The classics of
late Vedic times describe Ayurveda as the science of longevity or the means to
live a full, happy and healthy life. Ayurveda is commonly seen as a simplistic,
outdated type of natural medicine. Modern, educated people often see Ayurveda
as inapplicable to current society. While there is some truth that Ayurveda, as
practiced today in India,
needs to be updated it remains the most appropriate medical system for the
present time.
To understand
why Ayurveda is the best medical system to use today one needs to comprehend
the basic purpose of the human being. The ancient scriptures tell us that there
are four goals of life- kama (pleasure), artha
(material wealth), dharma (the individual's life purpose), and moksha
(liberation from the individual 'I' concept). To pursue any of the four life
purposes two things are desirable - health and intelligence. Unfortunately,
Ayurveda is seen as being limited to a health system. The Astanga Hrdayam
clearly states that Ayurveda is the means to attain the four goals of life
(Sutrasthana 1.2). Yet it is the Caraka Samhita (Sutrasthana 1.56) which gives
us the true context in which to understand Ayurveda.
 In pursuing the
modern goals of life (which are mainly pleasure and material wealth) few would
argue of the need for health. Perhaps some could successfully argue that
intelligence is not really needed, yet most would agree that it is certainly a
useful commodity. The true purpose of
Ayurveda is to develop intelligence and this is why it is the most applicable
medical system today.
Ayurveda states
that the cause of disease is the pathogenic actions of Vata, Pitta and Kapha
(Caraka.Samhita, Sutrasthana 1.57). However, the role of intelligence is
considered to be the primary factor in attracting, creating, or allowing
pathogenic elements to take hold in the body and mind. Hence, the development
of intelligence is the fundamental element for health and the true purpose of
Ayurveda. Without the development of intelligence the individual makes poor decisions
that create wrong or destructive habits. This in turn ruins either the mental
or physical health, or at times, both.
Ayurveda can be
viewed on a superficial level as basic rules in which to live by - e.g., the
development of proper daily habits to maintain homeostasis of the organism.
Additionally it can also be viewed as a health system that offers a variety of
medicinal and therapeutic options. Yet, neither of these views will actually
address the other two fundamental needs of the human - Dharma and Moksha -
which are considered to be the actual goal of human incarnation. Both of these
require the correct development of intelligence, buddhi or the intellect.
The highest
development of intelligence is discrimination. And it is precisely the lack of discrimination
that has led to the dominance of mechanical thought in the health sciences. The
human being is an alive, psychosomatic, phenomenon that can never be totally
understood by its parts. This is both the limitation and gift of mechanical
medicine - the knowledge and treatment of the parts. However, true health is a
dynamic expansion of homeostasis - it is not static - when it becomes static we
call it death or suspended animation. Mechanical medicine sees health as the
lack of symptoms. By this definition living on pills and medications for twenty
or thirty years is health - because there are no symptoms. This shows a lack of
discrimination between the static and dynamic states of health.
The return of
Ayurveda to its proper place as a major world medicine can only happen if its
primary goal is met - developing intelligence and discrimination. This is the
main global issue of today - increasing the level of human intelligence. If
this occurs both Dharma and Moksha can be restored as the primary goals of
humanity. It is the global obsession with Artha and Kama that is quickly
destroying society and all natural resources. The global predominate of
mechanical medicine and petroleum based pharmaceuticals is primarily due to its
commercialization. Allopathic dominance is actually a question of economics and
when Artha dominates any society or system then intelligence diminishes.
Similarly, this
is why Ayurveda has declined in social acceptance. The Ayurvedic system is
based on ayur - life, or the dynamic,
animated aspect of consciousness. If Ayurveda as a system blindly remains rigid
and non-receptive to social changes then this too is a lack of discrimination.
Failure to comprehend social changes leaves society in general viewing the
system as old fashion. The present poor regulations on Ayurvedic medicines is
one example of this failure. Modern economics requires commercially grown and
prepared medicines instead of individuals manufacturing their own medications
and relying on questionable merchants who often sell adulterated raw materials.
Hence, the
modern dilemma is to live in such a way that the homeostasis of the body is not
severely deranged through a fast paced, stressful life. The obvious way to do
this is to live intelligently - in accord with your individual capacity,
situation and environment. In other words to live according to Ayurveda. And it
is this intelligent, individualized approach of Ayurveda that is fast pushing
it to the forefront of medical systems in Western countries. Isn't it time we
all begin to live in a more intelligent manner?
Atreya Smith was born in
California, he is the author of six books on the healing traditions of India and
is currently the director of the European Institute of Vedic Studies in France. |
