Changes

The process of ''ayurvedavatarana'' (origin/emergence of [[Ayurveda]]) as described in this chapter should be viewed from this perspective, symbolic of this iterative process of creation of knowledge. It touches upon certain basic tenets of [[Ayurveda]] such as the four dimensional concept of ''ayu'' or life and its qualitative categorization into ''sukhayu'' (happy life), ''duhkhayu'' (unhappy life), ''hitayu'' (positive life in harmony with self and the surroundings), and ''ahitayu''(negative life, with negative state of mind and in disharmony with the surroundings), reflecting on the individual as well as the social aspects of one’s life. The chapter also deals with the doctrine of ''samanya'' (similar) and ''vishesha'' (dissimilar), ''dravya samgraha''(knowledge of physical material) attributes of physical and mental ''[[dosha]]s'', the basic causes of ill-health, the origin of ''rasa'' (taste) and its significance, the attributes of six tastes, the nature of the material world, and the whole range of ayurvedic materia medica. Overall, as one can expect from the very first chapter of any treatise, this chapter gives guidelines about important fundamental concepts of [[Ayurveda]] that are necessary to understand the whole text.

The process of ''ayurvedavatarana'' (origin/emergence of [[Ayurveda]]) as described in this chapter should be viewed from this perspective, symbolic of this iterative process of creation of knowledge. It touches upon certain basic tenets of [[Ayurveda]] such as the four dimensional concept of ''ayu'' or life and its qualitative categorization into ''sukhayu'' (happy life), ''duhkhayu'' (unhappy life), ''hitayu'' (positive life in harmony with self and the surroundings), and ''ahitayu''(negative life, with negative state of mind and in disharmony with the surroundings), reflecting on the individual as well as the social aspects of one’s life. The chapter also deals with the doctrine of ''samanya'' (similar) and ''vishesha'' (dissimilar), ''dravya samgraha''(knowledge of physical material) attributes of physical and mental ''[[dosha]]s'', the basic causes of ill-health, the origin of ''rasa'' (taste) and its significance, the attributes of six tastes, the nature of the material world, and the whole range of ayurvedic materia medica. Overall, as one can expect from the very first chapter of any treatise, this chapter gives guidelines about important fundamental concepts of [[Ayurveda]] that are necessary to understand the whole text.

It is very important for a physician to have the full knowledge of materials used in formulating ''Ayurvedic'' drugs. For this purpose, the chapter provides a detailed taxonomy of groups of medications (or recipes), including properties and actions of each ingredient within a group. To zero in from the generic to the specific, the entire “universe” of ingredients are classified into three groups: those that are useful for maintaining good health, those that are useful for treating disorders, and finally, those that are harmful to health. The first two categories, i.e., ingredients useful for health and for treating the diseases have been described by further dividing them into various ways with categorization by three general sources viz. animal-based, plant-based, and earth/mineral-based. Plant-based ingredients are further sub-classified according to their parts used viz. fruits, roots, latex and bark, with relevant examples that are further subdivided according to their applicability in therapeutics e.g. useful for ''vamana'' (therapeutic emesis), ''virechana'' (therapeutic purgation) or ''basti'' (therapeutic enema). The specific actions of the individual ingredients of such groups which may not find place in later chapters have been described herein e.g. five types of salts and eight types of urine.   

It is very important for a physician to have the full knowledge of materials used in formulating ''Ayurvedic'' drugs. For this purpose, the chapter provides a detailed taxonomy of groups of medications (or recipes), including properties and actions of each ingredient within a group. To zero in from the generic to the specific, the entire “universe” of ingredients are classified into three groups: those that are useful for maintaining good health, those that are useful for treating disorders, and finally, those that are harmful to health. The first two categories, i.e., ingredients useful for health and for treating the diseases have been described by further dividing them into various ways with categorization by three general sources viz. animal-based, plant-based, and earth/mineral-based. Plant-based ingredients are further sub-classified according to their parts used viz. fruits, roots, latex and bark, with relevant examples that are further subdivided according to their applicability in therapeutics e.g. useful for [[vamana]] (therapeutic emesis), [[virechana]] (therapeutic purgation) or [[basti]] (therapeutic enema). The specific actions of the individual ingredients of such groups which may not find place in later chapters have been described herein e.g. five types of salts and eight types of urine.   

The chapter suggests that [[Ayurveda]] beginners may take the help of local people or communities living in or around forests and herders in identifying herbs. Quackery or practitioners with little or limited knowledge of plants are strongly denounced. The best physician is the one who has full knowledge of ayurvedic drugs, their pharmacology, mode of administration and their use according to the condition of the patient. Exploitation of a helpless patient by a physician is considered a sin in [[Ayurveda]].  

The chapter suggests that [[Ayurveda]] beginners may take the help of local people or communities living in or around forests and herders in identifying herbs. Quackery or practitioners with little or limited knowledge of plants are strongly denounced. The best physician is the one who has full knowledge of ayurvedic drugs, their pharmacology, mode of administration and their use according to the condition of the patient. Exploitation of a helpless patient by a physician is considered a sin in [[Ayurveda]].