Beginning the podcast with a description of The Blue Beryl paintings Professor Thurman gives an introduction to the series of 77 Buddhist thangkas used as a memorization tool for traditional Tibetan doctors.  Commissioned by the 5th Dalai Lama's Spiritual son Sangye Ghamtso (1645-1705), who founded Tibet's first medical college and codified the country's medical practices The Blue Beryl or the Atlas of Tibetan Medicine, are 19th century copies of a 17th century volume destroyed in 1959 which illustrate physical symptoms, disease, treatment, medicinal herbs & plants.

The problem is our rigidified scientific way of approaching health — we’re not being thorough enough in our science.
If we were being scientific, doctors would have to look at how people are afflicted by this poisoned lifestyle. Doctors would really have to go after the food industry, the medical industry, and the pharmaceutical industry and we’d all have to admit to the complete train wreck of what I call industrialized medicine."
Robert AF Thurman via www.huffingtonpost.com


Podcast includes a history of traditional medicine of Tibet, Buddhist Doctors in America, Menla Retreat, stories from Robert Thurman's time studying with Yeshi Dhonden and a discussion of the symbolism of the blue found in Medicine Buddha meditations.
Second half of this podcast includes dialog with retreat participants, teachings on emptiness, ignorance, the value of prostrations, the dangers of inner absolutism and the lessons found in Buddha's royal reason of relativity.
"Buddha's Barefoot Doctors : Tibetan Medicine 101" is an recording from the Tibet House US "Medicine Buddha Retreat with Robert AF Thurman & Friends" held at Menla in Phoenicia, New York 2014.
To watch + listen to more recordings of past events with Robert AF Thurman please consider becoming a Tibet House US member. Learn about joining the Tibet House US Membership Community with a monthly tax-deductible donation by visiting: www.tibethouse.us.
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The song ‘Dancing Ling’ by Tenzin Choegyal from the album ‘Heart Sutra‘ (2004) by Ethno Super Lounge is used on the Bob Thurman Podcast with artist’s permission, all rights reserved.