SPIRITUAL: Holy Day

Chokhor Düchen Buddha Holy Day Buddha's First Teaching

Seven weeks after attaining enlightenment at Bodhgaya, Shakyamuni Buddha gave his first teaching, on the Four Noble Truths, at Deer Park in Sarnath.  We celebrate this day as Chokhor Düchen.  As one of the four Great Holy Days (or Buddha Days) of Tibetan Buddhism, Chokhor Düchen is a merit-multiplying day, in which the karma from our positive actions is multiplied 100 million times, as taught in the vinaya text Treasure of Quotations and Logic.  Geshe Gelek will offer the Eight Mahayana Precepts and lead us in lamrim meditations and Lama Tsongkhapa Guru Yoga on this especially auspicious day for spiritual practice.  Please see the full schedule for Chokhur Düchen below and plan to join us for any or all of these Spiritual Program offerings. Monday, July 28th, 2025, beginning at 5:30 am.

SCHEDULE for CHOKHOR DÜCHEN 2025

5:15 am: Kadampa Center opens; students arrive.

5:30 am: Geshe Gelek arrives and confers the Eight Mahayana Precepts.

Light breakfast offered by Kadampa Center following the precepts

~8:00 am:  Geshe-la leads Lamrim meditations and Lama Tsongkhapa Guru Yoga

11:30 am: Lunch offered by Kadampa Center

12:00 - 6:00 pm:  Kadampa Center remains open for personal practice

OPPORTUNITY TO SPONSOR CHOKHOR DÜCHEN HOLY DAY

Sponsoring a Buddha Holy Day is an incredible opportunity to earn merit.  Your sponsorship not only benefits you, it also serves our entire community by helping to make holy day events and other Spiritual Programs possible at Kadampa Center.  Sponsors also have the opportunity to offer a dedication of their sponsorship.  Anyone is welcome to sponsor Chokhor Düchen Holy Day.  Here's how:

1. Offer your $108 sponsorship HERE.

2. Submit your dedication HERE.

ABOUT CHOKHOR DUCHEN and INTERNATIONAL SANGHA DAY

At his first teaching, the Buddha expressed his profound realization of the nature of existence in the Four Noble Truths:

1.  The Truth of Suffering
2.  The Truth of the Origin of Suffering
3.  The Truth of the Cessation of Suffering
4.  The Truth of the Path to the Cessation of Suffering

This teaching, referred to as the First Turning of the Wheel of Dharma, led to the formation of the Sangha - the community of disciples committed to following the Buddha's example of living simply, following the Path, and teaching the Dharma.  Accordingly, Chokhor Düchen is recognized by the FPMT as International Sangha Day, therefore, FPMT Centers are encouraged to celebrate the presence of the sangha in their community and worldwide.  Please consider showing your appreciation to Kadampa Center's monks and nuns by making offerings (financial and/or notes of thanks) to them on this special day.  See Kadampa Center's Sangha Support and Offerings page for detailed information on ways in which you can offer support to our sangha members.

Additional practice advice, plus more about Chokhor Düchen and International Sangha Day, can be found HERE.

Geshe Gelek confers Refuge and Lay Vows on Saka Dawa Düchen

On this Buddha Holy Day of Saka Dawa Düchen, Geshe Gelek has kindly offered to confer Refuge and Lay Vows.  It is incredibly auspicious to be able to take these vows on one of the four great holy days, when the karmic effects of our actions are increased exponentially! The Refuge Ceremony takes place on Wednesday, June 11, 7:00-8:30 PM (ET), and is being offered in person only. Pre-registration is required only if taking refuge for the first time.  Registration is now closed.  Please contact linda.saah@kadampa-center.org if you have questions or need assistance.

OPPORTUNITY TO SPONSOR THE REFUGE CEREMONY ON SAKA DAWA

Taking refuge in the Three Jewels ~ Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha ~ on a Buddha Holy Day is an especially auspicious and powerful opportunity, and sponsoring a Buddha Holy Day is an incredible opportunity to earn merit.  Your sponsorship not only benefits you, it also serves our entire community by helping to make holy day events possible.  Sponsors also have the opportunity to offer a dedication of their sponsorship.  Anyone is welcome to sponsor Saka Dawa Düchen Holy Day and the Refuge Ceremony.  Here's how:

1. Offer your $125 sponsorship HERE.

2. Submit your dedication HERE. 

ABOUT REFUGE & LAY VOWS

• Taking Refuge Vows is making a commitment to Buddhism as one's spiritual path and creates a strong karmic bond to the refuge master who offers the vows.  During the Refuge Ceremony, registered students who are taking refuge for the first time will be given their refuge name (in Tibetan) by Geshe Gelek. This new name represents a new life on the Dharma path. 

• The Five Lay Vows are a set of basic ethical principles: not to kill, not to take what has not been given, not to lie, not to take intoxicants, and not to commit sexual misconduct (that is, have sex with someone else's partner). The Five Lay Vows are lifetime vows and should be taken with the confidence and commitment that you will keep them.

ABOUT THE REFUGE CEREMONY

Students taking Refuge for the first time:

• If taking refuge for the first time, students are required to pre-register.  Registration is closed.  Questions? Please contact linda.saah@kadampa-center.org.

• If taking refuge for the first time, students must make plans to be at Kadampa Center no later than 6:30 PM (ET) on Wednesday, June 11th, to attend a mandatory pre-ceremony orientation and rehearsal ~ this is very important!

• Students should bring two katas with them and a monetary offering (any amount) in an envelope for Geshe Gelek.  A note of appreciation can be included if you wish.

Students who have previously taken Refuge: 

• Please do NOT register for the Refuge Ceremony if you have previously taken refuge.

• Are welcome to attend the Refuge Ceremony and may renew your lay vows, if you wish.  

• Should NOT join the queue of students offering katas to Geshe-la and receiving a refuge name ~ these are only for students taking refuge for the first time.

• If you have previously taken Refuge at any point in your life with Geshe-la or another Refuge Master, you should NOT register and you are not required to attend the pre-ceremony orientation and rehearsal.

Preparing ahead of time to take Refuge, both mentally and logistically:

• To prepare mentally (ahead of time) to take Refuge and the Five Lay Vows (Precepts):

  • Geshe Gelek recommends that anyone interested in taking refuge should read the refuge section in Liberation in the Palm of Your Hand (available for purchase as an eBook from FPMT's Foundation Store).

  • Students are also encouraged to listen to a teaching on refuge given by Geshe-la ~ listen to the recording HERE.

  • Learn more about vows from this article in FPMT's Mandala Magazine.

  • Read a teaching on refuge given by Lama Yeshe HERE.

• To prepare logistically (ahead of time) for the Refuge Ceremony:

  • Bring two katas, as it is traditional to offer one to the Buddha statue on the altar and one to offer to Geshe Gelek.  Katas are available for purchase ahead of time in our Dharma Shop.

  • Additionally, it is also auspicious to bring a monetary offering (any amount) for Geshe Gelek in an envelope to show your appreciation for the incredible gift he has just given you with this opportunity to take refuge.  If you wish, you may also include a card expressing your thanks.

TIBETAN NEW YEAR ~ LOSAR ~ YEAR OF THE WOOD SNAKE
LOSAR TASHI DELEK!  HAPPY NEW YEAR! Join us on Sunday, March 2, 2025 from 10:30 am - noon (EST) All are welcome!

With the recent passing of His Holiness's brother, the annual Losar event held at Kadampa Center will take on more of a "spiritual" feel, than celebratory, this year.  On February 9th, Gyalo Thondup, the second-eldest brother of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, passed away at the age of 97.  Geshe Gelek and Geshe Sangpo will lead us in prayers and practices to honor Gyalo Thondup, including an incense offering, called sang-sol, outside at the stupa.  We will also have the opportunity to make khata offerings to His Holiness.

During this holy day event, we will learn about Losar, or Tibetan New Year, and how it is prepared for and celebrated in Tibetan culture.  Bring your appetite, as the Kadampa Center community will be treated to delicious, traditional Tibetan tea and Losar treats!

NOTE: The regularly scheduled Family Program, typically held on the second Sunday of each month, is canceled in March.

HOW TO ATTEND THE LOSAR CELEBRATION

• Attend onsite, in person at Kadampa Center!

• Join on Zoom HERE.

• Watch via live stream on YouTube HERE.

MORE ABOUT LOSAR AND THE FIFTEEN DAYS OF MIRACLES

Tibetan New Year ~ Losar ~ falls on Friday, February 28th this year.  Kadampa Center's celebration takes place on Sunday, March 2nd ~ all are invited!  Losar marks the beginning of the Fifteen Days of Miracles, which culminates on the fifteenth day of the Tibetan lunar calendar and is knows as Chotrul Düchen.  Throughout these fifteen days, Guru Shakyamuni Buddha showed miraculous powers to inspire faith in his followers.  Lama Zopa Rinpoche advised us that this is an especially auspicious time to do spiritual practice because, as Buddha Holy Days, our merit multiplies exponentially.  For FPMT centers, Losar is a particularly special time as it commemorates the anniversary of FPMT founder Lama Yeshe’s passing (parinirvana) at dawn of Losar in 1984.

THE GREAT PRAYER FESTIVAL February 28 - March 14, 2025 The Great Prayer Festival, also known as the Fifteen Days of Miracles or Monlam Chenmo in Tibetan, begins on Losar (the Tibetan New Year) and ends on what is known as the Day of Miracles, or Chotrul Düchen in Tibetan. Join us for Kadampa Center's annual Losar event on Sunday, March 2, from 10am-noon.

During these fifteen days, the karmic results of all our actions - both positive and negative - are multiplied millions of times (as cited by Lama Zopa Rinpoche, from the Vinaya text Treasures of Quotations and Logic).  Therefore, the Great Prayer Festival is an incredibly auspicious time to make a conscientious effort to do Dharma practice or any positive action, such as smiling at others, extending patience and kindness to others, making financial offerings, etc.

Students can find Lama Zopa Rinpoche's collection of advice for merit multiplying days, including the Fifteen Days of Miracles, on the FPMT website HERE.

Lhabab Düchen ~ Descent of Lord Buddha from the God Realm of the Thirty-three
	Geshe Gelek leads lamrim meditations and practices on Lhabab Düchen Friday, November 22,  beginning at 1:00 pm and lasting until about 3:00 pm ~ offered in person and online ~

HOW TO ATTEND

1. In person at Kadampa Center

2. Join via Zoom HERE

3. Watch on YouTube HERE

ABOUT LHABAB DÜCHEN

Occurring on the 22nd day of the ninth month on the Tibetan lunar calendar, Lhabab Düchen is one of the four major Buddhist Holy days of the year.  This year, Lhabab Düchen takes place on November 22, 2024. 

Lhabab Düchen celebrates Guru Shakyamuni Buddha’s return to Earth from the God Realm of the Thirty-Three after teaching Dharma for several months to the gods, including his mother, Mayadevi, who had died a week after Buddha’s birth and been reborn there. 

As a merit multiplying day, the karmic results of actions done on this day are multiplied 100 million times. This amazing result is taught in the vinaya text Treasure of Quotations and Logic.

More about Lhabab Düchen can be found HERE.

MAKING OFFERINGS ON LHABAB DÜCHEN

1.   Sponsor Lhabab Düchen Holy Day activities, $108

   • make your financial sponsorship HERE

   • dedicate your generorsity HERE

2.   Make offerings to Kadampa Center sangha members by placing financial and/or notes of thanks and kindness in envelopes for our precious monks and nuns.

3.   Contribute to the FPMT Puja Fund ~ learn more about the Puja Fund and make your donation HERE

On this Lhabab Düchen holy day - a merit-multiplying day - Geshe Gelek will offer the Eight Mahayana Precepts at Kadampa Center. Students who wish to take precepts for the very first time, please register HERE. Students who have taken precepts previously do NOT need to register.  You are, however, encouraged and welcome to attend the precepts ceremony at the Center with Geshe-la and other students (alternatively. you may choose to take the precepts at home in front of your home altar).

SCHEDULE FOR TAKING PRECEPTS ON LHABAB DÜCHEN HOLY DAY 

• Before deciding to take the Eight Mahayana Precepts for the very first time, new students are encouraged to read and learn about the commitments involved in taking the precepts (see below for more information).

• 6:00 am -- Kadampa Center opens

• 6:15 am -- Students taking precepts should arrive no later than 6:15am for a brief orientation about what to expect

• 6:30 am -- Geshe Gelek arrives and the precepts ceremony will begin

• After the ceremony, the Center closes and reopens at 12:30 pm

• NOTE: Kadampa Center will not provide breakfast after the precepts ceremony.  Please enjoy your breakfast of preference in the comfort of your own home, and then join us for Lamrim meditations with Geshe-la at 1:00 pm.

• 12:30 pm -- Kadampa Center reopens

• 1:00 pm -- Geshe Gelek arrives and leads lamrim meditations and practices ~ everyone is welcome to attend regardless of having taken precepts or not

THE EIGHT MAHAYANA PRECEPTS

The Eight Mahayana Precepts are a set of vows that are taken for 24 hours, from first light before dawn to sunrise of the following day. The only prerequisite is that the first time one takes precepts it should be from a qualified teacher who has received the oral transmission of the practice. Thereafter you can perform the ceremony at first light yourself, reciting the prayers before an image of your teacher or the Buddha, imagining you are taking the vows from Buddha himself.

 It is good to take them on full and new moon days, and especially beneficial on Buddha Holy Days, when Karmic results are multiplied exponentionally, according to Lama Zopa Rinpoche, citing the Vinaya text Treasure of Quotations and Logic.

These Mahayana Precepts enable you to live in the essence of pure moral conduct, and since you take them with the strong motivation of cherishing and wishing to benefit all others, their value is immeasurable. Taking the precept vows is a powerful and effective way for you to build, maintain and increase deep propensities for spiritual practice and attainment and thus is a profound method for giving meaning to this precious human life. 

The essence of this practice is to recall the Mahayana motivation: to take these precepts to become enlightened in order to lead all sentient beings to enlightenment.

The eight precepts are:

1. Not to kill, even insects.
2. Not to steal (not to take what has not been offered).
3. Not to engage in sexual contact.
4. Not to lie.
5. Not use intoxicants: alcohol, tobacco and drugs (except for medicinal purposes).
6. Not to eat at wrong times.*
7. Not to sit on high, expensive beds or seats with pride. Avoid sitting on animal skins.
8. Not to wear jewelry, perfume, or makeup; and not to sing, dance, or play music with attachment.

*It is alright to eat a light breakfast before or after the precepts. Avoid eating black foods: meat, eggs, onions, garlic, and radishes. The main meal of the day is to be finished by midday.  After that, one can take light drinks, but not undiluted whole milk or fruit juice with pulp, nor any food until sunrise of the following day.

Learn more about the Eight Mahayana Precepts HERE.

Learn more about Lama Zopa Rinpoche offering the Eight Mahayana Precepts online HERE.