Encyclopedia of India–China Cultural Contacts v1.c6.s2.t4.14

v1.c6.s2.t4.14

Sun Simiao absorbed medical knowledge from Indian Buddhism actively and held a positive attitude towards the famous doctor Jivaka in the era of Buddha. He accepted Jivaka’s theory that “all things were medicines”. “Section II Medicine Names” in volume I of “Outline of Medicine Record” of *Supplement to Valuable Prescriptions* wrote that “the great Indian doctor Jivaka said that all things under the heaven were panaceas. Everything was a medicine. The one who knew this was a great doctor.” This medical thought that “all things were medicines” broadened Sun Simiao’s vision and widened the scope of herbalism, and had great significance. Under the influence of this thought, Sun Simiao absorbed a lot of folk or foreign medicines. Compared with *Newly Revised Materia Medica*, *Valuable Prescriptions for Emergency* and *Supplement to Valuable Prescriptions* had 680 more kinds of medicines, medicine species were enriched greatly and the thought had played an active role in promoting development of materia medica in later generations.