Tibetan commentaries on the Rgyud bzhi

In modern Tibetological studies there is no clear understanding of the nature of numerous written sources of Tibetan medicine. Among them stands a large body of texts, commenting on the practical and theoretical positions of the rGyud bzhi. These explaining treatises are of great importance for our understanding of general development of Tibetan medicine and its specific aspects, including terminology and literary tradition. This paper describes the various types of commentaries on the rGyud bzhi from the the Center of Oriental Manuscripts and Xylographs of the Institute of Mongolian, Buddhist and Tibetan studies. In particular are considered educational texts deudrem (rde'u 'grems) or dondem (sdong' grems), nyamyik (nyams yig), chendel (mchan 'grel), drudrel ('bru 'grel) and lhantab (lhan thabs) commentaries which were compiled in the Tibetan medical tradition, and are widely used in Mongolia and Buryatia.