Bhaiṣajyarāja
Bhaiṣajyarāja (Skt: भैषज्यराज; Traditional Chinese: 藥王; Simplified Chinese: 药王; pinyin: yào wáng; Japanese: 薬王 Yakuō; Vietnamese: Dược Vương Bồ Tát), or Medicine King, is a bodhisattva mentioned within the Lotus Sutra and the Bhaiṣajyarāja-bhaiṣajyasamudgata-sūtra (Chinese: 佛說觀藥王藥上二菩薩經; Sūtra Spoken by the Buddha on Visualizing the Two Bodhisattvas Bhaisajyarāja and Bhaisajyasamudgata). In chapter 23 of the Lotus Sutra (The Bodhisattva Bhaiṣajyarāja), the Buddha tells the story of the 'Medicine King' Bodhisattva, who, in a previous life, burnt his body as a supreme offering to a Buddha. He is said to have been reborn over a period of numerous lifetimes healing and curing diseases, and is a representation of the healing power of the Buddha.
| Bhaiṣajyarāja | |
|---|---|
| Sanskrit | भैषज्यराज Bhaiṣajyarāja |
| Chinese | (Traditional) 藥王菩薩 (Simplified) 药王菩萨 (Pinyin: Yàowáng Púsà) |
| Japanese | 薬王菩薩 (romaji: Yakuō Bosatsu) |
| Korean | 약왕보살 (RR: Yagwang Bosal) |
| Tagalog | Bhaisakyalaja |
| Thai | พระไภษัชยราชโพธิสัตว์ |
| Vietnamese | Dược Vương Bồ Tát |
| Information | |
| Venerated by | Mahāyāna, Vajrayāna |
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Medicine King Bodhisattva is also found in The High King Avalokitesvara Sutra.
Together with Supreme Medicine Bodhisattva, Sunlight Radiance Bodhisattva, Moonlight Radiance Bodhisattva and the Twelve Great Yaksa Generals, he forms the retinue of Lapis-lazuli Medicine Buddha.