ABSTRACT

This dissertation is a qualitative research of 3 objectives, namely;- 1. to study the human body systems according to the Buddhist way and the medicine way, 2. to study the equilibrium of the human body systems according to the Buddhist way and the medicine way, 3. to propose the Buddhist integrated approach to the equilibrium of the human body systems.

From the research, it is found that in the Buddhist viewpoint about the life, the life composition is regarded as holism consisting of the corporeality and the mentality, and the human beings’ bodies are regarded as being possessed of the characteristics of the corporeality (Rũpakhandha), the 4 elements and the common characteristics with the development from Kalala to Kaya which has developed and completely grown up with every kind of organs. At last,  there is a structure of the body and the human body systems according to the relationship among the six elements: the earth-element, the water-element, the fire-element, the air-element including the space-element and the consciousness-element. These systems are of different characteristics and working according to each element. However, the medicine in the modern science is of the similar viewpoint that the life composition is regarded as holism and the human beings’ bodies are the products coming from the long evolution with the development beginning from the chemical level up to the organism level. They are the structure and the 11 human organ systems. Such as the Integumentary System and the Skeletal System etc.

In the Buddhist viewpoint, the human body systems cannot maintain by themselves, but they have to depend on the supporting factors both internal and external to cause those systems to maintain for ever according to the principle of Paṭiccạsamuppãda. When these factors are of suitable relationship, the equilibrium will arise. Therefore, in Buddhism, there is a way of setting up the equilibrium of the human body systems by using the items of the practice suitable for those life-supporting factors according to the principle of the Middle Path concerning with the six components, namely;- the in-breath and the out-breath, Mahãbhũtarũpa, The edible food, The fire-element, The posture, and Viññãṇa-Dhãtu. However, the medicine in the modern science is of the point that the external factors are the air, the food, the temperature etc. are of the results to the survival of life. So, the life system must maintain the dynamic balance with the external environments according to the homeostasis theory and the equilibrium theory of mainstream medicine. Beside this point, in the Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM), there is a way of setting up the equilibrium of the human body systems in 18 therapeutic methods, - the Breath Therapy etc. with the Traditional Thai Medicine in the end.

The approach to the equilibrium of the human body systems harmonizing with the living according to the principle of balance can be setting up in the relationships of the life equilibrium of 4 levels, namely;- the physical equilibrium, the moral equilibrium, the emotional equilibrium and the wisdom equilibrium respectively. It is true to the model named:- BALANCE Model: The Six Components to The Equilibrium of The Human Body Systems, consisting of the six vital components, namely;- 1. Mahãbhũtarũpa, 2. The in-breath and the out-breath,        3. The posture, 4. The fire-element, 5. The edible food, 6. Viññãṇa-Dhãtu.

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