Medicine Buddha Practice

Medicine Buddha practice is held alternately on Sunday mornings, 10:30am following the Lam Rim meditation sessions. On alternate Sundays, Vajrasattva practice is held at this time.

All are welcome to attend this practice.

The great treatises teach that there are many physical or bodily diseases, but the Buddha taught that it is the illness of our mind which needs to be cured. As the ‘King of the Doctors’, the Buddha prescribed the Dharma as the medicine, assuring us that once we eliminate all mental disease, the bodily diseases will eventually no longer cause us suffering. Quoting our Founder, Kyabje Khensur Kangyurwa Rinpoche, who said: “He who is able to eliminate mental disease…is the Buddha”, hence the meaning of the Medicine Buddha mantra:

TAYATA  – ‘This is the one’ or ‘This is the one who can heal’

BEKANDZE BEKANDZE  – ‘Doctor Doctor’

MAHA BEKANDZE  – ‘Great Doctor’

RANDZA  – ‘King of the Doctors’

SAMUDGATE – ‘Please heal me from the disease’ is a term of entreaty

Therefore, in dependence on the Buddha we are able to eliminate the diseases of desire, of hatred and of ignorance which are the mental diseases” (Kyabje Khensur Kangyurwa Lobsang Thubten Rinpoche in “A Commentary On Dharmarakshita’s The Wheel Of Sharp Weapons”, page 60).

As we are all in need of following the Buddha’s advice, quoting Shantideva “If the doctor’s instructions are ignored, how will a patient in need of a cure be healed by his medicines?” (Shantideva “A Guide To The Bodhisattva’s Way Of Life”, chapter 4, verse 48).