Dialogue Between Islam and Buddhism in Medicine

Christopher Chiong-Meng BoeyIntroduction

I

SLAM and Buddhism seem far apart at first glance. Closer analysis,
however, reveals that there is much that they share in common. It isnotable that in Southeast Asia and different parts of the world, IslamicBuddhist dialogues have begun to emerge in various forms.
Examples of dialogues that have been published include thediscussion between Chandra Muzaffar, a Malaysian Muslim scholar andactivist, and Sulak Sivaraksa, a Thai Buddhist activist,1 as well as thedialogue between the late Majid Tehranian, a Sufi Muslim and former
director of the Toda Institute for Global Peace and Policy Research, andDaisaku Ikeda, president of the Buddhist group, Soka Gakkai
International (SGI) and founder of the Institute of Oriental Philosophy.
The foreword to the Tehranian-Ikeda dialogue, written by David
Chappell, himself a pioneer of Islamic-Buddhist dialogue, stresses that“what Buddhists and Muslims share in common is much more powerfulthan what divides them” and that “people of good will must work
together and be enriched by their diversity, not fearful of it, if we are tobuild landscapes of peace.”2
There is not much literature on Islamic-Buddhist interaction inmedicine. In this presentation, I attempt to discuss what Muslims andBuddhists share in common in the field of medicine under four headings: the dignity of life, the doctor-patient relationship, the biopsychosocial concept of patient care and mind-body interaction.

The Dignity of LifeThe dignity and preciousness of life is the fundamental starting point of
all effort in medicine. Its protection is therefore an important priority inthe practice of medicine. This commitment is shared by both Islam andBuddhism.
In Islam, human life is regarded as an ‘invaluable gift from God’, and71

72… dialogue between islam and buddhism in medicine
should therefore be respected and protected. The importance placed onprotecting even a single human life is clearly shown in the following
passage from the Qur’an:“If anyone slays a human being, unless it be [in punishment] for murderor spreading corruption on earth, it shall be as though he had slain all
mankind; whereas, if anyone saves a life, it shall be as though he had
saved the lives of all mankind.”3This verse from the Qur’an has stimulated interest in Islamic bioethics
and led to the development of two basic Islamic principles which ensurethat the dignity of human life is preserved:
1. Saving a life is mandatory as a matter of obligation.
2. Unjustified taking of a life is strictly prohibited and is defined asmurder.
Health is regarded in Islam as something entrusted to human beings andtherefore they bear the responsibility to take good care of it. Indeed,according to Maqasid al-Shari’ah, or the goals and objectives of Islamic
law, to protect and dignify life is one of a human being’s highest duties.
Such an emphasis on the preciousness of life is also found in theBuddhist writings. In particular, the Lotus Sutra extols the dignity andlimitless potential of life.4 The Buddhist priest, Nichiren (1222–82),
expresses this concept of the Lotus Sutra succinctly in his writings:“Life is the most precious of all treasures. Even one extra day of life isworth more than ten million ryØ of gold”5 and “A single life is worth
more than the major world system.”6
Not only do the two traditions of Islam and Buddhism agree that life
is most precious, they both go further to celebrate the diversity of life
and the uniqueness of each individual.
The Persian Muslim poet Jalal-ud-din Rumi (1207–73) paid tribute to
the beautiful interaction that can occur despite differences in religious
beliefs and ethnic diversity in his famous collection of poems,
Masnawi :“It often happens that a Turk and a Hindu speak the same language
It also often happens that two Turks are strangers to each other
The language of the heart is thus something unique
The language of empathy is superior to language of the tongue.”7

In the fifth chapter of the Lotus Sutra entitled The Parable of theMedicinal Herbs, the Buddhist concept of coexistence and harmony isdialogue between islam and buddhism in medicine

73

given expression through the idea of the harmonious coexistence of
three kinds of medicinal herbs and two kinds of trees. These all differ inappearance, colour, height and structure, but when the rain falls, they
will take what they need to grow, depending upon their own particularrequirements. Absorbing the moisture differently, they grow to varying
heights according to their individual natures.

The Doctor-Patient RelationshipAs a consequence of the emphasis that both Islam and Buddhism placeon protecting and nurturing life, the nature of the doctor-patient relationship naturally becomes an important issue in both religions. Recently,
there has been much concern expressed about the deteriorating qualityof doctor-patient relationships.
The late Dr. Norman Cousins, who taught at the School of Medicine,
University of Medicine, University of California, once remarked that
one of the biggest needs in medical education today is to “attract
students who are well-rounded human beings; who will be interested inpeople and not just in microorganisms; who can comprehend the realityof suffering and not just its symptoms; whose prescription pads will not
exclude the human touch…….”8
Ideas about the doctor-patient relationship can be found in both theIslamic and Buddhist traditions. Here again, Islam and Buddhism are inagreement that the doctor-patient relationship must be a partnershipbased on trust and compassion.
The Islamic Golden Age spanned the 8th to the 15th Centuries andsaw many great developments in science and medicine. Al-Razi (850–923), sometimes called the father of Islamic Medicine, was at the forefront of Islamic research into medicine. He wrote extensively on theimportant relationship between doctor and patient, emphasising thatthey should have a relationship built upon trust. He was convinced that aholistic approach to medicine was necessary where the background of
the patient and any ailments suffered by close family were taken intoconsideration.
In his message to the first Soka Gakkai International (SGI) World
Physician’s Conference on October 14, 1987, SGI President Daisaku
Ikeda comments that “in the Orient, it has since ancient days been said
that ‘medicine is the art of benevolence’. The character for ‘benevolence’ is a combination of the character for ‘person’ and the characterfor the number ‘two’, and indicates two people in a relation of friendship and trust. The character for benevolence also includes such

74… dialogue between islam and buddhism in medicine
meanings as ‘to comfort’, ‘intimacy’, ‘to feel compassion for’ and‘kindness’. All of these are indispensable virtues in the world ofmedicine.”9The Biopsychosocial Concept of Patient Care
What do Islam and Buddhism have to say regarding the concept ofpatient-care?
A major flaw of modern civilization is the sense of isolation andfragmentation in all areas of life and society. People feel separated fromone another and from nature. Even within the human being, there isdisharmony leading to many new illnesses never before known.
The impact of fragmentation is acutely felt in the field of medicine.
Although modern medical treatment is advanced, subspecialised andundoubtedly brings many benefits, people today long for the care of atruly holistic general physician.
In response to this, the traditional biomedical model of health, where
disease is thought to be a result of abnormalities of measurable
biological or somatic variables, explainable by chemistry and physics
and independent of psychological functioning, is now gradually being
replaced by an approach based on a biopsychosocial concept of patientcare.
One of the modern proponents of this approach in the 1970’s was theAmerican psychiatrist, Dr George Engel.10 In the biopsychosocial
model, an interplay of multiple factors such as genetics, environmentand socio-cultural issues affect patients at different stages of their lives
and lead to the development of various illnesses and symptoms. Consideration of these factors is important in the diagnosis and management ofillness.
The biopsychosocial approach is in complete accord with both theIslamic and Buddhist viewpoints. In both traditions, the concept ofhealth is a holistic one that includes spiritual, physical, psychological,
social and environmental components.

Interaction between Mind and Body: Islamic and Buddhist
Perspectives
One of the important principles underlying the biopsychosocial
approach is the concept of the interaction between mind and body.
Based on the supplications of the Muslim leader, Imam Sadjad, theIslamic idea of health is defined in an article entitled ‘A New Definitiondialogue between islam and buddhism in medicine

75of Health’ by Ali Akbar Asadi-Pooya and Nasrin Shokrpour as “a steadyand dynamic state of wellbeing characterized by thoroughindividualized physical, spiritual and social tranquility, while encompassing man’s entity as a whole, and therefore results in prosperity of mind,soul and body.”11
Islam recognises a strong interaction between character, behaviourand health. Diseases of the heart may present with physical symptoms.
In Islam, physical, emotional, psychological, and spiritual health areconsidered together. According to Islamic thinking, a person who isspiritually sick will sooner or later also become physically sick. The
reverse is also considered to be true.
Hence, in addition to general health-promoting factors like exercise
and proper diet, Islam emphasises mental calmness, tranquility of family
life and spiritual calmness as essential to health promotion.
In Buddhist philosophy, the principle of ‘oneness of body and mind
(shikishin-funi)’ means that the physical aspect and the mental or
spiritual aspect are two facets of a single entity—literally ‘two but not
two’. Buddhism goes further to explain that as the body and spirit influence each other so extensively, the resultant effect is that positive
sentiments such as joy and hope activate physiological mechanisms andstrengthen the body’s immune system, while negative emotions likepessimism and despair weaken them.
According to Buddhism, no human being can be totally free of thesufferings of birth, old age, sickness and death. Therefore the essential
issue is whether we are able to activate the revitalising and healing
power innate in our lives in the face of these sufferings.
The number of anecdotal cases that demonstrate the intimate
interaction between mind and body continues to increase each day.
A 60-year-old patient I know was at the brink of death as a result ofsevere septicaemia following a ruptured gallbladder. The prognosis wasextremely poor and doctors had asked the family to prepare for theworst. Even while he was fully ventilated in the intensive care unit, hiswife and daughter together with many friends never ceased to give himwords of encouragement.
Hearing these encouraging voices gave him courage, even though hewas unable to respond verbally. The patient did indeed miraculously
survive. Later, he said that the encouragement of his family and others
revived in him the will to live on. This will was a crucial factor in hisrecovery.
With gratitude, he said, “I am deeply grateful to be alive. Although inthe past, I had known about the treasure of life in theory, experiencing

76… dialogue between islam and buddhism in medicine
and overcoming this illness enabled me to develop the conviction in thedepths of my heart that even a single day of life is truly precious. I am
determined to spend every single day for the rest of my life, sharing thisconviction with others.”

Conclusion
The remarkable range of common ground between Buddhist andMuslim worlds undoubtedly extends to also include the field ofmedicine. It is hoped that each of us will choose dialogue amongst
ourselves as a powerful and reliable weapon in our joint battle to rise
above and win over the sufferings of birth, old age, sickness and death.
A wonderful poem entitled ‘A Gift of Friendship’, written by Majid
Tehranian and recited at the conclusion of the Tehranian-Ikeda dialogue,sums up the beautiful interactions that can take place between Islam andBuddhism.
We met as strangers,
but we became fast, feisty friends
across the time, space,and speech that divide us.
We forged
a bond without bondage,a link without chains,a union without states,in the kingdom of the spirit.
Our language of the heartis sweeter thanthe languages of the tongue(that tear us apart),
bringinga joy
that unites us,
in our yearnings
for transcendence,
beyondthe finitude and fragilityof our times, our spaces,
our speeches,and our sufferings.12

dialogue between islam and buddhism in medicine

77

Acknowledgements
I am grateful to my friend and colleague, Dr Raihanah Abdullah, Professor at theAcademy of Islamic Studies, University of Malaya, for going through this presentation
with me and helping me understand the Islamic perspective.

Notes
Sivaraksa, Sulak, and Muzaffar, Chandra. Alternative Politics for Asia: A BuddhistMuslim Dialogue. International Movement for a Just World, Malaysia. 1st ed. 1999.
2Ikeda, Daisaku, and Tehranian, Majid. Global Civilization: A Buddhist-IslamicDialogue. 1st ed. London & New York: British Academic Press, 2003. vii.
3
The Qur’an 5:32
4Watson, Burton. The Lotus Sutra. New York: Columbia University Press, 1993.
5The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin. Tokyo: Soka Gakkai, 1999. 955.
6Ibid.
7Ikeda and Tehranian, op. cit. 34
8Cousins, Norman. “The Barracuda Syndrome (1988 November).” A Journal of theArt and Science of Medicine 4, no. 2 (2004). EDITORIALS from http://www.
humanehealthcare.com/Article.asp?art_id=216.
9Ikeda, Daisaku. “Carry Out a Compassionate Practice of Medicine.” Buddhism inAction, VI. Tokyo: NSIC, 1992. 210.
10Engel, George. “The Need for a New Medical Model: A Challenge for Biomedicine.” Science, 8 April 1977. 129–36.
11Asadi-Pooya, Ali Akbar, and Shokrpour, Nasrin. “A New Definition of Health.”
Quran and Medicine, 2014, 3(1): e11767. http://www.google.co.jp/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CB0QFjAA&url=http://quranmed.com/34559.pdf&e
i=BLhVVerOJsPf8AWL5YLYCQ&usg=AFQjCNEqrKiv_uRtlxYozV4oKIcgVNp0jg&sig2=WWE4VNGpXcJIfWbLRZ8Rag.
12Ikeda and Tehranian, op. cit. 177. The text alignment has been changed.
1Author Biography
Christopher Chiong-Meng Boey is the Deputy Dean and Professor, Faculty ofMedicine, University of Malaya, Malaysia and Overseas Research Fellow, Institute ofOriental Philosophy, Tokyo, Japan. He started his career at the Charing Cross Hospital inLondon and had served in various hospitals in the United Kingdom. In 2005, he became
Professor of Paediatrics in the Faculty of Medicine in University of Malaya. Dr. Boey
was the President of the Asian Pan-Pacific Society of Paediatric Gastroenterology,
Hepatology and Nutrition from 2008 to 2009.