In this class, we will explore the historical development of the Four Tantras (rGyud bZhi), the foundational corpus of Traditional Tibetan Medicine composed by Yuthok Yönten Gönpo in the 12th century. Steeped in healing wisdom, ancient history, myth, and controversy, these seminal texts have been a hot topic of conversation for many centuries on the Tibetan plateau.

The Four Tantras have been described as a sūtra, tantra, commentarial śāstra, revealed treasure, and scientific masterpiece, making it one of the most enigmatic texts in the Tibetan corpus.

Drawing upon contemporary textual and historical analysis, we will explore both the charter myth of the Four Tantras as well as the leading alternate theories for this literature’s development, exploring some of the ways that cross-cultural medical knowledge helped to form Tibetan Medicine as we know it today.

We will investigate Tibet’s historical position not as a secluded and isolated sanctuary of secret materials, but as a cosmopolitan crossroads for the great scientific developments of the ancient world.

This presentation is perfect for Sowa Rigpa students and practitioners, but also for historians, Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine enthusiasts, Tibetan Buddhist practitioners, and anybody who is interested in learning more about the development of traditional medicine across the ancient world.