Medicine Buddha and his mantra. Chanting his mantra does not require permission or empowerment and is famous for its healing potential. Medicine Buddha, in his sutra, made twelve great vows, including: “I vow that all beings who are physically disabled or sick in all aspects be blessed with good health, both physically and mentally. All who pays homage to Buddha faithfully will be blessed.”
Medicine Buddha practices are universally popular and very effective for self-healing. Millions of Buddhists around the world rely on Medicine Buddha practices to support their healing journeys. Our feature story on Medicine Buddha Bhaisajyaguru is our second most popular story for good reason. [Story here>>]
Reading about the “First Doctor, Medicine Buddha Bhaisajyaguru” is very empowering. Chanting his mantra is very effective in training our own minds to heal ourselves. Attending a full weekend event, with an emminent teacher, is a rare opportunity.
H.E. Zasep Rinpoche — spiritual director of the many meditation centres of Gaden for the West — was invited by Endless Ground [website here>>], a secular community of meditation and mindfulness practitioners in Owen Sound (Ontario), to lead a weekend retreat March 31st. In the evenings there will be further teachings from well-known meditation teacher Theodore Tsaousidis. [Event details below, or on the Endless Ground website.]
A Healing Opportunity
Even mainstream medicine recognizes the profound power of the mind to help heal our bodies. Healing Medicine Buddha practices tap into that extraordinary power. Although effective generally, these practices are especially effective when guided by a highly-realized teacher — such as H.E. Zasep Rinpoche — who can not only properly guide the visualizations, but is there to answer your questions. [H.E. Zasep Rinpoche’s short biography below. For a full interview feature on Rinpoche, see>>]
A short guided meditation on Medicine Buddha by H.E. Zasep Rinpoche, the well-known international teacher who will be guiding this full weekend event:
March 31-April 1st weekend: Medicine Buddha Retreat
From the Engless Ground website:
“A Medicine Buddha Healing Retreat is an opportunity to support our own healing journey as well as beneficial to professionals engaged in their own healing practices.
[Details on the event below.]
“The dedicated nature of the retreat helps one to connect deeper to the primordial source of healing, and awaken to our own innate healingcapacities. These ancient teachings have been reverently handed down through unbroken lineage and used to help heal all aspects of the human condition and our planet.
H.E. Zasep Rinpoche leading a Medicine Buddha and La Gug retreat in Owen Sound.
In this retreat, we will have the opportunity to listen to lectures, engage in group discussion, practice meditation, recite mantras and do visualizations — gaining first hand experience to understand what is required to become our own inner alchemists — the foundation for living a life of peace, health, happiness and clarity.
The retreat is open to anyone of any faith or philosophy and appropriate for beginning or advanced practitioners.”
[See disclaimer below.]
A previous event with Zasep rinpoche, also in Owen Sound, a weekend on Medicine Buddha and La Gug “Life Force Recovery” was very popular. Here is ten minutes of the event from 2016:
About Medicine Buddha
Visualizing the Medicine Buddha Mantra and rays of healing Lapis Lazuli light emanating from the Buddha, and absorbed into the patient (or self) is a healing practice.
Buddha Weekly’s various stories on Medicine Buddha are invariably popular. Medicine Buddha is both a sutra and tantra practice. It is in the Medicine Buddha Sutra we find the twelve great vows of the King of Medicine, Medicine Buddha. [To hear a full recitation of the Medicine Buddha Sutra, Jason Espada narates the twelve great vows here, on a video>>]
Reciting his sutra is considered to be a healing practice. Especially popular around the world is recitation of his mantra. In sanskrit this is:
TADYATHA AUM BHAISHAJYE BHAISHAJYE MAHA BHAISHAJYA SAMUDGATE SVAHA
More commonly, this is chanted in Tibetan:
Om Bhekandze Bekhandze Maha Bhekandze Bhekandze Randza Sumungate Soha
From a previous story on Medicine Buddha: “Tibetan doctors rely on Medicine Buddha for their healings. Regular practice with the Medicine Buddha also empowers one to heal others. In China and Japan, Medicine Buddha is a refuge in times of illness. Around the world, literally millions call out the name or mantra of Bhaisajyaguru (भैषज्यगुरु). It is even written in the sutras that if you speak the name of the Medicine Buddha in the ears of a dying animal or human they will be ensured good rebirth regardless of their past karma. No wonder the Medicine Buddha is so popular.” [Full story here>>]
Event Details
Location: Best Western Inn On The Bay, 1800 2nd Ave. East, Owen Sound, N4K 5R1 (Google Maps link)
Times: Friday March 30th, 7:30pm-9pm (optional talk*)
Saturday March 31st, 9am – 5pm;
7:30pm-9pm (optional talk*)
Sunday April 1st, 9am-5pm
*Please note, there will be two talks given by Theodore Tsaousidis as part of the retreat: Friday March 30th 7:30 pm, Healing Power of Visualization and Mantra
When we chant and do visualizations, we use our voice and our mind as a vehicle to cultivate a quality of physical, emotional and mental well being. These benefits are not dependent on having any special ability of voice or mind. Everyone is capable. All that is required is sincerity and clear intention to help ourselves and others. Our sincere efforts are a reflection of our innate power and wholeness.
March 31st 7:30 pm, Illness and Health: Causes and Conditions and the Practice of Medicine Buddha
Illness springs from physical, environmental, psychological and spiritual disharmony. The practice of Medicine Buddha supports us in minimizing or eliminating the impact of illness and disease by mirroring our own true nature which is whole, complete, powerful, lacking nothing.
These two talks will include a practice component with a Q & A following.
Cost: $50 per day or $90 for the weekend. Evening talks given by Theodore Tsaousidis are by donation.
Chairs will be provided. If you would prefer a floor space please notify us ahead of time by email: secularmindfulness@gmail.com
One may come for part or all of the retreat. Everyone is welcome.
For questions please contact us by email: secularmindfulness@gmail.com
ABOUT VENERABLE ZASEP TULKU RINPOCHE
Rinpoche is popularly known for his approachable teaching style, strong humor and teachings based on a long lineage of great lamas. His own gurus included the most celebrated of Gelug teachers: His Holiness Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche, His Holiness Kyabje Ling Rinpoche, Venerable Geshe Thupten Wanggyel, His Holiness Kyabje Zong Rinpoche, Venerable Lati Rinpoche, Venerable Tara Tulku Rinpoche and Venerable Khalkha Jetsun Dampa Rinpoche.
Rinpoche is spiritual director of many temples, meditation centres and retreat centres in Australia, the United States and Canada. He was first invited to teach in Australia by Lama Thubten Yeshe in 1976.
More on Zasep Tulku Rinpoche>>
Gaden for the West Meditation Centres
Australia
- Vajra Ling, Uralla, N.S.W.
- Losang Gyalwa Mandala, Sydney, N.S.W.
- Tenzing Ling Centre, Quamaa, N.S.W.
- Dorje Ling Retreat Centre, Lorina Valley, Tasmania
Canada
- Chittamani Mahayana Buddhist Meditation Centre, Ottawa, Ontario
- Gaden Choling, Toronto, Ontario
- Medicine Buddha Centre, Calgary, Alberta
- Potala Tibetan Buddhist Meditation Centre, Thunder Bay,Ontario
- Tashi Choling, Nelson, B. C.
- Zuru Ling Society, Vancouver, B.C.
United States
- Golden Blue Lotus Tara Meditation Center, Moscow, Idaho
- TsongKhapa Center, Kalamazoo, Michigan
- Vajrayogini Center, Seattle, Washington
ALWAYS SEEK MEDICAL ADVICE
Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment and before undertaking a new health care regimen, and never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website.
Lee Kane
Author | Buddha Weekly
Lee Kane is the editor of Buddha Weekly, since 2007. His main focuses as a writer are mindfulness techniques, meditation, Dharma and Sutra commentaries, Buddhist practices, international perspectives and traditions, Vajrayana, Mahayana, Zen. He also covers various events.
Lee also contributes as a writer to various other online magazines and blogs.
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Cankama Sutta: Walking Meditation Sutra: put some mileage on your Buddhist practice with formal mindful walking
Why Buddha Nature is one of the most important understandings in Mahayana Buddhism and why Tathagatagarbha Buddha Nature is not the soul
Shabkar’s Song of Practice: the entire path, from refuge to generation to completion in one song by one of the great sages of Tibet
Zasep Tulku Rinpoche discusses decades of teaching, advice for beginner students and funny stories of his teachers.
