How to Contemplate to Cure Illness

All dharmas arise from mind and thought; the mind can create all dharmas and can also transform all dharmas, including the present physical body. As long as one's merit, meditative concentration (samādhi), and power of wisdom (prajñā-bala) are sufficient, transforming the body can happen as fast as in a single thought, or as slowly as over a lifetime. This is the result of the eight consciousnesses working in concert: when the sixth and seventh consciousnesses give rise to deluded thinking, the five aggregates (pañcaskandha) move and turn accordingly. If the imagined body does not suit one's wishes, one can again transform it through imagination. When one's own mental power is insufficient, one can, through recollection of the Buddha (buddhānusmṛti), reciting sutras, and reciting mantras, invoke the blessings of the Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, and Dharma-protecting good deities to transform the body and remove illness. Among these, the power of mantra is the most effective, because the mind can concentrate best.

How does one recite mantras and contemplate? First, one must choose a suitable mantra. There are many mantras that can cure illness; one might even say that all mantras can cure illness, with only some difference in effectiveness. Among them, the Medicine Buddha mantra is the mantra by which Medicine Buddha skillfully means to remove beings' illnesses, and reciting it works very well. The Śūraṅgama mantra is the king of mantras and can resolve all problems; its effect in removing illness is also excellent. One may choose either of the two, reciting it slowly and attentively while simultaneously engaging in contemplation. When reciting mantras with contemplation, the mantra may be long or short; it is not necessary to recite the entire mantra—reciting any number of lines is fine. Once the thought has been sent out, the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas will receive the signal and come to grant their blessing. Just recite the lines of the mantra slowly and attentively; the slower the better, because when reciting slowly, one has the energy to contemplate.

Contemplation is the most important part. Only when the mind's intention moves can the present state of the body be changed. When the sixth and seventh consciousnesses stir, one's own tathāgatagarbha will cooperate with the intention, and what is contemplated will come to be. The tathāgatagarbha, of course, cooperates with the seventh consciousness, the manas. Therefore, when the mind consciousness recites the mantra, deep meditative concentration is required to draw the manas into reciting as well; then the matter is nearly accomplished. If concentration is insufficient and the manas cannot be drawn in, there will be little effect. If one's power of contemplation is extremely strong, one can transform oneself and transform others even without reciting the Buddha's name or mantras—the key lies in one's own power of mental intention. If one merely recites mantras well but lacks the power of contemplation and the power of mental intention is not strong, there will likewise be little effect; the main thing is the power of contemplation.

How to contemplate? Contemplate white Buddha-light or yellow Buddha-light shining upon the afflicted areas of one's body, focusing mainly on the internal organs, or shining over the whole body. Contemplate the Buddha-light entering from the Baihui point at the crown of the head and spreading through the whole body, the four limbs, all the way to the soles of the feet. As the Buddha-light enters through the Baihui point, the head is filled with light, especially the location of the supreme faculty (rūpa-prasāda), which becomes all light; in this way the functions of the eyes, ears, nose, and tongue will be sound, and the mind clear and healthy. Further down, the neck and all the internal organs of the whole body become filled with light, and the illness gradually dissolves. Wherever the contemplation reaches, light appears, diseased energy recedes, and the physical body improves. If the illness in a certain area is rather serious, then concentrate one's mental power on contemplating only that area. For example, if the nose is blocked, contemplate the lungs: the Buddha-light enters from the chest into the lungs, the entire lungs become a field of light, the diseased energy within is gradually expelled outward, and breathing becomes normal. The spleen, stomach, and other organs are contemplated in the same way.

For example, if there are tumors, lumps, or cysts in the body, or cancer cells, contemplate the Buddha-light shining upon that place, with the black, diseased energy being expelled bit by bit; the tumor or lump will grow smaller and smaller, and the color of that area will become the same as healthy skin, or take on a luminous color, and the illness will be cured. Stones in the body can all be eliminated through contemplation: contemplate the stones growing smaller and smaller until they exit from the nearest part of the body, and the stones disappear without a trace. For a person with strong power of contemplation, the stones will, with a few gurgles, miraculously vanish without a trace, never to be found. All illnesses can be handled in this way. But the Dharma has no fixed method; this contemplation method is not the only one. Explore slowly and you will discover many methods, though the underlying approach is largely similar.

Using this method, one can successfully contemplate for someone far away at the edge of the sky. Whether that person is at any location on Earth, or has left the Earth in the sky, in the universe, or is in any one of the six realms of existence, contemplation is possible. As long as you remember the person's appearance and your power of contemplation is sufficient, that person can receive benefit, can have their present state changed, and can even escape the three evil destinies. This method can be used continuously and can benefit countless people. But bearing someone else's karmic burden is certain. When one's own karmic obstructions are still rather heavy, or when one's cultivation is at a critical juncture, it is best to attend only to oneself—the Path-cause is most important. After all, when one person accomplishes realization, countless people can be saved.

After contemplating in this way and one's mind has become refined, taking this contemplative samādhi power as a foundation, one can then practice recollection of the Buddha through contemplating an image and recollection of the Buddha through visualization, contemplating the Buddha's image clearly and meticulously. One can then attain the samādhi of recollection of the Buddha in which Samādhi and Prajñā are equally cultivated, and thereby see one's true mind and attain realization.