Indian philosophy represents various schools or systems of thought, which are
known as darshanas. Broadly divided, these systems fall into two categories:
astika darshanas and nastika darshanas, the former acknowledge the authority of
the Vedas while the latter do not.
The relevance of Ayurveda in today's world lies in the fact that the science is
the product of an ancient civilization and culture that postulate man as part
of and as microcosm of the universe, the microcosm. What this really means is
that for Ayurveda, every phenomenon in the universe can be found to take place
in the individual, albeit in a subtle form. Every individual act as therefore
an impact on the environment (in a very broad sense of the term) and on the
universe.
All matter and psyche, from the more subtle to the gross and characterized by
three attributes or gunas, namely sattva, rajas and tamas. Sattva stands for
consciousness, rajas for energy and dynamism and tamas stands for mass, inertia
and stability. These three attributes are conceived as real and substantive
entities perpetually uniting, separating and reuniting. Everything in the
universe is consequent upon their unique arrangement and combination.
In the phenomenal world whatever energy exists is due to rajas; all matter,
resistance and stability are due to tamas, and all manifestations of
consciousness are because of sattva. The predominant attribute in a substance
becomes manifest while the other two become latent through their presence is
felt by their effects. These collocations make for the difference in the
psychological temperament physical constitution of an individual.
An understanding of these three attributes and what they represent is important
for appreciating various Ayurvedic concepts. The individual according to the
Vedas is made up of five successive layers of koshas: the annamaya kosha or the
physical body; the pranamaya kosha: the astral body or the elan vitae or what
the individual feels; the manomaya kosha: the psyche or what the individual
thinks; the vijnanmaya kosha: the intellect which can discriminate; the
anandamaya kosha: the sheath of bliss.
The physical body in its turn is composed of five basic elements or mahabhutas,
which make up the universe. These elements are prithvi, jala, agni, vayu,
akasha. Loosely translated, these five elements are often referred to earth,
water, fire, air and ether respectively. They do not however, connote the
correct and full implications of the original Sanskrit terms. They are used in
the representative sense in order to help understand how the external world is
linked to the world within us.
Here it may be useful to elaborate on the five element or pancha mahabhuta
theory.
Man perceives the external world in five different ways through his five senses
(indriyas): the auditory, tactile, taste, visual and olfactory. Through the
corresponding sense organs, man not only perceives the external object but also
absorbs it into his body in the form of energy.
Each element is composed of all the five elements but each also has one
predominant characteristic, which gives it its name. For example, ordinary
water does not contain water alone. Its composition includes water, air, earth,
fire and ether. The force of cohesion or the power of attraction which is
inherent in water is its characteristic feature.
Just as the individual body is composed of five elements, so also are food and
drugs (and other objects in the world). In the human body, these elements are
explained in terms of doshas, tissues or dhatus and waste products or malas.
The meaning and relevance of these words will be explained in detail. Click
below to read more.
|
The Natural Body
Constitution
