The Medicine Master Dharma Service is an opportunity for us to focus on curing the illnesses which afflict both our minds and bodies.
Before attaining full awakening as a bodhisattva, Medicine Master Buddha made twelve vows to help sentient beings in their present-life situations. His vows describe how all sentient beings born in his realm will be equal in appearance, in gender, and not lack any material possessions.
Without fulfilling the daily need for basic necessities, it would be hard for anyone to have time to study the Buddha’s teachings and Medicine Master Buddha’s first concern is to fulfill this need through his practice. As we recite his sutra during this service, we also take the time to reflect on how we can transform our current world into his Pure Land.
A unique altar with hundreds of lights is a distinctive feature of this service. This colorful arrangement also comes from the sutra, which provides instructions on lighting lamps as offerings to Medicine Master Buddha. The light from these lamps represents wisdom, which dispels the darkness of ignorance. In addition to dedicating merits towards curing our inner afflictions, we also dedicate them to all sentient beings so that we may have healthy bodies and minds.
Each evening, the temple also holds the Eighty-Eight Buddha Repentance Service. During this service, we invoke various buddhas to guide us as we repent for our transgressions and vow to practice the conduct of a bodhisattva by following Samantabhadra Bodhisattva’s example.