Sorig Bumzhi Menriling is the new medical college located at Menri Monastery in Dolanji, India. They are teaching Bumzhi Sowa Rigpa, the oldest form of traditional Tibetan Medicine teachings which dates back over 10,000 years and translates to “Art of Healing.”
Sorig Bumzhi Menriling was founded by His Holiness the 33rd Menri Trizin Rinpoche. The project first began with the creation of a small traditional Tibetan Medicine Clinic. In 2014 the first class of Sorig Bumzhi began their studies with a group six students, four of whom recently graduated in 2021. There are currently 19 students studying in the 6 year program which consists of 5 years of theoretical study and the completion of 1 year of medical internship. Many of the current students are children who grew up at Menri and are now pursuing higher education.
His Holiness the 33rd Menri Trizin Rinpoche envisioned a program that would preserve the unique indigenous origin of Bumzhi Sowa Rigpa and restore lost medical knowledge and resources. Tibetan Astrology, Literature, and Grammar have been added to the curriculum. The primary emphasis revolves around Buzhi, four traditional medical texts, which focus on diagnostics, pulse analysis, urinalysis, and behavioral and dietary modification. Tibetan medicine includes natural herbs and minerals to treat both the physical and emotional aspects of the patients condition.
The program has remarkable plans for the future including: research on medicinal herbs; preservation of endangered plants; promotion of the health of the people of Menri Monastery and those in the region; completion of collaborative research with other medical systems on infectious diseases; promotion of awareness of the Tibetan system of medicine, astrology, and astronomy; and to continue providing a high quality education of those at Sorig Bumzhi Menrling.