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Note: please do not arrive late to the ceremony
Lhabab Duchen celebrates Guru Shakyamuni Buddha’s return to Earth from the God Realm of the Thirty-Three 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. As a merit multiplying day, the karmic results of actions done on this day are multiplied 100 million times. This amazing result is sourced to the vinaya text Treasure of Quotations and Logic.
Buddha Days are particularly powerful days and are opportunities to put in extra effort to create merit i.e., positive actions, that will result in happiness for self and others.
On this auspicious day of Lhabab Duchen, Geshe Tenley has kindly offered to confer the 24-hour eight Mahayana precept vows. Normally the ceremony would take place in the gompa (shrine room) at the Center beginning before dawn, where extensive offerings would have been set-up. But due to the covid pandemic, Geshela will confer the vows via Zoom. If you are able to make offerings (even one candle, or one water bowl, or a flower) on your altar at home before the ceremony begins, then please do that.
Following the precepts ceremony, a Vajrasattva practice session will take place.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche, Kurukulla Center’s Spiritual Director, recommends taking the 24-hour eight Mahayana precept vows on days on which the karmic effects of positive actions are greatly multiplied, such as Buddha days, full moon, new moon, and eclipses. More advice from Lama Zopa Rinpoche for practices to do on merit multiplying days can be found here.
The 24-hour eight Mahayana precepts are taken from early morning until sunrise the next day.
The precepts are:
1. To not kill any sentient being, even an insect.
2. To not steal, that is, to not take what has not been given.
3. To not engage in sexual activity.
4. To not tell lies.
5. To not take intoxicants, including alcohol, drugs, and tobacco.
6. To not eat food at the wrong time, that is, after noon.
7. To not sit on large and high seats and beds.
8. To not wear perfume, garlands, and ornaments, and to not sing, dance, and so forth.
The text you will need is The Direct and Unmistaken Method: The Practice and Benefits of the Eight Mahayana Precepts.
If you are unsure about taking the 24-hour eight Mahayana precept vows and would like more information you can send a message to info@kurukulla.org.
PLEASE ARRIVE ON TIME, EARLY IS GOOD. It's important to take part in the entire ceremony. Thank you.
PLEASE DO NOT ARRIVE LATE
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