Saga Dawa

Lord Buddha’s Parinirvana

Saga Dawa, also known as the “Triple Blessed Festival,” is one of the holiest months in the Tibetan Buddhist calendar. It is observed in the fourth month of the Tibetan lunar calendar (around May–June in the Gregorian calendar). Also, this day is celebrated in Nepal and India as the Buddha Jayanti.

This month commemorates the three major events in Buddha’s life: his birth, enlightenment (Nirvana), and passing (Parinirvana). Throughout the month, prayers are held in different monasteries with special ceremonies, and merit-making activities increase in significance, as it is believed that virtuous deeds yield multiplied benefits.

People observe a vegetarian rule, refrain from killing animals and eating meat. In Tibet, Lhasa in particular, almost everyone joins in circumambulating around the city and spend their late afternoon on a picnic at ” Dzongyab Lukhang” park at the foot of Potala.

On the full-moon day (the 15th), colorful processions form, monks play ritual music, and devotees carry holy texts, images, and statues of the Buddha. People often touch their heads to the scriptures to receive blessings. Many also observe vegetarian diets, give alms, and refrain from harming living beings during the month.