Bhaiṣajyaguru (भैषज्यगुरु), formally Bhaiṣajyaguruvaidūryaprabharāja (भैषज्यगुरुवैडूर्यप्रभाराज, ‘Medicine Master and King of Lapis Lazuli Light’), is the Buddha of healing and medicine in Mahāyāna Buddhism. Commonly referred to as the "Medicine Buddha", he is described as a doctor who cures suffering using the medicine of his teachings.
Bhaiṣajyaguru is described in the eponymous Bhaiṣajyaguruvaidūryaprabharāja Sūtra (भैषज्यगुरुवैडूर्यप्रभाराज सूत्र), commonly called the Medicine Buddha Sutra, as a Bodhisattva who made 12 great vows. On achieving Buddhahood, he became the Buddha of the eastern realm of Vaidūryanirbhāsa, or "Pure Lapis Lazuli". There, he is attended to by two Bodhisattvas symbolizing the sun and moon respectively: Suryaprabha and Candraprabha.
The practice of veneration of the Medicine Buddha is also popular in China, as he is depicted as one of the trinity of Buddhas, the others being the founder Śākyamuni and Amitabha. He can also be viewed as the healing attribution to Śākyamuni, as he is often called the "Medicine King" in sutras.
Like Tibetan Buddhists, Chinese Buddhists recite the mantra of the Medicine Buddha to overcome mental, physical and spiritual sickness. TheBhaiṣajyaguruvaidūryaprabharāja Sūtra on which the Medicine Buddha is associated with and described in great detail is a common sutra to recite in Chinese temples as well. Furthermore, much like the nianfo path of Amitabha, the name of Medicine Buddha is also recited for the benefit of being reborn in the Eastern Pure Lands, though this is de-emphasized in favor of the Medicine Buddha's role for the living.
The Twelve Vows of the Medicine Buddha:
1. To illuminate countless realms with his radiance, enabling anyone to become a Buddha just like him.
2. To awaken the minds of sentient beings through his light of lapis lazuli.
3. To provide the sentient beings with whatever material needs they require.
4. To correct heretical views and inspire beings toward the path of the Bodhisattva.
5. To help beings follow the Moral Precepts, even if they failed before.
6. To heal beings born with deformities, illness or other physical sufferings.
7. To help relieve the destitute and the sick.
8. To help women who wish to be reborn as men achieve their desired rebirth.
9. To help heal mental afflictions and delusions.
10. To help the oppressed be free from suffering.
11. To relieve those who suffer from terrible hunger and thirst.
12. To help clothe those who are destitute and suffering from cold and mosquitoes.
Medicine Buddha Mantra in Tibetan
Short Version
Tayatha Om Bekandze Bekandze Maha Bekandze Radza Samu Gate Soha
(Chanted by Khenpo Pema Chopel Rinpoche from the CD
"The Blessing from H.H. Penor Rinpoche for World Peace")
Meaning of Mantra
To eliminate not only pain of diseases but also help in overcoming the major inner sickness of attachment, hatred, jealousy, desire, greed and ignorance.
Bekandze means eliminating pain, maha bekandze means great eliminating of pain. One explanation of the meaning of the first bekandze is that it refers to eliminating the pain of true suffering, not just of disease but of all problems. It eliminates the pain of death and rebirth that are caused by karma and disturbing thoughts. The first bekandze eliminates all the problems of body and mind, including old age and sickness.
The second bekandze eliminates all the true cause of suffering, which is not external but within the mind. This refers to karma and disturbing thoughts.
The third phrase, maha bekandze, or “great eliminating,” refers to eliminating even the subtle imprints left on the consciousness by disturbing thoughts.
Long Version
Om Namo Bhagavate Bhaishjaya Guru
Vaidurya Prabha Rajaya Tathagataya Arhate Samyaksam Buddhaya Tayatha Om Bekhajye Bekhajye Maha Bekhajye Bekhajye Rajaya Samudgate Svaha
Vaidurya Prabha Rajaya Tathagataya Arhate Samyaksam Buddhaya Tayatha Om Bekhajye Bekhajye Maha Bekhajye Bekhajye Rajaya Samudgate Svaha
Om: the under-current tone of the universe
Namo: means yielding or full of trust; can also mean to bend or bow, and might mean to melt into
Bhagavate: means in intimate relation to the Divine and often means the entire cosmos
Bhaishjaya: a name for the Medicine Buddha
Guru: Spiritual Master; also means the “that” which transmutes ignorance into wisdom
Vaidurya Prabha: Divine deep blue light, like that of Lapis Lazuli
Rajaya: means Great King
Tathagataya: means once came or once gone
Arhate: one who has conquered the cycle of birth death
Samyaksam Buddhaya: perfectly enlightened
Tayatha: do it like this
Om: again we begin with Om, the under-current tone of the universe
Maha Bekhajye: do away with the pain of illness (of the darkness of Spiritual Ignorance)
Bekhajye: do away with the pain of illness
Samudgate: means the supreme heights. Like this, go go go
(my prayer shall go to the highest and the widest and the deepest)
Svaha: I offer this prayer and now relinquish it … (to you Medicine Buddha)
Medicine Buddha Mantra in Mandarin
