Are you ready for Saka Dawa?

We are fast approaching the auspicious merit-multiplying day of Saka Dawa Duchen — the fifteenth day of the fourth month in the Tibetan lunar calendar — which commemorates Shakyamuni Buddha’s birth, enlightenment, and parinirvana.

Saka Dawa Duchen, which is on June 14 this year, is one of the four great holy days of the Tibetan calendar. On this day, the karmic results are multiplied by 300 million times, as it commemorates Shakyamuni Buddha’s three major life events.

Click here to find Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s advice for Saka Dawa.

Overview

At Nalanda, we also aim to have a meaningful Saka Dawa day by following the advice of Rinpoche.

After taking the 8 Mahayana Precepts, our community will participate in Lama Tsongkapa’s Guru Yoga, then Geshe Gyaltsen, our resident teacher, will give brief teachings on mind transformation (lo-jong), using the The 37 Practices of Bodhisattvas text by by Thogmé Sangpo (1295-1369). Geshe-la will also give the oral transmission (lung) of that precious text.

After lunch, we’ll have an animal liberation puja near the stupa outside, then we’ll proceed with the recitation of the Sutra Remembering the Three Jewels, Vajra Cutter Sutra, King of Prayers.

The Saka Dawa day here at Nalanda will finish with the special Guru Puja (Lama Chöpa) with Tsog, which will also be live-streamed on our YouTube channel.

Schedule

Schedule for Tuesday, 14th of June:

06:00 Taking the 8 Mahayana precepts
07:00 Sojong (for monastics only)
10:00 Teachings on The 37 Practices of Bodhisattvas and lung by Geshe Gyaltsen (live-streamed here)
12:30 Special Lunch
14:00 Animal Liberation Puja (near the stupa)
16:30 Sutra Recitations (Sutra Remembering the Three Jewels, Vajra Cutter Sutra, King of Prayers)
19:00 Special Lama Chopa & Tsog (live-streamed here)

All times are CEST.

Feel free to join us for any part of the program either online or in person!

P.S. If you also want to join us for the special Saka Dawa’s lunch, please contact kitchen@nalanda-monastery.eu mentioning your name, number of people and preference (vegan/vegetarian).

Support Us

If you would like to contribute towards extensive offerings for this Guru Puja, click on the Donate button, selecting “Saka Dawa: Guru Puja” in the drop-down menu and then specifying the names for the special dedication.

Please note, the final day for donation would be Sunday (12 June), because shopping needs to be done and the altar nicely arranged prior to the Puja.

You can also contribute towards Animal Liberation Puja on Saka Dawa, using the same donation form and selecting “Animal Liberation” in the drop-down menu.