The Medicine Buddha, called Sangye Menla in Tibetan, is one of the most important deities of Tibetan Buddhism. In the tradition he stands for healing in the broadest sense: liberation from all forms of suffering, whose roots, according to Buddhist teaching, are ignorance and attachment. In difficult times many people turn to him, for themselves or for loved ones.
His depiction is unmistakable. His skin is deep blue, the colour of lapis lazuli. In his left hand he holds an alms bowl; in his right, open in the gesture of giving, a sprig of myrobalan, one of the most important plants of the Sorig tradition. The gesture stands for the willingness to give without conditions. A practice of its own is dedicated to the Medicine Buddha, the Menla practice, with mantras, visualisations and prayers, alone or in groups.
A Medicine Buddha statue on the altar is a reminder of compassion and of the intention to ease suffering, in oneself and in others. Our Medicine Buddha statues are handcrafted by Tibetan artisans in the Himalayas with iconographic accuracy. Each statue is cast and reworked individually, so no two are exactly alike. You will find further depictions among our Buddha statues.
