Philosophical Writings

Author(s): Hemant Shah
Publisher: Academy of Philosophy

Page 76

Philosophy and Medicine : The Indian Standpoint
57
impression is not what I had in mind. They, i.e., the western medical traditions, also have made remarkable progress and met with wonderful success. These real traditions and their systems might have encountered cases with which they might not prove effective or might unfortunately have been nullified by commercialization and evil market forces. I have not even the least intention to ignore or demoralise any of the medical systems, while bringing out the Indian perspective.
Both Philosophy and the medical schools, the Ayurveda, the Occult, Yoga and Metallic Pathology, adopt the holistic approaches, they are all Ayurveda, the Science of life. These different approaches are not contradictory to each other, but they are complementary. They have a common goal and that is to restore the health of an ailing human body so that the embodied Self enjoys a kind of bliss! They are in themselves perfect systems having their philosophy, fundamental principles, effective methodology and distinct goals. The Indian medical science has accepted the totality of the universe, that rests on a holistic approach and is adopting also a transcendental purpose of life. Indian medicine is both science and philosophy. It is both functional and transcendental. In this regard it is unique.
APPENDIX :
1. THE HIPPOCRATIC OATH “I swear by Apollo the physician, the Aesculapius, and Health, and All - heal, and all the gods and goddesses, that, according to my ability and judgment, I will keep this Oath and this stipulation - to reckon him who taught me this Art equally dear to me as my parents, to share my substance with him, and relieve his necessities if required; to look upon his offspring in the same footing as my own