Studies in the Medicine of Ancient India, Part I: Osteology, or the Bones of the Human Body c6.s3.t3.10

c6.s3.t3.10

NOTE.—Whatever may be thought of the suggested authorship of the traditional text of Suśruta, there is distinct evidence of the text of Suśruta’s Compendium having been liable to be affected by the theories of Vāgbhaṭa I. For example, according to Suśruta’s doctrine, in the Anatomical Section (*Śārīra Sthāna*), chapter v, clause 33 (Original Text in § 94, cl. 1), there are altogether 500 muscles in the human body. Of these 500 muscles, 400 go to the four extremities, while there are 66 in the trunk and 34 in the neck and head. This is the traditional reading of that doctrine, as printed by Jīvānanda, p. 334, and supported by existing manuscripts. Daḷḷana, in his Commentary (Jīv. ed., p. 578), accepts that reading, but expressly states that Gayadāsa's Commentary followed a different reading, which allotted 60 muscles to the trunk and 40 to the neck and head; and he adds that this distribution of the muscles is also taught by Vāgbhaṭa I. Daḷḷana's statement is verified by the Cambridge MS. of Gayadāsa's Commentary,¹ and the printed text of Vāgbhaṭa's Summary (Aṣṭāṅga Saṃgraha), vol. i, p. 225, line 21.