Deity of healing and medicine
Yakushi Nyorai, known in Sanskrit as Bhaiṣajyaguru and often called the Medicine Buddha, is one of the most venerated buddhas in Mahāyāna Buddhism. He is regarded as a great physician who relieves the suffering of all beings through the power of his teachings and compassion.
In artistic depictions, Yakushi Nyorai is typically shown in a classic buddha form, holding a medicine jar and sometimes depicted with blue or deep green skin, symbolizing the lapis lazuli light referenced in his full title. He is associated with the eastern direction and holds an important place at major Japanese temples, including Kongōbu-ji on Mount Kōya, where he serves as the principal object of devotion.
His symbolic implement is the medicine jar or bowl filled with healing pills, and his seed syllable is 'Bhai,' drawn from the opening of his Sanskrit name. He is also known by the honorific titles Great King of Medicine and Benevolent One Who Has Gone Well, reflecting the profound reverence he commands across Buddhist traditions.
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