MEDICINE BUDDHA

MEDICINE BUDDHA Medicine Buddha is popularly known as Bhai saya guru in Sanskrit. He is best described in the medicine Buddha sutra as the Buddha who took 12 great vows after the attainment of the enlightenment. He is depicted with blue skin color with the halo behind the head. The blue color is associated with the master healing stone, lapis lazuli. He is portrayed in the seating posture, dhyana aasan. In this posture he is seated comfortably in the lotus petal pedestal with leg crossed and the back side of both the feet is faced upwards. He holds a lapis lazuli colored jar of medicine in his left hand resting comfortably in the lap. The left hand is portrayed with the palm upward which symbolizes meditative stability. His right hand holds the stem of the aruna fruit or myrobalan between thumb and foreignger which rests on his right knee. It is believed that this plant represents all the best medicines in the world. The deep meaning of the right hand is the symbolic representation of the eradication of suffering through the means of relative truth. Due to the beliefs of having healing capacity most of the people want to keep medicine Buddha at home. It is believed that by keeping medicine Buddha at home especially at prayers room, the healing power of the family members are increased and negative powers will not be able to enter the house. (MANTRA: TADYATHA AUM BHAI SHAJ YE BHAISHAJYE MAHA BHAI SHAJYE SAMUDGATE SUAHA)