Lhabab Duichen

Lhabab Duisan/Duichen is a festival in Tibetan Buddhism to commemorate the return of the Buddha Shakyamuni from the heaven of the Thirty-Three Gods to earth.

It is celebrated on the 22nd day of the ninth month of the Tibetan lunar calendar. It is believed that the results of positive and negative actions performed on this day are multiplied ten million times.

According to legend, the Buddha ascended the Trāyastriṃśa heaven temporarily at the age of 41, in order to give teachings to benefit the gods in that desire realm, and to repay the kindness of his mother by liberating her from Samsara.

He was exhorted by his disciple and representative Maudgalyayana to return, and after a long debate and under a full moon agreed to return. He returned to earth a week later by a special triple ladder prepared by Viswakarma, the Hindu-Buddhist god of machines.

On Lhabab Duchen, the effects of positive or negative actions are multiplied ten million times. It is part of Tibetan Buddhist tradition to engage in virtuous activities and prayer on this day.