A History of Indian Medical Literature v3.c43.s4: The Jīvasūtra attributed to Nāgārjuna
A History of Indian Medical Literature v3.c43.s4
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The Jīvasūtra attributed to Nāgārjuna
v3.c43.s4.1
The *Jīvasūtra* is attributed to Nāgārjuna.⁴⁰⁵ This work, consisting of 205 verses, deals with the following subjects: the objective of the treatise (6–8); the three doṣas (ñes-pa): vāyu (rluṅ), pitta (mkhris) and kapha (bad-kan), which arise from kāma (ḥdod), krodha (khro) and moha (gti-mug) respectively (9); the importance of the body (lus), place of residence (yul) and time (dus), i.e., the seasons, etc., for leading a happy life (10–12); the bodily constitutions (lus; 13–16); the predominance of the doṣas in the three stages of life (17); the predominance of the doṣas in various types of country (yul; 18–19); the relationships between the doṣas and the parts of day and night (20–21); their relationships with the seasons (22–24); the six tastes (ro) and their connections with the doṣas (25–41); the relationships of the tastes with the guṇas (yon-tan; 42–45); sātmya and asātmya (hphrod and mi hphrod); 46–53); the regimen during the seasons (54–101); rules for the promotion of longevity (102–133); the non-suppression of natural urges (134–135); rules for the preservation of health (136–168); mutually disagreeing foods and drinks (169–194); rules to be applied in the various stages of life (195–205).
v3.c43.s4.2
The text is ascribed to a Nāgārjuna of unknown date, but may well have been composed before A.D. 1000. The Sanskrit original, which must have existed, for the Sanskrit title, Jīvasūtra, is mentioned in the Tibetan text, has not been preserved.