• Briefly know about the Indian origins of Tibetan medicine, or Sowa Rigpa. It includes Historical Transmission from India to Tibet, Shared Concepts with Ayurveda, Key Historical figures. Though Tibetan medicine also absorbed Chinese and Greco-Arab influences and adapted to local geography and climate, its core remained Indian.

Sharing this article is possible due to the efforts of author and Ayurvedacharya Dr G G Gangadharan for which eSamskriti is very grateful. Read his book ‘Ayurveda: The True Way to Restore your Health and Happiness  

Author Dr Chandan is Regional Director, National Medicinal Plants Board.

Introduction

Tibetan medicine, or Sowa Rigpa (Science of Healing), is a centuries-old system of healthcare deeply influenced by diverse traditions, especially Indian Ayurveda. Though Tibetan medicine incorporates Chinese, Greco-Arab, and indigenous Himalayan elements, its structural foundation is overwhelmingly Ayurvedic. This article offers a compressed, academically toned account of the Indian origins of Tibetan medicine, tracing its historical transmission, shared theoretical frameworks, key historical figures, and its culmination into the Sowa Rigpa system.

Historical Transmission from India to Tibet 

The flow of Indian medical knowledge to Tibet occurred in waves, beginning as early as the 3rd century CE. Initial exchanges likely happened through Buddhist missionaries and traders. The 7th century marked a significant upsurge in these exchanges following Tibet's formal adoption of Buddhism. India became Tibet's source for spiritual, philosophical, and scientific learning, including medicine.

The reign of King Trisong Detsen (8th century CE) was pivotal. He convened the Samye Monastery Council, inviting scholars from India, China, Persia, and Nepal. This led to the creation of the Four Tantras (Gyud-Zhi), the foundational text of Tibetan medicine. Ayurvedic classics like Vāgbhaṭa’s Astāṅga Hṛdaya Saṁhitā became core references. Rinchen Zangpo, the famed 11th-century translator, rendered many Sanskrit medical texts into Tibetan.

During the "Second Diffusion" of Buddhism (10th–12th centuries), this knowledge base expanded. Indian physician Chandranandana and translators like Vairochana contributed to compiling the Gyud-Zhi. Yuthok Yonten Gonpo the Younger (12th century) studied in India and later updated the Four Tantras into its final form, solidifying Ayurveda’s influence.

Up to the 18th century, Indian Buddhist texts and scholastic works such as Vasubandhu's Abhidharmakośa provided Tibetan medicine with insights into physiology and embryology. Transmission continued into the 19th century, ensuring sustained integration of Indian theory into Tibetan practice.

Shared Concepts with Ayurveda

Tibetan medicine shares its foundational framework with Ayurveda. Both systems are based on the five elements (pancha mahābhūtas): earth, water, fire, air, and space. Tibetan and Ayurvedic physiology aligns through the three humors (Skt: tridoṣa): vāta (wind), pitta (bile), and kapha (phlegm), paralleled in Tibetan texts as rLung, mKhris-pa, and Bad-kan.

The Four Tantras stress balancing these humors to maintain health, mirroring Ayurveda’s doṣa theory. Lifestyle regimens (akin to dinacharya and ritucharya in Ayurveda), dietary prescriptions, and preventive health approaches also match. Both traditions emphasize digestion (agni), seasonal adjustment, and individualized treatment.

Diagnostic techniques such as pulse reading (nāḍi-parīkṣā) and urine analysis were adopted from Ayurveda. The materia medica of Tibetan medicine includes herbs and minerals borrowed from Indian pharmacopeia, evaluated through Ayurvedic rasa (taste) and guṇa (quality) theory. Alchemical practices (rasaśāstra), especially the use of mercury-based formulations, were inspired by Indian texts attributed to Nāgārjuna.

The ethical-spiritual foundation of both systems aligns closely. Tibetan medicine interprets disease through the Four Noble Truths, while Ayurveda connects health with dharma and karma. References to Indian sages, including Indra's disciples and the Buddha, appear frequently in Tibetan lore, reinforcing its Indian roots.

Key Historical Figures

Indian emperor Aśoka (3rd century BCE), although not directly involved with Tibet, set the precedent by integrating hospitals and herb gardens into Buddhist propagation. Vāgbhaṭa (6th–7th century) authored Astāṅga Hṛdaya, later translated by Rinchen Zangpo and foundational to Tibetan curricula. Nāgārjuna (2nd century CE), revered in Tibet, bridged Buddhist philosophy and alchemical medicine.

Rinchen Zangpo (958–1055 CE) and Chandranandana worked on key translations, making Indian Ayurvedic knowledge available in Tibetan. Vairochana assisted in recording the Four Tantras. Yuthok Yonten Gonpo the Elder and the Younger are credited with synthesizing this corpus into a uniquely Tibetan form.

In the 17th century, Desi Sangye Gyatso authored the Blue Beryl commentary on the Gyud-Zhi, referencing Indian sages and integrating Ayurvedic doctrines. His work standardized Tibetan medical education while affirming its Indian lineage.

Formation of the Sowa Rigpa Tradition

 By the 12th century, Sowa Rigpa emerged as a structured medical tradition with the Four Tantras as its canon. While localized with Tibetan inputs, its philosophical and physiological underpinnings remained largely Ayurvedic.

Sowa Rigpa assimilated Indian theories within a Buddhist ethical framework. Herbs like Triphala, procedures akin to panchakarma, and Indian diagnostic methods became mainstream. India’s continued role in shaping Tibetan medicine is evident in modern policy: in 2010, the Indian government officially recognized Sowa Rigpa as one of its traditional medical systems.

Though Tibetan medicine also absorbed Chinese and Greco-Arab influences and adapted to local geography and climate, its core remained Indian. As scholars observe, Tibetan medicine often appears as “Ayurveda carried on the winds of Buddhism to the Land of Snows.”

Conclusion

Tibetan medicine evolved through centuries of Indo-Tibetan exchanges, absorbing, translating, and adapting Indian Ayurvedic theory. From elemental cosmology and humoral pathology to ethical healing and pharmacology, the Indian imprint is unmistakable. While Tibet localized and enriched this legacy, Sowa Rigpa remains, at its core, a Himalayan expression of Indian Ayurveda.

References

1. Indian Express (2017). Both India and China nominate Tibetan medicine system for UNESCO honour.

2. Everest Ayurveda. Principles of Ayurveda. 

3. Tibetan Medicine Education. Short history of Tibetan Medicine.

4. NEXTIAS. Sowa-Rigpa. 

Two links in Ministry of Ayush site are – One and Two

Author Dr Arun Chandan is a distinguished medico-specialist in Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery, currently serving as the Regional Director of the Regional-cum- Facilitation Centre Northern Region-1 of the National Medicinal Plants Board (NMPB), Ministry of AYUSH, Government of India. In this role, he is incharge for the medicinal plants sector activities across seven North Indian states: Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab, Chandigarh, and Delhi, acting as a one-stop solution for herbal resources. Highly qualified, holding a Master’s and Doctorate in Medicinal Plants
and Climate Change, in addition to his specialization in Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery. He has dedicated his career to developing convergence models in medicinal plants and traditional health care systems within both governmental and non governmental sectors in India. His extensive experience includes project management, policy planning, advocacy, monitoring and evaluation, governance, and gender integration.

Dr Arun Chandan U Tube channel and Site

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