Celebrating the Auspicious Day of Chotrul Duchen is Spiritually Powerful

Celebrating the Auspicious Day of Chotrul Duchen is Spiritually Powerful.

Chotrul Duchen will be celebrated this year on February 28th, 2010.

What is Chotrul Duchen?

Chotrul Duchen is one of four major celebrations in the Tibetan Buddhist calendar. This event celebrates the historical Lord Shakyamuni Buddha’s “display of miracles.” Lord Buddha, upon being challenged by the leaders of India’s six main philosophical schools, decided to spontaneously express the depth of his realization and the truth of the message of the Middle Path, Four Noble Truths and so forth. The Buddha began to display a unique, and different miracle during each of 15 days. By displaying siddhis, or psychic powers of an apparently miraculous nature(although siddhis are not considered miraculous from the enlightened perspective) it was his intention to defeat his opponents and inspire numerous participants and inhabitants who heard about these displays of spiritual manifestation to follow the Dharma.

Why it is Chotrul Duchenconsidered important to observe this auspicious Buddhist holy day?

On this day of Chotrul Duchen the effects of positive and negative actions are multiplied ten million times! Thus, make this day special by reciting mantra, engaging in acts of compassion, kindness, joyfulness and serenity of mind. Meditation practice is especially powerful during this time.

Dharmakirti College will celebrate Chotrul Duchen on February 28 at the Ada Pierce McCormack Building (1401 East First Street, Tucson, Arizona) on the University of Arizona campus beginning at 10:00 am with a transmission from Khenchen Lama: The Cloud of Prayers and Blessings that Subdue the Entire Animate and Inanimate Worlds! We will continue to practice from the Khaton Prayer Book until 4:00 pm.

Rinpoche recommends that his students do Yamantaka practice daily during this time as well.

Participants should bring prayer books and a sack lunch. Tea will be provided. During a short lunch break, Khenpo Dean will conduct a condensed version of the scheduled Natural Liberation class. Others are invited to listen, or to meditate in the background

Ada Peirce McCormick Library
1401 East First Street at Highland Ave. Underpass
Tucson, AZ

Directions from Speedway and Cherry

Speedway and Cherry
South on Cherry
West on 1st St (one way)
Look for sign Ada Peirce McCormick Building on right side of street. Pull into Parking Lot just before First St. and Highland intersection (marked by Stop Sign).

There are also four great Tibetan Buddhist holidays, celebrating the four events known as the “great deeds” of the Buddha. The first is Chotrul Duchen (Duchen means “great occasion”), which marks the end of the first 15 days of the new year and falls on the first full moon (February 21 in 2001). During this time some 2,600 years ago, the Buddha is said to have displayed a different miracle each day to spur the devotion and increase the merits of his disciples.

In Lhasa, the Tibetan capital, the event is commemorated with the two-week Monlam Chenmo festival. Traditionally, thousands of pilgrims streamed into the city and offered days of prayers and hundreds of thousands of butter lamps, illuminating the entire city and intending to spread light and blessings through the universe.

Additional actions you can take on Chotrul Duchen day that will be helpful in creating vast, positive karma for yourself and all beings:

1. Place prayer flags for the benefit of all beings.

3. Chant mantra or sacred Buddhist chants for the welfare of yourself and all beings

4. Turn your prayer wheel while visualizing the power of the blessings from the prayer wheel radiating out to all beings.

5. Engage in Mindfulness Practice throughout the day.

6. Dedicate the merit from all of your positive activities to the welfare, happiness and enlightenment of all beings. This is the Bodhisattva’s Way to work for the welfare of all beings in whatever way possible.

7. Release beneficial insects, live fish or other animals to free them from captivity.

Of course, any of these seven activities can be performed during the full moon day, or other auspicious days for increased benefit.

Tags: Chotrul Duchen, compassion, displaying of siddhis, four noble truths, joyfulness, kindness, Mantra, Prayer flags, prayer wheels, Sacred Buddhist chants, spiritual manifestation, spreading light throughout the universe, Yamantaka practice