Thu, 20 Sep 2007
Buddhism and Homeopathy
It's odd that I never went looking for information about Buddhism and homeopathy. It's not a common combination of interests. Among well known contempoaray homeopaths who also have an interest in homeopathy, there's Peter Morrell and Jan Scholten, who has this to say about the two:In homeopathy it becomes clear that disease comes from inside. In this respect homeopathy is akin to Buddhism. There the cause of disease is seen as coming from desires and the disappointments and fears arising from them. The idea that things have to be a certain way results in sadness, anger and frustration when things are not the way as expected. The solution is to free people from delusions, visions of how things should be. In Buddhism this is done with meditation. In homeopathy with remedies. In this sense it can be said that homeopathy is a scientific form of Buddhism. It helps people to free themselves from their delusion and desire.
I don't entirely agree with this, some disease has a physical origin. I'd estimate that a third to a half of all disease has its origin in the emotions.
Dr. Rajesh Pradhanang is a Nepali homeopath who practices at a free clinic in Svayambu set up in a Buddhist monastery. And Herman Vetterling, the author of the first Buddhist publication in America, The Buddhist Ray, had an interest in homeopathy.
I liked a quote I heard from John on the Kagyu mailing list. Khenpo Karthar Rinpoche was asked when there will be an American Buddhism. He replied, "When there are American Buddhas."
