Year of the Fire Dog 2

Year of the Earth Mouse 2008
Important Dates

In the Buddhist tradition, certain days are considered especially auspicious or inauspicious for particular practices. These days can be recurrent either each month or annually. The information below gives a general guide to important practice dates occurring in the Tibetan Year of the Earth Mouse.

On days when solar and lunar eclipses fall, positive and negative actions are multiplied by 10,000 times.

On monthly recurring Buddha days, such as Medicine Buddha on the 1^st quarter, Amitabha Buddha on the full moon and Sakyamuni Buddha on the new moon, positive and negative actions are multiplied by 100 times. On these days, many teachers recommend the observance of the eight Mahayana precepts:

1. To refrain from killing;

2. To refrain from stealing;

3. To refrain from lying;

4. To avoid sexual activity;

5. To refrain from intoxication;

6. To avoid personal ornamentation,

7. To refrain from taking a luxurious or high seat,

8. and not to eat after midday.

During the month of Saka Dawa, the 4^th Lunar month, positive actions are multiplied by 100,000 times, so practice is emphasized and the eating of black foods such as meat, eggs, fish etc is discouraged.

On Sojong (Practice of Confession by the “Second Buddha” ) days, positive and negative actions are multiplied by 30 times. The observance of the Eight Mahayana precepts and practice of Sojong are recommended. "So" means 'to restore', i.e. to mend broken vows and replenish positive virtues. "Jong" means 'to purify', i.e. to clear away negative karmas and harmful deeds.

Tsok ceremony is performed to accumulate merit. There are two kinds of Tsok, the outer and inner Tsok. The outer Tsok (accumulation Tsok): we make different kinds of actual offerings—such as food, rice, water bowl offerings, flowers, incense and butter lamps. The inner Tsok (visualised Tsok): we perform on the mind level with intense concentration, using mantra and visualization.

February 2008	100,000 multiplying month; practice is encouraged and emphasized.
Thursday – 7	Losar Tibetan New Year (and annular Solar Eclipse)	Chotrul Duchen: For the first two weeks of the New Year, Buddha Sakyamuni’s display of a miracle each day to increase the merit and devotion of future disciples is celebrated. During these days, the effects of positive and negative actions are multiplied 10 million times.
Thursday – 14	Medicine Buddha and Tara Day	Medicine Buddha Practice. Positive actions are multiplied by 100 times.
Saturday – 16	Guru Rinpoche Day (Tsok day)	Guru Rinpoche (“Precious Master”) renounces his kingdom, practices yoga and meditation in the great charnel ground of Sitavana and attains liberation.
Wednesday – 20	Paranirvana day of Milarepa – the Yogi of Tibet
Thursday – 21	The day of Buddha’s miracles. Anniversary of Marpa Lotsawa (Sojong day and Total Lunar eclipse)	Celebration of the last miracles displayed by the Lord Buddha at Sravasti. On this day, the effects of positive and negative actions are multiplied by 10 million times.
March 2008
Saturday – 1	Naga Puja day
Sunday – 2	Dakini Day (and Tsok day)
Thursday – 6	Sojong day and Dharmapala day	Confession practice (Sojong) positive actions are multiplied by 30 times.
Friday – 7	New Moon and Buddha Day
Friday – 14	Medicine Buddha and Tara Day	Medicine Buddha Practice. Positive actions are multiplied by 100 times.
Sunday – 16	(Tsok day)
Friday – 21	Naga Puja day, Sojong day and full moon	Confession practice (Sojong) positive actions are multiplied by 30 times.
April 2008
Tuesday – 1	Dakini Day (and Tsok day)
Saturday – 5	Sojong day and Dharmapala day	Confession practice (Sojong) positive actions are multiplied by 30 times.
Sunday – 6	New moon	Practice on full moon day. Positive actions are multiplied by 15 times.
Sunday – 13	Medicine Buddha and Tara Day	Medicine Buddha Practice. Positive actions are multiplied by 100 times.
Tuesday – 15	Guru Rinpoche celebration (and Tsok day)	The king tries to burn Guru Rinpoche alive but Guru Rinpoche transforms the fire into a lake, called Tso Pema, India.
Sunday – 20	Buddha taught Kalachakra. Sojong day and full moon.
Friday – 25	Naga Puja day
Sunday – 27	Naga Puja day
Wednesday – 30	Dakini Day (and Tsok day)
May 2008
Sunday – 4	Sojong day and Dharmapala day	Confession practice (Sojong) positive actions are multiplied by 30 times.
Monday – 5	New moon
Monday - 12	Medicine Buddha and Tara Day	Medicine Buddha Practice. Positive actions are multiplied by 100 times.
Wednesday – 14	Guru Rinpoche celebration (and Tsok day)	The king tries to burn Guru Rinpoche alive but Guru Rinpoche transforms the fire into a lake, called Tso Pema, India.
Monday - 19	Visakha (Theravada Vesak) Sojong day and full moon
Sunday – 25	Naga Puja day
Tuesday – 27	Naga Puja day
Friday – 30	Dakini Day and Tsok day
June 2008
Monday – 2	Sojong day and Dharmapala day	Confession practice (Sojong) positive actions are multiplied by 30 times.
Tuesday – 3	New moon
Sunday – 8	Naga Puja day
Tuesday – 10	The Birth of the Lord Buddha	On this day, the effects of positive and negative actions are multiplied by 10 million times
Wednesday – 11	Medicine Buddha and Tara Day	Medicine Buddha Practice. Positive actions are multiplied by 100 times.
Friday – 13	Guru Rinpoche celebration (and Tsok day)	The king tries to burn Guru Rinpoche alive but Guru Rinpoche transforms the fire into a lake, called Tso Pema, India.
Tuesday – 17	Sojong day	Confession practice (Sojong) positive actions are multiplied by 30 times.
Wednesday – 18	Saga Dawa Duchen (Buddha Sakyamuni’s Enlightenment and Paranirvana) and full moon	On this day, the effects of positive and negative actions are multiplied by 10 million times. At the age of 35 year old, Buddha attained enlightenment at Bodhgaya.
Friday – 20	Solstice	Solstice: the shortest day in the southern hemisphere and the longest day in the northern hemisphere
Thursday – 26	Birthday of 17^th Gyalwa Karmapa Ogyen Trinley Dorje	His Holiness the 17th Gyalwa Karmapa turns 23 year of age.
Saturday – 28	Dakini Day, Tsok day and Naga Puja day
July 2008
Wednesday – 2	Sojong day and Dharmapala day	Confession practice (Sojong) positive actions are multiplied by 30 times.
Thursday – 3	New moon
Sunday – 6	Birthday of His Holiness the 14^th Dalai Lama
Thursday – 10	Medicine Buddha and Tara Day	Medicine Buddha Practice. Positive actions are multiplied by 100 times.
Friday – 11	Naga Puja day
Saturday – 12	Birthday of Guru Rinpoche (“The Second Buddha”)
Thursday – 17	Sojong day	Confession practice (Sojong) positive actions are multiplied by 30 times.
Friday – 18	Local Deities Day (and full moon)	Dzam Ling Chi Sang day
Sunday – 27	Dakini Day and Tsok day
Thursday – 31	Sojong day and Dharmapala day	Confession practice (Sojong) positive actions are multiplied by 30 times.
August 2008
Thursday – 1	Total Solar Eclipse (new moon)	Positive and negative actions are multiplied by 10,000 times during a solar eclipse, and therefore practice is emphasized.
Tuesday – 5	The First Turning the wheel of the Dharma	Chokhor Duchen: The Lord Buddha’s First Turning the Wheel of the Dharma at Sarnath. He taught the Four Noble Truths. On this day, the effects of positive and negative actions are multiplied by 10 million times.
Saturday – 9	Medicine Buddha and Tara Day	Medicine Buddha Practice. Positive actions are multiplied by 100 times.
Saturday – 16	Anniversary of Gampopa, Partial Lunar Eclipse, Naga Puja day and full moon
Tuesday – 26	Dakini Day and Tsok day
Friday – 29	Dharmapala day
Saturday – 30	Sojong day and new moon	Confession practice (Sojong) positive actions are multiplied by 30 times.
Sunday – 31	Naga Puja day
September 2008
Sunday – 7	Medicine Buddha and Tara Day	Medicine Buddha Practice. Positive actions are multiplied by 100 times.
Wednesday – 10	Tsok Day
Thursday – 11	Naga Puja day
Sunday – 14	Sojong day	Confession practice (Sojong) positive actions are multiplied by 30 times.
Monday – 15	Full moon
Saturday – 20	Naga Puja day
Sunday – 21	Naga Puja day

Year of the Earth Mouse 2008 Important Dates

Year of the Earth Mouse 2008
Important Dates