This year,
November 20th is the day celebrated in the Tibetan
calendar as "Buddha's descent from Tushita Heaven", the 22nd
day of the 9th month (Lha-bab Düchen ).
During his forty-first year, Shakyamuni Buddha ascended from Shravasti, where he used to pass the rainy season with his monks and nuns, to the Tushita Heaven, and passed the rainy season retreat period there, teaching Abhidharma to his mother, Queen Mayadevi, who had died seven days after Buddha's birth and was thus unable to receive any teaching from her enlightened son. Mayadevi had been reborn in Tushita as a male god. The same happens to the mothers of all the Buddhas, and they too later go to teach them in heaven.
During his forty-first year, Shakyamuni Buddha ascended from Shravasti, where he used to pass the rainy season with his monks and nuns, to the Tushita Heaven, and passed the rainy season retreat period there, teaching Abhidharma to his mother, Queen Mayadevi, who had died seven days after Buddha's birth and was thus unable to receive any teaching from her enlightened son. Mayadevi had been reborn in Tushita as a male god. The same happens to the mothers of all the Buddhas, and they too later go to teach them in heaven.
Seven days
before his descent from Tushita, the
Buddha again became visible to his foremost disciples. Anuruddha
perceived him by his divine sight and urged Maudgalyayana to go and
greet him. The great disciple did so, telling the Buddha that
the Order longed to see him. Shakyamuni replied, that in seven
days he would return to the world. A great assembly of the kings
and people of the eight kingdoms gathered. As the Buddha
descended, a flight of gold stairs appeared, down which he came.
He was accompanied on the right by Brahma, who, holding a white
chowry, descended on a crystal staircase, while to the left Indra came
down a flight of silver stairs, holding a jewelled umbrella. A
great host of gods followed.
Descent from
Tushita
The day
before the Buddha descends from heaven, a young reincarnation
of a much loved lama in this Valley, Urgyen Tulku, will ascend the
throne of tulku-hood at his monastery in Baudha.
Urgyen Tulku
Tulku Urgyen Yangsi
Urgyen Tulku
Tulku Urgyen Yangsi
On
the day of Buddha's descent I will also descend from this heaven,
to the field of Dharma, which is India, for a month's visit to
Aunachala ...
Love & pranams, Billy