Happy Saka Dawa!

The full moon day of Saka Dawa commemorates Lord Buddha's birth, enlightenment, and parinirvana. As cited by Lama Zopa Rinpoche in the Vinaya text Treasure of Quotations and Logic, virtuous actions done on this day are multiplied one hundred million times.

Practices specifically recommended by Rinpoche for Saka Dawa include:

• Taking the Eight Mahayana Precepts
• Doing Nyung näs
• Performing the Guru Shakyamuni Buddha puja

Of course, any other meritorious activities often advised by Lama Zopa Rinpoche are also good to do on this day, such as recitation of the Sanghatastura, Golden Light Sutra, etc. with extensive dedications. These texts are available on Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s advice page at http://www.fpmt.org/teachers/zopa/advice/.

In addition, you might consider including children in your Saka Dawa celebrations and reading, Prince Siddhartha, the Story of Buddha, by Jon Landaw and Janet Brooks. This is a children’s book with beautiful drawings and a simple, accurate telling of the life story of Lord Buddha. This book is available at: http://shop.fpmt.org/Eight-Plays-for-Children_p_128.html

The ceremony for taking the Eight Mahayana Precepts can be found in the “Morning Prayers” section of Essential Buddhist Prayers, Vol. 1. We have a beautiful color cover glossy booklet for Nyung Nä, complete with instructions for how to do the practice available through the Foundation Store (shop.fpmt.org).