The Source Of The Medical Writings Of Henry Skibar

Background and purpose:Zhang gzi brjid ’bar was a famous scholar during the later propagation of Tibetan Buddhism,who had been learned Tibetan medicine from renowned "nine masters of Tibetan medic ine",and also went to India for learning The Eight Branches of Ayurvedic medicine.For his entire life,he had written 6 monographs.There had been a blank for the study of Zhang gzi brjid’bar and his work because his monographs have not been published.In recent years,two different manuscripts were published,one of which is Dri med gzi brjid(The Invincible Majesty)and the other is Sgron gsal gdams ba sum cu pa(Thirty Lamp-like Teachings of Medicine).In the process of research and collection,I have acquired three manuscripts:Gso dpyad nyi ma ’i ’od zer(The Medical Sunlight),Sman dpyad snying bo bsdus pa(The Essence of Medical Practice),and the Rtsa pra prul gyi me long(The Magical Mirror of Pulse Diagnosis)This thesis studies the life story of author through those newly discovered ancient books,and his thought,characteristics of his works,as well as the origin and influence of his works.Method and content:The works of Zhang gzi brjid ’bar is the core content in this thesis and multiple scientific research methods such as historical tracing,ancient books sorting,literature comparison,catalogue analysis,fields research,drug network analysis are used for in-depth study.Firstly,it mainly studied the life stories and academic works of Zhang gzi brjid ’bar.Secondly,it studied the historical evolution,version features,content features,tree metaphor in medical catalogue,interpretation of his important work Dri med gzi brjid(The Invincible Majesty).The third part focuses on the historical evolution,version features,content outline,academic characteristics of his works.The fourth part makes a comparative study between Sgron gsal gdams pa sum cu pa(Thirty Lamp-like Teachings of Medicine)and some ancient medical texts to discuss the historical origin and influence.Research result and conclusion:Zhang gzi brjid ’bar was born in Zhang ru yong family in the 11th century in Gad pa steng,Yarlung of Tibet.Gad pa steng is the name of a monastery which used to be located in Srol stod village,Po brang Township,Sne gdong County,Shan nan City in Tibet Autonomous Region.He was ordained by Gnyags snying po rgyal mtshan and learned Buddhism from Dge bshes Ra sgom pa in Lcang bu Monastery.He learned Tibetan medicine from the masters renowned as "nine masters of Tibetan medicine" at the time,and also had been to India twice for learning The Essence of the Eight Branches in Ayurvedic medicine,and mastered Buddhism there as well.His main disciples are Sbug ston rgya gar r+’a dza,Bal ston shes rab khri ’bum,’Ol kha’i rdzing chung,and Lhasa’i bal chung.He had written 6 monographs during his life.Amongst five texts have already been published,the Dri med gzi brjid(The Invincible Majesty),Sgron gsal gdams pa sum cu pa(Thirty Lamp-like Teachings of Medicine)were written by Zhang gzi brjid ’bar,the Gso dpyad nyi ma’i ’od zer(The Medical Sunlight)is the commentary of the Dri med gzi brjid(The Invincible Majesty),and the other two—Sman dpyad snying bo bsdus pa(The Essence of Medical Practice)and the Rtsa pra ’prul gyi me long(The Magical Mirror of Pulse Diagnosis)were compiled and edited by his disciples as discovered during this research by the present author.The Dri med gzi brjid(The Invincible Majesty)was written under the request from Zhang gzi brjid ’bar’s disciple Bal ston shes rab khri‘bum,who had also written the fourth chapter of the text.First chapter of the text introduces the physiology and pathology;second chapter covers diagnosis;Third chapter is about therapy;Fourth chapter is a summary of preceding chapters with tree diagram of medicine,which contains 3 roots and 9 trunks as root tantra in Rgyud bzhi(The Four Tantras),however,there are also differences on branch,leaf,flower and fruit and they are unique conclusions made by Zhang gzi brjid ’bar.The present research finds that the Dri med gzi brjid(The Invincible Majesty)is the earliest book available to record the tree diagram of Tibetan medicine,and it was probably inspired by Skyes bu me lhaAnother work,Sgron gsal gdams pa sum cu pa(Thirty Lamp-like Teachings of Medicine)was requested to write by his disciple Sbug ston rgya gar r+’a dza,who had written the second half of it.First part of two in this book,Gso dpyad nyi ma ’i ’od zer(The Medical Sunlight)is the root text while Sgron gsal gdams pa sum cu pa(Thirty Lamp-like Teachings of Medicine)is the commentary.Sbug ston rgya gar r+’a dza had written the last 12 chapters.In addition,present author have collected two original manuscripts from Damu Monastery of Lha thog Township,Go ’jo County,Chab mdo City.From studying these four manuscripts,we could observe that there are some differences between the Dbus gtsang and Khams versions.The copy found in Khams had some tampering traces on nourishing,diagnosis,application therapy,bath therapy,puncture therapy,and this text covers 62 types of pathology,28 pharmacological properties,51 diagnosis and treatments.It covered basic theory of three humors,five elements in Tibetan medicine,and also contained pathology,medicinal material,health preservation,diagnosis and therapy,so these contents make the text a comprehensive medical classic.Through making the comparison between the Sgron gsal gdams pa sum cu pa(Thirty Lamp-like Teachings of Medicine)or Gso dpyad nyi ma’i’od zer(The Medical Sunlight)and some ancient medical texts from India and Tibet,it is found that the beginning part of the Sgron gsal gdams pa sum cu pa(Thirty Lamp-like Teachings of Medicine)or Gso dpyad nyi ma’i’od zer(The Medical Sunlight)was influenced by the Rde ’u skor brgya dang sum cu so brgyad by Skyes bu me lha,and it was compiled according to the theory of three humors in the Essence of Eight Branches.The Nad kyi man ngag brgyad in the middle section is a summary of Zhang gzi brjid ’bar’s experience in studying the Indian and Tibetan medical system.The contents of the following chapters of the Sgron gsal gdams pa sum cu pa(Thirty Lamp-like Teachings of Medicine),such as diet,application therapy,nasal purification,diarrhea inducing method,vomiting inducing method,nasal drop method,purging method,enema method,edema and leprosy are derived from the Essence of Eight Branches.Nourishing method,treatment of three diseases,application therapy,medicinal bathing method,fire moxibustion therapy,bloodletting therapy,decoction,powder,pills,paste,butter agent and other contents mainly come from.the Tibetan empire period medical classics.The eight methods of disease diagnosis,disease maturity diagnosis and treatment,infectious diseases,fever,heat,temperature of the disease,pulse purification therapy,puncture therapy and other contents come from Skyes bu me 1ha’s medical thoughts.Therefore,the Sgron gsal gdams pa sum cu pa(Thirty Lamp-like Teachings of Medicine)not only summarized the essence of Tibetan medicine,but also absorbed the thoughts and contents of the Essence of Eight Branches and Skyes bu me lha’s Indian medicine,andreflecting the integration process of Indian medicine and Tibetan medicine.Now,Zhang gzi brjid ’bar’s Sgron gsal gdams pa sum cu pa(Thirty Lamp-like Teachings of Medicine)and Dri med gzi brjid(The Invincible Majesty)are the earliest recorded of tree diagrams in Tibetan classics,which have great similarities with the root tantra of The four Tantras.Zhang gzi brjid ’bar’s Sgron gsal gdams pa sum cu pa(Thirty Lamp-like Teachings of Medicine)and second part of four tantra’s Bshad rgyud,the pharmacology part in particular;it is also similar with Man ngag rgyud’s brown phlegm,tumor,fever,temperature of the disease,leprosy,and it especially shares many similarities with the five agents,methods,five machineries,acupuncture,and pulse purification therapy in Phyi ma rgyud.Dri med gzi brjid and Zhang gzi brjid ’bar’s Sgron gsal gdams pa sum cu pa were completed in the 12th century or earlier,since people believe that The Four Tantras we see today was compiled by the younger G.yu thog yon tan mgon po in the end of 12th century,so we can infer that Zhang gzi brjid’bar could not possibly refer to The four Tantras.From this view,I can deduce the work of Zhang gzi brjid ’bar had influenced The four Tantras for its formation.