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 grief and 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 refuge 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: Om Namo Bhagawate Bekandze guru bendurya
prabha randzaya Tathagataya Arhate Samyaksambuddhaya
Tayatha Om Bekandze Bekandze maha Bekandze
randze samungateye soha
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 accept
and 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.
