Outlines of Chapters

In Chapter One of this thesis, the present Introduction Chapter, a literature review is provided, which shows that the Chapter on Medicine of the Vinaya Piṭaka–the main source of this research–is not extensively examined. The medical data in this text, especially the medicinal substances and the diseases with their remedies, still remain succinct and difficult to understand, for they are not comprehensively studied and interpreted. Questions in relation to comprehension of these data are raised and the aims of the study are set. In the section Methodology, the research materials–the available versions of the Chapter on Medicine in the extant VPs–are reported; the three-fold interpretative method employed in this study is explained and justified. In the section Special Remarks, the use of original languages (e.g. Pāli, Sanskrit, and Chinese) for particular words and the meanings of certain terms (viz. biomedicine and Buddhist medicine) in this thesis are discussed.

Chapter Two provides the readers with background information on certain scopes, so that they can better understand the discussions and interpretations of the ancient Indian medical data of the Chapter on Medicine later in this thesis. This chapter is in four parts which deal with four scopes. The first part comprises a description of the historical background of Indian medicine before and up to the time of the Buddha. By knowing such historical background, the development of ancient Indian medicine can be known; the medical knowledge prevalent at the Buddha’s time, in particular, can be comprehended. Hence the context of the medical facts (the drugs used and the cases of diseases/treatments occurred) can be made sense of. The second part depicts the research source (viz. the Chapter on Medicine). As the Chapter on Medicine is a chapter of the Skandhaka, which in turn is a major component of the Vinaya Piṭaka, these three–the Vinaya Piṭaka, the Skandhaka, the Chapter on Medicine–will be introduced. The origin and structure of the Vinaya Piṭaka, the various chapters of the Skandhaka, and the contents of the Chapter on Medicine will be described. The third and fourth parts of this chapter report on the two medical systems by means of which the medical data in the Chapter on Medicine will be analysed and interpreted. The third part covers a brief history of Āyurveda, as well as the basic medical principles of this medical tradition (such as anatomical and physiological knowledge, diagnostic skills, therapies, health maintenance, etc.). Likewise, the fourth part covers a concise history of modern biomedicine and the fundamental principles of this system (such as reliance on biological sciences, utilisation of new technology, high degree of specialisation, skills of clinical practice, etc.). These two parts aim to provide background information on the two medical systems for readers so that they can follow the analyses and discussions of the medical details in the two chapters (Chapters Four and Five) of this thesis dealing with medicinal substances and diseases.

Before proceeding to the detailed interpretations of the medical facts in the Chapter on Medicine, it is beneficial to have a general awareness of the Buddhist doctrines on medicine. Chapter Three presents the concepts on health and illness, as well as the principles of medical lore recorded in the Buddhist scriptures. The Buddhist texts to be explored will derive mainly from early Buddhist literature, such as the canonical Vinaya texts and the discourses of the Nikāyas and Āgamas.^[1] Subjects to be discussed will include health, disease, anatomy, physiology, aetiology, nosology (classification of diseases), treatment, hygiene, and so on.

The medical data in the Chapter on Medicine, particularly the medicinal substances and the cases of illnesses with their treatments, will be examined through the three-fold interpretative method in the next two chapters. In Chapter Four, the various drugs recorded in the Chapter on Medicine, especially those mentioned for treating sickness (viz. the sevenday medicines and the medicines for use in one’s duration of life), will be identified. Drugs will be categorised, explained with the aid of commentaries and Āyurvedic texts, and given the modern common names as well as the botanical/scientific names. Drugs for investigation include lipids and sweets, animal fats, roots, stems, leaves, flowers, fruits, decoctions, alkaline ashes, salts, scented substances, powders, putrid medicines, and so on. These medicinal substances will thus be recognised and further exploration of them will be eased.

In Chapter Five the cases of various diseases and their remedies recorded in the Chapter on Medicine will be delved into, with the purpose of knowing what could have occurred. The diseases will be grouped according to the medical specialties where they are usually treated (e.g. skin diseases in dermatology, perineal lesions in surgery, etc.). Data for each type of disease will be collected from the Chapter on Medicine, elucidated by means of exegetical information and Āyurvedic medicine, and construed in terms of modern medical knowledge. Illnesses for discussion comprise autumnal disease, wind diseases, humoral disease, fever, gastrointestinal disturbance, headache, jaundice, snakebite, poisoning, eye problems, skin lesions, perineal diseases, foot ailments, and mental problem. These illnesses (together with remedies) will be examined and interpreted so that the readers can better understand the medical details in the Chapter on Medicine and even further explore such information if they are intrigued.

Chapter Six is the Conclusion Chapter. It will first summarise what has been covered in this thesis. Contributions and limitations of the present study will then be discussed. Possible further studies on medicine or medically related topics in Buddhist scriptures, as well as any implications of the findings in this research to modern healthcare, will also be explored.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

The reasons for relying on such Buddhist texts will be explained in Chapter Three.