Medicine Buddha Meditation

Medicine Buddha Meditation

Date of Advice:
January 2011
Date Posted:
September 2018

A student asked Rinpoche for advice on how to help his grandmother who was very sick. Rinpoche recommended Medicine Buddha practice in order to benefit his grandmother and all sentient beings.

Artwork by Lama Zopa Rinpoche.

My dear one,
Thank you very much for your kind note. I suggest that you do Medicine Buddha meditation. It is very beneficial, not only for your grandmother. You can do this practice not only for your grandmother but also for all sentient beings, as you are responsible for them.

There is a small book on Medicine Buddha, but not the healing one, not that one. You visualize the seven Medicine Buddhas above the crown of your head and recite each name seven times. Then you make this request after reciting the names, “Whatever prayers I have done in the past, may they be actualized immediately to benefit all sentient beings.”

At that time, you can think of your grandmother, as well as anybody who is dead, dying or sick, or has many problems. Whoever you want to pray for or to help, you can think of that person. On top of that, think, “Whatever I pray for, may it succeed immediately.” At the end, when you finish all that, there is mantra recitation. You can recite some mantras.

If you have received a great initiation, either lower tantra or Highest Yoga Tantra, then Medicine Buddha absorbs within you. You become empty and then you become Medicine Buddha. Then recite the mantra. The mantra at the heart sends beams to hell beings, hungry ghosts, animals, human beings, suras, asuras and intermediate state beings. All their negative karma and defilements are purified and they all become Medicine Buddha.

At the end, dedicate to actualize bodhicitta, in the same way that I have been leading the dedications.

"Due to the three-time merits created by me, by sentient beings and buddhas, which are empty from their own side, may I, who is empty from its own side, lead all sentient beings, who are empty from their own side, to complete enlightenment, which is empty from its own side, by myself alone, who is empty from its own side.”

At the beginning, visualize Medicine Buddha as in the Medicine Buddha practice. Generate the four immeasurable thoughts and the motivation.

“For the sake of all sentient beings, I must achieve enlightenment. The purpose of my life is to benefit others. I must free numberless sentient beings from the oceans of samsaric suffering and bring them to enlightenment. Therefore, I must achieve enlightenment. Therefore, I am going to do meditation on Medicine Buddha and achieve realizations."

Then you do the short seven-limb prayer and the short mandala offering. After that, make this request:

“Due to the past, present and future merits, the three-time merits collected by numberless sentient beings, and numberless buddhas and bodhisattvas, may I be like you, Medicine Buddha, in all the lifetimes and be most beneficial to all sentient beings.

“May I be like Medicine Buddha forever and be most beneficial to all sentient beings. All sentient beings who see, hear, remember or touch me, just by that, may all their sufferings of body and mind be completely healed. May they find faith in karma and devotion to Buddha, Dharma and Sangha, and may they actualize loving kindness, compassion and bodhicitta. May their negative karma created since beginningless rebirths be purified.”

When somebody is dying, dead or sick, you can do the same practice to the body.

Much love and prayers ...