Overview of Session
DATE: Lhabab Duchen Sunday 1st November
TIME: 7 am, 9 am, 10 am with Geshe La, 11 am, 4 pm, 5 pm, 6 pm.
LOCATION: Zoom only
LEVEL: Buddhist Practice - everyone welcome
Lhabab Duchen, one of the four great holy days of the Buddhist calendar, falls this year on November 1st.
Lhabab Duchen celebrates Guru Shakyamuni Buddha’s return to Earth from the God Realm of the Thirty-Three after teaching Dharma for three months to the gods, including his mother, Mayadevi, who had died a week after Buddha’s birth and been reborn there. As a merit-multiplying day, the karmic results of actions done on this day are multiplied 100 million times. This amazing result is taught in the vinaya text Treasure of Quotations and Logic.
This is a wonderful day to develop merit through our practice and purify unskilful actions. Join us for our 1000 Green Mala Challenge.
We are inviting our community to come together in a shared practice of compassion, courage, and beneficial activity.
Over the next few weeks our goal is to collectively recite 1000 malas of Green Tara’s mantra — a total of 108,000 recitations dedicated to the flourishing of the centre and the welfare of all sentient beings. On Lhabab Duchen there will be several 15 minute sessions throughout the day where we can come together to practice.
Anyone can join, whether you are new to Buddhism or have been reciting mantras for many years. Every mala counts, and every contribution strengthens the intention behind the challenge.
Green Tara is traditionally understood as the embodiment of swift compassionate activity. Her mantra is recited to remove obstacles, steady the mind, and inspire courageous action. Tara’s energy is joyful, protective, and responsive — qualities that support both personal practice and the wellbeing of the wider community.
This challenge brings together three powerful intentions:
Compassion for all beings through the motivation of bodhicitta
Courage in the face of obstacles, both internal and external
Beneficial activity dedicated to the success of Jamyang Leeds and the flourishing of our community
By joining your voice with others, you help create a collective momentum of kindness and positive energy.
You can find out more about our 1000 Green Tara Mala Challenge here
Other practices you may like to consider as advised by Lama Zopa Rinpoche can be seen below:
How Best to Celebrate Lhabab Duchen - Lama Zopa Rinpoche
Specific practices recommended by Lama Zopa Rinpoche for merit-multiplying days can be found on the fpmt.org website on our “Practice on the Four Great Holy Days” page.
Specific practices recommended by Lama Zopa Rinpoche for merit-multiplying days include:
Taking the eight Mahayana precepts—students can receive the lineage of these precepts from a specially produced video of Lama Zopa Rinpoche granting them
Reciting the Sutra Remembering the Three Jewels
In accordance with the advice of Ven. Choden Rinpoche, one of Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s teachers, Lama Zopa Rinpoche observed all the auspicious dates in the Buddhist calendar by Indian Standard Time, instead of any other local time.
Conclusion of the Global Mani Retreat
After five extraordinary months, the FPMT Global Mani Retreat ends on Lhabab Duchen. Please report any mantras you or your community recited so we can accurately count this worldwide effort!
Swift Return Prayers for Lama Zopa Rinpoche – taking advantage of this merit-making opportunity!
For any activities at your center during Lhabab Duchen, please take the opportunity to dedicate all merit generated to the swift return of our most precious Lama Zopa Rinpoche. Please read the latest advice offered by His Holiness to continue reciting Chanting the Names of Noble Manjushri as well as Migtsema.
Offerings on Lhabab Duchen
On Lhabab Duchen the FPMT Puja Fund will be sponsoring numerous pujas including the recitation of the Prajnaparamita Sutra, Lama Chopa, Medicine Buddha Puja, Drugchuma and Chanting the Names of Manjushri. The stupas of Boudhanath and Swambyunath in Nepal will be freshly painted and the umbrellas will be offered at the pinnacle of each stupa. A new set of robes will be offered to the Buddha statue in the Mahabodhi temple in Bodhgaya. Additionally, animals will be liberated, sutras recited and printed, and offerings will be made to all of Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s gurus and to all the IMI Sangha communities in FPMT.