Buddha Day Celebration – Lhabab Düchen (SI Australia)

Friday 22nd November 2024, 7.00-8.30 pm AEDT (+11 UTC)
Lhabab Düchen – Buddha’s Descent from Indra’s heaven

Liturgy:  Treasure of Blessings: A Ritual of Recollecting the Buddha (download link below)

One of the four great annual commemorations of major events in the life of Buddha Shakyamuni, Lhabab Duchen marks the day the Buddha descended to earth from Indra’s heaven. At the age of 41, the Buddha ascended to Indra’s heaven in order to give teachings to benefit the gods in that desire realm, and to repay the kindness of his mother by liberating her from samsara.  Buddha spent three months teaching. He was exhorted by his disciple and representative Maudgalyayana to return, and after a long debate and under a full moon agreed to return. He returned to earth a week later by a special triple ladder of 80,000 vojanas each prepared by Viswakarma. As the Buddha descended the central one, Indra and Brahma accompanied him on each side holding parasols to honour him. He descended to a place called Sankisa in this world, which is in modern Uttar Pradesh. This place is counted among the eight holy places.  On Lhabab Duchen, the effects of positive or negative actions are multiplied ten million times. It is part of Tibetan Buddhist tradition to engage in virtuous activities and prayer on this day

Siddhartha’s Intent Australia welcomes you to join in an online practice of Treasure of Blessings: A Ritual of Recollecting the Buddha by Mipham Rinpoche, followed by auspicious prayers. Please download a PDF of the liturgy Click here to download