Saka Dawa is the holiest day of the year according to the Tibetan calendar. It celebrates the Buddha’s birth, passing, and para-nirvana. This year it takes place on May 29. Suggested practices include:
- Lama Zopa Rinpoche recommends offering a complete recitation of the Sutra of Golden Light (resources available here).
- Taking the Eight Mahayana precepts
- Doing Nyungnye practice and any other Dharma practice with a pure motivation
- This is also a perfect opportunity to accumulate merit by refraining from killing by being vegetarian for a day. Wangchen Rinpoche writes, “Buddha gave permission for his fellow monks to eat meat if it is offered, but only if the offering is free from three conditions. The three conditions are: 1) you saw the animal being purposely killed for you, 2) you didn’t see it, but you heard about it, 3) you have a doubt about it, and you think it might have been killed for you. If you know for sure that the meat offering is free from these three conditions, Buddha gave permission to eat it.” (Buddhist Fasting Practice: the nyungnye method of thousand-armed Chenrezig: Snow Lion: 2009).
For more information about Saka Dawa and Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s recommendations for practice, please visit the FPMT website.
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