How to Create Great Benefit during Saka Dawa Holy Month

Saka Dawa is the month when we honor Shakyamuni Buddha's birth, enlightenment and parinirvana (passing from this life). This month is especially auspicious for spiritual practice  — the karmic effects of all actions are multiplied one hundred thousand times.

One powerful practice is to take the Eight Mahayana Precepts, simple vows of morality that we take for 24 hours. These must be taken from a qualified master the first time, and Lama Zopa Rinpoche has kindly made it possible to begin doing this practice by taking the precepts online from Rinpoche himself!  (Please note: This web page was created in 2020, and mentions a date for the 15th day of Saka Dawa - for 2020. In 2021, that date is May 26.) 

Those who have taken precepts from a qualified master are encouraged to do so at home before your altar.

Geshe Gelek and Geshe Sangpo advise that we can create merit by:

going around the stupa (or the entire Center building),

reciting mantras and sutras, liberating animals,

saying prayers

      And simple acts of kindness:

take your pet out for a romp in the dog park or a walk in the neighborhood

when you see people, say something kind

feed your children

do charitable works