Impact of Various Darshanas on Ayurveda
Author : Dr. Suryanand Giri, Dr. Sadhna Goswami, Dr. Namrata Chauragde and Dr. Swati Vyas
Abstract :
Ayurveda and all the other ancient Indian sciences developed under the marked influence of philosophy. They continued to take support of philosophy even after they gained their individual and self-dependent existence. It is interesting; to understand how and in what way Ayurveda was influenced by philosophy.
It is equally useful to find out by which systems of philosophy Ayurveda was influenced and to what extent and for what purpose.
Relation between philosophy and science is age-old and very intimate. Philosophical support for any science is necessary because it has to make some assumptions in the beginning. Such assumptions should be logically true. Philosophy can lend a sound support to scientific advancement. They are in a way, complimentary. Science advances where philosophy stops and philosophy prepares ground where science cannot reach.
Philosophy and medicine seem to have similar purpose and identical causes. It is the problem of pain, disease, old age and death that inspired not only Buddha but almost all philosophers to find out the cause and cure of this complex and evasive problem. Medicine too must have been guided from its very beginning to find out the cause and cure of pain, disease and its aftermath. In a way, religion and philosophy like medicine are primarily therapeutic in their nature and origin. Medicine has the therapeutic monopoly among all sciences. This therapeutic nature of the two brought Ayurveda and philosophy much closer together.
This is one reason why Ayurveda remained open to philosophical influence and based its theories on philosophical background. Ayurveda has always utilized the philosophy to serve the purpose of Ayurveda and thereby has made due changes in the philosophical concepts accordingly.
Keywords :
Darshanas on Ayurveda, medicine, philosophy
