Geshe Damchoebaazar Gurjav to Give Eight Mahayana Precepts
Thursday, May 23rd at 6 am
Join us on Thursday May 23, 2024, at 6 am to celebrate Saga Dawa Düchen, the auspicious occasion occurring on the full moon day of the fourth lunar month. This marks the pinnacle of Saga Dawa, the most significant month in the Tibetan calendar, running from May 9 to June 6, 2024. Let’s come together to honor this special day.
Geshe Damchoe Gurjav will offer the ceremony of the Eight Mahayana Precepts for our community. The eight Mahayana precepts are taken from early morning until sunrise the next day and are generally taken during auspicious times such as Saka Dawa.
You do not need to have taken refuge in order to participate in this meaningful ceremony. We take these vows in order to benefit and liberate all sentient beings, eliminate sickness and famine, and to actualize the unsurpassed result of perfect, complete enlightenment.
The eight Mahayana precepts are:
- To not kill any sentient being, even an insect
- To not steal, that is, to not take what has not been given.
- To not engage in sexual activity.
- To not tell lies.
- To not take intoxicants, including alcohol, drugs, and tobacco.
- To not eat food at the wrong time, that is, after noon.
- To not sit on large and high seats and beds.
- To not wear perfume, garlands, and ornaments, and to not sing, dance, and so forth.
The eight Mahayana precepts are a powerful way to build, maintain and increase deep propensities for spiritual practice and attainment and thus is a profound method for giving meaning to your precious human life.
Following the ceremony we will gather for a homemade breakfast in the dojo.