The Image of "Life" in Tibetan Medicine and Buddhism-the study of "gYu thog snying thig"-

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26370073
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Religious studies
• Research Institution: Kyoto Bunkyo University
• Principal Investigator: Nagasawa Tetsu 京都文教大学, 総合社会学部, 准教授 (40388210)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: チベット / 仏教 / 医学 / 生命 / 瞑想 / 密教 / ニンティク

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The study of traditional Tibetan medicine, which developed within the religious and cultural context of Tibetan society, can be one of the clues to understand their religious culture, how the Tibetans have conceived of the human life. Our present research focused on the philosophy, theory and practice of “gYu thog sNying thig”, a system of meditation which have been exercised by the Tibetan doctors since 11th century. Based on field work, interviews and textual studies, we found that the theory and practice of “gYu thog snying thig” and the “Four Tantras” of Tibetan medicine are complementary, forming a very holistic view on the living human body; a complex of the physical, the energetic and the spiritual. Our study has demonstrated that this field of study will immensely contribute to the understanding of the Tibetan religious culture, and the nature of us humans.

Free Research Field

宗教学（チベット仏教）