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are sympathetic, derived from the pure intel- ditional medicine wisdom can already iden-

lect. Letûs observe it. tify these ideas, but those who are not yet
Theory: Thai traditional medical knowl- aware of it, through the explanation given
edge can be said to be based on an immedi- below, it will be able to verify such tradition

ate knowledge, because it was derived from as metaphysical.
the ùpure intellectû of great masters, who had First of all, it shall be said that the infor-
transmitted the medical knowledge orally for mation given below cannot be limited to a

generations. It has the ùinitiaticû aspect, be- complete form, because it is only given in
cause in order to protect the traditional medi- order to analyze Thai traditional medicine

cal wisdom, these masters used to confer ini- wisdom as metaphysical. Since metaphysic
tiation to their students, linking the appren- is unlimited, a limitation on this case is inap-
tice to the ùfamily of traditional wisdomû, that propriate.

is to say to the lineage of whom the teacher (1) Initiation: In the past, Thai traditional
in question belongs to. The translator of medicine used to be only transmitted to mem-

Guénonûs book, Perspectives on Initiation, bers of the family of traditional doctors, and
uses the term ùinitiatic aspectû to regard the passed on from generation to generation.
implication of initiation. çTradition as we have However, due to the changes of Thai soci-

understood it, and even ordinarily its strictly ety, the knowledge became available to people
esoteric and initiatic aspect, that is, what is in general, coming from different families, and
most ùinwardû and elevated in that tradition free of charge. But in order to safeguard the

and thus what constitutes its very spirit as it traditional medical wisdom, the teachers used
[4]
wereé . to perform a rite of initiation, linking the stu-
Practice: The performance of the Thai dent to the ùfamily of traditional wisdomû, that

traditional medicine itself, which also involves is to say, to the lineage tree that they belong
the performance of rites and the use of sym- to. Traditionally, the student should ask per-

bols. It has the esoteric aspect, because it is mission to become the apprentice of the
something wholly interior. These rites and teacher, by giving an offers, made by the stu-
symbols stand for the chants (mantras) per- dent himself, named as khan khru (¢—π§√Ÿ) or

formed by traditional Thais, and the Wai Khru kruai dok (°√«¬¥Õ°). These offerings could
(‰À«â§√Ÿ) rituals - that are going to be discussed contain flowers, incenses, candles, betel nut,

in this paper. betel leaf, some rice and other things as well
Those who are familiar to the Thai tra- as money. The purpose and significance of