Bridging Classical Ayurvedic Knowledge and Modern Medicine: A Scientific Investigation of Ashtatrika and Its Clinical Relevance

Abstract

Ashtatrika denotes eight triadic groupings in two contexts of the Caraka Saṃhitā. Their
categorical organization offers a basis for investigating continuity and variation in classical
Ayurvedic reasoning. To compare the two classical eight-triad enumerations, quantify their
categorical correspondence, and identify candidate domains for prospective clinical
measurement. A comparative content analysis was conducted using Sūtrasthāna 11 and
Cikitsāsthāna 24. Sixteen top-level headings were extracted, classified into five analytical
domains, and compared using strict lexical and synonym-normalized Jaccard indices. Explicit
subtype specification was recorded. Two Aṣṭavarga-associated plant species were documented
separately as botanical terminology comparators. Each context contained eight headings. Bala
was the single shared lexical label (Jaccard index, 1/15 = 0.067); treating roga and vyādhi as
equivalent disease labels yielded two shared categories (2/14 = 0.143). Sūtrasthāna included two
practice-related, one host-related, three disease-related, and two care-related headings.
Cikitsāsthāna included two practice-related, four host-related, one disease-related, and one
temporal heading. All eight Sūtrasthāna headings had three explicitly named members in the
selected chapter passages; the Cikitsāsthāna enumeration named the headings without detailing
all their members in the two enumeration verses. The two Ashtatrika frameworks share an eight-
triad organizational pattern while differing in topical emphasis. The reproducible coding matrix,
correspondence measures, and clinical measurement crosswalk establish a foundation for
prospective investigation of individualized Ayurvedic assessment.