Pramāṇa · Search · About · API

The Classical Doctrine of Indian Medicine: Its Origins and its Greek Parallels c3: Translator's Note

The Classical Doctrine of Indian Medicine: Its Origins and its Greek Parallels c3

Language
English

Translator's Note

c3.1

PROF. FILLIOZAT'S work on Indian medicine was published in French in 1949 and became immediately thereafter a classic in this field. The author had first qualified as a medical practitioner and had set up practice in Paris. Being, however, deeply interested in Indology, he had been devoting all his spare time and energy to a study of ancient Indian society with especial emphasis on medicine. The present work is the result of years of hard work done in this domain—years marked by the publication of a number of research articles and books such as the *Kumāra-tantra*. His training in European classical languages as also in Avestan, Tibetan, Chinese, etc. enabled him to take a comparative view in regard to the development of medical doctrines in this country.

c3.2

The work proper starts with a discussion about the legends concerning Ayurveda and after dealing with the traditions of the two major texts, those of Caraka and Suśruta, sums up the essential doctrines of all the texts available today. This is followed by a discussion on the pre-Aryan and Indo-Aryan data on medicine, juxtaposed with similar data from the *Avesta*. The next three chapters deal with the Vedic data on Pathology, Anatomy and Physiology leading, in the next chapter, to a discussion of the relationship between the Veda and Ayurveda. In the seventh chapter the author makes a comparative study of the doctrine of wind as adumbrated in India and as found in a Greek text. This is followed by a critical examination, from the point of view of medical doctrine, of the *Timaeus* and corresponding data found in Indian medical texts. The last chapter takes up the specific question of contacts between India and Greece, before Alexander, wherein Persia was the intermediary. This is confirmed in a striking manner by showing that these contacts had also been maintained with the Accadian civilisation.

c3.3

Although written primarily as a treatise on the development of Indian medical doctrine, the work had been undertaken with a much wider vision and a student of ancient Indian society in general is also sure to benefit from a perusal of this book. Prof. Filliozat’s findings on India’s contacts with Persia and Greece before Alexander as also with the Accadian civilisation are bound to evoke deep interest in our country.

c3.4

We hope that this classic, now available to a large number of our countrymen, will help focus their attention on the essentials of a science, which, though quite ancient, is equally modern, as it is still being widely practised in our country as also in neighbouring countries like Ceylon.

c3.5

The printing of such a text, with many words of Chinese, Tibetan, Avestan, Greek and Latin, in addition to those of ancient Indian languages, has proved to be quite a difficult task and has considerably delayed its publication. For the same reason, a number of accented types, as in the case of Avestan words, had to be dispensed with and in certain cases they have not been used throughout the book. As the choice was between non-publication and publication with these technical shortcomings, we have had to opt for the latter, believing that the learned reader will forgive this lapse as also others that he may notice.

c3.6

We are grateful to Prof. Filliozat for his permission to undertake this translation and for evincing, despite his extremely busy work-schedule, continuous interest in its progress. At our request, he has also contributed a special introduction to this edition. Our thanks are also due to Dr. Romila Thapar for having gone through the entire manuscript. Without the editorial help of Shri S. Balu Rao the book would not have been what it is now. Shri Shambhu Datt Sharma has very kindly prepared the bibliography and the index.

c3.7

Inst. of Post-Grad. (eve.) Studies, University of Delhi, Delhi.

c3.8

DEV RAJ CHANANA

Linked texts (2)