【Description】
According to The Sutra of Merits and Virtues of the Vows of Medicine Buddha, in the Eastern Pure Land – the home of Medicine Buddha, Suryaprabha and Candraprabha – the Twelve Divine Generals are forever extending their care to all sentient beings.
In this dharma teaching, Grandmaster JinBodhi speaks of these powerful Divine Generals and how each is assigned to protect one of the animals in the Chinese zodiac. Please join us to find out which Divine General shields you from harm and turns disasters in your life into blessings.
【You will learn】
- The origin of the Twelve Divine Generals of the Medicine Buddha
- How to find the general assigned to protect you based on the Chinese zodiac
【Content】
The Medicine Buddha Sutra is one of several sutras we refer to a lot in Bodhi Meditation. Go and check it out if you have time. According to The Medicine Buddha Sutra, besides the Medicine Buddha, many buddhas and bodhisattvas live in this pure land and care for all sentient beings in the world. I will just go through this briefly.
Under Medicine Buddha, there are Suryaprabha and Candraprabha; they safeguard Buddhadharma, serve the Buddha, and care for all sentient beings. Under Suryaprabha and Candraprabha, there are the 12 Divine Generals; they help the Medicine Buddha care for all sentient beings.
The 12 Divine Generals fit into the Chinese zodiac system: A cycle is 12 years; each year is represented by one zodiac animal. I was born in the Year of the Dragon. You? You can’t copy mine, I believe you all have your own. You could be a rat, an ox, etc. Each of 12 zodiac animals represents a different attribute. Therefore, these 12 Divine Generals protect those with the corresponding zodiac animal. I will just go through them briefly. The names are in Sanskrit so you may not remember them. You just remember where your guardian occurs in the order.
The first one is Catura. If you can’t remember their names, it is OK. You just remember your guardian’s name. This one is the guardian of the first zodiac animal — Rat. Anyone here born in the Year of the Rat? All right, your guardian is Catura. In the Chinese zodiac system, the rat is the first zodiac animal.
The second one is Vikarala, the Ox Guardian. Raise your hand if you were born in the Year of the Ox. All right, your guardian is Vikarala. The ox is not weaker than the rat, OK? They just represent different years in a cycle, that is all. They have the same dharma power. Remember, they are equally powerful. So don’t fight for the first guardian.
The next is Kumbhira, the Tiger Guardian. Any tigers here? I see a lot of female tigers. Next, Vajra, the Rabbit Guardian. The next one is Mekhila, the Dragon Guardian. I was born in the Year of the Dragon, so this is my guardian. Next, Andira, the Snake Guardian. Raise hands, snakes. I see, quite a few. The next one is Anila, the Horse Guardian. The next one is Sandilya, the Goat Guardian. Raise your hand if you were born in the Year of the Goat. This is my mother’s guardian too.
Next is Indra, the Monkey Guardian. We have quite a few monkeys here. The monkeys are smart and restless. Next is Pajra, the Rooster Guardian. Raise your hand if you are a rooster. Roosters are smart and hardworking. Next is Mahoraga. This one is the Dog Guardian. Anyone here born in the Year of the Dog? Smart, hardworking and loyal, those traits are what dogs are known for. Last but not least, Kimnara, the guardian of what? (Pig.) That is the last one.
Remember which one is your guardian. It is also mentioned in the sutra that each of these guardians has their own 7,000 followers. They also help all sentient beings to meet their needs. Each of these guardians has their own 7,000 followers. These 7,000 followers also have their own thousands of followers. In other words, countless deities are spreading compassion.
Some ask whether the Buddha has enough manpower to help all sentient beings. Look at the world’s population. One shall not worry about that. A Divine being can transform into countless doppelgangers. The more merits you have, the more powerful your dharma powers are. The more powerful you are, the more helpers you can summon. That is how much help Medicine Buddha has to spread his compassion.
The significance of the 12 Divine Generals is depicted in the sutra in a conversation with Ananda. “The Sutra of Merits and Virtues of the Past Original Vows of Medicine Buddha” has another name, which is “The Vows and Chants of the 12 Divine Generals“. People usually just call it “The Medicine Buddha Sutra“.
That is how significant these generals are. They correspond to the Chinese zodiac. These guardians help Medicine Buddha spread his compassion, so they deserve our praise and reverence too. When chanting his holy name, we visualize compassionate Medicine Buddha residing in us. We also revere Suryaprabha and Candraprabha, as well as the 12 Divine Generals. The generals are the closest to us, as they are our zodiac guardians for life.
We are also making cards using sturdy materials. You can keep your guardian card in your purse or wallet.