History of Ayurveda

 Ayurvedic medicine (“Ayurveda” for short) is one of the world's oldest holistic (“whole-body”) healing systems. It was developed more than 3,000 years ago in India.

It’s based on the belief that health and wellness depend on a delicate balance between the mind, body, and spirit. Its main goal is to promote good health, not fight disease. But treatments may be geared toward specific health problems.

Sri Lanka is a country with a very old civilization and Ayurveda has been a widely practiced medical system through out the ages.

Pulasthi Rishi, the son of the Emperor Tharaka and father of the Emperor Rawana lived about 4400 years ago in Sri Lanka. He is known to have been a skilled physician. Historical Indian Ayurveda texts mention that Pulasthi Rishi participated in the 1st conference of Rishis (seekers of knowledge) held in the Himalaya Kingdom (India) and that he was from Sri Lanka. Son of Pulasthi Rishi, the Emperor Rawana ruled Sri Lanka around 4394 years ago. He was also a physician and is said to have written 3 Ayurveda medical books. They are named as Arka prakashaya, Kumaratantraya, Nadi prakashaya. He was also the inventor of the distillation process.

When King Vijaya came to Sri Lanka (547 BC) with his people, he is said to have brought along some Ayurveda medicine as well. It was however, during the period of King Devanampiyatissa (247 BC) that Buddhism was brought to Sri Lanka and with it, Ayurveda.

King Devanampiyatissa established a hospital for the Buddhist monks at Mihintale. That was the 1st hospital in Sri Lanka and it is one of the oldest hospitals to date, in the world. Even today the ruins of this hospital can be seen. The 1st book on Ayurveda in Sri Lanka is the Sarartha Sangrahaya, which was composed by King Buddhadasa (362 - 409 AD). It contains a detailed account of the preparation of drugs, diagnosis, treatment of diseases, and Ayurveda surgery. King Buddhadasa was a famed Ayurveda physician and surgeon. Later Buddhist monks practiced Ayurveda and wrote several books and promoted Ayurveda in Sri Lanka.

Ayurveda and Buddhism are two interlinked philosophies that Sri Lanka received from the India. While Buddhism ceased to be a major influence in India, the roots of Buddhism were firmly planted in Sri Lanka, where it was preserved and continued to thrive, along with the practice of Ayurveda.