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)

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)

• https://www.universalcompassion.org/event/saga-dawa-duchen-2021/
• https://www.greattibettour.com/festivals/saga-dawa-festival.html
• https://wondersoftibet.com/about-tibet/festivals/saga-dawa/