Charaka’s normative theories of ethics insight from ayurveda

• Author Details:   
• Kalpana Tawalare ^*
• Kiran Tawalare
• Mohan Yende

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Introduction: Ayurveda is a life science, hence put forth maximum stress on health and its maintenance. Sadavrutta (code of good conduct) has a major capacity in maintaining good health, as it contain the set of rule to be followed by person for maintenance of health. Charaka stated that aarogya (health) and indriyavijay (control over the sense organ) can be achieved by adapting sadavritta in routine life. Similarly to achieve the health, Charaka explain various normative theories of ethics, unfortunately non highlighted till now.
Objectives: Objectives are to put forth the Charaka’s the normative theories of ethics and to highlighten the importance of Charka’s normative theories, as existing other traditional theories of ethics.
Materials and Methods: Classical texts of Ayurveda viz. bruhatrayee and laghutrayee were studied for literature regarding ethics from Ayurveda, ethical theories from modern science was also collected.
Conclusion: Charaka’s theory of dharma (virtue), harsha (contentment), karma (obligations), sadvritta (social conduct), vyavasaay (professional conduct), aacharana (high value care) all these theories of ethics explain moral and ethics about living life up to quite high level as theory of virtue, greatest happiness principle, Kant’s principle, ethics of care exist in modern science. These Charaka’s theories have importance as good as traditional theories of ethics existing at that time in modern science.

Keywords: Ayurveda, Ethics, Sadavrutta, normative theory, Dharma, Harsha.