[friendociate]

I read "receive the empowerment" as 'learn the knowledge' (because Optimus Prime teaches us that "Knowledge is Power!"), and I learn best by 'taking notes' (I remember in college I would take notes during the long history lectures, almost NEVER review the notes, and do just fine on the tests).

Lisa introduces us to the Medicine Buddha, who acheived Enlightenment (and Powers of Healing) through practice of the six 'paramitas' (Generosity, Morality, Patience, Diligence, Meditation & Wisdom)---healing his 'disciples' (she says "worshippers," but I'm more of a Nichiren Buddhist (who 'worships' Buddha by 'saying what he says,' thinking that it'll motivate me to 'do as he would do' in today's circumstances)) when they invoke him with the recitation of his mantra,

(Lisa transliterates), "Tayata Om Bekandze Bekandze Maha Bekandze Radza Samudgate Soha"

If you think watching that video & speaking those words will adequately 'enlighten' the way to healing, you're welcome to go right ahead & watch (and maybe click 'Post Reply' without reading the rest of this post, if you have any comment on "what this meditation has done for you),

but I feel the need to know 'what these words mean,' and 'why I should connect these words with a guy who has the title "Buddha"'

Because it is 'a title' (not 'his name,' except that it is 'a title that he takes AS a name'---same way you can call Joe Biden "Mr. President")---a title that comes from a wordroot that means "to be- or make Aware." That wordroot also supports Buddhas, Buddhism, Buddhahood, Bodhisattva, Bodhisattvas, Buddhist, Buddhists

The 'Awareness' of the Buddha that Lisa describes is "Medicine"---probably from wordroots that mean "take Appropriate Measures" (or maybe the ones that mean "Physician (who is the one who takes appropriate measures)"). - same wordroot as Medicines, Medicinal, Meds, Med

The mantra means

Tayatha – means “like this”.

Om – is composed of the three pure sounds A U and MA, which signifies one’s own body, speech and mind that get transformed into the vajra holy body, speech and mind.

Then bekandze bekandze -“eliminating pain, eliminating pain”. What eliminates pain is medicine. This pain is not ordinary pain – even animals do not want to experience that. The first eliminating pain is true suffering, the second is the true cause of suffering. The medicine that eliminates pain is first the graduated path of the lower capable being, and second the graduated path of the middle capable being.

Then maha bekandze -“the great eliminating pain” is the graduated path of the higher capable being, which eliminates the subtle defilements.

So bekandze bekandze maha bekandze contains the whole path to enlightenment, the ultimate medicine.

Radza – is king.

Samudgate – (ocean of goodness)

Soha – to establish the foundation in the heart, the blessing, the devotion from which the realization comes.

[Fergal]

I've watched the video. Do you know what the words of the mantra mean in English? Has that mantra helped you @friendociate?