Tibetan Astrological Calendar

Tibetan astrological calendar making is based on the Kalachakra Wheel of Time Tantra, which was translated into Tibetan from Sanskrit in 1027 A.D. The first chapter of these high level Buddhistic teachings, External Kalachakra, includes Tibetan cosmology and chronological studies. The official Tibetan calendar is lunar, but in Tibetan calendar making different systems are used, which harmonize solar and lunar factors. There are three systems for defining the New Year:

The Tibetan New Year (Losar) falls around February - lunar system

The Kalachakra New Year falls in April - solar system

The Elemental New Year falls around December - lunar system

The Tibetan calendar is a unique system which is lunar-based. India also has a lunar calendar, but it is different to the Tibetan and starts the year on a different date. It has only 360 days in the year and a complicated system of using skip-days (tsi chad-pa) and extra days (tsi lhag-pa). The new moon always starts the month, and the full moon falls on the fifteenth day. As the lunar phase defines a month, every month is 30 days and a year has twelve months. The lunar day is about one minute shorter than a solar day, which is 24.00 hours. To make the calendar correspond with solar days, it occasionally adds a 13th month.

Each year is ruled by one of the five elements and one of twelve animal signs as in Chinese calendars, but they start the year on different dates and the months have different lengths. So it is very important not to mix Tibetan and Chinese systems together. Tibetan years follow twelve-year animal cycles. One element rules two years in a row and then changes to the next element, while an animal sign will rule for one year at a time. The Year 2000 was an Iron-Dragon year and the year 2001 was an Iron-Snake year. The year 2002 was a Water-Horse year, and so forth. The 60 year cycle of all combinations of the five elements and twelve animals is called Rab-byung. 

The first year in the Tibetan calendar dates back to the Kalachakra year, 1027. Actually the system of animal years already started in the middle of 600 A.D. under the influence of the teachings of a Chinese princess who married the Tibetan king, Songtsen Gampo. The system of 60 year cycles, Rab-byung, was introduced around the 10^th century and in the 11th century it was widely used in Tibet. 

Kalachakra teachings were blended with Elemental astrology, and when Tibetan scholars made the very first Tibetan calendar they used Rab-byung for counting the years. As Kalachakra teachings were the foundation for chronological calculations, it was decided that the official date of introduction of Kalachakra would be Year One. Year 1027 was a Fire-Rabbit year and from then a Fire-Rabbit year became the first year in Tibetan Rab-byung, while the Chinese 60 year cycle always begins with a Wood-Mouse Year.

Tibetan calendar is meant specifically for practitioners of Tibetan Buddhism. It shows the cycle of twelve months according to the Tibetan lunar calendar together with the corresponding months and days of the Western calendar. The Tibetan astrology is a combination of Buddhist astrology from Kalachakra-Tantra, Hindu astrology from Shiva-Tantra and ancient Chinese astrology. 

Due to the synchronisation of solar day, lunar month, and zodiac year in Tibetan astrology you will see that a day can be lost or doubled. The regular holy days as well as special days of Tibetan and Buddhist festivals are indicated. Although every day of the year is a special day for the practice of Dharma, the selection made here is on the bases of giving priority to the most important ones.

The 8th Moon, Full Moon, New Moon and eclipse days are special days for any wholesome action. For the lay practitioners these days are especially recommended for taking the Eight Vows. The 10th and 25th of the Tibetan calendar are days for Ganachakra or Tsok-Rituals of Tantra. They are especially recommended for performing Guru-Pujas. Sojong or Upposotha days twice a month are for confession of monastic communities.

Tibetan years follow twelve-year animal cycles:-

1. Rabbit
2. Dragon
3. Snake
4. Horse
5. Sheep
6. Monkey
7. Rooster/Bird
8. Dog
9. Pig
10. Mouse
11. Ox
12. Tiger

Tibetan months are also ruled by the animal signs as follows:-

1.  January - Dragon
2.  February - Snake
3.  March - Horse
4.  April - Sheep
5.  May - Monkey
6.  June - Rooster / Bird
7.  July - Dog
8.  August - Pig
9. September - Mouse
10. October - Ox
11. November - Tiger 
12. December - Rabbit

The Astro Tibet 16 calendar is based on the cycles of the moon, and various dates are considered especially auspicious or inauspicious for certain practices. 

Also some of the most important days of the Vajrayana traditions are included:-

- The important anniversaries of Buddha Shakyamuni

- Sacred days of Medicine Buddha, Amitabha, 

  Guru Padmasambhava, Dakinis and Dharma Protectors

- Auspicious and Inauspicious Days

- Favorable Days for Fire and Naga Pujas

- Good Days for taking Sojong Vows

- Favorable/Unfavorable Days for starting new ventures

- Full and New Moon Days

- Wisdom Quotes from Precious Masters

Click here to download the Tibetan calendar :-

Special thanks and dedicated to * Liberation Prison Projects

*Note*

Liberation Prison Project, is an international, non-profit organization founded in 1975 by Lama Thubten Yeshe (1935-84) and Lama Thubten Zopa Rinpoche program of the FPMT 
(Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition) with a social services dedicated and to supports men and women in prison who seek Liberation projects help to learn about meditation and Buddhism, to transform their lives. 

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Having defeated the enemies wrong-doings.

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

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