Lhabab Duchen – Descent from Tushita

Date: Sunday, 01/11/2026 7:00 pm

Lhabab Duchen is one of the four most important days in the Buddhist year. In Mahayana tradition, the day commemorates Lhabab Duchen celebrates the occasion of Shakyamuni Buddha’s return to Earth from the God Realm of Tushita after teaching Dharma for several months to the gods, including his mother, Mayadevi, who had died a week after Buddha’s birth and been reborn there.

Lhabab Duchen will be celebrated at Tibetan Buddhist Institute with a Guru Puja ritual.

The Guru Puja – “Lama Chopa” in Tibetan – is a practice in the Gelug tradition of making offerings to the spiritual master and includes a review of all the points of the combined sutra and tantra path to enlightenment. It is a beautiful ritual and there are many different tunes sung throughout a session.

All welcome.