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Allowed medicine

Posted: Mon May 28, 2012 12:05 pm
by hanzze_
I would like to ask the community about "Allowed medicine"

I saw that there are a lot of advices in regard of allowed medicines: Buddhist Monastic Code II Chapter 5 Medicine

Do anybody has resources about detail preparations of "allowed" medicine?

Is there still a practice in regard of this by Bhikkhus today and in how far?

Are there professional doctors (ev. Bhikkhus) which are usually consulted by the community?

Re: Allowed medicine

Posted: Mon May 28, 2012 3:16 pm
by Cittasanto
hanzze_ wrote:I would like to ask the community about "Allowed medicine"

I saw that there are a lot of advices in regard of allowed medicines: Buddhist Monastic Code II Chapter 5 Medicine

Do anybody has resources about detail preparations of "allowed" medicine?

Is there still a practice in regard of this by Bhikkhus today and in how far?

Are there professional doctors (ev. Bhikkhus) which are usually consulted by the community?
Everything is essentially in that chapter, although there is a book on medicine from sri Lanka I don't know if it has been translated or only available via PTS. I will have a look later for it on their site, but it is a later text.
The common practice to my knowledge, and experience is to see a qualified professional like anyone else would, although some may see traditional medicine practitioners like chinese medicine doctors, or the like, it would be their own personal preference. Burma has a hospital specifically for Monks and lay people can be admited also but it is not free for them, as it is a charity which has supporting doctors from all over the world come to help (I know one of them) I believe Thailand also has a hospital, but other countries I do not know about, and hospitals may have special wards more than be specialised hospitals.

it is minor complaint that the five tonics were allowed to be taken for, Thailand, Sri Lankha, Burma all have hospitals which cater for monks.

Re: Allowed medicine

Posted: Mon May 28, 2012 4:34 pm
by hanzze_
Thanks for the share Cittasanto
Cittasanto wrote:Everything is essentially in that chapter, although there is a book on medicine from sri Lanka I don't know if it has been translated or only available via PTS. I will have a look later for it on their site, but it is a later text.
Would be great to get to know it, but please not to much effort. There is no real emergency.

Re: Allowed medicine

Posted: Mon May 28, 2012 5:32 pm
by Cittasanto
hanzze_ wrote:Thanks for the share Cittasanto
Cittasanto wrote:Everything is essentially in that chapter, although there is a book on medicine from sri Lanka I don't know if it has been translated or only available via PTS. I will have a look later for it on their site, but it is a later text.
Would be great to get to know it, but please not to much effort. There is no real emergency.
The Casket of Medicine,
tr. Jinadasa Liyanaratne, 2002.
ISBN 403 2 £15.10 « Add to Basket »
Translation of Bhesajjamañjūsā (Chapters 1-18), the only extant Pāli medical text book containing information on medicines and illnesses. (13th century C.E.)

As far as I am aware this is not a standard text found throughout Theravada.

Re: Allowed medicine

Posted: Tue May 29, 2012 3:43 am
by hanzze_
Great, thank you. Would be great if there would be some Teachings doing not require to use money and to buy them.

For sure, there will be just customs and later teachings. Buddhas did not live in a time of pharmacy industry where every not-harmful way is nearly unknown. Therefore it would be from interest how they used to make medicine.

Re: Allowed medicine

Posted: Tue May 29, 2012 6:08 am
by Cittasanto
well a 13C book wouldnt tell you.

Re: Allowed medicine

Posted: Tue May 29, 2012 6:26 am
by hanzze_
What is a 13 C book?

Re: Allowed medicine

Posted: Tue May 29, 2012 6:54 am
by Cittasanto
hanzze_ wrote:What is a 13 C book?
13 century, it is of quite late origin, although it would show what became common it is from a different country to that of the Buddha.
it is a book by buddhists for Buddhists and not much else there is no historical record of the medicine, and it would be just as good to look at Ayrevedic medicine, which uses some of these things at least.

Re: Allowed medicine

Posted: Tue May 29, 2012 7:02 am
by hanzze_
Of cause, there will be no such thing as a "original buddhist medicine", so I guess all resources used by traditions devoted to the Vinaya in the past (beside common modern medicine) are good helps.

Re: Allowed medicine

Posted: Fri Sep 21, 2012 9:30 am
by Hanzze
As knowledge of medical plants, which seems to be in line with allowed medicine is something rare and disapearing today, I thought to share what I have found so far in (most is Cambodian origin, but the plants should be found in other SEA regions as well).

Still there are some Kruu Boran (= anicent/traditional Guru/Doctor) and there is some knowledge left, but the tendency call of all we I have met is: "People today like to have modern medicin and don't like to use the traditional medicin any more. There is also less forest left. With this also the possibility to prepare such medicals disapears."
Medicinal Plants (Cambodia)

Nomad RSI’s medicinal plants programme contributes to the protection of the knowledge of healing plants used by the Bunongs. The organisation works in collaboration with traditional healers (kruu boran), who are brought together to share their knowledge and experiences. They also work with Nomad RSI to collect plants, roots and seeds of useful plants, establishing medicinal plant gardens within their own villages, and a model one in the regional capital, Sen Monorom.

A crucial aspect of this project is to gain recognition and acceptance of Kruu Boran (= anicent/traditional Guru/Doctor) as valued and legitimate first-level health providers, often the only ones available. Among Bunong communities, illness in general is often understood as created by the anger of spiritual forces. In such cases, traditional healers are often consulted. However, the Bunong do also use biomedicines, which sometimes proves to be very problematic without a basic form of training, and do not rely on a single health system. People use the available medical resources pragmatically. But there is almost no cooperation between both biomedical and traditional health structures at the village level. Traditional healers and their practices are not recognized nor integrated in the national public health system of Cambodia. Today, however, the Ministry of Health, gives official backing, through the National Centre for Traditional Medicine with whom Nomad RSI works closely.

Medicinal Plants (Cambodia)
Medicinal Plants of Cambodia: Habitat, Chemical Constituents and Ethnobotanical Uses

An encyclopedia about Cambodias unique and fascinating plants - covering all major plant groups and their medicinal uses.

It contains a comprehensive A-Z of medicinal plants, their habitat, chemical constituents and ethnobotanical uses.
Includes 100 original photographs of common Cambodian medicinal plants and a glossary of technical terms and index of scientific names, Cambodian names and plant family classifications for easy reference.

Image
An overview of the use of plants and animals in traditional medicine systems in Viet Nam (PDF, 1.2 MB)
compiled by Nguyen Dao Ngoc Van and Nguyen Tap. (2008) 92pp. TRAFFIC Southeast Asia, Greater Mekong Programme, Ha Noi, Viet Nam. A study utilising formal and informal interviews, casual observations and questionnaires into the use of flora and fauna in traditional medicine in Viet Nam.
An overview of the use and trade of plants and animals in traditional medicine systems in Cambodia (PDF, 4.7 MB) David Ashwell and Naomi Walston. (2008) 108pp. TRAFFIC Southeast Asia, Greater Mekong Programme, Ha Noi, Viet Nam. This comprises two reports. The first examines the use of wildlife and plants in Traditional Khmer Medicine (TKM), whilst the second focuses entirely on the medicinal plant trade in Cambodia.
Cambodian Medical plants a self made pdf of pictures of a Book published by the Ministry in khmer and english with pictures and discriptions.
Traffic - wildlife trade monitoring network
Publications by topic - Medicinal

Reports available as PDFs can be downloaded here. To receive printed copies of these and other reports, please contact [email protected] or TRAFFIC International, 219a Huntingdon Rd, Cambridge, CB3 ODL, UK. Tel: (44) 1223 277427; Fax: (44) 1223 277237 stating clearly which report(s) you wish to receive and your postal address
Traditional Therapeutic knowledge of Bunong People (tripes) in North-eastern Cambodia Healers, their practices and medicinal plants (pdf)

Re: Allowed medicine

Posted: Fri Sep 21, 2012 9:52 am
by James the Giant
Hey, how come there are two Hanzze's??

Re: Allowed medicine

Posted: Fri Sep 21, 2012 10:09 am
by Hanzze
Kamma, was just a shortly rebirth out of log in problems.

Re: Allowed medicine

Posted: Fri Sep 21, 2012 10:15 am
by James the Giant
Hanzze wrote:Kamma, was just a shortly rebirth out of log in problems.
hehe, :lol: good answer.

Re: Allowed medicine

Posted: Fri Sep 21, 2012 10:49 am
by Hanzze
James the Giant wrote:
Hanzze wrote:Kamma, was just a shortly rebirth out of log in problems.
hehe, :lol: good answer.
Do you know more then I know? But beware of perceptions, its a medicine topic.

Re: Allowed medicine

Posted: Thu Sep 27, 2012 6:39 pm
by Raksha
The Bhesajjamañjūsā is Ayurveda, with some local additions...likewise Thai, Burmese, Khmer, Tibetan and Mongolian medicine (these last two being specifically Buddhist). Caraka, the 'father of Ayurvedic medicine' was Buddhist, as was Vagbhata. Of course the monastic prescriptions given by Lord Buddha himself are also Ayurveda. It is worth noting that Western scientific research into Ancient medical systems is about as valuable as asking an uncontacted aboriginal to comment on blueprints of the space shuttle.
:namaste: R.