Chokhor duchen

ཆོས་འཁོར་དུས་ཆེན།

Yesterday was Chodkhor Duchen which means great day of turning the wheel of Dharma. After Buddha attained enlightenment he started giving teaching to fortunate disciples. The first sermon of Dharma teaching was conducted at Sarnath Varanasi. Subject of teaching is four noble truth and eight fold path.

15th day of 4th lunar month (Sagadawa) of tibetan calender was the time that Buddha attained enlightenment.
4th day of 6th lunar month of Tibetan calendar is Chokhor dawa which is turning the wheel of Dharma.

There are only 49 days in-between these two dates and according to the biography of Buddha, after attaining enlightenment Buddha spent seven weeks around Bodhgaya with different activities each week.

First week: Buddha meditated on Fire (Samadhi) by crossing leg in vajra posture.

Second week: awake from that Samadhi when two of gods came to greet Buddha for his attainment. So second week also did not move but remain in Samadhi.

Third week: Two merchants from Myanmar met Buddha, they offered honey and some food. At the same time, four guardian kings offer containers so that Buddha was able to accept their offerings.

Fourth week: Buddha went to the Naga place requested by King of Naga call Tangzung.

Fifth week: Under the Bohi tree, Buddha contemplate on the subject of 12 interdependent within a single seating.

Sixth week: Buddha thought the meaning that he had realised, no body was able to understand therefore he continued to remain in peace in the forest.

Seventh Week: After remaining in peace, Bhrama and Indra from heaven came to see Buddha and requested Buddha to turn the wheel of Dharma. Buddha’s first thought was to give teachings to his former teachers Ringfur and Lhagcho. They had requested Buddha to teach them should he attain realization. Unfortunately, they have already passed away. So he started to look for his 5 disciple who are at Varanasi and then Buddha went to Sarnath to turn the wheel of Dharma.

So, in this way Buddha had spent 49 days at Bodhgaya area after attaining of enlightenment. We celebrate Chodkhor Duchen on the 49th days after enlightenment. Base on normal circumstances, Buddha physically at gave teachings at Sarnath is not possible. In actual fact there is missing of travel time between Bodhgaya to Varanasi. journey from Bodhgaya to Varanasi by walk takes around 10 days.

what do you think?

It can't be wrong also because so many scholars and highly practioners also regards this day a special day and accumulate merits.

Actually the day Chodkhor Duchen is celebrated on the 4th which is the day where the heaven kings Bhrama and Indra visited Buddha and requested Buddha to turn the wheel of Dharma and Buddha accepted the request. This is the day that Buddha started his mission to teach the path of enlightenment.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone