Surgery and Medicine in the Days of Gautama
By Yashpal
Summary
Drawing on early Pali and Sanskrit sources, the article reconstructs medical knowledge and surgical practice during the lifetime of Gautama Buddha. It enumerates the components of the human body and the stages of embryonic development, illustrating an advanced understanding of anatomy. The narrative focuses on Jivaka Komarabhacca, a celebrated physician‑surgeon who studied at Taxila and served royalty and the Buddha. Accounts describe Jivaka performing complex procedures such as relieving intestinal obstructions, extracting worms from a patient’s skull and carrying out other surgeries; he also charged fees, indicating that surgery was a professional service. The article explains that the medical profession included training institutions, surgical instruments and organised healthcare. Monastic communities participated in this medical culture by providing care and receiving treatment. By highlighting Jivaka’s career, the article argues that surgery and medicine were well‑developed in ancient India and contributed to the later Ayurvedic system. It portrays a sophisticated medical tradition that combined practical skills with theoretical knowledge and served both the laity and the monastic community.
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Conclusion
Using Jivaka Komarabhacca’s career as a case study, the article shows that ancient Indian medicine included formal training, surgical techniques and professional fees. Detailed accounts of surgeries and anatomical knowledge demonstrate that medicine in Gautama’s time was sophisticated and influential for later Ayurvedic traditions.