Bhaisajyaguru

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Bhaiṣajyaguru ("Medicine Buddha").

Bhaiṣajyaguru (T. sman bla / sangs rgyas sman bla སངས་རྒྱས་སྨན་བླ་; C. Yaoshi rulai; J. Yakushi nyorai; K. Yaksa yŏrae 藥師如來). Translated as “Medicine Buddha,” “Medicine Teacher,” “Healing Buddha,” etc.[1] A buddha of healing and medicine in Mahāyāna Buddhism. He is said to embody the healing energy of all the buddhas.[2] Thus he possesses the power to pacify all physical, mental, and emotional obscurations.[2]

The Dharmachakra Translation Committee states:

Bhaiṣajya­guru­vaiḍūrya­prabha is a widely known figure of the Buddhist pantheon in all countries where the Mahāyāna is practiced, and he is familiarly known as the Medicine Buddha or the Buddha of Healing, the short form of his name in Tibetan being Sangyé Menla (sangs rgyas sman bla). As [the Bhaisajyaguru sutra] demonstrates, his aspirations and activity are by no means confined to the relief of suffering caused by illness, but his popularity stems no doubt from this universally experienced need.
A large number of liturgies in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition were written for the purpose of invoking, visualizing, and praying to him, and in these texts as well as in many paintings and murals he is depicted as a blue-colored buddha, holding in his alms bowl a sprig of myrobalan to represent medicinal plants. He is often visualized or depicted surrounded by the other six tathāgatas with which he is associated, accompanied by the two bodhisattvas mentioned in [the Bhaisajyaguru sutra], and sometimes by the twelve great yakṣa generals also mentioned in the sutra. Practices dedicated to him often involve the recitation of the dhāraṇī included in the third text of the cycle, The Dhāraṇī of the Tathāgata Vaiḍūryaprabha (Toh 505), and of the homage and short mantra that compose the fourth, untitled text that we have numbered Toh 505a.[3]

Bhaiṣajyaguru is also central to the Four Medical Tantras, which are the basis of Tibetan medicine, and to many sadhanas of healing.[4]

Name variations

  • Bhaiṣajyaguru (T. sman bla / sangs rgyas sman bla སངས་རྒྱས་སྨན་བླ་; C. Yaoshi rulai; J. Yakushi nyorai; K. Yaksa yŏrae 藥師如來). “Healing Buddha,” etc.[1]
  • Bhaiṣajyaguru vaiḍūrya prabha (T. sman gyi lha bai DUr+ya’i ’od སྨན་གྱི་ལྷ་བཻ་ཌཱུརྱའི་འོད།; C. 藥師如來琉璃光)[3][5]

Aspirations of Bhaiṣajyaguru

Summary

The Dharmachakra Translation Committee states:

The aspirations of Bhaiṣajya­guru­vaiḍūrya­prabha center on bringing benefit to others. The Bhaisajyaguru sutra relays that, first and foremost, Bhaiṣajya­guru­vaiḍūrya­prabha seeks to elevate all beings to the same level of realization that he has achieved, and to illuminate the world with light capable of dispelling the darkness that hinders spiritual progress. He aims to use his wisdom and skillful means to bring immeasurable wealth to beings, and to steer them away from mistaken paths, thus leading them to the Mahāyāna and ensuring their ability to practice pure conduct and discipline. He aspires also to cure beings of any ailments they may face, including the diseases that may afflict them, promising good health so they can devote themselves to spiritual practice. In short, he aims to assist all beings facing unfortunate circumstances by freeing them from ailments, ultimately leading them to liberation from the cycle of birth and death.[3]

Twelve aspirations of Bhaiṣajyaguru

As recorded in the Bhaisajyaguru sutra, Bhaisajyaguru made twelve great aspirations for benefiting beings.

Khenchen Palden Sherab and Khenpo Tsewang Dongyal state:

At some point in the process of becoming a buddha, a bodhisattva will define the avenues by which he or she will most directly and effectively benefit sentient beings. [...]
While still a bodhisattva, the Medicine Buddha likewise proclaimed a set of twelve aspirations that defined the specific ways in which he sought to benefit beings. He announced them to the infinite field of buddhas and bodhisattvas throughout space. [...]
Declaring a series of twelve vows, he described the bodhichitta practices that would shape the course of his journey through the ten bhumis of the bodhisattva path. He chose these attributes to be the objects of his prayers and practices. Ultimately, the Medicine Buddha’s commitments have the force of truth. They are a distillation of his bodhisattva path. We can have full confidence in them.
The Twelve Aspirations of the Medicine Buddha are:
1. In my pure land, may all beings exhibit the 32 major marks and the 80 minor marks of a buddha. If this does not come to pass, may I not reach enlightenment.
2. May all sentient beings born in my pure land radiate glowing light – a light that dispels all dwelling in dark-ness. If this does not come to pass, may I not reach enlightenment.
3. Whoever is born in that pure land, may they always enjoy material abundance and be free of all worldly concerns. If this does not come to pass, may I not reach enlightenment.
4. May the beings in that pure land possess a stable vision of the pure view. If this does not come to pass, may I not reach enlightenment.
5. May those born in my pure land pay utmost attention to the purity of their conduct. May the results of negative karma due to previous actions be deferred to the time of most benefit to spiritual growth. If this does not come to pass, may I not reach enlightenment.
6. May they all emanate health and growth in body and mind. May they be relieved of any discomfort or disorder that hinders spiritual growth. If this does not come to pass, may I not reach enlightenment.
7. May my name become a mantra that heals all ailments. May the sound of my name and the image of my nirmanakaya be a balm that eases all pain. May the sound of my name or visualization of my image cure physical troubles and sickness. If this does not come to pass, may I not reach enlightenment.
8. May those who wish to change gender have that wish be fulfilled. May that choice lead directly to enlightenment. If this does not come to pass, may I not reach enlightenment.[6]
9. May those who hold wrong views or beliefs regarding dharma immediately develop right view when they hear my name. As a result, may they engage in bodhisattva activities. If this does not come to pass, may I not reach enlightenment.
10. May those who live in fear and are easily controlled, who feel threatened with incarceration and punishment, leave behind their fears of catastrophe. If this does not come to pass, may I not reach enlightenment.
11. May those whose subsistence has depended on predation and the killing of other beings have all their material needs met upon hearing my name. May their freedom result in the recognition of their innate bodhisattva nature. If this does not come to pass, may I not reach enlightenment.
12. Upon hearing my name, may those who suffer from any kind of hunger, thirst, or cold have all their needs provided for. May their food, drink, and clothing free them from mundane concerns so that they may begin to benefit others. If this does not come to pass, may I not reach enlightenment.
After the great Medicine Buddha made these bodhisattva vows, he kept these promises throughout all his lifetimes as a bodhisattva. When we practice the Medicine Buddha, we should remember these commitments and aspire to do the same, for the sake of all living beings. If we do this with love, compassion, and bodhichitta, it will benefit us and all other living beings.[2]

Key texts

Key texts on Bhaiṣajyaguru from the Tibetan Kangyur include:

Notes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Buswell & Lopez 2014, s.v. Bhaiṣajyaguru.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Twelve Aspirations of Medicine Buddha, padmasambhava.org
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 The Detailed Account of the Previous Aspirations of the Blessed Bhaiṣajya­guru­vaiḍūrya­prabha, 84000 Collection
  4. ↑ Buddha of Medicine, Rigpa Shedra Wiki
  5. ↑ 藥師如來, Digital Dictionary of Buddhism (to sign in, see DDB sign-in)
  6. ↑ A more literal translation of this aspiration from Bhaisajyaguru sutra will state "may woman who wish to transform into men be able to do so." However, according to Khenpo Tsewang Dongyal, in ancient India, the reason for a woman to wish to transform into a man is that men had more opportunity to practice the dharma. In modern times, it is more appropriate to understand this aspiration to apply to anyone who wishes to change their gender.

Sources

Further reading

Print publications:

  • Lama Zopa Rinpoche, Ultimate Healing, Wisdom Publications
  • Thrangu Rinpoche, Medicine Buddha Teachings, Snow Lion Publications

Web publications:

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