Buddha's Descent Day on the 22nd day of the 9th month in the Tibetan calendar

Buddha's Descent Day, also called Lhabab Duchen in Tibetan, is the day when Sakyamuni, the founder of Buddhism returned to the world. It falls on the 22nd day of the ninth month in the Tibetan calendar. On this Buddha's Descent Day, the merit of all good deeds will be multiplied ten million times. So, many Tibetan people will attend those Buddhist events on this day to celebrate Buddha's return and pray for good lives.

The origin of this festival is well-known in Tibet. Seven days after the birth of Sakyamuni, his mother dies and then she is reborn as a deva in the Trayastrimsha heaven. After the Buddha attains enlightenment, he goes to Trayastrimsha heaven to repay his mother by liberating her from Samsara. And he teaches Dharma to the gods at the same time in the Trayastrimsha heaven. What he does there is considered as one of the great deeds among the right great deeds. Then, the Buddha returns to earth after three months of teaching. Crowds of his disciples and followers get the news and they gather to wait for his return on this day.

Buddha's Descent Day

Every year on Buddha's Descent Day, There will be freshly painted ladders on the rocks of those monasteries to symbolize the holy descent of Buddha from Trayastrimsa. And people from all over Tibet will all hold rosary bread and recite mantras to major monasteries to kowtow to the Buddha. And those holy treasures in the monasteries will be invited out for lamas and believers who came from afar to worship. Besides, believers will also throng to monasteries to light butter lamps, burn incense, and offer special prayers to Buddha. They will pray that the Buddha's teachings can be survived and spread and all holy Gurus from all traditions will live a long life.