Lama Ole Nydahl’s 70th birthday and Chotrul Düchen, a “Ten Million Multiplier”

Lama Ole Nydahl

Lama Ole Nydahl

Today, 19 March 2011, marks several special occasions. Firstly, we wish a very happy 70th birthday to our great teacher Lama Ole Nydahl – may he live long and may his vast activity continue to benefit countless beings!

Buddha displaying miracles

Buddha displaying miracles

Also, the 15th day of the Tibetan calendar marks the Parinirvana of the great Kagyu forefathers, Marpa and Naropa.

Furthermore, according to the Tibetan calendar, today is Chotrul Düchen, the ‘Day of Miracles’ which commemorates one of the four great deeds of the Buddha. It occurs on the full moon (the fifteenth day) of the first Tibetan month. The first fifteen days of the New Year celebrate the fifteen days on which, in order to increase the merit and the devotion of future disciples, Buddha Shakyamuni displayed a different miracle.

The Buddha performed these miracles in his 40th year in response to a challenge from the leaders of India’s six main philosophical schools to a contest of miraculous powers. The Buddha utterly defeated his opponents and inspired many individuals to practice the Dharma. In India at that time great kings and noble families sponsored teachers who could perform miracles. The challenge by the six Hindu teachers was made to Buddha in Sravasti. Buddha accepted the challenge because he knew that many would develop towards Enlightenment as a result of this demonstration, and people in the future would be inspired to practice. It is said that 80,000 Buddhists and 84,000 Hindus attended the competition. On each of the fifteen days the Buddha taught, and those assembled made enormous progress in their development, many attaining liberation and strengthening their Enlightened Attitude.

Kuchary Stupa of Miracles

Kuchary Stupa of Miracles

There are eight main types of Tibetan stupas. One is called the Stupa of Miracles and was built to commemorate this event. A famous Stupa of Miracles in the West today is the one in the Kuchary Diamond Way Buddhist Retreat Centre in Poland, built by Lopon Tsechu Rinpoche and inaugurated on 29 July 2002.

The “Day of Miracles” is celebrated by Tibetans from the first to the fifteenth of the first lunar month, so it is the first “Düchen” or “great occasion” in the Tibetan calendar, marking the beginning of the New Year. These fifteen days are “multiplying days” in which the effect of any action is magnified millions of times and the fifteenth day is especially great. Chotrul Düchen, like Saga Dawa Düchen, and Lhabab Düchen is a “ten million multiplier” day, multiplying the effects of all positive and negative actions 10 million times! It is therefore considered very useful to engage in positive activities today!

For a start, we’d suggest long life wishes for Lama Ole and all our great lamas!

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