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Saga Dawa is the most significant “merit multiplying month ” for Vajrayana Practitioners and Tibetan Buddhism in general.  In Tibetan, “Dawa” refers to the whole “month” and “Saga” is the name of a star  in the sky which appears especially brighter during the fourth lunar month. Saga Dawa begins May 12,2021 up until June 10, 2021.  The 15th day of this fourth lunar month which is the full moon is called Saga Dawa Duchen.   Wednesday, May 26, 2021 is the full moon celebration this year.  This is the most important day of the year for all Vajrayana practitioners.   It commemorates the birth, enlightenment, and parinirvana of Lord Buddha Shakyamuni. (more from Rinpoche below)

Saga Dawa Duchen 2021
Wednesday, May 26th
5:00pm to 8:00pm Pacific Time
Online via Zoom.  Zoom link below.
(please note:  Weds. night practice is typically on Facebook, however this special event will not be on Facebook.  Please join the Zoom link below)

ZOOM Link to Join:  Saga Dawa Prayer Practice

Password required:  WorldPeace

Or join by phone (your normal phone charges may apply):
US: +1 669 900 6833 or +1 346 248 7799 or +1 253 215 8782 or +1 646 876 9923 or +1 301 715 8592 or +1 312 626 6799
Meeting ID: 970 1801 1835
International numbers available: https://middlebury.zoom.us/u/abeH9hRvO3
Phone Password: 470102 (no participant ID, press # to bypass)

Texts & Practice:

We will use two texts for the event, The Recitation for Accomplishment of Sukhavati from the Sky Dharma Mind Terma by  (though we will abbreviate), and the The King of Aspiration Prayers: Samantabhadra’s “Aspiration to Good Actions” (Zangchö Mönlam) from the Gaṇḍavyūha chapter of the Avataṃsaka sūtra.   Additionally, we will conduct an Amitabha Tsog Offering.

About Saga Dawa, written by Khenpo Karten Rinpoche 2021:

Wednesday, May 12, marked the beginning of the month of Saga Dawa which will end on June 10, 2021. This is the most auspicious month in the Tibetan lunar calendar. In Tibetan, “Saga” means fourth and is also the name of a star which is prominent in the sky during the fourth lunar month; “Dawa” refers to the whole month. Saga Dawa is sacred because in this month, three monumental events — the birth, enlightenment, and nirvana of Lord Buddha Shakyamuni — are all believed to have taken place. Because of this, throughout the month of Saga Dawa, there is a great multiplying effect of the meritorious and demeritorious actions of body, speech, and mind by 100,000 times. Throughout this month, any positive actions such as doing solitary retreats, meditation, prostrations, or any other form of virtuous Dharmic activities made through the body, speech, and mind will be multiplied by 100,000. In the same way, any unwholesome or negative activities will also be multiplied by 100,000.

The 15th day of this lunar month is a full moon and is called Saga Dawa Duchen. This year, Saga Dawa Duchen will take place on Wednesday, May 26. Saga Dawa Duchen, the “Great Occasion” of the month of Saga Dawa, commemorates the birth, enlightenment, and parinirvana of Lord Buddha Shakyamuni, the supreme and perfect Guru. The fifteenth day of the month is very special as the birth of Buddha Shakyamuni, which refers to the day the consciousness of the Buddha entered his mother’s womb rather than His physical birth. At the age of 35, the Buddha attained enlightenment at Bodhgaya. This day also marks the anniversary of His parinirvana at Kushinagara at the age of 80. This is the single most important day of the year for all Vajrayana practitioners and Tibetan Buddhists. Therefore, this month represents a great opportunity to commemorate and honor the Buddha, and to accumulate merit and purify our body, speech, and mind. This month only occurs once a year, so please wholeheartedly practice the Dharma during this precious time! Tashi Delek

About Saga Dawa, from Pema Tsultrim, 2020

Any positive actions like doing month long retreats, meditation, making lamp offerings, prostrations, animal liberation, the six paramitas or any other form of virtuous Dharma activities made by the body ,speech and mind during this whole month will be multipled 100,000 times. In the same way, any unwholesome or negative activities will also be multipled 100,000 times.

A beneficial opportunity during this special month might be the motivation for all of us to renew or re-energize our practice. During this time, one might do such practices as committing to reading a Buddhist book on a topic you have wanted to explore in more depth, spending a bit more time each day on your meditation cushion, and trying ways in which you can express more kindness and compassion for all beings around you. Specific activities that create much merit during this month include: making a generous donation offering to a dharma center or charity, and performing volunteer services for the organization of your choice.

Stepping up your activities by creating a more structured practice period for yourself during this month will result in the creation of great merit, benefiting yourself and others. Please don’t miss this opportunity to advance your practice during the most auspicious month of the entire Tibetan year. And we hope to see you at the Saga Dawa Duchen celebration on May 26!

About Tsog Offering:

In the teaching on the 8 extremes, coming/going, infinite/finite, singular/plural, existance/non-existance–we are asked to see a pure view that incorporates and transcends the labels.  The Tsog offering honors the divine within.  Rinpoche often reminds us, that although we visualize Buddha Amitabha (Buddha of Infinite Light) in the space before us,  that Buddha Amitabha and all the divine energies are also within us.  In a Tsog Offering, participants place tsog offerings like flowers and edible offerings:  fruits, biscuits, cheese/crackers, nuts, and (for those who have Highest Tantra initiation) a small amount of meat and alcohol, on their alter.  Participants will eat a small amount of the offerings to honor the divine within, and offer a portions to the divine without. It is a beautiful practice to accumulate merit and purify obscurations. (read more:  Tsog Offering advise from Lama Yeshe and Shambala publication)

More on the Tibetan Practice of Saga Dawa:

Here are a few sites with more information (Editors note: the Manjushri Dharma Center is not affiliated with any of these organizations)

 

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