rgyud bzhi

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རྒྱུད་བཞི
Four Medical Tantras, revealed by Drakpa Ng�nshey [RY]

the four Tibetan medical tantras [RY]

4 medical treatises with 156 chapters, SA rtsa rgyud, bshad rgyud, man ngag rgyud, phyi rgyud [JV]

1) four modes of being. 2) Four Tantra Pitakas. See the entry under four classes of tantra [RY]

the four medical tantras, the four modes of being, four tantrapitakas/ classes of tantra [gd] [IW]

(sman) The Four Medical Tantras
The Aṣṭāṅgahṛdayasaṃhitā of Vāgbhaṭa (6th -7th c.), translated in 1015 by Rin chen bzang po and the Kashmiri Janardana, was the main Indian medical influence in early Tibet. Chinese traditions were present, and traditions from Persia, Uighur, Tangut and Byzantine are mentioned during the imperal period as well. Strongly influenced by the Aṣṭāṅgahṛdayasaṃhitā, the Four Medical Tantras of G.yu thog pa the Younger (1112-1203) became in the course of the 13th c. the central canonical text. And like the Indian model for the ayurvedic tradition, the rGyud bzhi remains a central text in the Tibetan medical tradition until today.
Already since the 14th c. there is a controversial debate about the origin of the rGyud bzhi. One tradition, to which adheres the dGe lugs school, advocates a translation from an Indian original, the second tradition advocates a Tibetan origin. A sanskrit original has not yet been found, and Indian sources don't mention the sanskrit title given in the rGyud bzhi. Critics of an Indian origin advance textual passages which are in contradiction with Indian works, or facts which were not known in India. The tradition of a tibetan origin seems to be dominant. Sman gyi byung tshul khog dbubs rgyal mtshan rtse mo 'bar ba by Che rje Zhang ston Zhig po (probably at 1204) is one of the very few early extant tibetan texts on medical history. It treats basically the history of Indian medicine and the place of Vāgbhaṭa and his Aṣṭāṅgahṛdayasaṃhitā, which is paramount for the transmission of medical knowledge to Tibet. There is neither mention of the Four Medical Tantras, nor of G.yu thog pa the Elder. According to tradition, the medical tantras were taken from concealment by Grwa pa mNgon shes around 1100, but only started to become gradually well-known with G.yu thog pa the Younger and his students in the decades surrounding the year 1200. Parallel to it, the 'Bum zhi, the medical scripture of Bon, is very close in the chapter titles, suggesting the Aṣṭāṅgahṛdayasaṃhitā as the most important individual source in both cases. In the Four Medical Tantras one further finds elements from Zhang Zhung, suggesting that it is based on an Indian model, probably the Aṣṭāṅgahṛdayasaṃhitā, strongly edited by G.yu thog pa the Younger.
With regard to the Materia Medica, there is definetely a turn to indigenious tibetan ressources. In the Rin chen bzang po's translation of the Aṣṭāṅgahṛdayasaṃhitā ones finds a certain number of tibetan names, but also many sanskrit names simply transliterated. The names and their identifications in the rGyud bzhi are definitely more tibetan.

Content :
Tibetan and pdf page numbers according to http://purl.bdrc.io/resource/MW30134
English titles from Fundamentals of Tibetan Medicine (Men-Tsee-Khang, 1995)

1. bdud rtsi snying po yan lag brgyad pa gsang ba man ngag gi rgyud las dum bu dang po rtsa ba'i rgyud ces bya bzhugs (Mulatantra, Root Tantra), pp 001-022 (tib) 023-046 (pdf)

1.1 gleng gzhi : (the original (mandala) basis of discourse on medicine, a brief description on the five excellences of dharma, period, teacher, abode and retinue), p 002 (tib) 026.1 (pdf)
1.2 gleng slong rnam par bkod pa (enumeration of the subject of discourse, i.e. the chapters of the rgyud bzhi), p 006 (tib) 030.4 (pdf)
1.3 gnas lugs nad gzhi (the basis of mind-body in dynamic equilibrium and desequilibrium representing healthy and sick body), p 012 (tib) 036.4 (pdf)
1.4 ngos 'dzin (diagnosis and symptoms of the disorders), p 015 (tib) 039.6 (pdf)
1.5 gso thabs (therapeutic methods - diet, behaviour, medication and accessory therapy), p 017 (tib) 041.1 (pdf)
1.6 dpe don gyi rnam grangs rnam par bkod pa (synopsis of the root tantra), p 018-020 (tib) 042.5 (pdf)

2. bdud rtsi snying po yan lag brgyad pa gsang ba man ngag gi rgyud las dum bu gnyis pa bshad pa'i rgyud ces bya ba bzhugs so (Akhyatantra, Explanatory Tantra), pp 001-086 (tib) 047-134 (pdf)

2.01 bshad pa'i rgyud kyi sdom tshig (summary of the Explanatory Tantra), p 002 (tib) 050.1 (pdf)
2.02 chags tsul (embryology), p 004 (tib) 052.1 (pdf)
2.03 lus kyi 'dra dpe (basic anatomy in similes), p 007 (tib) 055.6 (pdf)
2.04 gnas lugs (quantitative anatomy dealing with the proportions of bodily constituents, channels - nerve and blood vessels - and the important passages within the body), p 008 (tib) 056.6 (pdf)
2.05 lus kyi mtsan nyid (basic physiology of mind-body), p 012 (tib) 060.5 (pdf)
2.06 lus kyi las dang dbye ba (classification of the body in terms of sex, age, temperature and disease), p 016 (tib) 064.4 (pdf)
2.07 lus kyi 'jig ltas (signs of death), p 017 (tib) 065.4 (pdf)
2.08 nad kyi rgyu (primordial causes of disorders), p 021 (tib) 069.2 (pdf)
2.09 nad kyi rkyen (immidiate causes of disorders), p 022 (tib) 070.2 (pdf)
2.10 nad 'jugs tshul (manners of how diseases enter human body) 024 (tib) 072.5 (pdf)
2.11 nad kyi mtshan nyid (the characteristics of rlung, mkhris pa and bad kan disorders), p 025 (tib) 073.4 (pdf)
2.12 nad kyi dbye ba (classification of diseases), p 028 (tib) 076.2 (pdf)
2.13 nyin re bzhin rgyun du spyod pa (the routine behaviour), p 033 (tib) 081.1 (pdf)
2.14 dus su spyod pa (seasonal behaviour), p 035 (tib) 083.5 (pdf)
2.15 gnas skabs kyi spyod lam (incidental behaviour), p 037 (tib) 085.3 (pdf)
2.16 zas kyi tshul shes par bya (dietetics, deals with the knowledge of qualities and of use of particular foods and drinks), p 038 (tib) 086.4 (pdf)
2.17 kha zas bsdam pa (dietary restrictions on incompatible combination of foods & drinks), p 044 (tib) 092.3 (pdf)
2.18 kha zas bsrung ba dang zas tshod ran par bza' ba (dietary regimen dealing with right intake of foods & drinks), p 045 (tib) 093.4 (pdf)
2.19 ro dang zhu rjes (taste of medicinal substances), p 046 (tib) 094.4 (pdf)
2.20 sman gyi nus pa (inherent qualities of medicinal substances), p 049 (tib) 097.4 (pdf)
2.21 sman gyi sde tsan dang sbyar thabs (pharmacology), p 059 (tib) 107.4 (pdf)
2.22 gnyen po cha byad (different therapeutic instruments), p 061 (tib) 109.4 (pdf)
2.23 mi nab gnas par bya ba (prophylactic regiments of diet), p 064 (tib) 112.1 (pdf)
2.24 nyes pa dngos su ston pa brtag pa (general techniques for correct diagnosis), p 065 (tib) 113.4 (pdf)
2.25 ngan g.yo skyon gyi brtag pa (techniques for gaining patients confidence), p 067 (tib) 115.2 (pdf)
2.26 spang blang mu bzhin brtag pa (four diagnostique techniques to verify wether the patient can be healed or not), p 068 (tib) 116.3 (pdf)
2.27 gso tshul spyir bstan pa (general healing techniques), p 069 (tib) 117.4 (pdf)
2.28 khyad par gyi bcos tshul rgyas par bshad pa (specific healing techniques), p 072 (tib) 120.2 (pdf)
2.29 gso thabs gnyis bstan pa (two healing techniques - methods for gaining & losing weight), p 075 (tib) 123.3 (pdf)
2.30 gso thabs dngos bstan pa (the actual treatment of rlung, mkhris pa and bad kan disorder), p 077 (tib) 125.3 (pdf)
2.31 sman pa'i le'u (the required qualities and commitments of a physician), p 079-085 (tib) 127.1-133 (pdf)

3. bdud rtsi snying po yan lag brgyad pa gsang ba man ngag gi rgyud las dum bu gsum pa man ngag gy rgyud ces bya bzhugs (Upadeshatantra, Quintessential Tantra), pp 001-489 (tib) 135-625 (pdf)

3.01 man ngag rgyud zhus pa (request to reveal the quintessential tantra), p 002 (tib) 138.1 (pdf)
3.02 rlung gi nad gso ba (diagnosis and treatment of rlung disorders), p 005 (tib) 141.1 (pdf)
3.03 mkhris pa'i nad bcos pa (diagnosis and treatment of mkhris pa disorders), p 018 (tib) 154.3 (pdf)
3.04 bad kan gi nad bcos pa (diagnosis and treatment of bad kan disorders), p 027 (tib) 163.6 (pdf)
3.05 'dus nad bad kan smug po bcos pa (diagnosis and treatment of the complex gastro intestinal bad kan smug po disorder), p 037 (tib) 173.2 (pdf)
3.06 khong nad thams cad kyi rgyu ma zhu ba bcos pa (indigestion), p 050 (tib) 186.6 (pdf)
3.07 gcong chen skran nad bcos pa (tumor), p 057 (tib) 193.1 (pdf)
3.08 skya rbab bcos pa (dropsy, initial stage), p 065 (tib) 201.5 (pdf)
3.09 'or nad gso ba (dropsy of the skin vesicle), p 068 (tib) 204.4 (pdf)
3.10 gcong chen dmu chu bcos pa (dropsy of the internal organs), p 070 (tib) 206.1 (pdf)
3.11 gcong chen zad byed bcos pa (chronic metabolic disorder resulting in wasting bodily constituents), p 080 (tib) 216.2 (pdf)
3.12 tsha ba spyi bcos pa (general fever), p 082 (tib) 218.2 (pdf)
3.13 'khrul gzhi gsal ba tsha grang gal mdo (the important approach in distinguishing a hot and cold disorder), p 100 (tib) 236.6 (pdf)
3.14 tsha ba'i ri thang mtshams bstan pa (the junction between mountain and plain, differentiating the junction between hot and cold disorder), p 105 (tib) 241.2 (pdf)
3.15 tsha ba ma smin pa bcos pa (unripened fever), p 109 (tib) 245.2 (pdf)
3.16 rgyas pa'i tsha ba bcos pa (extreme fever), p 115 (tib) 251.2 (pdf)
3.17 stongs pa'i tsha ba bcos pa (empty fever), p 120 (tib) 256.6 (pdf)
3.18 gab pa'i tsha ba bcos pa (hidden fever), p 124 (tib) 260.6 (pdf)
3.19 tsha ba rnyings pa bcos pa (chronic fever), p 129 (tib) 265.1 (pdf)
3.20 tsha ba rnyogs pa bcos pa (complicate fever), p 132 (tib) 268.1 (pdf)
3.21 'grams kyi tsha ba bcos pa (spreaded fever), p 135 (tib) 271.5 (pdf)
3.22 'khrugs kyi tsha ba bcos pa (disturbed fever), p 141 (tib) 277.3 (pdf)
3.23 rims kyi tsha ba bal nad bcos pa (epidemic fever), p 150 (tib) 286.1 (pdf)
3.24 'brum pa'i rims bcos pa (small pox), p 167 (tib) 303.1 (pdf)
3.25 rgyu gzer gyi rims bcos pa (intestinal infection, like colitis), p 170 (tib) 306.6 (pdf)
3.26 gag lhog bcos pa (inflammation associated with throat and muscle tissues), p 175 (tib) 311.2 (pdf)
3.27 cham rims bcos pa (catarrh), p 181 (tib) 317.2 (pdf)
3.28 mgo nad gso ba (diseases of the head), p 182 (tib) 318.4 (pdf)
3.29 mig nad bcos pa (eye diseases), p 185 (tib) 321.2 (pdf)
3.30 rna ba'i nad gso ba (ear diseases), p 194 (tib) 330.4 (pdf)
3.31 sna nad gso ba (nasal diseases), p 196 (tib) 332.6 (pdf)
3.32 kha nad gso ba (mouth diseases), p 198 (tib) 334.1 (pdf)
3.33 lba ba bcos pa (goitre), p 201 (tib) 337.5 (pdf)
3.34 snying nad gso ba (cardiac disease), p 203 (tib) 339.4 (pdf)
3.35 glo nad bcos pa (pulmonary diseases), p 205 (tib) 341.6 (pdf)
3.36 mchin nad gso ba (hepatic diseases), p 209 (tib) 345.3 (pdf)
3.37 mcher nad gso ba (spleen diseases), p 213 (tib) 349.4 (pdf)
3.38 mkhal nad gso ba (renal diseases), p 214 (tib) 350.4 (pdf)
3.39 pho ba'i nad gso ba (stomachal diseases), p 217 (tib) 353.4 (pdf)
3.40 rgyu ma'i nad bcos pa (diseases of the small intestines , p 219 (tib) 355.4 (pdf)
3.41 long nad gso ba (diseases of the large intestines), p 220 (tib) 356.4 (pdf)
3.42 pho mtshan gyi nad gso ba (male genital diseases), p 221 (tib) 357.5 (pdf)
3.43 mo mtshan gyi nad gso ba (female genital diseases), p 223 (tib) 359.1 (pdf)
3.44 skad 'gags gso ba (vocal obstruction), p 224 (tib) 360.5 (pdf)
3.45 yi ga 'chus pa gso ba (anorexia) , p 226 (tib) 362.3 (pdf)
3.46 skom nad gso ba (excessive thirst), p 227 (tib) 363.2 (pdf)
3.47 skyigs bu'i nad gso ba (hiccough), p 228 (tib) 364.3 (pdf)
3.48 dbugs mi bde ba gso ba (respiratory diseases), p 229 (tib) 365.2 (pdf)
3.49 glang thabs bcos pa (sudden abdominal cramps), p 230 (tib) 366.6 (pdf)
3.50 srin nad bcos pa (disorders caused by micro-organisms), p 233 (tib) 369.6 (pdf)
3.51 skyugs pa'i nad bcos pa (vomiting), p 236 (tib) 372.1 (pdf)
3.52 'khru ba'i nad bcos pa (diarrhoea), p 237 (tib) 373.2 (pdf)
3.53 dri ma 'gags pa gso ba (constipation), p 238 (tib) 374.5 (pdf)
3.54 chu 'gags gso ba (dysuria), p 239 (tib) 375.3 (pdf)
3.55 gcin snyi ba'i nad gso ba (diabetes), p 242 (tib) 378.3 (pdf)
3.56 tshad pa'i 'khru ba gso ba (dysentary), p 244 (tib) 380.1 (pdf)
3.57 dreg nad gso ba (gout), p 245 (tib) 381.4 (pdf)
3.58 grum bu'i nad bcos pa (arthritis), p 247 (tib) 383.3 (pdf)
3.59 chu ser gyi nad gso ba (excess serous fluid disease), p 249 (tib) 385.6 (pdf)
3.60 rtsa dkar gyi nad bcos pa (nerve disorders), p 253 (tib) 389.6 (pdf)
3.61 lpags pa'i nad gso ba (dermatological disorders), p 258 (tib) 394.3 (pdf)
3.62 phran bu'i nad gso ba (miscellaneous minor disorders), p 259 (tib) 395.3 (pdf)
3.63 'bras bcos pa (internal and external malignant tumors, due to the combination of blood, serous fluid and rlung disorders), p 261 (tib) 397.3 (pdf)
3.64 gzhang 'brum gso ba (haemorrhoids), p 265 (tib) 401.3 (pdf)
3.65 me dbal bcos pa (erysipelas), p 268 (tib) 404.1 (pdf)
3.66 sur ya'i nad (rounded red rash on the skin associated with sores on specific organs), p 269 (tib) 405.1 (pdf)
3.67 rmen bu bcos pa (lymphadenopathy), p 270 (tib) 406.1 (pdf)
3.68 rlig rlugs gso ba (hydroceles), p 271 (tib) 407.4 (pdf)
3.69 rkang bam gyi nad bcos pa(blood rlung combined disorder characterised with swollen legs), p 272 (tib) 408.4 (pdf)
3.70. mtsan bar rdol ba gso ba (anal fistula), p 273 (tib) 409.2 (pdf)
3.71 byis pa nyer spyod gso ba (regimens dealing with proper bringing up of the child in a sound environment), p 274 (tib) 410.2 (pdf)
3.72 byis pa'i nad gso ba (paedriatic diseases), p 276 (tib) 412.4 (pdf)
3.73 byis pa'i gdon gso ba (evil spiritis causing paedriatic diseases), p 287 (tib) 423.6 (pdf)
3.74 mo nad gtso bo spyi bcos pa (general gynaecological diseases), p 290 (tib) 426.2 (pdf)
3.75 mo nad bye brag bcos pa (specific gynaecological diseases), p 293 (tib) 429.5 (pdf)
3.76. mo nad phal ba gso ba (common gynaecological diseases), p 298 (tib) 434.4 (pdf)
3.77 'byung po'i gdon gso ba (diseases caused by evil spirits), p 301 (tib) 437.2 (pdf)
3.78 smyo byed kyi gdon gso ba (insanity), p 303 (tib) 439.6 (pdf)
3.79 brjed byed kyi nad gso ba (amnesia), p 305 (tib) 441.4 (pdf)
3.80 gza'i gdon nad bcos pa (epilepsy), p 306 (tib) 442.4 (pdf)
3.81 gdug pa klu'i gdon nad gso ba (disorders caused by evil nagas), p 309 (tib) 445.3 (pdf)
3.82 rma spyi'i gso thabs bstan pa (general wounds), p 318 (tib) 454.3 (pdf)
3.83 mgo ba'i rma gso ba (head wounds), p 327 (tib) 463.5 (pdf)
3.84 ske'i rma gso ba (cervical wounds), p 348 (tib) 484.5 (pdf)
3.85 byang khog stod smad gso ba (abdominal wounds), p 351 (tib) 487.5 (pdf)
3.86 yan lag gi rma gso ba (wounds of the limbs), p 396 (tib) 532.1 (pdf)
3.87 sbyar ba'i dug bcos pa (compounded poisons), p 441 (tib) 577.5 (pdf)
3.88 gyur pa'i dug bcos pa (food poisons), p 472 (tib) 608.3 (pdf)
3.89 rgyu ba dang mi rgyu ba'i dug gso ba (natural poison), p 476 (tib) 612.5 (pdf)
3.90 rgas pa gso ba bcud len (rejuvenation), p 480 (tib) 616.4 (pdf)
3.91 ro tsa bar bya ba (impotency), p 484 (tib) 620.1 (pdf)
3.92 bu med pa btsal ba (fertility), p 487-488 (tib) 623.3-624 (pdf)

4. bdud rtsi snying po yan lag brgyad pa gsang ba man ngag gi rgyud las dum bu bzhi pa phyi ma'i rgyud ces bya ba bzhugs so (Uttaratantra, Final Tantra), pp 001-133 (tib) 629(-762) (pdf)

4.01 reg pa rtsa la nad ngos bzung ba (sphygmology, pulse diagnosis), p 002 (tib) 631.1 (pdf)
4.02 mthong ba me long chu la ngos bzung ba (urinalysis), p 013 (tib) 641.2 (pdf)
4.03 thang gi sde tshan bstan pa (decoction), p 019 (tib) 647.2 (pdf)
4.04 phye ma'i sde tshan bstan pa (medicinal powder), p 023 (tib) 651.6 (pdf)
4.05 ril bu'i sde tshan bstan pa (pills), p 036 (tib) 664.2 (pdf)
4.06 lde gu'i sde tshan bstan pa (medicinal paste), p 038 (tib) 666.3 (pdf)
4.07 sman mar gyi sde mtshan bstan pa (medicinal butter), p 040 (tib) 668.2 (pdf)
4.08 thal sman gyi sde mtshan bstan pa (medicinal ash), p 043 (tib) 671.4 (pdf)
4.09 khandra'i sde mtshan bstan pa (concentrated decoction), p 046 (tib) 674.5 (pdf)
4.10 sman chang gi sde mtshan bstan pa (medicinal beverage), p 048 (tib) 676.4 (pdf)
4.11 rin po che sbyor ba'i sde tshan bstan pa (medicinal gems), p 050 (tib) 678.5 (pdf)
4.12 sngo snyor gyi sde tshan bstan pa (herbal compounds), p 054 (tib) 682.2 (pdf)
4.13 las lnga'i sngon du 'gro ba snum 'chos (the preliminary step of using oil for all the five works - emetics, purgatives etc.), p 058 (tib) 686.4 (pdf)
4.14 las lnga bshal (purgatives), p 060 (tib) 688.2 (pdf)
4.15 las lnga skugs (emetics), p 068 (tib) 696.2 (pdf)
4.16 las lnga sna sman (nasal medications), p 069 (tib) 697.6 (pdf)
4.17 las lnga 'jam rtsi (mild suppository), p 071 (tib) 699.2 (pdf)
4.18 las lnga ni ru ha (enema), p 072 (tib) 700.3 (pdf)
4.19 sbyongs kyi log gnon rtsa sbyongs (vessel cleansing techniques), p 073 (tib) 701.3 (pdf)
4.20 dpyad lnga gtar ga (venesection), p 076 (tib) 704.6 (pdf)
4.21 dpyad lnga me btsa (moxibustion), p 083 (tib) 711.4 (pdf)
4.22 dpyad lnga dugs (compress therapy), p 087 (tib) 715.4 (pdf)
4.23 dpyad lnga lums (medicinal baths), p 089 (tib) 717.1 (pdf)
4.24 dpyad lnga byug pa (massage therapy), p 090 (tib) 718.6 (pdf)
4.25 dpyad kyi log gnon thur ma (mild surgical methods), p 092 (tib) 720.5 (pdf)
4.26 rgyud bzhi'i mjug don bsdus pa, p 101 (tib) 741.3 (pdf)
4.27 rgyud yongs su gtad pa, p 113 (tib) 748.2 (pdf)
p 120-133 (tib) 761 (pdf)
Johannes Schmidt (talk) 09:34, 21 September 2025 (EDT)