Buddha Day – Saga Dawa Duchen

Today is one of the four great celebration days of the Buddhist year, Saga Dawa Duchen.

The Buddha Day of Saga Dawa Duchen marks the anniversary of Buddha’s birth, enlightenment and parinirvana.

At the Sakya Centre in Bristol the day will be celebrated with The Praise of the Twelve Deeds of Sakyamuni Buddha and the beautiful Sixteen Sthaviras Puja. [The reading transmission is required to participate in the puja – this was given by Lama Jampa in London in October 2019]. Please note that on this occasion the puja will start at 6pm.

Saga Dawa Duchen marks the anniversary of the day on which the Buddha of this era, Shakyamuni the ‘Sage of the Shakyas’, in order to benefit beings in this world, demonstrated the attainment of enlightenment. This he did in the same place that all of the 1,000 Buddhas of this fortunate aeon demonstrate enlightenment – the place called in Tibetan ‘Dorje Den’ (Diamond Throne), under the Bodhi Tree in Bodh Gaya, in present day India (the picture is of the ancient main Buddha image in Bodh Gaya). Shakyamuni is the fourth Buddha of the 1,000 Buddhas that demonstrate all the 12 special deeds of a fully enlightened one, to guide and liberate beings of this fortunate aeon.

This day also marks the anniversary of another of the twelve great deeds, being the demonstration of passing into Mahaparinirvana, at the place called Kushinangara. At that time Lord Buddha gave his final direct teaching, saying “It is in the nature of all things that take form to dissolve again. Strive with your whole being to attain perfection.”

In many traditions this day also marks the anniversary of the birth of the Buddha.

On this day, the effects of positive and negative actions are multiplied.