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Shakyamuni Buddha by Jane Seidlitz.
Saka Dawa is the most important Tibetan Buddhist festival day, celebrating Lord Buddha’s birth, enlightenment and parinirvana. Buddhists around the world engage in many auspicious and merit-making activities such as sponsoring or engaging in beneficial pujas, practices, and prayers; and making extensive offerings to teachers, holy objects, and auspicious charitable activities. This year, Saka Dawa took place on June 17.
Each year on Saka Dawa and other Buddha multiplying days, as well as other auspicious days of the Tibetan calendar, the FPMT Puja Fund sponsors prayers, pujas, and offerings around the world.
Please rejoice in the following activities that were sponsored this year on Saka Dawa!
Pujas Offered by Over 15,650 Ordained Sangha
- Recitation of the Prajnaparamita (three versions) read by the 650 monks of Gyurme Tantric College.
- Recitation of the 100,000 Praises to 21 Taras offered by 400 nuns of Kopan Nunnery.
- Druk Chu Ma, Namgyäl Tong Chö, and Zangcho offered by 6,000 monks of Sera Je and Sera Mey Monasteries.
- Druk Chu Ma, Medicine Buddha Puja and Zangcho offered by 3,400 monks of Gaden Jangtse and Shartse Monasteries.
- Druk Chu Ma, Namgyäl Tsechog and Zangcho offered by 4,200 monks of Drepung Gomang, Loseling and Deyang Monasteries.
- Namgyäl Tong Chö and Zangcho offered by 600 monks of Gyuto Tantric Colleges.
- Druk Ch Ma, Medicine Buddha Puja and Zangcho offered by the 370 monks of Kopan Monastery.
- Making and filling of stupas and lunch offering to participants at Chenrezig Institute, Australia.
Offerings are made to all of Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s gurus, such as:
- His Holiness the Dalai Lama
- His Holiness the Sakya Trizin
- Jhado Rinpoche
- Khongla Rato Rinpoche
Offerings are made to over 15,650 Sangha at:
- Sera Je and Sera Mey Monastery
- Gaden Jangtse and Shartse Monastery
- Drepung Gomang, Loseling and Deyang Monastary
- Gyurme and Gyuto Tantric College
- Kopan Monastery and Nunnery
Offerings are made to Sangha at IMI communities:
- Nalanda Monastery, France
- Thubten Shedrup Ling, Australia
- Istituto Lama Tzong Khapa, Italy
- Chenrezig Institute, Australia
Offerings Made to Holy Objects in Nepal, India and Tibet:
- Bouddhanath and Swayambunath stupas: Offering white wash and four giant saffron flower petals and new umbrellas to the stupas’ pinnacles
- Buddha inside the Bodhgaya Mahabodhi temple: Offering a new set of robes of the most precious material
- Jowo Buddha in Lhasa’s Jokang: Offering gold to the holy body of the Jowo Buddha
Extensive offerings (water, lights, fruit) were also made in all the FPMT centers around the world, as well as many recommended prayers, practices and activities.
The Puja Fund was established by Lama Zopa Rinpoche so that beneficial prayers and pujas on holy days, as well as other occasions, can be offered and dedicated to the long life of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and to the success of all the FPMT centers, projects, services, students, benefactors, and those serving the organization in any way.
All are welcome to participate in all of this beneficial activity by rejoicing in this incredible list of activities. All are also welcome to donate any amount to the many prayers, practices, and offerings sponsored by the Puja Fund so that this activity can continue far into the future.
Extensive prayers, practices, and offerings will be sponsored during the next Buddha multiplying day, Chokhor Duchen, which takes place this year on August 4.
Learn more about the Puja Fund or FPMT’s other extensive charitable activity.