十二神王應十二大願:對《佛說消災延壽藥師灌頂章句儀》的考察=Twelve Divine Kings Corresponding to Twelve Votive Prayers: ———A research on Foshuo xiaozai yanshou Yaoshiguanding zhangju yi ( Ritual Spoken by the Medicine Buddha on Removal of Evil and the Attainment of Long life)
十二神王=twelve Divine Kings; 藥師信仰=belief of the Medicine Buddha; 十二大願=twelve Votive Prayers; 《佛說消災延壽藥師灌頂章句儀》=Foshuo xiaozai yanshou Yaoshiguanding zhangju yi(Ritual Spoken by the Medicine Buddha on Removal of Evil and the Attainment of Long life)
In the Mediaeval Ages, the presentation of the twelve Divinities and twelve votive prayers in the Medicine Buddha worship were made through classic scriptures. After the Northern Song Dynasty, Chinese monks wrote Foshuo xiaozai yanshou Yaoshiguanding zhangju yi《佛說消災延壽藥師灌頂章句儀》(Ritual Spoken by the Medicine Buddha on Removal of Evil and the Attainment of Long life). Rtual regulations therein were practiced by Azhali(Acarya)Monks, an Esoteric sect in Yunnan, since the Ming Dynasty. The corresponding content of the ritual had changed compared with the Scripture itself, for example, the twelve Divine Kings correspond to the twelve Votive Prayers and twelve Bodhisattvas; the twelve Divine Kings were in charge of six kinds of crimes respectively, including Six Sensory Crimes; Killing Animals; Being Greedy for Love; Ten Evil Deeds and Five Heinous Crimes; Throwing away Food; Being Unfilial, Ungrateful, and Immora. Ritual regulations, the contents of which were distinctly localized, could be practiced directly in the ceremonies.