Changes

Prior chapters dealt with maintainence of health and cure for diseases. The aim of a healthy life is for attainment of happiness/ bliss in this world and the world after death. The chapter begins with a description about three basic desires of human life, which should be fulfilled during one’s lifetime - longevity, material comforts, and a blissful after-life. Charak has stated about the methods and means to fulfill these ''eshanas'', or desires:  The desire for longevity ''Pranaeshana''can be achieved by following a healthy lifestyle. The desire for earning ''Dhanaeshana'' may be fulfilled by adopting appropriate and ethical means of livelihood. A wealthy person is respected by the society, therefore earning is essential for maintaining health as well as to perform various spiritual rituals to fulfill the third desire, i.e. ''Parlokeshaeshana'', to get happiness in the next world after death. The third desire is vague, since there are no means to perceive life after death for an individual. On this subject, there are two schools of thoughts - ''astik'', or theism (belief in a supernatural power responsible for creation of the world), and atheism (belief that there is no God or believing only objects or experiences that can be perceived). Different opinions about creation are explained according to different schools of thought. It is concluded that there is existence of many things in this universe even though they are not directly perceptible, so their existence cannot be denied, and therefore the theory of reincarnation cannot be denied unless proven otherwise.  

Prior chapters dealt with maintainence of health and cure for diseases. The aim of a healthy life is for attainment of happiness/ bliss in this world and the world after death. The chapter begins with a description about three basic desires of human life, which should be fulfilled during one’s lifetime - longevity, material comforts, and a blissful after-life. Charak has stated about the methods and means to fulfill these ''eshanas'', or desires:  The desire for longevity ''Pranaeshana''can be achieved by following a healthy lifestyle. The desire for earning ''Dhanaeshana'' may be fulfilled by adopting appropriate and ethical means of livelihood. A wealthy person is respected by the society, therefore earning is essential for maintaining health as well as to perform various spiritual rituals to fulfill the third desire, i.e. ''Parlokeshaeshana'', to get happiness in the next world after death. The third desire is vague, since there are no means to perceive life after death for an individual. On this subject, there are two schools of thoughts - ''astik'', or theism (belief in a supernatural power responsible for creation of the world), and atheism (belief that there is no God or believing only objects or experiences that can be perceived). Different opinions about creation are explained according to different schools of thought. It is concluded that there is existence of many things in this universe even though they are not directly perceptible, so their existence cannot be denied, and therefore the theory of reincarnation cannot be denied unless proven otherwise.  

The four ''pariksha'' or fourfold methods for getting correct knowledge are explained viz. ''aptopadesha'' (authoritative/scriptural testimony), ''pratyaksha''(direct observation by senses), ''anumana''(inference) by guessing, and ''yukti''(reasoning) by applying intelligence. These four methods are defined vividly and their importance in establishing the theory of reincarnation is explained. Afterwards, the factors in maintenance of good health are described. Three supporting pillars of life or ''upastambhas'' are food (''ahara''), sleep (''swapna'') and celibacy (bramhacharya). By following these well regulated lifestyle factors, the body is bestowed with strength, increasing the three forms of strength, immunity(''bala'') – constitutional strength, immunity(''sahaja''),  seasonal strength, immunity (''kalaja'') and  acquired immunity(''yuktikrita''). Various diseases may arise if there is stress, unhealthy lifestyle, or through the effects of unhealthy season over the mind and the body. Further this chapter briefly describes three basic causes of diseases, three disease pathways, three types of treatments and therapies, three categories of physicians based on their qualities.

The four ''pariksha'' or fourfold methods for getting correct knowledge are explained viz. ''[[aptopadesha]]'' (authoritative/scriptural testimony), ''[[pratyaksha]]''(direct observation by senses), ''[[anumana]]''(inference) by guessing, and ''[[yukti]]''(reasoning) by applying intelligence. These four methods are defined vividly and their importance in establishing the theory of reincarnation is explained. Afterwards, the factors in maintenance of good health are described. Three supporting pillars of life or ''upastambhas'' are food (''ahara''), sleep (''swapna'') and celibacy (bramhacharya). By following these well regulated lifestyle factors, the body is bestowed with strength, increasing the three forms of strength, immunity (''bala'') – constitutional strength, immunity (''sahaja''),  seasonal strength, immunity (''kalaja'') and  acquired immunity (''yuktikrita''). Various diseases may arise if there is stress, unhealthy lifestyle, or through the effects of unhealthy season over the mind and the body. Further this chapter briefly describes three basic causes of diseases, three disease pathways, three types of treatments and therapies, three categories of physicians based on their qualities.

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