“In this age made totally dark by the five great degenerations, the sentient being constantly is tossed in waves of disease, sorrow and pain.  Buddha, out of great compassion, emanates as Bendurya, the Medicine Guru, to shine as a sun in the skies of the world, and to dry up the water giving birth to all ills.” - a benediction to the Medicine Budddha by Gyalwa Kalzang Gyatso.

The progress of the Tibetan medical system got an stimulus during the 7th and 8th centuries when physicians from Persia, Greece, Nepal, India, Nepal, and other bordering states were invited to Tibet by the Kings Sorngstsen Gampa and Trisong Detsen, to exchange medical knowledge with Tibetan scholars, monks and physicians. Many young Tibetans were enrolled as medical students. During this period the great Tibetan translator and scholar, Beru Tsana (Vaircana) translated the “Ghyushi” (Four Tantras) teachings written by the Kashmiri scholar Chandranandna (Panchen Dawa Ngoenpa), into the Tibetan language and presented the traqnscription to the king.

Check out the books in the section for the full and complete system of Tibetan Medicine and Tibetan medical practices. Click on the arrows to scroll through the books, then click to open a page on any book of interest. With such unique and interesting methods, we knew it was impossible to cover everything about Tibetan medicine on this site, but it's an important subject for those interested in Tibetan medicine, history and culture. Enjoy!
 

DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH ON TIBETAN HEALING & CURES

The Tibetan system of medicine has, over a period of time, become very popular due to its ability to deliver quick results. Patients from across the region wait for their turn in long, serpentine queues at the half-a-dozen Tibetan clinics in Dharamsala. After diagnosis, they continue their treatment by seeking consultation by post or through e-mail. Tibetan practitioners rely on traditional methods of diagnosis to pin-point the cause of the ailment—pulse reading and the examination of the urine sample and the skin. "For us, the pulse is not just a measure of the heart beat, it leads us to the ailing part of the body," says Dr Tsewang Tamdin, Deputy Director of the Men-Tsee-Khang or the Tibetan Medical and Astrological Institute (TMAI), Dharamsala.. "Our medicines score over allopathic drugs because they do not have side-effects and are not slow acting," he adds.

Therefore, feels Tamdin, it would be wrong to term the Tibetan system as an alternate system of medicine because except for surgery or accident cases, there is a cure for every disease. MORE

They stay healthy and live for a long time with regular consumption of this exudate. Shilajit is a rasayana herb and is an adaptogen. Shilajit contains at least 85 minerals in Ionic form as well as humic acid and fulvic acid. As everyone knows, aging is one of the bitter facts of life which leaves no one untouched, neither the strong, healthy or wealthy. But aging is not necessarily inevitable, at least not like we know it today. Indian Yogis had always known of a certain elixir from Himalayan mountains known as Shilajit which could go a long way in arresting and reversing the aging process. Shilajit is a Sanskrit word meaning "conqueror of mountains and destroyer of weakness". Shilajit, found in the higher altitudes of the Himalayas, is collected during the summer months after the ice thaws, and Shilajeet lumps are sometimes spotted and collected from crannies in rocks and precipices. Check out this photo of Shilajit taken in Yushu, being held by nomads trying to sell their collection for a VERY HIGH price (comparative to costs in this area).

‘Charaka Samhita’ describes that "there is hardly any curable disease which cannot be controlled or cured with the application of Shilajit. Shilajit is described as an effective tonic for anemia and general debility. It regulates uterine contractions and promotes expulsion of the fetus. It is used like an antiseptic in parasitic diseases of the skin in the form of paste is locally applied to relieve rheumatic pain in joints and to strengthen muscles in the cases of paralysis. Shilajit is markedly effective in the treatment of various complications arising from diabetes. In Ayurveda it is indicated for use as alterative, anodyne, antiphlogistic, antiseptic, aphrodisiac, cholagogue, disinfectant, diuretic, expectorant, intestinal antiseptic, mildly laxative, parasiticide, rejuvenative, respiratory stimulant and as general tonic. Improves immunity and protects heart, brain and other vital organs of the body.

• Helps accelerate processes of protein and nucleic acid metabolism and stimulates energy providing reactions.
• Counteracts Diabetes and regulates the blood sugar level.
• Purifies blood, improves functioning of pancreas and strengthens digestion.
• Reduces fat, dissolves tumors, and counteracts thirst.
• Promotes the movement of minerals, especially calcium, phosphorous, and magnesium into muscle tissue and bone.
• Stimulates the immune system and improves restoration (recovery) after exercise.
• Increases levels of growth hormone in diabetic patients and is a potent anti-ulcer agent.

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Shilajit is processed by several drug manufacturers and presented in capsule form for human consumption. In Sanskrit the literal meaning of Shilajit is " Rock Like " - the power to make our body like a rock enabling it to withstand the ravages of time. MORE

Shilajit, found in the Tibetan Himalayas between 1000 and 10,000 feet as well as other areas of the Himalayas is used in Ayurveda, the traditional Indian system of medicine. Collected by nomads around Tibetan high altitude plateaus and sold to agents who market to the anti-aging marketplace around the world, this product supports a small portion of the Tibetan population. Shilajit is a rasayana herb and is an adaptogen. Shilajit contains at least 85 minerals in Ionic form as well as humic acid and fulvic acid. As everyone knows, aging is one of the bitter facts of life which leaves no one untouched, neither the strong, healthy or wealthy. But aging is not necessarily inevitable, at least not like we know it today. Indian Yogis had always known of a certain elixir from Himalayan mountains known as Shilajit which could go a long way in arresting and reversing the aging process. Shilajit is a Sanskrit word meaning "conqueror of mountains and destroyer of weakness". Shilajit, found in the higher altitudes of the Himalayas, is collected during the summer months after the ice thaws, and Shilajeet lumps are sometimes spotted and collected from crannies in rocks and precipices. Check out this photo of Shilajit taken in Yushu, being held by nomads trying to sell their collection for a VERY HIGH price (comparative to costs in this area).
 

• Helps accelerate processes of protein and nucleic acid metabolism and stimulates energy providing reactions.
• Counteracts Diabetes and regulates the blood sugar level.
• Purifies blood, improves functioning of pancreas and strengthens digestion.
• Reduces fat, dissolves tumors, and counteracts thirst.
• Promotes the movement of minerals, especially calcium, phosphorous, and magnesium into muscle tissue and bone.
• Stimulates the immune system and improves restoration (recovery) after exercise.
• Increases levels of growth hormone in diabetic patients and is a potent anti-ulcer agent.

Want more detail, click here

Shilajit is processed by several drug manufacturers and presented in capsule form for human consumption. In Sanskrit the literal meaning of Shilajit is " Rock Like " - the power to make our body like a rock enabling it to withstand the ravages of time. MORE

Buddha’s key teachings of the middle way between worldly indulgence and self – denial gave nomadic physicians of the period a drastically different view of the world and of humankind’s place in it. The discovery that the  intensive meditative practice of Buddhist monks helped maintain a healthy physical state brought medicine into the realm of religion.

Buddha’s key teaching of the Four Noble Truths may be based on a medical paradigm, whereby suffering, its cause, its suppression, and the method for its elimination find a parallel in medicine to disease, its cause, health and the remedy.

The symbiotic relationship between Buddhism and medicine led to the teaching of medicine in the large conglomerate monastic universities. Tibetan medicine continued to progress due to the efforts of Buddhist monks and the emphasis laid on it by religion. Since then medicines for sickness remained among the monk’s necessities and constituted one of his four possessions along with a robe, a begging bowl, and a bed.

After centuries of use, the Tibetan pharmacopoeia using plants, microorganisms and meditation has proven to cure many ailments an diseases in sort of miraculous ways.