ATI, cant vs rant.

[Dominik Wujastyk]

On Thu, 2 Sep 1999, Bharat Gupt wrote:

> THE TRANSFER OF AURVEDIC CONCEPTS TO SHAPE THE HIPPOKRATIC IDEAS IS
> ANOTHER.

Dear Dr Gupt,

I would be the happiest scholar if I could find solid evidence of a
transmission between Indian and Greek medicine, in either direction. There
are hints here and there: Dioscorides mentions a number of Indian plants,
for example, and I have some ideas I am developing about Agni and Soma and
some humoral doctrines in the Cnidian school of Greek medicine.  But
broadly speaking there is no clear evidence of the transmission of ideas
in either direction.  The situation in ayurvedic literature is completely
different from that in jyotisa, where heavy borrowing is clear.  The
ayurvedic literature is almost completely free from loanwords, and there
is no evidence of direct contact with Greek thought, either to give or to
receive. Apparently, vaidyas were very self-confident where it came to
medicine, and resisted communcation with foreigners.

[PS, may I suggest that you don't use capital letters for everything?  It
gives the impressions of shouting, and suggests that you are writing in a
convulsion of apoplectic choler, which I'm hoping is not the case :-)]

--
Dominik Wujastyk
Founder, INDOLOGY list