The Medicine Buddha practice is the heart of Tibetan Medicine. Buddha, at Bodhisatvas Manjushri’s request, taught in Varanasi the origin of the Medicine Buddha sutra in 800 verses. The tradition was brought to Tibet by the great Indian Buddhist master Abbot Shantarakshita (8th century) and was given to the Tibetan King Trisong Deutsan to promote health, prevent diseases, give protection against black magic and to stabilize and protect the ecological system from natural disasters. From that very day it became the Tibetan kings' private practice and spread to different Buddhist schools after the 10th century.
All Tibetan physicians should receive the Medicine Buddha initiation and perform his practice. The altruistic practice of love and compassion empowered by the initiation develops into an instrument to remove pains caused by ignorance and disease. Therefore one should receive the traditional teachings on the practice and go for sNon`gro (preliminary) practice retreat. Because of samsara, we become enslaved in fruitless business which creates a life without choice but the interested person can learn the Medicine Buddha practice and then earn spiritual and health benefit from it.