天台智者大師從《釋禪波羅蜜》、《小止觀》、《禪門口訣》及《摩 訶止觀》等止觀論述中，以「欲為大醫，遍須諸藥」之精神，融會中印佛 教經典之禪定治病學說，吸收中醫醫學理論、引用道家典籍、參考民間療 法等，博采當時適合修行者的調身治病觀念，加上自身的坐禪體驗，而形 成了具有修行意涵的天台醫療學說，幫助行者對治在實踐止觀的過程中所 遇到的疾病。而世間醫藥不能治療一切疾病，只要在生死輪迴中，就有患 病之苦，因此需觀照病患的真實根源（諸法實相），則就不會再攀緣種種 假合之境，方能出離生死而真正解脫病苦。此觀照之法即圓頓止觀，為出 世上上法藥，是真正的「大藥」。智者大師以圓頓止觀為究竟治病法，引 導行者「觀病患境」── 觀照病患實相，以趣入圓頓止觀之修習。因此智 者大師在「事相」上教導行者如何分別病症病因，以方藥、禪定（止、 氣、息、假想、觀心）、持咒、懺悔、方術等多種方法對症施治生理疾 病，以觀照病患實相之「理觀」，根除無明生死大病，讓身心都能得到安 頓，方能借假修真，身安道隆，為解決眾生身心苦痛所發展出的佛教醫學思想精神。證悟實相的修持，是不偏執一邊，如陰陽之相對調和，如丸散 藥性之和合運用，如止觀雙運之定慧安然，相即相成，互即互入，圓融無礙。

Tiantai Master Zhiyi, in his discourses on cessation and contemplation (śamatha-vipaśyanā) in such writings as Shichan boluomi 釋禪波羅蜜, Xiao zhiguan 小止觀, Chanmen koijue 禪門口訣and Mohe zhiguan 摩訶止觀, offered ways of treating illnesses that came about when a person was practicing cessation and contemplation. He integrated the healing theories by use of meditation that were discussed in Indian and Chinese Buddhist scriptures, absorbed traditional Chinese medicine theories, quoted Taoist classics, referred to folk therapies, adopted health concepts that were popular then and suitable for practitioners, and added his own meditation experience before he came up with a systematic theory of therapies by way of cessation and contemplation. Worldly medicine, however, cannot cure all illnesses. As long as we are trapped in the cycle of reincarnation, we are vulnerable to illnesses. Therefore, we need to contemplate the true origin of illnesses (i.e., the reality beneath all things). Then we will not cling to any conditioned phenomena, and thus be able to be freed from the cycle of birth and death, and actually liberate ourselves from all kinds of illnesses and sufferings. Such a way of contemplation is the perfect sudden cessation and contemplation and is the foremost unworldly dharma medicine. Master Zhiyi regarded this perfect sudden cessation and contemplation as the ultimate therapy, and guidedpractitioners to contemplate on the state of illnesses; that is, to contemplate the reality of an illness in order to practice and realize cessation and contemplation. In other words, practicing and realizing the perfect sudden cessation and contemplation cannot be separated from the state of illness. Therefore, Master Zhiyi taught us how to find out the cause of an illness from the “phenomena,” and offered such therapies as traditional Chinese medicine, meditative concentration (cessation, breath, stilling, imagination, and contemplation of the mind), mantra-chanting, repentance, and fangshu 方術 for treating physical health problems. He also taught us to contemplate on the illness (the analysis of reality) to get rid of the real illness of ignorance, so that both the physical and mental conditions can be stabilized. The spirit and concept of Buddhist medicine were developed to resolve the mental and physical sufferings of sentient beings. Only when our body and mind are both settled can we use this provisional body to practice Buddhism and achieve the goals of maintaining a healthy body and attaining enlightenment. The practice of fully realizing the true original nature is not to be biased against either side, which is similar to the dynamic balance between yin 陰 and yang 陽, the interchangeable use of pellet and powdered medicine, or the dual functioning of stabilizing and insight meditation; that is, when two seemingly different or even opposite things can be perfectly interfused without any hindrance.