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Re: Special Days

Posted: Mon Nov 05, 2012 10:00 pm
by kirtu
gregkavarnos wrote:That's Wednesday November 7th for us European dwellers.
:namaste:
That's right. The moonphase begins on the US East Coast at 7:36 pm. When I have asked my lamas they said that one can just take the whole calendar day that the phase occurs on or one can take both days or can observe the lunar time.

But in Western Europe the moonphase is 1:36 am 7 Nov.

Kirt

Re: Special Days

Posted: Mon Nov 05, 2012 10:38 pm
by catmoon
You know, when they started doing things by the moon phases conversations probably went something like:

"When do we do the fire puja? Is it tonight?"
"Well tonight or tomorrow it's kinda close either way"
"U srs? Which is it?"
"Well the moon was a pretty thin crescent last night so I guess tonight is fine."
"What you're not sure?"
"How can I be sure? The only way to be positive is to get up in the morning and see if the moon rises on the other side of the sun. By then its too late."
"There has to be a better way than this."
"Look, get out a calendar. Count off 28 days from the last puja and we'll use that"
"What if it's off a day?"
"Then we'll correct the date by a day and use that until it needs correction again."
"But won't we need correction about every fourth month? Do you want to do a quarter of your pujas on the wrong day?"
"There is no wrong day to do a puja. If you're that worried you can do an extra one the day before"
"How do we know when it's the day before?"
"Simple. Count off 27 days from the last puja."
"Well I suppose it would work..."
"OK you happy now, Mr Rocket Science Man?"
"Actually no."
(Student receives a whistling crack on the head from the master's staff)
"Pardon me I meant to say yes. I'm a very happy monk yupyup."
"Great. Go get us some firewood, we're gonna need some in any event."

Re: Special Days

Posted: Tue Nov 06, 2012 1:08 am
by kirtu
:jumping: - hahahaha!

Well the intention is that it is the 1/2 moon. And when that actually occurs is at a different time all around the globe because of our time zones even though it occurs at the exact same time in the Earth-Moon-Sun system. This was always true and would not have been a noticeable issue near India. However the Kalmyks for example would have definitely seen it way off on the shores of the Caspian Sea. For that matter, Atisha probably noticed it during his studies in Indonesia.

Kirt

Re: Special Days

Posted: Tue Nov 06, 2012 8:05 am
by plwk
Image

Happy Lha Bab Duchen :namaste:

Re: Special Days

Posted: Tue Nov 06, 2012 10:27 am
by catmoon
kirtu wrote::jumping: - hahahaha!

Well the intention is that it is the 1/2 moon. And when that actually occurs is at a different time all around the globe because of our time zones even though it occurs at the exact same time in the Earth-Moon-Sun system. This was always true and would not have been a noticeable issue near India. However the Kalmyks for example would have definitely seen it way off on the shores of the Caspian Sea. For that matter, Atisha probably noticed it during his studies in Indonesia.

Kirt
You can go out and watch the moon if you like, but I'll bet a bunch of bananas you can't tell me the exact moment of half phase without modern resources. Hey, I'll even allow you a half hour's error.

-Catmoon
Past President
Maple Ridge Amateur Astronomer's Society

Re: Special Days

Posted: Tue Nov 06, 2012 2:06 pm
by Skydancer
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Today (Nov. 6. 2012) we celebrate Lhabab Duchen — Shakyamuni Buddha's descent from heaven. Buddha's mother, Mayadevi, was reborn in Indra's heaven. To repay her kindness, to liberate her, and also to benefit the gods, Buddha spent three months teaching in the heaven realm. When it came time for him to return to this world, Indra and Brahma manifested a triple staircase of 80,000 steps, and Buddha returned to this world on the twenty-second day of the ninth Tibetan month.

Today, the effects of positive, as well as negative, actions and thoughts are multiplied ten million times.

Re: Special Days

Posted: Tue Nov 06, 2012 9:22 pm
by Pero
So what's the astrological significance of this day?

Re: Special Days

Posted: Fri Nov 09, 2012 5:12 pm
by Pero
Pero wrote:So what's the astrological significance of this day?
No one knows or there isn't one?

Re: Special Days

Posted: Sat Nov 10, 2012 1:16 am
by catmoon
No idea here. Nope, not a clue.

Re: Special Days

Posted: Sun Feb 24, 2013 4:49 pm
by kirtu
This Monday, 25 Feb (tomorrow) is Chotrul Duchen, Miracle Day, the end of the first two weeks of the Tibetan Buddhist calendar and the final day on which Shakyamuni Buddha is said to have engaged in a contest of miracles with non-Buddhist sages (no other tradition has this contest recorded to my knowledge). Merit (and demerit) is said to be multiplied 10 million times so please practice well.

It would be a good time to observe the Eight Mahayana Precepts. As it is a full moon, it is also a traditional day on which to do Shakyamuni Buddha practice.

Kirt

Re: Special Days

Posted: Mon Feb 25, 2013 2:35 am
by plwk
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Happy Chotrul Duchen to all :namaste:

Re: Special Days

Posted: Fri Apr 12, 2013 8:29 pm
by kirtu
We have just begin the 3rd month of the Tibetan calendar (today is the second day). In 13 days on 3/15 (April 25th) is the anniversary of Shakyamuni Buddha teaching the Kalachakra. Merit/demerit is multiplied 100,000 times.

Kirt

Re: Special Days

Posted: Thu Apr 25, 2013 9:45 pm
by kirtu
Today is the Kalachakra Wheel Turing Day and there is a lunar eclipse on top of that. Merit and demerit are multiplied 10,000 times.

Kirt

Re: Special Days

Posted: Sat Jun 08, 2013 5:09 pm
by kirtu
Today, June 8, 2013, is the last day of the Saga Dawa month! Merit and demerit are multiplied at least 100 times. Tulku Bardor mentions in his excellent book "Rest for the Fortunate", pg. 78:
On the thirtieth day, which is the new moon day in the Tibetan calendar, the god Brahma comes to earth. If you recite the name of Buddha Shakyamuni and his mantra then, you can purify the wrongdoings of a thousand eons and be freed from rebirth in the hell where beings get crushed into fragments.
Kirt

Re: Special Days

Posted: Sun Jun 16, 2013 8:56 am
by kirtu
Today 16 June, 2013 is the 8th day, 5th month 2140 Water Snake year.

The 8th day (first quarter waxing moon) was said by HH Thrulshik Rinpoche to be one of the Buddha remembrance days and is an excellent day to do Shakyamuni Buddha sadhana and/or mantra.

On Tibetan calendars it is also the traditional day for Medicine Buddha practice.

From "Rest for the Fortunate" by Bardor Tulku Rinpoche pg 76:
On the eight day of any lunar month, the deva known as Dechen comes to visit earth to examine the longevity of humans. If you supplicate or recite the name of the Medicine Buddha and recite his mantra, you will purify thirty eons worth of wrongdoing.
Kirt

Re: Special Days

Posted: Sun Jun 16, 2013 3:48 pm
by Nilasarasvati
Why is this day also associated with Tara practice? Why is Tara practice associated with Riwo Sangcho? Sorry these are really basic questions but I'm doing them today so I figured I should ask :P

Re: Special Days

Posted: Sun Jun 16, 2013 7:17 pm
by kirtu
Nilasarasvati wrote:Why is this day also associated with Tara practice? Why is Tara practice associated with Riwo Sangcho? Sorry these are really basic questions but I'm doing them today so I figured I should ask :P
I don't know why it is also associated with Tara practice (saw that on the FPMT calendar). I haven't noticed that Tara is associated with Riwo Sangchod. Merit would be multiplied today so maybe that's part of it.

Tara is also practiced everyday in Tibetan Buddhist monasteries.

Kirt

Re: Special Days

Posted: Sun Jun 16, 2013 7:35 pm
by Nilasarasvati
Hm. All I know is, most astrological calendars list the 8th day of the lunar month as especially for Tara and Menla. One also says it's Mahakala day. One, probably the most detailed, labels the 8th as "healing" day.

Re: Special Days

Posted: Mon Jun 17, 2013 5:55 pm
by plwk
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Happy Guru Rinpoche Day

Re: Special Days

Posted: Mon Jul 22, 2013 4:06 am
by plwk