Tibetan medicine, also known as Sowa Rigpa, is a profound and valuable traditional medicine system that has a rich history and cultural significance. Developed under the influence of Vajrayana Buddhism and from the accumulated knowledge and experience of the people in the Himalayan region, Sowa Rigpa has evolved into a comprehensive repertoire of healing techniques and knowledge since the eighth century. In 1959, following the Chinese occupation of Tibet, the Dalai Lama fled to India with thousands of Tibetan refugees. With more than 60 years of modernization in Tibetan exile society, Sowa Rigpa has gained popularity and commercial success as a scientific system of healing and was incorporated into the Ministry of AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, and Homeopathy) in India in 2010. Today, Sowa Rigpa is widely recognized for its unique approach to healing, which focuses on the balance between mind, body, and spirit, and its use of natural remedies. However, despite its importance, Sowa Rigpa has received comparatively less academic attention.
Looking back at the research on Sowa Rigpa, when “Asian medicine” began to receive attention in the 1970s only a few scattered research papers were published on this traditional Tibetan medical system. The hindrance of research can be attributed to several factors. For example, there is a language barrier to overcome. Reading Tibetan medical texts and engaging in conversations with local Tibetans requires a solid foundation in the Tibetan language, which is not as easily accessible as Chinese or other mainstream Asian languages for many foreign scholars and researchers.
