Buddha was known as a great healer who treated physical and mental illnesses. He taught his disciples Buddhist principles of medicine, including examining patients, understanding the origins of disease, treating illness, and preventing future disease. Buddha's teachings emphasized compassion and respect for all living beings. His personal physician, Jivaka, established the Jivaka Ambavana healing gardens where Buddha frequently taught and patients received treatment. Buddha's example inspired the spread of both Buddhism and Indian medicine throughout Asia.

1. Buddha-the healer
"May all that have life be delivered from suffering“ - Gautama Buddha

2. Buddha-the healer
• In the Buddhist monasteries the monks had to undertake the nursing of the sick.
As per the Mahavagga, the precept was first shown by the Buddha himself. On his
daily round in the monastery (Vihara), he noticed a monk suffering from stomach
disorder, fallen in his own excreta. Nobody was attending to the monk. The
Buddha immediately asked snanda to fetch water and himself washed the monk
with that water, while snanda wiped him down and laid him down upon his bed.
Then the Buddha addressed the monks: “O Bhikkhus, if you wait not one upon the
other, who is there who will wait upon you? Whosoever would wait upon me, he
should wait upon the sick."
• In the Buddhist scriptures the Buddha is also called Bhaisajya-Guru and
Mahabhisak i.e., great physician. The VIth Book of the Mahavagga, called
Bhaisajya-Skandhaka, gives valuable information about a number of common
diseases and their treatment. Diagnosis of disease and charitable distribution of
medicines was the regular programme of the Buddhist Sanghas and was
implemented by the monks in the monasteries.
• Buddha stated the doctrine of Buddhism more than 2,500 years ago. Since then, it
has become the salvation for people seeking liberation from sickness and death. It
is a doctrine without discrimination of caste, race or wealth. It respects equality
between human beings and animals.

3. Buddha-the healer
Buddha said
“Empty this boat, O monk! Not to do any evil
Emptied, it will sail lightly, To cultivate what is good
Rid of the lust and hatred, To purify one’s mind
You shall reach Nirvaana” This is the teaching of Buddhas
(Dhampaddha Verse 369) (Dhampaddha Verse 183)
Buddha became the supreme healer of the mind’s disease. Buddha gave three principal teachings
(the three different tenets mentioned earlier), among many others, which are classified in
three models of practice:
-Silasiksa : morale discipline for disease of attachment.
-Samadhisiksa: training of concentration to cure hatred.
-Prajnasiksa : training of wisdom to cure ignorance.
• Monks used to treat the people who gave them alms. Buddha discouraged Surgery and also
animal sacrifice as cures for ethical and as a mark of respect for all livings beings. Vinay Sutra
is on the life of Buddha and on Buddhist Medicine. In the eight Medicine Buddha sutras
Buddha taught about healing patients, living in harmony with nature -ecology and climate
etc.
•

4. Buddha- the healer
Nav Guna Gatha - The Nine virtues of Buddha
By Visarad Srima Ratnayaka
Derived from many important texts of the Tipitaka in
the Buddhist canon as well as from amongst the forty
methods of Samatha Bhavana – tranquil meditation
on Buddhanussati, i.e. Meditation on the virtues of the
Buddha.
A brief translation of the Pali passage is as follows:
1. Araham – perfect and worthy of homage,
2. Sammasambuddho – omniscient,
3. Vijjacaranasampanno – endowed with clear vision
and good conduct,
4. Sugato –well done, well spoken,
5. Lokovidu – wise in the knowledge of the world,
6. Anuttaro Purisa-damma-sarathi – peerless trainer of
the untameable ones,
7. Sattha-Deva-Manussanam –Teacher of gods and
men,
8. Buddho – enlightened and showing the path to
Enlightenment,
9. Bhagavathi – Blessed.”

5. Buddha-the healer
"May all that have life be delivered from suffering“ - Gautama Buddha (c.566 BC - c.480 BC)
• Numerous sutras such as The Sutra of Buddha’s
Diagnosis, The Sutra of the Buddha as a Great
Doctor, The Sutra on Relieving Piles, The Sutra on
Healing Mental Distractions of Improper
Meditation, The Sutra of Healing Dental Diseases,
The Sutra of Dharani for Healing All Diseases, The
Sutra of Dharani for Season’s Diseases, Vinaya of
the Five Categories, Vinaya of the Four Categories,
Ten Recitations Vinaya, and
Mahasanghavinaya, contain many references to
medicine. The Buddha truly deserves to be
regarded as the grand patriarch of Buddhist
medicine. He was capable of curing diseases not
only of the body but also of the mind, which were
his specialty.
• The U.S. government coordinated international
conferences on “The Relationship Between
Religion and Health.” Religion is gradually
influencing the biological, psychological, and
social medicine of Western society. Buddhism has
played a significant role in uniting spirituality and
medicine in the West.

6. Buddha-the healer
Also, in the contemporary period of Buddha, The Emperor Ajatashatru, misguided by his
evil master Devadatta, murdered his own father and many others and destroyed the
religious centers and monasteries. Later he felt guilty and fell into heavy depression. No one
succeeded in curing him. He consulted with Jeevaka, who was his half brother, and Jeevaka
took him to the Buddha. Buddha, who was already waiting for King Ajatshatru outside his
meditation vihara 13, called the King’s name three times and cured him with the following
words:
“Having slain mother and father,
Two warrior kings,
and destroyed a country,
together with its treasurer,
Ungrieving goes the holy man”14.
The meaning is:
“Having slain craving and self-conceit,
Two warrior kings of eternalism and nihilism,
and destroyed a country of sense organs and sense objects
together with its treasurer of attachment and lust,
Ungrieving goes the holy man”.
The emperor Ajatashatru, confused by the above words, went to meditate to understand
their deep meaning, which then awoke him from depression and led him to realization.
Courtsey: Dr. Pasang Arya

7. As per Tibetan Medical History Buddha transformed a forest near Varanasi into the pure
medicine land of Tanadug. Representatives of the four medical traditions attended and
listened to the teachings of Buddha on Medicine the discourse of the four Tantras –Gyud shi.
Courtsey: Dr. Pasang Arya

8. Buddha-the healer
Medicine Buddha per Tibetan Scholar
• In his Teachings on the Medicine
Buddha the Ven. Thrangu Rinpoche
discusses the position of the Medicine
Buddha's two hands:
• "His right hand is extended, palm
outward, over his right knee in the
gesture called supreme generosity. In it
he holds the arura, or myrobalan, fruit.
This plant represents all the best
medicines. The position of his right hand
and the arura which he holds represent
the eradication of suffering, especially
the suffering of sickness, using the means
of relative truth. Sickness can be
alleviated by adjusting the functioning of
interdependent causes and conditions by
the use of relative means within the
realm of relative truth, such as medical
treatment and so on. The giving of these
methods is represented by the gesture of
the Medicine Buddha's right hand.

9. Buddha-the healer
Buddha called Jeevaka and asked him to go to collect herbs at the ‘Snow Mountain‘ (Riwogangchen). A disciple of
Buddha called Vajrapani, helped him. They brought many plants, herbs and minerals. Jeekava demonstrated them well to
the Buddha. Finally, some substances were left aside and Buddha asked him: “What are these?”. Jeevaka replied:
“Omniscient One, they also possess medicinal values but I don’t know them.” Buddha explained them one by one and it
surprised Jeevaka, who asked Buddha “Do you also know Medicine?” Buddha said: “Yes Kumara Jeevaka, I know, and I
am an expert in the four branches of medicine:
· examining pathology
· discovering the origin of disease
· pacifying the disease and
· preventing the disease.”
Buddha also said to Kumara Jeevaka, “The physician who knows these four branches of Medicine possesses the qualification to
become the court physician to the king. Therefore, Tathagata who destroyed the demons and possesses the knowledge of
the four branches of Medicine is a supreme healer in the three worlds. Kumara Jeevaka, Tathagata also knows the
following four supreme healing medical branches of science which are beyond somatic medicine. They are:
· There is a truth of suffering,
· Truth of cause
· Truth of cessation and
· Truth of path.
Kumara Jeevaka, common physicians don’t know how to prevent the patients from the root of the diseases such as aging,
sickness, death, lament, sadness, sorrow, unhappiness, and disharmony of the mind. Only Tathagata knows the Medicine
for the disease caused by aging through the evolutions that lead to death. Therefore, I am declaring here that Buddha is a
supreme healer in the three worlds.”
Courtsey: Dr. Pasang Arya

10. Buddha-the healer
Story on examining pathology
• One day, when he was still a student, Jivaka and his classmates were
returning to their Ashram after bathing in a river. They saw the footprints
of an elephant. His classmates asked Jivaka for his comments in order to
ridicule him because he was the favourite disciple of their teacher. Jivaka
replied that the footmarks belonged to a female elephant who was blind in
the right eye. She was about to give birth to a male calf. His classmates
reported this to their teacher, Atreya, amidst a lot of laughter. Atreya got
the facts verified and found them to be correct. Jivaka explained that the
footprints of the elephant were round and not oblong, hence it was a
female. She ate leaves only on the left side of her path, so he inferred that
she was blind in the right eye. The hind feet marks were deeper and the
right one still deeper hence it was correct to infer that the elephant was
pregnant and a male calf would be born. From the smell of the urine she
had passed, Jivaka rightly inferred that the delivery was imminent.

11. Buddha-the healer
Prevention of Disease
• The traditional method of inoculation against smallpox was widely
prevalent before the 18th century in northern and southern India. Doctor
J. Holwell, FRS, described the practice as he observed it in Bengal in 1767.
• “Inoculation is performed by a particular tribe of Brahmins. They arrive in
February or March. A strict regimen is observed both before and after
inoculation. They inoculate only those who have observed the regimen of
abstaining from milk, fish and ghee.” Dr. Holwell goes on to say that, “It
comes to a miracle to hear that one in a million fails of receiving the
infection or of one that miscarries it provided the regimen is strictly
followed.”
• With passage of time, a noble practice had become obscure and the
tyranny of superstitions had taken over the free born reason of man.
Smallpox was considered a divine visitation of the Goddess. Shitala ma
temple in Gujrat was visited by millions to prevent Goddess visitation
(Smallpox).

12. Buddha-the healer
Prajanasiksa-training for wisdom to cure Ignorance –our greatest enemy
The Longest Tyranny
The longest tyranny that ever sway'd
Was that wherein our ancestors betray'd
Their free-born reason to the Stagirite,
And made his torch their universal light.
So truth, while only one supplied the state,
Grew scarce, and dear, and yet sophisticate;
Until 't was bought, like emp'ric wares, or charms,
Hard words seal'd up with Aristotle's arms.
John Dryden, 1663.
• -Stagirite. Aristotle, so named from his birthplace Stagira.
• -sophisticate. Not pure or genuine; specious.
• -emp'ric. An empiric is one who relies solely on observation
and experiment; in the 17th century this connoted
charlatanism and quackery, especially in medicine.
-----------------------------------------
On the contrary Buddhist tradition
namely: Pariyatti (Theoretical Knowledge), Patipatti (Practice)
and Pativedana (Experience) singles out such blind faith.
In 1591 Galileo dropped two objects from the top of the
Leaning Tower of Pisa to disprove Aristotle. Aristotle had said
that heavy objects fall faster than light ones. Galileo's practical
demonstration proves this is not so.

13. Buddha-the healer
and his adorable disciple Jivaka
• Jeevak, a young boy of sixteen
had come from Magadha) to
study medicine from Guru
Athreya at Taxila, a 'world-
renowned physician'. Athreya
asked Jeevak: “Seek round the
Ashram and bring to me any
plant that does not possess
medicinal properties.”
• Jeevak examined the plants of
the entire region but could not
find such a plant. He reported
his finding to his teacher.
Athreya was extremely
satisfied with his pupil’s
answer.

14. Buddha-the healer
• Jivaka selected three lotuses which he treated with various drugs. Then they were given to
the patient to be smelt by him. Each lotus produced ten purges. After the purgative had its
full effect, the Buddha was bathed in warm water and was asked to abstain from liquid food
for some time. Buddha was completely cured.
• Jivaka built "night quarters and day quarters, cells, huts, pavilion, ...and a Fragrant Hut for the
Buddha, and surrounded the mango grove with high walls." Called Jivakambavana, it was one
of the most important places where Buddha's discourses were held. It was here that
Ajatasatru, who had killed his father Bimbisara recently, came to visit the Buddha and
listened to his discourse, the Samaaphala Sutta, the Sutra of the Fruit of Asceticism. The
Buddha also delivered another two important discourses here, both of them to Jivaka.
• The famous Chinese traveller Hiuen Tsiang, who travelled in India during 429-45 AD,
describes his visit to Rajagha: "North-east from Shrigupta's Fire-pit, and in a bend of
mountain wall, was a tope (stupa) at the spot where Jivaka, the great physician, had built a
hall for the Buddha. Remains of the walls and of the plants and trees within them still
existed. Tathagata often stayed here. Beside the tope the ruins of Jivaka's private residence
still survived." (Watters On Yuan Chwang's Travels in India, Vol. II, p.150.) The Jivakamravana,
built by Jivaka, was discovered and excavated in 1803-57. From the ruins of Jivakamravana
about 2.5 kms towards the east, is the Gdhrakuta hill, where the Buddha stayed off and on
for many years.
• Along with Buddhism, Indian medicine also spread to other Asian countries. For all these
endeavours the inspiration, indeed, came from the compassionate acts of the Buddha and
the wonderful cures of his personal physician Jivaka. Other incidents- Milk to cure Buddha’s
toe, Diverticulitus surgery, Cranial Surgical operation-Taenia Solium, Running away on
elephant.

15. Buddha-the healer
• Lord Dhanvantari is known
as the father of Ayurveda.
He first appeared during the
great churning of the
cosmic ocean of milk
(Samudra manthan).
• As he emerged, he was
holding a conch, leeches,
healing herbs, a chakra (one
of the divine weapons of
Lord Vishnu’s), and the long
sought pot of ambrosia, for
which he is also
called Sudha Pani

16. Buddha-the healer
• Terminalia chebula
Harad is one of the important
ayurvedic Herbs used for any problems
related with digestion in Ayurveda. The
fruit is used to treat acidity, heartburn,
constipation, ulcers, piles, inflammation,
dysentry and diarrhea.
• Known as Haritaki in Sanskrit, which
means originated from God's home.
• Harad is also known to remove
toxins from body. It scrapes the
assimilated waste or deposits out of the
body. It is carminative and laxative.
• It can be used topically also to heal
infections, Boils or ulcers.
• Good for eyes and a nervine tonic. It is
good for lungs, bronhcitis, Asthma and
sinus.
•

17. Buddha- the healer
• Hiruda Medicinalis
• Use has been approved by FDA.
• During the reattachment of severed
fingers and ears, or of the detached
scalp, the blood flow needs to be
reestablished. This is achieved by
reconnecting the major arteries and
veins. In particular, the veins can be
difficult to find.
• H. Medicinalis are applied to the
tissue and they actively remove
blood and secrete numerous
compounds that have vasodialator,
anticoagulant, and clot-dissolving
properties. This prevents the tissue
from dying off and allows the body to
reestablish good blood flow to the
reattached part.

18. Buddha- the healer
Gifts of Nature
• Terminalia Arjun- heart ailments
• Terminalia Chebula-Harad, Myrobalan
• Rauwaolfia Serpentina-blood pressure
• Ginger-flatulence, Warmth
• Garlic-blood purifier, aids in digestion
• Turmeric- Anti-septic,
• Ajwain-Digestive
• Ashwagandha- Stress buster, Stamina
builder
• Amla- Teeth and gums, eyes. Vitamin C
• Flax seeds- Joint pains, Anti-oxidant
• Sesame Oil –Calcium, anti oxidant
…………….this list is endless. We do not need
to waste time trying to find that one
plant which does not have medicinal
value.

19. Professor Dr. Rajesh Rampal (???) at the Royal Society of Medicine-
1,Wimpole Street London. 13th November 2010. Stayed in the Professor's
Chambers.
Thank You

20. Please stand by for Tibetan Medicine Buddha Mantra - To
eliminate not only pain of diseases but also help in overcoming
the major inner sickness of attachment, hatred, jealousy, desire,
greed and ignorance. Only 4.15 minutes.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oikIw01nzL4
tedyathah om bheekadzye bheekadzye
喋雅他 嗡貝卡則 貝卡則
mahah bheekadzye rahdza
瑪哈 貝卡則 拉雜
samutgate swahhah
薩穆 嘎喋 梭哈