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Bhaisajyaguru Vaiduryaprabha Tathagata (Medicine Buddha)

Bhaisajya Tathagata is called Healing Bhddha or Medicine Buddha. He is able to cure sickness of birth and death. His body is bright like lapislazuli. He resides in the eastern world of purified lapislazuli. He is assisted by two bodhisattvas called Suryaprabha and Candraprabha, to transform and teach living beings in that land.

The usual colour of Bhaisajya Tathagata was blue or lapislazuli in colour. But he had also golden colour. His right hand held a branch of the myrobalan in varadamudra gesture. His left hand is in the lap holding a pindapatra (alms bowl).

The blue or lapislazuli colour of his body symbolizes that he takes all the diseases and sickness of the suffering beings unto himself. The plant myrobalan signifies the medicine which heals all the sickness of the sentient beings.

According to the Bhaisajyaguru Buddha Sutra, he made 12 great vows before his attainment of Buddhahood. The important vows are as follows: To eliminate sickness all living beings and make them feel easy and happy in order to attain Buddhahood and to liberate beings from disasters and calamities. It is said that the land of Bhaisajya Buddha is genuinely pure. In that land the ground is paved with purified lapislazuli. The cities, buildings, and palaces are made of seven jewels. In that land the sentient beings do not commit any evil deeds hence there is no lower realm. It can well be compared with Sukhavati Heaven of Buddha Amitabha.

In Tibetan medical tradition Bhaisajya Buddha is said to be the source of all medical treatises. This Buddha is invoked for eliminating disasters and sickness of all varieties.

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