Medicine Buddha or Bhaiṣajyaguru
In his Teachings on the Medicine Buddha the Ven. Thrangu Rinpoche discusses the position of the Medicine Buddha's two hands:
"His right hand is extended, palm outward, over his right knee in the gesture called supreme generosity. In it he holds the arura, or myrobalan, fruit. This plant represents all the best medicines. The position of his right hand and the arura which he holds represent the eradication of suffering, especially the suffering of sickness, using the means of relative truth. Sickness can be alleviated by adjusting the functioning of interdependent causes and conditions by the use of relative means within the realm of relative truth, such as medical treatment and so on. The giving of these methods is represented by the gesture of the Medicine Buddha's right hand.
"His left hand rests in his lap, palm upward, in the gesture
of meditative stability or meditation, which represents the eradication
of sickness and suffering— and, indeed, the very roots of samsara— through
the realization of absolute truth. From the point of view of either relative
truth or absolute truth, the fundamental cause of sickness and suffering
is a lack of contentment and the addictive quality of samsara. Therefore,
to indicate the need for contentment, in his left hand he holds a begging
bowl."
Medicine Buddha Mantra
OM NAMO BHAGAVATE BHAISAJAYA-GURU-VAIDURYA-PRABHA-RAJAYA TATHAGATAYA
ARHATE SAMYAKSAMBUDDHAYA TADYATHA
OM BHAISAJYE BHAISAJYE BHAISAJYA SAMUDGATE SVAHA
When He, in his radiance, had spoken this mystical formula, the earth
was shaken and emitted a great light. All beings were delivered from their
diseases and miseries, they are now happy because their bodies and minds
are at rest.
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