There are seasons in every life when healing is the thing we long for most — whether for ourselves, for someone we love, or for a world that often feels unwell. In the Tibetan Buddhist tradition, it is to the Medicine Buddha, Sangye Menla, that we turn in such moments. Deep blue as a clear evening sky, he sits in serene stillness, one hand cradling a bowl of healing nectar, the other extending the myrobalan plant — a gesture of generosity to all who suffer.
Who is the Medicine Buddha?
The Medicine Buddha embodies the healing power of all enlightened beings. Tibetan teachings tell of his twelve great vows, made long ago, to relieve sickness, to free beings from fear and want, and to lead them toward awakening. His radiant blue light is said to be the colour of lapis lazuli — luminous, cool, and deeply calming. To gaze upon his image, even briefly, is to be reminded that healing is not only of the body but of the heart and mind as well.
The healing mantra
At the centre of this practice is his mantra: Tayata Om Bekandze Bekandze Maha Bekandze Radza Samudgate Soha. The words speak of dispelling the pain of illness and the deeper sickness of ignorance, anger, and grasping. When we recite it — softly, repeatedly, with a wish for others' wellbeing — we are not asking for magic. We are aligning our hearts with compassion, and offering that compassion outward to all who are in pain.
Holding one another in prayer
At Tashi Gephelling, the Medicine Buddha holds a special place in our community life. When a member falls ill, when a family asks for support, or when news of suffering reaches us from near or far, we gather to offer Medicine Buddha prayers and light lamps on their behalf. It is a quiet but powerful act: to say, with our voices joined, you are not alone, and your wellbeing matters to us. Supporters around the world write to ask that their names, or the names of those they love, be included — and they are.
A practice you can begin anywhere
You do not need to be in Singapore, or even to be a Buddhist, to take refuge in this practice. Wherever you are reading this, you might pause for a moment, bring to mind someone who is unwell, and silently wish them ease. If you would like, recite the mantra a few times. Picture that cool blue light surrounding them, and then widening — to your city, to the world, to every being who is hurting. In that simple gesture lives the whole spirit of the Medicine Buddha.
May all who are sick be healed, may all who are afraid find courage, and may every being come to know the deep, unshakeable peace of a healthy heart. Tashi Delek.