Iconography
Medicine Buddha is the popular term for Bhaisajyaguru and refers to healing blue light transmitted by his representation and conception. Bhaisajyaguru means "Master of Blue Light". His healing energy is transmitted through blue light wave length called Vaydurya light. Medicine Buddha radiates this healing energy. Think of the light as internal chakra energy. The colour blue has been known for its purifying properties since ancient times and the deep blue colour of the Medicine Buddha is directly associated with this blue Vaydurya light energy. The energy source originates in the transparent beryl crystal bowl the Medicine Buddha supports and manifests itself in the deep blue of Lapis Lazuli [Lapis] of his corporeal body. The goldenergy lines [Skt. Chritrini] of his psychic body link all the yogic "vital airs" or energy winds [Skt. Vayus] and form the Beryl healing light energy beryl blue band of the inner aureole representing all the vital airs [Skt. Vyana] of the subtle body [Skt. Pranamayakosha]. As we journey through life we can find ourselves suffering through illness or through the illness of someone else. During illness previous priorities seem almost irrelevant as we seek to restore our balance or to find a new balance in our lives. Suddenly the medicine Buddha who is often overlooked becomes the most important of all while we realise our oversight. The image of the medicine Buddha can be used as a meditation deity [Skt. Ishta-devata] texts often call a meditation deity a Tutelary Deity or a Yidam Deity. A Yidam is the Tibetan word for an Ishtar-devata, a fully enlightened being who is the focus of personal meditation, during a retreat or for life. Deity Yoga practices can be undertaken. In essence, the mindstream of the guru and the yidam are indivisible. The yidam is considered to be the root of success in the practice. Visualise his serenity & healing light.





His extended left hand with an open front palm is shown in gift bestowing [Skt. Varada] hand gesture [Skt. Mudra] and holds the stem of a triple fruited myrobalan plant between his thumb & forefinger. In Tibetan medicine the myrobalan plant is known as the 'King of Medicines' on account of its medicinal properties. The gift bestowing hand gesture represents his dispensing of healing and holds a myrobalan plant bearing three myrobalan fruits. The number three refers to Principle of Three Gunas, which are Energy [Skt. Rajas] Inertia/Movement [Skt. Tamas] & wholeness or bodily order [Skt. Sattwa] When balanced we enjoy good health, when unbalanced illness can arise. Our bodies have a remarkable ability to rebalance if we allow them in a process known as homeostasis, directly linked to the principle of the Gunas. Unbalancing can occur when the moon residing at the naval root absorbs too much form the sun at the palette root which relates to too much sensual indulgence with the and the nectar of the moon is.

The right hand of Medicine Buddhas rests upon his lap in the position associated with an advanced connection with the inner self arrived at through meditation, commonly called the meditative state. The same hand supports a blue beryl crystal alms bowl containing medicinal nectar and a myrobalan fruit. He is portrayed wearing maroon monastic robes painted seated on a white moon disc in a lotus body position [Skt. Padmasana] and upon an actual lotus flower. Magical Buddhism [Tantric Buddhism] is very connected with Although more commonly linked to Vedic Yoga.

Commentary
This is why the ideas in Patanjali's Yoga Sutra are so closely connected with the Buddhist Principle of The Four Noble Truths and on gaining the liberated path. There are many other connections with Yoga such as the tantric gold energy lines [Skt. Chitrini] the lotus and chakras and in the choice of colours of aureoles. Perhaps most obvious is the classic yoga lotus asana with one leg crossed over the other that the Medicine Buddha is sitting in. The wisdom of Devata Yoga will help.

Matra of Medicine Buddha

Iconography
The idea of freeing the self (ourselves) from material world & the realisation of the supreme self is a theme common to Indian Philosophy. This is why word associated with the liberation such as Moksha, Samsara ( cycles of suffering), Karma & Nirvana are common to Hinduism , Jainism & Sikhism. The difference between these three schools of thought is twofold, 1. How this freeing of the self is attained & 2. What the nature of this freedom 'is'. That is what state of being freed or partly freed actually feels like or how it can be described.

Gautama is painted with golden skin sitting in a lotus seat [Skt. Padmasana] also called the meditative seat [Skt. Dhyanasana] & upon a white moon disc which represents the male principle of method which itself is upon a lotus throne. His left hand touches the ground in what is called bhumisparse mudra which symbolises his own recognition of enlightened mind in one of the most iconic images in all Buddhism. The palm always faces inwards. His feet are deliberately drawn level with one another & enlarged, being specific marks of a Buddha. His right hand supports an alms bowl [Skt. Patra], containing the liquid elixir of eternal life. Somehow the simple image of the bowl reflects his overwhelming humility & kindness. He wears the traditionally maroon gold monk's patched robe [Skt. Samghati] made of twenty five pieces of cloth which the first Buddhist monks sewed together. The Buddha has a green nimbus and blue aureole around his body signifying the highest level of understanding. Siddhartha is surrounded by Pink Lotuses [Skt. Padma]. This kind of lotus is connected with loving kindness & a flowering of pure consciousness. The closed bud to his right side represents the past or originating mind, the blooming flower represents the present & the buds represents the future Buddha Maitreya and forthcoming realisations. His elongated earlobes depict his royal connection; his knotted black hair & topknot symbolise his abandonment of worldly possessions; the dot [Skt. Urna] on his brow on the command chakra [Skt. Ajna] represents his transcendent wisdom, the 31st mark of a Buddha.



Life Story
Gautama was born c.563 BCE Lumbini, today in Nepal Died c.483 BCE Kushinagar in India. within the Sakya kingdom in Nepal. He family names were variously called Gautama [Skt. 'Best Cow'] & surname Shakyamuni [Skt. meaning 'Sage of the Shakyas'] The name Gautama is linked with a person called Maharshi [Eng. victorious on earth] Gautama who was an ancient seer. Maharshi Gouthama descendents adopted his surname. During his life he was as often called Gautama Tathagata, as Gautama Siddhi-hatha as Gautama Buddha. It was in recognition of his spiritual accomplishments he was called Siddhartha & relates to why Gautama is a Hindu avatar. The lineage of 23 Buddhas were for the majority drawn from Janapada Kings & high ranking Brahmins.
He studied Buddhist Ideas in several locations in Kashmir & Northern India which to may seem a contradiction in terms, this is because to many Gautama Buddha is what Buddhism is. There are in fact two basic schools of thought. 1. That Gautama is recognised for his enlightened reasoning who according to Theravada Buddhism was the 28th Buddha. 2. That he is the Supreme Buddha [Skt. Sammasambuddha] of our age & that he is the be all & end all of Buddhist Doctrine, & closely follow his progress or 'life story' & to how he in how became full awoken. In Hinduism he is considered to be the ninth avatar of God Vishnu.

At the age of 29 Siddhartha left his palace in order to meet his people. Despite his father's effort to remove the sick, aged & impoverished, Siddhartha encountered an old man. Disturbed by this, when told that all people would eventually grow old by his charioteer Channa, variously, a diseased man, a decaying corpse, and an ascetic. Deeply depressed by these sights, he sought to overcome old age, illness, and death by living the life of an ascetic. He left his palace leaving behind this royal life to become a mendicant. Siddhartha left Rajagaha and practised under two hermit teachers. After mastering the teachings of Alara Kalama Siddhartha was asked by Kalama to succeed him, but moved on.
He then became a student of Uddaka Ramaputta, but although he achieved high levels of meditative consciousness and was asked to succeed Ramaputta, he was still not satisfied with his path, and moved on. He initially became as ascetic but then After asceticism and concentrating on meditation and Anapana-sati (awareness of breathing in and out), Siddhartha is said to have discovered what Buddhists call the Middle Way- a path of moderation away from the extremes of self-indulgence and self-mortification.
Gautama thus journeyed to Deer Park near Varanasi (Benares) in northern India, he set in motion the Wheel of Dharma by delivering his first sermon to the group of five companions with whom he had previously sought enlightenment. They, together with the Buddha, formed the first sangha, the company of Buddhist monks. For the remaining 45 years of his life, the Buddha is said to have traveled in the Gangetic Plain, in what is now Uttar Pradesh, Bihar & southern Nepal, teaching to an extremely diverse range of people, from nobles to outcaste street sweepers, mass murderers such as Angulimala & cannibals such as Alavaka. The sangha travelled from place to place in India, expounding the dharma.

2nd Commentary Gautama's entire Teachings revolve around: The Principle of the Three marks of existence; 1. Dukkha (Sanskrit: du?kha): That all beings suffer from all situations due to unclear mind. 2. Anicca (Sanskrit: anitya): That all things are impermanent. 3. Anatta (Sanskrit: anatman): That the perception of a constant "self" is an illusion. Gautama considers the arising of this suffering, & explains that this is caused by a misunderstanding of phenomena (the world around us) which is impermanent [Anicca] which he then related to the illusion of the ego, which is actually nothing but an illusion. [Anatta]. He shows that by understanding the nature of the suffering, & specifically its arising, we can alleviate this or extinguish it altogether.

Mantra of Shakyamuni buddha

This adherence to color accuracy is akin to the meticulous artistry seen in thangka paintings. To achieve this finishing, organic colors and genuine gold are used, while the expertise of a skilled thangka artist is sought, as painting on a metal surface requires a distinct set of skills to bring out the elegance and beauty of the statue.

By employing this traditional coloring method, the Wooden Tibetan Box is not only aesthetically pleasing but also maintains its cultural authenticity, paying homage to the rich traditions and practices associated with Buddhist art.