DƯỢc sư LƯu ly quang như lai bản nguyện công đỨc kinh

“Lại nữa, A Nan! Diễm Ma Vương chuyên chú các ghi chép danh tịch của thế gian, nếu kẻ hữu tình nào bất hiếu, ngũ nghịch, phá hoại Tam Bảo, phá hoại pháp luật của vua quan, hủy báng tính giới (7), Diễm Ma Pháp Vương tùy theo tội nặng nhẹ khảo xét mà luận tội. Đó là lý do nay ta khuyến cáo giống hữu tình hãy thắp đèn, làm cờ, tu phúc để được độ trì qua các khổ ách không còn gặp những tai nạn”.

Lúc bấy giờ, trong buổi hội có 12 Đại Tướng Dạ Xoa, đó là Cung Bì La Đại Tướng, Phạt Chiết La Đại Tướng, Mê Xí La Đại Tướng, An Để La Đại Tướng, Át Nhi La Đại Tướng, San Để La Đại Tướng, Nhân Đạt La Đại Tướng, Ba Di La Đại Tướng, Ma Hổ La Đại Tướng, Chân Đạt La Đại Tướng, Chiêu Đỗ La Đại Tướng, Bì Yết La Đại Tướng. Mười hai Đại Tướng Dạ Xoa này, mỗi người lại mang theo 7,000 Dạ Xoa quyến thuộc, cùng một lúc đồng thanh bạch với Đức Phật: “Thế Tôn, chúng con đội ơn uy lực Phật mà được nghe đến danh hiệu của Thế Tôn Dược Sư Lưu Ly Quang Như Lai, chúng con không còn sợ sệt gì phải rơi vào ác đạo nữa, chúng con đều đồng một lòng, quyết tâm xin quy y Phật Pháp Tăng, thề xin gánh trọng trách cho tất cả giống hữu tình, làm cho họ được ích lợi, giàu có, an lạc. Ở bất cứ nơi nào thôn quê, thành thị, quốc gia, thôn ấp, những nơi an dưỡng tu tập trong rừng sâu, nếu có kẻ phổ biến rộng rãi kinh này, hoặc lại trì tụng danh hiệu của Dược Sư Lưu Ly Quang Như Lai, cung kính cúng dường, chúng con và quyến thuộc sẽ bảo hộ người ấy, đều tìm cách giải thoát người ấy khỏi tất cả các khổ nạn, những nguyện cầu sẽ được toại nguyện. Nếu có kẻ nào gặp tật ách mà muốn được độ thoát thì cũng phải đọc tụng kinh này, lấy sợi dây ngũ sắc kết tên của chúng con, được như ý nguyện ước, sau đó thì hãy giải kết.

Lúc bấy giờ, Thế Tôn khen ngợi các Dạ Xoa Đại Tướng Quân: “Tốt lắm, tốt lắm các Dạ Xoa Đại Tướng, các con báo đền ơn đức của Thế Tôn Dược Sư Lưu Ly Quang Như Lai là phải thường xuyên làm lợi ích an lạc cho tất cả giống hữu tình như vậy.”

Lúc bấy giờ A Nan bạch với Phật: “Thế Tôn đặt tên cho Pháp Môn này tên là gì? Chúng con phải phụng thờ như thế nào?” Phật bảo A Nan: “Pháp Môn này tên gọi là Dược Sư Lưu Ly Quang Như Lai Bả Nguyện Công Đức, cũng có tên là Mười Hai Thần Tướng Nhiêu Ích Hữu Tình Kết Nguyện Thần Chú, cũng có tên là Bạt Trừ Nhất Thiết Nghiệp Chướng, phải như trên mà trì tụng. Khi Đức Thế Tôn nói những lời này xong, Chư Bồ Tát Ma Ha Tát cùng Đại Thanh Văn, Quốc Vương, Đại Thần, Bà La Môn, Cư Sĩ, Thiên Long, Dược Xoa, Kiện Đạt Phược, A Tố Lạc, Yết Lộ Trà, Khẩn Nại Lạc, Mạc Hô Lạc Già, Nhân, Phi Nhân, tất cả Đại Chúng nghe được lời Phật dạy đều tỏ vẻ rất hoan hỉ, tin tưởng và phụng hành.

1/ Thanh Văn: Người ngộ đạo từ nghe được những lời dạy của Phật về Tứ Đế Pháp. Sravaka, a hearer.

2/ Độc Giác: hay là Duyên Giác hoặc Bích Chi Phật, người tìm sự giác ngộ cho chính mình. Pratyeka-buddha.

3/ Tam Tụ Giới: không sát sanh (nhiếp luật nghi giới), tăng trưởng từ bi tâm (nhiếp thiện pháp), bảo hộ chúng sinh (nhiếp chúng sinh) (not to kill, mercy, protection or salvation)

4/Bổ Phật Xứ: ý chỉ bổ đến Phật vị

5/ Nhất Sinh Sở Hệ Bồ Tát: Trong một đời hoàn thành 3 giai đoạn cuối cùng, liên hệ đến 20 lời thề của A Di Đà Phật.

6/ Câu Sinh Thần: Linh hồn sinh ra đồng thời với một cá nhân, sẽ ghi lại tất cả việc làm tốt xấu của cá nhân và trình cho Yama (Diễm Ma Pháp Vương)

7/ Tính giới: Luật về đạo đức tự nhiên (không sát sanh, trộm cắp…) (Natural moral law: not to kill, steal…)

(THE SUTRA OF LAPIS-AZULI-LIGHT- MEDICINE BUDDHA’S GREAT VOWS & MERITS)

Thus have I heard, while going to teach and convert peoples in countries, The World-Honored One and His disciples arrived the Broad Ornate City (Vaisali), gathering under the shadow of a musical-voiced tree. Pilgrims present in the meeting were as follows: 8,000 Great Bhiksus, 36,000 Bodhisattvas, Kings, Great Mandarins, Brahmins, Residential Monks, Devas, Nagas and Others of the eight classes, Men Yet Not Men and innumerable sentient beings. All of them were respectfully walking round and turning the right shoulders towards the Buddha, eagerly waiting for His instrutions.

At that time, Manjusri - by the Buddha’s Super Natural Power – left his seat, knelt down on the ground with his left knee up and left shoulder open, talking to the Buddha: “The World-Honored One! Will you – for the benefits of next generations – tell us the names and titles of those Buddhas whose vows and merits are so great that any listeners’ bad karmas can be immediately and entirely cleansed of.

At that time, The World-Honored One praised Manjusri: “Excellent! Excellent Manjusri! With your great compassion, you have suggested me to talk about those Buddhas’ vows and merits that could root up all the bad karmas of sentient beings; that could be beneficial to their descendents in the period of symbolism. Carefully listen to me! Because of your suggestion, I’ll talk about that. It’s indeed a very good idea!” Manjusri said: “Yes, we are happily waiting for your instructions, The World-Honored One!” The Buddha told Manjusri: “If you’re traveling east and passing 10 of innumerable Buddhist nations, you’ll reach a nation named Pure Lapis Lazuli governed by a Buddha whose title is Lapis Lazuli Light Medicine Buddha, The Worthy of Worship, The Perfect Universal Wisdom, The Kowledge-Conduct-Perfect, The Well-Departed, The Knower Of The World, The Peerless Gentleman, The Well-Adjusting Nobleman, The Master’s Devas &Men, The Buddha, The World-Honored One. Manjusri! While that Lapis-Lazuli Light Medicine Buddha was still a Bodhisattva he had 12 great vows that would help all the sentient beings’ wishes be satisfied:

The First Great Vow: Once I attain the unexcelled complete enlightenment, my own body will brighten up and thus illuminate innumerable worlds in the Universe as well as possess 32 good organs of a gentleman plus 80 noble outlooks to dignify my body building, hence all the sentient beings will be born with such my endowments.

The Second Great Vow: Once I attain the enlightenment, immediately my body will be crystallized from inside to outside without a stain and thus safely stay not only in brilliant lightning, but also in solemn and magnificent merits as well. The time’s passing by, I’ll also bless all stupid sentient beings opening their minds and finding themselves the right ways to go and achieve their goals.

The Third Great Vow: Once I attain the enlightenment, I’ll achieve immeasurable great wisdom and innumerable available means to help all the sentient beings be satisfied with their demands of material lives.

The Fourth Great Vow: Once I attain the enlightenment, I’ll make those followers of heretical beliefs convert to The Supreme Bodhi as well as all the Hearers and Pratyeka-buddhas convert to Mahayana (the Greater Vehicle).

The Fifth Great Vow: Once I attain the enlightenment, I will help those who cultivate themselves with Pure Living of my Teachings - ie strictly obey not only the entire moral laws, but also the three commandments as well - or those who even commit the sin of blasphemy, get purification of their souls right after hearing my name and title. They won’t be banished in evil paths.

The Sixth Great Vow: Once I attain the enlightenment, I will heal over those sentient beings that have been suffered from lacks of five senses, ugly features, stupidity, blindness, deafness, dumbness, paralysis, leprosy, hunchback, insanity and return them to normally sound minds and bodies right after hearing my name and title.

The Seventh Great Vow: Once I attain the enlightenment, I will heal over those sentients beings who have been suffered from more-dead-than- alive diseases or no-medicine-no-doctor-at-all-to-save diseases and also help those who have been homeless and destitude live in safety and happiness as well as their families and relatives enjoy their lives of plenty, even at last attain enlightenment, right after hearing my name and title.

The Eighth Great Vow: Once I attain the enlightenment, I will help those women who are really tired of their femininity - because of hundreds of its wickness to be characterized – and want to abandon their feminine bodies, be reborn to masculine bodies after hearing my name and title.

The Ninth Great Vow: Once I attain the enlightenment, I will liberate and teach those sentient beings who have been trapped by ghost and devils or fettered by heterodoxy or fallen upon a jungle of evil thoughts, how to recognize the right way to progressively cultivate themselves on Bodhisattvas’ Path and finally to attain Buddhahood.

The Ten Great Vow: Once I attain the enlightenment, I will liberate those sentient beings that have had their names on the list of the King’s law to be tortured in jail or to be sentenced to death or lifetime with innumerable sufferings and humiliation in jail, from the above-mentioned punishments right after hearing my name and title. My meritorious deeds and supernatural power could save everybody from misery and emergency!

The Eleventh Great Vow: Once I attain the enlightenment, I will save those sentient beings who have committed bad karmas - because of shortage of foods and drinks – enjoy wonderful and delicious meals after hearing then repeatedly reciting my name and title.

The Twelfth Great Vow: Once I attain the enlightenment, I will help those sentient beings in rags – days and nights mosquitoes, bluebottles bite them and suck their blood – be dressed up in untorn and perfumed clothes, gorgeous jewelries and enjoy music to their hearts’ content with great songs, trumpets and singers right after hearing then repeatedly reciting my name and title.

Manjusri! The above-mentioned twelve Great Vows were sworn by Lapis-Azuli-Light-Medicine Buddha during the time he was still a Bodhisattva!

“Again, Manjusri! Besides 12 Great Vows, Lapis-Azuli-Light-Medicine Buddha also swore to build a meritorious and solemn Buddha’s land. Although it takes me even one kalpa or more, I could’t tell all His meritorious deeds! The Buddha’s country is a very pure land where there is no woman, no evil paths and no heart-rending sounds. The edge-ways are made of golden cords, in addition to that cities, palaces, buildings, verandhas, windows and nets are all made of seven treasures. The Medicine Buddha’s and Amitabha Buddha’s country look as like as two peas. In the Medicine Buddha’s country there are two Great Bodhisattvas named Sunlight and Moonlight. They are the Leaders of innumerable Bodhisattvas in the country, besides there are also Buddha Successors. All of them are responsible for maintaining and protecting the Medicine Buddha’s Right Dharma. Manjusri! Good men and women should pray for rebirths to His country”. The World-Honored One told Manjusri: “Manjusri! The sentient beings don’t know what are good and bad things? Greediness is their basic bad habit, they don’t know how to give alms to alleviate bad retributions. They’re very stupid and don’t have the root of faith. They just want to accumulate as much as possible money and jewelries, certainly they’re very stingy about spending money. Seeing a beggar coming their house, they don’t feel glad because they always grudge giving any penny to anybody! They feel very painful just like someone cut them with a knife. They miss very much their lost money for others! Again, there are innumerable mean sentient beings just attentively accumulating money and property for their own, but rarely spending money even for themselves and thus how can they’ve got to spend money for their parents, wives, chidren and servants or beggars? These stingy sentient beings will be reborn to be hungry ghosts or animals. But when being still alive, these stingy sentient beings ever heard The Medicine Buddha’s name and title, they recall and repeat patiently The Buddha’s name and title in evil paths, they will immediately be reborn to be men. Being reborn to be men, they recall their previous miserable lives and get very afraid of being returned to hells again! They convert to benefactors and encourage others to do charity, too. They bring everything they had to give their servants from team leader to all members of the team and welcome any beggar who comes to their houses for almgivings.

Again, Manjusri! If any sentient beings who cultivates Medicine Buddha’s teachings but violates restraints (commandments) or doesn’t violate restraints but violates regulations or doesn’t violate restraints and regulations, but blasphemes against the Right Thinking or doesn’t blaspheme the Right Thinking but forgets and misunderstands much of The Buddha’s teachings or understands The Buddha’s teachings but increases arrogance or doesn’t hold tongue to talk right and wrong things about others or blasphemes the right Dharma or keeps company with bad guys, will be banishised into hells and reborn to be animals because he/she possibly trapped innumerable others to fall into dangerous and deep abyss. Those above criminals will always be changed from hell to hell many times for different punitive measures. But if those criminals hear Medicine Buddha’s name, immediately abandon evil behaviors and cultivate goodness, they won’t be banished to evil paths. If they can’t abandon bad habits and cultivate goodness, they will still be rescued from evil paths and reborn to be men after hearing Medicine Buddha’s name and title. That’s because of Medicine Buddha’s Super Natural Power! These men will attain The Right Thinking and progressively cultivate goodness as well as leave homes receiving The Medicine Buddha’s teachings, hence becoming learned men who hear and understand much The Right Thinking. These learned men won’t be arrogant and blaspheming The Right Dharma or keeping company with bad guys. They will progressively cultivate Bodhisattva’s Path and thus finally attain enlightenment.

Again, Manjusri! If those greedy and envious sentient beings who boast about themselves but always criticize others, will be banished into the three evil paths for innumerable years experiencing thousands of sufferings! As followups to above sufferings are the final death and next-life rebirth of buffalo, horse, camel, ass. Those animals will always be tortured by canes, rods or carried heavy weights and left hungry. If reborn to be men, they will be in abject lives: slave-servants worked harshly and looked down by owners. If those unfortunate men recall that in the past they ever heard and patiently recite taking refuges to Medicine Buddha’s title, they will be saved from all sufferings and thus enjoy five good senses, great knowledge. All their wishes will come true and always keep company with good friends, hence stay away for ever from ghosts’ temptations, tear off the illusionary curtain and drain the river of inflictions. Finally, they will be liberated from rebirth, ageing, illness, death, worries, sadness and sufferings.

Again, Manjusri! There are many sentient beings like causing discords among others, sueing, raising the temperature between the relationships. Their bodies, words and thinkings have did so many evil karmas that have affected many others to create a lot of damage to community: Invoking those gods of jungles and graves – such as devils, malignant spirits - they killed and got many animals’ blood and flesh in the worshippings. They wrote and drew their opponent’s name and image on a paper reciting bad mantra to curse the opponent or to get up a dead body that robs the opponent’s life. If those above victims hear and recite The Medicine Buddha’s name and title, they will be rescued from all the evil schemes. With great and compassionate minds, the victims will live in peace enjoying happiness. They won’t be worried about bad schemers. Again, Manjusri! If the four following types of sentient beings: Bhiksus, Bhiksunis, Upsasakas, Upsasikas plus goodmen and goodwomen can hold on to 8 abstinential duties or experience one year and 03 more months at Buddhist Monastery and pray for rebirths in The Amitabha Buddha’s Land of Ultimate Bliss to learn Right Dharma, they will be satisfied with their dreams after hearing The Medicine Buddha’s name and title. At their deaths, the 08 following Bodhisattvas will come from the sky to death beds showing them the right way to go (The 08 Diamond Kings): Manjusri, QwanYin Bodhisattva, Mahasthama Bodhisattva, Aksayamati Bodhisattva, Precious- Shrine-Flower Bodhsattva, Medicine-King Bodhisattva, Supreme-Master Bodhisattva, Maitreya Bodhisattva. The right way spread with precious flowers, the souls will automatically and naturally be transformed or will be reborn in the Heaven. Although being reborn in the Heaven, they have not spent all their meritorious deeds yet. They will never be reborn in evil paths. Once their longevities run out, they will be reborn to be men or Supreme Rulers in the world. With full power and merits, they govern 4 continents and safely settle innumerable sentient beings in the ten excellent lives. Very possibly, they will be reborn to be ruling castes, Brahmins, Great Aristocratic Families owning a lot of jewelries, properties, big treasury. They live in united and learned families possessing imposing outward looks and very good strength just like athletes.If they are women trying to recite Medicine Buddha’s name and title, they will never be reborn in female bodies any more.

Again, Manjusri! At the time Medicine Buddha attained enlightenment - thanks to the power of the Buddha’s Great Vows – he saw the sentient beings suffered from many different diseases, such as rickets, constipation, yellow fever or haunting ghost, short life, epidemic and wanted to eliminate them. Being satisfied His Great Vows, the Medicine Buddha entered Samadhi named “Elimination of All the Sentient Beings’ Inflictions”. After entering Samadhi, brilliant light immediately came out from The Buddha’s hair bun and pores of skin. In the brilliant light, The Medicine Buddha recited the mantra as follows:

CHINESE PRONUNCIATION (Mandarin)

Nam mo Bao Jia Dai Di. Bei Sha She Lou Lu. Bi Liu Li Ba La Ba. He La Tu Ye. Tan Tuo Jie Duo Jia. A La He Di. San Miao San Bo Tuo Jia. Tan Die Tuo. Um. Bei Sha Shi. Bei Sha She San Mei Jie Di So Ha.

After The Medicine Buddha already recited the Mantra in brilliant light, there were many seismic tremors loudly heard and more brilliant light sources radiating everywhere. All the sentient beings’ diseases and miserable disasters were immediately destroyed. Everyone’s enjoying safety and happiness. Manjusri! If any good man or believing woman gets diseased critically he must pay attention to keep his body and mind soundly, focus spelling the above mantra 108 times on food, medicine and water before eating, taking medicine. Doing so, all his serious diseases will be completely healing over, he won’t get any disease for many years later. All his right wishes will be satisfied! He will be reborn in Medicine Buddha’s Pure Land and never get regressed until attaining enlightenment. Mansusri! That is the main reason why every good man and believing woman must respectfully devote himself/herself to this unforgettable mantra!

Again, Manjusri! If any good man or believing woman adequately practices the below-mentioned things, he will be satisfied with all his wishes: Hearing The Medicine Buddha’s name and title, will patiently recite The Buddha’s name and title or cleaning his teeth, taking shower, applying perfume to his body, burning incense, performing music, songs to worship The Medicine Buddha’s statue or image or copying this sutra and showing others to copy this sutra and reciting this sutra with the whole heart, understaning all the Sutra’s meaning; cultivating himself by giving all his money, properties to poor people and The Buddha will help him satisfy with his wishes and even attain the enlightenment.”

At that time, Manjusri respectfully talked to The Buddha: “The World-Honored One, I swear that I will use any means to support those good men and women in the image period of Buddhism hearing & repeating The Medicine Buddha’s name and title even in their sleeps and reciting this sutra or preaching this sutra to others or recording this sutra and helping others record it, or respectfully worshipping The Buddha with flowers, incense, incense dust, perfume, string of pearls, pennant, parasol, music, especially they have to sprinkle water washing the worship site, setting up high shrine to safely position the Buddha’s satue or image. At that time the four Deva-Kings and their families came along with innumerable sentient beings to worship, protect and publicly spread The Medicine Buddha’s sutra. Thanks to The Buddha’s super natural power of His great vows and title, the epidemic will be entirely destroyed in the area, evil ghosts be expelled and thus unable to eliminate their vitality and energy any more. Those sentient beings lost vitality and energy will be refilled in full. The victims’ bodies and souls will get safe and sound.”

The Buddha told Manjusri: “As you said, Manjusri! If any good man or believing woman wants to worship Medicine Buddha, he’s got to draw The Buddha’s image or build The Buddha’s statue and set up a high tower (shrine) safely positioning and brightly decorating it with multi-colored flowers, burning perfumed incense, solemnly hoisting pennants, covering parasol as well as in 7 days, 7 nights he’s got to comply with the first 8 of 10 commandments: eating pure and vegitarian food, taking shower with perfume, wearing clean clothes, never living in dirty habits, never intentionally damaging the other sentient beings, hilariously treating others with safety, helpfulness, compassion, tolerance and fairness. Also, he’s got to praise The Medicine Buddha by beating drum, playing music, singing songs, going round The Buddha’s statue from the right reciting His name and title or reciting this sutra, simultaneously thinking about its meanings or explaining the sutra’s meanings to others. If he can do like the above-mentioned things, he will be satisfied with all his wishes: his life span, wealth of properties and money, social status, happiness with choice of giving birth to a boy or girl.

Again, any sentient beings has nightmare about seeing evil ghosts in his dream or wicked birds, monsters gathering at his residential area, if he bring jewelry, properties to respectfully offer The Medicine Buddha’s Shrine, all evil ghosts, wicked birds will disappear in his dream and residential area. Disasters of water floods, wildfires as well as many threats of lions, tigers, wolves, bears, poisonous snakes, scorpions, flies, mosquitoes won’t be seen in the residential area if people patiently recite The Medicine Buddha’s name and title or respectfully offer precious things to The Buddha’s Shrine. Invasion wars or rebellious riots, social evils, robberies will be nullified immediately if people know how to respectfully recite The Buddha’s name and title!

Again, Manjusri! Good men or believing women only take refuges in The Buddha, Dharma, Monks and comply with commandments: 5 ones, 10 ones or 400 Bodhisattva’s commandments or 250 Monk’s commandments or 500 Nun’s commandments.During the time of compliance, some of them violate the rules to be banished to hell. If they patiently recite The Buddha’s name and respectfully worship The Buddha’s Shrine with offerings, they won’t be fallen into the three evil paths at all. Any woman is suffering from giving birth, if she patiently recites The Medicine Buddha’s name and title with all her heart, respectfully worships The Buddha, all her sufferings will be immediately eliminated and thus given a whole intact smart baby boy. Everyone in her family would be happy with her safe delivery of a chubby infant, hence Men Yet Not Men can’t plunder his vitality and energy”

At that time, The World-Honored One told Ananda: “If I appreciate The Medicine Buddha’s meritorious deeds that how greatly they are – these are The Buddhas’ common magnificient behaviors – do you trust me?” Ananda respectfully answered: “Everything The Buddha talked about The Medicine Buddha’s meritorious deeds in the sutra I always believed in without any suspicion, because The Buddha’s body, words and mind were very sound and pure! The World-Honored One! The Sun and Moon could be collapsed as well as the high mountains could be quaked, the Buddhas’ words are, of course, quite reliable and unshakeable! The World-Honored One! There were some sentient beings – because of their lack of the faith in the Buddha’s teachings – not believing that just because reciting The Medicine Buddha’s name and title, they will achieve such great meritorious deeds, hence blaspheming the Right Dharma. They will be banished and suffered in Avici hell torturing from hell to hell for ever! But if they change their mind, respectfully and patiently reciting the Medicine Buddha’s name and title without any suspicion and thus they’ll be liberated from hells right away! Ananda, all the Hearers (Sravakas), Pratyeka-buddhas, not-completing-ten-stage Bodhisattvas have got to know that human body is as very hardly acquired as the Three Precious Ones (Trivatna). Ananda! Those are the above great Way of a Bodhisattva, the great Meritorious Deeds and the Great Vows of The Medicine Buddha, if spending a lot of kalpas or more than that, I couldn’t entirely tell those endless merits.