The Medicine Buddha's Twelve Great Aspiration Prayers
Manjushri! To the east of this Buddha realm, past more Buddha realms than there are grains of sand in all the Ganges and its ten tributaries, is the Buddha realm called "The Universe Filled with Sapphire Light". There resides the Tathagata, the Arhat, the completely perfect Buddha endowed with awareness and legs that stride in the direction of benefitting others, the Sugata, the Omniscient One, the one whose mighty voice tames all beings, the unsurpassable Teacher of gods and humans, the Transcendent Conqueror, the Medicine Buddha named "Sapphire-Light King".
Manjushri! At the time he practiced Bodhisattva conduct, this Transcendent Conqueror, this Tathagata, this Medicine Buddha named: "Sapphire-Light" made twelve great aspiration prayers.
The first great aspiration prayer:
In the future at the time that I attain unsurpassable, completely perfect enlightenment, at the time that I awaken as the manifestly perfect Buddha, at the time that I attain enlightenment, may the radiant clear and steady stream of light emanating from my body fill countless, numberless, infinite universes. May all sentient beings gain the Great Being's body that is beautifully ornamented with the thirty-two major signs and the eighty minor marks, and may all sentient beings become just as I am.
The second great aspiration prayer:
In the future at the time that I attain unsurpassable, completely- perfect enlightenment, at the time that I awaken as the manifestly perfect Buddha, at the time that I attain enlightenment, may my body be like the precious sapphire, endowed with perfect inner and outer purity, may it be flawless, made of clear light, long-limbed and great, glorious, radiating majesty, abiding excellently and ornamented by a net of light rays superior to those of the sun and moon. May all sentient beings, all beings in the universe, and all those in this world of humans who must find their way in many different directions in the dark, in the black of night, may they go in whatever their direction in happiness because my light illuminates the way for them, and wherever they go may their actions be virtuous.
The third great aspiration prayer:
In the future at the time that I attain unsurpassable, completely perfect enlightenment, at the time that I awaken as the manifestly perfect Buddha, at the time that I attain enlightenment, may my immeasurable wisdom and skill in means cause all the infinite realms where sentient beings dwell to be filled with inexhaustible material enjoyments, and by this may no one have any difficulties at all.
The fourth great aspiration prayer:
In the future at the time that I attain unsurpassable, completely perfect enlightenment at the time that I awaken as the manifestly perfect Buddha, at the time that I attain enlightenment, may I guide all those following wrong paths to the path of enlightenment. May I lead all who have entered the shravaka path and all who have entered the pratyekabuddha path to the path of the Mahayana.
The fifth great aspiration prayer:
In the future at the time that I attain unsurpassable, completely perfect enlightenment, at the time that I awaken as the manifestly perfect Buddha, at the time that I attain enlightenment, may all the sentient beings in front of me, all ordained ones and also all the countless, numberless sentient beings, merely by hearing my name, by my strength may they keep the three vows, may their discipline never falter, and may all those who have engaged in wrong types of discipline be blocked from falling into the lower realms.
The sixth great aspiration prayer:
In the future at the time that I attain unsurpassable, completely perfect enlightenment, at the time that I awaken as the manifestly perfect Buddha, at the time that I attain enlightenment, may all sentient beings whose bodies are inferior, whose faculties are not complete, whose skin is of an unpleasant color, who are paralyzed, crippled, bent, whose skin is spotted, whose eyes are faulty or blind, who are deaf, who are insane, and whose bodies are afflicted by illness, from hearing my name may they all be transformed -- may their faculties be complete and their limbs be completely perfect.
The seventh great aspiration prayer:
In the future at the time that I attain unsurpassable, completely perfect enlightenment, at the time that I awaken as the manifestly perfect Buddha, at the time that I attain enlightenment, may all sentient beings whose bodies are afflicted by the pains of various illnesses, who are without protection or refuge, who lack the basic necessities, who are without medicine, who are without friends or relatives, who are poor, and who are suffering, when they hear my name may all that afflicts them be completely pacified, and until they attain enlightenment, may they be free from all sickness and harm.
The eighth great aspiration prayer:
In the future at the time that I attain unsurpassable, completely perfect enlightenment, at the time that I awaken as the manifestly perfect Buddha, at the time that I attain enlightenment, may all women be free from difficulties and kleshas, may they be free from denigration, and until they reach enlightenment, may their status in society be equal to that of men.
The ninth great aspiration prayer:
In the future at the time that I attain unsurpassable, completely perfect enlightenment, at the time that I awaken as the manifestly perfect Buddha, at the time that I attain enlightenment, may all sentient beings gain complete liberation from Mara's lasso. All those who fight with one another because their views conflict may I guide to the correct view. Finally, may I teach them the conduct of the Bodhisattvas.
The tenth great aspiration prayer:
In the future at the time that I attain unsurpassable, completely perfect enlightenment, at the time that I awaken as the manifestly perfect Buddha, at the time that I attain enlightenment, may all sentient beings who live in fear of the king, who are bound, who are beaten, who are in prison, who are harmed by deceit, whose freedom of movement and speech the king restricts, and who suffer, by the power of my merit may they be completely free of all that harms them.
The eleventh great aspiration prayer:
In the future at the time that I attain unsurpassable, completely perfect enlightenment, at the time that I awaken as the manifestly perfect Buddha, at the time that I attain enlightenment, for all sentient beings who are afire with hunger and thirst, who must put great effort into looking for food, and who have committed negativity, may I satisfy them with foods of wonderful colors, smells, and tastes, and later may the taste of Dharma give them great happiness.
The twelfth great aspiration prayer:
In the future at the time that I attain unsurpassable, completely perfect enlightenment, at the time that I awaken as the manifestly perfect Buddha, at the time that I attain enlightenment, may I help with the appropriate actions all those who are naked, who are without clothes, who are poor, who are suffering, who are cold, who are hot, and who are afflicted day and night by insects and vermin. May I give them clothes of many colors. As they wish may I give them various ornaments of precious jewels, pendants, necklaces, incense, oils, and the beautiful musical sounds of instruments, and by this may sentient beings' wishes be perfectly fulfilled.
Manjushri! At the time he was practicing Bodhisattva conduct, this Transcendent Conqueror, this Tathagata, this Arhat, this completely perfect Medicine Buddha named "Sapphire-Light" made these twelve great aspiration prayers.
Manjushri! To the east of this Buddha realm, past more Buddha realms than there are grains of sand in all the Ganges and its ten tributaries, is the Buddha realm called "The Universe Filled with Sapphire Light". There resides the Tathagata, the Arhat, the completely perfect Buddha endowed with awareness and legs that stride in the direction of benefitting others, the Sugata, the Omniscient One, the one whose mighty voice tames all beings, the unsurpassable Teacher of gods and humans, the Transcendent Conqueror, the Medicine Buddha named "Sapphire-Light King".
Manjushri! At the time he practiced Bodhisattva conduct, this Transcendent Conqueror, this Tathagata, this Medicine Buddha named: "Sapphire-Light" made twelve great aspiration prayers.
The first great aspiration prayer:
In the future at the time that I attain unsurpassable, completely perfect enlightenment, at the time that I awaken as the manifestly perfect Buddha, at the time that I attain enlightenment, may the radiant clear and steady stream of light emanating from my body fill countless, numberless, infinite universes. May all sentient beings gain the Great Being's body that is beautifully ornamented with the thirty-two major signs and the eighty minor marks, and may all sentient beings become just as I am.
The second great aspiration prayer:
In the future at the time that I attain unsurpassable, completely- perfect enlightenment, at the time that I awaken as the manifestly perfect Buddha, at the time that I attain enlightenment, may my body be like the precious sapphire, endowed with perfect inner and outer purity, may it be flawless, made of clear light, long-limbed and great, glorious, radiating majesty, abiding excellently and ornamented by a net of light rays superior to those of the sun and moon. May all sentient beings, all beings in the universe, and all those in this world of humans who must find their way in many different directions in the dark, in the black of night, may they go in whatever their direction in happiness because my light illuminates the way for them, and wherever they go may their actions be virtuous.
The third great aspiration prayer:
In the future at the time that I attain unsurpassable, completely perfect enlightenment, at the time that I awaken as the manifestly perfect Buddha, at the time that I attain enlightenment, may my immeasurable wisdom and skill in means cause all the infinite realms where sentient beings dwell to be filled with inexhaustible material enjoyments, and by this may no one have any difficulties at all.
The fourth great aspiration prayer:
In the future at the time that I attain unsurpassable, completely perfect enlightenment at the time that I awaken as the manifestly perfect Buddha, at the time that I attain enlightenment, may I guide all those following wrong paths to the path of enlightenment. May I lead all who have entered the shravaka path and all who have entered the pratyekabuddha path to the path of the Mahayana.
The fifth great aspiration prayer:
In the future at the time that I attain unsurpassable, completely perfect enlightenment, at the time that I awaken as the manifestly perfect Buddha, at the time that I attain enlightenment, may all the sentient beings in front of me, all ordained ones and also all the countless, numberless sentient beings, merely by hearing my name, by my strength may they keep the three vows, may their discipline never falter, and may all those who have engaged in wrong types of discipline be blocked from falling into the lower realms.
The sixth great aspiration prayer:
In the future at the time that I attain unsurpassable, completely perfect enlightenment, at the time that I awaken as the manifestly perfect Buddha, at the time that I attain enlightenment, may all sentient beings whose bodies are inferior, whose faculties are not complete, whose skin is of an unpleasant color, who are paralyzed, crippled, bent, whose skin is spotted, whose eyes are faulty or blind, who are deaf, who are insane, and whose bodies are afflicted by illness, from hearing my name may they all be transformed -- may their faculties be complete and their limbs be completely perfect.
The seventh great aspiration prayer:
In the future at the time that I attain unsurpassable, completely perfect enlightenment, at the time that I awaken as the manifestly perfect Buddha, at the time that I attain enlightenment, may all sentient beings whose bodies are afflicted by the pains of various illnesses, who are without protection or refuge, who lack the basic necessities, who are without medicine, who are without friends or relatives, who are poor, and who are suffering, when they hear my name may all that afflicts them be completely pacified, and until they attain enlightenment, may they be free from all sickness and harm.
The eighth great aspiration prayer:
In the future at the time that I attain unsurpassable, completely perfect enlightenment, at the time that I awaken as the manifestly perfect Buddha, at the time that I attain enlightenment, may all women be free from difficulties and kleshas, may they be free from denigration, and until they reach enlightenment, may their status in society be equal to that of men.
The ninth great aspiration prayer:
In the future at the time that I attain unsurpassable, completely perfect enlightenment, at the time that I awaken as the manifestly perfect Buddha, at the time that I attain enlightenment, may all sentient beings gain complete liberation from Mara's lasso. All those who fight with one another because their views conflict may I guide to the correct view. Finally, may I teach them the conduct of the Bodhisattvas.
The tenth great aspiration prayer:
In the future at the time that I attain unsurpassable, completely perfect enlightenment, at the time that I awaken as the manifestly perfect Buddha, at the time that I attain enlightenment, may all sentient beings who live in fear of the king, who are bound, who are beaten, who are in prison, who are harmed by deceit, whose freedom of movement and speech the king restricts, and who suffer, by the power of my merit may they be completely free of all that harms them.
The eleventh great aspiration prayer:
In the future at the time that I attain unsurpassable, completely perfect enlightenment, at the time that I awaken as the manifestly perfect Buddha, at the time that I attain enlightenment, for all sentient beings who are afire with hunger and thirst, who must put great effort into looking for food, and who have committed negativity, may I satisfy them with foods of wonderful colors, smells, and tastes, and later may the taste of Dharma give them great happiness.
The twelfth great aspiration prayer:
In the future at the time that I attain unsurpassable, completely perfect enlightenment, at the time that I awaken as the manifestly perfect Buddha, at the time that I attain enlightenment, may I help with the appropriate actions all those who are naked, who are without clothes, who are poor, who are suffering, who are cold, who are hot, and who are afflicted day and night by insects and vermin. May I give them clothes of many colors. As they wish may I give them various ornaments of precious jewels, pendants, necklaces, incense, oils, and the beautiful musical sounds of instruments, and by this may sentient beings' wishes be perfectly fulfilled.
Manjushri! At the time he was practicing Bodhisattva conduct, this Transcendent Conqueror, this Tathagata, this Arhat, this completely perfect Medicine Buddha named "Sapphire-Light" made these twelve great aspiration prayers.