Tibetan Thangka of Medicine Buddha Art

Tibetan thangka of Medicine Buddha art is hand-painted on a handmade cotton canvas. Bhaisajyaguru is known as Medicine Buddha. He is also called the healing Buddha.

Medicine Buddha is presented at the center of the thangka. He is said to dispense spiritual medicine when properly worshiped. It is even believed that an efficacious cure may be accomplished by merely touching the image.

In Tibet, he may be represented either as a Buddha or as a Bodhisatwa. As a Buddha, he has the urn (small round bulge or protuberance above the bridge of the nose) the fourth superior marks of a buddha Ushinisha (A Buldge of the protuberance in the skull of the Buddha the first superior marks of a Buddha ) short and curly hair. He wears a monastic robe, is seated with the legs crossed.

His left hand lying in his lap in meditation mudra, usually holds the medicine bowl, while the right hand in charity mudra hold either a branch with fruit or the fruit alone, of the myrobalan, as a medicinal plant found in India and other tropical countries.

Iconography of Medicine Buddha

Medicine Buddha is the popular term for Bhaisajyaguru and refers to healing blue light transmitted by his representation and conception. Bhaisajyaguru means “Master of Blue Light”.

His healing energy is transmitted through a blue light wavelength called Vaydurya light. Medicine Buddha radiates this healing energy. Think of the light as internal chakra energy.

Mantra of Medicine Buddha

Namo bhagavate bhaisajyaguru vaiduryaprabharajaya tathagataya arhate samyaksambuddhaya tadyatha: om bhaisajye bhaisajye bhaisajya-samudgate svaha.