Medicine Buddha Sadhana
by Thubten Gyatso

Take Refuge and Generate Bodhicitta (three times)

    To the Buddha, the Dharma and the sublime community, I go for refuge until I am enlightened. From the virtuous merits I collect by practicing giving and other perfections, may I quickly attain buddhahood in order to lead each and every sentient being into that unsurpassable state.

The Four Immeasurables

    May all sentient beings have happiness and the causes of happiness.
    May all sentient beings be free from suffering and the causes of suffering.
    May all sentient beings never be separated from the happiness which is without suffering.
    May all sentient beings abide in equanimity, free from both attachment and hatred, holding some close and others distant.

Cultivation of Special Bodhicitta

    Especially for the benefit of all sentient beings, I will quickly, very quickly, attain the precious state of perfect and complete buddhahood. For this reason, I will practice the yoga method of guru Medicine Buddha.

Seven-Limbed Prayer

    I prostrate to the Guru Medicine Buddha.
    Each and every offering, including those actually performed and those mentally-transformed, I present to you.
    I confess all non-virtuous actions accumulated since beginningless time.
    I rejoice in the virtues of both ordinary and noble beings.
    As our guide, I request you, O Buddha, to turn the wheel of Dharma until samsara ends.
    All virtues, both my own and those of others, I dedicate to the ripening of the two Bodhicittas and the attainment of Buddhahood for the sake of sentient beings.

Mandala Offering/Prayer of Request

    I beseech you, Bhagawan Medicine Guru, whose sky-colored, holy body of lapis lazuli signifies your omniscient wisdom and compassion as vast as limitless space, please grant me your blessings.

    I beseech you, compassionate Medicine Guru, holding in your right hand the king of medicines, symbolizing your vow to help all pitiful sentient beings plagued by the four hundred and twenty-four diseases, please grant me your blessings.

    I beseech you, compassionate Medicine Guru, holding in your left hand a bowl of nectar, symbolizing your vow to give the glorious undying nectar--of the Dharma--which eliminates the degenerations of old age, sickness and death, please grant me your blessings.

Visualization

Medicine BuddhaIn the space in front of you is the divine form of Guru Medicine Buddha. He is seated on a lotus and moon cushion. His body is in the nature of deep blue light, the color of lapis lazuli. He is very serene and adorned with silk robes and magnificent jewel ornaments.

Guru Medicine Buddha's right hand rests on his right knee, palm outward in the gesture of giving realizations. His left hand rests in his lap, holding a nectar bowl of medicine that cures all ills, hindrances and obstacles.

Above the crown of Guru Medicine Buddha is a wish-granting jewel, the essence of which is Guru. Above that is Buddha Ngon.Kyen. Gyal.Po, whose body is red-colored, his right hand in the mudra of bestowing sublime realizations and his left hand in the mudra of concentration.

Above him is Buddha Cho.Drag Gya.Tso Yang, with a yellow-colored body and hands in the same mudra.

Above him is Buddha Nya.Ngam Mi.Cho.Pa, light red in color and both hands in the mudra of concentration.

Above him is Buddha Ser.Zang Dri.Me, pale yellow in color, his right hand in the mudra of expounding the Dharma and his left hand in the mudra of concentration.

Above him is the Buddha Rin.Chen Da.Wa Dang Pai.Ma Rab.Tu Gyan.Pa Zi.Ji Dra.Yang Gyi Gyal.Po, reddish-yellow in color and hands in the same mudra.

Above him is Buddha Tsan.Leg Yang.Drag, yellow in color and hands in the same mudra.

Requests to the Medicine Buddhas (Repeat each verse seven times.

After the seventh recitation, as you repeat "May your vow...," the Medicine Buddha to whom the request is made absorbs into the one below, until the single divine form of Medicine Buddha remains for the final request.)

    The fully realized destroyer of all defilements, fully completed Buddha, having fully realized the absolute truth of all phenomena, Buddha Tsan.Leg Yang.Drag, to you I prostrate and go for refuge, to you I make offerings.

    May your vow to benefit all sentient beings now ripen for myself and others.

    The fully realized destroyer of all defilements, fully completed Buddha, having fully realized the absolute truth of all phenomena, Buddha Rin.Chen Da.Wa Dang Pai.Ma Rab.Tu Gyan.Pa Kya.Pa Zi.Ji Dra.Yang Gyi Gyal.Po.La, to you I prostrate and go for refuge, to you I make offerings.

    May your vow to benefit all sentient beings now ripen for myself and others.

    The fully realized destroyer of all defilements, fully completed Buddha, having fully realized the absolute truth of all phenomena, Buddha Ser.Zang Dri.Me.La, to you I prostrate and go for refuge, to you I make offerings.

    May your vow to benefit all sentient beings now ripen for myself and others.

    The fully realized destroyer of all defilements, fully completed Buddha, having fully realized the absolute truth of all phenomena, Buddha Nya.Ngan Mi.Chog.Pa.La, to you I prostrate and go for refuge, to you I make offerings.

    May your vow to benefit all sentient beings now ripen for myself and others.

    The fully realized destroyer of all defilements, fully completed Buddha, having fully realized the absolute truth of all phenomena, Buddha Cho.Drag Gya.Tso Yang.La, to you I prostrate and go for refuge, to you I make offerings.

    May your vow to benefit all sentient beings now ripen for myself and others.

    The fully realized destroyer of all defilements, fully completed Buddha, having fully realized the absolute truth of all phenomena, Buddha Ngon.Kyen Gyal.Po.La, to you I prostrate and go for refuge, to you I make offerings.

    May your vow to benefit all sentient beings now ripen for myself and others.

    The fully realized destroyer of all defilements, fully completed Buddha, having fully realized the absolute truth of all phenomena, Buddha Man.Gyi.La Bendurya O.Gyi Gyal.Po.La, to you I prostrate and go for refuge, to you I make offerings.

    May your vow to benefit all sentient beings now ripen for myself and others.

Visualization

Granting your request, from the heart and holy body of the King of Medicine, infinite rays of light pour down completely filling your body from head to toe. They purify all your diseases and afflictions due to spirits and their causes, all your negative karma and mental obscurations. In the nature of light,your body becomes clean and clear as crystal.

The light rays pour down twice more, each time filling your body with blissful clean-clear light which you absorb.

At the heart of Medicine Buddha appears a lotus and moon disc. Standing at the center of the moon disc, is the blue seed-syllable OM surrounded by the syllables of the mantra. As you recite the mantra, visualize rays of light radiating out in all directions from the syllables at his heart. The light rays pervade the sentient beings of the six realms. Through your great love wishing them to have happiness and, through your great compassion wishing them to be free from all sufferings, they are purified of all diseases, afflictions due to spirits and their causes, all their negative karma and mental obscurations.

Recitation of the Mantra

      om namo bhagawate bhekandzyai - guru bendurya prabha randzaya - tatagataya - arhate - samyaksam buddhaya - tayata om bhekandzyai bhekandzyai - maha bhekandzyai bhekandzyai - randza samungate soha

Short Mantra

      tatagataya - arhate - samyaksam buddhaya - tayata om bhekandzyai bhekandzyai - maha bhekandzyai bhekandzyai - randza samungate soha

Feel Great Joy and Think

    All sentient beings are transformed into the aspect of the Medicine Buddha Guru. How wonderful that I am now able to lead all sentient beings into the Medicine Buddha's Enlightenment.

Simplified Visualization

Visualize the Medicine Buddha Guru above the crown of your head and make the following request seven times, followed by the mantra recitation and visualization.

    The fully realized destroyer of all defilements, fully completed Buddha, having fully realized the absolute truth of all phenomena, Buddha Man.Gyi.La Bendurya O.Gyi.Gyal.Po.La, to you I prostrate and go for refuge, to you I make offerings.

    May your vow to benefit all sentient beings now ripen for myself and others.

Mantra Recitation and Visualization for Simplified Visualization

Purifying rays of light pour down from the Guru Medicine Buddha's heart and holy body eliminating your sicknesses and afflictions due to spirits and their causes, all your negative karma and mental obscurations.

Your body is completely filled with light and becomes clean-clear like crystal. Then the rays radiate out in all directions, purifying the sicknesses and afflictions of all mother sentient beings.

The Guru Medicine Buddha melts into light and absorbs into your heart.

Dedication

    Due to these merits, may I complete the ocean-like actions of the sons of the Victorious Ones. May I become the holy savior, refuge and helper for the sentient beings who have repeatedly been kind to me in past lives.

    By the virtues received from attempting this practice, may all living beings who see, hear, touch or remember me--even those who say my name--at that moment be released from their miseries and experience happiness forever.

    As all sentient beings, infinite as space, are encompassed by the Guru Medicine Buddha's compassion, may I also become the guide of sentient beings existing throughout all ten directions of the universe.

    Because of these virtues, may I quickly become Guru Medicine Buddha and lead each and every sentient being into his enlightened realm.

Colophon: This meditation was presented to Osel Shen Phen Ling by Ven. Geshe Khenrab Gajam when he conferred the Medicine Buddha Tantric Initiation in Missoula, Montana, USA in June, 1990.

Return to Prayers and Practices

Return to Osel Shen Phen Ling

FPMT | Gallery | Teachers & Pictures
Suggested Reading | Links | Teachings | Schedule & Projects
Feedback to our Webmaster