Medicine Master Sutra SYH
Medicine Master Sutra SYH
Master YongHua
Contents
Sutra Preface ............................................................ 38
Proper Text ............................................................. 62
Propagation section ............................................. 297
AD 960-
PratyekaBuddha
12
. Medicine
Also,
(The
. It is thus
inconceivable.
Vaidurya: one of the seven jewels. It is translucent. It is
pure and lustrous inside and out, symbolizing the thorough
knowledge of medicinal herbs. Medicine Master Buddha
is the Great Physician: his healing power is unparallel.
Past: past vows refer to the vows that Medicine Master
Buddha made when he was practicing the Bodhisattva
path. All 12 of them are not apart from the four vast
vows:
1. From the Suffering Truth perspective: vow to cross
over the limitless living beings.
2. From the perspective of the Truth of Accumulation:
vow to sever the limitless afflictions.
13
Ill give an
as well as ignorance .
Because the three contemplations are accomplished
within the same mind and the three obstructions
can be simultaneously severed, its called deep and
profound .
Mahayana has many Dharma Doors to eradicate
27
.
Question: It is said that to recite one Buddhas
name is to recite all the Buddhas names. Then the
vows and practices of the Buddhas have what
distinctions?
Answer: To recite one Buddhas name is to recite
all the Buddhas names because we are reciting the
Buddhas Dharma Body which they all share.
28
30
31
as
33
37
Sutra Preface
Sutra:
Thus I have heard. At one time the Bhagavan
was traveling through various lands to teach and
transform living beings. He arrived at Vaisali
["City of Extensive Adornments"] and stayed
beneath a tree from which music resounded.
With him was an assembly of eight thousand
great
Bhikshus
and
thirty-six
thousand
Bodhisattvas Mahasattvas; also kings, ministers,
Brahmans, lay disciples; gods, dragons, and the
rest of the eightfold division; beings both human
and non-human.
The immeasurable great
multitude respectfully surrounded him, and he
spoke Dharma for them.
Commentary:
In the Jin
III.
Adorned
(not deviant and
adorned with 32 hallmarks),
IV.
Resplendent
wisdom light),
V.
VI.
(refers to his
City of Extensive
: His external
3. Destroyer of evil
going
toward
45
the
Buddhas
sun/wisdom brilliance.
Bhikshus strive to be good fields of blessings.
Although they take on the appearance of beggars,
they are not real beggars. They are not greedy for
good food or fine clothing. They do not get afflicted
at all whether they receive a lot of offerings or none,
always keeping the mind of equanimity. If they
reach this level, then they can become a superior
field of blessings for the faithful.
There are three kinds of fields of blessings:
1. Repaying kindness field of blessings,
2. Merit and virtues field of blessings,
3. The poor and destitute.
The Buddha is replete with the first two. So is the
Dharma. The Sangha is replete with all three.
Great: has three meanings:
1. Great
men
Sutra:
At that time, the Dharma Prince Manjusri,
receiving the awesome inspiration of the Buddha,
rose from his seat, bared one of his shoulders,
knelt on his right knee, bowed his back, put his
palms together and said to the Bhagavan, "World
49
the
Wisdom virtue .
Receiving the awesome inspiration of the Buddha.
He respectfully received the awesome spiritual
power of the Buddhas of the ten directions and rose
from his seat.
This is an indication of his status in the Assembly.
Because of his stature, he gets a seat whereas beings
of lower stature such as gods and ghosts must stand.
He bared one of his shoulders, knelt on his right
knee, bowed his back, put his palms together and
said to the Bhagavan-the World Honored One.
This represents respect in both body and mind and
the purity of the three karmas.
When the three karmas are purified, there will be a
response!
A few years ago, I was invited to San Jose to teach
Chan and explain sutras. I decided to explain the
Bequeathed Teachings sutra, a rather short sutra that
few people bother to explain because the principles
appear to be so obvious. Since the audience was
primarily made up of the local Vietnamese, I spoke
in Vietnamese with the occasional English
51
The
paths
3. Unmoving karma
the mud.
sentient beings: are replete with the six organs
which are the six emotional roots
58
(so called
and
To Listen:
needs six marks and five minds.
Listening requires being apart from the defilements
of arrogance, slighting and fear; and not slighting
oneself!
The six marks are to:
1. Listen in a timely fashion
.
2. Being single-minded .
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61
Proper Text
Sutra:
The Buddha told Manjusri, "Passing from here to
the east, beyond Buddhalands numerous as the
sand grains in ten Ganges rivers, is a world called
'Pure Vaidurya.' The Buddha there is named
Medicine Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata, One
of Proper and Equal Enlightenment, One Perfect
in Understanding and Practice, Well Gone One,
One Who Understands the World, Unsurpassed
Knight, Regulating and Subduing Hero, Teacher
of Gods and Humans, Buddha, Bhagavan.
Manjusri, when that World Honored One,
Medicine Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata, was
practicing the Bodhisattva path, he made twelve
great vows that enable all sentient beings to
obtain what they seek."
Commentary:
The Buddha told Manjusri, "Passing from here
to the east, beyond Buddhalands numerous as the
sand grains in ten Ganges rivers, is a world called
'Pure Vaidurya.'
If you start from our Saha world and go east (this
direction is the leader of movement; in movement
there is also stillness), passing over Buddhalands as
many as the number of sand grains in ten Ganges
rivers, there is a Buddhaland called the Pure
Vaidurya. This is a Pure land.
There are four general types of Pure Lands:
62
:
Commoners have not yet ended view
and thought delusions;
Sages refer 1st to 3rd stage Arhats.
They cohabit without distinction.
There are god and human realms.
There are no other four evil paths.
Even the externalists and heavenly
demons all have entered proper
samadhis instead of deviant samadhis.
2. Expedients with Residues :
Those who have ended view and
thought delusions can be born here.
But they have not yet ended delusions
like motes of dusts
: This
Thus
.
Come : manifesting a response by becoming
the
Buddha;
symbolizing
fundamental
enlightenment .
:
Accepts offerings: I) from the humans and
gods; II) humans and gods should make
offerings to him; III) even though He ended
birth and death but still manifests birth and
death in order to rescue living beings.
Proper: non deviant, not like ordinary people.
Equal Enlightenment: no discrimination of
high or low, pure or defiled, large or small,
more or less.
3) One Perfect in Understanding and Practice
:
(Maha-Nirvana sutra) Understanding is
Anuttara-Samyak-Sambodhi:
the
Buddha
fruition. Practice perfected: refers to precepts,
65
: the
attainment
Sambodhi:
Equal,
referring
enlightenment of the Bodhisattvas.
to
the
8.
.
10. The male organ is hidden , retracted inside
the body.
11. The body is tall and broad .
12. The hair pores are blue .
13. The hair on the body and head curl upwards
.
14. The body is a golden color .
15. The body emits light .
16. The skin is soft and smooth: .
17. The seven places are flat and full
(awesome and
adorned).
20. The body is upright and proper .
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.
29. His eyes are blue
and beautiful.
: This is represented as a
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Sutra:
"The second great vow: 'I vow that in a future life
when I attain Bodhi, my body will be as bright
and clear as vaidurya, flawlessly pure, vastly
radiant, majestic with merit and virtue, abiding
at ease, adorned with blazing nets brighter than
the sun and the moon.
Beings dwelling in
darkness will be illuminated and will succeed in
all their endeavors.'"
Commentary:
The second great vow: "I vow that in a future life
when I attain Bodhi, my body will be as bright
and clear as vaidurya, flawlessly pure, vastly
radiant, majestic with merit and virtue, abiding
at ease, adorned with blazing nets brighter than
the sun and the moon.
The first vow refers to the body characteristics
common to all Buddhas. The second vow further
describes characteristics special to Medicine Master
Buddhas transformation body.
His body is as clear and transparent as vaidurya, free
of blemishes and defilements. It shines with great
brilliance. It will have a commanding appearance,
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and impurities.
3. Bliss giving
bliss.
: it can subdue
seeks.
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: superior, wonderful
Commentary:
"The eighth great vow: 'I vow that in a future life
when I attain Bodhi
Why would women want to become men? Don't
think that Buddhism looks down on women. In the
Medicine Master Buddhas Pure Land, there are no
men or women because living beings are born by
transformation, rather than from the mothers womb.
Since there is no childbirth and no need for the
difficulties of menstration, all beings born there
have male features.
Without mixing men and women, we are spared
from significant problems: sexual desire between
men and women can be overpowering. In this day
and age, there are all sorts of strange problems.
Demons and ghosts take advantage of the lust
between men and women and stir up trouble.
if there are women who give rise to a deep
loathing for their female body and wish to
renounce it
If they have had enough with the problems
associated with a female body... From what I hear,
in this day and age, women constantly feel preyed on
by men. Even older women can be abused by
younger men. If such women are fed up, they may
wish to renounce their female body.
because they are oppressed and disturbed by the
myriad kinds of suffering of being female,
Women are oppressed day and night by the excessive
suffering and hardships of being female.
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Sutra:
"The ninth great vow: 'I vow that in a future life
when I attain Bodhi, I shall liberate sentient
beings from the nets of demons and the bonds of
external sects. If they have fallen into the dense
forests of evil views, I shall lead them and gather
them in, causing them to have proper views and
to
gradually
cultivate
the
practices
of
Bodhisattvas so they will quickly realize
unsurpassed, proper and equal Bodhi.'"
Commentary:
The ninth great vow is concerned with destroying
the nets of demons and gaining liberation from the
dense forests of the evil views of externalists.
Medicine Master Buddha said: "I vow that in a
future life when I attain Bodhi, I shall free
sentient beings from the nets of demons. Right
now people are mired in the demons nets without
realizing it. Their nets are not easy to disentangle.
How can we escape the nets of demons? Demons
use their tricks to lead people to believe in wrong
views and do stupid things. However, if we rely on
the power of Medicine Master Buddha's vow, it
becomes very easy to escape the demons' nets.
Demons are of four types:
1. Affliction demons: 62 views, 5 dull servants,
108 afflictions, 84,000 dusts
2. Skandha demons: of form, feeling, thought,
formation and consciousness.
Those who
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sentences:
1. Flogging .
2. Imprisonment .
3. Exile .
4. Hanging .
5. Decapitation .
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.
The
first
part
emphasizes
etiquette
and
righteousness. This is to have class. The European
royalties send their children to finishing school to
build their pedigree. Our young generation neglects
this. They only want to get a degree and make a lot
of money. They fail to become quality human
beings.
The second part of the saying is also interesting. It
reminds us that even if our overflowing wealth is
obtained cleanly, we should remain humble. We
should be ashamed of our mistakes and try to
change and improve in spite of our wealth and
status.
There are four kinds of food:
1. Portion
. As to the gods in
the Form Realm: they rely on setting their
eyes on the wonderful and subtle forms and
shapes to sustain life.
4. Consciousness . Unlike the thought
kind which relies on the 6 th and 7th
consciousnesses, this relies on the 8 th. In
other words, to be conscious of food makes
one full. For example, this is how the Buddha
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Our
kalpas. A small
vigor
2. Silver
faith
3. Vaidurya
, is unobstructed; symbolizing
4. Crystal
erudition ,
5. Mother of pearl
wisdom ,
7. Agate
symbolizing precepts .
This is the dependent retribution for practicing the
10,000 virtues.
The merit, virtue, and adornments of this land
are identical to those of the Western Land of
Ultimate Bliss.
Their adornments are equivalent. There is a saying:
"Akshobya in the East, Amitabha in the West."
Akshobya (Medicine Master) Buddha, the teaching
host of the Vaidurya Land, leads the Vajra Division.
Amitabha Buddha, the host of the Land of Ultimate
Bliss, leads the Lotus Division. We can take our
pick for rebirth to their lands.
Sutra:
"Residing in that land are two Bodhisattvas
Mahasattvas; the first is called Universally
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; symbolizes
All Wisdom .
Moonlight, sometimes is full, sometimes is not; use
the provisional wisdom to illuminate the mundane
phenomena to eradicate living beings afflictions
enabling living beings to leisurely roam the cool and
refreshing ocean; contains liberation principles
, Moonlight
Radiance .
These two Bodhisattvas used to be princes.
They are able to maintain the Jeweled Treasury
of the Proper Dharma of the World Honored
One,
Medicine
Master
Vaidurya
Light
Tathagata.
After these two Bodhisattvas become Buddhas, they
will continue to honor the vows made by Medicine
Master Buddha, adorning themselves with that
Buddha's merit, virtue, and adornments, using his
methods to teach beings. They will receive and
uphold Medicine Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata's
vows and practices, thereby maintaining the Jeweled
Treasury of the Proper Dharma. All pure, refined
and wonderful merit and virtues flow forth from the
Proper Dharma. The Proper Dharma also contains
limitless Dharma Doors that can destroy deviancy.
The Proper Dharma is also called Jeweled Treasury
because it contains countless Dharma gems that can
help living beings accrue limitless merit and virtues:
its a true treasure trove.
The Buddha nature is the five kinds of Treasure
:
1. Thus Come One Treasury
2. Proper Dharma Treasury
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: practicing good in
this life.
This adjective refers to practice
avoid famine
2. Complexion . Why? When you are
hungry, you certainly dont look happy!
When youre hungry and are offered food, you
look happier and the giver also looks good.
3. Stamina and strength
4. Peace and joy
5. Eloquence can persuade living beings to
obtain what they seek.
They are stupid, ignorant, and lack the root of
faith.
Ignorant people are those who have never heard the
principles of cause, effect, and retribution. Those
who lack faith and wisdom are skeptical when they
hear the Proper Dharma. They do not have the
Dharma-selecting eyei.e. the wisdom to select the
proper course of action.
They accumulate much wealth, they are solely
preoccupied with hoarding wealth, assets,
and
many treasures, and ardently guard day and night
and protect them.
When they see a beggar coming, they feel
displeased. They feel so threatened! When they
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cannot be seen.
2. Middle : in the mountains or forests.
3. Light : as domesticated animals.
If they could understand that the body and wealth are
illusions, and that the nature of greed is
fundamentally empty , then the hungry
ghosts and animals would immediately obtain
liberation.
141
Sutra:
If they heard the name of that Buddha, Medicine
Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata, in their
former human existence, and they recall that
Tathagata's name for the briefest moment while
they are in the evil destinies, they will
immediately be reborn in the human realm.
Moreover, they will remember their past lives
and will dread the suffering of the evil destinies.
They will not delight in desires and pleasures, but
will rejoice in giving and praise others who give.
They will not begrudge giving whatever they
have. Gradually, to those who come to beg, they
will be able to give away their own head, eyes,
hands, feet, and even their entire body, to say
nothing of their money and property!"
Commentary:
If they heard the name of that Buddha, Medicine
Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata, in their
former human existence, and they recall that
Tathagata's name for the briefest moment while
they are in the evil destinies, they will
immediately be reborn in the human realm. As
humans, they might have heard someone reciting the
name of Medicine Master Buddha. If they remember
that Buddha's name while they are in the three evil
paths, they will be reborn in the human realm.
Moreover, they will remember their past lives.
Having the knowledge of past lives, they will dread
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In particular, we need to
educate our children properly. Unfortunately,
in the modern times, people are more
interested in acquiring skills and knowledge in
order to compete against others and make
more money.
Consequently, they neglect
building their foundation and end up quite
unhappy and bitter.
2. Transcendental: To believe in Emptiness,
Bodhi, Nirvana, the Middle Way etc
Others, although they do not destroy their own
proper views, nonetheless neglect learning. They
are lazy when it comes to studying the Dharma.
They feel that its a waste time or it is rather
unproductive to study the Sutras, so they are unable
to understand the profound meaning of the
Sutras that the Buddha speaks. They have no wish
to comprehend the truths in the Sutras, which "tally
with the principles of the Buddhas above and the
potentials of living beings below." In order to be
able to reach the depths, one must invest a lot of
time to gain erudition .
Others, although they are learned, nonetheless
give rise to overweening pride.
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obstructions :
1. The obstruction from the accumulation of
greed and stinginess .
2. The obstruction from understanding but not
practicing .
3. The obstruction from jealousy and harming
others .
4. The obstruction from destroying others with
an angry mind .
5. The obstruction from retreating or falling each
time we change bodies .
6. The obstruction from sickness, suffering and
calamities .
There are three kinds of repentance:
1. Subduing karma repentance : As
described in the vinaya; subduing prevents the
creation of new similar offenses.
2. Turning karma repentance
: for
: an upper
Dharma
. At
vexation."
Commentary:
If such beings, in their former lives as humans,
heard the name of the World Honored One,
Medicine Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata, and
by this good cause-this good seed, are able to
remember it and sincerely take refuge with that
Buddha ... In this life they may once again think of
that Buddha's name and take refuge in him with
utmost sincerity.
Then, by means of the Buddha's awesome
spiritual power, by the spiritual power of his great
vows, they will be liberated from all suffering and
distress.
They will be endowed with keen
faculties. They will have excellent seeing, hearing,
and a highly developed sense of smell. They will
have discerning taste buds. They will have an acute
sense of touch, and will be very intelligent with good
memory.
And they will be wise and erudite, understanding
many principles. They will always seek the
supreme Dharmas. Not being satisfied with small
achievements, they will always strive to advance.
They won't grow weary and quit. And they will
always encounter good friends and good advisers
who will help them.
They will eternally sever the nets of demons. They
will be liberated from the demon king's retinue
forever, and will not be caught in their nets. And
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3. No sexual conduct .
4. No lying
.
8. No eating after noon .
The first seven are precepts, the eighth gives it the
name vegetarian: not eating after noon. They are
designed to shut eight types of offenses, avoiding
infractions. If you have not yet received the five
precepts, you can still can receive the Eight Precepts.
Those who have received the Five Precepts can
observe six or ten vegetarian days each month. That
is why the Eight Precepts are usually transmitted on
8th, 14th, 15th, 23rd, 29th , 30th (28th short month) days
of the lunar month.
Three months:
These are the first, fifth or ninth months of the lunar
calendar. These three months are also called long
vegetarian months
Commentary:
There are eight Great Bodhisattvas who will come to
welcome us at the end of our lives to the Eastern
Vaidurya Pure Land. They symbolize the eight great
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awakenings:
1. Manjusri Bodhisattva (symbolizing wisdom
awakening because he understands the Buddha
nature).
He is present at most Great
Assemblies and acts as the leader of all the
Bodhisattvas.
He is foremost in wisdom
amongst the Bodhisattvas.
He travels
throughout the Dharma Realm teaching living
beings to bring forth the Bodhi mind. He does
not teach Chan, Pure Land, tantras etc He
urges us to resolve for Bodhi because that is
the start of cultivation. Unless you resolve for
Bodhi,
your
cultivation
cannot
be
accomplished. If you can make that resolve,
then you will succeed in any form of
cultivation.
Question:
When we still revolve in the
reincarnation wheel, should we resolve for
Bodhi each lifetime?
Answer: Once is enough. However the more
often you make the resolve, the more seeds you
have to work with. Even though your faith is
pretty weak or you may be quite skeptical
about this Bodhi thing, it does not hurt to
make such a resolve. Even the lower grades
seeds will give us a chance.
Wisdom and Bodhi have what distinction?
Wisdom
has
three
kinds:
worldly,
transcendental and ultimate. Bodhi is the
ultimate wisdom. The Bodhisattvas wisdom
is not yet ultimate. The Arhats wisdom is
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Worldly
; he also
self-mastery.
He symbolizes Proper
mindfulness because he pities and is mindful
of the sick and suffering.
7. Medicine
Superior
Bodhisattva
(Bhaisajyasamudgata) specializes in giving
wonderful, superior, tasty medicine.
He
symbolizes contentment Awakening because
he helps living beings obtain proper
livelihood. Buddhist disciples should rely and
be in accord with the Proper Dharma, purify
their three karmas (body, mouth and mind),
and distance themselves from tantric skills,
divination and the five deviant kinds of
livelihood. They should rely and accord with
the Dharma in seeking the essentials of life:
food and drink, clothing, medicine and bed and
shelter.
8. Maitreya Bodhisattva symbolizes Chan
Samadhi awakening because he entered the
Consciousness Only Samadhi.
Maitreya
stands for the kind clan because since
he made the resolve for Bodhi, he never ate
meat. Amongst all the various Dharmas of
cultivation, He specialized on the dharma of
kindness and aids living beings to not sever
their Buddha seeds.
Those eight great Bodhisattvas, by means of their
spiritual powers, will appear in space before these
people at their time of death to show them the way,
leading them to rebirth in the Eastern Pure Land.
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And
they
will naturally be born by
transformation in that land, amid precious
flowers of a myriad colors.
That Pure Land has a profusion of colorful flowers:
green colored of green light, yellow colored of
yellow light, red colored of red light, and white
colored of white light. The eight great Bodhisattvas
will guide cultivators to the Eastern Vaidurya Land,
where they will be born purely and by
transformation.
Question:
To lessen desires would make us
invincible, to cultivate samadhi would also make us
invincible. What is the difference between the two?
Answer: The end result is the same; the paths are
different. Lessening desires involves identifying
desires and cutting them off. Cultivating samadhi
means to not allow your mind to move to the point
of non-production.
Question: The eight great Bodhisattvas symbolize
the eight different great Dharma Doors. Do we need
to cultivate them all?
Answer: Yes. However, we do not cultivate them all
at the same time. For example, you often hear
people proclaiming that they are Chan cultivators or
Pure Land specialists, some claim they are
practicing the Supreme Tantric Vehicle! None of
these people are practicing Mahayana.
True
Mahayana cultivators cultivate the 10,000 Dharma
Doors without any distinction. Even these great
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or disasters .
Wheel turning kings have the seven jewels:
1. Golden wheel jewel.
2. Elephant jewel.
3. Purple horse.
4. As-you-wish pearl.
5. Treasury spirit.
6. Jade woman: called pure wonderful virtue.
7. General jewel.
As wheel-turning sage kings, they are endowed with
awesome virtue and ease, bringing uncountable
hundreds of thousands of living beings to abide in
the practice of the ten good deeds. They influence
countless beings to practice the ten good deeds.
The three deeds involving the karma of the body are:
1. Not killing, which means not taking the life of
any creature;
2. Not stealing, which means not taking what has
not been given to one;
3. Not engaging in sexual misconduct, which
means not having improper sexual relations
with any man or woman.
The four deeds involving the karma of the mouth
are:
4. Not lying, which means always speaking
truthfully;
5. Not speaking harshly, which means not
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magnificent dharani:
Na mo bo qie fa di. Bi sha she. Ju lu bi liu li. Bo la
po. He la she ye. Da tuo jie duo ye. E la he di. San
miao san pu tuo ye. Da zhi tuo nan. Bi sha shi. Bi
sha shi. Bi sha she. San mo jie di. Suo he.
After he had spoken that mantra from amid the
light, the earth quaked and moved and emitted
great light. All beings' sicknesses and suffering
were cast off, and they felt peaceful and blissful.
Commentary:
At that time, the World Honored One, Medicine
Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata, entered a
samadhi called "extinguishing the suffering and
distress of all beings." After he entered this
samadhi, a great light came forth from his fleshcowl.
Samadhi is Sanskrit and means proper concentration
and proper reception. From the invisible appearance
on the crown of Medicine Master Buddha's head,
from his flesh-cowl, one of the 32 hallmarks, he
emitted a boundless light.
From amid that light he proclaimed this
magnificent dharani.
Wishing to save and protect all living beings and to
relieve them of sickness and suffering, he spoke the
mantra. Dharani is a Sanskrit word that means:
1. To uphold and maintain: can contain all merit
and virtues
2. To cover: can cover obstructions.
194
or
collide
with
under heaven
3. Equal universal movement
198
: of the
Sutra:
"Manjusri, if you see a man (or a woman) who is
ill, you should single-mindedly and frequently
clean and bathe him and rinse his mouth.
Provide him with food, medicine, or water that is
free of insects, over which the dharani has been
recited 108 times. After the sick person has taken
it, all his sicknesses and suffering will be gone. If
this person has a wish, he should recite this
mantra with utmost sincerity.
Then he will
obtain whatever he wished for, and his life will be
prolonged and free from illness. At the end of his
life, he will be reborn in that Buddha's land. He
will obtain irreversibility and will ultimately
attain Bodhi. Therefore, Manjusri, if there are
men and women who, with utmost sincerity,
diligently worship and make offerings to
Medicine Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata, they
should always recite this mantra and never forget
it."
199
Commentary:
Defiled has two aspects:
1. Impure defilement .
2. Food/drink defilement
eating.
.
201
Sutra:
"Moreover, Manjusri, men or women of pure
faith, who have heard all the names of Medicine
Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata, One of Proper
and Equal Enlightenment, should recite and
uphold them.
In the early morning, after
brushing their teeth and bathing, they should
make offerings of fragrant flowers, incense,
perfumed balms, and various kinds of music
before an image of that Buddha. They should
personally write out this Sutra or ask others to do
so, and they should single-mindedly receive and
uphold it. If they listen to explanations of its
meaning from a Dharma Master, they should
make offerings to him of all necessities, so that he
is without the slightest want. In this way, they
will receive the mindful protection of the
Buddhas. All of their wishes will be fulfilled, and
they will ultimately attain Bodhi."
Commentary:
"Moreover, Manjusri, men or women of pure
faith, who have heard all the names of Medicine
Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata, One of Proper
and Equal Enlightenment, should recite and
uphold them.
The ten titles of Medicine Master Buddha are:
Tathagata, One Worthy of Offerings, One of Proper
and
Universal
Knowledge,
One
Whose
Understanding and Practice Are Complete, Well
Gone One Who Understands the World,
Unsurpassed Knight, Regulating and Subduing Hero,
204
, as long
.
Cultivating Mahayana requires developing true faith.
To answer this gentlemans question: in order to
increase your faith, give a lot more.
In the early morning when they get up, after
brushing their teeth by chewing on a willow twig
[a custom in the Buddhas time], rinsing their mouth.
Someone asked me what to bring to the temple for
the Ullambana celebration. The Ullambana festival
is that time of the year when the faithful make
offerings to the temple in order to generate blessings
for their parents and ancestors. It is not uncommon
for the temple to receive a lot of things that we dont
need.
When I was at a temple in Canada, someone brought
a truck load of sweatshirts to the temple. She was
selling sweatshirts and could not sell those offcolored sweatshirts. So she figured that she could
donate them to the temple to plant blessings. Their
color is not suitable even for left home people.
However, to my surprise, the lead monk of the
temple was ecstatic. He said that he was glad to be
able to forward to the City of Ten Thousand
Buddhas that many sweatshirts, a small contribution
from the Canadian temple!
Question: So my ancestors will have sweatshirts to
wear too?
212
Expel wind
Expel heat
Make mouth taste (clear)
Digest food
Clear eyes
213
, are
, ?
The second Dharma is compassion, which is about
being able to discern that others are suffering (quite
often we cant because we are just too preoccupied
with ourselves) and then wishing to eradicate that
suffering.
Compassion is different from kindness. Compassion
234
.
and
Phenomenon: limitless
jewels,
store
house
242
Phenomenon:
remuneration.
position and
comes from
contemplating
. Phenomenon:
Commentary:
The Medicine Master Buddha Dharma can eradicate
violations of precepts.
"Moreover, Manjusri, there may be good men
and women of pure faith, virtuous men and women
who, all their lives, do not worship other gods.
They do not worship heavenly or earthly deities,
ghosts, spirits, or gods of non-Buddhist religions,
Gods can be:
1. Externalists: They can ascend to the No
thought heaven.
2. Heavenly Demons of the sixth Desire Realm
heaven.
3. Common gods: the rest of the heavens in the
Triple Realm.
do not worship other gods: because these gods
cannot end birth and death and accomplish the
Wisdom of All Modes (the Buddhas wisdom).
but single-mindedly and with utmost sincerity take
refuge with the Buddha, the Dharma, and the
Sangha.
Speaking of the merit and virtues of taking refuge
with the Triple Jewel, the sutras say: if the three
thousand great thousand worlds are full of Thus
Come Ones as numerous as rice, sesame seeds,
bamboos or reeds, and they are offered the four
things for 20,000 years, and after each enters
248
birth dangers.
If there is a woman about to give birth who
suffers unbearably great pain,
Birth difficulties and pains are quite common. If it is
smooth, it can bring on long lasting benefits.
if she sincerely recites his name and worships,
praises, venerates, and makes offerings to that
Tathagata, all her suffering will be dispelled. The
newborn child will be sound and healthy.
Should the expectant mother have birth difficulties,
she should recite Medicine Master Buddhas name
with utmost sincerity or the family or relatives can
make images, sponsor Medicine Master Buddha
Assemblies, print sutras, recite sutras etc Relying
on this Buddhas vow power, you can avoid disasters
and have a good birth.
Sincerely reciting the Buddhas name (one of the six
dharmas mentioned here: 1. Sincerity
2. Recite his name
3. Bow 4. Praise
understanding.
Commentary:
Faith is difficult to produce.
Ananda, this is the extremely profound practice
of all Buddhas which is difficult to believe and to
understand!
The Buddhas' deeds are based on extremely profound wisdom, which ordinary people find hard to
believe and understand.
You should know that your ability to believe and
receive this comes not from your own power, but
from the awesome power of the Tathagata. It is
through the aid of the Buddha's awesome spiritual
power that you can have such absolute faith.
Who can have faith?
Ananda, all Hearers, Solitarily Enlightened Ones,
and the Bodhisattvas who have not yet ascended
to the Grounds are incapable of believing and
understanding this Dharma as it really is.
Even the Arhats, PratyekaBuddhas, and Bodhisattvas
who have not yet entered the First Ground are unable
to bring forth such genuine faith and understanding.
Who has insufficient faith power?
1. The Two Vehicles: Sound-hearers
PratyekaBuddhas: outer common position
259
and
ended.
Sutra:
"Ananda, it is difficult to obtain a human body.
It is also difficult to have faith in and to revere the
Triple Jewel. It is even more difficult to be able
to hear the name of the World Honored One,
Medicine Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata.
Ananda, Medicine Master Vaidurya Light
Tathagata possesses boundless Bodhisattva
practices, limitless skillful expedients, and
immeasurably vast, great vows. If I were to speak
extensively of those for an eon or more, the eon
would soon end, but that Buddha's practices,
vows, and skillful expedients have no end!"
Commentary:
Hearing the Buddhas name is most difficult!
Ananda, it is difficult to obtain a human body. If
you want to be born as a human, it is very difficult.
It is also difficult to have faith in and to revere the
Triple Jewel. To have genuine faith and reverence
for the Buddhas, the Dharma, and the Sangha is even
more difficult.
It is even more difficult to be able to hear the
name of the World Honored One, Medicine
Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata.
It is even harder to hear the name of Medicine
Master Buddha than to do the things mentioned
261
above.
Refer to the 42 Sections Sutra for the list of
difficulties:
the
difficulty
levels
increase
exponentially!
Finally, the fifth portion: widely speak without end.
Ananda, you should know that Medicine Master
Vaidurya Light Tathagata possesses boundless
Bodhisattva practices.
In the past, he cultivated immeasurable Bodhisattva
practices, employed limitless skillful expedients,
and made immeasurably vast, great vows. If I
were to speak extensively of those for a period of
an eon or more, the eon, which is such a long
period of time, would soon end, but that Buddha's
practices, vows, and skillful expedients have no
end! One could never finish speaking of them
because He already accomplished the innumerable
Dharma Doors to cross over the innumerable living
beings.
Skillful expedients:
Skillful refers to all sorts of:
1. Knowledge, skills, arts, professional talents
2. Innumerable Dharma Doors
3. Obtained mastery of the skills
Expedients : refers to the dispensing skills
Sutra:
262
: to cut off
: having cast
Sutra:
At that time, Ananda asked the Bodhisattva Who
Rescues and Liberates, "Good man, how should
we worship and make offerings to the World
Honored One, Medicine Master Vaidurya Light
Tathagata?
And how should we make the
banners and lamps that prolong life?"
The Bodhisattva Who Rescues and Liberates said,
"Great Virtuous One, if there is a sick person
who wishes to be freed from sickness and
suffering, for his sake one should receive and
uphold the eight precepts for seven days and
seven nights, and make offerings to the Bhikshu
Sangha of as many items of food, drink, and other
necessities as are in his power to give.
"During the six periods of the day and night one
should worship, practice the Way, and make
offerings to the World Honored One, Medicine
Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata. Read and
271
Commentary:
2) Liberation from difficulties and dangers: 2.1)
difficulties of rulers 2.2) difficulties of queens,
princes, ministers and people generally 2.2.1)
describing difficulty 2.2.2) cultivating blessings and
virtues 2.2.3) obtaining liberation.
Furthermore, Ananda, in the case of ksatriyas
princes who are due to be anointed on the crowns
of their heads ... The Ksatriyas (warrior or royalty
class) and Brahmins (clergy class) were the upper
classes in the ancient class structure of India.
Among the Ksatriyas, there were crown princes,
who were ritually anointed on the crowns of their
heads when they became kings. Water was taken
from the great oceans of the four directions, put it in
a vase and then sprinkled on top of the crown
princes head. More recently, they would add a
crown to the ceremony.
At a time when calamity arises, there may be
events such as droughts, floods, fires, severe
windstorms, pestilence among the population,
epidemics of locusts or deadly, infectious diseases,
invasion by foreign countries, or rebellion within
their territories. There may be subversive factions
working against the government.
There may be unusual changes in the stars, such as
stars becoming abnormally large or taking on a
strange appearance, stars disintegrating, or comets
coming close to the earth. Such stellar aberrations
276
King asked.
The Brahmins would know what to do was the
reply.
The Kalinga King then selected the seven most
senior and respected Brahmins in his country, gave
them money and ordered them to go get the Kuru
state elephant.
The seven Brahmins traveled day and night. When
they got to the country of Kuru, they checked into a
travel lodge to rest. The following day, they bathed
and went to the city gates alms distribution center
because that happened to be the fifteenth day of the
lunar month and the Kuru King would be going as
scheduled to personally give out alms.
As usual, the Kuru King put on his best clothes,
rode his state elephant and led the royal procession
toward the city gates to practice giving. The
Brahmins managed to get the Kings attention. The
King stirred his state elephant toward the Brahmins
and asked: What do you wish?
The Brahmins said: Great King, we are traveling
Brahmins from the country of Kalinga. We traveled
from very far and used up all of our money to get
here. We wish to borrow your state elephant to help
bring rain to our country.
The Kuru King said: Since you exhausted your
resources to come here, Ill give you our elephant
free of charge. In fact, Ill also give you all of its
280
Sutra:
Ananda, if the queens, the princes, the ministers
or court counselors, the ladies of the palace, the
provincial officials or the common people suffer
from diseases or other difficulties, they should
also hang up five-colored spiritual banners, light
lamps and keep them burning, liberate living
creatures, strew flowers of various colors, and
burn precious incense. Then those people will be
cured of their diseases and relieved of their
difficulties."
Commentary:
Difficulties of queens, princes, ministers etc
Ananda, if the queens, the princes, the ministers
or court counselors, the ladies of the palace, the
provincial officials or the common people suffer
from diseases or other difficulties,
If the rest of the people of the kingdom also get into
trouble
The sutra next describes cultivating blessings and
virtues.
they should also hang up five-colored spiritual
banners, light forty-nine lamps and keep them
burning before seven statues of Medicine Master
Buddha, as a way to make offerings to him. They
should liberate living creatures that were destined
285
for slaughter.
Queens: they are the emperors concubines, other
than the empress.
Ladies of the palace: attendants to the emperor,
wives and concubines.
They should also strew flowers of various colors
as an offering to that Buddha and burn precious
incense, such as aloe-wood incense and chandana
incense.
How the Dharma can help one obtain liberation.
Then those people will be cured of their diseases
and relieved of their difficulties.
They too will obtain help.
Sutra:
Then Ananda asked the Bodhisattva Who
Rescues and Liberates, "Good man, how can a
life that has come to an end be prolonged?"
The Bodhisattva Who Rescues and Liberates
answered, "Great Virtuous One, did you not
hear the Tathagata say that there are nine kinds
of untimely death? That is why people are
exhorted to make life-prolonging banners and
lamps and to cultivate all kinds of blessings.
Through such cultivation of blessings, they will
be freed from suffering and adversity for the rest
of their lives."
286
Commentary:
3) Question and answer: to benefit sentient beings.
Then Ananda, wishing to request more Dharma on
behalf of living beings, asked the Bodhisattva
Who Rescues and Liberates, "Good man, how
can a life that has come to an end be prolonged?
How can a dying person extend his life and become
healthy again? Living beings life span is fixed
isnt it ?
The Bodhisattva Who Rescues and Liberates answered, "Great Virtuous One, did you not hear the
Tathagata say that there are nine kinds of
untimely death?
Haven't you heard the Buddha explain that there are
nine kinds of death caused by accidents and
disasters?
That is why, in the Buddhist Sutras, all people are
exhorted to make life-prolonging, five-colored,
spiritual banners and forty-nine life-prolonging,
spiritual lamps and to cultivate all kinds of blessings.
Through the merit and virtue of such cultivation of
blessings, they will be freed from suffering and
adversity for the rest of their lives. They will not
meet with the nine kinds of untimely deaths."
As a rule of thumb, good deaths are few and far
between whereas accidental deaths abound. It is
287
death?"
The Bodhisattva Who Rescues and Liberates said,
"There may be living beings who, although not
seriously ill, suffering from only a slight cold, a
cough, or some other minor ailment, have neither
medicine nor a doctor to treat them because there
is none available or perhaps they cant afford it, or
else they meet a doctor who gives them the wrong
medicine. For example, there are a lot of fake
medicines being circulated throughout the world.
Consequently, they meet with an untimely death.
They end up dying earlier than they were supposed
to.
Illness can be the result of:
1. Retribution: up to the six desire heavens.
2. Evil karma: throughout the three realms. If
one can hold precepts and practice
goodness, then it will prevent these
illnesses and distresses from arising.
3. Affliction: pervades the Three Vehicles.
Some die prematurely because they create evil
offenses.
Some of them believe in worldly cults whose
deviant teachers frighten them with false
prophecies. They believe in fortune-tellers,
astrologers, geomancers, and so on. The leaders of
such deviant cults are actually demons, ghosts, and
goblins who try to alarm people, making false
predictions.
289
permanent as permanent.
2. Bliss
bliss.
3. Self
having self.
4. Purity
pure.
Thus they meet with an untimely death and fall
into the hells, never to come out.
They had hoped to live longer, but their deviant
practices only hasten their death. After they die they
will fall into the hells. This is the first kind of
untimely death.
Sutra:
"The second kind of untimely death is to be
executed at the hands of the law. The third kind
is to hunt for sport, to indulge in drinking and
lust, or to become excessively dissipated, and then
to be waylaid by nonhuman beings that rob one's
essence and energy. The fourth is to be burned to
death; the fifth is to drown; the sixth is to be
devoured by wild beasts; the seventh is to fall
from a steep cliff; the eighth is to be harmed by
poison, voodoo, evil mantras, or corpse-raising
ghosts; the ninth is to die from hunger and thirst.
These are the nine kinds of untimely deaths
generally spoken of by the Tathagata. There are
also innumerable other kinds which cannot all be
spoken of here."
Commentary:
The second untimely kind of death is to be
executed at the hands of the law.
291
Triple Jewel) .
and the three cautions:
1. When young, the blood and qi are not yet
complete, we should be cautious of form
(meaning we should abstain from sex).
2. When mature, the blood and qi are strong, we
should be cautious of fighting.
3. When old, the blood and qi are weak, we
should be cautious of obtaining or hoarding.
Then Yama, the Dharma King, examines and
punishes them according to the severity of their
offenses. King Yama verifies that they really
committed those offenses, and then he passes
judgment accordingly, deciding where you should
go next life.
Therefore, I encourage people to light forty-nine
lamps and make long-life banners, to liberate
various kinds of beings and cultivate all kinds of
blessings so that they can overcome suffering and
peril and forestall all disasters." It does not hurt to
play it safe and start accruing blessings with Dharma
now.
296
Propagation
Propagation section: 1) protecting the Dharma 2)
requesting the sutra name, propagation 3) obeying
the Buddhas command.
Sutra:
At that time, twelve great yaksa generals were
present in the assembly. They were: General
Kumbhira, General Vajra, General Mihira,
General Andira, General Anila, General Sandira,
General Indra, General Pajra, General Makura,
General Kinnara, General Catura, and General
Vikarala. These twelve great yaksa generals,
each with a retinue of seven thousand yaksas,
simultaneously raised their voices and addressed
the Buddha, "World Honored One! Today, by
relying on the Buddha's awesome power, we are
able to hear the name of the World Honored
One,
Medicine
Master
Vaidurya
Light
Tathagata! As a result, we are no longer afraid of
the evil destinies. All of us are of one mind to
take refuge with the Buddha, the Dharma, and
the Sangha to the end of our lives. We vow to
support all living beings and to benefit them, so
that they may live in peace and bliss.
Commentary:
1.1) Lists name of the protectors
At that time, twelve great yaksa generalsgreat
generals among the speedy ghostswere present in
297
understand.
.
299
. Hes as big as
a whale.
301
Commentary:
1.2) Praise and exhortation to bring benefit and bliss.
At that time, after the yaksa generals had vowed to
support Medicine Master Buddha and to repay his
kindness, the World Honored One, Shakyamuni
Buddha, praised the great yaksa generals, saying,
"Good indeed, good indeed, mighty yaksa
generals! It is truly rare for you twelve yaksa
generals to bring forth such vows. All of you who
want to repay the kindness of the World Honored
One,
Medicine
Master
Vaidurya
Light
Tathagata... Since the twelve of you have not
forgotten that Buddha's kindness and wish to repay
it, you should always benefit beings and bring
peace and happiness to them in this way. Never
forget your vows to enable living beings to leave
suffering and attain bliss."
Sutra:
Then Ananda said to the Buddha, "World
Honored One, what should we call this Dharma
Door? How should we uphold it?"
The Buddha told Ananda, "This Dharma Door is
called, 'The Merit and Virtue of the Past Vows of
Medicine Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata.' It is
also called 'Twelve Spiritual Generals' Vows to
Use Spiritual Mantras to Benefit Living Beings.'
It is also called, 'Eradicating All Karmic
Obstacles.' You should uphold it in this way."
Commentary:
305
.
The Buddha compassionately told Ananda, "This
Dharma Door, this Sutra, is called, 'The Sutra of
the Merit and Virtue of the Past Vows of
Medicine Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata.' It is
also called, 'Twelve Spiritual Generals' Vows to
Use Spiritual Mantras to Benefit Living Beings.'
This Sutra describes how the twelve yaksa generals
vow to benefit beings by using "Medicine Master's
True Words for Anointing the Crown" to dispel all
enmity, hatred, and retribution for evil deeds. It is
also called, 'Eradicating All Karmic Obstacles.'
You should uphold it in this way. You should
receive and uphold this Sutra sincerely, for it can
remove all karmic hindrances."
Sutra:
306
Heaven Temple
Enlightenment
Perfected Dharma Master: Before leaving the home
life his body was weak and he was often sick. Two
years after leaving the home life he was still
afflicted with internal illnesses, bound by suffering
and things were not smooth. Afterwards he heard of
the Medicine Master Buddha Dharma Door. He
single-mindedly recited, upheld the Buddhas name
and repented vigorously. His body became healthy
and all undertakings went well. The Dharma Master
prepared Medicine Master Buddha Dharma Door
write-ups. He assembled sutras, explanations and
ceremonies etc. to print and distribute to repay the
Buddhas kindness. Those of us who also benefit
from this Dharma should follow suit and help
propagate this Dharma Door.
This concludes the general explanation of the Sutra
of the Merit and Virtue of the Past Vows of Medicine
Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata.
309
310