[The myth background of "Five Flavors of Ganlu Fang" in Lum medicinal bathing of Sowa Rigpa].

Abstract

It was believed, in Bon-pa mythology, that the war between gods and demons led to the "pollution" and "disease" from the demons' "poison". Then "dew" (bdud rtsi,Gan Lu) was claimed to detoxicate the poison. The "dew" (bdud rtsi, Gan Lu), therefore, was related to demons (bdud). The "dew" (bdud rtsi, Gan Lu) was demonstrated as "liquid to purify human (CAN)" when it was used to detoxicate, but shown as "medicine" when it was used to treat "disease". Since the "dew" (bdud rtsi, Gan Lu) was used for purification and treatment, hot springs which were made of the "dew" (bdud rtsi, Gan Lu) were also believed to have similar functions. In this sense, some medicines derived from the "dew" (bdud rtsi, Gan Lu) were taken as Lum medicinal bathing of Sowa Rigpa to imitate and replace hot springs by the Tibetan ancestors to treat diseases.