Ayurveda is more about just a shaman system based soley on "doshas", but extends to a sophisticated system of dietics, surgery, genetics and more.

The Depth and Scope of Ayurvedic Science

By Durgadas (Rodney) Lingham, R.A.P, Ved Kovid, AYT
Ayu (Clin), Ayu (Pharm), ALC, AMPKT, AMBT 
 

(c) Ved Kovid, Durgadas. All Rights Reserved.

No part of this article may be copied or reproduced in any manner, except by direct permission from the author. 

As a traditionally trained Ayurvedic practitioner in India along with traditional vaidyas or Ayurvedic physicians, I came to realise the often antagonistic nature that the modern movement that took Ayurveda to the masses in America, had with regards to traditional surgical techniques and other systems that often came to pose issues with clients who expected (as a result of this brainwashing) that Ayurvda would magically cure or heal them and they could bypass surgery and other methods seen as "allopathic"!

While this is a fallacy, many still believe this. There are many websites offering pseudo-practices and New-Age healing modalities and creating confusing aspects from Advaita Ayurveda to Pancha-kosha Ayurveda, Pranic-Healing, Chakra-balancing and even blending systems of utter quackery with Ayurveda such as the Communist TCM system developed in modern China and it's pseudo-systems such as acupuncture (read article here) that have come to epitomise healing in America, along with other forms, notably reiki!

The issue is that such have naught to to with native traditions of healing in India or China and are modern inventions and byproducts of the "spiritualistic" movements, much how the Theosophical Society tried to represent ancient Buddhist and Hindu traditions by their own mental fetishes, fabricating various 'references' that were non-existent along with invention of their own 'Ascended Masters' as authorities!
 

Ayurveda is often presented as a science of dosha-balancing alone. Even in this system, the examination of the bodily constitutional nature (deha-prakriti) from the mind (manasika prakriti) and those from disease (vikriti) were examined separately in addition to (of each), and taking into consideration foods, locations, seasonal changes, age, sex, genetic factors and other variables as well as examinining tissues, systems of the body and metabolism before making any conclusions relative to recommendations!

I often see western New-Age or American-Ayurveda students, often also combining a hodgepodge of quack-systems such as TCM and acupuncture or of naturopathy and other modalities in addition to Ayurveda, which fails. Such American students of Ayurveda don't even have the basics in understanding the Ayurvedic origin and treatment of diseases in a traditional manner and also have an incomplete understanding of diagnosis beyond "Vata-Pitta-Kapha" models of disease. Without a deeper clinical knowledge of examination, such fails!

Dr. David Frawley (Pandit Vamadeva Shastri) who has inspired along with Dr. Vasant Lad, a resurgence of Ayurveda in America, is himself also trained in Traditiona Chinese Medicine, but now relies on the model of Ayurveda for its effectiveness. He has also noted how the TCM system has been somewhat 'doctered' by the Communist regime in China itself and in my discussions with him, spoke of it more or less as an invalid system compared to Ayurveda. This alone also reveals the complexity of Ayurveda as a science itself and the uselenessness in other systems that have deviated from the traditional norm, that also include TCM, Reiki etc. as previously noted. There is an ego in such people to "know more" than others, when in fact theirown knowledge is extremely limited - again, especially relative to Ayurvedic diagnosis beyond what they have learnt in the "Ayur Intro" levels of classroom instruction in the USA and have been exposed to there (different from India, where clinical methods are still employed and students witness and learn these first-hand in their unpasteurised forms as opposed to the pasteurised and hemogenised 'Spa Ayurveda' taught as Panchakarma in the West!).

As an example, I often hear students state they have studied the classics, but believe that cancer and psychosis are a result some kind of "negative astral asuric (demonic)" entities alone, no other true causes! While this is not the case and Ayurveda discusses such at length, as a proper traditional education in Ayurveda or a BAMS graduation would reveal - these neophytes are doing real harm to their patients by espousing such nonsense as well as to the reputation of Traditional Ayurveda - again, perhaps as much as delusionally believing that acupuncture is part of Traditional medicine in China to defend their expensive certifications! I am not going to cite where these influences have come in, as they have become sadly, a part of mainstream American Ayurveda today that needs to be reversed.

Thus, Ayurveda has many facets. One of them is also understanding the role specific foods and substances play in disease and how they enter the blood vessels in the body and cause ama (stagnation or toxins), leading to disease manifestation. Modern medicine doesn't understand dietary therapy and that various foods, their combinations and how they are cooked can cause and aggravate existing diseases and the basic biology of different people.  Ayurvedic texts by contrast are filled with detailed and specific qualities of each food stuff, herb, vegetable, mineral, oils etc. and the effect they have on the body and biological structures. 

As an example, Charaka Samhita (Vimanasthana, I.17) notes of the excessive use of ksharas or alkalis, stating they can derange one's eyesight, hairs and heart and thus cause impotency, baldness and heart-diseases and mentions those of China suffering from such as a result, due to their overuse (in their medical systems). This also brings us to the deeper aspects of various foodstuffs and how they are to be used properly, which as a science of dietetics, Ayurveda has perfected over all others.

Ayurveda tells us that cooked honey is toxic to the body and more likely to cause diseases, owing to its heating nature which changes the property of honey, which is itself already heating, making it toxic. It should hence not be cooked. By contrast however, Ayurveda has revealed that honey, being heating, is useful for high Kapha (phlegm, blood sugars and cholesterol) in the body and hence for obesity and diabetes. Modern research has also proved these ancient findings of Ayurveda also [1].

While science stops short at genetic (atmaja) factors being causative factors in many diseases, Ayurveda goes a step further and explains why this is [2]. The ancient texts describe this is due to prajnaparadha [3] (mistake of the intellect) in past lives, as a result of intake of improper foods, impressions (ahara) etc. which impair the intellect by creating malas (wastes) in the mental channels. This in turn causes one to adhere to adharma (unrighteousness) and commit papa karmas (bad or negative actions), which leads to gaining negative samskaras (karmic impressions) carried through to the next life, to be worked out, as a consequence of the law of cause (karana) and effect (karya). Thus, when the embryo is formed, genetic traits from either mother's ovum or father's sperm come through and genetic dispositions are formed [4] and one gets such a body and suffers from these as a consequence of his past actions. One's biology, says Charaka Rishi, is also due to one's past life-karmas as also the predominance of the biology of the mother or father (whichever predominates). Genetics itself is hence understood fully in Ayurveda and beyond the scope of modern limitations.

Disease in Ayurveda however isn't simply due to genetic factors, although they are due to karmic in some form. Excesses of foods as per one's own predominating biological type (dosha),incompatible food combinations (such as consuming fish with milk or dairy), factors relating to climatic changes and regions and not adapting diets to suit (such as consuming cold or uncooked foods or too much heavy foods in cooler climates, without proper spicing as in Western diets), one's age categorisation, one's sex, improper exercise or weak digestive power without correcting it and others are all causative factors in diseases. Insanity in Ayurveda is caused by a variety of factors, from parasites or bacteria / viruses (bhutas), which in turn are produced from astral entities that one has insulted in a past life, and also by improper foods, thinking, diet, stress and emotional factors (shock, divorce, deaths, loss or emotional trauma), which cause vitiation to the mental channels and malas (wastes), causing blockages (tamas) or agitation (rajas) in one's thinking, what we might call as chemical imbalances in the brain today. 

While Ayurveda does try to cure diseases by more sattvic or peaceful methods first, it also recommends surgery for various conditions difficult to treat or that don't respond to herbs or internal medicines. This is much the same mentality is modern allopathy also. The difference also is that the preliminary and after-care in Ayurveda involves various herbal formulas to help subside the disease and also various methods to dress the wound and care for the patient, which modern medicine also doesn't consider.

In the book "A History of Vascular Surgery" by Steven G. Friedman, James C Stanley, MD and Professor of Surgery at the University of Michigan writes, in his Foreword to the book:

"Sushruta, a talented and productive surgeon from the subcontinent of India who lived more than 2500 years ago, is described as the first to discuss the control of bleeding vessels in a systematic manner (Chapter 1). He was also clear in his condemning those who performed the wrong operation because of mistakes or a lack of skill, as well as for greed. His statement on incompetent surgeons has become increasingly relevant in our contemporary times of greater physician accountability." 

Friedman himself also notes of Sushruta's contributions to surgery and notably Vascular Surgery in his book, as also relating to competence of the physician (pages 3-4) in Chapter I on Vascular Surgeons of Antiquity.

Thus, surgery is not rejected by any means by Ayurveda and indeed, some modern allopathic surgeons as Friedman and his peers also marvel at the care given by Sushruta and seek to maintain this also. 

In addition, Sushruta Samhita with rhinoplasty and otoplasty methods that were adopted during the British Raj in southern India during the Mysore Wars and taken to England by the surgeon Joseph Constantine Carpue and still employed today by plastic surgeons have contributed to modern medical procedures. The novel use of large ants as surgical clips by Sushruta is also well-known for perforated bowels.

In his translation of the Sushruta Samhita (XIV.18), SR Srikantha Murthy (published by Chaukhambha Orientalia, Varanasi) notes:

"The above description of  surgical operation of the abdomen laboratory and intestinal loop (enterotomy) is a testimony for the progress achieved by the surgeons of ancient India. Making use of big ants to hold the tissues is a novel method and a precedent of the use of clips used now a days. Mixture of honey and ghee as a preventative against sepsis - has been recently proved by medical researchers of Japan". (Vol III, p.148).

He similarly makes a note of the puncturing the abdomen and draining of fluids by the ancient Hindu physicians by the same method in the modern day (ibid, p.149).

Sushruta states that there are 1120 diseases that plague man and 573 drugs that have been enumerated in his treatise (Sushruta, Uttarasthana, LXVI.7-9). Of diseases, there are said to be 62 combinations of the doshas (ibid, 10-2) and asamkhyeya (innumerable) when combining when the bodily tissues and wastes (ibid,  12-13).  

The physician Charaka in his Charaka Samhita (Chikitsasthana, XII.81-87) also notes that surgery is required for treatment of granthi (tumours) and also arbuda (cancer, benign tumours) by evacuation, surgical removal and cauterisation of the area. Similarly, according to various types, Sushruta (Sushruta Samhita, Chikitsasthana, XVIII) states the various methods of surgery along with cauterisation and alkalis used (Chikitsasthana, XVIII.24) and also removed without leaving any residue (Chikisasthana, XVIII.42), otherwise it can kill the patient - using the analogy of fire (by a spark). Certain forms of piles are also treated with surgery, alkalis and cauterisation as well (Sushruta Samhita, Chikitsasthana, VI. 6-7). Ksharasutra using an alkali-thread is a known common method for fistula and piles in Ayurveda. Cataract surgery is also noted that it is required to be done in various cases (Sushruta Samhita, Uttarasthana, XVII.56-68).

Similarly, Ashmari (urinary stones) in Sushruta Samhita (Chikitsasthana, VII.3-4) when increasing in size, require surgery also, as a last resort, as otherwise the patient will die (Chikitsasthana, VII. 27-29). Charaka himself notes of six methods of surgical procedure (Chikitsasthana, XXV.55) - patana (incision), vyadhana (puncturing), chedana (excision), lekhana (scraping), prachana (scarification) and sivana (suturing) on which he continues (56-60) are according to various diseases, thus pointing out the role of surgery (shastrakarma) even in his treatise, often considered as merely one on "internal medicine".

Moreover, the great physician Sushruta himself (Sushruta Samhita, Sutrasthana, I.17-21) states the importance of Shalyatantra or the science of surgery and it's antiquity in Indian mythology as being used as the method to heal even the gods themselves. It is hence not simply a science that is to be scoffed at or rejected in favour of mere sattvic methods, nor does any Ayurvedic text, as noted here (quoting Charaka and Sushruta as the oldest authorities and treatise on Ayurveda).

The skill and sophisticated of surgery in ancient Ayurveda should also note be underestimated. Plastic surgery, especially the techniques of rhinoplasty and otoplasty were perfected by the ancient physician, Sushruta and gained the attention of British surgeons in the 18th Century, from whence the techniques arose in Europe.

At around 600BCE, Jeevaka, the Buddha's surgeon used a special gemstone (called sarvabhutaprasadana: that which pacifies all elements) which reflected the inside of a patient's body, to see the internal condition before he operated (like an X-Ray). Jeevaka is known to have successfully employed anesthesia, removed brain-tumours surgically and also fix twisted bowels.

We can summarise, therefore, that Ayurveda's scope goes beyond what many think it does. Ayurvedic dentistry itself has a long and ancient history in itself. Several dental disorders are mentioned in the classics and their treatment. Over 9,000 years ago in the cities of Mehrgarh, teeth were found with minute drill-holes in them, which has perplexed scientists [5].  

While many have often plagiarised my views and works, it doesn't matter, so long as they realise the need to give up the mumbo-jumbo of their pseudo-systems and stop projecting quackery and their egotism upon the science of Traditional Ayurveda. If they do wish for this - they may call such "New Age Ayurveda" and continue with their baseless placebo-systems, but for me, I wish to educate people in a more wholesome manner which may seem at times critical, but I feeel addresses the issue rather than playing the "social justice warrior" card that pretends to defend tradition to gain an audience, but in reality, cares no more about it than they do their next soy latte!

References and Notes:

1. Effects of honey on diabetic patients:  http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19817641

2. Genetic factors are discussed in detail by Charaka Samhita, Sharirasthana, (II.18-21, 27 & 29) state these are due to past factors, which causes such in the embryo one is born into.

3. The commentator on Charaka Samhita, Chakrapani (commentating on Sutrasthana, I.54) also states that prajnaparadha or perversion of the intellect causes one to commit bad deeds (karmas). Taking of impure foods, insulting teachers and learned people (Brahmins), mental shock, fear and irregular or forced bodily movements cause insanity. This causes the bodily biological humours to become aggravated and dulls the truth-perception  or reality of the person (sattvas) in the heart (of the mind), enter the mental-channels and derange the mind of the person (Charaka, Chikitsasthana, IX.4-5). This also means taking incompatible foods such as milk with seafoods, artificial poisons or emotions such as anger (krodha), which can damage the mind, according to Chakrapani, the commentator on Charaka Samhita.

4. One's Dosha Prakriti or biology is determined by factors as the parents, mother's diet etc. (Charaka Samhita, Vimanasthana, VIII.95) and genetic disorders are also passed on through the parents also, relating to past factors, as also the psyche, but congenital illnesses are not always the same as the parents, while the parents can pass them on genetically (Charaka Samhita, Sharirasthana, III.14 & 17).

5. Source: http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2006/04/0405_060405_teeth_drill.html

Research Bibliography:

Ashtanga Hridayam - Translation by K.R Srikantha Murthy, Chaukhambha Orientalia, Varanasi

Charaka Samhita - Translation by K.R Srikantha Murthy, Chaukhambha Orientalia, Varanasi

Sushruta Samhita - Translation by K.R Srikantha Murthy, Chaukhambha Orientalia, Varanasi

Sarngadhara Samhita - Translation by K.R Srikantha Murthy, Chaukhambha Orientalia, Varanasi

Madhava Nidana - Translation by K.R Srikantha Murthy, Chaukhambha Orientalia, Varanasi

Bhava Prakasha - Translation by K.R Srikantha Murthy, Chaukhambha Orientalia, Varanasi

Purna Ayurveda Pariksha: Durgadas (Rodney) Lingham

The Complexity of Charaka's Ayurveda: Durgadas (Rodney) Lingham