Lhabab Deechen -the Descending Day of Lord Buddha

The descending day of Lord Buddha is one of the most important occasions in Buddhism. On this day, all the offices and schools keep closed to celebrate the day honoring Lord Buddha. The people visit the holy sites, temples, monasteries, and offer prayers for wellbeing of all the sentient beings.

How Lhabab Deechen originated?

Due to prophesy of the past Buddha, Marmayzey (Dipamkara), Lord Buddha entered into the womb of Yum Jumalhazay, who was queen, in the form of white elephant. She was conceived after her miraculous dream of white elephant entering her womb. She has shared about it to King and he instructed her to be clean. When birth neared, Jumalhazay went to her parents place in Nepal to give birth with assistance from her mother. On the way, she gave birth to Prince Siddhartha in Lumbini, Nepal. Soon after birth, he walked seven steps where flowers appeared. The helpers with Queen routed back to palace. Yum Jumalhazay passed away after 7 days.

His father the King of the region and other compatriots brought him up. He got married after the offer made by Father and fellow citizens. Once when he went out with his riding-horse and concierge, he encountered different types of worldly life, birth, illness, old age, and death. When he asked concierge what and how, he answered that it is nature of life. After birth, we have to come across the aging, illness, and death. Prince Siddhartha comes across a monk and when he asked about it, concierge says that it is possible to be monk. Prince can also acquire the enlightenment. The Prince went back to the palace and decided to devote rest of his life ardently towards dharma, giving up the worldly life. He also leaves behind his wives and children.

He practiced dharma and encountered several hardships. He came across Lord Mara, and enlightened under the Bodhi tree in present day Dorjidhen in India. During the practice of dharma, he took one grain of rice a day for first three and second three years, a drop of water a day. Therefore, at the age of 41, Buddha enlightened after 6 years of his sacrifice for the benefit of all the sentient beings.

Then Buddha had a vision or though his clairvoyant power, he could see his mother born in Tushita Heaven. Buddha decided to ascend to Tushita heaven and on the 15^th day of the 6^th month of the lunar calendar to preach to his mother. Now Buddha was in heaven preaching his mother along with god and goddesses. It was darkest parts of the world those times.

However, Buddha was preaching his mother, gods, and goddesses in Tushita heaven. The people on earth were worried and they did not have idea where about Buddha. Then, Buddha’s disciple, Sharibu/Shariputra had clairvoyant power to see where Buddha is. Sharibu had a vision of the Lord Buddha preaching in Tushita heaven. He informed the people that Buddha’s presence in heaven. Therefore, the people requested him to call back Buddha.

With constant request of all the devotees to bring back Buddha to the world, one of the disciples of Lord Buddha, Mongalgibu/Mongul yana, ascended to Tushita heaven on the 15^th day of 9^th month of the lunar calendar. Mongalgibu possess such miraculous powers to ascend immediately to the heaven. Upon reaching there, he requested Buddha to return to earth to teach the devotees.

To his request, after seven days, Lord Buddha descended to earth on the 22^nd day of the 9^th month. The Buddha was received by the devotees with Chipdrel (Procession ceremony), which was organized for the first time in Buddhist history. Therefore, the descending day of Lord Buddha is a celebration of his return to earth from Tushita heaven, the Gyalwa Lhalay Babpai Duechen.

This day is celebrated as the parents’ day in our country since last year. So, on this auspicious day of Lhabab Duechen and Parents’ Day, I wish all our parents of previous life, present and future, a very Happy Parents Day.