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Writer's pictureValerie Lobsang-Gattini

Who is Dr. Shivago?

Updated: Jul 11


Friend and Personal Physicist of the Buddha


Rue-Si Dat Ton is the traditional yoga of Thailand whose origins date back 2500 years and it is this yoga which gave birth to the traditional Thai massage, Nuad Bo'Rarn. The father of these practices is Dr. Shivago known as Jīvaka Komārabhacca in Pali and Jīvaka Kaumārabhṛtya in Sanskrit. The Thais call him Dr. Shivago or Dr. Shivago Komarpa.

A friend and personal physicist of the Buddha, Dr. Shivago is honored throughout Asian history by Buddhists, and to some extent by healers outside Buddhism, as a model physician and Buddhist saint .

To this day, he is honored by Indians and Thais as a patron of traditional medicine and he plays a central role in all ceremonies involving traditional Thai medicine (Nuad Bo'Rarn massage for example).



Jivaka, or Doctor Shivago, is the originator of Nuad Bo'Rarn massage and Ruesi Dat Ton yoga


He gained a high reputation as a surgeon who successfully carried out operations such as craniotomy (surgical incision in the skull) and laparotomy (surgical incision in the abdominal wall). It was known to cure jaundice, fistula and other diseases. Dr. Shivago's fame as a healer and child specialist was widely known; and accounts of his life and medical prowess are found in almost every version of the Buddhist scriptures.

The story of Dr. Shivago is elaborated in four versions: the Pali; Sanskrit; the Chinese; and the Tibetan.



A beginning of life in abandonment


Dr. Shivago was born in Rājagṛha (today Rajgir, a small town located near Bodhgaya, the place of Buddha's awakening where we regularly organize Buddhist trips).

His mother was a courtesan who had him thrown into the garbage by a slave. While passing through the city as usual, Prince Abhaya, son of King Bimbisāra, saw a flock of crows growing noisily while making wide circles. Intrigued, he stopped and looked for the source of this commotion. This is how he found the newborn among the trash.

He named the baby Jivaka which means " one who is alive " and Komārabhacca , which means " adopted by a prince ". From these lines we will call it Jivaka.



A Bodhisattva aspiration


Jivaka led a princely life in the palace although his friends often teased him for not having a mother. Questioning his father about his origins, he aspired that one day he could be a saver of lives . Having no real family or heritage since he was adopted, the doctors are treated with great respect for their dedication to saving lives. Inspired by this approach, he renounced the throne in order to study the treatises of Ayurvedic medicine.


He was trained for seven years at Takṣaśilā by a ṛṣi (seer) called Ātreya Punarvasu, who, according to Tibetan texts, was Bimbisāra's father's physician. Atreya helped Jīvaka develop his observation skills and Jivaka became known for his powers of observation , arousing jealousy among his fellow students.


Extremely gifted, he completed his studies and exams in just seven years whereas these were usually completed over eleven years.

Tibetan and Sanskrit texts indicate that he had to carry out the examination of the forest to begin his studies while others indicate that this examination came at the end.

For this, Professor Atreya asked him to bring back all the plants, herbs or roots that could not be used for medicinal and curative purposes. After traveling very far, Jivaka returned to his teacher to inform him that no such plant, herb or root existed. All the treasures of nature were beneficial to the preservation of life.

The teacher then happily congratulated him that his education was complete and that he had surpassed his knowledge.

After Jīvaka passed the test, he was then admitted and learned at the center for several years; there he began to demonstrate his medical superiority .


An unwavering faith in Buddhism


In addition to his medical knowledge, Jīvaka possessed an unshakable faith in Buddhism.

Nicknamed the " King of Medicine ", the first Buddhist texts translated into Chinese spoke of him using terminology similar to that used for Buddhas and Bodhisattvas.


Buddhist texts relate that the Buddha declared that he was the first among the laity to be loved by people , and Pali texts cite him as an example of someone with unshakable faith in Buddhism .


His entire life was dedicated to helping all sentient beings , which is the ultimate goal of Buddhism, the path of the Bodhisattva .




The doctor of the Buddha and the monks


While the Buddha was the healer of humanity, Jivaka, a physician and surgeon, became the healer of the Buddha's physical body . Jivaka looked after all the monks (Bhikkhus).

He brought many positive changes in the lives of the Bhikkhus , although he remained a lay disciple of the Buddha.


There is a famous discourse, the Jivaka Sutra, in which Jivaka questions why Buddha agrees to eat meat, which seems to conflict with the concept of non-violence . The Buddha explains that if an animal was not killed for the purpose of being consumed by the Buddha or the Bhikkhus, it is acceptable to eat that meat. ( Editor's note: for those who are surprised to read this, know that it is linked to karmic functioning, intention being the basis of karmic activation ).

During this period, monks wore rags taken from corpses , in an attempt to show complete renunciation, but this practice led to many illnesses. It was Jivaka's influence that eventually made freshly sewn robes acceptable to monks, thus preventing many diseases.


It was Jivaka who also influenced the Buddha to exercise monks to prevent metabolic diseases caused by poor diet and lack of exercise.


Jivaka was influential and played an important role in the spread of Buddhism throughout the world .



Physicist and Surgeon


Jivaka was not just a physicist. He played an important role in the development of surgery .

Numerous surgeries have been attributed to him, as well as a variety of medical treatments.


Among the surgeries that can be attributed to him we can note:


  • a fistula-in-ano surgery performed on King Bimbisara. It was this procedure that made him famous

  • craniotomy (Susabadho) to remove what were probably parasites ("panaka") or clots was one of his other famous operations, mentioned in almost every text. He performed this on a trader who was suffering from severe chronic headaches.

  • volvulus surgery . Jivaka operated on a young man whose intestines had become “tangled”. Jivaka performed a laparotomy, derotated the intestines and sutured them in the correct position. There is a similar description for a strangulated hernia.

  • the removal of a foreign body from the foot of the Buddha : a shard of rock embedded itself in the foot of Buddha which had been thrown by his rival Devadutta. It was extracted using a small “Khaja” knife.

  • hydrocele surgery (andavuddhi). The operation involved opening the covering of the testicles and removing a hard 'bija'.


The Buddha is a real person , a wise, compassionate, gentle, independent and mature person who walked and lived on this earth. He encountered many problems ; but, more importantly, he overcame them with reason and dignity. He suffered from injuries, illnesses, constipation, diarrhea and other ailments associated with old age . Whenever he needed help, he asked for help. But we never see him lose his cool.


The Buddha's ailments were successfully treated by Jivaka who took care of him almost until he decided to leave his mortal body at an advanced age. Jivaka was unfortunately not present at that time, the Buddha having died of food poisoning .




A highly realized being


Pāli texts indicate that with his last breath he reached " the state of entering the stream " ((Pāli: Sotāpanna; Sanskrit: Śrotāpanna ) . This is the first stage of Awakening.

According to Sanskrit textual traditions, Jīvaka is the ninth of sixteen Arhats , disciples charged with protecting the Buddha's teaching until the next Buddha appears .

According to legend, he still lives somewhere between India and Sri Lanka, on the top of the mountain “Gandhamadana”.




Endless fame


The name Jivaka has become synonymous with the miraculous man over the decades and centuries.


Therapies that were probably not known in India at that time, such as acupuncture , were later attributed to the great physician and surgeon.


His teachings traveled to Thailand with Buddhism , around the 2nd and 3rd centuries BC. Thai massage therapists also consider Jivaka the father of Thai massage , call him Dr. Shivago and respect his methods, even today.


The Chinese consider him the greatest of all ancient physicians .




Dr. Shivago's mantra


In the tradition of Theravada Buddhism, it is customary to use mantras as is the case in the Mahayanna and Vajrayanna Buddhist traditions.


In the Theravada tradition, before beginning a practice or healing session, therapists or practitioners perform a ritual in respect of Dr. Shivago and recite a mantra.


Here is this mantra in Pāli:


Om Namo Shivago Silasa Ahang Karuniko Sapasatanang Osatha Tipa Mantang Papaso Suriya Jantang Gomalapato Paka-Sesi Wantami Bantito Sumethasso Arokha Sumana-Homi

(repeat 3 times)


Piyo-Tewa Manussanang Piyo-Proma Namuttamo Piyo Nakha Supananang Pininsiang Nama-Mihang Namo Puttay Navon-Navien Nasatit-Nasatien Ehi-Mama Navien-Nawe Napai-Tang-Vien Navien-Mahaku Ehi-Mama Piyong-Mama NamoPuttaya

(1 time)


Na-A Na-Wa Lokha Payati Vina-Shanti

(repeat 3 times)


Here is the translation I propose of this mantra. ( Editor's note: This translation is based on my understanding of Buddhism. I have thus modified/deleted religious terminologies which seemed out of place to me in the context of a Buddhist understanding based on emptiness ):


“Tribute to Doctor Shivago, emblem of the dignity and perfection of awakening.

We invite his energy to touch us through his pure vision. May this connection bring us knowledge of all the elements of nature, so that this aspiration reveals to us the true medicine of the universe.

Through this mantra we respect this connection to the light of knowledge, which is like the light of the Sun and the Moon and we aspire for this energy to generate wholeness and restore health to the bodies of our patients.

The goddess of healing dwells in the heavens, while humanity remains in the world below. In the name of this universal energy, may the heavens be reflected on the earth below so that the whole world may be healed.

We honor you, we honor the Buddha, we aspire for this healing medicine to envelop the world.

We long for whoever we touch to be happy, at peace and free from all illness."



This mantra is recited mentally by practitioners before any Nuad Bo'Rarn massage, as well as by all practitioners of Ruesi Dat Ton yoga before any practice. These 2 practices stem directly from traditional Thai Buddhist medicine and therefore from Dr. Shivago.


Dr. Shivago was the physicist and friend of the Buddha




Valérie in front of Wat Pho's tribute to Dr Shivago
Valérie in front of Wat Pho's tribute to Dr ShivagoValérie in front of Wat Pho's tribute to Dr Shivago

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