The Blue Buddha- The Nature of Things
I watched a very interesting show this afternoon. 'The Nature of Things with David Suzuki' this episode was titled 'The Blue Buddha'. The entire episode was about Tibetan medicine and it was fascinating.
If you have seen the Blue Buddha before in paintings or mudras, he is the healing Buddha. Tibetan monks have been studying medicine for centuries and instead of writing their finding in medical books, the monks used paintings. There are over 70 large paintings that show Tibetan medicine in large beautiful pictures, in a blend of Tibetan art and science.
Medical Tibetan monks have 3 steps to looking after a patient. First to observe the person, carefully checking the tongue and urine. The medical monk actually take a sample of the urine and stirs it carefully checking the color, density and mostly about the bubbles, how many there are and how long they last for.
The second step is touch. The medical monk carefully takes the patients pulse on their arm, in silence and watching the eye and face for any signals. The medical monks believe that the pointer, middle and ring finger are their best tools for healing. If they make hot tea or a hot drink, they must wear gloves to protect their fingers. To make their fingers more sensitive they will soak the three fingers in warm milk.
The third step is questioning and conversing with the patient. The medical monk will ask them not just what hurts and where, but about their mood the last few day, what they have been eating and how they have been feeling.
Many people in Tibet believe that the book of medicine came from The Buddha himself and he dropped the book in the valley for the monks to find. Others believe that the first king of Tibet is responsible for the amount of information in the book of medicine. This is because he held the first medical conference held in the 8th century. He invited doctors from all around the world to share their knowledge and teach others about their medical findings.
In Tibet each year a few of the smartest monks are allowed to go to the medical university in Lhasa. After they graduated they would then travel Tibet, Mongolia and parts of Asia to teach others about the mixture of Tibetan and Western medicine. The medical monk course is 7 years. This course is still being taught today in Tibet, but now others who are not monks can join the program, but must be Buddhist.
Buddhist monks are not against Western medicine. They believe Western medicine is good for emergencies and trauma. But, Tibetan medicine is better for long term health and diseases. Their thinking is that almost all health problems come from poor eating habits and from bad choices and habits. In the episode a woman brought her baby into see the medical monk because he had a bad skin rash. For months the baby had been having skin problems. The skin was scabbing over and peeling off, all over the body. The mother had been trying many types of ointments and creams, some made the condition worse and others did nothing at all. The monk told her the baby was having these rashes because of his food. Monks strongly believe in a link between allergies and chemical and preservatives found in foods.
The medical monks watch the patience eyes and face while they are examining them. They believe that your health and mind are connected and the doctors must be friends and someone who you can open your soul up to.
The monks use natural medicines such as plants. Autumn is the best time for harvest and the roots are the most sought after part of the plant because it is concentrated and the fruit and leaves just fall off. When the monks are making or crushing the herbs, roots and plants to make medicine they recite the medicine Buddhist manta. Often crushing up the medicine can take more than 6 hours. Afterwards, to bless the medicine they recite mantras and hold a ceremony that last for 5 days. All of the monks, even those from the medical university participate in this ceremony.
Another patient who came to visit the medical monk was an old frail woman. She had been diagnosed with stomach cancer over a year ago at a local hospital. Just from looking into her eyes the monk knew right away that her disease was terminal. He asked how she was feeling and what she has been eating. He tells her to keep saying her prayers and to keep her mind calm and prepare for her death. He tells her to seek refuge in Buddha and the idea of rebirth. Tibetan's do not make any frantic attempts to prolong their lives. They believe that death is not a failure as you will be reborn again and we should spend each life trying to become as much like Buddha as we can.
In most part of Tibet after someone dies they have a sky funeral. This is where the body is taken out to the mountains away from the village and a ceremony is preformed. The body is cut into small precise pieces and fed to the vultures. The Tibetan's believe in the circle of life and feel this is way their body is going back into the earth and into the sky.
In some parts of Tibet and most parts of Mongolia people who have passed have a burial funeral. The coffin is taken out of the village and is turned around several times so that the soul cannot find it's way back to the village. The family visits the grave for 49 days, in which the soul will be reborn. The monk is the last to leave the grave. He will close the path so that the soul cannot follow them back to the village.
Tibetan medicine, much like Chinese medicine is very different from Western medicine. But, they believe that one day in the future there will be a perfect blend of Tibetan and Western medicines to keep everyone happy and healthy.
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