Saka Dawa Holy Month 2021

Saka Dawa is the month when we honor Shakyamuni Buddha's birth, enlightenment and parinirvana (passing from this life). This month, May 12 through June 10, is especially auspicious for spiritual practice  — the karmic effects of all actions are multiplied one hundred thousand times.  Geshe Gelek and Geshe Sangpo advise that we can create merit by going around the stupa (or the entire Center building), reciting mantras and sutras, liberating animals, saying prayers and doing charitable works. Those who have taken precepts from a qualified master are encouraged to do so at home before your altar.

One powerful practice is to take the Eight Mahayana Precepts, simple vows of morality that we take for 24 hours. These must be taken from a qualified master the first time, and Lama Zopa Rinpoche has kindly made it possible to begin doing this practice by taking the precepts online from Rinpoche himself! (Please note: this web page was created in 2020 and cites the date of the 15th day for 2020. In 2021, that date is May 26.)

May 26 is Saka Dawa Düchen, the full moon day. Kadampa Center will hold a Medicine Buddha Puja online at 12pm on this day. 

Because of the Covid pandemic, Kadampa Center will not hold any events at the center for Saka Dawa. Please remember all those suffering from the virus in your prayers. 

Specific practices recommended by Lama Zopa Rinpoche for these special days:

• Taking the eight Mahayana precepts: Students can receive the lineage of these precepts from a specially produced video of Lama Zopa Rinpoche granting them, which was edited from Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s Teachings on Thought Transformation during the Time of COVID-19 and Practice Advice at Kopan Monastery, recorded in May 2020.
• Reciting the Sutra Remembering the Three Jewels

Other recommended practices include:

• Reciting sutras, such as Vajra Cutter Sutra, Sutra of Golden Light, and Sanghata Sutra
• Reciting other prayers, such as Chanting the Names of Manjushri and King of Prayers
• Performing the Guru Shakyamuni Buddha puja
• Undertaking Nyung nes
• Performing self-initiation, for those who fulfilled the necessary prerequisites
• Performing Lama Chopa, and at either the beginning of the practice or during the lamrim section, you can meditate on emptiness
• Reciting the names of the Thirty-Five Buddhas, with prostrations
• Reciting Vajrasattva mantras
• Reciting OṂ MAṆI PADME HŪṂ with bodhichitta
• Meditating on emptiness and dependent arising
• Meditating on bodhichitta
• Practicing tonglen
• Rejoicing
• Liberating animals
• Joining in activities as your local FPMT Center