Sutra of the
Merit and Virtue of the Past Vows of Medicine Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata
Translated by The
Buddhist Text Translation Society
Key'ed in by TY with temporary consent (Jan, 1999)
from Dharma Master Heng Ch'ih.
---o0o---
Thus I have heard. At one time the
Bhagavan was travelling through various lands to teach living beings. He arrived at
Vaisali ["City of Extensive Adornments"] and stayed beneath a tree from which
music resounded. With him were eight thousand great Bhikshus and thirty six thousand
Bodhisattvas Mahasattvas; also kings, ministers, Brahmans, lay disciples; gods, dragons,
and the rest of the eightfold division; beings both human and non-human. The
immeasurable great multitude respectfully surrounded him, and he spoke Dharma for them.
At
that time, the Dharma Prince Manjusri, receiving the awesome inspiration of the Buddha,
rose from his seat, bared one of his shoulders, knelt on his right knee, and, inclining
his head and placing his palms together, said to the Bhagavan, "World Honored One! We
wish you would speak about such Dharmas as the Buddhas' names, the great vows they made in
the past, and their supreme merit and virtue, so that those who hear them will be rid of
their karmic hindrances. This request is also for the sake of bringing benefit and
joy to the sentient beings in the Dharma-Image Age."
The
Buddha then praised the Pure Youth Manjusri: "Good indeed! Good indeed,
Manjusri. With great compassion you now request that I speak about the Buddhas'
names and the merit and virtue of their past vows, for the sake of rescuing sentient
beings who are bound up by karmic obstacles, and for the purpose of bringing benefit,
peace, and joy to beings who live in the Dharma-Image Age. Listen attentively to my
words and reflect on them extremely well, for I will now answer you."
Manjusri
said, "Please do speak. We are glad to listen."
The
Buddha told Manjusri, "Passing from here to the east, beyond Buddhalands numerous as
the sand grains in ten Ganges rivers, is a world called `Pure Vaidurya.' The Buddha
there is named Medicine Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata, of Proper and Equal
Enlightenment, Perfect in Understanding and Practice, Well Gone One, One who Understands
the World, Supreme Lord, Regulating Hero, Teacher of Gods and Humans, Buddha, Bhagavan.
Manjusri, when that World Honored One, Medicine Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata,
was practicing the Bodhisattva path in the past, he made twelve great vows that enable all
sentient beings to obtain what they seek.
"The
first great vow: `I vow that in a future life, when I attain anuttarasamyaksambodhi, my
body will shine with dazzling light that will illumine measureless, countless, boundless
worlds. My body will be adorned with the thirty-two heroic features and the eighty
subsidiary characteristics, and I will enable all beings to become as I am.'
"The
second great vow: `I vow that in a future life when I attain Bohdi, my body will be as
bright and clear as Vaidurya, flawlessly pure, vastly radiant, majestic with merit and
virtue, abiding at ease, adorned with blazing nets brighter than the sun and the moon.
Beings dwelling in darkness will be illuminated and will succeed in all their
endeavors.'
"The
third great vow: `I vow that in a future life when I attain Bodhi, I will, by means of
limitless, unbounded wisdom and skill-in-means, enable all sentient beings to obtain an
inexhaustible supply of material necessities so they are without the slightest want.'
"The
fourth great vow: `I vow that in a future life when I attain Bodhi, I shall lead those
sentient beings who practice deviant paths to reside in the Way of Bodhi, and those who
travel on the vehicles of the Hearer or Pratyekabuddha to abide in the Great Vehicle.'
"The
fifth great vow: `I vow that in a future life when I attain Bodhi, I shall enable
limitless and boundless numbers of sentient beings who cultivate Brahma conduct within my
Dharma to perfectly uphold the three clusters of precepts without exception. Should
there be any violation, upon hearing my name, they will regain their purity and not fall
in the evil destinies.'
"The
sixth great vow: `I vow that in a future life when I attain Bodhi, if there are sentient
beings whose bodies are inferior and whose faculties are imperfect, who are ugly, dull,
blind, deaf, mute, deformed, paralyzed, hunchbacked, or afflicted with skin disease,
insanity, or various other sicknesses and sufferings, upon hearing my name they shall all
become endowed with upright features, keen intelligence, and perfect faculties, and they
shall be free of sickness and suffering.'
"The
seventh great vow: `I vow that in a future life when I attain Bodhi, I shall cause
sentient beings who are oppressed by many illnesses and who are without aid, without a
place to turn, without a doctor, without medicine, without relatives, and without a
family, who are poverty-stricken and filled with suffering to be cured of their sicknesses
upon having my name pass by their ear, so they are peaceful and happy in body and mind.
They will have a family and relatives, and acquire an abundance of property and
wealth, and even realize unsurpassed Bodhi.'
"The
eight great vow: `I vow that in a future life when I attain Bodhi, if there are women who
give rise a deep loathing for their female body and wish to renounce it because they are
oppressed and disturbed by the myriad suffering of being female, upon hearing my name,
they will be turn from women into men who are replete with male features and ultimately
realize unsurpassed Bodhi.'
"The
ninth great vow: `I vow that in a future life when I attain Bodhi, I shall liberate
sentient beings from the nets of demons and the bonds of external sects. If they
have fallen into the dense forests of evil views, I shall lead them to have proper views
and to gradually cultivate the practices of Bodhisattvas so they will quickly realize
unsurpassed, proper and equal Bodhi.'
"The
tenth great vow: `I vow that in a future life when I attain Bodhi, I shall cause sentient
beings who fall into the hands of the law and are bound, interrogated, whipped, fettered,
imprisoned, sentenced to execution, or subjected to endless disasters, hardships, abuse,
and humiliation so that they are torn by griefand distress and suffering in body and mind,
to obtain, upon hearing my name, liberation from all worry and suffering by means of my
blessings, virtue, and awesome spiritual power.'
"The
eleventh great vow: `I vow that in a future life when I attain Bodhi, I shall cause all
sentient beings who are so plagued by hunger and thirst that they create all kinds of bad
karma in their quest for food, upon hearing my name and single-mindedly accepting and
maintaining it, to be filled with delicious food and drink and afterward, by means of the
flavor of Dharma, to settle in ultimate peace and happiness.'
"The
twelfth great vow: `I vow that in a future life when I attain Bodhi, if there are sentient
beings who are poor and without clothes so that day and night they are troubled by
mosquitoes and flies, and by cold and heat, upon hearing my name and single-mindedly
accepting and maintaining it, they shall obtain all kinds of fine and wonderful garments
that accord with their tastes, as well as a variety of precious adornments, flower
garlands, fragrant balms, and the enjoyments of music and various kinds of talents, so
that their hearts' delights will be fulfilled.'
"Manjusri,
these are the twelve sublime and wonderful vows that the World Honored One, Medicine
Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata, One of Proper and Equal Enlightenment, made while
cultivating the Bodhisattva Way.
"Moreover,
Manjusri, if I were to speak for an eon or more about the great vows made by the World
Honored One, Medicine Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata, when he practiced the Bodhisattva
Way and about the merit, virtue, and adornments of his Buddhaland, I could not finish.
"That
Buddhaland has always been completely pure; there are no women, no evil destinies, and no
sounds of suffering. The ground is made of Vaidurya, with golden cords lining the
roads. The city walls, towers, palace pavilions, studios, windows, and latticework
are all made of the seven treasures. The merit, virtue, and adornments of this land
are identical to those of the Western Land of the Ultimate Bliss.
"Residing
in that land are two Bodhisattvas Mahasattvas; the first is called Universally Radiant
Sunlight, and the second, Universally Radiant Moonlight. They are the leaders among
the immeasurable, uncountable hosts of Bodhisattvas in that land and will be the
successors to that Buddha. They are able to maintain the precious treasure of the
Proper Dharma of the World Honored One, Medicine Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata.
Therefore, Manjusri, all good men and women who have faith should vow to be born in
that Buddha's land."
At
that time, the World Honored One again spoke to the Pure Youth Manjusri saying,
"Manjusri, there are living beings who don't distinguish good from evil, who indulge
in greed and stinginess, and who knows nothing of giving or its rewards. They are
stupid, ignorant, and lack the foundation of faith. They accumulate much wealth and
many treasures and ardently guard them. When they see a beggar coming, they feel
displeased. When they have to practice an act of charity that does not benefit
themselves, they feel as though they were cutting a piece of flesh from their body, and
they suffer deep and painful regret.
"They
are other innumerable avaricious and miserly living beings who hoard money and necessities
that they don't use even for themselves, how much less for their parents, wives, or
servants, or for beggars! At the end of their lives, such beings will be reborn
among the hungry ghosts or animals. If they heard the name of that Buddha, Medicine
Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata, in their former human existence, and they recall that
Tathagata's name for the briefest moment while they are in the evil destinies, they will
immediately be reborn in the human realm. Moreover, they will remember their past
lives and will dread the suffering of evil destinies. They will not delight in
worldly pleasures, but will rejoice in giving and praise others who give. They will
not begrudge giving whatever they have. Gradually, to those who come to beg, they
will be able to give away their own head, eyes, hands, feet, and even their entire body,
to say nothing of their money and property!
"Moreover,
Manjusri, there are beings who, although they study under the Tathagata, nonetheless
violate the sila. Others, although they do not violate the sila, nonetheless
transgress the rules and regulations. Others, although they do not violate the sila or
rules and regulations, nonetheless destroy their own proper views. Others, although
they do not destroy their own proper views, nonetheless neglect learning, so they are
unable to understand the profound meaning of the Sutras that the Buddha speaks.
Others, although they are learned, nonetheless give rise to overweening pride.
Shadowed by overweening pride, they justify themselves and disparage others,
slander the Proper Dharma, and join the retinue of demons.
Such
fools act on their misguided views and further, cause immeasurable millions of beings to
fall into pits of great danger. These beings will drift endlessly in the realms of
the hells, the animals, and the ghosts. But if they hear the name of Medicine Master
Vaidurya Light Tathagata, they will be able to renounce their evil practices and cultivate
wholesome Dharmas, and thereby avoid falling into evil destinies. If those who have
fallen into the evil destinies because they could not renounce their evil practices and
cultivate wholesome Dharmas, by the awesome power of the past vows of that Tathagata, get
to hear his name for only a moment, then after they pass out of that existence, they will
be reborn again as human beings. They will hold proper views and will be ever
vigorous. Their minds will be well regulated and joyful, enabling them to renounce
their families and leave the householder's life. They will take up a maintain study
of the Tathagata's Dharma without any violation. They will have proper views and
erudition; they will understand profound meanings and yet be free from overweening pride.
They will not slander the Proper Dharma and will never join the ranks of demons.
They will progressively cultivate the practices of Bodhisattvas and will soon bring
them to perfection.
Moreover,
Manjusri, if there are sentient beings who harbor stinginess, greed, and jealousy, who
praise themselves and disparage others, they will fall into the three evil destinies for
countless thousands of years where they will undergo intense suffering. After
undergoing intense suffering, at the end of their lives they will be born into the world
as oxen, horses, camels, and donkeys that are constantly beaten, afflicted by thirst and
hunger, and made to carry heavy burdens along the roads. Or they may be reborn among
lowly people, as slaves or servants who are always ordered around by others and who never
for a moment feel at ease.
If
such beings in their former lives as humans, heard the name of the World Honored One,
Medicine Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata, and by this good cause are able to remember it
and sincerely take refuse with that Buddha, then, by means of the Buddha's spiritual
power, they will be liberated from all sufferings. They will be endowed with keen
faculties and they will be wise and erudite. They will always seek the supreme
Dharmas and encounter good friends. They will eternally sever the nets of demons and
smash the shell of ignorance. They will dry up the river of afflictions and be
liberated from birth, old age, sickness, death, anxiety, grief, suffering, and vexation.
Moreover,
Manjusri, there may be beings who delight in perversity and engage in legal disputes,
bringing trouble to others as well as themselves. In their actions, speech, and
thoughts, they create ever-increasing amounts of evil karma. Never willing to
benefit and forgive others, they scheme to harm one another instead. They pray to
the spirits of the mountain forests, trees, and graves. They kill living beings in
order to make sacrifices of blood and flesh to the yaksa and raksasa ghosts. They
write down the names of their enemies and make images of them, and then they hex those
names and images with evil mantras. They summon paralysis ghosts, cast hexes, or
command corpse-raising ghosts to kill or injure their enemies.
However,
if the victims hear the names of medicine Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata, then all those
evil things will lose their power to do harm. The evildoers will become kind to one
another. They will attain benefit, peace, and happiness and no longer cherish
thoughts of malice, affliction, or enmity. Everyone will rejoice and feel content
with what they have. Instead of encroaching upon each other, they will seek to
benefit one another.
Moreover,
Manjusri, there may be those among the fourfold assembly of Bhikshus, Bhikshunis,
Upasakas, and Upasikas, as well as other good men and women of pure faith, who accept and
uphold the eight precepts either for one year or for three months, practicing and studying
them. With these good roots, they may vow to be born in the Western Land of Ultimate
Bliss where the Buddha of Limitless Life dwells, to hear the Proper Dharma, but their
resolve may not be firm. However, if they hear the name of the World Honored One,
Medicine Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata, then as the end of their lives draws near,
before them will appear eight great Bodhisattvas, whose names are: Manjusri Bodhisattva,
The Bodhisattva Who Observes the Sounds of the World, Great Strength Bodhisattva,
Inexhaustible Intention Bodhisattva, Jeweled Udumbara Flower Bodhisattva, Medicine King
Bodhisattva, Medicine Superior Bodhisattva, and Maitreya Bodhisattva. Those eight
great Bodhisattvas will appear in space to show them the way, and they will naturally be
born by transformation in that land, amid precious flowers of myriad colors.
Or
they may be born in the heavens due to this cause. Although reborn in the heavens,
their original good roots will not be exhausted and so they will not fall into the evil
destinies again. When their life in the heavens ends, they will be born among people
again. They may be wheel-turning kings, reigning over the four continents with
awesome virtue and ease, bringing uncountable hundreds of thousands of living beings to
abide in the practice of the ten good deeds. Or they may be born as Ksatriyas,
Brahmans, laymen, or sons of honorable families. They will be wealthy, with
storehouses filled to overflowing. Handsome in appearance, they will be surrounded
by a great retinue of relatives. They will be intelligent and wise, courageous and
valiant, like great and awesome knights. If a woman hears the name of the World
Honored One, Medicine Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata, and sincerely cherishes it, in the
future she will never again be born as a female.
Moreover,
Manjusri, when Medicine Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata attained Bodhi, by the power of
his past vows he contemplated all the sentient beings who were undergoing various kinds of
sicknesses and sufferings. Some suffered from diseases such as emaciation, atrophy,
severe thirst, or yellow fever; others were harmed by paralysis ghosts or by poisonous
hexes; some died naturally when young, while others experienced untimely deaths. He
wishes to dispel all their sicknesses and suffers, and to fulfill their wishes.
At
that time, the World Honored One entered a samadhi called extinguishing the suffering and
distress of all beings." After he entered this samadhi, a great light came
forth from his flesh-cowl. From amid that light he proclaimed this magnificent
dharani:
Na mo
bo qie fa diBi Sha SheJu lu bi liu liBo la poHe la she yeDa tuo jie duo ye E la he diSan
miao san pu tuo yeDa zhi tuo nan Bi sha shiBi sha shiBi sha sheSan mo jie diSuo he
After
he spoken that mantra from amid the light, the earth trembled and emitted great light.
All beings' sicknesses and sufferings were cast off, and they felt peaceful and
happy.
Manjusri,
if you see a man (or a woman) who is ill, you should single-mindedly and frequently clean
and bathe him and rinse him mouth. Provide him with food, medicine, or water that is
free of insects, over many of which the dharani has been recited 108 times. After
the sick person has taken it, all his sicknesses and sufferings will be gone. If
this person has a wish, he should recite this mantra with utmost sincerity. Then he will
obtain whatever he wished for, and his life will be prolonged and free from illness.
At the end of his life, he will be reborn in that Buddha's land. He will
become irreversible and will ultimately attain bodhi. Therefore, Manjusri, if there
are men and women, who with utmost sincerity, diligently worship and make offerings to
Medicine master Vaidurya Light Tathagata, they should always recite this mantra and never
forget it.
Moreover,
Manjusri, men or women of pure faith, who have heard all the names of Medicine Master
Vaidurya Light Tathagata, One of Proper and Equal Enlightenment, should recite and uphold
them. In the early morning, after brushing their teeth and bathing, they should make
offerings of fragrant flowers, incense, perfumed balms, and various kinds of music before
an image of that Buddha. They should personally write out this sutra or ask others
to do so, and they should single-mindedly and constantly recite it. If they listen
to explanations of its meaning from a Dharma Master, they should make offerings to him of
all necessities, so that he is without the slightest want. In this way, they will
receive the mindful protection of the Buddhas. All of their wishes will be
fulfilled, and they will ultimately attain Bodhi.
At
that time, the Pure Youth Manjusri said to the Buddha, "World Honored One, I vow that
in the Dharma-Image Age, using various expedient means, I shall enable good men and women
of pure faith to hear the name of the World Honored One, Medicine Master Vaidurya Light
Tathagata. Even during their sleep, I will awaken them with this Buddha's name.
World
Honored One, there may be those who accept and uphold this Sutra, read and recite it,
explain its meanings for others, write it out themselves, or tell others to write it out.
They may revere it by making offerings of various flowers, paste incense, powdered
incense, stick incense, flower garlands, necklaces, banners, canopies, and music.
They may make bags of five-colored thread in which to keep this Sutra. They may
sweep clean a place and arrange a high altar on which to place this Sutra. At that
time, the Four Heavenly Kings with their retinues and other innumerable hundreds of
thousands of gods will come to that place to worship and protect it.
World
Honored One, its should be known that if, in the place where this precious Sutra
circulates, people can accept and uphold it, then due to the merit and virtue of the past
vows of that World Honored One, Medicine Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata, because they
have heard his name, none of those people will meet with untimely death. In
addition, none of them will be robbed of his vital energies by evil ghosts and spirits.
Those people whose vital energies have already been robbed will have their health
restored, and they will be happy and at peace in body and mind.
The
Buddha told Manjusri, "So it is, so it is! It is exactly as you say.
Manjusri, if there are good men and women of pure faith who wish to make offerings
to that World Honored One, Medicine Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata, they should first
make an image of that Buddha and arrange a pure and clean dais on which to place the
image. Then they should strew all kinds of flowers, burn various incenses, and adorn
the place with a variety of banners and streamers. For seven days and seven nights
they should hold the eight precepts and eat pure food. Having bathed until clean and
fragrant, they should put on clean clothes. Their minds should be undefiled, without
thoughts of anger and malice. Toward all sentient beings, they should cherish
thoughts of benevolence, peace, kindness, compassion, joy, giving, and equanimity.
Playing
musical instruments and singing praises, they should circumambulate to the right of the
Buddha's image. Moreover, they should recall the merit and virtue of that
Tathagata's past vows. They should read and recite this Sutra, ponder its meaning,
and lecture on and explain it. Then they will obtain whatever they seek: those who
seek long life will attain longevity; those who seek wealth will gain wealth; those who
seek an official position will obtain it; and those who seek a son or a daughter will have
one.
Moreover,
if a person suddenly has nightmares, sees ill omens, notices strange birds flocking
together, or perceives many uncanny events in his dwelling can worship and make offerings
of many fine things to that World Honored One, Medicine Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata,
then the nightmares, ill omens, and inauspicious things will disappear and will no longer
trouble him.
When
a person is endangered by water, fire, knives, or poison; or finds himself on a steep
cliff or in a dangerous place; or faces fierce elephants, lions, tigers, wolves, bears,
poisonous snakes, scorpions, centipedes, millipedes, mosquitoes, gnats, or other frightful
things, if he can single-mindedly recollect, worship, and make offerings to that Buddha,
he will be liberated from all those frightful things. When other countries invade or
when there are thieves or riots, if a person can recollect and worship that Tathagata,
then he will be free of all these as well.
Moreover,
Manjusri, there may be good men and women of pure faith, who, all their lives, do not
worship other gods, but single mindedly take refuge with the Buddha, The Dharma, and the
Sangha. They acceptand uphold precepts, such as the five precepts, the ten precepts,
the four hundred precepts of a Bodhisattva, the two hundred and fifty precepts of a
Bhikshu, or the five hundred precepts of a Bhikshuni. Perhaps they have violated
some of the precepts they received and are afraid of falling into the evil destinies.
If they concentrate on reciting that Buddha's name and worship and make offerings
to him, they definitely will not be reborn in the three evil destinies.
If
there is a woman about to give birth who suffers great pain, if she sincerely recites his
name and worships, praises, venerates, and makes offerings to that Tathagata, all her
sufferings will be dispelled. The newborn child will be sound and healthy, and will
have upright features. Seeing him will make people happy. He will be keen and
intelligent, peaceful and secure, and with few ailments, and no evil will come to rob him
of his vitality.
At
that time the World Honored One said to Ananda, "The merit and virtue of the World
Honored One, Medicine Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata, which I have just extolled, is the
extremely profound practice of all Buddhas. It is difficult to fathom and to
comprehend. Do you believe it or Not?"
Ananda
said, "Great virtuous World Honored One, I have absolutely no doubts regarding the
Sutras spoken by the Tathagata. Why? Because all Buddhas' karmas of body,
speech, and mind are pure. World Honored One, the sun and moon could fall,
Wonderfully High, the king of mountains, could be toppled or shaken, but the words of the
Buddhas never change.
"World
Honored One, there are sentient beings deficient in faith who hear about the extremely
profound practices of all Buddhas and think to themselves, `How could one obtain such
supreme merit and benefit merely by reciting the name of a single Buddha, Medicine Master
Vaidurya Light Tathagata?' Due to this lack of faith, they give rise to slander.
During the long night, they lose great benefit and joy and fall into the evil
destinies, where they wander ceaselessly."
The
Buddha told Ananda, "If these sentient beings hear the name of the World Honored One,
Medicine Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata, and sincerely accept and uphold it without any
doubt, they cannot possibly fall into the evil destinies.
Ananda,
this is the extremely profound practice of all Buddhas, which is difficult to believe and
to understand! You should know that your ability to accept this comes from the
awesome power of the Tathagata. Ananda, all Hearers, Solitarily Enlightened Ones,
and the Bodhisattvas who have not yet ascended to the Grounds are incapable of believing
and understanding this Dharma as it really is. Only the Bodhisattvas who are
destined in one life to attain Buddhahood are capable of understanding.
"Ananda,
it is difficult to obtain a human body. It is also difficult to have faith in and to
revere the Triple Jewel. It is even more difficult to be able to hear the name of
the World Honored One, Medicine Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata. Ananda, Medicine
Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata possesses boundless Bodhisattvas practices, limitless
skillful expedients, and immeasurably vast great vows. If I were to speak
extensively of those for an eon or more, the eon would soon end, but that Buddha's
practices, vows, and skillful expedients have no end!"
At
that time within the assembly, a Bodhisattva Mahasattva named One Who Rescues and
Liberates arose from his seat, bared his right shoulder, knelt with his right knee on the
ground, leaned forward with his palms joined together, and said to the Buddha,
"Greatly virtuous World Honored One! During the Dharma Image Age, there will be
living beings afflicted with various diseases, emaciated from chronic illnesses, unable to
eat or drink, their throats parched and their lips dry. Such a being sees darkness
gathering all around him as the signs of death appear. While lying in bed,
surrounded by his weeping parents, relatives, and friends, he sees the messengers of Yama
leading his spirit before that king of justice. Every sentient being has spirits
that stay with him throughout his life. They record his every deed, both good and
evil, to present to Yama, the king of justice. At that time, King Yama interrogates
this person in order to tally his karma and mete out judgement according to his good and
evil deeds.
"At
that time, if the sick person's relatives and friends, on his behalf, can take refuge with
the World Honored One, Medicine Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata, and request members of
the Sangha to recite this Sutra, to light seven layers of lamps, and to hang up the five
colored banners for prolonging life, then it is possible for his spirit to return.
As if in a dream, the person will see everything very clearly himself.
If
his spirit returns after seven, twenty-one, thirty-five, or forty-nine days, he will feel
as if awakened from a dream and will remember the retributions that he underwent for his
good and bad karma. Having personally witnessed the retributions of his own karma,
he will never again do any evil, even if his very life is endangered. Therefore,
good men and women of pure faith should accept and uphold the name of Medicine Master
Vaidurya Light Tathagata and, according to their capability, worship and make offerings to
him."
At
that time Ananda asked the Bodhisattva Who Rescues and Liberates, "Good man, how
should we worship and make offerings to the World Honored One, Medicine Master Vaidurya
Light Tathagata? And how should we make the banners and lamps that prolong
life?"
The
Bodhisattva Who Rescues and Liberates said, "Greatly Virtuous One, if there is a sick
person who wishes to be freed from sickness and suffering, for his sake one should accept
and uphold the eight precepts for seven days and seven nights, and make offerings to the
Bhikshu Sangha of as many items of food, drink, and other necessities as are in his power
to give.
During
the six periods of the day and night one should worship, practice the Way, and make
offerings to the World Honored One, Medicine Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata. Read
and recite this Sutra forty-nine times, light forty-nine lamps, and make seven images of
that Tathagata. In front of each image place seven lamps, each as large as a
cartwheel. These lamps must be kept burning continuously for forty-nine days. Hang
up five colored banners that are forty-nine spans long. Liberate a variety of living
creatures, as many as forty-nine species. Then the sick one will be able to surmount
the danger and will not suffer an untimely death or be held by evil ghosts.
Furthermore,
Ananda, in the case of ksatriya princes who are due to be anointed on the crowns of their
heads, at a time when calamity arises, such as pestilence among the population, invasion
by foreign countries rebellion within their territories, unusual changes in the stars, a
solar or lunlar eclipse, unseasonal winds and rains, or prolonged drought, those ksatriya
princes should bring forth an attitude of kindness and compassion toward sentient beings
and grant amnesty to all prisoners. They should follow the above mentioned methods
to make offerings to that World Honored One, Medicine Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata.
Due to these good roots and the power of that Tathagata's past vows, the country
will be safe and peaceful, the winds and rains will be timely, the crops will ripen, and
all sentient beings will be blissful and free of disease. Within this country there
will be no violence, nor any yaksas or other spirits that harm sentient beings, and all
evil omens will vanish.
The
Ksatriya princes who are due to be anointed on the crowns of their heads will enjoy longer
lives and good health, and they will be at ease and free from illness. Ananda, if
the queens, the princes, the ministers or court councilors, the ladies of the palace, the
provincial officials or the common people suffer from diseases or other difficulties, they
should also hang up five-colored spiritual banners, light lamps, and keep them burning,
liberate living creatures, strew flowers of various colors, and burn precious incense.
Then those people will be cured of their diseases and relieved of their
difficulties."
Then
Ananda asked the Bodhisattva Who Rescues and Liberates, "Good man, how can a life
that has come to an end be prolonged?"
The
Bodhisattva Who Rescues and Liberates answered, "Great Virtuous One, did you not hear
the Tathagata say that there are nine kinds of untimely death? That is why people
are exhorted to make life-prolonging banners and lamps to cultivate all kinds of
blessings. Through such cultivation of blessings, they will be freed from suffering
and adversity for the rest of their lives. "
Ananda
asked, "What are the nine kinds of untimely death?"
The
Bodhisattva Who Rescues and Liberates said, "There may be living beings who, although
not seriously ill, have neither medicine nor a doctor to treat them, or else they meet a
doctor who gives them the wrong medicine; consequently they meet with an untimely death.
Some of them believe in worldly cults, whose deviant teachers frighten them with
false prophecies. Unable to set their minds at ease, they consult oracles to find
out what calamities are in store for them. In order to propitiate the spirits, they
kill various creatures. They pray to wang liang ghosts for aid and protection.
Although they wish to prolong their lives, their efforts are to no avail. The
deludedly hold to wrong beliefs and perverse views. Thus they meet with an untimely
death and fall into the hells, never to come out. This is the first kind of untimely
death.
The
second kind of untimely death is to be executed at the hands of the law. The third
kind is to hunt for sport, to indulge in drinking and lust, or to become excessively
dissipated, and then be waylaid by nonhuman beings that rob one's essence and energy.
The fourth is to be burned to death; the fifth is to drown; the sixth is to be
devoured by wild beasts; the seventh is to fall from a steep cliff; the eight is to be
harmed by poison, voodoo, evil mantras, or corpse-raising ghosts; the ninth is to die from
hunger and thirst. These are the nine kinds of untimely deaths generally spoken of by the
Tathagata. There are also innumerable other kinds which cannot all be spoken of
here.
Moreover,
Ananda, King Yama keeps track of the karmic records of all the inhabitants of the world.
If there are beings who are not filial to their parents, who commit the Five
Rebellious Acts, who revile the Triple Jewel, who destroy the laws of the country, or who
violate the precept of truthfulness, then Yama, the king of justice, examines and punishes
them according to the severity of their offenses. Therefore, I encourage people to
light lamps and make banners, to liberate beings and cultivate blessings so that they can
overcome suffering and peril and forestall all disasters."
At
that time, twelve great yaksa generals were present in the assembly. They were:
General Kumbhira, General Vajra, General Mihira, General Andira, General Anila, General
Sandira, General Indra, General Pajra, General Makura, General Kinnara, General Catura,
and General Vikarala.
These
twelve great yaksa generals, each with a retinue of seven thousand yaksas, simultaneously
raised their voices and addressed the Buddha, "World Honored One! Today, by
relying on the Buddha's awesome power, we are able to hear the name of the World Honored
One Medicine Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata! As a result, we are no longer afraid
of the evil destinies. All of us are of one mind to take refuge with the Buddha, the
Dharma, and the Sangha to the end of our lives. We vow to support all living beings
and to benefit them, so that they may live in peace and happiness. In whatever
cities, village, countries, or secluded forests this Sutra circulates, or wherever people
accept and uphold the name of Medicine Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata and venerate and
make offerings to him, we, together with our retinues, will guard and protect them,
deliver them from all distress, and fulfill all their wishes. If a person wishes to
dispel illnesses and difficulties, he should read or recite this Sutra and tie a five
colored thread into knots, forming the letters of our names. He should untie the
knots when his wishes have been fulfilled."
At
that time, the World Honored One praised the great yaksa generals, saying "Good
indeed, good indeed, mighty yaksa generals! All of you who want to repay the
kindness of the World Honored One, Medicine Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata, should always
benefit beings and bring peace and happiness to them in this way. "
Then
Ananda said to the Buddha, "World Honored One, what should we call this teaching?
How should we uphold it?"
The
Buddha told Ananda, "This teaching is called, `The Merit and Virtues of the Past Vows
of Medicine Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata.' It is also called `Twelve Spiritual
Generals' Vows to Use Spiritual Mantras to Benefit Living Beings." It is also
called, "Eradicating All Karmic Obstacles.' You should uphold it in this
way."
When
the Bhagavan had finished speaking, all the Bodhisattvas Mahasattvas, great Hearers,
kings, ministers, Brahmans, laypeople, gods, dragons, yaksas, gandharvas, asuras,
kinnaras, garudas, mahoragas, humans, and non-human beings, and all the great assembly, on
hearing what the Buddha had said, were greatly delighted. They received it with
faith and respectfully practiced it.
---o0o---
Update: 01-12-2001
