DHARMA IN EVERYDAY LIFE

By Nhat Quan

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Medicine Buddha, in Sanskrit, is Bhaisajyaguru Buddha, translated in Chinese as Medicine Master Tathagata, Medicine Master Lapis La Light Tathagata, Great Medicine King Buddha, Medicine King Tathagata, Twelve Vows King...

According to the Sutra of Medicine Master Tathagata's Vows of Merit, while practicing the Bodhisattva path, he made 12 great vows to eliminate all illnesses and sufferings for sentient beings, making them full of good roots and moving towards liberation, so when Becoming Buddha, he is the Patriarch of the Pure Land world in the East

The Medicine Master is a Buddha who knows all medicine in this world and beyond. He can cure all the diseases and sufferings of sentient beings, the delusions caused by greed, anger, ignorance, and afflictions. Therefore, once you chant His name:

- Namo Medicine Master Lapis Lazuli Buddha,

With enough Faith, Prayer, Action, and mindfulness to the fullest, you will receive immeasurable blessings, eliminate all illness and suffering, and have peace of mind and body.

- Reciting His name, Namo Medicine Master Lapis La Light Buddha, with full Faith, Prayer, and Action and reciting with one mind, the person reciting will be protected by Medicine Buddha, Great Bodhisattvas, and 12 great generals Yak Xa.

- Reciting His name, Namo Medicine Master Lapis la Light Buddha, with full Faith, Prayer, and Action and reciting with one mind, you will dedicate the merit to be reborn in the Pure Land and your wish will be fulfilled.

Because he has such transcendent virtues, he is called the supreme being, with transcendent virtues:

- It is said to be Supreme because He understands all the diseases and karma of sentient beings, no one is better than Him

- It is said that the Supreme victory is because the Medicine Buddha not only destroyed all the gross and subtle delusions and afflictions himself but also destroyed the delusions and afflictions of all sentient beings.

- Virtue, is because of the six virtues of the Medicine Buddha. Transcendence is because the Medicine Buddha has crossed the vast ocean of suffering and samsara. Compassion is equal to all, meaning that the Medicine Buddha opens his compassion to all sentient beings without discrimination, not just helping those who have faith. All sentient beings, including you, are equally protected by Buddha's compassion.

If you practice, you will receive such blessings, but as for those who only hear his name for a moment, all suffering and evil will disappear:

- Whoever you are, if you hear the name of the Medicine Buddha, you will not be born into the evil realm.

That is the effect of the Medicine Master's name and mantra. So when Shakyamuni Buddha asked Ananda,

- Hey Ananda, can you believe what Tathagata said?

Venerable Ananda said:

- I always believe in Buddha's teachings.

Buddha asked:

- Why?

Venerable Ananda replied:

- Because the Buddha has outstanding and inconceivable virtues, I have no doubts about the Buddha's teachings.

Then Buddha said:

- Even if it is an animal, when it hears the name of Medicine Master Tathagata, it will no longer be reborn in a lower realm.

What an easy method to help sentient beings escape the heaviest kind of suffering in samsara. Animals cannot have faith in Buddha, let alone humans.

Believe it or not, if you listen to the Medicine Master mantra, you will not fall into evil realms. Just hearing the name is enough, so for the dying person, it is best to recite the name of the Medicine Buddha clearly in the dying person's ear to help that person avoid falling into the evil realms. That is how you rely on the compassionate power of the Medicine Buddha. Once upon a time, when he was still a bodhisattva, Medicine Buddha made a great vow, praying that his name would have the power to fulfill his wishes and bring happiness to all sentient beings.

When he achieved enlightenment, one of the ten divine powers of the Buddha was the divine power of great vows. This means that all great vows while practicing Bodhisattva deeds will come true. Therefore, in daily life, you should remember to think and chant the name Medicine Buddha for animals. This method of saving yourself and helping others is so simple and easy, but the effect is so great.

In addition, practicing the Medicine Buddha method also can purify the mistakes of breaking the precepts and breaking the law. The effect of practicing the Medicine Buddha method is very powerful, it can help repent and cure all diseases. Normally people think that the Medicine Buddha only helps cure illnesses, but actually, it's not just that. Medicine Buddha also helps purify karma and helps achieve success in all areas. Accordingly, no matter what, any problem, no matter what, practicing the Medicine Buddha method can help solve all problems, for example:

- Lawsuits, war, violence. Very good for business, for health, for longevity, for anything. Whatever you need, you can turn to the Medicine Buddha.

The effects of this practice are very great and can bring about achievements easily. Especially achievements on the path to enlightenment, realizing emptiness, opening Buddha's wisdom, and developing bodhicitta, to benefit all sentient beings.

Regarding the function of reciting the name Medicine Buddha, it can be said to be inconceivable. According to the Medicine Buddha Sutra Tathagata Vows of Merit, the great use of the title Medicine Buddha typically has the following five issues:

1- Eliminate greed and develop the mind of almsgiving: By reciting the name of the Medicine Master, you open your heart, no longer greedy, no longer selfish to only accumulate for yourself. On the contrary, always share, praise, and practice almsgiving.

2- Eliminate transgressions and keep the precepts: For the sins and mistakes that have been committed, by reciting the name of Medicine Buddha, they can be transformed, and at the same time vow to live ethically and honestly according to the Dharma.

3- Destroy jealousy and gain liberation: Due to the karma of being jealous of others, you will suffer vile and painful consequences. Reciting the Medicine Buddha will make you develop a mind to practice, eliminate suffering, and achieve liberation.

4- Destroy each other's harm and gain love for each other: The thoughts of resentment and hatred that lead to actions of destroying each other can be resolved by chanting the name of the Medicine Buddha. Not only do you no longer harm each other, but you also understand, love, and respect each other.

5- For those who develop the mind to recite Amitabha Buddha and pray to be reborn in the Pure Land, reciting the Medicine Buddha is a very important support. The Buddhas and Great Bodhisattvas in the Medicine Buddha Dharma Assembly always assist Amitabha Buddha and lead sentient beings to the Western Pure Land.

In addition, thanks to the merit of cultivating the Holy Name of Medicine Buddha, practitioners receive full blessings and are born in peaceful worlds. Thanks to the power of Medicine Buddha's original vows, sentient beings who accept his name can eliminate all illnesses and sufferings and achieve all wishes and desires.

In the Buddhist tradition, the original healer is the Buddha. Often called the Medicine Buddha. The Medicine Buddha himself revealed the sacred teachings contained in the sutras known as the Four Medical Tantras. All Buddhist medical techniques originate from this sacred Sutra. As explained in the first of these suttas, the Medicine Buddha once sat in meditation and was surrounded by disciples who included physicians, wise men, heavenly kings, and Bodhisattvas. Everyone wants to learn about healing methods. All were stunned by the Buddha's bright and dignified aura but did not dare to speak. Knowing their wishes, the Medicine Buddha emitted two rays of light:

- The first halo is a request to study the Dharma, and

- The second halo explains this dharma.

Thanks to this, this sutra was spoken, and the Medicine Buddha explained various diseases of body and mind. He taught about their causes, diagnosis, and treatment. On the other hand, the Buddha clearly understood the wishes of his disciples without them having to speak, this shows the Buddha's infinite compassion for his disciples. Indeed, healers like the Buddha are called great physicians not only because of their ability to heal the sick but also because of their compassion and wisdom to diagnose and treat the root of the disease. Whether physically sick or mentally sick.

The Medicine Buddha's teachings are very profound and vast. I only briefly introduce a few points, it is impossible to cover the entire practice. Thus, practicing the Medicine Buddha method is what you must practice and you will achieve.

1- Disseminating Buddha Dharma to the world:

In Buddhism, the dharma beyond the world has always been considered the ultimate goal. For ordinary people, this is something very profound and difficult to understand about Buddhism. However, practicing the Medicine Buddha dharma is different, not only does it often mention the morality of being reborn as a Buddha in the world, but it also especially focuses on issues that are close to the real life of modern humanity. As the Sutra says:

- Eliminating disasters, eliminating calamities, staying away from suffering, achieving peace, happiness, prosperity, not harming each other, helping and benefiting each other, etc., all belong to this category.

This shows that Buddhism can also contribute benefits to family and social activities, and maintain the security of the nation and the world. Humanity can enjoy the benefits of Buddhism right in real life.

For those who think that Buddhism is negative, pessimistic, and has no benefit to human life if they hear that the Medicine Buddha dharma can assist humanity in maintaining worldly life, then they will immediately no longer misunderstand Buddhism.

2- Maintain morality

Buddhism takes precepts as its basis, so the Buddhist scriptures say:

- Without pure precepts, good deeds and virtues cannot grow.

However, although receiving the precepts is easy, attaining the precepts is very difficult, but keeping the precepts without breaking them is even more difficult. Currently, if you can practice according to the Medicine Master method and practice diligently, you will attain the highest level of perfect precepts. As for those of you who have accidentally violated the precepts, if you can sincerely recite the name of the Medicine Master, along with reverence and offerings, you can immediately eliminate the sin of breaking the precepts and restore purity, not fall into the three evil paths.

3. Deciding to be reborn:

Buddhism is divided into many sects, of which the Pure Land sect is the most prosperous. Currently, there are many monastics and laypeople practicing this method. However, for Pure Land practitioners, if you also practice this Medicine Master method, you will receive additional benefits in deciding to be reborn in the West. As the Medicine Sutra says:

- If any sentient beings uphold the Eight Precepts and can hear the name of the Medicine Buddha, then at the time of death, eight Bodhisattvas will come to guide them to rebirth in the seven-jeweled lotus in the world of Western Bliss.

Because of this, you know that although the Medicine Master is a Buddha in the East, he can still assist practitioners and help them benefit from their decision to be reborn in the West.

Furthermore, if you practice the Pure Land method, if you can not be attached to favorable and unfavorable circumstances, and are no longer bound by the realm, then this is extremely ideal. However, among thousands of people, it is unlikely that there will be one or two such people. Because you are in the position of ordinary people, your body, clothes, shelter, etc., as well as natural disasters and man-made disasters such as storms, floods, fires, wars, etc., are all thing's worries. If you encounter many physical illnesses, have a miserable life, or are often exposed to the dangers of natural disasters, man-made disasters, etc., these are extremely hindrances to your practice. Therefore, if you also know how to practice the Medicine Master method, you will receive support. The Medicine Buddha Sutra mentions benefits such as:

- Eliminate accidents, and suffering, attain happiness, etc.

4- Deciding to become a Buddha:

The Medicine Buddha Sutra certainly does not only talk about worldly benefits, because the Medicine Buddha method is a One Vehicle method that quickly leads to Buddhahood. That's why the Sutras often say:

- Quickly attain unsurpassed Bodhi, quickly reach perfection, etc.

If you want to become a Buddha, the main reason is two minds:

- Wisdom and compassion.

The Medicine Sutra says:

- You should have a mind without impurities, a mind without anger. For all sentient beings, one should develop a mind of benefit, peace, compassion, joy, renunciation, and equality.

This is the important meaning I want to say here. In the first sentence:

- An unadulterated mind means wisdom,

And:

- A mind without anger or harm means compassion.

And like the sentence below, the mind of renunciation and equality is wisdom, and the rest is the mind of compassion.

Wisdom and compassion are the cause, and Bodhi is the result. This is the general path of Buddha Dharma. Those of you who practice the Medicine Buddha dharma, should pay special attention to the verses mentioned above and wholeheartedly follow them.

If you only focus on the benefits of real life, I'm afraid you will only reap the rewards of heaven and man, without having anything to do with liberation, that is, transcending the world. If you receive the precepts, it will be difficult to attain the highest level of perfect precepts. If one were to be reborn in the West, it would be difficult to achieve the highest quality of rebirth.

Those who practice the Medicine Buddha method must pay special attention to the above golden words. So based on this, you initiate the great vow of compassion and wisdom. If so, then you can bring your spirit to the world to carry out worldly causes; attain the highest level of perfect precepts, and in the future soon become a Buddha. This is definitely beyond doubt.

I would like to share the achievements of those who practice the Medicine Buddha Method:

1- In Sindhu, there was a man from a wealthy family, but his business declined to the point that he was in debt and had to beg for food. At first, friends and relatives helped, but wherever he went, friends and relatives who saw him also closed their doors. Therefore, everyone jokingly calls him Mr. Close Door.

One day, in a sad thought, he went to the temple to worship the Medicine Buddha. He clasped his hands circumambulated the statue and sincerely repented. After repenting, he sat in front of the Medicine Buddha statue, chanting the title Namo Medicine Master Lapis la Light Tathagata. On the last night of the 5th day, his body and mind were exhausted, and suddenly he saw the Medicine Buddha appear in a beautiful form and said:

- Because you repent and recite my name, your karma will end and you will enjoy wealth. Quickly go back to your parent's old house, excavate the foundation, and you'll find the treasure.

Waking up, he quickly bowed to Buddha and returned to his parents' old house. When he arrived, he saw rotten and collapsed walls. After 2 days, he cleaned and dug the floor according to Medicine Buddha's advice, and immediately found gold and silver jars of his ancestors. He was rich again, with a splendid house, furniture, and prosperous many workers as before (according to the Three Jewels chronicle).

2- During the Tang Dynasty, Truong Ly Thong was 27 years old when he met a fortune teller and said:

- Your lifespan is very short, I'm afraid you won't live to be 31 years old!

Truong Ly Thong heard that he was sad and went to the famous monk Mr. Mat Cong to ask about his fate.

Mr. Mat Cong said:

- That's not a concern. If you respectfully accept and maintain or write down the Medicine Buddha Sutra, your longevity can be increased.

Truong Ly Thong said:

- I'm too busy with official duties. I'm afraid it will be difficult for me to accept and uphold the sutras, so I'd like to temporarily copy the sutras first. He immediately asks for the sutra book and respectfully writes it down yourself. Mr. Truong Ly Thong had just copied one volume when work came rushing in, and he had no time to continue. By chance, the old physiognomy teacher met Thong again and was surprised and said:

- What a rare thing! No matter what merit you do, your appearance will change and you will live another 30 years.

Truong Ly Thong recounts the process of copying sutras. Many people heard this story and turned their minds to Buddhism (according to the Three Jewels chronicle).

3- During the Tang Dynasty, Mr. Truong Ta Phu was seriously ill, and his family invited monks to recite the Medicine Buddha Sutra for 7 days and nights. On the night of finishing the sutra, Mr. Truong dreamed that the monks were covering him with the sutra. When he woke up, his illness immediately subsided and he was completely healed.

He told this to his family members and believed that his health was due to the power of the monks chanting the Medicine Sutra (according to the Three Jewels chronicle).

There are many such induction stories. Therefore, you need to single-mindedly recite the name Medicine Buddha to eliminate illness and suffering and achieve peace and prosperity.

In short, following the Medicine Buddha Dharma, in addition to the tendency to attain enlightenment and become a Buddha, is also a very practical dharma in this world. Because as humans, everyone needs peace, to overcome disasters, everyone is greedy for life and afraid of death, and everyone needs enough food and warm clothes. You are fortunate to live in a peaceful society with enough material resources, so practice with all your heart and don't be distracted. Meanwhile, war-torn, hungry, and thirsty places must seek freedom and must pay a very high price.

As long as human society is not peaceful, the Medicine Buddha Dharma Gate will still exist. To alleviate some of the suffering in human life, you should introduce and practice the Medicine Buddha method more. Introduction and practice means you must actively participate in charity and social work...

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