As I left Vietnam for France when I was 12, I have learned so many gods of medicine in Greek mythology and Christ is a great healer in Christianity. Recently, I have started exploring my Buddhist roots and have found that there is a Medicine Buddha. In vietnamese, he is called Duc Phat Duoc Su.
Even though he achieved Buddhahood or Total Enlightment, which would have allowed him to enter into Nirvana, he refused to become Buddha and chose to remain a
bodhisattva. The bodhisavatta state allows him to remain among us in order to answer to people's prayers. During his spiritual journey for Englightment, he made the 12 great vows if he achieved the Buddhahood. He became the Buddha of the eastern realm of Vaidūryanirbhāsa, or "Pure Lapis Lazuli". There, he is attended to by two bodhisattvas symbolizing the sun and moon respectively: Suryaprabha and Candraprabha.
The Twelve Vows of the Medicine Buddha upon attaining Enlightenment, according to the Medicine Buddha Sutra are:
