The Four Buddha Days

Celebratory days including prayers to the Buddha and his noble followers

Four Saturdays in the year

The Tibetan Buddhist calendar has four main celebratory days in the year. These commemorate events in the life of the Buddha.

At Dechen London we celebrate these events with special prayers on the nearest Saturday in the calendar.

You are welcome to sit in on Buddha days even if you have not taken refuge.

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The four Buddha Days (Tib. Duchen) are:

Chotrul Duchen: this marks fifteen days of miraculous powers displayed by Shakyamuni Buddha in order to subdue six contemporary spiritual teachers (tirthikas) and to inspire faith in his own followers. It falls on the 15th day of the 1st Tibetan month in the year – usually February in the western calendar.

Saga Dawa Duchen: this commemorates both the enlightenment and parinirvana of the Buddha. It takes place on the full moon day of the 4th Tibetan month, which is called Saga Dawa – in May or June in the western calendar.

Chokor Duchen: literally the ‘turning of the dharma wheel’, this marks the first teaching given by the Buddha, in the deer park at Sarnath. It falls on the 4th day of the 6th Tibetan month – in July or August in the western calendar.

Lhabab Duchen: the ‘descent from the gods’, this commemorates Shakyamuni Buddha’s return to this world from the realm of the Thirty-Three Gods, after teaching dharma for several months to the gods there, including his mother, Mayadevi, who had died a week after Buddha’s birth and been reborn there. It falls on the 22nd day of the 9th Tibetan month – in October or November in the western calendar..