Buddhist Monastic Culture Important Dates in the Monastery Year The Tibetan Calendar There are a number of special days marked in the Monastery calendar. These days are taken from the Tibetan calendar which is based on a lunar system with 360 days and 12 months, with an additional month added every 30 months to keep the calendar aligned with the seasons. The rules for calculating the details of the Tibetan calendar are very complicated, and are handed down from master to student in the Tibetan Medical and Astrological Institute which prepares a detailed astrological chart for each year. To add to the complexity there are ‘skipped’ days (tsi chad-pa) and doubled days (tsi lhag-pa) – or sometimes even months – depending on the chart’s instructions. The year is not divided into four equal parts as the range of each season is based on the location of the sun in the sky. In general, winter is the longest season, then spring, autumn and finally summer. The calendar dates from 1027AD when the Kalachakra Tantra was introduced from Sanskrit into Tibet, and 2020 in the Western calendar is equivalent to 2147 in Tibetan years. There are twelve animals and five elements assigned to each year in a 60 year cycle called a Rab-byung. These are the Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep, Monkey, Bird, Dog, Pig, Mouse, Ox and Tiger, and the elements are Fire, Earth, Iron, Water and Wood. In 2020 we are in the 34th year of the 17th Rab-byung, the year of the Iron Mouse. The next 60-year Rab-byung cycle begins in 2047 (western calendar) with the Fire Rabbit year. Months are numbered rather than named, but each are again ruled by animal signs, the first being the Dragon. Particular days of any given month are given special significance, either for good or bad. For example, the 8th day of each lunar month is considered an auspicious day for making offerings to the Goddess Tara. In general, the waxing half of the lunar month is generally considered more auspicious than the waning part of the month, therefore it is better to begin projects near the beginning of the month so that they can increase with the waxing of the moon. The most important date of the Tibetan Buddhist year is Saga Dawa, the anniversary of Buddha's birth, enlightenment, and passing away which falls on the 15th day of the 4th month. Losar, Tibetan New Year, falls on the 1st day of the 1st Tibetan month, usually in February, and is preceded by the Gutor Festival during the final days of the old year, where the masked dance rituals clear the negative influences from the previous year. Special Days in the Monastery's Year Tibetan Calendar 1st Month Dragon 1 3 8-18 Losar, Tibetan New Year New Kachen Oath Ceremony Choetrul Monlam Chenmo (Great Prayer Festival) 2nd Month Snake 3rd Month Horse 25 Lobnyeir – Monastic Exams 4th Month Sheep 15 Saka Dawa, the celebration of the Buddha’s birth, enlightenment and ascent to Paranirvana 5th Month Monkey 14-16 Tashi Lhunpo Summer Monlam (Prayer) 6th Month Bird 4 15 Drukpa Tse Shi – Preaching Day: celebrating the Lod Buddha turning the Wheel of Dharma Yaar-nay – Beginning of the Summer Retreat 7th Month Dog International Gelugpa Examinations at Sera, Gaden or Drepung Monastery 8th Month Pig 1 1-5 End of the Summer Retreat Gak-ye – Summer holiday 9th Month Mouse 22 Lhabab Duchen – celebration of Lord Buddha’s Descent from Heaven 10th Month Ox 25 Anniversary of the death of Jhe Tsong Khapa, founder of the Gelug School of Tibetan Buddhism 11th Month Tiger 1-30 Jang Gunchoe – Winter Debate Session for the Gelugpa School 12th Month Rabbit 5 25-29 Tashi Lhunpo Namdrel Parmana Exams Gutor Festival – Monastic Cham Dances Western Calendar Dates 25th April Birthday of His Holiness the 11th Panchen Lama 6th July Birthday of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama 2nd September Democracy Day 10th December Nobel Peace Prize Day Tibetan Calendar Years Rab-byung 17th – 60th Years Name Date (Western calendar) 34 Iron Mouse 2020 35 Iron Ox 2021 36 Water Tiger 2022 37 Water Rabbit 2023 38 Wood Dragon 2024 39 Wood Snake 2025 40 Fire Horse 2026 41 Fire Sheep 2027 42 Earth Monkey 2028 43 Earth Bird 2029 44 Iron Dog 2030 45 Iron Pig 2031 46 Water Mouse 2032 47 Water Ox 2033 48 Wood Tiger 2034 49 Wood Rabbit 2035 50 Fire Dragon 2036 51 Fire Snake 2037 52 Earth Horse 2038 53 Earth Sheep 2039 54 Iron Monkey 2040 55 Iron Bird 2041 56 Water Dog 2042 57 Water Pig 2043 58 Wood Mouse 2044 59 Wood Ox 2045 60 Fire Tiger 2046