Analytical study on the “śarīra”in Ayurveda and siksasamuccaya

Abstract

In Ayurveda medical science the term “śarīra” has been explained in different context. Eg.śarīraracanā,śarīrakriyā, gharbhaśarīra,etc. Ayurveda texts define the composition of human body as“śarīraracana” This is similar to the Term: anatomy which western medicine uses for the same idea, namelyśarīraracanā.Anatomy is the branch of biology concerned with the study of the structure of organisms and their parts. It includes the appearance and position of the various parts, the materials from which they are composed, their locations and their relationships with other parts. According toçikñäsamuccayabody isnot a single entity but a composite of several different parts.It is the house of thousads of impurities and mental cocepts (saìkalpa), and urine, saliva, mucus, faecal matter, phlegm etc. are items stored in it. Not only it doesn't have a creator but it has not been established in fixed location either. It comes in to existence as a consequence of the sexual union of male and female. Putrification, decay, moldering, degeneration etc. are it's principal qualities. Ayurveda holds the view that śarīracombined with ätmä is exhibited the features caitanya, and combination of çaréra mänasa and ätmä is known astridaëòa orpuruña.This study attemptsto analyse the attitudes which Ayurveda texts and çikñäsamuccaya hold towards the concepts of śarīra.