Practices for Serious Illness
A student with a life-threatening illness wrote to Rinpoche asking what he could do.
Dear one,
The following are pujas that need to be done for you. These could be done with the help of a geshe:
- Medicine Buddha Puja
- Namgyal tse-chog
- Long-life initiation
- La küg tse küg (Hooking the Life puja)
You should make very strong prayers to Medicine Buddha on a daily basis and liberate five animals that you are definitely saving from being killed.
When you do Medicine Buddha practice, recite the names of the seven Medicine Buddhas. Make strong prayers to Medicine Buddha for your own purification and the purification of all sentient beings, especially those that have illnesses similar to yours. Visualize rays of light and nectar emanating from Medicine Buddha and flowing into you, purifying sickness, harm caused by evil spirits, delusions and negative karma, and obstacles. At the end, visualize that you are completely purified and in the nature of light—concentrate very strongly on that. Recite Medicine Buddha mantra as much as you can every day, not just when you are sitting doing formal practice but also when you are walking about. Put your whole life and trust, for this life and future lives, completely in the hands of Medicine Buddha. Have strong faith that Medicine Buddha can bring you complete happiness in this and all future lives, and enlightenment. Even when death comes, have total trust and faith that Medicine Buddha will help and bring you to the pure land. Always pray that you want whatever is most beneficial for sentient beings. Pray to Medicine Buddha in this way.
Also, you should take chulen pills. These are the pills you take when you do a fasting retreat.