Vaidūryanirbhāsā Part 3: Eight Great Bodhisattvas, Suryaprabha and Candraprabha Bodhisattvas

According to the Sutra of the Merit and Virtue of the Past Vows of Medicine Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata (药师琉璃光如来本愿功德经), if practitioners hold the Eight Precepts (八分斋戒) or studied the dharma for one year or three months, they will create good roots to reborn in the unlimited Buddhalands at the Western Paradise. As for those who listen to the correct dharma and cannot stabilise their minds, when they hear Bhaisajyaguru Buddha’s name, the Eight Great Bodhisattvas will use their powers to create a path for them so that they will be born in a jewel lotus or ascend to the sky realms or become Wheel Turning Kings or become Kṣatriyas or Brahmins or householders. If a woman hears the name of Bhaisajyaguru Buddha and concentrates on it, she will no longer be reincarnated as a woman in future lives.

Manjusri Bodhisattva (文殊菩萨)

Manjusri Bodhisattva’s name represents Wondrous Virtues (妙德) and Wondrous Auspiciousness (妙吉祥). He is one of the Four Great Bodhisattvas in Mahayana Buddhism. He is most associated with prajna.

Manjusri Bodhisattva is usually seen at the left of Sakyamuni Buddha and represents wisdom. This contrasts with Samantabhadra Bodhisattva who is usually on the right side and represents logic. Manjusri Bodhisattva is also grouped with Mahavairocana Buddha and Samantabhadra Bodhisattva to form the Three Saints of Hua-yen. It is commonly believed that Manjusri Bodhisattva’s dharma centre is at Wu Tai Mountain (五台山).

Manjusri Bodhisattva is portrayed with five hair buns on top of each other, representing the Five Wisdoms of Mahavairocana Buddha. He holds a sword in one hand, symbolising the usage of wisdom as a sword. He rides a lion which represents the power of wisdom. According to the needs of sentient beings, Manjusri Bodhisattva can manifest in various forms.

Maitreya Bodhisattva (弥勒菩萨)

[see “Maitreya Buddha”]

Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva (观世音菩萨)

Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva Thangka by Tenzin Gyaltsen

Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva serves Amitabha Buddha at his left and is one of the Three Saints of the Western Paradise. He is believed to be the bodhisattva of great compassion and great mercy. If any sentient beings are in danger and recite his name, Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva will follow the sound and immediately save them.

This bodhisattva is featured in many sutras such as “Cheng Ju Guang Ming Ding Yi Jing” (成具光明定意经), Vimalakirtinirdesa-sutra (维摩诘经), Pañcaviṃśatisāhasrikā-prajñāpāramitā-sūtra (放光般若经), “Guang Zan Bo Re Jing” (光赞般若经), Mahāratnakūṭa Sūtra (大宝积经), the Lotus Sutra (法华经) and Karunā-pundarīka-sūtra (悲华经).

Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva’s birthday is believed to be on the 19th of the 2nd lunar month, the day of enlightenment is on the 19th of the 6th lunar month and the day where he entered nirvana is on the 19th of the 2nd lunar month. Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva’s dharma centre is believed to be at Pu Tuo Mountain (普陀山).

Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattva (大势至菩萨)

Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattva stands on the right of Amitabha Buddha hence he is one of the Three Saints of the Western Paradise. His name also means Great Diligence Bodhisattva.

According to the Sutra on Contemplation of Amitayus (观无量寿经), Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattva has a unique wisdom light that could shine at sentient beings and allow them to escape disasters. All whom this light touches will have their wishes fulfilled, always auspicious and all negativity is eliminated. This allows believers to move towards enlightenment much more quickly.

In the Karunā-pundarīka-sūtra, there was a king called No Chaotic Thoughts (无诤念王) who lived in Sandilya World (删提岚世界). No Chaotic Thoughts King had one thousand sons. His eldest son is called Not Dazzled (不眴) and the second oldest is called Nima (尼摩). Later, No Chaotic Thoughts King became Amitabha Buddha, Not Dazzled became Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva and Nima became Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattva.

Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattva is almost never worshipped alone. He is usually placed with Amitabha Buddha and Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva. Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattva looks very similar to Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva except that Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattva has a meditation vase on his crown while Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva has a manifested Buddha on his. Moreover, Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva will support the golden lotus throne while Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattva will fold his hands together.

Jewel Sandalwood Flower Bodhisattva (宝檀华菩萨)

Akṣayamati Bodhisattva (无尽意菩萨)

Akṣayamati Bodhisattva is one of the sixteen bodhisattvas of the auspicious aeon (贤劫十六尊). He lives in the No Dazzled Kingdom from Samantabhadrarāja Tathāgata’s eastern world (东方不眩国普贤如来之世界). He is a bodhisattva at the western end of the Five Northern Tathagatas in the Outer Altar of the Samaya Assembly from the Diamond World Mandala (密教金刚界曼荼罗三昧耶会外坛北方五尊中西端之菩萨).

Akṣayamati Bodhisattva observed that the cause and effect of all phenomena are never ending, and vowed to achieve the unlimited merits of all Buddhas so that he could save unlimited sentient beings. Akṣayamati Bodhisattva has the wisdom of the Buddhas and he appears in the Akṣayamatinirdeśa Sūtra (无尽意菩萨经). He is usually portrayed in a white body. His left hand forms a fist at his waist while his right hand holds a flower cloud.

Bhaiṣajyarāja Bodhisattva (药王菩萨) and Bhaisajya samudgata Bodhisattva (药上菩萨)

Bhaisajyaraja Bodhisattva (Front) and Bhaisajyasamudgata Bodhisattva

Bhaiṣajyarāja Bodhisattva and Bhaisajyasamudgata Bodhisattva somtimes accompany Sakyamuni Buddha statues. They practiced medicine to save sentient being and eventually become bodhisattvas. Sakyamuni Buddha once prophesied to Maitreya that Bhaiṣajyarāja Bodhisattva will become Pure Eyes Tathagata (净眼如来) while Bhaişajya-samudgata Bodhisattva will become Pure Store Tathagata (净藏如来).

Bhaiṣajyarāja Bodhisattva is one of Amitabha Buddha’s entourage of 25 Bodhisattva. He is featured in many sutras such as the Saddharma-Pundarika Sutra (法华经) and Wondrous Lotus Sutra (妙法莲华经). He is potrayed with a jewel crown. His left hand forms a fist at his waist while his right hand is raised and placed at his chest. His right thumb, middle finger and fourth finger holds myrrh tree. In his samaya form, he holds an agada medicine (阿迦陀药) or a lotus.

In the Bhaisajya-rāja bhaisajya samudgata bodhisattva sūtra (佛说观药王药上二菩萨经), Bhaiṣajyarāja Bodhisattva is said to be 12 yojanas tall and Bhaisajyasamudata Bodhisattva is 16 yojanas tall. Their heights can change according to the wishes of the sentient beings. Their bodies are golden and possess the 32 Characteristics of a Great Man and the Eighty Notable Physical Characteristics, which means that they look exactly like a Buddha. They have a hump on their heads decorated with fourteen cintamani jewels. Each jewel has fourteen ridges. Each ridge has fourteen flowers that decorate the celestial crown. All the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas reside in the crown and they manifest and vanish like a jewel glittering. The hair between their brows is the colour of lapis lazuli and it circles their bodies seven times like a jewel tent. Light emits from their every pore like eighty four thousand cintamani jewels. Each jewel rotates to the right and creates a seven jewel city on a utpala flower. Each flower has a Buddha similar to Sakyamuni Buddha. Each Buddha has five hundred Bodhisattvas serving them. The bodhisattvas’ arms are the colour of a hundred different jewels. Each of their fingers rains unlimited amounts of seven jewels. If anyone sees such a phenomena, all their sickness will be eliminated and their frustrations will never rise. His feet rain diamonds. Each diamond emanates cloud stages and each cloud stage has a bodhisattva who has uncountable celestials serving them. These manifested bodhisattvas expound the dharma of the Four Noble Truths and the bodhisattva practice.

In the Bhaisajya-rāja bhaisajya samudgata bodhisattva sūtra, Bhaisajyaraja Bodhisattva and Bhaisajya samudgata bodhisattvas were brothers. One was called Constellation Light (星宿光) and the other was called Lightning Light (电光明). During the sad-dharma-pratirūpaka period of Lapis Lazuli-Light Shining Tathagata (琉璃光照如来), Constellation Light Elder listened to Sun Store Bhikku (日藏比丘) praising the original causation of the Bodhisattva Great Vehicle and expounding the unsurpassing, pure and equal great wisdom of the Buddhas. Constellation Light Elder was very happy and immediately used all types of Himalayan herbs to make offerings to the Bhikkus. Then, he vowed to become a Bodhisattva. Lightning Light Elder was happy for his brother and learned from him. After the Bhikkus consumed the medicine, they quelled their Four Elements and got rid of frustrations and wrath. Hence, they were even more motivated in their practice.

In the Saddharma-Pundarika Sutra, there was a Buddha by the name of Moon Sun-Pure Bright Virtue Tathagata (日月净明德如来). This Buddha’s lifespan was forty two thousand eons. At this time, there was a Bodhisattva named All Sentient Beings Like to See Bodhisattva (一切众生喜见菩萨). This bodhisattva practiced diligently and achieved the Emanate All Body Forms Samadhi (现一切身色三昧) when he was twelve thousand years old. Then, he consumed incense and perfume and burned himself as an offering to the Buddha for one thousand two hundred years. When he passed away, he reborn in the family of Pure Virtue King (净德王). With the instructions from the Sun Moon-Pure Bright Virtue Tathagata (日月净明德如来), he constructed eighty four thousand towers after the Buddha entered nirvana. Then, he burned his limbs for seventy-two thousand years to offer to the tower. This bodhisattva is the current Bhaisajyaraja Bodhisattva. In another story, there was a Buddha named Cloud Thunder Sound- Star King Flower Wisdom Tathagata (云雷音宿王华智佛) who was expounding the Saddharma-Pundarika Sutra. At that time, there was a king called Subhavyuha (妙庄严) and his wife Vimaladatta (净德). They have two sons called Pure Store (净藏) and Pure Eyes (净眼). King Subhavyuha was very firm in his wrong views and his wife and children used all methods to bring him to the Buddha’s dharma centre. After listening to the sutra, all of them benefited. Pure Store became Bhaisajyaraja Bodhisattva while Pure Eyes became Bhaisajyasamudgata Bodhisattva.

Bhaisajyaraja Bodhisattva and Bhaisajyasamudgata Bodhisattva made three great vows. The first great vow is that all unenlightened beings who hear their names will have three types of sufferings eliminated – the first is the four hundred and four diseases will recover, the second is the elimination of wrong views and the suffering of the lower realms and the third is the removal of the Three Poisons. The second great vow is that all who bow or contemplate on their images will have their Three Obstacles (三障) removed so that their bodies will be as clear as lapis lazuli. The third great vow is that all who witness the pure physical Buddha body will have non-receding wisdom.

Suryaprabha Bodhisattva (日光菩薩)

Suryaprabha Bodhisattva always stands at the left of Bhaisajyaguru Buddha. He is the leader of all the great bodhisattvas in the Vaidūryanirbhāsā. He is usually portrayed with a red body. His left hand holds a sun disc while his right hand holds a red flower. His birthday is on the 19th of the 11th lunar month. Suryaprabha Bodhisattva means the Sunlight Bodhisattva. Like the sun, the Buddha’s unsurpassed wisdom can shine unlimited rays and penetrate all sentient beings to awaken them from their illusion.

Suryaprabha Bodhisattva is connected to the Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva’s Great Compassionate Mantra. It is said that when practitioners who chant the Great Compassionate Mantra, Suryaprabha Bodhisattva and other beings will come to provide their support. If the Great Compassionate Mantra is accompanied by the Suryaprabha Bodhisattva Dharani (日光菩薩陀羅尼), the practitioner will receive protection from Suryaprabha Bodhisattva.

Candraprabha Bodhisattva (月光菩薩)

Candraprabha Bodhisattva always stands at the right of Bhaisajyaguru Buddha. He is featured in The Consecration Sutra Spoken by the Buddha that Rescues from Sin and Enables Salvation from Birth and Death (灌頂拔除過罪生死得度經) and the Sutra of the Merit and Virtue of the Past Vows of. Medicine Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata (藥師琉璃光如來本願功德經). His birthday is on the 15th of the 8th lunar month.

According to “Jue Chan Chao” (覺禪鈔), there was once a Buddha called Lightning Light Tathagata (電光如來). At that time, there was a Brahmin physician who had two children – Sun Shine and Moon Shine. Both of them vowed to benefit the sentient beings and hence made vows for offerings. The Brahmin physician is the current Bhaisajyaguru Buddha while Sun Shine is Suryaprabha Bodhisattva and Moon Shine is Candraprabha Bodhisattva.

Similar to Suryaprabha Bodhisattva, if a practitioner chants the Great Compassionate Mantra, Candraprabha Bodhisattva and his entourage would come to support. If the practitioner recites the Candraprabha Bodhisattva Dharani after the Great Compassionate Mantra, Candraprabha Bodhisattva would protect him. This mantra can remove obstacles and illnesses so that the practitioner will pursue good deeds and avoid evil deeds.

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