Hindu Medicine c7.167

c7.167

The compilations of Hindu medical lore, in styling themselves revelations of divine wisdom, emphasize their encyclopedic character; because of this fact, they are inclined toward a self-sustaining conservatism. The broader view, which enabled the author of the Suśruta-saṃhitā to incorporate surgery and to assign to it an important place in his compilation, is evidenced by his comment that there are other branches of knowledge, besides regular medicine, which may help the physician to complete his learning; moreover, he advises the pupil who aims at mastery to learn from various masters. Otherwise, through strict adherence to the single method pointed out by his first teacher, he might fail to acquire the broader foundations of a thorough command of medical knowledge.