Ayurveda: The Oldest Medical Science on Earth
Ayurveda, with its roots in India, is the oldest and most ancient holistic medical science on Earth. It is the art of living in harmony with nature. Its aim is to maintain the health of healthy individuals and to promote healing in those who are ill. Ayurveda is a system of protection and healing.
Ayurveda, considered world medicine, is the most holistic or comprehensive medical system currently available, aiming to heal, improve the quality of life, and promote longevity.
As the science of self-healing and maintaining health, Ayurveda encompasses the healing of the mind, body, and spirit, and the continuation of health through diet, nutrition, lifestyle habits, exercise, rest, relaxation techniques, meditation, breathing practices, mindfulness exercises, and cleansing and rejuvenation programs using medicinal herbs.
Ayurveda covers all health disciplines and creates protocols and programs according to the needs of each individual. The Ayurvedic approach to treatment combines identifying the root cause of mental, physical, and emotional imbalances and disorders through elimination, determining the conditions of treatment protocols, restructuring the body, and offering long-lasting rejuvenation strategies. Unlike Western medical treatment, Ayurveda does not suppress symptoms; finding the root cause and preventing its recurrence is essential.
Ayurveda translates to “Science of Life” or “Art of Living.” According to Ayurveda, every individual is a creation of existence, a part of cosmic energy, a unique phenomenon, and a unique being, a unique personality.
All healing systems are based on a philosophy. Ayurveda bases its philosophy on the Shad Darshan philosophy. Shad Darshan draws from the Vedas, the ancient teachings of Indian philosophy. While the exact age of the Vedas is unknown, most sources date them back 5,000 years, and some even 10,000 years.
The four major Vedas that influenced the Shad Darshan school of thought, which influenced Ayurveda, are the oldest known recorded/written knowledge in human history:
a) Rig Veda
b) Yajurveda
c) Atharvaveda
d) Samaveda
Milattan önce 8. yüzyıl civarında, rivayet olunduğuna göre bu bütüncül, ruhsal bütün yaşam bilgeliğinin tıbbi yönüne ait yanlış bilgi anlaşılmalarını düzeltmek için Charaka Ayurveda’nın tüm şifa yönlerini toplamış ve yalnızca okulunda bunu öğretmeye başlamıştır. Daha sonra, Milat’tan önce 5. yüzyıl civarında cerrahi bilgi birikiminde Sushruta tarafından kendi okulunda toplanmıştır. Ayurveda’nın bu iki okulu hekimlik ve cerrahlık okulu Ayurveda’yı bilimsel olarak doğru olabilir ve sınıflandırılır tıbbi bir sisteme dönüştürmüştür araştırma ve deney yoluyla ilahi ifşayı saran gizem aurasını kaldırarak daha pratik ve bilimsel düşünceli olanların şüphelerini bu sayede gidermişlerdir bunun sonucu olarak Ayurveda, Hindistan‘da itibar kazanarak gelişmiş ve şifa için geniş çapta kullanılan bir sistem olmuştur.
Sacred Ayurvedic Texts
Charak represents the Ayurvedic school of medicine by addressing physiology, anatomy, etiology, pathogenesis, symptoms and signs of diseases, diagnostic methods, treatment and prescriptions for patients, prevention, and longevity. He also considers the internal and external causes of disease: when people do not accept that God is in everything, including themselves, this separation in spiritual perception creates a void. This void gives rise to a yearning for or waste of the unity of spiritual perception. This waste then manifests itself as the onset of spiritual, physical, and mental illness. External influences on health include the time of day, seasons, diet, and lifestyle. A whole section is devoted to the treatment of herbs, diet, and the medicinal aspects of reversing aging.
Sushruta comes from the Dhanvantari school of surgery; in America, a surgeons’ association has named its association the Sushruta Association in honor of him, the father of surgery in Ayurveda. It includes comprehensive descriptions of surgical instruments, the classification of abscesses, burns, fractures, and wounds, surgical excision, plastic surgery, and anal/rectal surgery. Human anatomy is presented in great detail, including descriptions of bones, joints, nerves, the heart, blood vessels, the circulatory system, etc., and the evidence is strengthened by today’s mechanistic research methods. Then, the science of massage, adapted from Chinese acupuncture and utilizing marma points, or vital body points, is described. Even polarity massage therapy, popular in America, was developed after its proponents received massage training in India.
In addition to these, there are four secondary Vedas, called Upavedas. Ayurveda is one of these Upavedas. It is primarily based on the Atharvaveda and Rig Veda.
Four UPAVEDAS: 4 Little Farewells
Shad Darshan Schools
Ayurveda developed under the influence of six schools of Indian philosophy, drawing from all of them, and drawing most heavily from creation philosophy.
Shad Darshan = Inner and outer vision, wisdom
Shad = 6
Darshan = the root of the word comes from Drish, meaning to see.
Since a word in Sanskrit can have many meanings, in the literature Darshan can be described as “Love of Truth.” We can say it represents the six philosophies adopted by humankind for their well-being and healing.
The six schools guide towards evolutionary wholeness and paths to self-realization.
| No | Philosophy | Founder | Scope |
| 1 | Samkhya | Kapila | Physics encompasses the world, matter, existence, cause-and-effect relationships, particle interactions, and the effects of the micro and macrocosm. |
| 2 | Nyaya | Gautama | |
| 3 | Vaisheshika | Kanada | |
| 4 | Mimamsa | Jaimini | Understanding your inner world is essential to understanding the connection you have with the outside world. |
| 5 | Yoga | Patanjali | |
| 6 | Vedanta | Badarajana |
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