Medicine Buddha Empowerment & Teachings – H.E. Garchen Rinpoche
Medicine Buddha Empowerment & Teachings – H.E. Garchen Rinpoche
Translated by Ina Bieler and Transcribed by Florence Lee
First, tashi delek to all the sangha who is joining us today on the live stream. I am so happy to see all of your faces of all the older disciples that I know. Today we have the Medicine Buddha Empowerment and generally we receive many empowerments all the time. However even though we receive them on different occasions, the dharmakaya of the deity is all pervasive like space.
In all the different countries, good morning to all the sangha. Perhaps, some of you might think that we are far away and you are just seeing this livestream image on the internet. But it is not actually that because in general a spiritual master or bodhisattva possesses immeasurable love and compassion. His body is a human being and that is what we call the Nirmanakaya. The body is the sangha, the speech is the holy dharma and the mind is the Buddha. When we offer long life prayers for all of the lamas, we are requesting them to remain for tens of thousands of years. The real meaning behind that is that the speech which is the holy dharma and the mind that is the Buddha of the lama is beyond birth and death.
Ordinary people may be saying ‘Please live for hundreds of thousands of years and so on’ but actually the lama is the mind of bodhicitta which doesn’t die even when he has passes away. That is what I wanted to share today because I have great love for you and I trust that you also love me. So, what is the love that I have? Actually, it is not just for your sake but every time one cultivates love, one’s self-grasping also goes away. When you love others, you are doing yourself a service; a kindness to yourself. It is also for my own sake too that I have great love for you. I myself do not have great qualities or much learning. But what I am holding on is in particular one line in the 37 bodhisattva practices that say ‘All suffering without exception comes from wishing for one’s own happiness. The perfect Buddhas arise from the altruistic mind.’
The Sambhogakayas are also present uninterruptedly and they are seen by those with pure karmas. They turn the wheel of dharma continuously and for sentient beings who have not realized how things really are, to them the Nirmanakaya or the spiritual teacher appear. And the teacher introduces them to the true nature of phenomena. So for sentient beings who have not realized the meaning of dharma, they might possess physical eyes but they do not possess the eyes of the dharma.
Lacking those eyes of dharma, they are unable to see the qualities of a Buddha. For those practitioners who know how to practice, they are able to recognize the qualities of the three kayas. When one has completely matured, one matures into those three qualities of the three kayas. For beings who are immature or unripened, they are like the seed of a flower. But even though they are unripe, they still are connected to all the Buddhas uninterruptedly.
I’ve always mentioned this quote by Lord Jigten Sumgon from the Gongchik where he says ‘everything that is done in the field of noble things is done by the Buddha. So everything in this world that is done with wisdom is really done by Buddha because there is no one solid entity that we call the Buddha. But what Buddha really is, is the quality of wisdom and compassion that we possess. Those who have completely perfected their wisdom and compassion are Buddhas.
It is also due to science that we can see these qualities because science is also an activity done with intelligence. We always speak about the qualities of the Buddhas three kayas and even though we all know about that, we only have an intellectual understanding. But still, we continue to grasp at the true existence of physical forms and our bodies. For example, when you see the Guru you think that he is the real Guru.
This is how we think when we grasp at the concrete existence of reality. We do have an understanding but it is in terms of the Dharmakaya and Sambhogakaya is more of an aspiration. We think that maybe it exists and is probably true but still we don’t really understand. Due to that we develop a lot of doubts, misconceptions and wrong views in our mind.
We want to attain the state of enlightenment and this is the method. Because when we attain enlightenment, then we are liberated from suffering. And until we attain enlightenment, we are not liberated from suffering. So, the altruistic mind is the skillful means to attain the state of enlightenment. So, if we want to attain enlightenment, we must cultivate a wish to benefit others. And if you only have great trust in that, it is sufficient if you just give love and compassion to others. It is actually to your own greatest benefit because all suffering comes from wishing for one’s own happiness. Even though the mind is actually the Buddha, since beginningless time in samsara, we have the imprint of clinging to a self. Also, in the beginning of an empowerment it is important for all of you to cultivate an altruistic mind.
First, we have methods to cultivate bodhicitta where it has not yet arisen and to not let it decline where it has arisen. And the empowerment belongs to the Vajrayana secret mantra which is the method to increase bodhicitta higher and higher. This is also why in the very beginning we recite Lord Jigten Sumgon’s prayer: ‘All mother sentient beings boundless as the sky, especially those enemies who hate me, obstructers who harm me, and so on.’ These are the ones we cultivate great love and compassion for first and foremost because then our own self-grasping diminishes.
Self grasping is the root of all suffering. Love and compassion are the essence of the empowerment and that is also the samaya to be kept. In the beginning cultivate the altruistic mind. In the middle, we cultivate the altruistic mind, and in the end, we also cultivate the precious bodhicitta. This is what all Buddhists teachings share in common. They all teach the precious bodhicitta and the Buddha had said ‘Completely tame your own mind. This is the Buddha’s teachings.’
Taming one’s own mind means to eliminate self-grasping and the concept of ‘me’ always arises even though the actual nature of mind is like space. This concept of I and Me’ constantly arises in whatever we do whether we engage in worldly or dharma activities. We are grasping at a self that does not exist. Within the actual nature of the mind, there is no ‘I’, there is no ‘me’ and there is no self and other. To purify one’s own mind is the root of Buddha’s teachings which means to purify this false grasping at a self.
Today’s empowerment is the Medicine Buddha Empowerment which heals the three diseases that arises from the three poisons. All empowerments are a method to clear away the three poisons (the afflictive emotions). This is like the King or the root of all empowerments. There is a quote by the Buddha that comes from the Samadhiraja Sutra where Buddha taught thousands of dharmas in many different worlds. While the words are distinct, the meaning is the same and if you practice a single meaning you practice them all.
The single meaning is to separate ourselves from the three poisons and when we separate from them, all sentient beings are actually Buddhas. The Buddha had taught that your mind is the Buddha in its pure natural state. To clear away the three poisons, that is the purpose of the empowerment and these poisons are the cause of suffering in this, in future lives and also in the bardo. There is no suffering that doesn’t arise from the three poisons or the afflictive emotions. The three afflictive emotions originate from ignorance or delusion.
First there is this concept of a self then that self becomes attached to happiness or pleasure and desire arises. Then that self has an aversion against suffering. Attachment, aversion and ignorance are rooted in this delusion of there being a self. That is how we see things for as long as we have not realized the true nature of our mind really as it is. It is said that when you recognize it you are a Buddha. Not recognizing it you are a sentient being wondering in samsara. Until one has recognized one’s own true nature, we say that the mind is in the state of delusion or ignorance.
Next, I will offer the historical background of the medicine empowerment to you my dharma friends and I really think that we are together. Because we really are together in our minds. You hear the words and we are connected through the bond of love. The body is just like an empty house and it might be far away. But the mind and the speech are here; the dharmakaya and sambhogakaya are all pervasive. So, the mind and speech of all the spiritual teachers are pervasive.
Just as Milarepa had said ‘My mind will continue to pervade the five elements.’ We share a bond of love and therefore we are together in our minds; you can see me over the screen and you can hear the words. So, you are actually seeing my real self today and not seeing the false self which is the body. The body is a nirmanakaya or an emanation form and the literal term for that is something that is not real. The body is not real and it is not what we really are.
In any case; please listen to the historical background of this empowerment and trust that our minds are together. When you trust in that, then this sense of being not separate or non-dual arises. It arises on a relative level because there exists this bond of love. Also; when you see the ultimate truth, you recognize that within the mind there is no separation at all. So; there is really only one mind.
I will read the history in English. For the Medicine Buddha torma empowerment, when the Buddha once resided in Vaishali he sat under the tree of music and taught the sutra of the Medicine Buddha in response to Manjushri’s supplication. At that time, Vajrapani, Bhrama, Indra, the four great Kings and the twelve mighty Yaksha chiefs vowed to protect sentient beings of future times who would hear or recollect the name of the Medicine Buddha. Manjushri transmitted these teachings to Khenpo Bodhisattva and to the younger Khenpo Bodhisattva who then passed them on to Atisha. This is the earlier lineage of transmission.
When Khenpo Bodhisattva came to Tibet, he passed them on to the King Trisong Detsen who passed them on to his son. This is the later lineage of transmission. This text belongs to the sky terma or namcho which is a mind treasure and its practice has been sustained throughout the four lineages without interruption. Therefore, one may engage in its practice regardless of which lineage one follows. The medicine Buddha practice is taught in several tantras of the Vajrayana as well as in the sutra system.
A sadhana of practicing the Medicine Buddha as the guru visualizing instantaneously the form of Yuthok physician guru is found in the Anuttarayoga Tantras. The benefits of merely hearing the name of the Medicine Buddha, the King of Lapis Light are infinite. Practitioners will be able to maintain the sublime conduct without impairment. They will be cured of deafness and blindness. Their faculties will become whole. Various illnesses will transform into well being and they will be free of fear. The obscurations that develop from the fault of stinginess which leads to birth as a hungry ghost will be purified and one will not be born there.
Even if one is born there, one will be freed swiftly. The obscurations that develop from degenerated discipline and abandoning the dharma will be purified. The obscurations that develop from jealousy, praising oneself and denigrating others will be purified. One will not be affected by slander, black magic and harm by spirits. The twelve yaksha chiefs and their seven hundred thousand servants will protect you and all harm will be reversed. If merely hearing his name is of such great benefit, it is needless to mention the benefit of receiving the empowerment.
Sometimes when we hear about the old and the new tantras, with an ordinary mind we might wonder what class of tantra does this deity belong to. This kind of question arises and in response to that, it makes no difference from the side of the deity. A deity does not belong to a class of tantra but the division of the four classes of tantras is made depending on the level of realization of the individual practitioner. Also, when the Buddha turned the wheel of dharma three times, each time he turned the wheel not because there are different teachings but because the recipients are on different levels of realization.
Therefore, Jigten Sumgon also had said that the three-fold dharma wheel was given depending on the retinue’s realisation. For example, it is like one person is a child, one is an adolescent and one is a grown up adult. Depending on where we are at on our level of maturity, we wear different clothes too. So, the dharma is the same there is no difference. That is the difference between the classes of tantra; the difference lies in the minds of the individual.
Also, we speak about the new and the old tantric system. But actually, there are no real new and old tantras; it is just that one spread in Tibet before the other. And the one that was spread before was called the old tantric system and that is why it is called old. Then within the dharma there are many different methods of practice; some are more elaborate, some are concise, some are medium length while others are short empowerments and so on. All of these teachings are given in accordance with the capacity of the recipients.
Therefore, in the context of the Medicine Buddha, there is a practice according to the Kriya-tantra which is the lowest tantra. Then there is also a Medicine Buddha practice in the Anuttara highest yoga tantra. That is a very important point to understand. The difference is not in the deity; the difference lies in the practitioner. All the deities of the secret mantra are all Sambhogakayas and there are ritual sadhana practices from different classes of tantra depending on the different capacity of the practitioner.
For example, in the new tantric system we speak about the four classes of tantra. In the old tantric system, there are the four branches of approach and accomplishment; and there are four levels which are complete within a single sadhana. That is the only difference but the important point is to understand that there is no difference when it comes to the deity. So even though there are many different empowerments that we can practice, there is still no difference when it comes to the deity. The empowerment is also called the ripening empowerment and what needs to ripen is the mind of sentient beings.
The root of suffering of all sentient beings limitless as space is self-grasping and the antidote to that is to offer a mandala. So here we bring to mind the infinite outer universe and the infinite inner sentient beings and we offer it up altogether. We are offering up all self-grasping of all sentient beings in the three realms of samsara. Because once we have offered up our self-grasping, then the Buddhas can also look after us. So now we offer a mandala.
“An infinite array of worlds each with four continents and the wealth of infinite oceans of realms. If I bring them all to mind and offer them without exception; please hold with compassion all the beings they contain. My body, enjoyments and whatever I own; my aggregates, elements and sense sources, my aspirations now and in times to come as well as everything I grasp as mine. By offering them all may I be blessed with the end of self-grasping. Completely liberated from the bounds of real and unreal transcending the names and concepts of arising, cessation and abiding, coming and going, affirmation and denial. The supreme mandala is the natural state; by offering it may I be blessed to attain the state of buddhahood. Om Guru Dewa Dakini Ratna Mandala Pratitsa Soha.’
The dharmakaya is like space and the sambhogakaya like a rainbow in the sky which appears momentarily. A rainbow in the sky is also a natural manifestation of the five wisdoms. Because the five wisdoms and the five elements have a very strong connection. The Sambhogakaya possesses five certainties and think that Medicine Buddha appears in the space before you and that he is surrounded by all the Buddhas of the ten directions and three times. And think that now I have offered a mandala to them and they are granting me the empowerment. Actually, it is really them who grants the empowerment and I am just an old man who acts as a translator for them.
But the actual empowerment is conferred upon all sentient beings in the three realms of samsara by the empowerment deities abiding in space; who showers down the blessings of the empowerment like rain falling down. So just think that like rain falling down we all receive the empowerment. And to receive the empowerment, we repeat the supplication prayer.
‘Guru, great vajra holder, Buddhas and Bodhisattvas of the ten directions and eight manifestations of the Medicine Buddha please heed me. Master please grant me the blessings of the Medicine Buddha, the King of Lapis Light who shall be my yidam from now on until attaining awakening. I take refuge in the three jewels. I confess all misdeeds and non virtues. I rejoice in the virtues of all beings and hold the Buddha’s awakening in mind. Until attaining awakening I take refuge in the Buddha, the Dharma and the supreme assembly in order to fully accomplish the purpose of others and myself. I give rise to bodhicitta having given rise to the mind of supreme awakening. I welcome all beings. I will engage in the supreme bodhisattva conduct that is pleasing to all. May I attain buddhahood for the benefit of all beings.’
It is like when we want to grow a flower; we plant the seed into the ground and many flowers will grow. We all have that seed and if we protect that seed then for many eons many flowers will grow. And if you sell those flowers, the one who sells them has profit and the one who buys them has merit. So just for that sake, the three levels of the path are being taught. At first in the beginning when we take the refuge vow, is when we receive the seed of the flower that we need to look after. Then we practice the three levels of the path which is like starting to grow up as a young child.
So, in the beginning we enter the Pratimoksha individual liberation path where we refrain from harming others. Then we enter the Bodhisattva path where we care for all sentient beings. They all become our friends. We have said ‘I welcome all sentient beings.’ Then we also said ‘I will engage in the supreme bodhisattva conduct that is pleasing to all.’ This pleasing bodhisattva conduct arises from love; when you have love for others then you will see all sentient beings as your parents or your family. Then if you see them that way, then whatever you do with body, speech and mind will naturally become their benefit and happiness. And also; your own happiness because you are doing yourself a service too by cultivating love for them because self-grasping diminishes.
Then all karmic imprints of self-clinging become exhausted and when one attains enlightenment one realizes non-duality. One realizes that actually there is no separation in the mind. Then you become quite amazed that this is how it is. Mind is just like space and you have fabricated this idea of a self that doesn’t really exist. When you see that, then you are able to let go of self-grasping. But that letting go of self-grasping begins with cultivating immeasurable love. A wish that thinks ‘May everyone in this world be well and happy.’ When you think this way, you are not thinking about yourself.
So, when you are thinking about others, then there is no notion of ‘me’. This is also how we approach the practice of the deity. Otherwise; if you think that you are practicing the deity because you want this and that then we are piling up more ‘self’ upon the one we already have.
That is why bodhicitta is most important. According to the Pratimoksha path of individual liberation, we begin with giving up harming others and we take refuge in the three jewels. And on the bodhisattva path we cultivate the wish to benefit all sentient beings. When that has arisen then it is really suitable to embark on the path of the secret mantra. Then one is permitted to practice and visualize the form of the yidam deity. This is where the authorization of visualizing the deity begins.
Therefore, what is most important when we practice the deity is that we have love. For example, nowadays, there is a lot of sufferings in this world but the Buddha already predicted this in the past. He said that in the future, the afflictive emotions of human beings will become very strong. And that will lead to an eon of disease, weapons and famine. In the past there was a first and the second world war; and this was an age of weapons and famine. And now we are in an age of disease. All of that is connected to our three poisons; our afflictive emotions.
But still, you should not have in mind your own suffering but think that all these beings in this world suffer so much. So, think about them and don’t think about your own suffering. Think about the suffering of those sentient beings and think that there must be a method to liberate them from suffering. When that thought arises within your mind, instantly think that the mind then transforms into a ‘Hung’ syllable. Then don’t think about anything at all and just focus on the Hung syllable. If you have an image of the Medicine Buddha you can pick it up and look at the image. Then close your eyes and later when you are asked to open your eyes then you look at that image and think that space is pervaded by a large form of the Medicine Buddha radiating with light.
And his light transforms all sentient beings; humans, all the animals and the entire inanimate world into the Medicine Buddha. So, meditate in this way. If you have an image of the Medicine buddha, then now open your eyes and look at this image again and again; and see this form of the Medicine Buddha. It is important to really recognize that this is the Medicine Buddha. Medicine Buddha is this blue Buddha. You can see it like that or you can just visualize the Hung syllable and it doesn’t matter which language. It can be English, Chinese or Tibetan. It is the sound Hung and the wind sound of Hung has the power to destroy anything. So, visualize and meditate on the Hung again and again; it is just like practicing the deity.
Then from the assembly of deities abiding in space red, white and blue light (the Om Ah hung) from their three places gradually radiate. And actually, within the Om Ah Hung, all the blessings are complete. Those syllables then fall down like rain and dissolve into your three places. First many ‘OM’ syllables dissolve into your forehead and this renders your body into a rainbow-like form. No longer a material substantial body but a rainbow like form that is clear and empty. So, think that now our body has become that and then with ‘AH’, manyAH syllables dissolve into your speech. And with that sound ‘AH’, which is the natural sound of mantra; it destroys all grasping at the concept in relation to the grasping at sound. So, sound becomes empty.
Then ‘Hung’ is the most important syllable and when you meditate on the Hung, all grasping thoughts in the mind are destroyed when you meditate on the Hung over and over again. For mediation on an on-going basis, the Hung syllable is most important. In order to receive the actual empowerment, please repeat:
‘Please grant me the blessings of the twelve great aspirations made in the past by the Medicine Buddha, King of Lapis Light.
You have received the form empowerment; negativities causing sickness to the body are healed. Physical obscurations are purified and the seed of Nirmanakaya is planted into your mindstream. Again, visualize the torma as the Medicine Buddha imagine red light like the sun radiates from the AH at his throat dissolves into your throat and fills your entire body. You have received the speech empowerment; negativities causing sickness and harm to the speech are healed. Speech obscurations are purified and the seed of the Sambhogakaya is planted into your mindstream.
Again, visualizing the torma as the Medicine Buddha, imagine that sky-blue light radiates from the Hung at his heart, dissolves into your heart and fills up your entire body. The obscurations of speech are purified and you have received the mind empowerment. Negativities and illness causing harm to the mind are healed. Mind obscurations are purified and the seed of Dharmakaya is planted into your mindstream.
Again, visualizing the torma as the Medicine Buddha imagine that from all places White, Red, Blue, Yellow and Green light radiates like rainbows. They dissolve into your navel and fill your entire body. You have received the empowerment of the three kayas; negativities causing illness to all three doors are healed. All obscurations of body, speech and mind are purified. And the seed of the Svabhavikaya is planted into your mindstream.
These three empowerments of body, speech and mind are really the essence of all empowerments. And at the end of each we have said that ‘this seed of this kaya is planted into your mindstream.’ We say that the Buddha possesses the qualities of those three kayas so where then are our three kayas? The root of the three kayas is within your own mind. Milarepa taught that in his 100,000 songs which I encourage you to read.
Milarepa said that the root of non-conceptuality is the Dharmakaya. Great bliss is the root of Sambhogakayas arising and from clarity arises Nirmanakaya. The innate nature is this Svabhavikaya; the four kayas are complete within your own mind. When you meditate, there is no need to think about how these four kayas are present in your mind. They are naturally present in the natural state of your mind when you meditate and there is no thought in your mind. The mind is free of all thinking and completely empty; that is the root of the Dharmakaya. Then when there are no thoughts in the mind, the mind is in a state of great bliss. And from this arises the Sambhogakaya.
Then, there is a clear knowing awareness and you are aware of your empty nature. You clearly know that and from that clear knowing, the Nirmanakaya arises. Then the svabhavikaya is the innate natural state of the mind that is completely pure. The mind itself is the Buddha. It is said that your own mind is the Buddha but you never recognize that. So, when you meditate right now in this moment the roots of the four kayas are present in your mind. It is very important to understand that. Even if you receive hundreds of empowerments, they ultimately have the same essence.
You receive four levels of empowerment and these four empowerments place the seeds of the four kayas into your mindstream. And it is from these seeds that in the future, all the enlightened qualities of a Buddha will grow. Then for your own sake you attain the state of the kingdom of the Dharmakaya. And for the sake of others, you manifest the two Rupakaya which is the Sambhogakaya and the Nirmanakaya. The Sambhogakaya appears for the sake of taming those beings with pure karmas and the Nirmanakayas appear to tame those with impure karma and act for their benefit.
That is really the heart of all the qualities. It is the seed of those kayas planted into our minds. From that the enlightened bodies, speech, mind, qualities and activities will grow. During the empowerment, we receive the root for that and therefore it is very important. So, we have received four empowerments of enlightened body, speech, mind and qualities. And for the enlightened activities, the empowerment is conferred through the torma. In general, we see the torma in four different ways.
First, the torma represents the boundless palace of the deity. Whichever deity you are practicing, the torma is that palace; the deity resides within this palace. Secondly the torma also represents the deity itself. Hundreds and thousands of deities can dwell within the torma. Thirdly the torma is also an offering which is like a large hotel where everything that one could desire in this world is present. Like the five sense pleasures and all enjoyments are naturally present within the torma. After that then one may eat part of the torma and you may also eat the mani blessing pills of any lineage.
Because the way they are consecrated is the same as the torma. Whatever pill you have according to your own lineage, you can eat one of that pill as a blessing. You can also give those pills to those who don’t have them. During the empowerment, this samaya substance is very important because this empowerment is conferred based on the torma. That is why we need to eat part of it.
Then, you visualize that arura plants showers down from space to represent Medicine Buddha’s mind, speech, nectar and so forth. All of these blessings of body, speech and mind of the Medicine Buddha shower down like rain and dissolve into yourself, the entire universe and all sentient beings. And think that the entire outer universe becomes the lapis lazuli pureland of Medicine Buddha. And all sentient beings transform into Medicine Buddha and male and female Bodhisattvas. This is actually what they really are. Think that they really appear in this way and whenever you engage in this practice, again and again visualize it that way.
Whenever you practice the sadhana, meditate in this way, then the four enlightened activities of pacifying, magnetising, increasing and wrathful subduing activities will be all accomplished. So these are accomplished through the torma empowerment. We have received the empowerment of the enlightened body, speech, mind, activities and qualities. The activities and qualities are then engaged and practiced over and over again. Then the deity is accomplished mainly through the mantra and in the context of the four branches of approach and accomplishment, the first step of the approach is to recognize the deity. First you visualize at your heart on a sun disk the syllable Hung surrounded by the Medicine Buddha mantra.
Then you place the syllables counter clockwise to the left and when the mantra garland actually turns, it turns clockwise to the right. First in the approach stage, the mantra garland turns very slowly and when that becomes clear you have accomplished the approach stage. It then begins to turn very fast and that is the attainment of the close approach which is the second step. Then in the third step of the accomplishment, you are sending out light rays of bodhicitta and gathering them back. When they are sent toward higher beings, then these light rays become an offering. And when they are sent out toward sentient beings, then they become a purification of obscurations.
But the light rays themselves are the same; they are the light rays of bodhicitta. Then in the great accomplishment, one accomplishes the deity and one realizes non-duality. That all sentient beings actually have that nature because they possess buddha nature. Therefore, they are not separate from that deity. Ultimately when one realizes the great accomplishment, one actualizes the four kayas entirely. This is just like a seed has grown into a flower and many more seeds emerge from that flower which then appear to act for the benefit of sentient beings.
Then for the mantra recitation, the mantra transmission is given and then you recite that mantra. But you can recite the mantra of any deity that you are practicing. It doesn’t necessarily have to be the Medicine Buddha. But if you already have a deity that you are practicing on an on-going basis, then you can just continue to do that. But you should have one deity that you always practice. And understand the mind of that deity is actually the Medicine Buddha’s mind. They have the same mind. Even though the deities may appear in hundreds and thousands of bodies, they only have one mind. And that is a mind of bodhicitta.
They are just like changing their outer clothing but their inner mind remains the same. When you understand that point, then the secret mantra practice becomes quite simple. Lord Atisha said to the Lotsawa Rinchen Sangpo that this is how we need to engage in practice. When you practice, you have to know how to practice the essence of all practices. This completes the torma empowerment of the Medicine Buddha and from now on you should pay homage to the Medicine Buddha, King of Lapis Light.
If you recite his mantra daily, ideally 21 times or a hundred times, or at least 7 times, no illness will arise and you will not fall into the lower realms. Or if your sins are very strong, and you do fall into the lower realms, you will be freed quickly and obtain the fortunate body of a God or human. The Buddha himself has declared this in the sutras. The ultimate samaya is to hold on to bodhicitta and that is when we have offered our body to the three jewels. Once we have offered our body to the three jewels, how is this human body then used? It is used for the benefit of sentient beings.
So, you can think that you are now a servant of sentient beings. It means that with body, speech and mind you must refrain from harming others. Most importantly you must benefit others and hold on to love and compassion. Whenever love and compassion arises, this is when you are actually offering yourself to the three jewels. And that is the root samaya of a hundreds, of empowerments. In general, we cultivate love for all sentient beings but most importantly the samaya of love is to be upheld with those companions that are around you.
Whether they are dharma companions or worldly companions, these are the ones you need to cultivate and practice love with. The samaya is really bodhicitta which means to be kind to each other, to get along and to be patient with each other. We need to be patient in order to sustain our love. That is the ultimate samaya which is love and we need to sustain it with patience. Anyone who possesses love and patience is a sangha. So tashi delek and that completes the empowerment my dharma friends. All our minds are together and I love you all very much.
