Medicine Buddha is one of the many buddhas who have attained the state of perfect enlightenment for the benefit of all sentient beings. His right hand, in the mudra of granting sublime realisations, holds an arura plant. His left hand, in the mudra of meditative equipoise, holds a lapis lazuli bowl filled with medicinal nectar. The deep blue colour of Medicine Buddha's holy body signifies his omniscient wisdom and compassion as vast as infinite space. Medicine Buddha Mandala

We are living in the age of the five degenerations (mind, life span, sentient beings, time and view). The reason that the Medicine Buddha puja is so powerful for bringing success is that in the past when the Medicine Buddhas were bodhisattvas, they made many extensive vows and promised to actualise the prayers of sentient beings of the degenerate age.

We can also recite the Medicine Buddha mantra to remove obstacles in our daily lives, to help others overcome their problems, to settle disputes, to stop epidemics, and to purify the obscurations of those who have passed away. By praying with faith from our hearts to Medicine Buddha, we will be able to accomplish all of our wishes and the welfare of others.

The practice of Medicine Buddha puja is exceptionally powerful, especially when it is done with beautifully arranged extensive offerings. We accumulate inconceivable merits from reciting the Medicine Buddha mantra. It is beneficial to recite these prayers for healing, purification and success. In the future, you will:
 

	Successfully accomplish all your goals
	Help others recover from their illnesses
	Enjoy radiant health
	Be endowed with good qualities
	Complete the accumulation of both merit and wisdom
	Quickly attain enlightenment

Manjushri requested the eight tathagatas (Shakyamuni Buddha and seven Medicine Buddhas) to reveal a special mantra that would fulfil the happiness of sentient beings by pacifying their afflictions, especially for those sentient beings born in the degenerate age who have little merit and are tormented by conflicts, natural disasters and contagious diseases. In response to Manjushri’s request, the eight tathagatas, in one voice, bestowed the Medicine Buddha mantra.

TADYATHA OM BHEKHANDZE BHEKHANDZE MAHA BHEKHANDZE RADZA SAMUDGATE SVAHA means:

"I prostrate to Medicine Buddha, Great Physician, King of Physicians, radiating lapis lazuli light."

TADYATHA means "it is thus, like this", as illustrated by the words of the mantra.

OM signifies the enlightened qualities of Medicine Buddha’s holy body, speech and mind.

The first BEKHANDZE means the medicine that eliminates the sufferings of the lower realms. This refers to the path of the person of small capacity. The aspiration is to avoid sufferings in the lower realms and to seek good rebirths in future lives. The main practice is upholding the ethical discipline of refraining from the ten non-virtues. This practice is undertaken on the basis of having faith of conviction in the laws of karma.

The second BEKHANDZE means the medicine that eliminates the gross defilements: the afflictions and their seeds (obstructions to liberation). This refers to the path of the person of medium capacity. The aspiration is to seek liberation from cyclic existence. The main practice is the three higher trainings of ethics, concentration and wisdom. This practice is undertaken on the basis of renunciation.

MAHA BEKHANDZE means the medicine that eliminates the subtle defilements: the imprints of afflictions (obstructions to omniscience). This refers to the path of the person of great capacity. The aspiration is to seek complete enlightenment for the benefit of all sentient beings. The main practice is engaging in the six perfections of generosity, ethics, patience, joyous perseverance, meditative concentration and wisdom. This practice is undertaken on the basis of bodhicitta.

The path to full enlightenment is contained in BHEKHANDZE BHEKHANDZE MAHA BHEKHANDZE.

RADZA means king. Buddha is also known as King of Physicians because he showed the path that thoroughly pacifies the afflictions of sentient beings.

SAMUDGATE means one who has gone beyond the ocean of samsaric sufferings, perfectly awakened into the state of complete enlightenment, having eliminated the two types of obstructions: obstructions to liberation and obstructions to omniscience.

SVAHA means "May the blessings that are contained in the mantra, BHEKHANDZE BHEKHANDZE MAHA BHEKHANDZE, take root in our hearts." If we want to attain enlightenment, we must first plant the root of the complete path to enlightenment that is contained in the mantra, BHEKHANDZE BHEKHANDZE MAHA BHEKHANDZE, in our hearts. We pray with total faith from the depths of our hearts to Medicine Buddha. Through the blessings of Medicine Buddha entering our hearts, we are able to generate the complete path to enlightenment. By realising the true path – the union of wisdom and method - in our minds, our impure body, speech and mind are purified and transformed into Medicine Buddha's holy body, speech and mind.

Credit: Thangka of Medicine Buddha is painted by Peter Iseli.

Adapted from Lama Zopa Rinpoche's teachings at Land of Medicine Buddha in Jul 2001. Courtesy of Land of Medicine Buddha Website.
 

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