Contents

A Message on the Publication of the English Tripiṭaka

                                                                        NUMATA Yehan                          v Editorial Foreword                                         Kenneth K. Tanaka                 vii Publisher’s Foreword                                     A. Charles Muller                    ix

The Scripture of Master of Medicine, Beryl Radiance Tathāgata

    Contents                                                                                                       3

    Translator’s Introduction                                                                             5

    The Scripture of the Merits of the Former Vows of Master        of Medicine, Beryl Radiance Tathāgata                                                  11   

    Notes                                                                                                          33

The Sutra of the Girl Candrottarā

    Contents                                                                                                     39

    Translator’s Introduction                                                                           41

    The Sutra of the Girl Candrottarā                                                             43

    Notes                                                                                                          83                                                                        

Glossary                                                                                                          85 Bibliography                                                                                                   91 Index                                                                                                               95

A List of the Volumes of the BDK English Tripiṭaka (First Series)             105

THE SCRIPTURE OF MASTER OF MEDICINE, BERYL RADIANCE TATHĀGATA

Contents

Translator’s Introduction                                                                                  5

The Scripture of the Merits of the Former Vows of Master of Medicine,   Beryl Radiance Tathāgata

     Introduction                                                                                               13

     Twelve Great Vows of the Buddha Master of Medicine,

         Beryl Radiance Tathāgata                                                                     13      The Buddha Land of Master of Medicine, Beryl Radiance Tathāgata         16      Different Cases of the Manifestation of the Saving Power of

         Master of Medicine, Beryl Radiance Tathāgata                                    17      Worship of the Sutra and Master of Medicine, Beryl Radiance

         Tathāgata and Its Benefits                                                                     21

     Ānanda’s Belief in Master of Medicine, Beryl Radiance Tathāgata         23

     Saving People on Their Deathbeds                                                            24      Nine Kinds of Untimely Death                                                                  27      Twelve Great Yakṣa Generals                                                                    28

     Conclusion                                                                                                 29

     Appendix: Translation of the Interpolated Passage (T.450:406, n. 13)          31

Notes                                                                                                               33

3

Translator’s Introduction

Bhaiṣajyaguru Buddha is an enigmatic buddha. He is a very popular buddha in many Buddhist countries, especially Japan, Tibet, probably in Korea as well, perhaps a little less in China, and even in Cambodia under the reign of Jayavarman VII (1125–1215, r. ca. 1181–1215),¹ yet he is almost unknown in India itself. One of the oldest Buddhist statues in Japan is that of Bhaiṣajyaguru Buddha, still preserved in Hōryūji (an inscription dates it to 607 but it is believed to have been created a little later). There are many Nara-period examples of this buddha as well. Among temples built during the Heian period, Tōji (the headquarters of the Shingon school) and Enryakuji (the headquarters of the Tendai school) have this buddha as the main statue, though one would expect a Mahāvairocana Buddha for the former and a Śākyamuni figure for the latter. Also surprising is that despite Bhaiṣajyaguru’s great popularity and the fact that some esoteric ritual texts are centered on him, this buddha was never included in the main buddhas of the esoteric systems (he does not figure in any of the wellknown mandalas). It is puzzling that while Bhaiṣajyaguru became so popular in countries other than India, he was so little known in his homeland itself (a perhaps somewhat similar situation to the case of Amitābha Buddha).

The Scripture of the Merits of the Former Vows of Master of Medicine, Beryl Radiance Tathāgata, translated here, exists in several versions. The oldest was translated into Chinese by the monk Huijian in 457, in southern China; this text is preserved as the twelfth fascicle of a sutra collection commonly known as the Consecration Sutra (Taishō 1331). This version does not seem to be a faithful translation of a Sanskrit text but rather a free translation of a prior version of the Bhaiṣajyaguru-sūtra, to which a number of additions by the Chinese translator were made. The second translation into Chinese, in 615, is attributed to Huiju and Dharmagupta, preserved as Taishō 449. This text corresponds very well with the Sanskrit text (in five manuscripts) found at Gilgit in 1931.² The paleo graphic evidence suggests that these manuscripts date to the fifth to sixth centuries C.E. The only other remaining Sanskrit text can be found in some fragments

5

quoted in the Śikṣāsamuccaya by Śāntideva (ca. 650–700), translated into Chinese in the Song period.³ 

Next in date is a translation done by Xuanzang in 650, the text translated here (Taishō 450). Xuanzang’s translation uses many passages from the earlier translations by Huijian and Huiju. In this English translation I have used a Dunhuang manuscript of Xuanzang’s translation (S. 2616), which is certainly the earliest complete copy of the text (dated 764).⁴ Another Chinese translation was made by Yijing in 707 (Taishō 451); this version is a much longer text than earlier versions and its second fascicle closely follows Xuanzang’s translation. A Tibetan translation of the Sanskrit text was made by Jinamitra, Dānaśīla, Yeśes-sde, and others in the ninth century, ’Phags pa bcom ldan ’das sman gyi bla baiḍurya’i ’od kyi sṅon gyi smon lam gyi khyad par rgyas pa źes bya ba theg pa chen po’i mdo (Tōhoku Derge Canon, vol. 87, no. 504; Peking Tibetan Tripiṭaka, vol. 6, no. 136; Narthang Tripiṭaka, vol. 89, no. 477).⁵ Also extant are some Sogdian and Khotanese fragments and a Mongolian version of Xuanzang’s text translated from a Uighur version.⁶

A comparison of these different versions, especially between the earliest version by Huijian and the Sanskrit text and subsequent Chinese translations, reveals interesting facts. From a doctrinal standpoint all of the versions presuppose the existence of Amidism, but while the Sanskrit text and the subsequent Chinese versions repeatedly emphasize the extraordinary power of Bhaiṣajyaguru Buddha’s name, whereby hearing this buddha’s name is sufficient to be delivered from evil paths, etc., Huijian’s translation contains far fewer laudatory mentions of the buddha’s name.⁷ Moreover, in three cases in the Sanskrit and subsequent versions, where it is stated that hearing the Buddha’s name has the effect of saving even those people who have committed evil acts and are in evil paths, Huij ian’s version says that hearing the sutra (and, in one case, understanding it) has the effect of making those who have committed evil acts “joyful and right” (T.1331:533b11–13, corresponding to T.450:406a3–9; T.1331:533b17–19 corresponding to T.450:406a18–20; T.1331:533b25–27 corresponding to T.450: 406b1–5). It can be presumed from these differences that in the earlier translation by Huijian there was already a belief in a buddha’s name and its magical power, but this was not as developed as in the Sanskrit text. In a sense, Huijian’s text is more “rational” than later versions, in that it makes sense that hearing and understanding the Buddha’s teaching would make people happy and well-behaved.

Translator’s Introduction

Incidentally, one sutra of the Buddha’s names, the Wuqian wubai foming shenzhou chuzhang miezui jing, translated by Jñānag upta in 593 (between the first and second translations of our text) gives the name of Bhaiṣajyaguru Buddha in its full form (T.443:328c5): Bhaiṣajyaguru-vaiḍūrya-prabharāja, “Master of Medicine, King of Beryl Radiance.”

Another important difference between Huijian’s version and the Sanskrit text and subsequent translations is the fact that in the latter group of texts hearing Bhaiṣajyaguru Buddha’s name is associated with the acquisition of the special power of recollecting past lives (known as jāti-smara) and consequently knowledge of acts and their retributions by those who heard his name; this power is not explicitly mentioned in Huijian’s translation (the most important references among several passages are T.1331:533a26–b5, corresponding to T.450:405c11–24; T.1331:535c18–536a6, corresponding to T.450:407b12–29). How hearing the buddha’s name “works,” according to the Sanskrit text and subsequent versions, is as follows: Suppose that there are people who, ignoring the mechanism of acts and their retributions, avoid opportunities to make merit and instead commit evil acts. As the consequence of these evil acts, such people fall into evil paths. If during their lifetimes they had the chance to hear the name of Bhaiṣaj yaguru Buddha, however, they will quickly be reborn as human beings, and because of this “good root” (i.e., hearing the buddha’s name), they will remember their former lives and understand what acts bring about various retributions. Having this knowledge, they will no longer commit evil acts but will instead endeavor in religious practice and finally attain enlightenment. It is possible to consider this interpretation in the later versions as an attempt to rationalize the magical power of hearing Bhaiṣajyaguru Buddha’s name. By associating the special power of knowledge of previous lifetimes to hearing the buddha’s name, the Sanskrit text preserves the logical scheme of acts and their retributions and makes the Buddha the supreme guide in the religious path.⁸

This evolution seems to have an important repercussion for the representation of Bhaiṣajyaguru Buddha himself. We may ask whether this buddha is a “healer” of the physical body or of one’s spiritual life, though of course he could serve both functions at the same time. Certainly the image of Bhaiṣajyaguru Buddha as a healer of physical diseases is conveyed not only by his name: bhiṣaj means “curing” or “healing,” “healer” or “physician,” “remedy” or “medicine”; and by his usual iconography, in which he is depicted holding in his left hand a pot

7

of medicine, but also by mention of illnesses and physical deformities in the sutra itself. If, as the Sanskrit text and subsequent versions repeatedly describe, his power resides in his name, which especially confers knowledge of prior lifetimes and the understanding of the mechanism of acts and their retributions, this implies the following sequence: death in the present life, rebirth into an evil destiny, and another rebirth into human life. In this sense, Bhaiṣajyaguru functions as a spiritual guide through transmigration, leading beings to the attainment of enlightenment. The evolution of the sutra from Huijian’s translation to the Sanskrit text (and subsequent versions) seems to correspond to the evolution of this buddha’s image from that of a physical healer to that of a supreme spiritual guide.

However, there is an important reservation to be raised here, especially in regard to Xuanzang’s translation, which became by far the standard and most widespread version of the text in East Asia. A crucial passage in the last part of the sutra, in which a seriously ill person is on his deathbed, says that the dying person’s “consciousness” is led by a messenger of King Yama; the latter weighs the person’s good and bad acts and judges him. If the dying person’s parents, relatives, and friends perform appropriate worship of Bhaiṣajyaguru Buddha (especially by making a five-colored banner), however, Huijian’s text says that “after seven days or twenty-one days or thirty-five days or forty-nine days” his “consciousness is released and returns to his body,” or, put more simply in the Sanskrit text, “his consciousness returns again,” or, according to Xuanzang’s translation, “the consciousness returns to that place.” In any case, the meaning of this passage is ambiguous in all versions: is it that the person has already died when he receives Yama’s judgment and is then reborn into a new life, or is it that he is simply in a coma (or an unconscious state) and even though he appears before Yama he returns to life thanks to Bhaiṣajyaguru Buddha’s power?⁹

The intended meaning of the Sanskrit text seems to be that the person has died and is reborn into a new life; it emphasizes the “recollection” the consciousness will obtain; the deceased will be the “direct witness to the effects of merit, demerit, and the maturation of past actions.”¹⁰ The corresponding passage in Huijian’s version may be either of two possibilities. Although the doctrine of the knowledge of prior lifetimes is not explicit in the sentence “if that person has a clear understanding he will have faith in the effects of merits and demerits,” and from the wording of the sentence “release of the consciousness and its return to its body,” it would be more natural to understand this to mean that the person’s

Translator’s Introduction

consciousness returns to his or her original body from a comatose state. The ambiguity of this passage may also be due to cultural differences in understanding “death” and “comatose state”; it is possible that in ancient times the distinction between these two states was not as clear as it is to us now.

There is another factor to consider here. The translation by Huijian was classed in the category of “scriptures of questionable authenticity” in the first catalogue of Chinese Buddhist texts, the Chu sanzangji ji (510–518) composed by Sengyou (445–518). This learned monk noted that “the latter part of the sutra contains methods for prolonging life (xumingfa), and therefore it circulated widely in his age” (T.2145:39a23).¹¹ “Life-prolonging methods” refers to the “life-prolonging banner” described in the passage about the dying person; the expression “life-prolonging” is another reason to see the passage as meaning that the person’s consciousness returns to his or her original body. The translation by Huiju and Dharmagupta, done as a critical reaction to Huijian’s version, does not use the expression “life-prolonging” (following faithfully the Sanskrit text), but the same expression reappears in Xuanzang’s translation.¹² With the wording about the consciousness that “returns to that place,” we might easily understand that the consciousness returns to the original body, as in Huijian’s version. As a result, Xuanzang’s version tends to confirm the impression made by Huijian’s text: Bhaiṣajyaguru Buddha has the power to resuscitate an almost dead (or recently deceased) person. In the East Asian Buddhist traditions that developed later, this constituted the mainstream belief about Bhaiṣajyaguru as a thaumaturgical healer of physical diseases, whose name many seriously ill royal or aristocratic people invoked in the hope of a “life-prolonging” miracle. This may well be the main reason for the extraordinary popularity of this buddha in many East Asian cultures.

Another major enigma in the Bhaiṣajyaguru-sūtra are the names of the twelve yakṣa generals enumerated at the end of the text. These names, with some minor variants, are the same in all of the different versions, yet they read very strangely as Sanskrit names, or in any other known language. The origin of these twelve yakṣa generals remains a mystery.

All in all, the Bhaiṣajyaguru-sūtra is a relatively simple Mahayana sutra that does not present difficult philosophical doctrines but in which can be found many elements of the popular beliefs of early medieval Indian society. Even though the text mentions the supramundane purposes aimed for in some of the

9

practices described within it, the main focus of the sutra is on the worldly benefits provided to believers by the name of Bhaiṣajyaguru Buddha. In this sense, this sutra can serve as a good example of texts representing Buddhism in everyday life in the Indian society of its period. The strong emphasis put on the (magical) powers obtained by simply hearing the buddha’s name is such that it is possible to see in this sutra an early example of Tantric tendencies. The dhāraṇī found in the interpolated passage (see Appendix, p. 31) may be the outcome of a natural development of this tendency.¹³

There are several very good translations of the sutra, including an English translation of Taishō 450 by Raoul Birnbaum, an English translation of the Sanskrit text by Gregory Schopen, and a Japanese translation of the Sanskrit text by Yutaka Iwamoto.¹⁴ My translation attempts to follow the Chinese original as closely as possible, without sacrificing readability.

I wish to express my deep gratitude to the many colleagues and friends who provided necessary references and materials, with special thanks to Dr. Giuliana Martini, Dr. Hiram Woodward, and Dr. Yamabe Nobuyoshi. I would also like to mention the Digital Dictionary of Buddhism (http://www.buddhism-dict.net/ddb/), which has been very helpful and which I consulted for many of the entries in the Glossary.

The Scripture of the Merits of the Former Vows of Master of Medicine, Beryl Radiance Tathāgata

Introduction

Buddha Master of Medicine,

Beryl Radiance Tathāgata

Mañjuśrī said, “I only beg you to preach. We will be pleased to listen [to you].” The Buddha told Mañjuśrī: 

13

If you go eastward beyond as many buddha lands as there are ten times the number of grains of sand in the Ganges River, you will find a realm known as Pure Beryl. Its buddha is named Master of Medicine, Beryl Radiance Tathāgata, Worthy of Offerings (Arhat), Perfectly Enlightened One, Perfect in Sapience and Action, Well Gone, Knower of the World, Unsurpassed Man, Tamer, Teacher of Gods and Humans, Buddha and Bhagavat. Mañjuśrī, that buddha, Bhagavat Master of Medicine, Beryl Radiance Tathāgata, when he first set out on the path of bodhisattva practice, produced twelve great vows in order to let all sentient beings obtain what they are seeking.

The first great vow was: “I vow that when I will in the future attain unsurpassed, perfect, complete bodhi, my body will emit a brilliant light that will brilliantly illuminate limitless, countless, boundless realms. This body will be adorned with the thirty-two marks of a great man and the eighty secondary marks. It will be so that all sentient beings will wholly resemble me without any difference.”

The second great vow was: “I vow that, when in the future I will attain bodhi, my body will be like beryl, [illuminating] within and without, with immaculate purity. Its radiance will be of great merit and will be lofty. My body will be good and reside tranquilly; [an aureole like] a glowing net will adorn it, and it will surpass the sun and moon [in its radiance]. All sentient beings in the darkness will be illuminated as if by the dawn, and will be able to accomplish their activities at their will.”

The third great vow was: “I vow that when in the future I will attain bodhi, with infinite and boundless sapience and skillful means, I will cause all beings to inexhaustibly obtain all the necessities of life. They will never lack for any of their needs.”

The fourth great vow was: “I vow that when in the future I will attain bodhi, if there are sentient beings who enter a mistaken path, I will cause them all to tranquilly reside in the path to bodhi. If there are those who enter the vehicle of listeners (śrāvakas) or that of self-enlightened ones (pratyekabuddhas), all will be brought to reside tranquilly in the Great Vehicle (Mahayana).”

The fifth great vow was: ‘“I vow that when in the future I will attain bodhi, if there are infinite and boundless sentient beings who practice the brahmanic (pure) conduct in my Dharma, they will all infallibly observe the complete three sets of precepts. Even if there are those who violate [the precepts], as soon as they have heard my name they will regain purity and will not fall into evil destinies.”

The sixth great vow was: “I vow that when in the future I will attain bodhi, if there are sentient beings whose bodies are inferior, who have deficiencies in their sense organs, who are ugly, obstinate, and foolish, blind, deaf, dumb, convulsive, lame, hunchbacked, leprous, insane, or who have all sorts of diseases and sufferings, as soon as they have heard my name they will all obtain beauty and sagacity. Their sense organs will be intact and they will not suffer from any diseases.”

The seventh great vow was: “I vow that when in the future I will attain 405b bodhi, if there are sentient beings who are afflicted by various diseases, who have no help and no one in whom to take refuge, who have neither doctor nor medicine, neither relatives nor home, who are destitute and who have much suffering, as soon as my name passes through their ears they will be cured of all diseases and their bodies and minds will reside in peace and joy. They will be provided with plentiful families and property and they will eventually realize unsurpassed bodhi.”

The eighth great vow was: “I vow that when in the future I will attain bodhi, if there are women who, because of being female, are afflicted by the hundred failings [specific to women] and come to greatly dislike the female body, and they wish to rid themselves of it, as soon as they have heard my name their female bodies will be transformed into male bodies, with all the aspects of a great man, and they will eventually realize unsurpassed bodhi.”

The ninth great vow was: “I vow that when in the future I will attain bodhi, I will cause all sentient beings to escape from Māra’s net. They will be delivered from the bonds of all the non-Buddhist paths. If they fall into the dense forest of various kinds of wrong views, I pull them out and establish them in the correct view, in order to make them gradually cultivate and study various bodhisattva practices, [so that] they will quickly realize unsurpassed, perfect bodhi.”

The tenth great vow was: “I vow that when in the future I will attain bodhi, if there are sentient beings who are, according to the royal statutes, bound with a rope, caned, jailed, imprisoned, or are to be executed, or who are tormented by innumerable other calamities, humiliations, or grievances, who are experiencing suffering in body and mind, if they hear my name, because of my merits and majestic divine power they will all be delivered from all sorrows and suffering.”

The eleventh great vow was: “I vow that when in the future I will attain bodhi, if there are sentient beings who are suffering from starvation and thirst, and who commit all kinds of various evil acts in search of [needed] food—if they hear my name and hold on to it in a singleminded way I will first provide them with more than enough excellent food and drink to satisfy their bodies, and after that I will provide them with the taste of the Dharma, and finally cause them to become established in peace and joy.”

The twelfth great vow was: “I vow that when in the future I will attain bodhi, if there are sentient beings who are poor and have no clothing, who suffer day and night from mosquitoes and horseflies, cold and heat, if they hear my name and hold on to it in a singleminded way they will obtain at will a variety of marvelous clothing. They will also obtain all precious adornments, flower garlands, unguents, and skills in musical and theatrical performance. I will cause them to have these things to perfect satisfaction, according to their wishes.”

O Mañjuśrī, these were are the twelve subtle and excellent vows that that Bhagavat, Master of Medicine, Beryl Radiance Tathāgata, Worthy of

Offerings, Perfectly Enlightened One, produced when he was practicing

the bodhisattva path. Moreover, Mañjuśrī, it would be impossible to completely describe the excellence of the great vows made when that Bhagavat, Master of Medicine, Beryl Radiance Tathāgata, was practicing the bodhisattva path, and the excellence of the adornments of the merits of his buddha land, even if I were to spend a kalpa or more than a kalpa to do so.

The Buddha Land of Master of Medicine, Beryl Radiance Tathāgata

Now, this buddha’s land is absolutely pure and there are no women there. There are neither evil destinies nor the sound of suffering. The ground is made of beryl and the roads are marked with ropes of gold. The walls and gates, palaces and pavilions, windows and curtains are all made of the seven precious substances. It is similar to the Joyous Realm of the West (Sukhāvatī); its merits and adornments are no different. In that land there are two bodhisattva mahāsattvas, one named Universally Pervading Solar Radiance (Sūryavairocana) and the other Universally Pervading Lunar Radiance (Candravairocana). They are the chiefs of infinite countless hosts of bodhisattvas, all able to hold on to the treasury of the right Dharma of that Bhagavat, Master of Medicine, Beryl Radiance Tathāgata. This is why, Mañjuśrī, sons and daughters of good family, having faithful minds, should aspire to be born in this buddha’s realm.

Different Cases of the Manifestation of the Saving Power of Master of Medicine, Beryl Radiance Tathāgata

At that moment, the Bhagavat again declared to the youth Mañjuśrī: 

O Mañjuśrī, there may be sentient beings who, without knowing the [distinction between] good and evil, cling only to craving and avarice; and who, without knowing about giving and its fruits, are foolish and without wisdom and lack the roots of faith. They accumulate much wealth and treasure and strive to protect it. When they see a beggar aproaching their minds are not pleased. If they are compelled to give they feel pain as if their own flesh had been deeply cut. Moreover, there are sentient beings with limitless greed and avarice. They amass much property, more than they need for their own use. How much less would they use it to give to their parents, wives, children, servants and maids, or workmen or beggars who come? These beings, after their life has finished, will be born in the realm of hungry ghosts (pretas) or of animals. But if in a past [existence as] a human being they overheard the name of Master of Medicine, Beryl Radiance Tathāgata, even though they are now in an evil path,¹⁵ as soon as they think of this tathāgata’s name they will disappear from that place and will be reborn in the human realm of existence. They will obtain knowledge of their past lifetimes (jāti-smara). They will think of the suffering in the evil destinies with fear and will no longer wish for worldly pleasure. They will like to practice compassionate giving and will praise donors. They will not be stingy with anything that they possess. They will even be able to successively donate their own heads, eyes, hands, feet, blood, flesh or [any] part of their bodies to whomever comes and asks them. How much more so [will they be able to distribute all their] other property?

Moreover, Mañjuśrī, there may be sentient beings who have broken the precepts (śīla), even though they have received various trainings from the Tathāgata. There may also be those who, although they have not broken the precepts, have violated the regulations, or those who have not broken the precepts nor the regulations but have denigrated correct views. There may also be those who have not denigrated correct views but have abandoned the study of sutras preached by the Buddha

and are unable to understand their profound meaning. There may also be those who have learned much but because of their arrogance their minds are obscured, [and they think that] they are right while others are not. They eventually come to detest the right Dharma and become the companions of Māra. All these foolish persons are led by themselves to practice wrong views, and they also drive innumerable millions of sentient beings to the great pitfall of danger. All these sentient beings will go to the hells or into the path of animals or that of the hungry ghosts, and they will endlessly remain in transmigration. [But] if they are able to hear the name of Master of Medicine, Beryl Radiance Tathāgata they will immediately abandon their evil doings and practice the good Dharma, and they will not fall into evil paths. Even if they cannot abandon evil behavior or practice the good Dharma, those who have sunk into evil paths, because of the majestic power of that Tathāgata’s former vows, will be able to hear, just for a moment, the name [of that tathāgata]. [This will be enough to cause them] to be reborn again in the human path when their life [in the evil paths] comes to an end. They will obtain the correct view, assiduousness [in practice], and self-control in their aspiration. Thus, they will be able to abandon the householder’s life and enter the renunciant’s life in the Tathāgata’s teaching. They will receive and maintain the basis of the training and they will not violate [the precepts]. [They will hold on to] correct views and learning

and they will understand the extremely profound meanings [of the teaching]. They will be far from arrogance and will not denigrate the right Dharma. [Thus,] they will not become Māra’s companions. They will gradually practice the different bodhisattva practices and rapidly attain completion [of the path to enlightenment].

Moreover, Mañjuśrī, there may be sentient beings who are stingy, jealous, self-praising, and who defame others. They will fall into the three evil paths and undergo various kinds of violent suffering for innumerable thousands of years. After having undergone such violent suffering, after their life ends they will be reborn in the human world as oxen, horses, camels, or donkeys. [As these animals,] they will always be beaten and whipped. They will [always] be afflicted by hunger and thirst, and burdened by heavy loads on their backs as they travel the roads. If they are able to be reborn as human beings they will still be of low and humble status¹⁶ as slaves and menials, taking orders from others to serve them. They will never be free. [But] if in a previous life as a human such a person ever heard the name of the Bhagavat Master of Medicine, Beryl Radiance Tathāgata, because of this good cause he will remember it and take refuge in [that buddha] from the bottom of his heart. Thanks to the Buddha’s divine power, he will be delivered from various sufferings. His faculties will be sharp; wise and learned, he will always seek the excellent Dharma and meet virtuous friends. He will completely sever forever Māra’s net and break the shell of ignorance. He will dry up the river of defilements and will be delivered from birth, aging, illness, and death, and from misery and distress.

Moreover, Mañjuśrī, there may be sentient beings who like to have disagreements with others, who argue with them and make trouble for themselves and others. Through deeds, words, and thought they commit increasingly worse acts. Evolving thus, they constantly act in a harmful way and [even] plot to kill each other. Summoning the spirits of mountains, forests, trees, or charnel grounds, they kill various sentient beings and take their blood and flesh as sacrificial offerings to yakṣas and rākṣasas. They write down the names of their enemies or make figures of them on which they lay curses using black magic; they enchant and cast spells on [their enemies] and practice evil magic, invoking necromantic demons 406b (vetālas) in order to break their lives and destroy their bodies. All such beings—if they are able to hear the name of this Master of Medicine, Beryl Radiance Tathāgata, all their evil actions will be unable to harm [others]. They will turn [their thoughts] and produce the mind of compassion. [They will think] of benefit, peace, and joy [for others]. They will have neither malice nor resentment. Each will rejoice at what he receives and will be content with it. They will not encroach on each other but will mutually make benefit.

Moreover, Mañjuśrī, there may be people of the four assemblies, bhikṣus (monks), bhikṣuṇīs (nuns), upāsakas (laymen), and upāsikās (laywomen), and other sons and daughters of good family with pure faith, who are able to hold on to the precepts of eightfold purification; having spent either¹⁷ one year or three months¹⁸ [in religious retreat], they have maintained their training. By these roots of good, they vow to be reborn in the Joyous Realm of the West (Sukhāvatī), the land of Amitāyus Buddha. Even if they listen to the right Dharma but still remain unconvinced, these people, if they are able to hear the name of the Bhagavat Master of Medicine, Beryl Radiance Tathāgata when their life comes to end, will be visited by eight bodhisattvas mounted on their supernatural power¹⁹ who will show them the road [to Sukhāvatī]. [Thus,] they will at once be born spontaneously by transformation in that realm, among many precious flowers of various colors. Or, based on this cause, some of them will be reborn in heaven, and even though they have been reborn in heaven their former good root will not be exhausted so that they will no longer be reborn in various evil paths. When their lifetime in heaven comes to an end they will be reborn among humans as a wheelturning king (cakravartin) governing the four continents with almighty majesty, establishing innumerable hundreds of thousands of sentient beings in the path of the ten good deeds. Or some will be born in the family of a kṣatriya or a brahman, or in the family of a great householder who possesses great wealth and a storehouse that is [always] full. Their form will be beautiful. They will have a great retinue. They will be intelligent and wise, brave and intrepid like a great hero-warrior. If a woman hears the name of the Bhagavat Master of Medicine, Beryl Radiance Tathāgata and holds on to it from the bottom of her heart, then after [her death] she will no longer receive a female body.”²⁰

Worship of the Sutra and Master of Medicine, Beryl Radiance Tathāgata and Its Benefits

At that moment, the youth Mañjuśrī said to the Buddha: 

O Bhagavat, I want to make a vow: In the age when the semblance Dharma appears, by various skillful means, may I cause the sons and daughters of good family with pure faith to hear the name of the Bhagavat Master of Medicine, Beryl Radiance Tathāgata. Even while they are asleep I will awaken their ears with the buddha’s name. O Bhagavat, if there are [sentient beings] who hold this sutra and recite it, or explain its teaching and expound on it, or if they copy it themselves or cause others to copy it, and they respect and revere it, they should worship [the sutra] with various flower fragrances, perfumed unguents, powdered incense, burning incense, flower garlands, precious necklaces, banners, canopies, and music. They should make a pouch out of five-colored cloth and wrap [the sutra] in it. They should clean up the site, sweeping and 406c sprinkling water, and set up a high place where they will place [the sutra] with care. At that time, the four great deva kings, with their retinues and innumerable hundreds of thousands of hosts of devas, will come to the site to worship and protect it. O Bhagavat, at places where this sutra treasure becomes widespread, if there are people who hold on to it, because of the merits of the former vows of this Bhagavat, Master of Medicine, Beryl Radiance Tathāgata, and because they heard his name, there will no longer be any untimely death in those places. Nor will there be any evil demons and spirits that steal the vital energy [of people]. Even if there are [those from whom the vital energy has] already been taken, they will recover it as before and their bodies and minds will be safe and joyous. The Buddha said to Mañjuśrī: 

So it is, so it is. [It shall be exactly] as you say, Mañjuśrī. If there are sons and daughters of good family with pure faith who want to worship that Bhagavat, Master of Medicine, Beryl Radiance Tathāgata, they should first make an image of that buddha’s form, set up a clean seat, and place the image on it. They should scatter various kinds of flowers and burn various kinds of incense; they should adorn the place with various banners and flags. For seven days and seven nights they should observe the precepts of eightfold purification, eating pure food, bathing, cleansing and perfuming [their bodies], wearing new and pure garments. They should produce a mind without any impurity, without any anger and hatred. They should produce a mind of benefit, comfort, compassion, joyful giving, equanimity, and impartiality toward all sentient beings. They should play drums and sing praises while circumambulating to the right of the buddha image. Furthermore, they should recall the merits of that tathāgata’s former vows and recite this sutra, consider its meanings, explain its teaching, and expound on it. Everything they wish for will be granted at their will. Should they want a long life, they will have it. Should they want to obtain great wealth, they will obtain it. Should they seek for a high rank in office, they will attain it. Should they wish for a son or a daughter, they will obtain them according to their wish.

Suppose there is a person who suddenly has a nightmare, seeing various evil apparitions or monstrous birds coming in flocks, or suppose a

hundred ominous portents appear in his house, if that person respectfully worships that Bhagavat, Master of Medicine, Beryl Radiance Tathāgata using all kinds of marvelous implements, the nightmares, evil apparitions, and inauspicious omens will all disappear and will no longer be able to trouble him. Or if they are threatened by water, fire, swords, poison, precipices, unruly elephants, lions, tigers, wolves, bears, poisonous snakes, bad scorpions, centipedes or millipedes, mosquitoes, or horseflies—if the person threatened by such dangers can recall that buddha from the bottom of his heart and worship him with respect he will be free from all of these fears. In the case of invasions [of one’s country] from other countries, or thieves, or rebellions, if one recalls that tathāgata with respect he will be free from all [these calamities].

Moreover, Mañjuśrī, there may be sons and daughters of good family with pure faith, who until the end of their days, having never served other devas, wholeheartedly took refuge exclusively in the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha and held on to the prohibitions—either the five precepts, the ten precepts, the four hundred precepts of bodhisattvas, the two hundred and fifty precepts of bhikṣus, or the five hundred precepts of bhikṣuṇīs—but they violated some of the precepts they had taken. Such people may fear falling into evil paths. If they can recall that buddha’s name in a singleminded way and respectfully worship it, they will definitely never receive rebirth in the three evil paths. Or there may be women who at the moment of giving birth to a child experience extreme suffering. If they can recite that tathāgata’s name from the bottom of their heart and respectfully praise and worship him, all their suffering will be removed. The body of the newborn child will be complete. He will be beautiful and those who see him will be pleased. He will have keen sense organs, intelligence, and tranquility. He will seldom become ill and nonhuman beings will never be able to steal his vital spirit.

Ānanda’s Belief in Master of Medicine, Beryl Radiance Tathāgata

At that moment, the Bhagavat said to Ānanda: 

The merits acquired by that buddha, Master of Medicine, Beryl Radiance Tathāgata, whom I thus praise, belong to the realm of the very profound activities of the buddhas and they are difficult to understand. Do you believe in them? 

Ānanda replied: 

O most virtuous Bhagavat, I do not hold any doubts about the sutra that the Tathāgata preaches. Why is this? [Because in] all the Tathāgata’s acts of body, speech, and thought there is none that is not pure. O Bhaga vat, should the sun and moon fall down, or if Mount Sumeru tilts and moves, there will be no differences in the buddhas’ sayings. O Bhagavat, there may be sentient beings in whom the faculty of faith is incomplete. Hearing the teaching about the realm of the very profound activities of the buddhas, they may think: “Why does simply remembering the name of a single buddha, Master of Medicine, Beryl Radiance Tathāgata, allow one to obtain merits of such excellent benefit?” Because of this unbelief they may instead denigrate [this teaching], thus losing great benefits through the long night [of samsara] and falling into evil paths, eternally revolving in them.

The Buddha said to Ānanda: 

These sentient beings, if they are able to hear the name of Bhagavat

Master of Medicine, Beryl Radiance Tathāgata and hold on to it with

their entire mind, without producing any doubt, then there will be no reason for them to fall into evil paths. O Ānanda, these are the very profound practices of the buddhas, difficult to understand and believe in. [If] you [can] now receive them, you should know that all this is due to the Tathāgata’s majestic power. O Ānanda, all the listeners (śrāvakas), self-enlightened ones (pratyekabuddhas), or the bodhisattvas who have not yet attained the grounds [of the bodhisattva practices], all of them, except the bodhisattva bound to one more birth, are unable to understand and believe according to reality. O Ānanda, it is difficult to obtain a human body. It is more difficult to respectfully believe in and revere the Three Jewels. Hearing the name of Bhagavat Master of Medicine, Beryl Radiance Tathāgata is even more difficult. O Ānanda, that Master of Medicine, Beryl Radiance Tathāgata accomplished innumerable bodhisattva practices; he has innumerable skillful means and innumerable great vows. Even if I were to spend a kalpa or more than a kalpa to expound on [them], the kalpa would be rapidly exhausted. That buddha’s practices of vows and his skillful means are inexhaustible.

Saving People on Their Deathbeds

At that moment in the assembly there was a bodhisattva mahāsattva named Saving Deliverance (Trāṇamukta). He arose from his seat, bared his shoulder on one side, and knelt with his right knee on the ground. Bowing [toward the Bhagavat] and joining his palms, he said to the Buddha: 

O most virtuous Bhagavat, in the age when the semblance Dharma is appearing there may be sentient beings who, because of various sufferings, are distressed. Unable to eat and drink, they are exhausted and emaciated by long illness. Their throat and lips are dry; they see darkness all around. The characteristics of death appear. Parents, relatives, friends, and acquaintances gather around such a person, lamenting and weeping. Then, while his body²¹ lies in its original place, he sees a messenger of Yama who takes his consciousness before King of the Dharma Yama. Now, each sentient being has an inborn genius [attached to him].²² This genius records all his actions as either good or evil and then gives this record to Yama, King of the Dharma. The king then interrogates [the dying person] and calculates the totals of his good and evil actions, and judges him thereby. At that time, if the ill person’s relatives and friends are able to take refuge in Bhagavat Master of Medicine, Beryl Radiance Tathāgata for the sake of that person, and they invite monks to recite this sutra, light seven-storied lamps, and suspend a five-colored lifeprolonging divine banner,²³ it is then possible for his consciousness to return to that place,²⁴ and he will clearly understand what he had experienced, as if in a dream. Or it could be that after seven days or twentyone days or thirty-five days or forty-nine days his consciousness returns, as if he had awoken from a dream, and he will remember and know all the retributions of his good and not-good acts. Because he can actually see the retributions of his acts, even in the case of facing danger to his life²⁵ he will no longer commit any evil acts. This is why, sons and daughters of good family with pure faith, you should all hold on to the name of Master of Medicine, Beryl Radiance Tathāgata and, according to each one’s capacity, respectfully worship him.

             At that moment, Ānanda asked Saving Deliverance Bodhisattva:                    

O, son of good family, how should we respectfully worship that Bhagavat, Master of Medicine, Beryl Radiance Tathāgata? And how should we make the life-prolonging banner and the lamp?

Saving Deliverance Bodhisattva said: 

O most virtuous one, if there is an ill person who wishes to be delivered from suffering from illness, for the sake of this person one should observe the precepts of eightfold purification for seven days and seven nights.

One should donate according to his capacity food and drink and other goods to the community of bhikṣus. Throughout the six periods of the day and night one should revere and worship Bhagavat Master of Medicine, Beryl Radiance Tathāgata and recite this sutra forty-nine times. He should light forty-nine lamps and make seven images of the form of that tathāgata. In front of each image he should place seven lamps; each lamp must be as large as a cartwheel. For the duration of forty-nine days the light must never be extinguished. Make a banner of five colors measuring forty-nine hand-lengths long. Release creatures of various species, up to forty-nine in number. This will allow [the ill person] to surmount the danger [so that] he will not be fall into the grasp of evil demons.

Moreover, Ānanda, if a kṣatriya king who has received the ointment happens to experience calamities, such as an epidemic among the populace, an invasion from another country, a rebellion in his own realm, an inauspicious configuration of stars, eclipses of the sun or moon, wind and rain at inappropriate times, or too little rain out of season—in such cases, the kṣatriya king who has received the ointment should give rise to a mind of compassion toward all sentient beings. He should release imprisoned people under amnesty and worship that Bhagavat Master of Medicine, Beryl Radiance Tathāgata according to the method of worship described above. Thanks to this wholesome root and the power of that tathāgata’s former vows, his kingdom will right away obtain peace and tranquility. There will be timely wind and rain, the grains will ripen, and all sentient beings will be without illness and will be happy and joyous. There will be no cruel yakṣas or other spiritual beings in his country who could cause sentient beings to suffer. All the inauspicious omens will disappear altogether. The kṣatriya king who has received the ointment will have a long life, he will be handsome and powerful; he will be free from illness and obtain increasing prosperity.

O Ānanda, if the emperor, the queen and consorts, the heir-apparent and other princes, the ministers and secretaries, the queen’s attendant ladies, officials, and common people are troubled by the suffering of disease or other calamities, they also should make a five-colored divine banner and light lamps that burn continuously. They should release various living creatures, scatter flowers of different colors, and burn famous incense. They will then be able to recover from illness and will be liberated from all troubles.

At that moment, Ānanda asked Saving Deliverance Bodhisattva, “O son of good family, how is it possible to increase the prosperity of someone whose life span is already exhausted?” 

Saving Deliverance Bodhisattva said: 

O most virtuous one, how can you not have heard the Tathāgata’s teaching 408a about the nine kinds of untimely death? This is why it is recommended to make the life-prolonging banner, [light] lamps, and practice various meritorious [practices]. By doing these meritorious [practices], when one’s life span is exhausted he or she will not experience any suffering.

Nine Kinds of  Untimely Death

Ānanda asked, “What are these nine kinds of untimely death?” Saving Deliverance Bodhisattva said: 

Suppose there are sentient beings who are affected by a minor disease but have no doctor or medicine, and no one to take care of them, or even if they are able to see a doctor they are not given [appropriate] medicine, so that they die when normally they should not yet die. There are also [people] who believe in false teachings about misfortune and fortune given by masters of worldly evil demons, or they believe in non-Buddhist paths or inauspicious omens.²⁶ This raises in their mind the emotion of fear. As they are not correct in their minds they ask divinatory questions and, not seeing that this is a calamity,²⁷ they kill various sentient beings in order to propitiate spirits and appeal to demons and monsters, begging them for good fortune and a longer life. Yet in the end they cannot obtain anything; they are foolish and confused. They believe in evil [teachings] and distorted views. They eventually die in an untimely way and enter into hell without any [foreseeable] term of release.²⁸ This is called the first untimely death. 

The second [untimely death] is to unexpectedly be subject to execution under royal statutes. The third is when one goes out hunting on a pleasure party and engages without restraint in debauchery and drunkenness. Unexpectedly one’s vital energy is then taken away by a [demonic] nonhuman being. The fourth is when one is unexpectedly burned in a fire. The fifth is when one unexpectedly drowns in water. The sixth is when one is unexpectedly eaten by various wild animals. The seventh is when one unexpectedly falls from a mountain cliff. The eighth is when one is unexpectedly poisoned, cursed, imprecated, or [becomes the object of an evil spell] by necromantic demons (vetālas). The ninth is when one suffers from hunger and thirst and is unable to obtain food and drink, so that he or she unexpectedly dies.

These are abridged teachings by the Tathāgata on the untimely deaths, of which there are nine kinds. There are also innumerable other untimely [deaths] that are difficult to explain in detail.

Moreover, Ānanda, King Yama has control of the register of the names [of all the beings in] the world. If there are those who are not filial, who have committed the five capital crimes, who have broken and brought shame to the Three Jewels, who have infringed upon the law of ruler and subjects, or who have denigrated faith [and violated] the precepts, then the King of the Dharma Yama will punish them in accordance with his examination of the severity of their crimes. This is why I now urge all sentient beings to light lamps, make banners, release creatures, and engage in meritorious activities. Thus, people will be delivered from calamities and avoid meeting all kinds of difficulties.

Twelve Great Yakṣa Generals

At that moment in the assembly there were twelve yakṣa generals seated together. These were²⁹ the general Kiṃbhīra, the general Vajra, the general Mekhila, the general Antila, the general Anila, the general Saṇṭhila, the general Indāla, the general Pāyila, the general Māhura, the general Cindāla,

the general Codhura, and the general Vikala. Each of these twelve yakṣa generals had retinues of seven thousand yakṣas. They raised their voices together and said to the Buddha: 

O Bhagavat, having heard the name of Bhagavat Master of Medicine, Beryl Radiance Tathāgata, we have now received the Buddha’s majestic power. We are no longer afraid of falling into evil paths. We are together all of the same mind in taking refuge in the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha throughout our lives. We vow to bear the burden of bringing about benefit, enrichment, peace, and pleasure for all sentient beings. Wherever it may be, either in a village, town, capital, or remote forest, if there is anyone who spreads this sutra or holds onto the name of Master of Medicine, Beryl Radiance Tathāgata and respectfully worships him, we and our retinues will protect that person. All such people will be delivered from all suffering and difficulty and their wishes will all be completely fulfilled. Anyone who is ill and wishes to be delivered [from illness] should read and recite this sutra. Taking a five-colored rope, they should knot our names in it; when their wish is fulfilled they should untie the knots.

At that moment, the Bhagavat praised the yakṣa generals and said to them: 

Excellent, excellent, yakṣa generals! You think of responding to the debt of gratitude for Bhagavat Master of Medicine, Beryl Radiance Tathāgata. You should always do thus, bringing about benefit, peace, and pleasure for all sentient beings.

Conclusion

At that moment, Ānanda said to the Buddha, “O Bhagavat, how should this

Dharma gate be called, and how should we uphold it?” The Buddha said to Ānanda: 

This Dharma gate is called “The Teaching on the Merits of the Former Vow of Master of Medicine, Beryl Radiance Tathāgata.” It is also called “The Teaching of the Divine Spell of the Twelve Divine Generals Benefiting Sentient Beings [and] the Fulfillment of [Their] Wishes.” It is also called “The Eradication of all Karmic Obstructions.” You should uphold this [sutra] as such.

When the Bhagavat finished teaching this [sutra], all the bodhisattva mahāsattvas and great listeners (śrāvakas), kings, ministers, brahmans, and householders, devas, dragons, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kiṃnaras,

mahoragas, humans, and nonhumans—all in the assembly who heard the Buddha’s teaching were greatly delighted, received it with conviction and faith, and practiced it.

[End of] The Scripture of the Merits of the Former Vows of Master of Medicine, Beryl Radiance Tathāgata

The disciple Gu Chongjun, wishing for peace and producing the mind of bodhi, copied the scripture of Master of Medicine on the fifteenth day of the second month of second year of the Guangde era (764).