Jam Tse Cho Ling Tibetan Buddhist Temple

924 – 36 St. S.E.

2023 Saka Dawa (Vesak) Celebrations

We are entering the most powerful month in Buddha’s life called Vesak. It is said that merit accumulated through virtuous action during this month is multiplied millions of times. Our temple will be offering a series of retreats to celebrate this sacred month. These retreats are the perfect opportunity to spend time developing a relationship with the deities and their qualities in ourselves. It is even more powerful when a group practices together, they bring powerful healing and purification of negative karma and remove obstacles to one’s life and aspirations. It is also a very good opportunity to pray for the loved one or person who needs help and healing.

The special event schedule is below. Please refer to the calendar for regular event info.

Update: Children’s festival start time moved to 1pm, June 4 Guru puja start time moved to 10am

Saturday, May 20 11:00am First day of Saka Dawa open house

Sunday, May 21 11:00am Avalokiteshvara retreat

Wednesday, May 24 6:30pm Regular Tara Prayer

Saturday, May 27 11:00am Medicine Buddha retreat and Jawang

Details below

Sunday, May 28 1:00pm Children’s fest to celebrate Saka Dawa.

1:00pm Upon arrival of the children Pizza will be served.

1:30pm Introduce the program.

Meaning and the importance of celebrating Saka Dawa (Vesak) – Geshe Trinly Gyatso

1:45pm Presentation of ”Three Moons in May”  by Tibetan Sunday School children 

2:30pm Activities (arts and crafts)

3pm Closing comments

Tuesday, May 30 6:30pm Drolchog Full Tara Puja

Sunday, June 4 10:00am Guru Puja/Guru Rinpoche Tsog. Organized by Tibetan Association of Alberta.

Sunday, June 18 11:00am Vajrasattva retreat

The details of the retreat events are below.

Avalokiteshra Retreat – Sunday, May 21st, 2023 11:00am to 3:00pm

Avalokiteshra represents the compassion of all the Buddhas.

11:00am – 12:00pm: Prelude to Avalokiteshvara practice. Teaching on four immeasurables of loving-
kindness, compassion, appreciative joy and equanimity. They are the antidote to ill will, cruelty, jealousy,
clinging and aversion. At this retreat you will learn how to cultivate these four immeasurable qualities.
12:00pm – 1:00pm Vegetarian Potluck lunch
1:00pm – 3:00pm: Avalokiteshvara practice. Visualization, chanting and recitation of the six-syllable
mantra. It is said that reciting His mantra is like reciting the names of all the Buddhas and helps us to
develop compassion for others.

Medicine Buddha Retreat with Jawang – Saturday, May 27th 11:00am to 3:00pm

Medicine Buddha practice for healing physical, mental, and emotional ailments. Medicine
Buddha prayer is also done not only for those who are sick but for those have passed
away. At this ritual, please bring the names of those who have passed away.

11:00am – 12:30pm Medicine Buddha Sadana, meditation and recitation of his mantra.
12:30pm – 1:30pm Vegetarian potluck lunch.
1:30pm – 3:00pm Jawang (fire purification ritual) for purification of all transgressions, healing sickness and
removing obstacles to one’s spiritual practice as well as present aspirations.

Vajrasattva – Sunday, June 18th 11:00 to 3:00pm
Vajrasattva practice combined with confession of downfalls to 35 Buddhas is the most powerful
practice to purify our negative karma.

11:00am – 12:30pm Visualization, Meditation recitation of 100 syllable mantra
12:30pm – 1:30pm Vegetarian potluck lunch.
1:30pm – 3:00pm Continue Meditation, visualization, and mantra recitation and confession of downfalls.

Note: There is no registration fee. However, donations are gratefully accepted.

Hello Dharma Friends,

For those interested in the workings of the mind, we are piloting a separate class to delve into this topic more deeply. This Buddhist psychology class will take place on Saturdays at 11am-12pm, starting May 6th.

The background reading for this class will be mostly from this page: https://studybuddhism.com/en/advanced-studies/science-of-mind/ways-of-knowing/lorig-ways-of-knowing

Scheduling is subject to change, please refer to the website calendar for the latest schedule: https://jtclcalgary.ca/calendar/

You can also attend virtually on Zoom:
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/4102590148?pwd=RkphclNKK21LUEQySmk1UVdSWnlMUT09

Tuesday, March 7, 2023 is the full moon of first Tibetan month known as Festival of Miracles (Chothrul Düchen) and is one of the four great occasions in Buddha’s life.

When Buddha was in his 40s, the leaders of India’s six main (non Buddhist) philosophical schools led by Purnakasyapa had challenged the Buddha to a contest of miraculous powers. Buddha agreed, only because he saw how in the future the root of virtue would arise in many beings as a result.

Thousands of followers of the six tirthika teachers adopted the Buddha dharma after that and later became arhats.

In Tibet the whole month is known as Bhumgyur Dawa as the effects of positive (or negative) actions are multiplied ten million times during the month and 100 million times on the full moon & new moon days.

Geshe la will lead us in celebrating this great day by reciting Full Tara Prayer, starting Tue March 7 6:30pm-8:30pm. Note: the usual Wednesday prayer March 8 is cancelled this week.

For the Full Tara prayer, please

• bring your vajra and bell if you have them
• bring offerings for the altar: flowers, fruits or cookies made without eggs or animal fats.
• avoid eating meat, eggs, onions or garlic during the day.

For those using the virtual option to join us:

• Zoom link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/4102590148
• PDF Prayer book: https://jtclcalgary.ca/prayer-books/