Thus I have heard. At one time the Bhagavan (The World Honored One, The Buddha) was travelling through many lands to transform living beings. He arrived at Vaishali and stayed beneath a grove of melodious trees. With him were eight thousand great Bhikshus and thirty-six thousand Bodhisattvas, Mahasattvas, also kings, ministers, Brahmans, lay disciples, gods, dragons, and the rest of the eightfold division. An immeasurable great multitude of humans and non-humans respectfully surrounded him, and the Buddha spoke Dharma for them.
At that time, Manjushri, the Dharma Prince, received the awesome inspiration of the Buddha, rose from his seat, bared one of his shoulders, knelt on the ground on his right knee with his palms joined together, and reverently said to the Bhagavan,
"World Honored One! We only wish that you would speak about Dharmas such as the Buddhas' names, the vast vows they made in the past, and their supreme merit and virtue, so that those who hear it will be rid of their karmic hindrances. This request is also for the sake of bringing benefit and joy to all sentient beings who live in the Dharma-image age."
The Buddha told Manjushri, "Passing from here to the east, beyond Buddhalands numerous as the sand grains in ten Ganges Rivers, is a world called 'Pure Vaidurya.' The Buddha there is named Medicine Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata; One Worthy of Offerings; Of Proper and Equal Enlightenment; Perfect in Clarity and Practice; Well Gone One; One Who Understands the World; Unsurpassed Lord; Taming and Regulating Hero; Teacher of Gods and People; Buddha; Bhagavan. Manjushri, when that Buddha, World Honored One, Medicine Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata, was practicing the Bodhisattva way, he made twelve great vows that enable all living beings to obtain what they seek.
"The sixth great vow:
'I vow that in the future when I attain Bodhi, to cause sentient beings whose bodies are inferior and whose faculties are imperfect, who are ugly, dull, blind, deaf, dumb, mute, paralyzed, crippled, hunchbacked, leprous, insane, or have various other kinds of sicknesses and sufferings, to become upright and intelligent upon hearing my name. May they all possess perfect faculties and be free of sickness and suffering.'
"The seventh great vow:
'I vow that in the future when I attain Bodhi, to cause sentient beings who are oppressed by many illnesses and who are without aid, without a place to turn, without a doctor, without medicine, without relatives, and without a family, who are poverty stricken and filled with suffering to be cured of all the various sicknesses upon having my name pass by their ear, so they are peaceful and happy in body and mind. They will have a family and relatives, also acquire an abundance of property and wealth, even to the point of certifying to unsurpassed Bodhi.'
"Moreover, Manjushri, when Medicine Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata attained perfect enlightenment, by the power of his past vows he contemplated all the sentient beings who were suffering from the many kinds of diseases, such as emaciation, paralysis, tuberculosis, biliousness, or fevers. Some were afflicted by voodoo or by poisonous spells. Some died naturally when young, while others experienced a violent death. At that time, wishing to put an end to all these various sicknesses and sufferings, and to supply whatever those beings sought after, the World Honored One entered a samadhi called "extinguishing the suffering and distress of all living beings." After he entered this samadhi, a great light came forth from his flesh-cowl.

From amid that light this magnificent dharani rang forth:

"Namo bhagavate bhaishajya-guru-vaidurya-prabha-rajaya, tathagataya arhate samyak-sambuddhaya tadyatha Om, bhaishajye bhaishajye-bhaishajya-samudgate svaha."

"Then, at the end of the mantra that came forth from the light, the earth trembled and emitted great light. All living beings' sicknesses and sufferings were cast off, and they felt peaceful and happy.

"Manjushri, if you see a man or a woman who is undergoing sickness or suffering, you should devote your efforts to purifying them. Bathe them frequently, and rinse their mouths. Recite this mantra over food, medicine, or pure water that is free of insects. Recite it one hundred and eight times and then give the food, drink, medicine or water to the sick person, and tell him to take it. All of their sicknesses and sufferings will disappear. If anyone has a particular wish, he should also concentrate his mind and recite this mantra, then he will have his wish fulfilled. He will enjoy a prolonged lifespan that is free of illness, and at the end of his life, he will be reborn in the Buddha's Pure Land. He will become irreversible, and will even attain Bodhi.
Ananda, this is the extremely profound practice of all Buddhas which is difficult to believe and to understand! You should know that your ability to accept this comes from the awesome power of the Tathagata. Ananda! All Sound Hearers, Conditionally Enlightened Ones, and the Bodhisattvas who have not yet ascended to the Grounds are incapable of believing and understanding this Dharma as it really is. Only the Bodhisattvas who are destined in one life (to attain Buddhahood), are capable of understanding.
When the Bhagavan had finished speaking, all the Bodhisattvas, Mahasattvas, the great Sound-Hearers, kings, ministers, Brahmans, lay-people, the gods, dragons, yakshas, gandharvas, asuras, garudas, kinnaras, mahoragas, humans and non-human beings, and all the great assembly, on hearing what the Buddha had said, were deeply gladdened. They received it with faith and respectfully practiced it.
End of the Sutra of the Merit and Virtue of the Past Vows of
Medicine Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata.