Saga Dawa Düchen

The most important month in the Tibetan lunar calendar is Saga Dawa, the 4th lunar month which runs from May 23rd up until June 21st, 2020. The 15th day of this lunar month, the full moon day, is called Saga Dawa Düchen (Düchen means “great occasion”). In 2020, Saga Dawa Düchen falls on Friday, June 5th. This day is the single most important holy day of the year for Tibetan Buddhists.

Saga Dawa Düchen commemorates the birth, enlightenment, and parinirvana of our perfect and most supreme teacher, Buddha Shakyamuni. In other Buddhist traditions this occasion is known as Buddha Purnima, or Buddha Day and is celebrated slightly earlier than Saga Dawa as it is based off of a different lunar calendar. Last year we honored this auspiciously great occasion at the Buddhist Institute with an inter-tradition gathering that brought together Venerable’s and fellow Dharma brothers and sisters from four different Buddhist temples. We may be from different tradition’s, however we all follow and praise the same foremost teacher, Buddha Shakyamuni.

Saga Dawa: the Month of Merits

Saga Dawa is known as the month of merits, it’s also called bumgyur dawa, which means “merits multiplied by a hundred thousand times.” Tibetan Buddhists worldwide make extra efforts in practicing Dharma, generosity, and compassion in order to accumulate greater virtuous merits and purify our negative karmas.

Saga Dawa Celebration:

Join us for Saga Dawa Duchen on Zoom at 6:30 PM PST! Venerable Geshe Phelgye has offered to teach a special retreat honoring this sacred day.

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89871004703

Meeting ID: 898 7100 4703