Bay Area Centers
​Lhabab DÜchen Celebration

Online event
​Saturday, November 7, 2020

6:00am:
    Precepts and Morning Prayers at Tse Chen Ling

9:00am:
    Recitations at Ocean of Compassion

2:00pm:
    Lama Chöpa (in Tibetan) at Land of Medicine Buddha

3:30pm–5:00pm:
    Namgyalma Practice Session* at Land of Medicine Buddha

6:00pm:
    Tonglen Meditation and Dedication at Vajrapani Institute

One of the four great holy days in the Tibetan calendar, Lhabab Düchen marks the anniversary of Shakyamuni Buddha’s return to Earth after spending three months in the God Realm of Thirty-Three, a higher realm where his mother was reborn after she died shortly after giving him birth. The Buddha traveled to this realm in order to repay her kindness by giving teachings to liberate her from samsara. His teachings in the God Realm of the Thirty-Three also benefited the Arya Beings who lived there.

This year Lhabab Düchen falls on November 7th. While gathering together physically in each of our Centers is still beyond reach, all four of the Bay Area FPMT Centers are working together on this day:

• Tse Chen Ling Center for Tibetan Buddhist Studies will begin this auspicious day by offering the 8 Mahayana Precepts and leading the recitation of the morning practices advised by Lama Zopa Rinpoche.
• Gyalwa Gyatso (Ocean of Compassion) Buddhist Center will then lead sutra and prayer recitations.
• Land of Medicine Buddha will lead Lama Chöpa in Tibetan from their gompa as well as a Namgyalma Practice session*.
• We will wrap up the day in the gompa at Vajrapani Institute with Tonglen Meditation and Dedication.

Each of the centers would like to welcome you in, to take a brief tour of the gompa, to spend time with the holy objects and rejoice in light and incense offerings we are making together as one community.  Please see the timetable of events and links to download texts and prayers.

Texts may be downloaded using these links: 

• Read more about Taking the Eight Mahayana Precepts
• Morning Prayers: Method to Transform a Suffering Life into Happiness - FPMT
• Diamond Cutter Sutra is available from FPMT
• The Sutra Remembering the Three Jewels
• The Sutra of Golden Light is available from FPMT
• The Flowing Water of the Ganga: A Thorough Praise of the Thirty-Five Sugatas is available from FPMT
• Lama Chöpa is available from FPMT
• Practices of Namgyalma from FPMT
• Dedication Verses for COVID-19 Crisis Teachings are available from FPMT
• Extensive Dedications

The Four Harmonious Friends

*If you have refuge in the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha and have faith in Tantra, you may participate, even without the empowerment. Those participating in this Action Tantra practice who are not already taking the Mahayana Precepts offered at 6:00am, are advised that it is best to abstain from black foods (meat, eggs, onions, garlic, and radishes) on the day of the practice.

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This one Zoom link will work for all of the programs:
​​
Join the Lhabab Duchen Celebration:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86155711803?pwd=ZDdLSlN0SVZTeEgvWUJPL1E4UmlsQT09

Meeting ID: 861 5571 1803
Passcode: Celebrate

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Make skies of merit on this special day by practicing generosity.  Our Spiritual Director, Lama Zopa Rinpoche, citing the Vinaya text The Treasure of Quotations and Logic, tells us that the benefit from generous actions are multiplied one hundred million times on Merit Multiplying Days.

Read more of Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s advice about Merit Multiplying days.

Sponsor offerings and support Tse Chen Ling Center by clicking on the Donate Button below:

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