FAQs :
  22. What is Tibetan Materia Medica?

  1. What are the primary objectives of Men-Tsee-Khang?
    1. To promote and practise the Tibetan system of medicine, astronomy and astrology.
    2. To provide accessible health care to people regardless of caste, colour or creed.
    3. To provide free or concessional i.e. subsidised health care to the poor and needy, monks and nuns, all new arrivals from Tibet, and those over the age of Seventy.
    4. To produce Tibetan medicines in an environmentally sensitive manner.

  2. Men-Tsee-Khang (the Tibetan Medical and Astrological Institute) was established on March 23rd, 1961.

  3. Men-Tsee-Khang is a charitable, cultural and educational institution of H. H. the Dalai Lama, registered under the Societies Registration Act of 1860 (No. 1290/79) and u/s 12-A(a) of the Indian Income Tax Act 1961 (No. Judl/Reg. Cr/81-82/IST/35087/213). Its permanent Account Number for Income Tax is 28-510-A2-0011/ward-10-Palampur.

    It has exemption u/s 80G of the Income Tax Act 1961 (No. CIT/PTA/I & 93-94/80-G/18313). Sales Tax number of Men-Tsee-Khang Export is LC/85/186390/0496

  4. The Men-Tsee-Khang activities include production and dispensing of tibetan traditional medicines; trained tibetan doctors and astrologers; published books on tibetan medicines and astrology.

    6. Four Tantras (rGyud bzhi) is considered as highly representative of Tibetan medicine

    7. rGyud bzhi is the word of Buddha Shakyamuni manifested as the Master of medicine (Bhasajya guru). It literally means the "four treaties", viz.:

    • rtsa-rgyud (the RCTA Treatise or Mula Tantra)
    • bShad-rgyud (the Explanatory Text or Akhyata Tantra)
    • man-ngag-rgyud (the Practice Instruction Text or Upadesha Tantra)
    • phyi-ma-rgyud (the Last Text(appendices) or Uttantra)

  7. During the reign of Fifth Dalai Lama, the regent Sangye Gyatso wrote a commentary on the rGyud bzhi in four volumes known as Baidurya sngon po, called the Blue Sapphire.

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  9. According to Late Dr. Tenzin Choedrak, Senior Personal Physician to His Holiness the Dalai Lama, put into production a medicine called "Tso-thel" which is a purified and de-toxified mercury powder with a sulphur base.

    Tso-thel forms the basis for three important Precious pills. The details recipe is found in the Kalachakra Tantra taught by Sakyamuni Buddha and it involves a very complicated pharmaceutical process.

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  12. No, we don't have any Centres in Western Countries. But we have only a residential doctor in Armsterdam, Gremst, and America.

    14. Yes. However, as all classes are taught in the Tibetan language, fluency in Tibetan is a pre-requisite.

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    15. At the moment, no short class to foreigners

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    17. You can read it online.

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  17. You can call us or e-mail us:

    Tel: 91-01892-223113/223222/307068/307069
    Fax: 91-01892-224116
    Email: tmai@men-tsee-khang.org

    • Wrap in a cloth and crush into powder form
    • Crush in a garlic press or a nut-cracker

    20. No problem! However a temporal gap of one to two hours should be kept, so that the different medicines can take effect optimally.

    21. To achieve an optimal benefit, this instruction should be kept if possible. For example: if it is not possible to take the evening pill half an hour after the meal, then one could do this also directly before going to bed.

  21. What is the basic causes of all disease?

    22. According to Late Dr.Tenzin Choedrak (Senior Personal Physician to His Holiness the Dalai Lama), the five elements in the body relate to the five elements in the environment, and medicines are also composed of the four elements such as Earth, Water, Fire and Air. When the elements are not balanced disease occurs.

  22. The general structure of the Tibetan Materia Medica and the agents traditionally employed consists of:

    • Medicinal plants
    • Metals and minerals
    • Ordinary or semi-precious stones
    • Various forms of salt
    • A few varieties of mushrooms

  23. Can i take Precious pills additionally to other medicine?

    On the day the Precious pill is taken, refrain from the following points:

    • no other medicine
    • no uncooked items of any kind suchas grain, vegetables, fruits etc.
    • no alcohol and sour beverages.
    • no garlic and onion
    • no intercourse
    • no strenuous exercises

  24. Why is the Tibetan New Year of Iron Rabbit, 2011 is different from the Chinese New Year?

    25. The Tibetan system of calendar follows the three systems of days, solar day for a day, lunar day for a month and zodiacal day for a year. The Chinese system of calendar follows the solar day system. The dates for a new year in the Tibetan Astrological system is cast according to the Lunar calendar system, which has 371 days in a year as opposed to the Solar calendar system which has 365 days in a year. These few extra days in a Lunar system accumulates to an extra month in a period of three years and it is thus balanced as a Da-Shol in the Tibetan Astrological calendar system. As Iron-Tiger year 2010 has a Da-Shol (the 11th month), the dates for the New Year of Iron-Rabbit is different as compared to the Chinese calendar system.