The Positive Sciences of the Ancient Hindus c4.s2.1

c4.s2.1

As a matter of fact, long before the fifth century, probably as early as the first century A.D., the prevailing schools of medicine and surgery which were based on the Sánkhya teaching with a methodology derived from the Nyáya-Vaiseshika doctrine (*cf.* Charaka, Śárírasthána, Chap. I.; Vimánasthána, Chap. VIII.; also Susruta, Śárírasthána, Chap. I.) had founded an elaborate theory of inorganic and organic compounds, which equally admitted iso-Bhautic and hetero-Bhautic combinations. Like the Vedántists, Charaka held that each of the gross Bhútas (Mahábhútas) is a peculiar ultra-chemical compound of five original subtile Bhútas. In this sense, every substance is penta-Bhautic, but for purposes of chemical analysis and synthesis, *i.e.* considered with reference to the Mahábhútas, all substances in their chemical constitution belong to one or other of the following classes: mono-Bhautic, bi-Bhautic, tri-Bhautic, tetra-Bhautic, and penta-Bhautic. Compounds of different Bhútas, again, may combine to form more complex substances, and these in their turn higher compounds still, and so on in progressive transformation, as is more specially the case with organic substances and products.