Medicine Buddha is one of many Buddhas who have attained the state of perfect enlightenment for the benefit of all sentient beings. The enlightened mind has eliminated all negativity and perfected all positive qualities. Medicine Buddha’s blue sky-colored holy body symbolizes omniscient wisdom and compassion as vast as limitless space. He is especially associated with healing both mental and physical suffering. Making a connection with him—whether through meditation, reciting his mantra, or even simply saying his name—helps us realize our own potential for ultimate healing.

All disease is essentially rooted in psychosomatic causes, specifically spiritual confusion. While there is no clear beginning to this confusion, Buddhist teachings explain that there can be an end to it through enlightenment. Much of this confusion can be traced to the three main poisons or wrong attitudes:

• Greed (grasping),

• Hatred (fear), and

• Ignorance (mistaken beliefs).

Unless these mistaken attitudes are released, all other cures remain only temporary. But once we cleanse these deep-rooted beliefs, we reach a luminous, enlightened mind that is free from all stains, and remains so eternally.

In the Medicine Tantras, Buddha Shakyamuni describes Medicine Buddha as an enlightened being with special powers of healing. His special healing blessings can be obtained simply by reciting his name or mantra. For centuries, Buddhists have practiced this mantra prayer to bring about the ultimate healing of spiritual disease, as well as remedies for the everyday problems of body and mind.