Saka Dawa is the most important Tibetan Buddhist festival day, celebrating Lord Buddha’s birth, enlightenment and parinirvana. It falls on the fourth month of the Tibetan lunar calendar, with the most significant day being the full moon (the 15th day), known as Saka Dawa Düchen. This year, Saka Dawa takes place on June 11.

This day is believed to hold immense spiritual merit, as it marks the three major life events of the Buddha. According to Buddhist teachings, any virtuous or non-virtuous actions performed during this time are multiplied many times over, making it a period of heightened spiritual practice, generosity, and ethical conduct.

During Saka Dawa, Buddhists around the world engage in many auspicious and merit-making activities such as sponsoring or engaging in beneficial pujas, practices, and prayers; and making extensive offerings to teachers, holy objects, and auspicious charitable activities. This period serves as a powerful reminder of impermanence, karma, and the path to enlightenment, inspiring Buddhists to deepen their practice and cultivate a mind of wisdom and compassion.