dravidian language (as opposed to the Indo-European language family) mainly spoken in the southwestern region of India.

Relevant text

Search found 13 books and stories containing Bhaishajya, Bhaiṣajya, Bhaisajya; (plurals include: Bhaishajyas, Bhaiṣajyas, Bhaisajyas). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:

Chapter 13 - The Offering Of Dharma

show preview

Appendix 12 - The Dharma is like good medicine (bhaiṣajya) < [Chapter XXXVI - The eight recollections (anusmṛti or anussati)]

I. One single root to be planted in the Field of the Buddhas (buddhakṣetra) < [Part 4 - Planting inexhaustible roots of good]

III.5. Other qualities of the Community < [III. Recollection of the community (saṃgānusmṛti)]

+ 28 more chapters / show preview

Treatment of Rudhirasrāva (excessive flow of blood) < [Chapter 3 - Diseases and Remedial measures (described in Atharvaveda)]

The Sarvaroga-bhaiṣajya hymns < [Chapter 3 - Diseases and Remedial measures (described in Atharvaveda)]

Ulcers (vraṇa) according to Caraka < [Chapter 4 - Diseases and Remedial measures (described in Caraka-saṃhitā)]

+ 3 more chapters / show preview

(b) The Skandhaka < [Chapter 2 - Background Information]

Psychiatry < [Chapter 5 - Diseases and Treatments in the Chapter on Medicine]