Basic Principles Of Ayurveda

More Insights On The Tridosha

 

Doshas are of two varieties: saririka (bodily) and manasika (psychological, of the mind). This is often a point of great confusion in Ayurvedic circles. Let’s look at these two types of doshas more closely. The saririka doshas are Vata, Pitta, and Kapha. They are what we mean when we use the term “tridosha”. They are material in form, yet can manifest in aspects of mind as well. Generally, they are intimately connected to physical activities. The manasika doshas are Rajas, Tamas, and Sattva.. These are often referred to as the three gunas, or three qualities, of the mind. Manasika doshas have reference only to the mind and mental activities.

An intimate inter-relationship exists between these two types of doshas. In fact, according to Charaka, derangements in one arena is always accompanied by changes in the other (Charaka Samhita, Sarirasthana 4,35-36.).

However, greater importance is attributed to the tridosha (bodily doshas: Vata, Pitta, and Kapha) as the primary causative agents of disease. For every individual, each dosha has a unique quantity (pramana), quality (guna), and action (karma) in the physiology. Equipoise of these three attributes with respect to an individual engenders health. When this balance is disturbed through indulgence in foods and habits which are similar in nature to a specific dosha, this causes vriddhi--increase--in that dosha; food and habits of a dissimilar nature to that dosha will likewise cause its kasaya, or decrease. This is the Ayurvedic doctrine of “like increases like”.

Thus if you are cold and you drink iced water or eat ice cream, you will become colder; similarly if you are hot and you consume cayenne peppers or other pungent tastes, you will become hotter. Or if you are dry and you spend a long period of time in a strong wind, you will lose more moisture due to evaporation and become drier.

If these examples seem simple and common sense, then you have learned an important feature of Ayurvedic wisdom: its always simple and intuitive.

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