Year of the Metal Rat (2147) 2020 Important Dates
Message from Venerable Sonam Tenzin Rinpoche: Firstly, Venerable Sonam Tenzin Rinpoche and Venerable Lama Namsai wish to extend to all students, supporters and friends their best wishes for a very happy New Year 2020 and the Tibetan year of the Metal Rat 2147.
In 2019, our planet experienced severe natural disasters including deadly cyclones in Africa, deadly heat waves in India and Japan, typhoons in China, earthquakes in Peru and Albania and sizzling temperatures and deadly bush fires in Australia. Therefore, Rinpoche would request that we all fervently and regularly pray to Guru Rinpoche (Padmasambhava) and to 21 Taras for more benign and favourable climatic conditions for our mother Earth during the entire year of 2020.
Rinpoche also urges you to make a strong and determined resolution to engage in virtuous activities and to refrain from committing negative deeds. By keeping this commitment on a daily basis you will not only contribute to the promulgation of peace, love and harmony in the entire world.
May you all enjoy excellent health, may your dharma practice continue to flourish and may you always encounter happiness. May all obstacles vanish so that you move swiftly on the path to supreme enlightenment.
Calendar and important practice days: In Buddhist traditions, certain days are considered especially auspicious for particular Dharma practices. These days can be recurrent either each (Tibetan) month or annually. The information below only serves as general guidelines to important practice dates but it is essential to obtain instructions from a fully qualified teacher.
1. Buddha's Days (recurring each Tibetan month): on these days, the effects of positive or negative actions are multiplied 100 times: 8th Day - Medicine Buddha 10th Day - Guru Rinpoche 15th Day - Amitabha Buddha 25th Day - Dakini 30th Day - Shakyamuni Buddha
2. Eclipses: On days when Solar and Lunar eclipses fall, the effects of positive and negative actions are multiplied by 10,000 times.
3. Major Buddhist Festivals (Duchen): for example, Saka Dawa Duchen, the 4th Tibetan month (from 23/05/2020 to 21/06/2020) is the most auspicious time for Dharma practice because the effects of positive actions are multiplied by Ten million times, and observance of the five basic precepts is strongly recommended. Killing of animals is not permitted and eating of black foods such as meat, is generally discouraged. Tibetan Date Practice Celebration & Commemoration month / day
01-Jan-20 11 / 6 New Year's Day 2020
03-Jan-20 11 / 8 Medicine Buddha Positive actions are multiplied by 100 times
05-Jan-20 11 / 10 Guru Rinpoche Positive actions are multiplied by 100 times (Padmasambhava)
09-Jan-20 11 / 14 Anniversary of Sakya Pandita Kunga Gyaltsen
10-Jan-20 11 / 15 Amitabha Buddha Positive actions are multiplied by 10,000 Full Moon and times for Solar & Lunar Eclipses Lunar Eclipse
14-Jan-20 11 / 19 Anniversary of Taklung Thangpa, the founder of Taklung Kagyu lineage
19-Jan-20 11 / 25 Dakini day Positive actions are multiplied by 100 times
20-Jan-20 11 / 26 Anniversary of the 1st Jamgon Kongtrul, named Jamgon Kongtrul Lodro Thaye
24-Jan-20 11 / 30 Shakyamuni Buddha Positive actions are multiplied by 100 times New Moon
February 2020
02-Feb-20 12 / 8 Medicine Buddha Positive actions are multiplied by 100 times
04-Feb-20 12 / 10 Guru Rinpoche Positive actions are multiplied by 100 times (Padmasambhava)
09-Feb-20 12 / 15 Amitabha Buddha Positive actions are multiplied by 100 times Full Moon
18-Feb-20 12 / 25 Dakini day Positive actions are multiplied by 100 times
23-Feb-20 12 / 30 Shakyamuni Buddha Positive actions are multiplied by 100 times New Moon
24-Feb-20 1 / 1 Losar Tibetan New Year
March 2020
02-Mar-20 Medicine Buddha Anniversary of the 6th Karmapa Thongwa 1 / 8 Donden
04-Mar-20 Guru Rinpoche Positive actions are multiplied by 100 times 1 / 10 (Padmasambhava) 08-Mar-20 Anniversary of Jetsun Milarepa, (Zhepa 1 / 14 Dorje) - the greatest Yogi of Tibet
09-Mar-20 1 / 15 Amitabha Buddha Chotrul Düchen (Day of Miracles), plus Full Moon anniversaries of Marpa Lotsawa, Garab Dorje & the 7th Karmapa, Chodrak Gyamtso. Leaders of 6 main Indian philosophical schools challenged the Buddha to a contest and Buddha Shakyamuni performed miracles for 15 days, completely overwhelming his challengers and thus inspiring people to follow the Dharma. The full moon day marks the end of 15 days of Miracles
10-Mar-20 1 / 16 Anniversary of the Grand Opening of the Barom Kagyu Temple in Sefton Sydney, Australia in 2017
15-Mar-20 1 / 21 Anniversaries of the 14th Karmapa Thekchok Dorje and the 1st Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo
18-Mar-20 1 / 25 Dakini day Positive actions are multiplied by 100 times
22-Mar-20 1 / 28 Anniversary of the 9th Karmapa Wangchuk Dorje
24-Mar-20 1 / 30 Shakyamuni Buddha Positive actions are multiplied by 100 times New Moon
30-Mar-20 2 / 6 Anniversary of Tenga Rinpoche (3rd incarnation: Drong Tulku Tenga Rinpoche)
April 2020
01-Apr-20 2 / 8 Medicine Buddha Positive actions are multiplied by 100 times
03-Apr-20 2 / 10 Guru Rinpoche Positive actions are multiplied by 100 times (Padmasambhava)
08-Apr-20 2 / 15 Amitabha Buddha Positive actions are multiplied by 100 times Full Moon
10-Apr-20 2 / 18 Good Friday
11-Apr-20 2 / 19 Easter Saturday
12-Apr-20 2 / 20 Easter Sunday (Easter Day)
13-Apr-20 2 / 21 Easter Monday 17-Apr-20 2 / 25 Dakini day Positive actions are multiplied by 100 times
18-Apr-20 2 / 26 Anniversary of Jetsun Taranata
22-Apr-20 2 / 30 Shakyamuni Buddha Positive actions are multiplied by 100 times New Moon
24-Apr-20 3 / 2 Birthday of Bokar Chungsi Rinpoche
26-Apr-20 3 / 3 Anniversary of the 2nd Karmapa, Karma Pakshi and Birthday of HH 9th Chodrak Salje Rinpoche
May 2020
01-May-20 3 / 8 Medicine Buddha Positive actions are multiplied by 100 times
07-May-20 3 / 15 Amitabha Buddha Positive actions are multiplied by 100 times Full Moon
17-May-20 3 / 25 Dakini day Positive actions are multiplied by 100 times
18-May-20 3 / 26 Anniversary of the 15th Karmapa, Khakhyap Dorje
22-May-20 3 / 30 Shakyamuni Buddha Positive actions are multiplied by 100 times New Moon
24-May-20 4 / 2 Anniversary of Barom Dharma Wangchuk, the founder of Barom Kagyu Lineage
30-May-20 4 / 8 Medicine Buddha Positive actions are multiplied by 100 times
June 2020
01-Jun-20 4 / 10 Guru Rinpoche Positive actions are multiplied by 100 times (Padmasambhava)
05-Jun-20 4 / 15 Amitabha Buddha Saka Dawa Düchen (Vaishakha Day): Full Moon and Buddha Shakyamuni attained Lunar Eclipse Enlightenment & Paranirvana. At the age of 35 year old, Buddha attained enlightenment at Bodhgaya (India).
This is the most sacred day of all Buddhist festival days.
08-Jun-20 4 / 18 Anniversary of Dzogchen Patrul Rinpoche, the author of “The Words of My Perfect Teacher”
15-Jun-20 4 / 25 Dakini day Positive actions are multiplied by 100 times 21-Jun-20 4 / 30 Shakyamuni Buddha Positive actions are multiplied by 100 times New Moon
26-Jun-20 5 / 5 His Holiness the 17th Karmapa Ogyen Trinley Dorje’s 35th birthday
28-Jun-20 5 / 8 Medicine Buddha Positive actions are multiplied by 100 times
30-Jun-20 5 / 10 Guru Rinpoche Positive actions are multiplied by 100 times (Padmasambhava)
July 2020
05-Jul-20 5 / 15 Amitabha Buddha Positive actions are multiplied by 10,000 Full Moon and times for Solar & Lunar Eclipses Lunar Eclipse
06-Jul-20 5 / 16 His Holiness the Dalai Lama's 85th birthday
15-Jul-20 5 / 25 Dakini day Positive actions are multiplied by 100 times
20-Jul-20 5 / 30 Shakyamuni Buddha Positive actions are multiplied by 100 times New Moon
24-Jul-20 6 / 4 Chökhor Düchen: Buddha Shakyamuni taught the 4 Noble Truths (the First Turning of the Wheel of the Dharma at Sarnath). On this day, the effects of positive and negative actions are multiplied by 10 million times
28-Jul-20 6 / 8 Medicine Buddha Positive actions are multiplied by 100 times
29-Jul-20 6 / 10 Guru Rinpoche Anniversary of Guru Rinpoche (Padmasambhava) (Padmasambhava) and the birthday of A- Ten Phuntsok Rinpoche, Abbot of Chodrak Khang Nay monastery
August 2020
02-Aug-20 6 / 14 Anniversary of the 3rd Karmapa, Rangjung Dorje
03-Aug-20 6 / 15 Amitabha Buddha Anniversary of Gampopa, the Physician of Full Moon Dagpo & great father of all the Kagyu lineages and the author of “The Jewel Ornament of Liberation”
14-Aug-20 6 / 25 Dakini day Positive actions are multiplied by 100 times 19-Aug-20 6 / 30 Shakyamuni Buddha Positive actions are multiplied by 100 times New Moon
26-Aug-20 7 / 8 Medicine Buddha Positive actions are multiplied by 100 times
28-Aug-20 7 / 10 Guru Rinpoche Positive actions are multiplied by 100 times (Padmasambhava)
30-Aug-20 7 / 12 Anniversary of the 11th Karmapa Yeshe Dorje
September 2020
02-Sep-20 7 / 15 Amitabha Buddha Anniversaries of the 4th Karmapa Rolpe Full Moon Dorje and Kunkhyen Pema Karpo, the head of Drukpa Kagyu lineage
12-Sep-20 7 / 25 Dakini day Anniversary of Phagmodrupa
17-Sep-20 7 / 30 Shakyamuni Buddha Positive actions are multiplied by 100 times New Moon
18-Sep-20 8 / 1 Anniversary of the 5th Karmapa Dezhin Shegpa
21-Sep-20 8 / 4 Anniversary of the 13th Karmapa Dudul Dorje
24-Sep-20 8 / 8 Medicine Buddha Positive actions are multiplied by 100 times
26-Sep-20 8 / 10 Guru Rinpoche Positive actions are multiplied by 100 times (Padmasambhava)
October 2020
01-Oct-20 8 / 15 Amitabha Buddha Positive actions are multiplied by 100 times Full Moon
10-Oct-20 8 / 23 Anniversary of the 8th Karmapa Mikyo Dorje
12-Oct-20 8 / 25 Dakini day Positive actions are multiplied by 100 times
14-Oct-20 8 / 27 Anniversary of Gendun Rinpoche
16-Oct-20 8 / 30 Shakyamuni Buddha Positive actions are multiplied by 100 times New Moon
24-Oct-20 9 / 8 Medicine Buddha Positive actions are multiplied by 100 times
26-Oct-20 9 / 10 Guru Rinpoche Positive actions are multiplied by 100 times (Padmasambhava)
31-Oct-20 9 / 15 Amitabha Buddha Positive actions are multiplied by 100 times Full Moon
November 2020
04-Nov-20 9 / 19 Birthday of Lama Namsai 05-Nov-20 9 / 20 Anniversary of the 16th Karmapa, Rangjung Rigpe Dorje
07-Nov-20 9 / 22 Lha Bab Düchen: Buddha Sakyamuni descent from Tushita Heaven, at Sankhasa, near Patna. To repay his mother's kindness and to liberate her, Buddha spent 3 months teaching the Dharma in the Gods realms.
On this day, the effects of positive and negative actions are multiplied by 10 million times
10-Nov-20 9 / 25 Dakini day Positive actions are multiplied by 100 times
15-Nov-20 9 / 30 Shakyamuni Buddha Positive actions are multiplied by 100 times New Moon
22-Nov-20 10 / 8 Medicine Buddha Positive actions are multiplied by 100 times
24-Nov-20 10 / 10 Guru Rinpoche Positive actions are multiplied by 100 times (Padmasambhava)
29-Nov-20 10 / 14 Lunar Eclipse Positive actions are multiplied by 10,000 times for Solar & Lunar Eclipses
30-Nov-20 10 / 15 Amitabha Buddha Positive actions are multiplied by 100 times Full Moon
December 2020
10-Dec-20 10 / 25 Dakini day Anniversary of Je Tsongkhapa
10 / 30 Shakyamuni Buddha Anniversary of the 12th Karmapa Changchub New Moon Dorje and Birthday of Kyabje Tenga Solar Eclipse Rinpoche
17-Dec-20 11 / 3 Anniversary of the 1st Karmapa, Dusum Khyenpa
22-Dec-20 11 / 8 Medicine Buddha Positive actions are multiplied by 100 times
24-Dec-20 11 / 10 Guru Rinpoche Positive actions are multiplied by 100 times (Padmasambhava)
25-Dec-20 11 / 11 Christmas Day & Sonam Tenzin Rinpoche's birthday
26-Dec-20 11 / 12 Boxing Day
28-Dec-20 11 / 14 Anniversary of Sakya Pandita Kunga Gyaltsen
29-Dec-20 11 / 15 Amitabha Buddha Anniversary of the 10th Karmapa Choying Full Moon Dorje
31-Dec-20 11 / 17 New Year's Eve