Text from last issue: The sixth great vow.

The blind have eyes, but cannot see. The deaf have ears, but cannot hear. When mutes try to talk, their voice stays down in their throat and they are no louder than a mosquito. They are basically incapable of speech. How miserable it is to be blind, deaf, or mute! People undergo such retributions because, in the past, they doubted the Dharma and didn't like to listen to it. Since they came face to face with the Buddha and didn't recognize him, they became blind. They didn't listen when people tried to speak Dharma to them, so they became deaf. They stubbornly refused to study the Dharma, so they became mute.

Deformed, paralyzed, hunchbacked. People whose joints or limbs are deformed may not be able to extend them. Hunchbacks look as if a round-bottomed cooking-pot were stuck on their back, or as if they had the hump of a camel.

Or afflicted with skin disease. Skin disease disfigures people in various ways, perhaps covering their faces with patches of different colors. Those suffering from insanity include severely abused children, who may bite themselves or try to eat their own fingers. People undergo the retribution of skin disease, insanity, or various other sicknesses and sufferings because they slandered the Mahayana Sutras, such as the Shurangama Sutra, or disparaged the Buddha's teachings in the past.

Upon hearing my name, "Medicine Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata," they shall all become endowed with upright features, keen intelligence, and perfect faculties, and they shall be free of sickness and suffering. Ugly and dull people will become attractive and intelligent, and their eyes, ears, noses, tongues, bodies, and minds will become fully functional. All sickness and pain will disappear even though they haven't taken medicine or seen a doctor. Isn't this wonderful? All we have to do is hear the name of Medicine Master Buddha. See how much this Buddha wants to help us? He doesn't want us to suffer our karmic retributions, and he wishes to grant our wishes and make us truly happy.

Sutra:
"The seventh great vow: 'I vow that in a future life when I attain Bodhi, I shall cause sentient beings who are oppressed by many illnesses and who are without aid, without a place to turn, without a doctor, without medicine, without relatives, and without a family, who are poverty-stricken and filled with suffering to be cured of their sicknesses upon having my name pass by their ear, so they are peaceful and happy in body and mind. They will have a family and relatives, and acquire an abundance of property and wealth, and even realize unsurpassed Bodhi.'"

Commentary:
Many of the newcomers still don't know who Medicine Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata is. I shall tell you a little more about this Buddha. He is a great king of physicians who cures people without using medicine. Living beings only need to hear his name, and their illnesses will be cured.

Chinese physicians use the methods of looking, listening, asking, and feeling the pulse to diagnose a patient's condition. Physicians are classified as "spiritual," "sagely," "skillful," or "clever." The "spiritual" are the very best, while the "sagely" are not quite as good. "Skillful" refers to those who have to apply some skill and effort before they can know a person's condition. The "clever" can know in an ingenious way. In general, the "spiritual" know by looking; the "sagely" know by listening; the "skillful" know through asking; and the "clever" know through feeling the pulse. Ordinary doctors must use these four methods to diagnose sickness.

Medicine Master Buddha, however, doesn't use these methods. He can cure people as long as they sincerely recite his name. That's his special way of helping people. Such awesome spiritual power comes from the following vow.

The seventh great vow: I vow that in a future life when I attain Bodhi, I shall cause sentient beings who are oppressed by many illnesses, and who are without aid, without a place to turn, without a doctor, without medicine, without relatives, and without a family, who are poverty-stricken and filled with suffering. They have no one who can help them, and no safe place where they can take refuge. Being sick is the greatest suffering. They're poor and alone and beset by hardships.

To be cured of their sicknesses upon having my name pass by their ear. If they hear my name, "Medicine Master Buddha Who Quells Disasters and Lengthens Life," they will be cured of all disease, without having to take medication or get shots, X-rays, or CAT scans. There's no need for electrotherapy, acupuncture, or any other treatments or operations. However, this passage doesn't mean that doctors will be out of business, so doctors should not worry!

So they are peaceful and happy in body and mind. They will have a family and relatives, and acquire an abundance of property and wealth. They will fully regain physical and mental health. They will not be alone in the world, nor will they be poor.

And finally, they will even realize unsurpassed Bodhi. All living beings have the Buddha-nature and can become Buddhas. The Buddha didn't say, "I alone can become a Buddha, and no one else can." Buddhism is very democratic. The Buddha is just the same as us, except that he has great wisdom, so he doesn't say or do confused things. We study the Buddha's teachings in order to learn to live in harmony, be good people, and ultimately, become wise Buddhas. However, if we don't follow the rules, we will never become wise.

Sutra:
"The eighth great vow: 'I vow that in a future life when I attain Bodhi, if there are women who give rise to a deep loathing for their female body and wish to renounce it because they are oppressed and disturbed by the myriad sufferings of being female, upon hearing my name, they will be able to turn from women into men who are replete with the features of a hero, and ultimately realize unsurpassed Bodhi.'"

Commentary:
Why would women want to become men? Don't misunderstand and think that Buddhism considers women to be bad. Some members of the Women's Lib movement in America have accused Amitabha Buddha of being a male chauvinist, because his Land of Ultimate Bliss is "men only." Actually, Amitabha Buddha doesn't discriminate between "men" or "women."

To be continued