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The [[Charak Samhita]] begins with a chapter detailing the means to attaining a long, healthy and happy life, explaining certain basic tenets of [[Ayurveda]] and the consequent foundational concepts necessary to build a body of knowledge. This chapter provides a description of the origin, definition, and scope of [[Ayurveda]]. It further deliberates on the critical concepts of [[Ayu]] (or the life-span of a human being) and its qualitative dimensions, and [[arogya]] (or [[health]]) as a means of achieving the four fundamental instincts (virtue, wealth, gratification and emancipation) of life on this earth.  

The [[Charak Samhita]] begins with a chapter detailing the means to attaining a long, healthy and happy life, explaining certain basic tenets of [[Ayurveda]] and the consequent foundational concepts necessary to build a body of knowledge. This chapter provides a description of the origin, definition, and scope of [[Ayurveda]]. It further deliberates on the critical concepts of [[Ayu]] (or the life-span of a human being) and its qualitative dimensions, and [[arogya]] (or [[health]]) as a means of achieving the four fundamental instincts (virtue, wealth, gratification and emancipation) of life on this earth.  

In [[Ayurveda]], the process of scientific inquiry and creation of knowledge involves the community of people or societies at large ([[loka]]). Within the community, it is believed that scientific knowledge is created by the interchange of information between patients, practitioners and researchers through various modes of interaction. The knowledge created in this process is theorized, supported with applicable evidence and logic, and then documented systematically in the scientific scriptures ([[shaastra]]). This explains the mode of ''Ayurvedic'' knowledge creation (which corresponds with the current method of scientific inquiry and knowledge creation). Once documented, the “higher levels” of scientific knowledge – or inferences -  of the [[shaastra]] are delivered again to the [[loka]] for public use. Thus, knowledge creation is a dynamic, iterative process involving the [[loka]] and the [[shaastra]]. When this dynamic interaction stops, knowledge becomes static and is dropped back in the history and the search for new alternative knowledge continues.  

In [[Ayurveda]], the process of scientific inquiry and creation of knowledge involves the community of people or societies at large ([[loka]]). Within the community, it is believed that scientific knowledge is created by the interchange of information between patients, practitioners and researchers through various modes of interaction. The knowledge created in this process is theorized, supported with applicable evidence and logic, and then documented systematically in the scientific scriptures ([[shaastra]]). This explains the mode of Ayurvedic knowledge creation (which corresponds with the current method of scientific inquiry and knowledge creation). Once documented, the “higher levels” of scientific knowledge – or inferences -  of the [[shaastra]] are delivered again to the [[loka]] for public use. Thus, knowledge creation is a dynamic, iterative process involving the [[loka]] and the [[shaastra]]. When this dynamic interaction stops, knowledge becomes static and is dropped back in the history and the search for new alternative knowledge continues.  

The process of origin/emergence of [[Ayurveda]] (ayurvedavatarana) as described in this chapter should be viewed from this perspective, symbolic of this iterative process of creation of knowledge. It touches upon certain basic tenets of [[Ayurveda]] such as the four dimensional concept of [[ayu]] or [[life]] and its qualitative categorization into ''sukhayu'' (happy life), ''duhkhayu'' (unhappy life), ''hitayu'' (positive life in harmony with self and the surroundings), and ''ahitayu''(negative life, with negative state of mind and in disharmony with the surroundings), reflecting on the individual as well as the social aspects of one’s life. The chapter also deals with the doctrine of [[samanya]] (similar) and [[vishesha]] (dissimilar), [[dravya]] ''samgraha'' (knowledge of physical material), attributes of physical and mental [[dosha]], the basic causes of ill-health, the origin of [[rasa]] (taste) and its significance, the attributes of six tastes, the nature of the material world, and the whole range of ayurvedic materia medica. Overall, as one can expect from the very first chapter of any treatise, this chapter gives guidelines about important fundamental concepts of [[Ayurveda]] that are necessary to understand the whole text.

The process of origin/emergence of [[Ayurveda]] (ayurvedavatarana) as described in this chapter should be viewed from this perspective, symbolic of this iterative process of creation of knowledge. It touches upon certain basic tenets of [[Ayurveda]] such as the four dimensional concept of [[ayu]] or [[life]] and its qualitative categorization into sukhayu (happy life), duhkhayu (unhappy life), hitayu (positive life in harmony with self and the surroundings), and ahitayu(negative life, with negative state of mind and in disharmony with the surroundings), reflecting on the individual as well as the social aspects of one’s life. The chapter also deals with the doctrine of [[samanya]] (similar) and [[vishesha]] (dissimilar), [[dravya]] samgraha (knowledge of physical material), attributes of physical and mental [[dosha]], the basic causes of ill-health, the origin of [[rasa]] (taste) and its significance, the attributes of six tastes, the nature of the material world, and the whole range of ayurvedic materia medica. Overall, as one can expect from the very first chapter of any treatise, this chapter gives guidelines about important fundamental concepts of [[Ayurveda]] that are necessary to understand the whole text.

It is very important for a [[physician]] to have the full knowledge of materials used in formulating ''Ayurvedic'' drugs. For this purpose, the chapter provides a detailed taxonomy of groups of medications (or recipes), including properties and actions of each ingredient within a group. To zero in from the generic to the specific, the entire “universe” of ingredients are classified into three groups: those that are useful for maintaining good health, those that are useful for treating disorders, and finally, those that are harmful to health. The first two categories, i.e., ingredients useful for health and for treating the diseases have been described by further dividing them into various ways with categorization by three general sources viz. animal-based, plant-based, and earth/mineral-based. Plant-based ingredients are further sub-classified according to their parts used viz. fruits, roots, latex and bark, with relevant examples that are further subdivided according to their applicability in therapeutics e.g. useful for [[vamana]] (therapeutic emesis), [[virechana]] (therapeutic purgation) or [[basti]] (therapeutic enema). The specific actions of the individual ingredients of such groups which may not find place in later chapters have been described herein e.g. five types of salts and eight types of urine.   

It is very important for a [[physician]] to have the full knowledge of materials used in formulating ''Ayurvedic'' drugs. For this purpose, the chapter provides a detailed taxonomy of groups of medications (or recipes), including properties and actions of each ingredient within a group. To zero in from the generic to the specific, the entire “universe” of ingredients are classified into three groups: those that are useful for maintaining good health, those that are useful for treating disorders, and finally, those that are harmful to health. The first two categories, i.e., ingredients useful for health and for treating the diseases have been described by further dividing them into various ways with categorization by three general sources viz. animal-based, plant-based, and earth/mineral-based. Plant-based ingredients are further sub-classified according to their parts used viz. fruits, roots, latex and bark, with relevant examples that are further subdivided according to their applicability in therapeutics e.g. useful for [[vamana]] (therapeutic emesis), [[virechana]] (therapeutic purgation) or [[basti]] (therapeutic enema). The specific actions of the individual ingredients of such groups which may not find place in later chapters have been described herein e.g. five types of salts and eight types of urine.