On November 22, Buddhist Temple "Tubden Shedubling" in Moscow celebrated one of the 4 main buddhist holidays - Buddha’s Descent from the Tushita Heaven.
This sacred day began with 1-day vow taking ritual (Tekchen sojong) under the guidance of Geshe Yonten. After which a festive prayer service was held with the participation of distinguished guests:
His Excellency Vinay Kumar, the Ambassador of India in Russian Federation, representatives from Nepal, Cambodia, as well as Nikolai Alexandrovich Listopadov, a retired ambassador who served for many years in the Russian embassies in Burma and Nepal.
On this special day for Buddhists, His Excellency Vinay Kumar, the Ambassador of India in Russian Federation, congratulated all Buddhists on the occasion.
This holiday is significant because Buddha Shakyamuni, filled with gratitude and compassion, ascended to the Heaven of 33 Deities of Tushita to share the Dharma with his mother. Ambassador Vinay Kumar emphasized this, and shared that Indian culture recognizes three primary debts: the debt to parents who gave us life, the debt to the gods who created the world, and the debt to society, which sustains us throughout life. The Ambassador expressed his respect for the Buddhist tradition and its great teacher, who, even after achieving liberation and enlightenment, gave us an extraordinary lesson on the importance of honoring our mothers. The honored guest invited everyone to care for one another, all living beings, and plants that inhabit our world.
Geshe Yonten, the head of the Central Spiritual Administration of Buddhists, thanked the Ambassador for his visit:
“We are very glad that, in honor of this holiday, we are visited by His Excellency, the Ambassador of India in Russia, Mr. Vinay Kumar. We have a special connection with India; our teachings and view originate from this country. It is very gratifying to welcome the esteemed Ambassador as if all Indian people are here in our temple celebrating with us”.
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