The month of Saga Dawa

Saga Dawa 2021 runs from May 12, 2021 – June 10, 2021.

Saga Dawa is the most important month of the Himalayan lunar calendar (fourth lunar month). Within this month falls the anniversary of Buddha Shakyamuni’s birth, enlightenment, and parinirvana.

Saga Dawa is known as the month of merits (bumgyur dawa), which means “merits multiplied a hundred thousand times.” Vajrayana Buddhists make a point during this month, of increasing practices of mindfulness, generosity, and compassion to further accumulate positivity and merit.

The 15th day of this lunar month, the full moon day, is called Saga Dawa Düchen (Düchen means “great occasion”). In 2021, Saga Dawa Düchen falls on Wednesday, May 26. This day is the single most important holy day of the year for Vajrayana Buddhists.

Note that other Buddhist traditions do commemorate this month and its most important day a little earlier as it is based on a different lunar calendar.