Capitalizing Ayurveda

[Benjamin Barrett]

Wikipedia capitalizes "Ayurveda," but it capitalizes so many things, I don't generally credit it much. (Wikipedia also has the non-capitalized "ayurvedic medicine.")

The OED also capitalizes "Ayurveda," saying in part:

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An ancient Hindu system of medicine, drawn from Vedic literature and based on the belief that physical and mental health are dependent on a balance of biological humours (or doshas) uniquely constituted in each individual, which may be maintained or restored by regulated diet, sleep, exercise, etc., and a range of homoeopathic and natural remedies. Also: the text or texts describing this system. In early use, freq. with _the_.

The texts comprising the Ayurveda, sometimes considered supplementary to the Atharva-veda (seeVeda n.), encompass not only medicine, but aspects of philosophy, theology, psychology, astronomy and astrology.
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I suppose I will give in to reference pressure and capitalize in the document I'm working on, but is there a reason for capitalizing this?

Benjamin Barrett
Seattle, WA

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