Medicine Buddha

Who he is

The Medicine Buddha's full name is "Medicine Master, the Tathagata of Lapis Lazuli Light." In Sanskrit he is Bhaiṣajyaguru; in Tibetan he is called Sangye Menla. He is the Buddha of the Pure Lapis Lazuli world in the east.

Tibetan medicine honors the Medicine Buddha as the source of medicine. He is enshrined in Tibetan medical schools and hospitals.

What he does

He heals two kinds of illness: illness of the body, and illness of the mind. Buddhism holds that greed, anger, and ignorance are the deepest root of all illness and suffering. These three "poisons of the mind" are exactly what the Medicine Buddha counters.

What people pray to him for

Traditionally, people pray to the Medicine Buddha for:

• Recovery from illness and good health
• Blessings for family members who are sick
• For doctors and nurses, growing skill in medicine, so as to help more patients
• Enough food and clothing, and freedom from hardship

Mantra

TADYATHĀ OṂ BHAIṢAJYE BHAIṢAJYE MAHĀBHAIṢAJYE RĀJA SAMUDGATE SVĀHĀ

It is openly taught; anyone may recite it. Reciting the mantra is a prayer. When you are sick, you still need to see a doctor and take your medicine on time.

Story: The twelve great vows

The Medicine Buddha Sutra says that while the Medicine Buddha was still practicing, he made twelve great vows. These vows are very concrete:

May all whose bodies are impaired be made whole. May those who have fallen ill, with no doctor and no medicine, get well upon hearing my name. May the hungry first be given their fill, and then be given the Dharma. May those with no clothes to wear receive clothing.

So what marks the Medicine Buddha is "dealing first with the suffering at hand." He does not ask people to become saints first. He first lets them eat their fill, recover from illness, and feel at ease.

How to recognize him

• Deep blue body, the color of lapis lazuli, in monk's robes
• Right hand open and turned downward, holding a sprig of a medicinal plant (myrobalan)
• Left hand in the lap holding an alms bowl filled with nectar medicine
• Often appears in a group of seven, called the "Seven Medicine Buddhas"; with Shakyamuni Buddha added there are eight, called the "Eight Medicine Buddhas"