A History of Indian Medical Literature v1.c26.s2.74

v1.c26.s2.74

A prescription that may indeed be Buddhist, found in the chapter on daily conduct (Sū.2.30cd), enjoins steering a middle course (madhyamā pratipad) in all matters (sarvadharmeṣu). The Middle Way of Buddhism may be meant here.²²⁸ The passage has been accepted as Buddhist by some Indian scholars.²²⁹ P.V. Sharma,²³⁰ who is not convinced, tried to invalidate this point of view by some references to parallels in the works of Kālidāsa.²³¹ Atrideva interprets the middle course as one of the signs giving evidence of Vāgbhaṭa's syncretic attitude.²³² R. Śāstrī, a staunch advocate of Vāgbhaṭa's orthodoxy, sees the middle course mentioned as an illustration of Vāgbhaṭa's tendency to use concepts with a multiple meaning, a tendency agreeing with the religious climate during the reign of Vainyagupta; this inclination also led him, for example, to employ the term apūrvavaidya.²³³ As in many other instances, here again the passage is preceded by the Hinduist precept not to undertake any activity conflicting with the dharma.