Mantra of Medicine Master Tathāgata

The Medicine Buddha mantra, also known as the Bhaisajyaguru Mantra, is a revered prayer in Mahayana and Tibetan Buddhism associated with healing and well-being. It invokes the blessings of the Medicine Buddha, Bhaisajyaguru, who is depicted as having a dark blue (lapis lazuli) body, holding a bowl of healing nectars in his left hand and a medicine plant in his right. The practice of chanting this mantra is believed to purify karmic causes of disease, promote holistic health, and cultivate positive mental states.

The Medicine Buddha, or Bhaiśajyaguru, is a central figure in Buddhist healing practices, often referred to as the "Master of Healing" or "King of Healing". His vows, made before attaining enlightenment, focused on eradicating pain, disease, and disabilities, and promoting flourishing health for all living beings. The mantra is not intended to replace conventional medical treatment but rather to complement it, addressing both the physical and mental aspects of illness.

Significance and Benefits

The Medicine Buddha mantra is deeply rooted in the understanding that healing encompasses both the physical and the mental. The Latin root word "medeor," meaning "to heal or to make whole," connects the concepts of "medication" and "meditation," highlighting the holistic approach to well-being. In Buddhist traditions, mental causes of illness are given significant attention, and meditation practices like the Medicine Buddha meditation are seen as ways to address these internal factors.

Chanting the mantra is believed to trigger self-repair mechanisms in the body, reducing stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline, and increasing immune-boosting endorphins and serotonin. These physiological changes contribute to both physical healing and positive mental states. The practice also benefits from the placebo effect and the collective resonance with countless practitioners who have engaged in this meditation over centuries.

Key benefits of chanting the Medicine Buddha mantra include:

• Physical Healing: Alleviating pain and accelerating recovery from illness.

• Emotional Balance: Calming the mind, reducing stress, and mitigating emotional turbulence.

• Spiritual Well-being: Purifying negative karmic energy and fostering spiritual growth.

• 
  

How to Practice

The practice of Medicine Buddha meditation typically involves visualization, intention, and mantra recitation.

1. Getting Started: Find a quiet space, assume a comfortable meditation posture, and establish a heartfelt motivation for the practice, such as wishing for the purification of disease and suffering for oneself or others, and the attainment of enlightenment.

2. Inviting Medicine Buddha: Visualize Medicine Buddha in front of you, depicted with a dark blue body, holding a bowl of healing nectars and a medicine plant. Cultivate a strong sense of his presence and compassion.

3. Making Your Request: Clearly articulate your request for the elimination of pain, purification of disease, or restoration of health. Visualize healing blue lights and nectars emanating from Medicine Buddha, flowing into your body (or the body of the person you are practicing for), purifying all suffering and its causes, and bringing holistic well-being.

4. Mantra Recitation: While maintaining the visualization, recite the Medicine Buddha mantra. There are several variants, but a common Sanskrit version is: TAYATA, OM BEKADZE BEKADZE MAHA BEKADZE BEKADZE, RADZA SAMUNGATE SOHA. This is pronounced as: Tie-ya-tar, om beck-and-zay beck-and-zay ma-ha beck-and-zay beck-and-zay run-zuh sum-oon-gut-eh so-ha. A short form often used is: (tadyathā:) oṃ bhaiśajye bhaiśajye mahābhaiśajye bhaiśajyarāje samudgate svāhā . The Tibetan pronunciation of the short form is often rendered as: (Tad-ya-ta) Om Be-kan-dze Be-kan-dze Ma-ha Be-kan-dze Ra-dza Sa-mung-ga-te So-ha. The mantra is typically repeated for at least ten minutes, or for 108 times for optimal results, as 108 is considered an auspicious number in many spiritual traditions.

5. Dedication: Conclude the session by dedicating the merits of the practice for the freedom from pain, disease, and suffering for all beings, and for the swift attainment of complete enlightenmen.

6. 
   

Meaning of the Mantra

The Sanskrit mantra "TAYATA, OM BEKADZE BEKADZE MAHA BEKADZE BEKADZE, RADZA SAMUNGATE SOHA" can be broken down to understand its meaning:

• Tayata: "It is like this" or "thus" .

• Om: The universal sound, a sacred syllable representing the vibration of the universe.

• Bekandze Bekandze: Means "eliminate pain".

• Maha Bekandze: Refers to the "great pain being eliminated".

• Radza Samungate: Translates to "King of healing".

• Soha: A sealing of the prayer, meaning "may it be" or "so be it".

The mantra's rhythmic flow and the vibrational power of Sanskrit are considered essential to its healing properties. While precise Sanskrit pronunciation is ideal, the intention and devotion behind the recitation are paramount.