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.