Sutra of the Merit and Virtue of

　　the Past Vows of Medicine Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata

　　Translation into Chinese by Tripitaka Master Hsuan Tsang (Text) Tripitaka Master Yi Jing (Mantra) of Tang Dynasty (ca. A.D. 700)

　　Translation into English by The Buddhist Text Translation Society, Dharma Realm Buddhist University, City Of Ten Thousand Buddhas (1997)

　　Thus I have heard. At one time the Bhagavan was travelling through various lands to teach living beings. He arrived at Vaishali ["City of Extensive Adornments"] and stayed beneath a tree from which music resounded. With him were eight thousand great Bhikshus and thirty-six thousand Bodhisattvas, Mahasattvas; also kings, ministers, Brahmans, lay disciples; gods, dragons, and the rest of the eightfold pision; beings both human and non-human. The immeasurable great multitude respectfully surrounded him, and he spoke Dharma for them.

　　At that time, the Dharma Prince Manjushri, receiving the awesome inspiration of the Buddha, rose from his seat, bared one of his shoulders, knelt on his right knee, and, inclining his head and placing his palms together, said to the Bhagavan,

　　"World Honored One! We wish you would speak about such Dharmas as the Buddhas” names, the great vows they made in the past, and their supreme merit and virtue, so that those who hear them will be rid of their karmic hindrances. This request is also for the sake of bringing benefit and joy to sentient beings in the Dharma-Image Age."

　　The Buddha then praised the Pure Youth Manjushri:

　　"Good indeed! Good indeed, Manjushri. With great compassion you now request that I speak about the Buddhas” names and the merit and virtue of their past vows, for the sake of rescuing sentient beings who are bound up by karmic obstacles, and for the purpose of bringing benefit, peace, and joy to beings who live in the Dharma-Image Age. Listen attentively to my words and reflect on them extremely well, for I will now answer you."

　　Manjushri said, "Please do speak. We are glad to listen."

　　The Buddha told Manjushri, "Passing from here to the east, beyond Buddhalands numerous as the sand grains in ten Ganges rivers, is a world called ”Pure Vaidurya.” The Buddha there is named Medicine Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata, Of Proper and Equal Enlightenment, Perfect in Understanding and Practice, Well Gone One, One Who Understands the World, Supreme Lord, Regulating Hero, Teacher of Gods and Humans, Buddha, Bhagavan. Manjushri, when that World Honored One, Medicine Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata, was practicing the Bodhisattva path in the past, he made twelve great vows that enable all sentient beings to obtain what they seek.

　　The First Great Vow:

　　”I vow that in a future life, when I attain anuttarasamyaksambodhi, my body will shine with dazzling light that will illumine measureless, countless, boundless worlds. My body will be adorned with the thirty-two heroic features and the eighty subsidiary characteristics, and I will enable all beings to become as I am.”

　　The Second Great Vow:

　　”I vow that in a future life when I attain Bodhi, my body will be as bright and clear as vaidurya, flawlessly pure, vastly radiant, majestic with merit and virtue, abiding at ease, adorned with blazing nets brighter than the sun and the moon. Beings dwelling in darkness will be illuminated and will succeed in all their endeavors.”

　　The Third Great Vow:

　　”I vow that in a future life when I attain Bodhi, I will, by means of limitless, unbounded wisdom and skill-in-means, enable all sentient beings to obtain an inexhaustible supply of material necessities so they are without the slightest want.”

　　The Fourth Great Vow:

　　”I vow that in a future life when I attain Bodhi, I shall lead those sentient beings who practice deviant paths to reside in the Way of Bodh…

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