The Doctrine of the Three Humors in Traditional Indian Medicine and the Alleged Antiquity of Tamil Siddha Medicine

Major differences among Suśruta, Caraka and Vāgbhaṭa were minimised by later commentators in order to present Ayurveda as a consistent, integrated whole.

“Major differences among the three authors were minimised by later commentators in order to present Ayurveda as a con- sistent, integrated whole.”

The Indian understanding of the three defects developed in religious and medical texts from the last few centuries BCE through the first millennium CE.

“The Indian understanding of these three defects developed in religious and medical texts from the last few centuries BCE through the first millennium CE. 7”

In the earliest Ayurvedic writings, such as the Carakasaṃhitā compiled by the third century CE, doṣa originally referred to an abnormality of Wind, Bile, and Phlegm that needed to be quelled or removed to restore health.

“In the earliest Ayurvedic writings, such as the Carakasaṃ hitā (compiled by the third century CE), the term doṣ a seems to have originally referred to an abnormality of Wind, Bile, and Phlegm that needed to be quelled or removed in order to return to health.”

By the time of the Aṣṭāṅgasaṃgraha and Aṣṭāṅgahṛdaya in the seventh century CE, doṣa denoted permanent bodily features that needed to be kept in balance to prevent disease.

“By the time of the compilation of the Aṣ ṭ ānġasaṃ graha and Asṭ ānġahṛ daya (by the seventh century CE), however, the doṣ a had come to denote permanent features of the body that needed to be kept in balance in order to prevent disease.”

In the Ayurvedic medical corpus composed in later centuries, mostly in northern India, the three are eventually called doṣa and given a preeminent role in etiology.

“Nevertheless, in the Ayurvedic medical corpus composed in subsequent centuries, mostly in northern India, the three are eventually called doṣ a and are given a preeminent role in etiology.”

In Pāli sources written in first-century BCE Sri Lanka, Wind, Bile, and Phlegm appear among other pathological factors but are not explicitly called doṣa.

“in the Pāli sources written in first century BCE Sri Lanka, they are not explicitly identified in these texts as doṣ a (Pāli dosa).”