Basic Principles of Āyurveda

Āyurveda, a science of life, is eternal and never remains static. It is an intricate system of healing that originated in India. It aims at treating healthy as well as unhealthy persons: it helps the healthy person to maintain health and the person with disease to regain health. It is a medical-cum-metaphysical healing life-science, the mother of all healing arts. Therefore the practice of Āyurveda is designed to promote human health and happiness. Also, Āyurveda is considered as an Upaveda of Atharva Veda.

(i) Pañca-mahābhūtas

In accordance with the philosophical principles, Āyurveda, also holds that the living beings are created and composed of five eternal substances, namely–ākāśa (space) vāyu (air) agni (fire), jala (water) and pṛthvī (earth), known as Pañca-mahābhūtas (five great elements). All living beings are created with the combination of these five basic elements in various proportions along with the soul.

(ii) Tridoṣas

Disorder or vitiation of the three humors–Vāta, Pitta and Kapha is called Tridoṣas. Of them, Vāta consists of the predominance of vāyu and ākāśa; Pitta consists of the predominance of agni; and Kapha is predominant of water (āpa) and earth (pṛthvī).

The physical volume in a living organism is predominantly composed of Kapha; the chemical process taking place in the body is due to the manifestation of Pitta; and the activities and movements are usually said to be due to Vāta.

In order to maintain good health in the individual, these three basic substances must be in equilibrium.

(iii) Saptadhātus

These are the seven tissues, namely—rasa–plasma, rakta-blood, māṃsa-muscle tissue, medas–adipose tissue, asthi–bones, majjā–bone marrows and śukra–semen.

(iv) Sāra and Mala

As soon as food is taken, it is digested and thereafter the sāra (nutrient) and the mala (excreta) are produced. This sāra consists of nutrients of Saptadhātus (seven tissues).

Mala is excreta of the human body–sveda (sweat); mūtra (urine), pureṣa (faeces); pratiśyāya (nasal discharge), cakṣumalam (the excretion of the eye) and karṇasrāva, (discharge from the ear).

(v) Triguṇas

They are the constituent qualities–sattva, rajas and tamas.

(a) Sattva means purity, goodness, light and knowledge. It also means one's innate nature or inherent nature, which is pure bliss and light.

(b) Rajas is passion, transience, desire and action. All pleasures spring from the pursuit of passion. Rajas also means boldness. Rajas is placed in the middle of tamas (ignorance) and sattva (goodness) because during the arousal of passion, one may lean towards either ignorance or goodness. Passion when tuned and harnessed, brings out the extraordinary in an individual. Such a person may become an inventor, a scientist, a mathematician, a preacher, an artist, a musician, a peace-worker or an administrative officer. When it is channeled properly, this energy bestows exceptional absorption, concentration and persistence on a person.

(c) Tamas is ignorance; it also means darkness, illusion, error and gloom. In addition, tamas means inertia, dullness and lethargy. Ego is tamas. In the human mind, tamas is the seed of aggression, negativity, hatred, depression, delusion, fear and anger. In the darkness of tamas–in that illusion, one no longer sees right from wrong. In fact this ignorance justifies all wrong acts as right.

Rajas is the active vital life force in the body, which moves both the organic and inorganic Universes to sattva and tamas respectively. So sattva and tamas are inactive, potential energies which need the active kinetic force of rajas.

Considering all, it can be understood that sattva is creative potential (Brahmā); rajas is kinetic protective force (Viṣṇu); and tamas is potential destructive force (Maheśa).