HEALING MIND AND BODY--

Internalizing the Two Brother Bodhisattvas

of the Lotus Sutra

(by Dale Goodyear

d_good_year@hotmail.com)

Chapter 27 of the Threefold Lotus Sutra tells a story of two brothers who made Bodhisattva Vows and

became the Two Bodhisattvas of Healing. The final section of the Threefold Lotus Sutra also mentions

them as part of a Mandala along with Manjushri and Samantabhadra. (In addition, there is a separate

sutra to the two Brothers which survives in Chinese translation, the original Sanskrit being lost.)

These Bodhisattvas are often called "King of Healing" and "Lord of Healing." (Yao Wang and Yao

Shang, in Chinese). But they have other names, or titles, that give us a key for internalizing their

Bodhisattva saving power and healing ourselves.

They are also called Vimalanetra and Vimalagarbha (in Chinese, Jing Yan and Jing Zang), or "Pure

Eye" and "Pure Matrix (or Treasury, Essence, Womb)." We might also translate these, with just a little

poetic license, as "Pure Seeing" and "Pure Being."

"Pure Seeing" relates to mind (and the spirit that formulates its nature through mind), while "Pure

Being" relates to body (and soul--i.e., the evolving self that is meshed with the body and expresses

through it). These are also referred to as Shen and Jing in Chinese meditation and healing practice.

Cultivating awareness of and devotion to the Two Brother Healers (or Curers, Physicians) will allow

them to enter into our mind and body, spirit and soul, and then integrate and heal these. These Brother

Bodhisattvas are the Great Integrators; they constantly bring things together and make them whole and

one.

And wholeness is also well-ness, hale-ness, and heal-ness, i.e., healing!

It's easy to forget about these Bodhisattvas. They aren't currently "in fashion", perhaps. But they have

been around a long time. There are at least 50 hymns to them in the very ancient Rig Veda, where they

are called "Shining Ones" (the word "Bodhisattva" or "Enlightened One" hadn't been invented yet); and

they were known in the West, in the Greek mystical tradition and throughout ancient Europe. So they

have a tremendous Momentum of helping and healing sentient beings.

So how can they help? or rather, how can we help them to help?

The key is in their names. One Brother Bodhisattva will focus himself in our mind (in Chinese terms,

our upper dantian, the place of Shen, "mind-spirit"), and the other in our body-essence (our "body-

soul", centered in the lower dantian, the place of Jing). Then they will integrate mind and body, spirit

and soul in the heart center of the middle dantian--and from there circulate it throughout our entire

being.

In the Shuramgama Sutra, these Two Bodhisattvas state that they attained Supreme Enlightenment

through the sense of taste; i.e., by penetrating into and through that sense to the Buddha Nature behind

it that is beyond all human labels or conditions (therefore, is "Empty", as Buddhism terms it, though

not in any nihilistic way).

In the ancient Rig Veda, these Two are most of all associated with Sweetness, which of course relates to

taste.

The way to healing and wholeness through these Two Bodhisattvas is, therefore, a mystic Science of

Sweetness (Madhuvidyā, i.e., Madhu Vidyā). Their healing hands are Madhuhastyā , "having

Sweetness or Honey in their hands."

We can even say that their Path is the Path of becoming a Madhusattva, a "Being of Sweetness" --

wholly enlightened, liberated Sweetness of thought, speech, feeling, and action.

The Lotus Sutra relates that these two achieved, respectively, the enlightenments of the "Flower of the

Law" and of "Freedom from woesome paths." Going back to the enlightenment of "Taste," we have

two aspects here: the Taste of discernment, the distinguishing of one vibration from another--relating

to Mind-Spirit; and the Taste of bliss, the ananda and amrita--relating to Body-Soul. Both the

Sweetness of Knowing/Seeing our Inner Law or Dharma (or Tao), and the Sweetness of Feeling/Being

Free to express it!

The Chinese Buddhist esoteric tradition says that the "Flower of the Law of Freedom" is the Purple

Lotus Flower, and that, as well as being the 21st "Hand" or Saving Power of Kuan Yin, is also the

"Original Body of Amitabha Buddha." (Dharma Master Hsuan Hua, The Dharani Sutra).

Here again we have two aspects. The "Wisdom of Discrimination" that Amitabha Buddha dispenses,

and the "Sweet Dew" that Kuan Yin bestows upon us. Amitabha rules the "Lotus Family" of Buddhas

and Bodhisattvas. Therefore, the "Purple Lotus Flower" of Freedom or Liberation. And the Two

Brother Bodhisattvas (or Madhusattvas) wear lotus garlands in the Rig Veda.

So that is the theory, the background. Now let's find a practice.

Invite Vimalanetra (Vimala-netra, "Pure Eye" or "Pure Seeing") or Jing Yan into your upper dantian,

your neck and head region, brain and visual cortex, etc.).

And invite Vimalagarbha (Vimala-garbha, "Pure Matrix" or "Pure Being") or Jing Zang into your

lower dantian, your belly, pelvis and also legs).

Om Vimalanetra Om Vimalagarbha Hum!

[om vi-ma-la ne-tra om vi-ma-la gar-bha hum]

Why two Om's? Because the Om of Jing Yan constantly exchanges with the Om of Jing Zang, like an

alternating current. And the one Om constantly multiplies the other Om.

The final Hum integrates their Healing in your Heart and brings their Healing into expression and

manifestation in your body-mind and soul-spirit, as this Healing also courses into and through your

arms and hands. First bringing Spirit-Mind and Soul-Body into the Center (Heart) and then back out to

the Circumference again (Spirit-Mind and Soul-Body)--over and over again, charging and recharging,

multiplying and multiplying yet again.

The two Om's are like the two hydrogen atoms in the water molecule; and the Hum is the oxygen atom:

H2O or H-O-H. In this case, instead of physical water we have the Spiritual Water which is also the

Sweet Dew, or Amrita, which heals all ills, satisfies all hungers and thirsts, and grants wholeness and

immortality.

Or else chant in Chinese:

Na Mo Shi Yao Jing Yan Jing Zang

[nah mo sher yow jing yen jing zahng]

which asks them, "Pure Eye" and "Pure Matrix", to "bestow healing" (shi yao) upon your own "eye"

and "matrix", making these clear and pure.

Or find your own mantra or prayer.

If you learn and recite the mantra earnestly and with feeling, even just saying it a few times a day,

They will come and work with you. And in time you may taste their Sweetness, not only on your

tongue but in every cell of your body, and in every thought and feeling, word and deed.

Om Vimalanetra Om Vimalagarbha Hum

Na Mo Shi Yao Jing Yan Jing Zang