Visualizing the Buddha of Lapis Lazuli Light
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Mantras are effective regardless of other practice, but visualizing the Medicine Buddha while chanting is very effective. Part of the visualization likely will include seeing the mantra emanating from Buddha. If you have empowerment with a guru, you can generally find this even more powerful if you self-generate as the Medicine Buddha.
In my tradition we visualize the seven Medicine Buddhas, but the simplest visualization is to see the Buddha a shining Lapis Lazuli blue Buddha, beautiful in radiance, perfect in all His features, in a monk’s robe in full lotus on the Lotus and moon throne. His face is serene and compassionate, and he has the features of a great Buddha. In his left hand is the Lapis-colored jar of medicine nectar, a medicine that not only cures
all ills, but also negative karma, tensions, suffering, poverty and any other sufferings. In his right hand is the stem of the Myrobalan, with Aruna fruit, held between thumb and forefinger. He is surrounded by a glowing nimbus and aura of Lazuli-colored light and as you chant, his heart, throat and crown appear as glowing seed syllables Om (crown) Ah (throat) and Hum (heart). Then,
healing light radiates from the Medicine Buddha’s heart, penetrating either your crown or heart, filling you with healing light, and driving out bad karma and sickness as visible black sludge and smoke. Often he is visualized with his two attendants Suryaprabha and Candraprabha, who are the sun and moon Bodhisattvas. In Soto and other Mahayana practices, you might also visualize the Twilve Warriors f Bhaisajyaguru, who relate directly to the twelve great vows of the Medicine Buddha (see below.)
The Seven Medicine Buddhas names in English are a powerful and lovely poetic expression in and of themselves.:
Bhaisajyaguru: Tathagatha Medicine Guru Lapis Lazuli King
Abhiyaraja: Tathagatha King of Clear Knowing
Dharmakirtisagara: Tathagatha Melodious Ocean of Dharma Proclaimed
Asokottamasriraja: Tathagatha Supreme Glory Free From Sorrow
Suvarnabhadradravimala: Tathagatha Stainless Excellent Gold
Svaragosaraja: Tathagatha King of Melodious Sound
Suparikirti-tanamasriraja: Tathagatha Glorious Renown of Excellen Signs
The eight is Shakyamuni Buddha, the Medicine Buddha of our era. When chanting the praises, I prefer the poetic English names to the Sankrit, just because of the beautiful descriptions. In a full practice session or a puja, each of the Buddhas would receive His own praise.