Medicine Buddha Dharma Function

Sutra of the Medicine Buddha (藥師經) is also referred as the The Meritorious Virtues and the Original Vows of the Medicine Buddha of Pure Crystal Radiance Sutra, (藥師琉璃光如來本愿功德經).

This sutra narrates how the Buddha, in response to Manjusri Bodhisattva’s request to speak to cultivated practitioners, bodhisattvas, kings and magistrates concerning the meritorious virtues of the Medicine Buddha’s Eastern Pure Land of Crystal Radiance and details of his twelve great vows that he made when he was a Bodhisattva.

This is a short sentence extracted from the sutra:

The Buddha said: Manjusri, twelve great vows evolved from the heart of Medicine Buddha of Pure Crystal Radiance as he advanced upon the bodhisattva path. These vows were made with the heartfelt wish that all sentient beings might fulfill their aspirations.

1. May all sentient beings be equal to the Buddha
2. May all sentient beings awaken and engage in beneficial actions
3. May all sentient beings enjoy abundant resources
4. May all sentient beings be established on the path of great vehicles
5. May all sentient beings uphold precepts in perfect purity
6. May all sentient beings be complete in all faculties
7. May all sentient beings enjoy health and happiness in body and mind
8. May all women who wish to let go of their female form be transformed into the male form
9. May all sentient beings turn from evil to correct views
10. May all sentient beings be liberated from sorrow and suffering
11. May all sentient beings have exquisite food and drinks
12. May all sentient beings have exquisite clothing and all material fulfillment.

From the content of the twelve great vows, we can see that the Medicine Buddha not only places importance of material aspect of life such as food and clothing, he is also concerned with the education of society, proper entertainment and enjoyment, so that everyone can truly live a life of peace and harmony.

Medicine Buddha”, is often described as a doctor who cures suffering using the medicine of his teachings. The analogy of the medicine is the teaching of Four Noble Truths.

The Four Noble Truths can be equated to an outline of Dharma, detailing the cultivational sequence enabling people to cross from this shore of fixation on suffering to the other shore of bliss and purity.

The Four Noble Truths is like the process of treating an illness. The truth of suffering describes the painful experience of being ill; the truth of cause is the diagnosis of its symptoms; the truth of the path is the prescription for cure and the truth of cessation is the experience of full recovery from the illness.