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Medicine Buddha mantra / Negative karma

IkiryoIkiryo
edited January 2011 in Faith & Religion
I've recently read that by chanting the mantra of the Medicine Buddha (TADYATHA OM BEKANDZE BEKANDZE MAHABEKANDZE BEKANDZE RANDZA SAMUDGATE SOHA)one will purify negative karma and that it will also bring success (whatever that means). What appeals to me is the purifying negative karma part, and so I would like to know if this can be recited by someone even though they do not have the empowerment? If it can't, can you suggest any mantras that can be recited without having the empowerment, again that would work to purify negative karma?

Comments

  • federicafederica Seeker of the clear blue sky... Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubt Moderator
    I sing it all the time. I have a CD of Buddhist chants (sung by Buddhist monks - it is EnCHANTing!!) and this is one of them.
    I am Theravada. I wouldn't know an 'empowerment' if it slapped me in the face with a damp kipper.
    So far, I do not seem to have suffered any dreadful consequences....
  • mugzymugzy Veteran
    As far as I know the Medicine Buddha mantra does not require any empowerment. There is also the mantra of Vajrasattva which is more commonly used for purification, and while empowerment to perform this sadhana is encouraged, it is not required.
  • [DeletedUser][DeletedUser]
    Empowerment is to show you the best "antidote" for karma purification. For this matter, any sutra is an empowerment. Empowerment is also a ritual to eradicate ego by being in the act of gratifying and respect to Master Venerable. One day, you would be one as well, and in this regards, is a good mannerism and righteousness for practitioners.
  • Ada_BAda_B
    Of course, you do appreciate that there is no such thing as "negative karma"? It is simply how you perceive it. The purpose of Buddhism is not to purge negative karma, it is to escape the perception of karma altogether.

    Since I got ill, I have had the opportunity to see that what we often call "negative" is sometimes nothing of the sort. I have often considered that were I some sort of "god", arranging my life for my own spiritual benefit, would I have given myself an easy life, full of "good" karma? Or would I instead provide challenges that enabled me to lose some of my attachment to this life and this body?

    It seems to me that it is often the "negative" events of one's life that leads one to seek out the dharma and to find a way to escape suffering. A life of ease would not have that effect.

    P.S. @Federica, didn't you know the damp kipper empowerment is a particularly powerful one for people with an aversion to fish? ;)
  • cazcaz Veteran United Kingdom Veteran
    Yes you can certainly recite medicine Buddhas mantra without empowerment. Medicine Buddha is the Dharmakaya appearance of Shakyamuni Buddha so he is very close to us and very accessable :)
  • federicafederica Seeker of the clear blue sky... Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubt Moderator
    Of course, you do appreciate that there is no such thing as "negative karma"? It is simply how you perceive it. The purpose of Buddhism is not to purge negative karma, it is to escape the perception of karma altogether.

    Since I got ill, I have had the opportunity to see that what we often call "negative" is sometimes nothing of the sort. I have often considered that were I some sort of "god", arranging my life for my own spiritual benefit, would I have given myself an easy life, full of "good" karma? Or would I instead provide challenges that enabled me to lose some of my attachment to this life and this body?

    It seems to me that it is often the "negative" events of one's life that leads one to seek out the dharma and to find a way to escape suffering. A life of ease would not have that effect.
    Extremely good points and worthy post. The bit in Bold is well worth paying attention to...
    P.S. @Federica, didn't you know the damp kipper empowerment is a particularly powerful one for people with an aversion to fish? ;)
    Ah, yes, of course....
    I've never participated myself. I'm not averse to fish...some of my best friends are Garra Rufas..... :)

  • DakiniDakini Veteran
    edited January 2011
    . The purpose of Buddhism is not to purge negative karma, it is to escape the perception of karma altogether.

    Since I got ill, I have had the opportunity to see that what we often call "negative" is sometimes nothing of the sort.
    It is? The purpose is to escape the perception of karma altogether? You mean, when we attain Buddhahood, or when?

    I agree, that neg. or positive is in the mind. But being human, we do tend to label it one way or another. sometimes a crisis is actually an opportunity.
  • federicafederica Seeker of the clear blue sky... Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubt Moderator
    At the point we escape all mind-wrought perceptions, we attain "Buddhahood". Not before, not after. At that moment.

    Your second statement confirms Ada_B's comment, doesn't it?

    The purpose is to recognise suffering and eliminate suffering. Suffering is (Simplistically speaking) wrought by excessive and unskilful attachment. Our actions, reactions and responses to our attachments (mental, verbal and physical) are what keep us bound in Samsara, because it is through these attachments that Kamma is engineered....

    If labelling circumstances one way or another is a mind-wrought perception, we need, to steal a phrase, 'to view those two impostors just the same'. If we do that, essentially, we have eliminated kamma, because all situations are opportunities to grow, learn, evolve, practice and proceed... nothing more, nothing less....
    Only by dropping all attachment to everything that generates Kamma, can we transform our existence from a Samsaric one to a Nibbanic one.....

    Sooooooo simple.....


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