Medicine Buddha is also regarded as the patron deity of healing and medicine. His sutra, the Bhaiṣajya-guru-vaiḍūrya-prabhā-rāja Sutra, is said to contain 84,000 verses on the subject of medicine and health. Medicine Buddha is typically depicted as the color of lapis lazuli or blue, which symbolizes his power to dispel disease. He is seated on a lotus flower, which represents his purity and wisdom.

• To read many in-depth features on the glorious Medicine Buddha on Buddha Weekly, please visit our dedicated section (10 features!) on Lapis Lazuli Light Buddha>>

Venerable Zasep Tulku Rinpoche’s short visualization guided practice and tips for Medicine Buddha practice (with or without empowerment.)

What are the healing qualities of Medicine Buddha?

Bhaiṣajya-guru-vaiḍūrya-prabhā-rāja is a Healing Buddha who represents the healing power of medicine and compassion. He is also known as the “Medicine Master” or “Doctor Healing King”.

He is believed to have the power to cure all diseases and to bring peace and prosperity —for those who practice with faith. Bhaiṣajya-guru is usually depicted seated on a snow lion throne, with a Medicine Bowl in his left hand and a Branch of Healing Herbs in his right.

He wears the Three Robes of a Buddhist monk and has a blue aura. His nature is blue healing light and he is visualized with a body of shining blue light. In Tibetan Buddhism, Bhaiṣajya-guru is nearly always invoked during meditation for healing. It is said that if you visualize Bhaiṣajya-guru while reciting his mantra, you will be blessed with good health, long life, and prosperity.

Medicine Buddha Features on Buddha Weekly:

• Medicine Buddha Sutra recited by Jason Espada (video)>>
• Medicine Buddha “The First Doctor” main feature, “Empowering you to heal”>>
• Medicine Buddha video retreat, part 1>>

How can we invoke the blessings of Medicine Buddha

The Medicine Buddha is a powerful figure in Tibetan Buddhism. Also known as Bhaiṣajya-guru, he is the Buddha of healing and Medicine. His name means “Lord of Lapis Lazuli”, and he is often depicted holding a lapis lazuli gem in his left hand. The Medicine Buddha is said to have been born from a lotus flower, and he represents the healing power of the Buddha. To invoke his blessings, we can recite his mantra: Om bhaiṣajye bhaiṣajye mahābhaiṣajya-samudgate svāhā. This mantra can be used for protection from illness and for healing purposes. By reciting this mantra, we can ask for the Medicine Buddha’s help in times of need.

Some practical advice for practicing Medicine Buddha

First, it is important to create a shrine dedicated to Medicine Buddha in your home. This can be as simple as setting up a small table with a statue or image of Medicine Buddha, along with some offerings such as flowers or incense.

Second, it is helpful to recite Medicine Buddha’s mantra. This mantra is (in Tibetan form, as usually transmitted today by teachers). Bekhandze, which is Medicine Buddha’s name is more-or-less pronounced phonetically as Beh-kahnd-zey:

Om Bekhandze Bekhandze Maha Bekhandze Bekhandze Randza Samundgate Soha

Chant along with the amazing Yoko Dharma!:

If you prefer the original Sanskrit from the Sutra, it is slightly more difficult to pronounce. For example, the ṣ is pronounced similar to “sh or zha and ā is similar to the “ah” sound. “ai” more or less sounds like “eye”. “ye” is pronounced more or less as “yeh” while “ya” is pronounced “yah.” So Bhaishajye — which is Medicine Buddha’s name — is more or less pronounced as Beye-shag-yeh:

oṃ bhai ṣa jye bhai ṣa jye ma hā
bhai ṣa jya sa mu dga te svā hā

This can also be transliterated as:

oṃ bhaishajye bhaishajye mahābhaishajya-samudgate svāhā

Medicine Buddha’s profound power

If you are looking to tap into these energies in a more profound way, create a sacred space in which to practice. This can be done by setting up an altar with Medicine Buddha’s image, or by simply focusing on his image in your mind. Make offerings to generate merit, usually the eight “sensory” offerings of water for washing, water for drinking, flowers, incense, light (a candle), perfume and food. Food offerings for Medicine Buddha should only be vegan.

Once you have created a space, it is time to begin the practice itself. Sit comfortably and focus on your breath, letting go of all other thoughts. Visualize Medicine Buddha sitting in front of you, and imagine that his Medicine Bowl is filling with light. See this light entering your body, filling you with healing energy. Continue to focus on your breath and the light from the Medicine Bowl until you feel calm and relaxed. Then, when you are ready, open your eyes and slowly begin your day. By taking just a few minutes each day to practice Medicine Buddha Meditation, you can bring more peace and healing into your life.

Reciting the Medicine Buddha Sutra

Another powerful practice suitable for anyone is to recite the short Sutra of Medicine Buddha (the shorter one, not the one with thousands of medicines refered to by Tibetan doctors.). Recite along with Jason Espada. The entire Sutra, at a slow pace, takes 57 minutes. Recite along with beautiful meditative images:

Prayer to Medicine Buddha

Although undertaking the short sadhana of Medicine Buddha is the ultimate practice, it generally requires empowerment.

In absence of the empowerment — which is perfectly fine, since Medicine Buddha is a Sutra teaching — you can still undertake the sadhana, but you visualize the Buddha in front of you — not with yourself arising as the Buddha. (For example, if the Sadhana says you visualize yourself as Lapis Lazuli Light Medicine Buddha, instead you visualize yourself in your normal form (or as your own personal Yidam) but with Medicine Buddha in front of you. In this way you are making offerings and prostrating to the Medicine King.)

You could try this short prayer — recited either in front of your sacred space, or with Medicine Buddha visualized in front of you, surrounded by bountiful visualized offerings (abbreviated from the Gaden Choling Sadhana), translated by Venerable Zasep Rinpoche:

Until I attain enlightenment, I respectfully go for refuge To Guru, Buddha, Dharma and Sangha.

To attain Buddhahood for the welfare of all living beings I shall make requests to Medicine Buddha.

Merely through the touch of the smallest part of your supreme medicinal plant, you cool the fires of the deepest hell, transforming them into lotus pools.

To you, Assembly of Protectors of impure beings, with my body, speech and mind, respectfully I prostrate.

I offer a vast collection of offerings, both actually set out and emanated through the power of mantra, wisdom, and imagination.

I confess all negativities and downfalls, rejoice in virtue, beseech you to remain, and request you to teach.

I dedicate these virtues to great enlightenment.

O Great Assembly of Blessed Ones, please listen to me.

Previously you made prayers,

To fulfil the promises you have made

In this, the final five hundred years of Buddha Shakyamuni’s Teachings; I request you now to show me the truth directly.

O Blessed One, Tathagata, Foe Destroyer, Completely Perfect Buddha, Medicine Guru, Great King with the Radiance of a Lapis Jewel, to you I prostrate, make offerings, and go for refuge.

TAYATA OM BHEKHANDZE BHEKHANDZE MAHA

BHEKANDZE BHEKANDZE RANDZA SAMUNGATE SOHA

Venerable Zasep Rinpoche teachings Buddhist healing practices in a short 10-minute vide0:

“It is no coincidence that the words “medication” and “meditation” are only one letter different. They both come from the same Latin root word, medeor, meaning “to heal or to make whole.” [1]

Although all Buddhist meditation can be thought of as “healing” — employing mind to heal body — it is to meditation on Medicine Buddha that most turn, largely because of the Sacred Vow of Medicine Buddha in His Sutra:

“I vow that all beings who are physically disabled or sick in all aspects be blessed with good health, both physically and mentally. All who pay homage to Buddha faithfully will be blessed.”

One way to bring the blessings of Medicine Buddha is to chant his Dharani while meditating on his image. Chant along with Buddha Weekly in the original Sanskrit Dharni from the Medicine Buddha Sutra:

Healing Buddha for Holistic Healing

Buddhist healing starts with the mind, rather than the co-dependent body. This doesn’t mean that we believe we can “think our way to health” — although the mind’s power over pain is inarguable [See this feature for more>>]

You can’t simply make up your mind not to be sick. Medicine Buddha as the patron of healing, doesn’t suggest pseudoscience or psychosomatic healing. Instead, Medicine Buddha healing is about holistic solutions that begin with the mind — but fully involve the body and speech. In Buddhism, the Body, Speech, and Mind are all equally important, not only in healing but in spiritual practice.

As David Michie explains, in his excellent feature on Medicine Buddha meditation: “When we practice Medicine Buddha meditation, we do not do so to replace mainstream medical treatment, but to complement it. The practice purifies and removes the underlying, karmic causes of disease and cultivates the causes for holistic well-being. Such may be the power of our practice that we experience significant improvements in the symptoms, too. But we need to be clear about what we are doing.”

Research supports the power of the mind

Science does not contradict the profound power of the mind. On the contrary, numerous studies support the power of mind and meditation and mantra in healing everything from migraines to depression to cognitive issues. [For example, see this feature in Buddha Weekly, citing several research studies>> or this feature Healing meditation>>]

Tibetan Buddhist doctors rely on Medicine Buddha as their patron in their healing practice. According to tradition, regular practice with the Medicine Buddha also empowers one to heal others. In China and Japan, Medicine Buddha is a refuge in times of illness. Around the world, literally millions call out the name or mantra of Bhaisajyaguru (भैषज्यगुरु). It is even written in the sutras that if you speak the name of the Medicine Buddha in the ears of a dying animal or human they will be ensured good rebirth regardless of their past karma. No wonder the Medicine Buddha is so popular.

A full 10 minute guided visualization as guided by Venerable Zasep Rinpoche followed by the most beautiful mantra chanting of Yoko Dharma:

Medicine Buddha is renowned not just for healing, but for His ability to neutralize past bad karma, His ability to bring good fortune to those in need, His ability to help us on the path to enlightenment, even His vows to release repentant prisoners. His Dharani in Sanskrit is:

Namo bhagavate bhaisajyaguru-vaidurya prabha-rajaya tathagataya arhate samyak- sambuddhaya tadyatha. Om bhaisajye bhaisajye bhaisajya-samudgate svaha!

A lovely chanted Medicine Buddha mantra sung in Sanskrit (versus Tibetan in video below) by the great Yoko Dharma:

This can be translated as: “I honour the Lord Master of Healing, the King of Lapis Lazuli Radiance, Tathagata, Arhat, Perfect Enlightened One, saying: To the healing, to the healing, to the supreme healing hail!” The last line of the Dharani is, of course, the short mantra.

The Mantra of the Great Medicine Buddha

Nothing is more soothing than to sit in quiet contemplation, chanting the Medicine Buddha mantra quietly:

TADYATHA  AUM BHAISHAJYE  BHAISHAJYE MAHA BHAISHAJYE BHAISHAJYE SAMUDGATE SVAHA

This is the sanskrit version (where Om is really Aum) of one version of the Medicine Buddha mantra as taught to me by my teacher. As found in the original sutra, the Bhaiṣajyaguruvaiḍūryaprabhārāja Sūtra (भैषज्यगुरुवैडूर्यप्रभाराज सूत्र) this is most often given as:

 TADYATHA  AUM BHAISHAJYE  BHAISHAJYE MAHA BHAISHAJYA SAMUDGATE SVAHA

Many Buddhists chant in Sanskrit, as found in the sutra, but others use the Tibetan pronunciation. Since the intention is more important than the pronunciation, most teachers suggest both are equally effective. The Sanskrit version, of course, has the virtue of lineage to Shakyamuni Buddha via Sutra and by virtue of centuries of unbroken lineage from Tibetan teachers reaching back to Buddha. The Tibetan pronunciation is equally empowered from centuries of practice:

Tayata Om Bhekandze Bekhandze Maha Bhekandze Bhekandze Randza Sumungate Soha

Visualizing the Buddha of Lapis Lazuli Light

Mantras are effective regardless of other practices, but visualizing the Medicine Buddha while chanting is very effective. Part of the visualization likely will include seeing the mantra emanating from Buddha. If you have empowerment with a guru, you can generally find this even more powerful if you self-generate as the Medicine Buddha. (Note: Without empowerment, you should generally visualize Medicine Buddha in front of you, with rays of healing light or nectar projecting into the crown of your head and filling your body with healing energy.)

In my tradition, we visualize the seven Medicine Buddhas (see the top tangkha), but the simplest visualization is to envision a shining Lapis Lazuli blue Buddha, beautiful in radiance, perfect in all His features, in a monk’s robe in full lotus on the Lotus and moon throne. His face is serene and compassionate, and he has the features of a great Buddha. In his left hand is the Lapis-colored jar of medicine nectar, a medicine that not only cures all ills, but also negative karma, tensions, suffering, poverty, and any other sufferings. In his right hand is the stem of the Myrobalan, with Aruna fruit, held between thumb and forefinger. He is surrounded by a glowing nimbus and aura of Lazuli-colored light and as you chant, his crown, throat and heart glow with powerful seed syllables: Om (crown chakra) Ah (throat chakra) and Hum (heart chakra). My teacher normally encourages us to visualize with Tibetan script as it is very beautiful. (See Tibetan Script Visualization to the right). You can visualize in Sanskrit characters (left). Or even Roman alphabet if that is difficult: Om Ah Hum.

Then, healing light radiates from the Medicine Buddha’s heart, penetrating either your crown or heart, filling you with healing light, and driving out bad karma and sickness as visible black sludge and smoke. Some experienced visualizers envision white light from the Buddha’s glowing Om flowing into their own crown; and red healing light from the Buddha’s red Ah syllable flowing into their own throat; and blue healing light from the Buddha’s blue Hum flowing into their own heart chakra.

Often He is visualized with his two attendants Suryaprabha and Candraprabha, who are the sun and moon Bodhisattvas. In Soto and other Mahayana practices, you might also visualize the Twelve Warriors of Bhaisajyaguru, who relate directly to the twelve great vows of the Medicine Buddha (see below.) In my practice, we visualize the Seven Medicine Gurus plus Shakyamuni as the Eighth Medicine Buddha.

Healing Practices

[For a full guided visualization from Venerable Zasep Rinpoche see embedded video at the top of this story. The video ends with incredible mantra chanting from Yoko Dharma.]

Aside from visualizing and mantra recitation, a common healing practice is to chant 108 of Medicine Buddha’s mantras over a glass of water. The chanter, preferably one who has chanted the mantra in regular practice, then blows on the water and offers it to a sick person. The empowered water has healing powers. The patient can also be requested to speak the name of the Buddha 108 times, or chant the mantra, or read the sutras, or just to gaze upon a loving picture of the Medicine Buddha. Many miraculous cures have been attributed to the Medicine Buddha. From my own experience, when two Tylenol do not work, the mantra certainly does.

Tibetan doctors tend to begin each day with Medicine Buddha practice, and when making herbal medicines chant the Mantras while working to further empower their medicinal benefits.

Dedicating the Merit is Important

Most important to any healing, for a practicing Buddhist, is to dedicate the merit of any mantra chant or visualization or healing to the benefit of others, not to oneself. There is great healing power in Bodhichitta and dedicating the merit to others selflessly — as the Medicine Buddha himself did in the twelve great vows before he became a Buddha (see below.)

Faith plays a role in healing, in that having absolute faith empowers practice, yet I have seen from past experience, as have many others, that chanting the Medicine  Buddha Dharani or mantra for non-Buddhists — who might have no faith —is equally effective. The power is not all about faith.

Dharani of the Lord of Healing

In the sutras, Shakyamuni Buddha, the living Buddha of our age, taught the Dharani of the Medicine Buddha to benefit all beings, from gods to hell beings.

Lazuli Pure Land East

Medicine Buddha meditation and mantra is a sutra practice, as taught by Shakyamuni Buddha. The Medicine Buddha Sutra is known as Bhaiṣajyaguruvaiḍūryaprabhārāja Sūtra (भैषज्यगुरुवैडूर्यप्रभाराज सूत्र). His Lapis Lazuli Pure Land is in the east, but, in fact, he resides in your heart, always ready to help. Medicine Buddha has seven brothers, each with different praises and functions, or they can be thought of as manifestations of the same Medicine Buddha. He goes by many names, including:

• formal title: Bhaiṣajyaguruvaiḍūryaprabhārāja (भैषज्यगुरुवैडूर्यप्रभाराज, “Medicine Master and King of Lapis Lazuli Light”)

• Bhaisajyaguru — Medicine Guru in Sanskrit

• Bhaisajyaraja — Medicine King in Sanskrit

• Bhaisajya Samudgate — Supreme Healer in Sanskrit

• Sangye Menla  — Supreme Healer in Tibetan

The Twelve Vows

The twelve vows taken by Baishajyaguru, while he was a Bodhisattva, before he became a Buddha, are the key to understanding the unrestrained and growing popularity of the Lapus Lazuli Buddha. Just remembering his name and his vows brings healing. Reading the twelve vows is also a healing experience. Reciting the Medicine Guru sutra is also very powerful. He selflessly swore:

1. I vow that my body shall shine as beams of brilliant light on this infinite and boundless world, showering on all beings, getting rid of their ignorance and worries with my teachings. May all beings be like me, with a perfect status and character, upright mind and soul, and finally attaining enlightenment like the Buddha.

2. I vow that my body be like crystal, pure and flawless, radiating rays of splendid light to every corner, brightening up and enlightening all beings with wisdom. With the blessings of compassion, may all beings strengthen their spiritual power and physical energy, so that they could fulfil their dreams in the right track.

3. I vow that I shall grant by means of boundless wisdom, all beings with the inexhaustible things that they require, and relieving them from all pains and guilt resulting from materialistic desires. Although clothing, food, accommodation and transport are essentials, it should be utilised wisely as well. Besides self-consumption, the remaining should be generously shared with the community so that all could live harmoniously together.

4. I vow to lead those who have gone astray back to the path of righteousness. Let them be corrected and returned to the Buddha way for enlightenment.

5. I vow that I shall enable all sentient beings to observe precepts for spiritual purity and moral conduct. Should there be any relapse or violation, they shall be guided for repentance. Provided they truly regret their wrong-doings, and vow for a change with constant prayers and strong faith in the Buddha, they could receive the rays of forgiveness, recover their lost moral and purity.

6. I vow that all beings who are physically disabled or sick in all aspects be blessed with good health, both physically and mentally. All who pays homage to Buddha faithfully will be blessed.

7. I vow to relieve all pain and poverty of the very sick and poor. The sick be cured, the helpless be helped, the poor be assisted.

8. I vow to help beings who are undergoing sufferings and tortures. By hearing my name, paying homage and praying, their wishes would be granted and ultimately attain Buddhahood.

9. I vow to free all beings from evil thoughts and its control. I shall lead them onto the path of light through inculcating them with righteousness and honour so that they will walk the Buddha way.

10. I vow to save prisoners who have genuinely repented and victims of natural disasters. Those who are sincere will be blessed by my supreme powers and be freed from sufferings.

11. I vow to save those who suffer from starvation and those who committed crime to obtain food. If they hear my name and faithfully cherish it, I shall lead them to the advantages of Dharma and favour them with best food and eventually lead a tranquil and happy life.

12. I vow to save those who suffer from poverty, tormented by mosquitoes and wasps day and night. If they come across my name, cherish it with sincerity and practise dharma to strengthen their merits, they will be able to achieve their wishes.

Who couldn’t feel drawn to a Buddha willing to help us with such powerful vows, simply by virtue of calling his name?

Other Names of Medicine Buddha

There are several “Medicine Buddhas”—seven, plus Shakyamuni Himself as the eighth, each separately honoured and named, but where one Medicine Buddha is practiced as a solitary meditation, normally this is Bhaisajyaguru Vaiduryaprabharaja (भैषज्यगुरुवैडूर्यप्रभाराज)—the Medicine Guru of Lapis Lazuli Light. His pure land is in the east, and is called Vaiduryanirbhasa, or pure Lapis Lazuli Land. He might also be known as Sanye Menla (Tibetan སངས་རྒྱས་སྨན་བླ།, or just Menla), Medicine King, Medicine Guru, Yaoshifo (藥師佛 Chinese name), Nyorai or Yakushi (in Japan 薬師, 薬師如来), Yaksabul or Yaksayeorae (약사불, 약사여래 in Korea)or Lapis Luzuli Buddha. In many practices, seven or eight Medicine Gurus are honoured.

The Seven or Eight Medicine Buddhas

The Seven Medicine Buddhas names in English are a powerful and lovely poetic expression in and of themselves.:

• Bhaisajyaguru: Tathagatha Medicine Guru Lapis Lazuli King
• Abhiyaraja: Tathagatha King of Clear Knowing
• Dharmakirtisagara: Tathagatha Melodious Ocean of Dharma Proclaimed
• Asokottamasriraja: Tathagatha Supreme Glory Free From Sorrow
• Suvarnabhadradravimala: Tathagatha Stainless Excellent Gold
• Svaragosaraja: Tathagatha King of Melodious Sound
• Suparikirti-tanamasriraja: Tathagatha Glorious Renown of Excellent Signs

The eighth is Shakyamuni Buddha, the historical Buddha of our era—who taught us the Dharma. When chanting the praises, I prefer the poetic Enlish names to the Sankrit, just because of the beautiful descriptions. In a full practice session or a puja, each of the Buddhas would receive His own praise. As you visualize each of the Buddhas you prostrate and make envisioned offerings.

NOTES

[1] How to Invoke the Medicine Buddha, by David Michie — Lion’s Roar

Related Stories and Videos:

• Medicine Buddha guided meditation video with H.E. Zasep Rinpoche
• Medicine Buddha chanting by Yoko Dharma
• Illness and Cancer Advice: Healing teaching video: Medicine Buddha and Black Manjushri

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Bhaiṣajya-guru-vaiḍūrya-prabhā-rāja

This is His full name in Sanskrit, the language of the sutras. Medicine Buddha, before He attained to Highest Enlightenment, made twelve vows for the benefit of all sentient beings. These twelve vows are connected to the twelve syllables of His Full name:

Bhai

“The first great vow: ‘I vow that in a future life, when I attain anuttarā-samyak-saṃbodhi, my body will shine with dazzling light that will illumine measureless, countless, boundless worlds. My body will be adorned with the thirty-two heroic features and the eighty subsidiary characteristics, and I will enable all beings to become as I am.’”

Ṣa
“The second great vow: ‘I vow that in a future life when I attain Bodhi, my body will be as bright and clear as vaiḍūrya, flawlessly pure, vastly radiant, majestic with merit and virtue, abiding at ease, adorned with blazing nets brighter than the sun and the moon. Beings dwelling in darkness will be illuminated and will succeed in all their endeavors.’”

Jya
“The third great vow: ‘I vow that in a future life when I attain Bodhi, I will, by means of limitless, unbounded wisdom and skill-in-means, enable all sentient beings to obtain an inexhaustible supply of material necessities so they are without the slightest want.'”

Gu
“The fourth great vow: ‘I vow that in a future life when I attain Bodhi, I shall lead those sentient beings who practice deviant paths to reside in the Way of Bodhi. Likewise, I will set those who travel on the Śrāvakayāna or Pratyekabuddhayāna onto the Mahāyāna.'”

Ru
“The fifth great vow: ‘I vow that in a future life when I attain Bodhi, I shall enable limitless and boundless numbers of sentient beings who cultivate Brahma conduct within my Dharma to perfectly uphold the three clusters of precepts without exception. Should there be any violation, upon hearing my name, they will regain their purity and not fall into the evil destinies.'”

Vai
“The sixth great vow: ‘I vow that in a future life when I attain Bodhi, if there are sentient beings whose bodies are inferior and whose faculties are imperfect, who are ugly, dull, blind, deaf, mute, deformed, paralyzed, hunchbacked, or afflicted with skin disease, insanity, or various other sicknesses and sufferings, upon hearing my name they shall all become endowed with upright features, keen intelligence, and perfect faculties, and they shall be free of sickness and suffering.'”

Ḍū
“The seventh great vow: ‘I vow that in a future life when I attain Bodhi, I shall cause sentient beings who are oppressed by many illnesses and who are without aid, without a place to turn, without a doctor, without medicine, without relatives, and without a family, who are poverty-stricken and filled with suffering to be cured of their sicknesses upon having my name pass by their ear, so they are peaceful and happy in body and mind. They will have a family and relatives, and acquire an abundance of property and wealth, and even realize unsurpassed Bodhi.'”

Rya
“The eighth great vow: ‘I vow that in a future life when I attain Bodhi, if there are women who give rise to a deep loathing for their female body and wish to renounce it because they are oppressed and disturbed by the myriad sufferings of being female, upon hearing my name, they will be able to turn from women into men who are replete with male features and ultimately realize unsurpassed Bodhi.'”

Pra
“The ninth great vow: ‘I vow that in a future life when I attain Bodhi, I shall liberate sentient beings from the nets of demons and the bonds of heretical paths. If they have fallen into the dense forests of evil views, I shall lead them to have proper views and to gradually cultivate the practices of Bodhisattvas so they will quickly realize unsurpassed, proper and equal Bodhi.'”

Bhā
“The tenth great vow: ‘I vow that in a future life when I attain Bodhi, I shall cause sentient beings who fall into the hands of the law and are bound, interrogated, whipped, fettered, imprisoned, sentenced to execution, or subjected to endless disasters, hardships, abuse, and humiliation so that they are torn by grief and distress and suffering in body and mind, to obtain, upon hearing my name, liberation from all worry and suffering by means of my blessings, virtue, and awesome spiritual power.'”

Rā
“The eleventh great vow: ‘I vow that in a future life when I attain Bodhi, I shall cause all sentient beings who are so plagued by hunger and thirst that they create all kinds of bad karma in their quest for food, upon hearing my name and single-mindedly accepting and maintaining it, to be filled with delicious food and drink and afterward, by means of the flavor of Dharma, to settle in ultimate peace and happiness.'”

Ja
“The twelfth great vow: ‘I vow that in a future life when I attain Bodhi, if there are sentient beings who are poor and without clothes so that day and night they are troubled by mosquitoes and flies, and by cold and heat, upon hearing my name and single-mindedly accepting and maintaining it, they shall obtain all kinds of fine and wonderful garments that accord with their tastes, as well as a variety of precious adornments, flower garlands, fragrant balms, and the enjoyments of music and various kinds of talents, so that all their hearts’ delights will be fulfilled.'”

“…these are the twelve sublime and wonderful vows that the World Honored One, Bhaiṣajya-guru-vaiḍūrya-prabhā-rāja, One of Proper and Equal Enlightenment, made while cultivating the Bodhisattva Way.”
Bhaiṣajyaguruvaiḍūryaprabhārāja Sūtra

Bhaiṣajya-guru-vaiḍūrya-prabhā-rāja

Recite His Holy name as a Mantra for the benefit of all sentient beings.

Related stories on Medicine Buddha:

• Medicine Buddha, the First Doctor (full feature on the King of Healing) >>
• Medicine Buddha VIDEO: guided medtiation>>
• Medicine Buddha sutra recitation on VIDEO>>
• Medicine Buddha mantra chanting VIDEO>>

To download this mantra or any of her others, please visit her website YokoDharma.com or directly to her download page here>>

The downloads are only 99 cents, with 10 percent going to Gaden Relief Projects, a non-profit charitable organization.

To learn more about Medicine Buddha and His practice, see:

• Medicine Buddha, the Great Healer (full feature)>>

• We previously interviewed Yoko Dharma regarding a recording project>>

About Yoko Dharma

From her website:

     Growing up as a Tibetan Buddhist in the west was a slightly different childhood then most Canadian kids have. This had a profound and deep influence on Yoko from an early age, especially when she started adapting Tibetan Buddhist meditations and practices more seriously at the age of 13. This definitely makes Yoko unique in the way she writes music and in terms of what she has to say based on her own understanding. This seems to spill out to people because many of her fans resonate with what she is singing about . Her ability to connect with the listeners weather it is on stage or through a recording is profound because of some basic truths she sings about which transcend culture, race and religion. Essentially, the science of the mind, the truth of all phenomena and some fundamental human qualities that we all possess like love, kindness and compassion. This is why so many people relate to her music and I think this is why she can move people so deeply because somewhere inside they also know these truths or have had similar experiences.”Yoko started singing as soon as she arrived in this world. Born deep in the lush mountains of British Columbia, Yoko is a small town girl from Nelson. She was raised surrounded by musicians and artists. Her mother is a singer and her father a guitar player who both write music. As a child growing up she would often create fantastic shows for guests when they would visit, stepping onto stage in public at the young age of 13. This was when she also began to write her own songs. From disco bands to African dance troupes, Buddhist Mantras to touring with her own original RnB/world music and opening for Jan Arden, Yoko has a captivating musical and performance background. Yoko has also studied African, Modern, Afro Cuban, Salsa and Balinese styles of dance.””In 2007 she co-produced and recorded her first album ” Yoko Treasury of Jewels.” The album received amazing reviews, being happily received by Yoko’s fans. It also was chosen as “editor’s pick”  by Peters on CD baby.  “Her voice is a bit like Madonna’s, that is to say, she is fully capable of pure enchantment. Yoko’s entrancing voice is a pure pleasure to listen to.” ~ Writes Peters at CD Baby. This album reached beyond the Buddhist community spilling out to many of Yoko’s fans internationally who are not Buddhist but fell in love with the album. “Treasury of Jewels” is sung in Sanskrit and Tibetan, it is comprised of traditional Tibetan mantras and chants made into beautiful, engaging world music songs.”

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“What advice would you give to a student who needs supportive practices for healing, especially for agressive illnesses such as cancer?”

Rinpoche speaks of important practices such as Medicine Buddha and Black Manjushri — both practices do not require initiation. [Rinpoche advises that recitation of the Medicine Buddha Sutra is beneficial. The full English version is at the end of this feature.] Rinpoche promised to elaborate on the specialized deity practices, such as Black Manjushri in a coming video.

Full transcript below video.

Note: For a guided Medicine Buddha practice with mantra chanting — can be practiced by anyone — please see:

Healing video: full Medicine Buddha guided meditation with Venerable Zasep Tulku Rinpoche; with Medicine Buddha Mantra chanting by Yoko Dharma

Transcript:

“Advice for healing. Well, we’re talking about physical problems, health problems like cancer, right? So, we have healing practices. One very common practice is Medicine Buddha practice. We have the Medicine Buddha sutra. You can recite the Medicine Buddha Sutra. You can say the mantra of Medicine Buddha —

Om Bekhandze Bekhandze Maha Bekhandze Bekhandze Randza Sumungate Soha

— and do visualization of Medicine Buddha.

Let me put it this way. If you don’t have initiation of Medicine Buddha, you can still do mantra of Medicine Buddha, no problem. Ideally, later, you should receive transmission, “lung” from Lama, your teacher, that would be good. If not, you can still do the mantra no problem.

You can visualize Medicine Buddha in front of you, or above you. Imagine beautiful blue light shining from His heart. The light dissolves into you, into your body, purifying your body and healing the illness.

You can also imagine nectar flowing, coming from the bowl that Medicine Buddha is holding in his left hand. White nectar coming down and dissolving into you, through your crown into your body. That will be very beneficial. Then, of course, if you have the initiation, if you receive the initiation, that will be very good, even more powerful.

There are other healing practices you can do. Black Manjushri practice is very powerful. I have given Black Manjushri initiation for lots of people the last couple of years.

I have students or friends who had cancer, breast cancer, prostrate cancer, stomach cancer, and other types of cancer. They have been doing their practice. They also went through chemo therapy. It has been very beneficial.

A number of my friends and students who had cancer, their cancer is no longer detectable. They are clear. And they appreciate it.

So, you can do Black Manjushri practice again, same way you do Medicine Buddha. You don’t have initiation? You can still do the mantra, and visualize Black Manjushri above your crown. If you have the initiation that will be better. If you don’t have initiation, I can suggest that you go and receive it the first chance you get. Black Manjushri practice is also very helpful for sickness caused by chemicals, pollution, toxins, poisoned water and food — like what’s happening today in the world. People are exposed to radiation, chemicals, or whatever. Also, people who are suffering from fear and paranoia. Or, if someone is attacking them mentally, like a curse, or your own mind. Fear. So, Black Manjushri practice is very powerful.

Also, we can do these healing practices, Medicine Buddha and Black Manjushri, for others, who don’t have initiation, or can’t do the practice or visualization because they are too weak or they are not sure, they have no confidence to do the practice. But, they are willing to accept our help, then of course we should help.

In Advice Video 6, next week, Venerable Zasep Rinpoche answers the student question: “What advice would you give to a student new to Buddhism as starting practices?”

• For details on Medicine Buddha practice, see BW extensive feature “The First Doctor: Medicine Buddha Bhaisajyaguru — Empowering You to Heal.”>>
• For more information on Black Manjushri>>

Black Manjushri Practice Suggestions from Zasep Rinpoche

Zasep Rinpoche advises that students who are not initiated can chant the mantra while visualizing the peaceful image of Black Manjushri (rather than the wrathful version): “I advise using the mantra while visualizing a peaceful Black Manjushri with blue light coming to her for healing.” (Her, referred to the student asking the question.) He indicated you do not have to have initiation to chant the mantra, as long as you visualize Black Manjushri in front of you in peaceful form (i.e. no self-generation). For a video helpful for “chanting along” see the bottom of this feature.

The mantra is:

OM PRASO CHUSO DURTASO DURMISO NYING GOLA CHO KALA DZA KAM SHAM TRAM BHE PHET SOHA

It is also helpful to chant Manjushri’s mantra:

Om Ah Rah Pah Chah Na Dih

Here’s an image of peaceful Black Manjushri to help with visualizing:

Full Text Medicine Buddha Sutra after Bio of Venerable Rinpoche.

PREVIOUS BUDDHA WEEKLY ADVICE FROM THE TEACHERS VIDEOS:

Video 1: Advice for Students on Karma>>

Video 2: Advice for Students dealing with loss of a loved one>>

Video 3: Advice for Students coping with memory loss, Alzheimers or early dementia>>

Video 4: Advice for Students coping with the loss of a beloved pet>>

Video 5: Advice for Students coping with aggressive illnesses such as cancer, looking for supportive practices>>

Video 6: Advice for the New Student to Buddhism>>

Video 7: Advice for Keeping Motivated in Your Daily Practice>>

Video 8: Purifying Negative Karma>>

Video 9: Advice for Advanced Vajrayana Students on Managing Commitments>>

About Venerable Zasep Tulku Rinpoche

Rinpoche is popularly known for his approachable teaching style, strong humor and teachings based on a long lineage of great lamas. His own gurus included the most celebrated of Gelug teachers: His Holiness Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche, His Holiness Kyabje Ling Rinpoche, Venerable Geshe Thupten Wanggyel, His Holiness Kyabje Zong Rinpoche, Venerable Lati Rinpoche, Venerable Tara Tulku Rinpoche and Venerable Khalkha Jetsun Dampa Rinpoche.

Rinpoche is spiritual director of many temples, meditation centres and retreat centres in Australia, the United States and Canada. He was first invited to teach in Australia by Lama Thubten Yeshe in 1976.

More on Zasep Tulku Rinpoche>>

Gaden for the West Meditation Centres

Australia

• Vajra Ling, Uralla, N.S.W.
• Losang Gyalwa Mandala, Sydney, N.S.W.
• Tenzing Ling Centre, Quamaa, N.S.W.
• Dorje Ling Retreat Centre, Lorina Valley, Tasmania

Canada

• Chittamani Mahayana Buddhist Meditation Centre, Ottawa, Ontario
• Gaden Choling, Toronto, Ontario
• Medicine Buddha Centre, Calgary, Alberta
• Potala Tibetan Buddhist Meditation Centre, Thunder Bay,Ontario
• Tashi Choling, Nelson, B. C.
• Zuru Ling Society, Vancouver, B.C.

United States

• Golden Blue Lotus Tara Meditation Center, Moscow, Idaho
• TsongKhapa Center, Kalamazoo, Michigan
• Vajrayogini Center, Seattle, Washington

Chant-Along Video for Black Manjushri Healing Mantra

OM PRASO CHUSO DURTASO DURMISO NYING GOLA CHO KALA DZA KAM SHAM TRAM BHE PHET SOHA

Sutra on the Merits and Original Vows of Tathágata Medicine Guru with Lapis Lazuli Light

(Tripitaka No. 450)

Translated during Torng Dynasty by Tripitaka Master Yiun-Tzorng

Thus I have heard. At one time the Bhagavan was travelling through various lands to teach living beings. He arrived at Vaisali [“City of Extensive Adornments”] and stayed beneath a tree from which music resounded. With him were eight thousand great Bhikshus and thirty-six thousand Bodhisattvas Mahasattvas; also kings, ministers, Brahmans, lay disciples; gods, dragons, and the rest of the eightfold division; beings both human and non-human. The immeasurable great multitude respectfully surrounded him, and he spoke Dharma for them.

At that time, the Dharma Prince Manjusri, receiving the awesome inspiration of the Buddha, rose from his seat, bared one of his shoulders, knelt on his right knee, and inclining his head and placing his palms together, said to the Bhagavan, “World Honored One! We wish you would speak about such Dharmas as the Buddhas’ names, the great vows they made in the past, and their supreme merit and virtue, so that those who hear them will be rid of their karmic hindrances. This request is also for the sake of bringing benefit and joy to sentient beings in the Dharma-Image Age.”

The Buddha then praised the Pure Youth Manjusri: “Good indeed! Good indeed, Manjusri. With great compassion you now request that I speak about the Buddhas’ names and the merit and virtue of their past vows, for the sake of rescuing sentient beings who are bound up by karmic obstacles, and for the purpose of bringing benefit, peace, and joy to beings who live in the Dharma-Image Age. Listen attentively to my words and reflect on them extremely well, for I will now answer you.”

Manjusri said, “Please do speak. We are glad to listen.”

The Buddha told Manjusri, “Passing from here to the east, beyond Buddhalands numerous as the sand grains in ten Ganges rivers, is a world called ‘Pure Vaidurya’. The Buddha there is named Medicine Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata, Of Proper and Equal Enlightenment, Perfect in Understanding and Practice, Well Gone One, One who Understands the World, Supreme Lord, Regulating Hero, Teacher of Gods and Humans, Buddha, Bhagavan. Manjusri, when that World Honored One, Medicine Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata, was practicing the Bodhisattva path in the past, he made twelve great vows that enable all sentient beings to obtain what they seek.

“The first great vow: ‘I vow that in a future life, when I attain anuttarasamyaksambodhi, my body will shine with dazzling light that will illumine measureless, countless, boundless worlds. My body will be adorned with the thirty-two heroic features and the eighty subsidiary characteristics, and I will enable all beings to become as I am.’

“The second great vow: ‘I vow that in a future life when I attain Bodhi, my body will be as bright and clear as vaidurya, flawlessly pure, vastly radiant, majestic with merit and virtue, abiding at ease, adorned with blazing nets brighter than the sun and the moon. Beings dwelling in darkness will be illuminated and will succeed in all their endeavors.’

“The third great vow: ‘I vow that in a future life when I attain Bodhi, will by means of limitless, unbounded wisdom and skill-in-means, enable all sentient beings to obtain an inexhaustible supply of material necessities so they are without the slightest want.’

“The fourth great vow: ‘I vow that in a future life when I attain Bodhi, I shall lead those sentient beings who practice deviant paths to reside in the Way of Bodhi and those who travel on the vehicles of the Hearer or Pratyekabuddha to abide in the Great Vehicle.’

“The fifth great vow: ‘I vow that in a future life when I attain Bodhi I shall enable limitless and boundless numbers of sentient beings who cultivate Brahma conduct within my Dharma to perfectly uphold the three clusters of precepts without exception. Should there be any violation, upon hearing my name, they will regain their purity and not fall into the evil destinies.’

“The sixth great vow: ‘I vow that in a future life when I attain Bodhi, if there are sentient beings whose bodies are inferior and whose faculties are imperfect, who are ugly, dull, blind, deaf, mute, deformed, paralyzed, hunch-backed, or afflicted with skin disease, insanity or various other sicknesses and sufferings, upon hearing my name they shall all become endowed with upright features, keen intelligence, and perfect faculties, and they shall be free of sickness and suffering.’

“The seventh great vow: ‘I vow that in a future life when I attain Bodhi, I shall cause sentient beings who are oppressed by many illnesses and who are without aid, without a place to turn, without a doctor, without medicine, without relatives, and without a family, who are poverty-stricken and filled with suffering to be cured of their sicknesses upon having my name pass by their ear, so they are peaceful and happy in body and mind. They will have a family and relatives, and acquire an abundance of property and wealth, and even realize unsurpassed Bodhi.’

“The eighth great vow: ‘I vow that in a future life when I attain Bodhi, if there are women who give rise to a deep loathing for their female body and wish to renounce it because they are oppressed and disturbed by the myriad sufferings of being female, upon hearing my name, they will be able to turn from women into men who are replete with male features and ultimately realize unsurpassed Bodhi.’

“The ninth great vow: ‘I vow that in a future life when I attain Bodhi, I Shall liberate sentient beings from the nets of demons and the bonds of external sects. If they have fallen into the dense forests of evil views, I shall lead them to have proper views and to gradually cultivate the Practices of Bodhisattvas so they will quickly realize unsurpassed, proper and equal Bodhi.’

“The tenth great vow: ‘I vow that in a future life when I attain Bodhi, I shall cause sentient beings who fall into the hands of the law and are bound, interrogated, whipped, fettered, imprisoned, sentenced to execution, or subjected to endless disasters, hardships, abuse, and humiliation so that they are tom by grief and distress and suffering in body and mind, to obtain, upon hearing my name, liberation from all worry and suffering by means of my blessings, virtue, and awesome spiritual power.’

“The eleventh great vow: ‘I vow that in a future life when I attain Bodhi, I shall cause all sentient beings who are so plagued by hunger and thirst that they create all kinds of bad karma in their quest for food, upon hearing my name and single-mindedly accepting and maintaining it, to be filled with delicious food and drink and afterward, by means of the flavor of Dharma, to settle in ultimate peace and happiness.’

“The twelfth great vow: ‘I vow that in a future life when I attain Bodhi, if there are sentient beings who are poor and without clothes so that day and night they are troubled by mosquitoes and flies, and by cold and heat, upon hearing my name and single-mindedly accepting and maintaining it, they shall obtain all kinds of fine and wonderful garments that accord with their tastes, as well as a variety of precious adornments, flower garlands, fragrant balms, and the enjoyments of music and various kinds of talents, so that all their hearts, delights will be fulfilled.’

“Manjusri, these are the twelve sublime and wonderful vows that the World Honored One, Medicine Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata, One of Proper and Equal Enlightenment, made while cultivating the Bodhisattva Way.

“Moreover, Manjusri, if I were to speak for an eon or more about the great vows made by the World Honored One, Medicine Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata, when he practiced the Bodhisattva Way and about the merit, virtue, and adornments of his Buddhaland, I could not finish.

“That Buddhaland has always been completely pure; there are no women, no evil destinies, and no sounds of suffering. The ground is made of vaidurya, with golden cords lining the roads. The city walls, towers, palace pavilions, studios, windows, and latticework are all made of the seven treasures. The merit, virtue, and adornments of this land are identical to those of the Western Land of Ultimate miss.

“Residing in that land are two Bodhisattvas Mahasattvas; the first is called Universally Radiant Sunlight, and the second, Universally Radiant Moonlight. They are the leaders among the immeasurable, uncountable hosts of Bodhisattvas in that land and will be the successors to that Buddha. They are able to maintain the precious treasury of the proper Dharma of the World Honored One, Medicine Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata. Therefore, Manjusri, all good men and women who have faith should vow to be born in that Buddha’s land.”

At that time, the World Honored One again spoke to the Pure Youth Manjusri saying, “Manjusri, there are living beings who don’t distinguish good from evil, who indulge in greed and stinginess, and who know nothing of giving or its rewards. They are stupid, ignorant, and lack the foundation of faith. They accumulate much wealth and many treasures and ardently guard them. When they see a beggar coming, they feel displeased. When they have to practice an act of charity that does not benefit themselves, they feel as though they were cutting a piece of flesh from their body, and they suffer deep and painful regret.

“There are other innumerable avaricious and miserly living beings who hoard money and necessities that they don’t use even for themselves, how much less for their parents, wives, or servants, or for beggars! At the end of heir lives, such beings will be reborn among the hungry ghosts or animals. If they heard the name of that Buddha, Medicine Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata, in their former human existence, and they recall that Tathagata’s name for the briefest moment while they are in the evil destinies, they will immediately be reborn in the human realm. Moreover, they will remember their past lives and will dread the sufferings of the evil destinies. They will not delight in worldly pleasures, but will rejoice in giving and praise others who give. They will not begrudge giving whatever they have. Gradually, to those who come to beg, they will be able to give away their own head, eyes, hands, feet, and even their entire body, to say nothing of their money and property!

“Moreover, Manjusri, there are beings who, although they study under the Tathagata, nonetheless violate the sila. Others, although they do not violate the sila, nonetheless transgress the rules and regulations. Others, although they do not violate the sila or rules and regulations, nonetheless destroy their own proper views. Others, although they do not destroy their own proper views, nonetheless neglect learning, so they are unable to understand the profound meaning of the sutras that the Buddha speaks. Others, although they are learned, nonetheless give rise to overweening pride, Shadowed by overweening pride, they justify themselves and disparage others, slander the proper Dharma, and join the retinue of demons.

“Such fools act on their misguided views and further, a cause immeasurable minions of beings to fall into pits of great danger. These beings will drift endlessly in the realms of the hells, the animals, and the ghosts. But if they hear the name of Medicine Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata, they will be able to renounce their evil practices and cultivate wholesome Dharma, and thereby avoid falling into the evil destinies. If those who have fallen into the evil destinies because they could not renounce their evil practices and cultivate wholesome Dharmas, by the awesome power of the past vows of that Tathagata, get to hear his name for only a moment, then after they pass out of that existence, they will be reborn again as human beings. They will hold proper views and will be ever vigorous. Their minds will be well regulated and joyful, enabling them to renounce their families and leave the householder’s life-They will take up and maintain study of the Tathagatas, Dharma without any violation. They will have proper views and erudition; they will understand profound meanings and yet be free from overweening pride. They will not slander the proper Dharma and will never join the ranks of demons. They will progressively cultivate the practices of Bodhisattvas and will soon bring them to perfection.

“Moreover, Manjusri, if there are sentient beings who harbor stinginess, greed, and jealousy who praise them- selves and disparage others, they will fallinto the three evil destinies for countless thousands of years where they will undergo intense suffering. After undergoing intense suffering, at the end of their lives they will be born in the world as oxen, horses, camels, and donkeys that are constantly beaten, afflicted by thirst and hunger, and made to carry heavy burdens along the roads. Or they may be reborn among lowly people, as slaves or servants who are always ordered around by others and who never for a moment feel at ease.

“If such beings, in their former lives as humans, heard the name of the World Honored One, Medicine Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata, and by this good cause are able to remember it and sincerely take refuge with that Buddha, then, by means of the Buddha’s spiritual power, they will be liberated from all sufferings. They will be endowed with keen faculties, and they will be wise and erudite. They will always seek the supreme Dharmas and encounter good friends. They will eternally sever the nets of demons and smash the shell of ignorance. They will dry up the river of afflictions and be liberated from birth, old age, sickness, death, anxiety, grief, suffering, and vexation.

“Moreover, Manjusri, there may be beings who delight in perversity and engage in legal disputes, bringing trouble to others as well as themselves. In their actions, speech, and thought, they create ever-increasing amounts of evil karma. Never willing to benefit and forgive others, they scheme to harm one another instead. They pray to the spirits of the mountain forests, trees, and graves. They kill living beings in order to make sacrifices of blood and flesh to the yaksa and raksasa ghosts. They write down the names of their enemies and make images of them, and then they hex those names and images with evil mantras. They summon paralysis ghosts, cast hexes, or command corpse-raising ghosts to kill or injure their enemies.

“However, if the victims hear the name of Medicine Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata, then all those evil things will lose their power to do harm. The evildoers will become kind to one another. They will attain benefit, peace, and happiness and no longer cherish thoughts of malice, affliction, or enmity. Everyone will rejoice and feel content with what they have. Instead of encroaching upon each other, they will seek to benefit one another.

“Moreover, Manjusri, there may be those among the fourfold assembly of Bhikshus, Bhikshunis, Upasakas and Upasikas, as well as other good men and women of pure faith, who accept and uphold the eight precepts either for one year or for three months, practicing and studying them. with these good roots, they may vow to be born in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss where the Buddha of limitless Life dwells, to hear the Proper Dharma, but their resolve may not be firm. However, if they hear the name of the World Honored One, Medicine Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata, then as the end of their lives draws near, before them will appear eight great Bodhisattvas, whose names are: Manjusri Bodhisattva, The Bodhisattva Who Observes the Sounds of the World, Great Strength Bodhisattva, Inexhaustible Intention Bodhisattva, Jewelled Udumbara Flower Bodhisattva, Medicine King Bodhisattva, Medicine Superior Bodhisattva, and Maitreya Bodhisattva. Those eight great Bodhisattvas will appear in space to show them the way, and they will naturally be born by transformation in that land, amid precious flowers of a myriad colors.

“Or they may be born in the heavens due to this cause. Although reborn in the heavens, their original good roots will not be exhausted and so they will not fall into the evildestinies again. when their life in the heavens ends, they will be born among people again. They may be wheel-turning kings, reigning over the four continents with awesome virtue and ease, bringing uncountable hundreds of thousands of living beings to abide in the practice of the ten good deeds. Or they may be born as Ksatriyas, Brahmans, laymen, or sons of honorable families. They will be wealthy, with storehouses filled to overflowing. Handsome in appearance, they will be surrounded by a great retinue of relatives. They will be intelligent and wise, courageous and valiant, like great and awesome knights. If a woman hears the name of the World Honored One, Medicine Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata, and sincerely cherishes it, in the future she will never again be born as a female.

“Moreover, Manjusri, when Medicine Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata attained Bodhi, by the power of his past vows he contemplated all the sentient beings who were undergoing various kinds of sicknesses and sufferings. Some suffered from diseases such as emaciation, atrophy, severe thirst, or yellow fever; others were harmed by paralysis ghosts or by poisonous hexes; some died naturally when young, while others experienced untimely deaths. He wished to dispel all their sicknesses and sufferings, and to fulfill their wishes.”

At that time, the World Honored One entered a samadhi called “extinguishing the suffering and distress of all beings.” After he entered this samadhi, a great light came forth from his flesh-cowl. From amid that light he proclaimed this magnificent dharani:

Namo Bhagavate bhaisajya guru vaidurya prabha rajaya
Tathagataya Arhate samyaksambuddhaya tadyatha
Om bhaisajye bhaisajye bhaisajya samudgate Svaha

After he had spoken that mantra from amid the light, the earth trembled and emitted great light. All beings, sicknesses and sufferings were cast off, and they felt peaceful and happy.

“Manjusri, if you see a man (or a woman) who is ill you should single-mindedly and frequently clean and bathe him and rinse his mouth-Provide him with food, medicine, or water that is free of insects, over any of which the dharani has been recited 108 times. After the sick person has taken it, all his sicknesses and sufferings will be gone. I f this person has a wish, he should recite this mantra with utmost sincerity. Then he will obtain whatever he wished for, and his life will be prolonged and free from illness-At the end of his life, he will be reborn in that Buddha’s land. He will become irreversible and will ultimately attain Bodhi. Therefore, Manjusri, if there are men and women who, with utmost sincerity, diligently worship and make offerings to Medicine Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata, they should always recite this mantra and never forget it.

“Moreover, Manjusri, men or women of pure faith, who have heard all the names of Medicine Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata, One of proper and Equal Enlightenment should recite and uphold them. In the early morning, after brushing their teeth and bathing, they should make offerings of fragrant flowers, incense, perfumed balms, and various kinds of music before an image of that Buddha. They should personally write out this Sutra or ask others to do so, and they should single- mindedly and constantly recite it. If they listen to explanations of its meaning from a Dharma Master, they should make offerings to him of all necessities, so that he is without the slightest want. In this way, they will receive the mindful protection of the Buddhas. All of their wishes will be fulfilled, and they will ultimately attain Bodhi.”

At that time, the Pure youth Manjusri said to the Buddha, ‘World Honored One, I vow that in the Dharma- Image Age, using various expedient means, I shall enable good men and women of pure faith to hear the name of the World Honored One, Medicine Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata. Even during their sleep, I will awaken them with this Buddha’s name.

“World Honored One, there may be those who accept and uphold this Sutra, read and recite it, explain its meanings for others, write it out themselves, or tell others to write it out. They may revere it by making offerings of various flowers, paste incense, powdered incense, stick incense, flower garlands, necklaces, banners, canopies, and music. They may make bags of five-colored thread in which to keep the Sutra. They may sweep clean a place and arrange a high altar on which to place this Sutra. At that time, the Four Heavenly Kings with their retinues and other innumerable hundreds of thousands of gods will come to that place to worship and protect it.

“World Honored One, it should be known that if, in the places where this precious Sutra circulates, people can accept and uphold it, then due to the merit and virtue of the past vows of that World Honored One, Medicine Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata, because they have heard his name, none of those people will meet with untimely death. In addition, none of them will be robbed of his vital energy by evil ghosts and spirits. Those people whose vital energies have already been robbed will have their health restored, and they will be happy and at peace in body and mind.”

The Buddha told Manjusri, “So it is, so it is! It is exactly as you say. Manjusri, if there are good men and women of pure faith who wish to make offerings to that world Honored One, Medicine Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata, they should first make an image of that Buddha and arrange a pure and clean dais on which to place the image. Then they should strew all kinds of flowers, burn various incenses, and adorn the place with a variety of banners and streamers. For seven days and seven nights they should hold the eight precepts and eat pure food. Having bathed until clean and fragrant, they should put on clean clothes. Their minds should be undefiled, without thoughts of anger and malice. Toward all sentient beings, they should cherish thoughts of benevolence, peace, kindness, compassion, joy, giving, and equanimity.

“Playing musical instruments and singing praises, they should circumambulate to the right of the Buddha’s image. Moreover, they should recall the merit and virtue of that Tathagata’s past vows. They should read and recite this Sutra, ponder its meaning, and lecture on and explain it. Then they will obtain whatever they seek: Those who seek long life will attain longevity; those who seek wealth will gain wealth; those who seek an official position will obtain it; and those who seek a son or a daughter will have one.

“Moreover, if a person who suddenly has nightmare, sees ill omens, notices strange birds flocking together, or perceives many uncanny events in his dwelling can worship and make offerings of many fine things to that World Honored One, Medicine Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata, then the nightmares, ill omens, and inauspicious things will disappear and will no longer trouble him.

“When a person is endangered by water, fire, knives, or poison; or finds himself on a steep cliff or in a dangerous place; or faces fierce elephants, lions, tigers, wolves, bears, poisonous snakes, scorpions, centipedes, millipedes, mosquitoes, gnats, or other frightful things, if he can single-mindedly recollect, worship, and make offerings to that Buddha, he will be liberated from all those frightful things. When other countries invade or when there are thieves or riots, if a person can recollect and worship that Tathagata, then he will be free of all of these as well.

“Moreover, Manjusri, there may be good men and women of pure faith who, all their lives, do not worship other gods, but single-mindedly take refuge with the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha. They accept and uphold precepts, such as the five precepts, the ten precepts, the four hundred precepts of a Bodhisattva, the two hundred and fifty precepts of a Bhikshu, or the five hundred precepts of a Bhikshuni. Perhaps they have violated some of the precepts they received and are afraid of falling into the evil destinies. If they concentrate on reciting that Buddha’s name and worship and make offerings to him, they definitely will not be reborn in the three evil destinies.

“If there is a woman about to give birth who suffers great pain, if she sincerely recites his name and worships, praises, venerates, and makes offerings to that Tathagata, her sufferings will be dispelled. The newborn child will be sound and healthy, and will have upright features. Seeing him will make people happy. He will be keen and intelligent, peaceful and secure, and with few ailments, and no evil spirit will come to rob him of his vitality.

At that time the World Honored One said to Ananda, “The merit and virtue of the World Honored One, Medicine Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata, which I have just extolled, is the extremely profound practice of all Buddhas. It is difficult to fathom and to comprehend. Do you believe it or not?

Ananda said, “Greatly virtuous World Honored One, I have absolutely no doubts regarding the Sutras spoken by the Tathagata. why? Because all Buddhas’ karmas of body, speech, and mind are pure-World Honored One, the sun and moon could fall, wonderfully High, the king of mountains, could be toppled or shaken, but the words of the Buddhas never change.

“World Honored One, there are sentient beings deficient in faith who hear about the extremely profound practices of all Buddhas and think to themselves,’ How could one obtain such supreme merit and benefit merely by reciting the name of a single Buddha, Medicine Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata? ‘Due to this lack of faith, they give rise to slander. During the long night they lose great benefit and joy and fall into the evil destinies, where they wander ceaselessly.”

The Buddha told Ananda, “If these sentient beings hear the name of the World Honored One, Medicine Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata, and sincerely accept and uphold it without any doubts, they cannot possibly fall into the evil destinies.

“Ananda, this is the extremely profound practice of all Buddhas which is difficult to believe and to understand! you should know that your ability to accept this comes from the awesome power of the Tathagata Ananda, alI Hearers, Solitarily Enlightened Ones, and the Bodhisattvas who have not yet ascended to the Grounds are incapable of believing and understanding this Dharma as it really is. Only the Bodhisattvas who are destined in one life to attain Buddhahood are capable of understanding.

“Ananda, it is difficult to obtain a human body. It is also difficult to have faith in and to revere the Triple Jewel. It is even more difficult to be able to hear the name of the World Honored One, Medicine Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata. Ananda, Medicine Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata possesses boundless Bodhisattva practices, limitless skillful expedients, and immeasurably vast, great vows. If I were to speak extensively of those for an eon or more, the eon would soon end, but that Buddha’s practices, vows, and skillful expedients have no end!”

At that time within the assembly, a Bodhisattva Mahasattva named One who Rescues and liberates arose from his seat, bared his right shoulder, knelt with his right knee on the ground, leaned forward with his palms joined together, and said to the Buddha, “Greatly virtuous World Honored One! During the Dharma Image Age, there will be living beings afflicted with various diseases, emaciated front chronic illnesses, unable to eat or drink, their throats parched and their lips dry. Such a being sees darkness gathering all around him as the signs of death appear. While lying in bed, surrounded by his weeping parents, relatives, and friends, he sees the messengers of Yama leading his spirit before that king of justice. Every sentient being has spirits that stay with him throughout his life. They record his every deed, both good and evil, to present to Yama, the king of justice. At that time, King Yama interrogates this person in order to tally his karma and mete out judgement according to his good and evil deeds.

“At that time, if the sick person’s relatives and friends, on his behalf, can take refuge with the World Honored One, Medicine Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata, and request members of the Sangha to recite this Sutra, to light seven layers of lamp, and to hang up the five colored banners for prolonging life, then it is possible for his spirit to return. As if in a dream, the person will see everything very clearly himself.

“If his spirit returns after seven, twenty-one, thirty five, or forty-nine days, he will feel as if awakened from a dream and will remember the retributions that he underwent for his good and bad karma. Having personally witnessed the retributions of his own karma, he will never again do any evil, even if his very life is endangered. Therefore, good men and women of pure faith should accept and uphold the name of Medicine Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata and, according to their capability, worship and make offerings to him.”

At that time, Ananda asked the Bodhisattva who Rescues and liberates, Good man, how should we worship and make offerings to the World Honored One, Medicine Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata? And how should we make the banners and lamps that prolong life?”

The Bodhisattva who Rescues and Liberates said, “Greatly Virtuous One, if there is a sick person who wishes to be freed from sickness and suffering, for his sake one should accept and uphold the eight precepts for seven days and seven nights, and make offerings to the Bhikshu Sangha of as many items of food, drink, and other necessities as are in his power to give.

“During the six periods of the day and night one should worship, practice the Way, and make offerings to the World Honored One, Medicine Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata. Read and recite this Sutra forty-nine times, light forty-nine lamps, and make seven images of that Tathagata. In front of each image place seven lamps, each as large as a cartwheel. These lamps must be kept burning continuously for forty-nine days. Hang up five- colored banners that are forty-nine spans long. Liberate a variety of living creatures, as many as forty-nine species. Then the sick one will be able to surmount the danger and will not suffer an untimely death or be held by evil ghosts.

“Furthermore, Ananda, in the case of ksatriya princes who are due to be anointed on the crowns of their heads, at a time when calamity arises, such as pestilence among the population, invasion by foreign countries, rebellion within their territories, unusual changes in the stars, a solar or lunar eclipse, unseasonal winds and rains, or prolonged drought, those ksatriya princes should bring forth an attitude of kindness and compassion toward all sentient beings and grant amnesty to all prisoners. They should follow the above-mentioned methods to make offerings to that World Honored One, Medicine Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata. Due to these good roots and the power of that Tathagata’s past vows, the country will be safe and peaceful, the winds and rains will be timely, the crops will ripen, and all sentient beings will be blissful and free of disease. Within this country there will be no violence, nor any yaksas or other spirits that harms sentient beings, and all evil omens will vanish.

“The ksatriya princes who are due to be anointed on the crowns of their heads will enjoy longer lives and good health, and they will be at ease and free from illness. Ananda, if the queens, the princes, the ministers or court counselors, the ladies of the palace, the provincial officials or the common people suffer from diseases or other difficulties, they should also hang up five-colored spiritual banners, light lamps and keep them burning, liberate living creatures, strew flowers of various colors, and burn precious incense. Then those people will be cured of their diseases and relieved of their difficulties.

Then Ananda asked the Bodhisattva who Rescues and Liberates, “Good man, how can a life that has come to an end be prolonged?”

The Bodhisattva who Rescues and Liberates answered, “Greatly Virtuous One, did you not hear the Tathagata say that there are nine kinds of untimely death? That is why people are exhorted to make life-prolonging banners and lamps and to cultivate all kinds of blessings. Through such cultivation of blessings, they will be freed from suffering and adversity for the rest of their lives.

Ananda asked, “What are the nine kinds of untimely death?”

The Bodhisattva who Rescues and liberates said, “There may be living beings who, although not seriously ill have neither medicine nor a doctor to treat them, or else they meet a doctor who gives them the wrong medicine; consequently, they meet with an untimely death. Some of them believe in worldly cults, whose deviant teachers frighten them with false prophecies. Unable to set their minds at ease, they consult oracles to find out what calamities are in store for them. In order to propitiate the spirits, they kill various creatures. They pray to wang liang ghosts for aid and protection. Although they wish to prolong their lives, their efforts are to no avail. They deludedly hold to wrong beliefs and perverse views. Thus they meet with an untimely death and fall into the hells, never to come out. This is the first kind of untimely death.

“The second kind of untimely death is to be executed at the hands of the law. The third kind is to hunt for sport, to indulge in drinking and lust, or to become excessively dissipated, and then to be waylaid by non-human beings that rob one’s essence and energy. The fourth is to be burned to death; the fifth is to drown; the sixth is to be devoured by wild beasts; the seventh is to fall from a steep cliff; the eighth is to be harmed by poison, voodoo, evil mantras, or corpse-raising ghosts; the ninth is to die from hunger and thirst. These are the nine kinds of untimely deaths generally spoken of by the Tathagata. There are also innumerable other kinds which cannot all be spoken of here.

“Moreover, Ananda, King Yama keeps track of the karmic records of all the inhabitants of the world. If there are beings who are not filial to their parents, who commit the Five Rebellious Acts, who revile the Triple Jewel, who destroy the laws of the country, or who violate the precept of truthfulness, then Yama, the king of justice, examines and punishes them according to the severity of their offenses. Therefore, I encourage people to light lamps and make banners, to liberate beings and cultivate blessings so that they can overcome suffering and peril and forestall all disasters.

At that time, twelve great yaksa generals were present in the assembly. They were: General Kimbhiro, General Vajra, General Mekhilo, General Antilo, General Anilo, General Santhilo, General Indalo, General Payilo, General Mahalo, General Cidalo, General Caundhulo, and General Vikalo.

These twelve great Yaksa generals, each with a retinue of seven thousand yaksas, simultaneously raised their voices and addressed the Buddha, “World Honored One! Today, by relying on the Buddha’s awesome power, we are able to hear the name of the World Honored One, Medicine Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata. As a result, we are no longer afraid of the evil destinies. All of us are of one mind to take refuge with the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha to the end of our lives. We vow to support all living beings and to benefit them, so that they may live in peace and happiness. In whatever cities, villages, countries, or secluded forests this Sutra circulates, or wherever people accept and uphold the name of Medicine Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata and venerate and make offerings to him, we, together with our retinues, will guard and protect them, deliver them from all distress, and fulfill all their wishes. If a person wishes to dispel illnesses and difficulties, he should read or recite this Sutra and tie a five-colored thread into knots, forming the letters of our names. He should untie the knots when his wishes have been fulfilled.

At that time, the World Honored One praised the great yaksa generals, saying, “Good indeed, good indeed, mighty yaksa generals! All of you who want to repay the kindness of the World Honored One, Medicine Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata, should always benefit beings and bring peace and happiness to them in this way.

Then Ananda said to the Buddha, “World Honored One, what should we call this teaching? How should we uphold it?”

The Buddha told Ananda, “This teaching is called, ‘The Merit and Virtue of the Past Vows of Medicine Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata.’ It is also called ‘Twelve Spiritual Generals’ Vows to Use Spiritual Mantras to Benefit Living Beings.’ It is also called ‘Eradicating All Karmic Obstacles.’ You should uphold it in this way.

When the Bhagavan had finished speaking, all the Bodhisattvas, Mahasattvas, great Hearers, kings, minister, Brahmans, laypeople, gods, dragons, yaksas, gandharvas, asuras, garudas, kinnaras, mahoragas, humans, and non-human beings, and all the great assembly, on hearing what the Buddha had said, were greatly delighted. They received it with faith and respectfully practiced it.

(End of translation)
(Translated into English by B.T.T.S.)

Reciting or listening to the Medicine Buddha Sutra is a very empowering healing practice.

Jason Espada — known for compiling the much treasured A Buddhist Library, and his new series of audio sutra recordings — wonderfully and soothingly recites the full sutra. Recite along — full text below video — or just listen to this sacred teaching of Shakyamuni Buddha. [For separate video teachings on Medicine Buddha, see links below video. Full written sutra in English below video.]

NOTE: Please understand the language on “birth as a male” in the Sutra is an artifact of the culture of two millennia ago. Most people today read this instead as “auspicious fortunate human rebirth.” 

Please play full Medicine Buddha Sutra below (full screen available):

Recited by Jason Espada

More audio and music recordings from Jason Espada>>

Full Sutra text in English

Sutra of the Merit and Virtue of

the Past Vows of Medicine Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata

Translation into Chinese by Tripitaka Master Hsuan Tsang (Text) Tripitaka Master Yi Jing (Mantra) of Tang Dynasty (ca. A.D. 700)

Translation into English by The Buddhist Text Translation Society, Dharma Realm Buddhist University, City Of Ten Thousand Buddhas (1997)

Thus I have heard. At one time the Bhagavan was travelling through various lands to teach living beings. He arrived at Vaishali [“City of Extensive Adornments”] and stayed beneath a tree from which music resounded. With him were eight thousand great Bhikshus and thirty-six thousand Bodhisattvas, Mahasattvas; also kings, ministers, Brahmans, lay disciples; gods, dragons, and the rest of the eightfold division; beings both human and non-human. The immeasurable great multitude respectfully surrounded him, and he spoke Dharma for them.

At that time, the Dharma Prince Manjushri, receiving the awesome inspiration of the Buddha, rose from his seat, bared one of his shoulders, knelt on his right knee, and, inclining his head and placing his palms together, said to the Bhagavan,

“World Honored One! We wish you would speak about such Dharmas as the Buddhas’ names, the great vows they made in the past, and their supreme merit and virtue, so that those who hear them will be rid of their karmic hindrances. This request is also for the sake of bringing benefit and joy to sentient beings in the Dharma-Image Age.”

The Buddha then praised the Pure Youth Manjushri:

“Good indeed! Good indeed, Manjushri. With great compassion you now request that I speak about the Buddhas’ names and the merit and virtue of their past vows, for the sake of rescuing sentient beings who are bound up by karmic obstacles, and for the purpose of bringing benefit, peace, and joy to beings who live in the Dharma-Image Age. Listen attentively to my words and reflect on them extremely well, for I will now answer you.”

Manjushri said, “Please do speak. We are glad to listen.”

The Buddha told Manjushri, “Passing from here to the east, beyond Buddhalands numerous as the sand grains in ten Ganges rivers, is a world called ‘Pure Vaidurya.’ The Buddha there is named Medicine Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata, Of Proper and Equal Enlightenment, Perfect in Understanding and Practice, Well Gone One, One Who Understands the World, Supreme Lord, Regulating Hero, Teacher of Gods and Humans, Buddha, Bhagavan. Manjushri, when that World Honored One, Medicine Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata, was practicing the Bodhisattva path in the past, he made twelve great vows that enable all sentient beings to obtain what they seek.

The First Great Vow:

‘I vow that in a future life, when I attain anuttarasamyaksambodhi, my body will shine with dazzling light that will illumine measureless, countless, boundless worlds. My body will be adorned with the thirty-two heroic features and the eighty subsidiary characteristics, and I will enable all beings to become as I am.’

The Second Great Vow:

‘I vow that in a future life when I attain Bodhi, my body will be as bright and clear as vaidurya, flawlessly pure, vastly radiant, majestic with merit and virtue, abiding at ease, adorned with blazing nets brighter than the sun and the moon. Beings dwelling in darkness will be illuminated and will succeed in all their endeavors.’

The Third Great Vow:

‘I vow that in a future life when I attain Bodhi, I will, by means of limitless, unbounded wisdom and skill-in-means, enable all sentient beings to obtain an inexhaustible supply of material necessities so they are without the slightest want.’

The Fourth Great Vow:

‘I vow that in a future life when I attain Bodhi, I shall lead those sentient beings who practice deviant paths to reside in the Way of Bodhi, and those who travel on the vehicles of the Hearer or Pratyekabuddha to abide in the Great Vehicle.’

The Fifth Great Vow:

‘I vow that in a future life when I attain Bodhi, I shall enable limitless and boundless numbers of sentient beings who cultivate Brahma conduct within my Dharma to perfectly uphold the three clusters of precepts without exception. Should there be any violation, upon hearing my name, they will regain their purity and not fall into the evil destinies.’

The Sixth Great Vow:

‘I vow that in a future life when I attain Bodhi, if there are sentient beings whose bodies are inferior and whose faculties are imperfect, who are ugly, dull, blind, deaf, mute, deformed, paralyzed, hunch-backed, or afflicted with skin disease, insanity, or
various other sicknesses and sufferings, upon hearing my name they shall all become endowed with upright features, keen intelligence, and perfect faculties, and they shall be free of sickness and suffering.’

The Seventh Great Vow:

‘I vow that in a future life when I attain Bodhi, I shall cause sentient beings who are oppressed by many illnesses and who are without aid, without a place to turn, without a doctor,without medicine, without relatives, and without a family, who are poverty-stricken and filled with suffering to be cured of their sicknesses upon having my name pass by their ear, so they are peaceful and happy in body and mind. They will have a family and relatives, and acquire an abundance of property and wealth, and even realize unsurpassed Bodhi.’

The Eighth Great Vow:

‘I vow that in a future life when I attain Bodhi, if there are women who give rise to a deep loathing for their female body and wish to renounce it because they are oppressed and disturbed by the myriad sufferings of being female, upon hearing my name, they will be able to turn from women into men who are replete with male features and ultimately realize unsurpassed Bodhi.’

The Ninth Great Vow:

‘I vow that in a future life when I attain Bodhi, I shall liberate sentient beings from the nets of demons and the bonds of external sects. If they have fallen into the dense forests of evil views, I shall lead them to have proper views and to gradually cultivate the practices of Bodhisattvas so they will quickly realize unsurpassed, proper and equal Bodhi.’

The Tenth Great Vow:

‘I vow that in a future life when I attain Bodhi, I shall cause sentient beings who fall into the hands of the law and are bound, interrogated, whipped, fettered, imprisoned, sentenced to execution, or subjected to endless disasters, hardships, abuse, and humiliation so that they are torn by grief and distress and suffering in body and mind, to obtain, upon hearing my name, liberation from all worry and suffering by means of my blessings, virtue, and awesome spiritual power.’

The Eleventh Great Vow:

‘I vow that in a future life when I attain Bodhi, I shall cause all sentient beings who are so plagued by hunger and thirst that they create all kinds of bad karma in their quest for food, upon hearing my name and single-mindedly accepting and maintaining it, to be filled with delicious food and drink and afterward, by means of the flavor of Dharma, to settle in ultimate peace and happiness.’

The Twelfth Great Vow:

‘I vow that in a future life when I attain Bodhi, if there are sentient beings who are poor and without clothes so that day and night they are troubled by mosquitoes and flies, and by cold and heat, upon hearing my name and single-mindedly accepting and maintaining it, they shall obtain all kinds of fine and wonderful garments that accord with their tastes, as well as a variety of precious adornments, flower garlands, fragrant balms, and the enjoyments of music, and various kinds of talents, so that
all their hearts’ delights will be fulfilled.’

“Manjushri, these are the twelve sublime and wonderful vows that the World Honored One, Medicine Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata, One of Proper and Equal Enlightenment, made while cultivating the
Bodhisattva Way.”

“Moreover, Manjushri, if I were to speak for an eon or more about the great vows made by the World Honored One, Medicine Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata, when he practiced the Bodhisattva Way and about the merit, virtue, and adornments of his Buddhaland, I could not finish.”

“That Buddhaland has always been completely pure; there are no women, no evil destinies, and no sounds of suffering. The ground is made of vaidurya, with golden cords lining the roads. The city walls , towers, palace pavilions, studios, windows, and latticework, are all made of the seven treasures.

The merit, virtue, and adornments of this land are identical to those of the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss.”

“Residing in that land are two Bodhisattvas, Mahasattvas; the first is called Universally Radiant Sunlight, and the second, Universally Radiant Moonlight. They are the leaders among the immeasurable, uncountable hosts of Bodhisattvas in that land and will be the successors to that Buddha.

They are able to maintain the precious treasury of the Proper Dharma of the World Honored One, Medicine Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata.

Therefore, Manjushri, all good men and women who have faith should vow to be born in that Buddha’s land.”

At that time, the World Honored One again spoke to the Pure Youth Manjushri saying,

“Manjushri, there are living beings who don’t distinguish good from evil, who indulge in greed and stinginess, and who know nothing of giving or its rewards. They are stupid, ignorant, and lack the foundation of faith. They accumulate much wealth and many treasures and ardently guard
them. When they see a beggar coming, they feel displeased. When they have to practice an act of charity that does not benefit themselves, they feel as though they were cutting a piece of flesh from
their body, and they suffer deep and painful regret.”

“There are other innumerable avaricious and miserly living beings who hoard money and necessities that they don’t use even for themselves, how much less for their parents, wives, or servants, or for beggars! At the end of their lives, such beings will be reborn among the hungry ghosts or animals. If they heard the name of that Buddha, Medicine Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata, in their former human existence, and they recall that Tathagata’s name for the briefest moment while they are in the evil destinies, they will immediately be reborn in the human realm. Moreover, they will remember their past lives and will dread the sufferings of the evil destinies. They will not delight in worldly pleasures, but will rejoice in giving and praise others who give. They will not begrudge giving whatever they have.
Gradually, to those who come to beg, they will be able to give away their own head, eyes, hands, feet, and even their entire body, to say nothing of their money and property!”

“Moreover, Manjushri, there are beings who, although they study under the Tathagata, nonetheless violate the shila.

Others, although they do not violate the shila, nonetheless transgress the rules and regulations.

Others, although they do not violate the shila or rules and regulations, nonetheless destroy their own proper views.

Others, although they do not destroy their own proper views, nonetheless neglect learning, so they are unable to understand the profound meaning of the Sutras that the Buddha speaks.

Others, although they are learned, nonetheless give rise to overweening pride. Shadowed by overweening pride, they justify themselves and disparage others, slander the Proper Dharma, and join the retinue of demons.Such fools act on their misguided views and further, cause immeasurable millions of beings to fall into pits of great danger.

These beings will drift endlessly in the realms of the hells, the animals, and the ghosts. But if they hear the name of Medicine Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata, they will be able to renounce their evil practicesand cultivate wholesome Dharmas, and thereby avoid falling into the evil destinies.

If those who have fallen into the evil destinies because they could not renounce their evil practices and cultivate wholesome Dharmas, by the awesome power of the past vows of that Tathagata, get to hear his name for only a moment, then after they pass out of that existence, they will be reborn again as human beings. They will hold proper views and will be ever vigorous. Their minds will be well-regulated and joyful, enabling them to renounce their families and leave the householder’s life.
They will take up and maintain study of the Tathagata’s Dharma without any violation, they will have proper views and erudition; they will understand profound meanings and yet be free from
overweening pride.

They will not slander the Proper Dharma and will never join the ranks of demons.

They will progressively cultivate the practices of Bodhisattvas and will soon bring them to perfection.”

“Moreover, Manjushri, if there are sentient beings who harbor stinginess, greed, and jealousy, who praise themselves and disparage others, they will fall into the three evil destinies for countless thousands of years where they will undergo intense suffering.

After undergoing intense suffering, at the end of their lives they will be born in the world as oxen, horses, camels, and donkeys that are constantly beaten, afflicted by thirst and hunger, and made to carry heavy burdens along the roads.

Or they may be reborn among lowly people, as slaves or servants who are always ordered around by others and who never for a moment feel at ease.

If such beings, in their former lives as humans, heard the name of the World Honored One, Medicine Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata, and by this good cause are able to remember it and sincerely take refuge with that Buddha, then, by means of the Buddha’s spiritual power, they will be liberated
from all sufferings. They will be endowed with keen faculties, and they will be wise and erudite.
They will always seek the supreme Dharmas and encounter good friends. They will eternally sever the nets of demons and smash the shell of ignorance. They will dry up the river of afflictions and be liberated from birth, old age, sickness, death, anxiety, grief, suffering, and vexation.”

“Moreover, Manjushri, there may be beings who delight in perversity and engage in legal disputes, bringing trouble to others as well as themselves.

In their actions, speech, and thoughts, they create ever-increasing amounts of evil karma.

Never willing to benefit and forgive others, they scheme to harm one another instead.

They pray to the spirits of the mountain forests,trees, and graves.

They kill living beings in order to make sacrifices of blood and flesh to the yaksha and rakshasa ghosts.

They write down the names of their enemies and make images of them, and then they hex those names and images with evil mantras.

They summon paralysis ghosts, cast hexes, or command corpse-raising ghosts to kill or injure their enemies.

However, if the victims hear the name of Medicine Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata, then all those evil things will lose their power to do harm.

The evildoers will become kind to one another.They will attain benefit, peace, and happiness and no longer cherish thoughts of malice, affliction, or enmity.

Everyone will rejoice and feel content with what they have. Instead of encroaching upon each other,
they will seek to benefit one another.”

“Moreover, Manjushri, there may be those among the fourfold assembly of Bhikshus, Bhikshunis, Upasakas and Upasikas, as well as other good men and women of pure faith, who accept and uphold the eight precepts, either for one year or for three months, practicing and studying them.

With these good roots, they may vow to be born in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss where the Buddha of Limitless Life dwells, to hear the Proper Dharma, but their resolve may not be firm.

However, if they hear the name of the World Honored One, Medicine Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata, then as the end of their lives draws near, before them will appear eight great Bodhisattvas, whose names are:

Manjushri Bodhisattva,
The Bodhisattva Who Observes the Sounds of the World,
Great Strength Bodhisattva,
Inexhaustible Intention Bodhisattva,
Jeweled Udumbara Flower Bodhisattva, Medicine King Bodhisattva,
Medicine Superior Bodhisattva, and
Maitreya Bodhisattva.

Those eight great Bodhisattvas will appear in space to show them the way, and they will naturally be born by transformation in that land, amid precious flowers of a myriad colors.

Or they may be born in the heavens due to this cause.

Although reborn in the heavens, their original good roots will not be exhausted and so they will not fall into the evil destinies again.

When their life in the heavens ends, they will be born among people again.

They may be wheel-turning kings, reigning over the four continents with awesome virtue and ease,
bringing uncountable hundreds of thousands of living beings to abide in the practice of the ten good deeds.

Or they may be born as kshatriyas, Brahmans, laymen, or sons of honorable families.
They will be wealthy, with storehouses filled to overflowing.
Handsome in appearance. they will be surrounded by a great retinue of
relatives.
They will be intelligent and wise, courageous and valiant, like great and awesome knights.
If a woman hears the name of the World Honored One, Medicine Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata,
and sincerely cherishes it, in the future she will never again be born as a female.”

“Moreover, Manjushri, when Medicine Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata attained Bodhi, by the power of his past vows he contemplated all the sentient beings who were undergoing various kinds of sickness and sufferings.

Some suffered from diseases such as emaciation,atrophy, severe thirst, or yellow fever; others were harmed by paralysis ghosts or by poisonous hexes; some died naturally when young, while others experienced untimely deaths.

He wished to dispel all their sicknesses and sufferings, and to fulfill their wishes.”

At that time, the World Honored One entered a samadhi called “extinguishing the suffering and distress of all beings.”

After he entered this samadhi, a great light came forth from his flesh-cowl.

From amid that light he proclaimed this magnificent dharani:

Namo bhagavate bhaiṣajyaguru vaiḍūryaprabharājāya

tathāgatāya arahate samyaksambuddhāya tadyathā:

oṃ bhaiṣajye bhaiṣajye bhaiṣajya-samudgate svāhā.

After he had spoken that mantra from amid the light, the earth trembled and emitted great light. All beings’ sicknesses and sufferings were cast off, and they felt peaceful and happy.

“Manjushri, if you see a man (or a woman) who is ill, you should single-mindedly and frequently clean and bathe him and rinse his mouth. Provide him with food, medicine, or water that is free of insects, over any of which the dharanihas been recited 108 times. After the sick person has taken it, all his sicknesses and sufferings will be gone.

If this person has a wish, he should recite this mantra with utmost sincerity. Then he will obtain whatever he wished for, and his life will be prolonged and free from illness. At the end of his life, he will be reborn in that Buddha’s land. He will become irreversible and will ultimately attain Bodhi.

Therefore, Manjushri, if there are men and women who, with utmost sincerity, diligently worship and make offerings to Medicine Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata they should always recite this mantra and
never forget it.”

“Moreover, Manjushri, men or women of pure faith, who have heard all the names of Medicine Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata, One of Proper and Equal Enlightenment, should recite and uphold them. In the early morning, after brushing their teeth and bathing, they should make offerings of fragrant flowers,incense, perfumed balms, and various kinds of music before an image of that Buddha.

They should personally write out this Sutra or ask others to do so, and they should single-mindedly and constantly recite it. If they listen to explanations of its meaning from a Dharma Master, they should make offerings to him of all necessities, so that he is without the slightest want.

In this way, they will receive the mindful protection of the Buddhas. All of their wishes will be fulfilled, and they will ultimately attain Bodhi.”

At that time, the Pure Youth Manjushri said to the Buddha,

“World Honored One, I vow that in the Dharma-Image Age, using various expedient means, I shall enable good men and women of pure faith to hear the name of the World Honored One, Medicine Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata. Even during their sleep, I will awaken them with this Buddha’s name.”

“World Honored One, there may be those who accept and uphold this Sutra, read and recite it,explain its meanings for others, write it out themselves, or tell others to write it out.

They may revere it by making offerings of various flowers, paste incense, powdered incense, stick incense, flower garlands, necklaces, banners, canopies, and music.

They may make bags of five-colored thread in which to keep the Sutra.
They may sweep clean a place and arrange a high altar on which to place this Sutra.

At that time, the Four Heavenly Kings with their retinues and other innumerable hundreds of thousands of gods will come to that place to worship and protect it.

World Honored One, it should be known that if, in the places where this precious Sutra circulates, people can accept and uphold it, then due to the merit and virtue of the past vows of that World Honored One, Medicine Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata, because they have heard his name,
none of those people will meet with untimely death.

In addition, none of them will be robbed of his vital energy by evil ghosts and spirits.

Those people whose vital energies have already been robbed will have their health restored, and they will be happy and at peace in body and mind.”

The Buddha told Manjushri, “So it is, so it is! It is exactly as you say, Manjushri, if there are good men and women of pure faith who wish to make offerings to that World Honored One, Medicine Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata, they should first make an image of that Buddha and arrange a pure and clean dais on which to place the image. Then they should strew all kinds of flowers, burn various incenses, and adorn the place with a variety of banners and streamers. For seven days and seven nights they should hold the eight precepts and eat pure food. Having bathed until clean and fragrant, they should put on clean clothes. Their minds should be undefiled, without thoughts of anger and malice. Toward all sentient beings, they should cherish thoughts of benevolence, peace, kindness, compassion, joy, giving, and equanimity.

Playing musical instruments and singing praises,they should circumambulate to the right of the Buddha’s image.

Moreover, they should recall the merit and virtue of that Tathagata’s past vows.

They should read and recite this Sutra, ponder its meaning, and lecture on and explain it.

Then, they will obtain whatever they seek: Those who seek long life will attain longevity; those who seek wealth will gain wealth; those who seek an official position will obtain it; and those who seek a son or a daughter will have one.

“Moreover, if a person who suddenly has nightmares, sees ill omens, notices strange birds flocking together, or perceives many uncanny events in his dwelling can worship and make offerings of many fine things to that World Honored One, Medicine Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata, then the nightmares, ill omens, and inauspicious things will disappear and will no longer trouble him.

When a person is endangered by water, fire, knives, or poison; or finds himself on a steep cliff or in a dangerous place; or faces fierce elephants, lions, tigers, wolves, bears, poisonous snakes, scorpions, centipedes, millipedes, mosquitoes, gnats, or other frightful things, if he can single-mindedly recollect, worship, and make offerings to that Buddha, he will be liberated from all those frightful things.

When other countries invade or when there arethieves or riots, if a person can recollect and worship that Tathagata, then he will be free of all of these as well.

Moreover, Manjushri, there may be good men and women of pure faith who, all their lives, do not worship other gods, but single-mindedly take refuge with the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha. They accept and uphold precepts, such as the five precepts, the ten precepts, the four hundred precepts of a Bodhisattva, the two hundred and fifty precepts of a Bhikshu, or the five hundred precepts of a Bhikshuni.

Perhaps they have violated some of the precepts they received and are afraid of falling into the evil destinies.

If they concentrate on reciting that Buddha’s name and worship and make offerings to him, they definitely will not be reborn in the three evil destinies.”

“If there is a woman about to give birth who suffers great pain, if she sincerely recites his name and worships, praises, venerates, and makes offerings to that Tathagata, all her sufferings will be dispelled.
The newborn child will be sound and healthy, and will have upright features. Seeing him will make people happy.

He will be keen and intelligent, peaceful and secure, and with few ailments, and no evil spirit will come to rob him of his vitality.”

At that time the World Honored One said to Ananda:

“The merit and virtue of the World Honored One, Medicine Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata, which I have just extolled, is the extremely profound practice of all Buddhas. It is difficult to fathom and to comprehend. Do you believe it or not?”

Ananda said, “Greatly virtuous World Honored One, I have absolutely no doubts regarding the Sutras spoken by the Tathagata. Why? Because all Buddhas’ karmas of body, speech and mind are pure.
World Honored One, the sun and moon could fall, Wonderfully High, the king of mountains,
could be toppled or shaken, but the words of the Buddhas never change.”

“World Honored One, there are sentient beings deficient in faith who hear about the extremely profound practices of all Buddhas and think to themselves, ‘How could one obtain such supreme merit and benefit merely by reciting the name of a single Buddha, Medicine Master Vaidurya Light
Tathagata?’

Due to this lack of faith, they give rise to slander. During the long night, they lose great benefit and joy and fall into the evil destinies, where they wander ceaselessly”

The Buddha told Ananda, “If these sentient beings hear the name of the World Honored One, Medicine Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata and sincerely accept and uphold it without any doubts, they cannot possibly fall into the evil destinies.

Ananda, this is the extremely profound practice of all Buddhas which is difficult to believe and to understand! You should know that your ability to accept this comes from the awesome power of the Tathagata.

Ananda, all Hearers, Solitarily Enlightened Ones, and the Bodhisattvas who have not yet ascended to the Grounds are incapable of believing and understanding this Dharma as it really is. Only the Bodhisattvas who are destined in one life to attain Buddhahood are capable of understanding.

Ananda, it is difficult to obtain a human body. It is also difficult to have faith in and to revere the Triple Jewel. It is even more difficult to be able to hear the name of the World Honored One, Medicine Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata.

Ananda, Medicine Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata possesses boundless Bodhisattva practices,
limitless skillful expedients, and immeasurably, vast, great vows.

If I were to speak extensively of those for an eon or more, the eon would soon end, but that Buddha’s practices, vows, and skillfulexpedients have no end!”

At that time within the assembly, a Bodhisattva Mahasattva named One Who Rescues and Liberates
arose from his seat, bared his right shoulder, knelt with his right knee on the ground, leaned forward with his palms joined together, and said to the Buddha,

“Greatly virtuous World Honored One! During the Dharma-Image Age, there will be living beings afflicted with various diseases, emaciated from chronic illnesses, unable to eat or drink, their throats parched and their lips dry. Such a being sees darkness gathering all around him as the signs of
death appear. While lying in bed, surrounded by his weeping parents, relatives, and friends, he sees the messengers of Yama leading his spirit before that king of justice.

Every sentient being has spirits that stay with him throughout his life. They record his every deed, both good and evil, to present to Yama, the king of justice.

At that time, King Yama interrogates this person in order to tally his karma and mete out judgement according to his good and evil deeds.

At that time, if the sick person’s relatives and friends, on his behalf, can take refuge with the World Honored One, Medicine Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata, and request members of the Sangha to recite this Sutra, to light seven layers of lamps, and to hang up the five-colored banners for prolonging life, then it is possible for his spirit to return.

As if in a dream, the person will see everything very clearly himself.

If his spirit returns after seven, twenty-one, thirty-five, or forty-nine days, he will feel as if awakened from a dream and will remember the retributions that he underwent for his good and bad karma.

Having personally witnessed the retributions of his own karma, he will never again do any evil, even if his very life is endangered.

Therefore, good men and women of pure faith should accept and uphold the name of Medicine Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata and, according to their capability, worship and make offerings to him.”

At that time, Ananda asked the Bodhisattva Who Rescues and Liberates,

“Good man, how should we worship and make offerings to the World Honored One, Medicine Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata? And how should we make the banners and lamps that prolong life?”

The Bodhisattva Who Rescues and Liberates said, “Greatly Virtuous One, if there is a sick person who wishes to be freed from sickness and suffering, for his sake one should accept and uphold the eight precepts for seven days and seven nights, and make offerings to the Bhikshu Sangha of as many items of food, drink and other necessities as are in his power to give.

During the six periods of the day and night one should worship, practice the Way, and make offerings to the World Honored One, Medicine Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata.

Read and recite this Sutra forty-nine times, light forty-nine lamps, and make seven images of that Tathagata. In front of each image place seven lamps, each as large as a cartwheel.

These lamps must be kept burning continuouslyfor forty-nine days.

Hang up five-colored banners that are forty-nine spans long.

Liberate a variety of living creatures, as many as forty-nine species.

Then the sick one will be able to surmount the danger and will not suffer an untimely death or be held by evil ghosts.

Furthermore, Ananda, in the case of kshatriya princes who are due to be anointed on the crowns of their heads, at a time when calamity arises, such as pestilence among the population, invasion by foreign countries, rebellion within their territories, unusual changes in the stars, a solar or lunar eclipse,
unseasonal winds and rains, or prolonged drought, those kshatriya princes should bring forth an attitude of kindness and compassion toward all sentient beings and grant amnesty to all prisoners.

They should follow the above-mentioned methods to make offerings to that World Honored One, Medicine Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata.

Due to these good roots and the power of thatTathagata’s past vows, the country will be safe and peaceful, the winds and rains will be timely, the crops will ripen, and all sentient beings will be blissful and free of disease.

Within this country there will be no violence, nor any yakshas or other spirits that harm sentient beings, and all evil omens will vanish.

The kshatriya princes who are due to be anointed on the crowns of their heads will enjoy longer lives and good health, and they will be at ease and free from illness.”

“Ananda, if the queens, the princes, the ministers or court counselors, the ladies of the palace, the provincial officials or the common people suffer from diseases or other difficulties, they should also hang up five-colored spiritual banners, light lamps and keep them burning, liberate living creatures,
strew flowers of various colors, and burn precious incense.

Then those people will be cured of their diseases and relieved of their difficulties.”

Then Ananda asked the Bodhisattva Who Rescues and Liberates,

“Good man, how can a life that has come to an end be prolonged?”

The Bodhisattva Who Rescues and Liberates answered, “Greatly Virtuous One, did you not hear the Tathagata say that there are nine kinds of untimely death?

That is why people are exhorted to make life-prolonging banners and lamps and to cultivate all kinds of blessings.

Through such cultivation of blessings, they will be freed from suffering and adversity for the rest of their lives.”

Ananda asked, “What are the nine kinds of untimely death?”

The Bodhisattva Who Rescues and Liberates said, “There may be living beings who, although not seriously ill, have neither medicine nor a doctor to treat them, or else they meet a doctor who gives them the wrong medicine; consequently, they meet with an untimely death.

Some of them believe in worldly cults, whose deviant teachers frighten them with false prophecies .

Unable to set their minds at ease, they consult oracles to find out what calamities are in store for them.

In order to propitiate the spirits, they kill various creatures.

They pray to wang liang ghosts for aid and protection. Although they wish to prolong their lives, their efforts are to no avail.

They deludedly hold to wrong beliefs and perverse views. Thus they meet with an untimely death and fall into the hells, never to come out.

This is the first kind of untimely death.

The second kind of untimely death is to be executed at the hands of the law.

The third kind is to hunt for sport, to indulge in drinking and lust, or to become excessively dissipated, and then to be waylaid by non-human beings that rob one’s essence and energy.

The fourth is to be burned to death; the fifth is to drown; the sixth is to be devoured by wild beasts;
the seventh is to fall from a steep cliff; the eighth is to be harmed by poison, voodoo, evil mantras, or the corpse-raising ghosts; the ninth is to die from hunger and thirst.

These are the nine kinds of untimely deaths generally spoken of by the Tathagata.

There are also innumerable other kinds which cannot all be spoken of here.”

“Moreover, Ananda, King Yama keeps track ofthe karmic records of all the inhabitants of the world.

If there are beings who are not filial to their parents, who commit the Five Rebellious Acts, who revile the Triple Jewel, who destroy the laws of the country, or who violate the precept of truthfulness, then Yama, the king of justice, examines and punishes them according to the severity of their offenses.

Therefore, I encourage people to light lamps and make banners, to liberate beings and cultivate blessings so that they can overcome suffering and peril and forestall all disasters.”

At that time, twelve great yaksha generals were present in the assembly.

They were:

General Kumbhira, General Vajra,

General Mihira, General Andira,

General Anila, General Sandira,

General Indra, General Pajra,

General Makura, General Kinnara,

General Catura, and General Vikarala.

These twelve great yaksha generals, each with a retinue of seven thousand yakshas, simultaneously raised their voices and addressed the Buddha, “World Honored One! Today, by relying on the Buddha’s awesome power, we are able to hear the name of the World Honored One, Medicine Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata!

As a result, we are no longer afraid of the evil destinies.

All of us are of one mind to take refuge with the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha to the end of our lives.

We vow to support all living beings and to benefit them, so that they may live in peace and happiness.

In whatever cities, villages, countries, or secluded forests this Sutra circulates, or wherever people accept and uphold the name of Medicine Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata and venerate and make offerings to him, we, together with our retinues, will guard and protect them, deliver them from all distress and fulfill all their wishes.

If a person wishes to dispel illnesses and difficulties, he should read or recite this Sutra and tie a five-colored thread into knots, forming the letters of our names. He should untie the knots when his wishes have been fulfilled.”

At that time, the World Honored One praised the great yaksha generals, saying,

“Good indeed, good indeed, mighty yaksha generals! All of you who want to repay the kindness of the World Honored One, Medicine Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata, should always benefit beings and bring peace and happiness to them in this way.”

Then Ananda said to the Buddha,

“World Honored One, what should we call this teaching? How should we uphold it?”

The Buddha told Ananda,
“This teaching is called, ‘The Merit and Virtue of the Past Vows of Medicine Master Vaidurya
Light Tathagata.’ It is also called, ‘Twelve Spiritual Generals’ Vows to Use Spiritual Mantras to Benefit
Living Beings.’ It is also called, ‘Eradicating All Karmic Obstacles.’ You should uphold it in this way.”

When the Bhagavan had finished speaking, all the Bodhisattvas, Mahasattvas, great Hearers, kings, ministers, Brahmans, laypeople, gods,dragons, yakshas, gandharvas, asuras, garudas, kinnaras, mahoragas, humans and non-human beings, and all the great assembly, on hearing what the Buddha had said, were greatly delighted.

They received it with faith and respectfully practiced it.

End of the Sutra of the

Merit and Virtue of the Past Vows of Medicine Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata.