Buddha Shayamuni

Overview of Session

DATES: 11th November 2025

TIME: 13:15pm to 14:30pm

LOCATION: In Person and on zoom

LEVEL: Buddhist Ceremonies – All Welcome

Lhabab Duchen, is one of the four great holy days of the Buddhist calendar and takes place this year on November 11th

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.

Since this festival is about remembering a mother’s kindness..... just as the Buddha ascended to the gods’ realm to teach his mother as an act of gratitude for her kindness, Geshe La will prepare some Indian chai and snacks for everyone attending the celebration in person as a way of dedicating the merits to his own mother and all mothers on this special occasion. If you are celebrating at home, you may wish to prepare some beautiful tea and delicacies too

As Lama Zopa Rinpoche advised we will recite Sutra Remembering the Three Jewels, the Swift Return Prayer for Lama Zopa Rinpoche, and In Praise of Dependent Origination by Je Tsongkhapa, along with making offerings of fruits and flowers on the shrine.

Open to everyone, no empowerments needed.

Please arrive early and bring flowers, incense, vegetarian food and drink as offerings for the altar.