Meditation for healing

I was going through my hard drives, looking for some photographs for a friend, when I stumbled upon this visualisation that Rinpoche taught a few years ago. It was an impromptu teaching delivered as Rinpoche was walking out of the Ladrang, on his way to the barber. I thought I’d share it here since so many are seeking physical, emotional and spiritual healing…Medicine Buddha (Tibetan: Menlha) is perfect for that. The visualisation teaches us to appreciate the true nature of Medicine Buddha, so that when we recite his prayers or engage in any Menlha pujas, we experience the full benefits.

If I may be so bold to admit, I’m not generally a “fan” of peaceful deities (wrathful deities like Yamantaka really catch my attention) but Medicine Buddha has always attracted me. I love his look, I love his puja and the way it sounds when it’s performed, I love the beat of his mantra, I love what he can do and the fact everyone can get into his practice because he’s so peaceful and non-threatening to look at. Yes, it’s all very superficial things and maybe it’s because I’m an accident-prone person, or it’s something that’s very easy for me to do for another being but still, it doesn’t change the fact I feel happy when I hear a Menlha puja being performed.

I post this here so everyone can invoke Medicine Buddha’s blessings for their loved ones, whether human or otherwise. Rinpoche always encourages us to recite Medicine Buddha’s mantra for animals, especially if they are injured and within earshot, to plant seeds of enlightenment in their minds…I’ve lost count how many times we’ve pulled over by the roadside to feed or rescue animals, and recite mantras for them.

Enjoy 🙂

Visualisation during Medicine Buddha puja

When you do the Medicine Buddha puja, visualise that your root and lineage Gurus are one with Medicine Buddha. How do you do this? Medicine Buddha’s purpose is to heal, and the highest form of healing is the Dharma. Your Guru teaches you the Dharma to alleviate your ultimate suffering. Therefore in action, because your Guru does the Buddha’s work, he and Medicine Buddha are one.

Medicine Buddha resides in non-dual space. Non-dual space is the clarity of the mind. In that state, Medicine Buddha is without attachment – there is no good or bad, no right or wrong, no black or white. In that state, Medicine Buddha exists only to benefit us, no matter what actions he manifests and however it appears. Without attachment, Medicine Buddha manifests in his physical blue form. Like that, our Guru is also without attachment – everything about our guru’s body, speech and mind is for others. One example is that he takes on the robes, to show he is in service of others. We cannot take on the robes ourselves but our Guru can, because he is without attachment.

When we do prostrations at the beginning of the puja, we begin the meditation:

1. As we recite NAMO GURU BEH and NAMO BUDDHA YA, think, “May I attain your non-dual space body”
2. As we recite NAMO DHARMA YA, think, “May I attain your non-dual space speech”
3. As we recite NAMO SANGHA YA, think, “May I attain your non-dual space mind”
4. As you go down to the ground in prostration, think, “I surrender everything to you”
5. As you come back up, think, “I rise to practise the Dharma for others”

Because Medicine Buddha alleviates our ultimate suffering, and his practice is very powerful for purifying our negative karma, his mantra Tayatha Om Bekanze Bekanze Maha Bekanze Bekanze Ranza Samogate Soha is very powerful when recited and blown on to animals, dead bodies, etc. with the above visualisation that Rinpoche taught us.

Here’s more information on Medicine Buddha and his practice:

• Medicine Buddha Practice
• Medicine Buddha teaching at Turkey Swamp

Reflections and Teachings