Ancient Indian Education (Brahmanical and Buddhist) c23.23

c23.23

**Medicine.** In connection with food we have to consider the various articles which were recommended to be taken only as medicaments. The detailed information given by the texts [*Mahāv.*, vi] on this subject afford us incidentally a very fair insight into a good deal of the medical lore current at that early period, that is about 400 B.C., in the valley of the Ganges. It is a pity that the current authorities on the history of law and medicine have entirely ignored the details obtainable from these ancient books of Buddhist Canon Law" [Rhys Davids, *American Lectures*, pp. 57–8]. Rules for preparing various kinds of medicines together with medical and surgical operations are given in the Vinaya from which we may have some idea of the condition of medical science and practice in India in that early age.