April 26, 2009
Mandala # 049 / Healing Sickness
This Mandala features a phrase from the Medicine King Chapter. At the top, Nichiren {I assume} wrote "byo soku shometsu" and "furo, fushi." That means something like "Sickness Instantly Obliterated" and "Never Aging, Never Dying."
I have no doubt that we can overcome illness and prolong our lives. However, the statement goes beyond that. It says that we will be instantly cured of our human afflictions; and we shall never know old age or death. Maybe that is partly symbolic; but I think it is literal on another level. As we get past the pathetic ego, and awaken to who we really are; at that non-time, we shall be something or no thing that is never sick, never ages, and never dies.
Gohonzon # 049 in the 日蓮聖人御本尊集 {Nichiren Shonin Gohonzon Catalog}.
- Era & Year {年}: 弘安 {koan} 1年 {nen}; First year of the Koan Era -- 1278
- Month; Moon {月}: seventh -- July
- Day; Sun {日}: Unknown
- Nichiren's Laudatory Inscription {讃文}: none
- Side Phrases Rearranged: 此經則爲 閻浮提人 病之良薬 若有人病 得聞是経 病即 消滅 不老 不死 {shi kyo soku i en-bu-dai nin byo no ro-yaku nya-u [nyaku yu] nin byo toku bun shi kyo byo soku sho metsu fu-ro fu-shi }
- Top Left {right facing}: 病即 消滅 {byo soku sho-metsu} Sickness is instantly cured.
- Left Side {right facing}:.此經則爲 閻浮提人 病之良薬 {shi kyo soku i en-bu-dai nin byo no ro-yaku } This Sutra Model serves the people of Jambudvipa as a skillful medicine for human illness.
- Top Right {left facing}: 不老 不死 {fu-ro fu-shi} Never aging, never dying.
- Right Side {left facing}: 若有人病 得聞是経 {nya-u [nyaku yu] nin byo toku bun shi kyo} If any sick person is able to hear this sutra.
- Conferral; Recipient {授与書}: None
- Kept at / Housed at Possession {所蔵}: 静岡県 岩本 実相寺 Shizuoka Iwamoto Jissoji
- Nickname / Popular Name {通称}: None I know of; though this could be called the 病即消滅本尊 {Byo Soku Sho-metsu} Instant Healing of Sickness Honzon or 不老 不死 本尊 {Fushi Furo} Never Aging, Never Dying Honzon.
- Sheets {紙数}: 1
- Width {幅}: 23.9 cm / 9.4 inches
- Height {丈}: 33 cm / 12.99 inches
Rearranged. the phrase is almost identical to one of the phrases on the Kito Honzon (# 037): 此經則爲 閻浮提人 病之良薬 若人有病 得聞是經 病即 消滅 不老 不死 {shi kyo soku i en-bu-dai nin byo no ro-yaku nyaku nin yu byo toku bun shi kyo byo soku shu-metsu fu-ro fu-shi}.
"This sutra is truly a splendid medicine for the diseases of the people of Jambudvipa. A sick person who hears this will be immediately cured of his disease. He will not grow old or die before his time." ~~ Passages Inscribed on the Prayer Gohonzon
"This sutra provides good medicine for the ills of the people of Jambudvipa. If a person who has an illness is able to hear this sutra, then his illness will be wiped out and he will know neither old age or death." from the Yakuo [Medicine King] Chapter of the LS. {Watson translation}
