Online Saga Dawa Duchen / Vesak day Festival 2021.
In commemoration of the Lord Buddha’s Birth, Enlightenment and Parinirvana, let us dedicate every moment of this holy month for the development of our inner positive qualities in the benefit of all mother beings.
Programme
1 Taking the eight Mahayana precept Vows
Date 26 may 2021 Time 6:30 am IST 9:00 am SGT
2 Guru puja and tsok offering, Recitation of Mani mantra, The bathing Buddha and Marme monlam prayer.
Date 26 may 2021 Time 5 to 7 pm IST 7:30 to 10 pm SGT
Led by H.E. 9th Kundor Rinpoche la and Geshe Lobsang Tenzin
Saga Dawa (also known as Saga Dawa), ས་ག་ཟླ་བ། represents the holiest and most scared days in Tibetan Buddhism. Falling on the fourth month of the Tibetan Calendar, the religious festivities of Saga Dawa peak on the 15th Lunar Day when there is a full moon. This day is associated with three major events in the life of Shakyamuni Buddha-his birth, his enlightenment on a full moon night, and his parinirvana.
In Tibetan Dawa means “month” while Saga means the “name of the closet star to the earth” during the lunar month which is prominently visible. In Tibetan astrological calculations, Saga is one of the 28 known major stars.On the main Saga Dawa day, takes place this year on 26 May 2021, a special puja is carried out by monks in the monasteries early in the morning. Additionally, sutras are recited and Cham dances are also performed at the monastery. After this, Tibetans take an oath of the Eight Mahayana precepts to be observed during the day.Saga Dawa –A meritorious month Saga Dawa is regarded as a great time to earn merits and attain spirituality, purification and enlightenment by Tibetans.
This meritorious month carries a special aspect whereby any good deeds performed during the month are rewarded with one hundred million times greater good karma.
In Tibetan, it is also known as Bumgyur Dawa, “the 100,000 multiplying month”, as all skillful and unskillful actions are said to be multiplied by 100,000 times. These meritorious activities revolve around early teachings of sila (morality), dana (generosity) and bhavana (meditation).
The meritorious worthy acts include: Pilgrimage to sacred Tibetan places such as mountains, lakes and caves, notable monasteries and temples. Performing koras in a clockwise direction around a shrine or other holy places. Pilgrims pray, prostrate themselves and chant mantras such as the “OM Mani Padme Hum, Buddha Shakyamuni” mantra or White or Green Tara mantras, Giving donations to monasteries, monks and nuns. Giving charity to the poor. Eradicating the dark forces by lightening butter lamps. Refraining from eating meat. Setting animals free into their habitat.
