Menlha

Menlha, also known as Medicine Buddha, and the Medicine Buddha brothers made commitments and promises to heal sentient beings of their emotional, mental and physical suffering. This commitment is especially strong at this time. Many new diseases have developed and the human mind has further degenerated into the unwholesome states of the eight worldly attitudes: gain and loss, fame and disgrace, praise and blame, pleasure and pain.

A person's mental states affect their physical state. A mind that rests in a state of happiness, through non-self-cherishing and the wish for the happiness of all sentient beings, is buoyant. A positive mental state brings about a relaxed physical state. Even if difficulties are experienced in the physical state, such as pain or sickness, they are no longer the focus of one's attention and so there is no one suffering.

If one is preoccupied with where one stands in relation to the eight worldly attitudes, then there is never any peace. One is always striving or disappointed or measuring oneself in relation to something else. Any happiness that is attained by obtaining what one grasps at is fleeting. Life becomes a cycle of highs and lows. When one defines oneself in relation to one's position in life, when sickness or depression occurs, one becomes the disease. When one becomes a disease, energy is quickly sapped away and there is a feeling of powerlessness and hopelessness.

Medicine Buddha meditation practice is a simple and effective way to bring about great healing: emotionally, mentally and physically. One begins the practice by setting one's motivation. Setting a motivation to heal oneself can bring about some benefit, however, desiring to heal all sentient beings of their sickness and suffering brings about great benefit.

Medicine Buddha's mantra invokes the healing energies of Medicine Buddha, which is the inherent healing energy within all of us. It awakens the healing nature of our mind. White light heals, while blue light energizes.

One can have the motivation to take on the suffering of all sentient beings; to purify the suffering and give back healing and enlightening energy. This practice is known as thang-len. It is a powerful healing practice in which one takes in all of the sickness and suffering into one's heart, as the deity, and then transforms it into white healing light that pours into the being or beings whom one is healing. When one does this practice, as Medicine Buddha, it is possible for great healing to take place.

It is important for patients, therapists and physicians to not view the disease name as what the patient is or to relate to the patient as the disease. The disease is a passing state. Great healing takes place in a non-linear way. The true nature of mind is limitless and boundless. Medicine Buddha practice is one way of purifying the mind to realize our full healing potential.