Oct - Dec 2011 Tashi welcomed the guest and gave a brief report on the practice and formulation of Tsothel in Tibet. Around 600 BC, the formulation was practiced in India by Acharya Vyali (byWa li) and composed three texts on this system. This formulation was transmitted to Acharya Nagarjuna (‘Phags-pa klu-sgrdub) and so the lineage passed down to Acharya Shurya or popularly known as Vagbhata (slop-dpon dpa’-bo) and Acharya Chandranandana (sloppon zla-ba mngon-dga). In Tibet, this sacred formulation began and was practiced in the 8th century by Yuthok Yonten Gonpo and flourished during Guru Padmasambhava era. The lineage was then passed down by Karmapa Rangjung Dorjee to Surkhar Nyamnyi Dorjee to Kongtrul Yonten Gyatso. In the 16 century under the direction of the Fifth Dalai Lama, Darmo Menrampa Lobsang Chodrak revived this system and was practiced during Desi Sange Gyatso period as well. Dr. Tekhang Jampa Thupwang and Dr. Khenrab Norbu, Personal Physician to the 13 Dalai Lama practiced this special system in the 19th century. This system of practice was then passed down by Dr. Khenrab Norbu to his students Dr. Palden Gyaltsen and Dr. Tenzin Choedrak in 1953. In 1977 Dr. Tenzin Choedrak (Personal Physician to the 14 Dalai Lama) and Dr. Toru Tsenam and team prepared this sacred Tsothel formulation in the labour camp at Powo Tramo in Kongpo. In exile, this is the sixth time the sacred Tsothel formulation has been prepared by the Pharmacy Department, Men-Tsee-Khang. After two decades of the establishment of the institute, His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama's aspiration to revive the practice of this sacred system was Men-Tsee-Khang
News initiated on 28 April, 1982 under the expert guidance of late Dr. Tenzin Choedrak, personal physician to His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama. The preparation was carried out in the main residence of His Holiness by late Dr. Tenzin Choedrak along with eight doctors, eleven staff and personnel. The first preparation took more than two months and was prepared by a total of 20 people in all.
pleted 110 kgs of Tsothel. The fourth
On 16 July, 1987 the second Tsothel
the heating process of tsothel
Tsothel preparation was made on 5 April, 2001 with Dr. Namgyal Tsering, head of pharmacy department, undertaking the charge including five doctors and 20 staff members. They successfully completed 105.400 kgs of Tsothel in more than one month duration. On 17 April, 2008 the fifth Tsothel preparation was under1982 the first Tsothel formulation in taken by Dr. Jamyang Tashi, head India. Late Dr. Tenzin Choedrak in the center of pharmacy department with five doctors and 20 staff members. The preparation was done under late Dr. formulation was completed in 44 Tenzin Namgyal, head of pharmacy days with 115.873 kgs of Tsothel. department including three doctors and eight staff members. In all there The sixth Tsothel preparation started were twelve people who worked tire- on 12 September, 2011 on the auslessly for one month and prepared picious day of the lunar calendar 63.840 kgs successfully. In 1994 un- i.e the 15 day of the 7th month, full der the guidance of late Dr. Tenzin Choedrak, personal physician to His Holiness the Dalai Lama, the third Tsothel preparation commenced with 14 doctors and 13 staff members. Twenty eight staff worked for three months and comdetoxification process 5