Saga Dawa/Saga Dawa Duchen 2020

AT KAMALASHILA TIBETAN BUDDHIST CENTRE
23 MAY – 21 JUNE 2020

Saga Dawa/Saga Dawa Duchen begins on the 1st day of the 4th lunar month calendar – 2147 

This being the most important month in the Tibetan lunar calendar, called Saga Dawa. The 15th day of this 4th lunar month, the full moon day is called Saga Dawa Düchen ས་ག་ཟླ་བ་དུས་ཆེན་ which falls this year on Monday 5 June 2020 (Sangye & Nyangde Düchen). Düchen means “Great Occasion” and this day is the single most holy day of the year for Tibetan Buddhists. Saga Dawa Düchen commemorates the Birth, Enlightenment, and Parinirvana of Buddha Shakyamuni marked all on this same day. Although, there is a specific separate day in which Buddha Shakyamuni’s birth is celebrated, referred to as Tampei Düchen, this year falling on Sunday 29 May 2020. 

In other Buddhist traditions this occasion is known as Wesak or is sometimes called Buddha Day and may fall within a different month, yet around the same time of the year.
Saga Dawa is known as the month of merits. Tibetan Buddhists make extra efforts to practice more generosity (Dana), virtue, and compassion to accumulate greater merit. Tibetans believe that on the 10th and 15th day of this month the merits of one’s actions are hugely increased, 100,000x positive actions or negative. Accumulating this merit is understood in many ways, it could be the fruits of good karma, especially when it brings us closer to enlightenment. The three grounds of meritorious actions are generosity and mental culture or meditation. 

Traditionally, the holy day of Saga Dawa Düchen is observed through practice, generosity, and the performance of meritorious deeds, such as the practice of Life Release. This is commonly performed by purchasing animals that are destined to be killed (like lambs, fish, worms and/or crickets), and releasing them into their natural habitats with prayers and positive aspirations. One must be mindful though that this release does not cause them more suffering being in the wrong environment. As Khenpo-la always suggests and reminds us during this most auspicious and sacred month to be vegetarian, to release any animals that may have otherwise been killed for food or other reasons. The act of giving life in this way is believed to extend the practitioner or benefactor’s lifespan and create positive circumstances. You can also take an extended vow or vegetarianism, creating vast merit through your noble aspiration to reduce suffering.

“Behold, O monks, this is my last advice to you.
All component things in the world are changeable.
They are not lasting.
Work hard to gain your own salvation.”
The Buddha

At Kamalashila Tibetan Buddhist Centre there is an opportunity to sponsor (Dana) towards the daily lighting of candles. The first 9 days of Saga Dawa there will be 50 candles lit on each day at the centre, on the 10th and 15th days, 100 candles will be offered. 

The Birth of the Buddha (Prince Siddhartha)

Buddha Shakyamuni’s enlightenment

The passing of the Buddha into Parninirvana with 500 of his closest disciples