When is auspicious and inauspicious days?

In the Buddhist calendar there are special days set aside to commemorate the four great deeds of Shakyamuni Buddha. On these days, the effects of positive or negative actions are multiplied by ten million times, so they are great days for accumulating merit. 

Usually, many hundreds of people do Kora (circumambulations) at both the Boudhanath  and the Swayambunath Stupa in Katmandu, make pilgrimages to holy places, offering lights, doing long prostrations on the kora circuit, offering whitewash and prayer flags at the stupa, and many other merit gathering activities. At the monasteries, special pujas are held with extensive prayers and offerings, and in some of them, a purification retreat.

The following is a quick list of some days to be aware of. They include some birthdays, special days, anniversaries and other events. Both with auspicious days with an increase in Karmic benefit and inauspicious days in which one should avoid certain ceremonies.

Auspicious days 

These are based on the Lunar Tibetan calendar. Any karmic actions are multiplied by 100 Million on these days.

1st month from days 1 through 15 : The Buddha is said to have performed many miracles during these and concluding on the 15th day which is the day of Miracles. 

4th month from 15th day : Lord Buddha’s birth, enlightenment and parinirvana.

6th month  4th Day : Lord Buddha’s first teaching. 

9th month  22nd Day : Lord Buddha’s actual descent from God Realm of Thirty- three. 

Days of Solar Eclipses days of Lunar Eclipses - On these days, the effects of positive or negative actions are multiplied by 7 million times.

Day for Practice: Every 15th/30th (new moon) day of Lunar Month.

Every 8th/15th : Medicine Buddh Puja

Naga Puja: Any one day, or more each month 

25th day of every lunar month : Dakini day   

8th day of every lunar month : Tara day 

10th day of every lunar month : Guru Rinpoche day with Tsog Ofeering

29th day of every lunar month : Dharmapala or Dharma protectors day

Inauspicious days

Do not start business ventures on Days 2, 12, 22 of every Tibetan month.  

No Sangha (community) events or parties on Days 10, 20, 30 of every Tibetan month;  

No Cremations or Funeral Ceremonies on Days 8, 18, 28 of every Tibetan month.  

No sending invitations on Days 1, 11, 21 of every Tibetan month.  

No starting building of new properties on Days 6, 16, 26 of every Tibetan month.

No haircuts on Days 1, 2, 6, 7, 12, 16, 17, 20, 21, 24, 25, 28, 29, 30 of every Tibetan month.  

No Medical procedures on Days 4, 8, 11, 15, 18,22,25,29 of every Tibetan month.  

No memorials or wakes on Days 9, 19, 29 of every Tibetan month.  

No Weddings on these dates on Days 7, 17, 27 of every Tibetan month.

Do not hang prayer flags on Days 10, 22 of Tibetan Months 1, 5, 9 

Days 7, 19 of Tibetan Months 2, 6, 10 

Days 4, 16, 28 of Tibetan Months 3, 7, 11 

Days 1, 13, 25 of Tibetan Months 4, 8, 12

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We need your help to secure the future of scholarly interaction with Buddhism. Since our very first publication of Dharma works and activities in the year 2008, we had been effortlessly providing free distribution of Dharma posts and articles throughout the previous 10 years.  We have exceptionally constrained supports and do not receive subsidized or funding from people in general. 

Please help us and to develop our Dharma activities that will not only benefit you, but to all Dharma readers on the planet. Please consider showing your support. Your generosity will certainly help us to enhance our work and to accomplish for a better and brighter prospect to come. 

Thank you for reading, may you find peace and great bliss. With your support it helps to spread the Buddha’s precious teachings and turning the Dharma wheels in the world.

Aspiration For Bodhichitta

For those in whom the precious Bodhichitta has not arisen

May it arise and not decrease

But increase further and further.

Dedication of Merit

By this merit may we obtain omniscience then.

Having defeated the enemies wrong-doings.

May we liberate migratory from the ocean of existence.

With its stormy waves of birth, old age, sickness and death.

*Note

I do not own or infringe any copyright of the picture(s).

Picture(s) courtesy and credit to the rightful distributors and or studios.

Picture(s) is/are intended for editorial use only.

蓮師說：當修持佛法時，有七種型態的腐敗。

蓮師說：當修持佛法時，有七種型態的腐敗。

Guru Rinpoche said: When practicing the Dharma, there are seven types of depravities/corruption.

佛母問：是哪些？

Bodhisattva ask: What  are they ?

上師說：

Guru Rinpoche said:

1)當你的信心低微但聰明才智高的話，會因自認是上師而腐敗。

When you have low confidence but high intelligence, you will become corrupt because you think you are a guru.

2)當你有許多聽眾而自視甚高時，會因自認是善知識而腐敗。

When you have a lot of audiences and high self-esteem, you are corrupted by what you consider to be knowledgeable.

3)當你設想具有不共的功德卻沒把佛法放在心裡時，會因自認自己是領導者而腐敗。

When you imagine that you have uncommon merits, but don't take the Dharma in your heart, you will become corrupt because you consider yourself a leader.

請訂閱、點贊、分享、評論和支持我們的佛教 YouTube 頻道，通過點擊“訂閱”按鈕和通知來達到 1,000 名訂閱者的最低門檻🔔 謝謝。https://youtu.be/KGzdAhQlp7E

4)當你給予口訣卻自己不實修時，會因成為麻木的「佛學專家」而腐敗

When you receive an oral transmission, but don’t practice it yourself, you will become corrupt by becoming an insensitive "Expert in Buddhism"

5) 當你喜歡無聊的碎嘴而內心欠缺佛法時，會因成為攀緣的江湖術士而腐敗。

When you are bored, but with a long-winded and lack the Dharma in your heart, you will become corrupt because you become a warlock.

6) 當你懂得一些皮毛卻欠缺口訣時，會因成為一個或許信心強大的凡夫而腐敗。

When you know a little, but owe a little trick, you will become corrupt by becoming an ordinary person who may have overconfidence.

7) 一個真正的修行者，他的言行若符合正法，應能以聰慧解脫自身、以信心調伏內心、以聽聞法教來斬斷謬見、能拋卻世俗的考量、將心融入佛法之中、以聞思來完備智慧、以口訣來定心，以及用見修來獲得最後的定力。不過，那是很困難的。

A true practitioner, if his words and deeds conform to the Dhama, you should be able to liberate yourself with intelligence, tune your heart with faith, Listen to the Dharma teachings to cut off myths, and to cast aside worldly considerations, immerse the heart in the Dharma, complete one wisdom with practice of listening and contemplation, practise on transmission and to set one's mind at rest , and use the cultivation to get an ultimate concentration, However, that is difficult.

摘自蓮師《空行法教》

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We need your help to secure the future of scholarly interaction with Buddhism. Since our very first publication of Dharma works and activities in the year 2008, we had been effortlessly providing free distribution of Dharma posts and articles throughout the previous 10 years.  We have exceptionally constrained supports and do not receive subsidized or funding from people in general.

Please help us and to develop our Dharma activities that will not only benefit you, but to all Dharma readers on the planet. Please consider showing your support. Your generosity will certainly help us to enhance our work and to accomplish for a better and brighter prospect to come.

Thank you for reading, may you find peace and great bliss. With your support it helps to spread the Buddha’s precious teachings and turning the Dharma wheels in the world.

Aspiration For Bodhichitta
For those in whom the precious Bodhichitta has not arisen
May it arise and not decrease
But increase further and further.

Dedication of Merit
By this merit may we obtain omniscience then.
Having defeated the enemies wrong-doings.
May we liberate migratory from the ocean of existence.
With its stormy waves of birth, old age, sickness and death.

*Note
I do not own or infringe any copyright of the picture(s).
Picture(s) courtesy and credit to the rightful distributors and or studios.
Picture(s) is/are intended for editorial use only.

The Seven Branches Prayers

His Holiness the 17th Gyalwang Karmapa, Ogyen Drodul Trinley Dorje stated: “The key points of the Seven Branches Payer is to gather the accumulations and purify the obscurations. 

There is no practice that is not included within these two. Gathering the accumulations means gathering all the favourable conditions for developing the path within our beings. Purifying misdeeds and obscurations means clearing away the conditions that counteract developing the path within.”

Seven Branches or Seven Limb Prayer serves as the basic structure of many Buddhist prayers, sadhanas and pujas.  It consists of following seven branches: 

1. Prostrations - antidote to pride and ego-clinging; the result of the practice is that one will never be separated from the Three Jewels and will be held with kindness, love and compassion of Lamas until Awakening. 

2. Offerings - antidote for desire and attachment; cultivating generosity and offerings (material and visualized) result in liberation of attachments and habits of attachments and it accumulates merit. 

3. Confession - antidote for negativities accumulated since time without beginning; results of such practice brings experiences of better forms of rebirth, for instance, a body which is an appropriate vessel for the practice of Dharma. 

4. Rejoicing - antidote for habitual patterns of envy and jealousy; it brings about support and inspiration of good Dharma friends and conditions favorable for practice of Dharma. 

5. Requesting the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas to teach Dharma - antidote for ignorance; by the power of this aspiration one can develop the wisdom to understand the profound meaning of the Teachings. 

6. Requesting the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas not to pass away - antidote to wrong views; this request purifies disturbing emotions arising from our wrong perceptions and gives rise to the proper view. 

7. Dedication - antidote to unskillful or stupid acts; proper dedication is characterized by two facts: one dedicates whatever merit for nothing less than Enlightenment and aspires to it in order to benefit all sentient beings; it results in the development of skillful means of Bodhisattvas and attaining complete Awakening.

Do you earnestly cherish our devoted work? Assuming this is the case, we are delighted that you are finding our blog useful and valuable. Would you consider making a donation for our Buddhist research and development?

We need your help to secure the future of scholarly interaction with Buddhism. Since our very first publication of Dharma works and activities in the year 2008, we had been effortlessly providing free distribution of Dharma posts and articles throughout the previous 10 years.  We have exceptionally constrained supports and do not receive subsidized or funding from people in general.


Please help us and to develop our Dharma activities that will not only benefit you, but to all Dharma readers on the planet. Please consider showing your support. Your generosity will certainly help us to enhance our work and to accomplish for a better and brighter prospect to come.

Thank you for reading, may you find peace and great bliss. With your support it helps to spread the Buddha’s precious teachings and turning the Dharma wheels in the world.

Aspiration For Bodhichitta
For those in whom the precious Bodhichitta has not arisen
May it arise and not decrease
But increase further and further.

Dedication of Merit
By this merit may we obtain omniscience then.
Having defeated the enemies wrong-doings.
May we liberate migratory from the ocean of existence.
With its stormy waves of birth, old age, sickness and death.

*Note
I do not own or infringe any copyright of the picture(s).
Picture(s) courtesy and credit to the rightful distributors and or studios.
Picture(s) is/are intended for editorial use only.

Short verses of offering and aspiration to the Dharma protectors

Dharma Protector prayer day, according to the Tibetan month calendar and the Dharma Protectors prayer day is to be done on the 29th of the Tibetan lunar month calendar, and this is also to be known as the 'Dharmapala' day. 

There are certain days are considered auspicious day for certain practices, and on these particular days of the practices,  the effects of positive or negative actions are multiplied 100 times. 

From their looks you might think they are evils and the demonic terrifying appeances. But Dharmapalas are wrathful bodhisattvas who protect Buddhists and the Dharma. Their terrifying appearance is meant to frighten forces of evil. 

Short verses of offering and aspiration to the Dharma protectors

Ngontse orgyen chenpo chen nga ru

I offer to all the Dharma protectors who long ago.

Chozhin drupar chepe gang zag la

have promised, in the presence of the Great Uddiyana.

Mayi bu zhin kyongwar zhal zhe pe

To protect, like a mother protects her child.

Chokyong sungma namla chopa bul

Those who practice in accordance with the Dharma.

Ngontse orgyen chenpo chen nga ru

May there be the auspiciousness of all the Dharma protectors who long ago.

Chozhin drupar chepe gang zag la

Have promised, in the presence of the Great Uddiyana.

Mayi bu zhin kyongwar zhal zhe pe

to protect, like a mother protects her child.

Chokyong sungma namkyi tashi shog

Those who practice in accordance with the Dharma. 

The above texts are offered to the sangha to practice. Although it is not necessary to have received specific empowerments or oral transmissions to read these texts, there is nevertheless great blessing and benefit if you can receive the oral transmissions for them. 
** Take Note **

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We need your help to secure the future of scholarly interaction with Buddhism. Since our very first publication of Dharma works and activities in the year 2008, we had been effortlessly providing free distribution of Dharma posts and articles throughout the previous 10 years.  We have exceptionally constrained supports and do not receive subsidized or funding from people in general. 

Please help us and to develop our Dharma activities that will not only benefit you, but to all Dharma readers on the planet. Please consider showing your support. Your generosity will certainly help us to enhance our work and to accomplish for a better and brighter prospect to come. 

** Take Note **

For those who had received the empowerment of this Tantric practice, you are reminded not intentionally or unintentionally to disclose the mantra to the public or anyone who may not have the empowerment or permission to practice, and by disclosing the mantra intentionally or unintentionally is a form of breaking your Tantric Samaya vows to the lineage masters and Dharma protectors. 

Please consult your Guru or a qualified lineage master for Vajrayana practice! Should a devotee even want to start studying and contemplating the Vajrayana practice, then it is truly necessary to first have completed the preliminaries and to be certain and sure that Bodhicitta has arisen and developed in one’s mind.

Vajrayana features countless skillful and powerful methods which, if they are practiced in the proper way, can make the process of accumulation and purification incredibly swift and direct. It is absolutely necessary to have the pure motivation and to know that Vajrayana practice is not carried out to increase one’s own ego, power and self-interests.

Thank you for reading, may you find peace and great bliss. With your support it helps to spread the Buddha’s precious teachings and turning the Dharma wheels in the world.

Aspiration For Bodhichitta

For those in whom the precious Bodhichitta has not arisen

May it arise and not decrease

But increase further and further.

Dedication of Merit

By this merit may we obtain omniscience then.

Having defeated the enemies wrong-doings.

May we liberate migratory from the ocean of existence.

With its stormy waves of birth, old age, sickness and death.

*Note

I do not own or infringe any copyright of the picture(s).

Picture(s) courtesy and credit to the rightful distributors and or studios.

Picture(s) is/are intended for editorial use only.

Lhabab Duchen Festival November 19, 2019 - Buddha descent from the God realms

Tuesday, 19 November 2019 , it is known as the Lhabab Duchen. Lhabab Duchen is one of the four Buddhist festivals commemorating four events in the life of the Buddha, according to Tibetan traditions. Lhabab Duchen falls on the 22nd day of the ninth lunar month, according to Tibetan calendar and widely celebrated in Tibet and Bhutan. 

The festival is  celebrated to observe the descent of Buddha Sakyamuni from the heaven back to the earth. On that day, there are a large number of pilgrims in Lhasa. Ladders are painted afresh on rocks around many monasteries to symbolize the event.

It is said that the Buddha had left for heaven at the age of 41, having ascended to the Heaven of Thirty-Three (Trayastrimsa) in order to give teachings to benefit the gods in the desire realms and to repay the kindness of his mother by liberating her from Samsara. 

The Buddha was exhorted by his follower and representative Maugalyayana to return, and after a long debate managed to return. This is considered to be one of the eight great deeds of the Buddha. He returned to earth by a special triple ladder prepared by Viswakarma, the god of machines.

On Lhabab Duchen, the effects of positive or negative actions multiply ten million times. It is part of Tibetan Buddhist tradition to engage in virtuous activities and prayer on this day. 

Tibetan people hold Buddhist activities on this day each year, celebrating the Buddha's return to the human world and promoting Buddhism. According to the local custom, people paint the outside walls of their own houses or the temples on this special day to greet the Buddha's return.

Do you earnestly cherish our devoted work? Assuming this is the case, we are delighted that you are finding our blog useful and valuable. Would you consider making a donation for our Buddhist research and development?  

We need your help to secure the future of scholarly interaction with Buddhism. Since our very first publication of Dharma works and activities in the year 2008, we had been effortlessly providing free distribution of Dharma posts and articles throughout the previous 10 years.  We have exceptionally constrained supports and do not receive subsidized or funding from people in general. 

Please help us and to develop our Dharma activities that will not only benefit you, but to all Dharma readers on the planet. Please consider showing your support. Your generosity will certainly help us to enhance our work and to accomplish for a better and brighter prospect to come. 

Thank you for reading, may you find peace and great bliss. With your support it helps to spread the Buddha’s precious teachings and turning the Dharma wheels in the world.

Aspiration For Bodhichitta

For those in whom the precious Bodhichitta has not arisen

May it arise and not decrease

But increase further and further.

Dedication of Merit

By this merit may we obtain omniscience then.

Having defeated the enemies wrong-doings.

May we liberate migratory from the ocean of existence.

With its stormy waves of birth, old age, sickness and death.

*Note

I do not own or infringe any copyright of the picture(s).

Picture(s) courtesy and credit to the rightful distributors and or studios.

Picture(s) is/are intended for editorial use only.

Inauspicious days for raising new Tibetan prayer flags

Inauspicious days for raising new Tibetan prayer flags

Inauspicious Days (Baden) for the Earth-Pig Year 2146 (2019 ) according to the Du-Khor Be-kar - Astrology of the Kalachakra. 

According to the Tibetan Calendar there are certain days when a "Baden entity" is present. Those days are inauspicious for raising new Tibetan prayer flags. A Baden Senpo is a demon of the naga class of elemental spirits. Raising flags when that energy is active can actually have a negative effect.

The following dates as stated below are days that are considered inauspicious to raise  Tibetan prayer flags:

Earth-Pig Year 2146 (2019) 

• February : 12, 23, 26 
• March: 13, 24, 27
• April: 9, 20
• May: 2, 8, 19  
• June: 1, 4, 6, 17
• July: 11, 24   
• August: 7, 19
• September: 3, 15, 29
• October: 11, 23
• November: 6, 19
• December: 3, 15, 30
• January (2020): 11, 22, 25
• February: 7, 18   

Please note that the dates are just days that are not good for initially planting the flags. Some people have written to ask if they need to take down prayer flags on these days. Certainly not; once they are up, it's okay to keep them up until they disintegrate or until they are replaced with new flags.

As far as what days are best for raising new prayer flags: that really depends on a person's individual astrology. Without consulting an astrologer, I would say the best time to put up new flags are in the mornings on sunny, windy days. 

Mondays are considered especially good. Offering prayers can be done before raising the flags. 

Every drop of water helps to swell the ocean

Every good and bad action will not go unnoticed

Do you earnestly cherish our devoted work? Assuming this is the case, we are delighted that you are finding our blog useful and valuable. Would you consider making a donation for our Buddhist research and development?  

We need your help to secure the future of scholarly interaction with Buddhism. Since our very first publication of Dharma works and activities in the year 2008, we had been effortlessly providing free distribution of Dharma posts and articles throughout the previous 10 years.  We have exceptionally constrained supports and do not receive subsidized or funding from people in general. 

Please help us and to develop our Dharma activities that will not only benefit you, but to all Dharma readers on the planet. Please consider showing your support. Your generosity will certainly help us to enhance our work and to accomplish for a better and brighter prospect to come. 

Thank you for reading, may you find peace and great bliss. With your support it helps to spread the Buddha’s precious teachings and turning the Dharma wheels in the world.

Aspiration For Bodhichitta

For those in whom the precious Bodhichitta has not arisen

May it arise and not decrease

But increase further and further.

Dedication of Merit

By this merit may we obtain omniscience then.

Having defeated the enemies wrong-doings.

May we liberate migratory from the ocean of existence.

With its stormy waves of birth, old age, sickness and death.

*Note

I do not own or infringe any copyright of the picture(s).

Picture(s) courtesy and credit to the rightful distributors and or studios.

Picture(s) is/are intended for editorial use only.

When is the favourable and unfavourable days for hair cutting in the Tibetan lunar calendar ?

What is the favourable and unfavourable days for hair cutting in the Tibetan lunar calendar? Cutting one's hair on these days will lead to a loss of vitality.

Tibetan calendar is based on the Moon phases and it is not possible to transfer it directly into Gregorian system, because due to precise calculation every year, certain days are omitted (e.g. after the third lunar day, the fifth one follows), or doubled (e.g. there are two forth days, one after another). 

Consequently, the tenth day after the new moon (calculated according to western calendar), for instance, doesn't always correspond to the tenth day of the lunar calendar; it may be the eighth or the eleventh day – depending on omitted or doubled day before.

Below, there are dates of favourable and unfavourable days for hair cutting. The dates were taken from the calendar by Tibetan astrologists, including changes (omitted or doubled days) mentioned above.

Favourable days of the lunar month for cutting the hair are:

The 8th to bring longevity - December 15,  January 14, 2019, February 13, 2019
The 9th to bring attractive energy - December 16,  January 15, 2019, February 14, 2019
The 10th to bring magnetism - December 17,  January 16, 2019
The 11th to bring intelligence - December 18, January 17, 2019  February 15, 2019
The 26th to bring happiness - December 3 & 4 , January 1 & 2, 2019 January 13, February 01,  March  2 &3, 2019
The 27th to bring happiness - December 3 & 4 , January 1 & 2, 2019 January 13, February 01,  March  2 & 3, 2019

Unfavourable days of the lunar month for cutting the hair are:

The 1st, 2nd, 7th, 12th, 16th, 18th, 21st, 25th, 28th and 29th days of the lunar month. Cutting one’s hair on these days will lead to a loss of vitality.

Results of cutting hair on different days according to the Tibetan lunar calendar and custom:

1st day - short life
2nd day - slander / One will have many diseases
3rd day - wealth
4th day - increase in virtue
5th day - increase in wealth
6th day - lawsuit (court case)
7th day - one's body complexion will disappear
8th day - long life
9th day - attractive energy
10th day - greater wang tang (great power)
11th day - intelligence

12th day - poverty / danger to pone's life

13th day - increased longevity
14th day - increased comfort and wealth
15th day - auspiciousness
16th day - obstacles
17th day - the color of your flesh will turn blue
18th day - one's will receive possession
19th day - increase in longevity / meet good people will help you
20th day - hunger and thirst 
21st day - fear of sickness
22nd day - gaining clothes and food
23rd day - increase in comfort and wealth
24th day - sore eyes 
25th day - sickness
26th day - well being and happy
27th day - one's virtue will increase
28th day - strife and quarrels
29th day - one's life / spirit potential will wander
30th day - purification of negative actions and obscurations

Do you earnestly cherish our devoted work? Assuming this is the case, we are delighted that you are finding our blog useful and valuable. Would you consider making a donation for our Buddhist research and development?  

We need your help to secure the future of scholarly interaction with Buddhism. Since our very first publication of Dharma works and activities in the year 2008, we had been effortlessly providing free distribution of Dharma posts and articles throughout the previous 10 years.  We have exceptionally constrained supports and do not receive subsidized or funding from people in general. 

Please help us and to develop our Dharma activities that will not only benefit you, but to all Dharma readers on the planet. Please consider showing your support. Your generosity will certainly help us to enhance our work and to accomplish for a better and brighter prospect to come. 

Thank you for reading, may you find peace and great bliss. With your support it helps to spread the Buddha’s precious teachings and turning the Dharma wheels in the world.

Aspiration For Bodhichitta
For those in whom the precious Bodhichitta has not arisen
May it arise and not decrease
But increase further and further.

Dedication of Merit
By this merit may we obtain omniscience then.
Having defeated the enemies wrong-doings.
May we liberate migratory from the ocean of existence.
With its stormy waves of birth, old age, sickness and death.

*Note
I do not own or infringe any copyright of the picture(s).
Picture(s) courtesy and credit to the rightful distributors and or studios.
Picture(s) is/are intended for editorial use only.