Disease

And overeating and drinking

Causes contributing to diseases of phlegm

Drinking milk

Lying on damp ground and sleeping in daytime

Immersion in water, especially at the end of winter

For the influence of spirits there are innumerable disorders brought about by certain contributory factors or conditions relating to harmful influences or spirits. The 360 female spirit influences are connected with desire and attachment and give rise to Wind. The 360 male spirit influences are connected with anger and hared and give rise to disorders from Bile. The 360 demons klu or water dwelling spirits) and Sa-bdag (specific spirits that govern or haunt particular places) are connected with ignorance and give rise to Phlegm disorders. If they happen to be disturbed, all these spirits can cause harm.

Elemental Daemons

The inception of disease and the parts of the body in which specific humoural disorders are likely to be localised. At their inception diseases of wind are situated in the bones those of bile in the blood and perspiration , and those of phlegm elsewhere. When subjected to this pathological transformation, the skin and muscle tissue succumb first, followed by the channels, ligaments and bones; and lastly, by the internal viscera. The skin is the common location of wind and bile dysfunction, chyle is the common location of phlegm and bile dysfunction, and the joints are those of phlegm and wind dysfunction. Subsequently, dysfunctions of wind become localised in the intestines, hip-sockets, bones joints, skin and ears, those of bile in the stomach, blood, perspiration, chyle, serum eyes and skin, and those of phlegm in the chest, throat, lungs, head, chyle muscular and adipose tissue, bone marrow semen, faeces, urine, nose and tongue.

Types of disease

Characteristics of different types of disease, which are to be understood in terms of the three degrees in which they arise, namely excess, deficiency, and their mutual aggravation. In general, the main causes of humoural excess or deficiency are the primary and secondary causes outlined above, while undigested chyle is seen as a major cause for the excess or deficiency of the bodily constituents or excretions. As for the corresponding symptoms an excess of wind is indicated by dark skin, emaciation, trembling of the body, bloated stomach, weakness, constipation, vertigo or giddiness, lack of sleep, debility of the senses and frequent chatter. An excess of bile is indicated by jaundice of the faeces, urine, skin and eves, fever, little sleep and by hunger and thirst. An excess of phlegm is indicated by chills indigestion, bloated stomach, lethargy, looseness of the joints torpor, depression, excessive sputum and saliva, breathlessness, and pale complexion. An excess of chyle is indicated by chills and so forth, similar to the symptoms of an excess of phlegm. An excess of blood is indicated by infectious diseases such as erysipelas and internal rodes, spleen disorders, leprosy, tumours, internal jaundice of the eyes, swollen gums, difficulty in physical movement, reddening of the eyes, urine and skin and internal diseases. An excess of muscle tissue is indicated by goitres, ganglions, and obesity. An excess of adipose tissue is indicated by lethargy, dullness, enlarged breasts and stomach. An excess of bone-tissue is indicated by enlarged bones and extra teeth. An excess of bone marrow is indicated by heaviness of body, swelling joints and impaired vision. An excess of reproductive fluids is indicated by seminal lithiasis and excessive sexual desire. An excess of faeces is indicated by heaviness of body, bloated stomach, intestinal pains or rumbling, and difficulty in movement. An excess of urine is indicated by pain in the urethral area and frequent micturition. An excess of perspiration is indicated by profusion of sweat, unpleasant odour, and cutaneous itching. An excess of minor excretions is indicated by local heaviness, irritation and surface putrefaction.

By contrast, a deficiency of wind is indicated by loss of energy, slowness of speech, unclear recollection, and other symptoms similar to those of excessive phlegm. A deficiency of bile is indicated by loss of body heat and pigmentation, along with coldness, and darkness of the skin. A deficiency of phlegm is indicated by vertigo due to brain disorder, palpitations of the heart, and looseness of the joints. A deficiency of chyle is indicated by emaciation, difficulty in swallowing, rough skin, and hypersensitivity to noise. A deficiency of blood is indicated by loss of tension in the channels, rough, cold skin, a deficiency of muscle tissue and a partiality for sour foods. A deficiency of muscle tissue is indicated by protruding bones, arthralgia, and emaciation. A deficiency of adipose tissue is indicated by insomnia, emaciation of muscle tissue, and a bluish complexion. A deficiency of bone tissue is indicated by loss of hair, teeth and nails. A deficiency of bone marrow is indicated by vertigo and vision impairment. A deficiency of reproductive fluids is indicated by bleeding from the reproductive organs, sensations of discomfort and of burning pain in the testicles. A deficiency of faeces is indicated by rumbling of the stomach and pains in the ribs and heart when this wind moves upwards. A deficiency of urine is indicated by oliguria, sudden colour changes and discomfort in passing water. A deficiency of perspiration is indicated by cracking skin, open pores and loss of body hair. Lastly, a deficiency of vital fluid, brought about by mental anxiety, increases fear and general debility, but may be restored by means of life-sustaining medications, fresh milk and broth.

Classification of diseases.

The classifications of diverse diseases, in terms of their primary causes, the sex or age of the patient, and more extensive enumerations based on an analysis of diseases according to their humours main features, locations and types. Diseases specific to a particular sex or age include the seventeen male diseases the thirty-two female diseases the twenty-four paediatric diseases and the general debility of old age. There are one hundred and one diseases common to all types of patient. When these are enumerated on the basis of humoural disorders, they comprise forty-two of wind, twenty-six of bile and thirty-three of phlegm Similarly, when these are enumerated on the basis of their main features, they include diseases distinguished by an independent isolated humour or by a dependent humour in association with others.

When they are then enumerated on the basis of their locations in the body they comprise two mental categories (insanity and epilepsy) eighteen of the upper part of the body, nineteen of the internal viscera, five of the lower part of the body, twenty that are external, including those of the skin, muscles, channels and bones and thirty-seven which are internally located. Lastly, when enumerated on the basis of their types they comprise forty-eight which are internal, fifteen kinds of wounds, nineteen kinds of fever, and nineteen which are miscellaneous.

Briefly summarised, all diseases may be classified as dependent diseases caused by past karma, imaginary diseases caused by demons, absolute diseases of this life, and ostensible diseases, and these are respectively held to be untreatable treatable by ritual means, treatable only by medication, and without need of treatment because they heal spontaneously.

Stages of diseases

All known diseases may have four stages, namely: primary cause , onset or inception, discernible manifestation, and pathogenic maturity.

Disease
Tibetan medicines knows the three primary causes of disease, namely the emotional defilement of desire hatred and delusion, which are symbolically depicted as a bird, a snake, and a pig and concerns the secondary causes of disease, namely, seasonal climatic changes, the agency of harmful demons and improper diet or conduct.

Mandhala sansaric way of the life and reborn

Desire	Hatred	Delusion
Causes of pathology
Remote causes of pathology include the general primary cause of all disease, the fundamental ignorance, which gives rise to all cyclical existence, and the particular primary causes, the three poisons of desire, hatred and delusion, which give rise to the immediate primary causes. Wind, bile and phlegm, when subjected to imbalance or transformation, causing them to spread in different directions.


Wind is accumulated in the hot season	Bile is accumulated in the summer season	Phlegm is accumulated in the end of the winter
The secondary causes which aggravate the basis of disease. This has three aspects: the activity fields of season, conduct and sense-organs, to which the aforementioned causes refer when disease originates; the covert gathering and overt arising of secondary causes, and their fully manifest arising, which may be defined in the general context of the three humours, which tend to gather arise and subside during different seasons, and in terms of their specific indications. The specific secondary causes of wind diseases include bitter, light and rough food, sexual exhaustion, fasting, insomnia, vigorous activity on an empty stomach, excessive loss of blood, diarrhea, vomiting, exposure to cold winds periods of mourning or crying, mental anguish, unrestrained chatter, protracted consumption of non-nutritious food, and the retention or straining of natural functions.


Reliance on a bitter, light and rough diet	Sexual exhaustion	Fasting	Insufficient sleep	Vigorous work on an empty stomach	Diarrhea


Excessive loss of blood
The secondary causes of bile diseases include the excessive consumption of sharp hot, or oily food, or of meat, butter, molasses, and wine, surging anger, sleeping in direct sunlight, engaging in hard physical activity, athletic pursuits, or being injured in consequence of falling from horseback, or being wounded and so forth.


Reliance on a diet of hot tasting food	Reliance on a sharp, hot and oily diet	Surging of strong hatred or anger in the mind	Digging solid earth	Carrying an unbearable load	Sleeping exposed to the midsummer
Those indicative of phlegm diseases include bitter, sweet, heavy cooling and oily foods, along with herbal concoctions of dandelion, milk, goat or hybrid cattle meat, fat and bone marrow, stale oils or greens sour radishes raw garlic, cold water, tea unboiled goat's milk, immature curd, unripe grains and pulses, as well as resting after a heavy meal, sleeping in the daytime or in a damp place, and being lightly dressed in winter.