SAKA DAWA—SACRED and CELEBRATORY MONTH from May 31 thru June 29,2022 – Special Day is June 14, full moon day

May 31, 2022 by  
Filed under Completed Special Events

During this period, we commemorate the Birth, the Enlightenment, and the Parinirvana (passing on) of the Buddha. 

OM MUNI MUNI MAHA MUNI SHAKYAMUNI SVAHA


  The most holy day is the day of the full moon (the 15th Tibetan day), which is on Tuesday, June 14. 


During this entire period, the merit of all good that you think or do is multiplied many times, from 100 to 100,000 times to as many as one hundred million times.  On the other hand, your negative deeds and thoughts are also multiplied. 


Therefore, this is a perfect time to be focused on and dedicated to spiritually and ethically positive thinking and behavior.

WHAT TO DO
Here are some suggestions of what we might do during Saka Dawa.

*Respectfully clean your shrine and make offerings to the Three Jewels and your shrine space.
*Practice generosity to all beings. This includes the generosity of forgiving the people and situations that upset and enrage you. Forgive yourself, too, in order to awaken your own Buddha-nature.
*Practice meditation, especially with compassion and without grasping.  Do any of your Buddhist practices with focus and sincerity. 
*Recite long-life prayers for your gurus.
*Light incense and candles, place water bowls, and dedicate them to the Three Jewels. 
*Read biographies of the Mahasiddhas and of great Lamas. 
*Save and assist animals and insects.
*Be kind and patient with all people.

*Eat vegetarian or vegan. <–This is recommended by Lama Kunga RInpoche, especially on June 14th.
*You can also make mental offerings of all kinds. 
*Some people take the Eight Mahayana Precepts for a day or more, especially on the full moon day, June 14th.   
*Do purification practices, such as, Vajrasattva or Prostrations to the 35 Confession Buddhas.
*Spend a couple of days eating like an ordained person, which means, don’t eat after 1:00 pm. 
*Recite food offering prayers before you take food, and visualize the offering to the Three Jewels.
*With a view of emptiness, dedicate the merit of everything you do to all sentient beings.

                                   
For a copy of the Food Prayer used at Ewam Choden click HERE.

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