On the Term Mind-Body Unity, an Etymological Review / 日本東洋医学雑誌

ABSTRACT

The concept of mind-body unity is a fundamental doctrine in the Kampo medicine which differs from modern scientific medicine. The history of science started on the basis of separation of spirit and human body, as a matter of course which brought in the medical practice a dualistic theory of recognition of diseases. However, a human being is living as a mind-body unity. The author made clear that this term is described in the Buddhism text book, “Shobogenzo” written by Dogen in the Kamakura period. And the author also found out the first person in modern times who used the term “Shinshin'ichinyo” (i.e. mind-body unity) is Yujiro Ikemi, an authority of psychosomatic medicine in Japan.