Buddhists worldwide have been reciting the
Sanghāta Sūtra regularly over the past four years. To view locations
around the world where the presence of the sutra has been established
through recitation and copying, view the Global Sanghata
Satellite Map, by
clicking here.
On particularly auspicious days each year, Sanghata Sutra practitioners
around the world put special effort into reciting the sutra
together.
Since so many people recited on these days in so many locations, those
days became days of global Sanghata recitation. To allow time to plan
ahead for such activities, we are here announcing days in 2010
when the Sanghata community worldwide is invited to join to recite this
amazing and transformative sutra.
Since very few of us live near large Dharma communities, reciting
together in our own homes or Dharma centers on days of global
recitation gives us as an opportunity to come together with our much
larger Sanghata community, to join our energy and our voices with those
of other Sanghata friends, no matter how distant. The merit
that
is generated by group activities far exceeds that of indivudal
activities, and global recitations are an occasion to gather either
physically with your local community or simply join with others who are
reciting around the planet on the same day. As you
recite, you can do so with an awareness that many others are
reciting with you, all sending forth the sound of the words of the
Buddha around this planet.
Everyone who recites it on these days (and any other, of course!) is
invited to report back at www.sanghatasutra.net/report.html
so the map can be marked with all the places the Sanghata has
been established. This gives all of us the opportunity to increase our
merit by rejoicing in what others have done!
February 28, Sunday - Day of Miracles, Full Moon, Medicine Buddha Day
We
begin our annual cycle of Sanghata recitations on this powerfully
auspicious day, a full moon day that also marks the anniversary of
Buddha's physical display of miracles in order to tame those who were
not receptive to his teachings through reasoning. The Sanghata
too is a text whose teaching methods seem to surpass ordinary
reasoning, making it a particularly appropriate way to mark this
important Buddhist holiday. Even as we recite today, we recollect
Buddha's teaching that each of us has the power to completely heal
ourselves and transform our own minds into a source of goodness
for others - and that this is the greatest 'miracle' of all!
June 26, Saturday - Gyalwang Karmapa's Birthday, World Purification Day, Full Moon and Lunar Eclipse
This day marks the completion of Samye Monastery, the first monastic facility for Tibetan
monks in Tibet. In Tibet, juniper and other traditional incnse offering
substances would be burned, with the aspiration to purify the world and
the local environment. As a day set aside for purification, the
recitation of the Sanghata is particularly effective. This year, the
day coincides this year with the birthday of His Holiness the 17th Gyalwang Karmapa. Last year His Holiness asked his followers not to mark his birthday
with the usual ritual celebrations, but with charitable activities and
social awareness programs, so if done with an altruistic motivation, we
hope joining together to recite the Sanghata will qualify! As if
that were not enough reason to recite, this year the birthday falls on
a full moon on which there is also a lunar eclipse, which will be visible from the Americas and east Asia.
September 21, Tuesday - International Day of Peace
This day has been designated the Interrational Day of Peace by the UN.
Recognizing Buddha's basic message that peace must be created within
the hearts of each of us, we take this day to offer our own
efforts to do so. By lifting our voices together around the world allow
the Sanghata's teachings on non-harm and peace to continue resounding
in the world, we make our own immediate environment a place of
peace, at the same time supporting others to do so wherever they may be
reciting.
October 29, Friday - Buddha's Descent from the Heavens
After
Buddha was enlightened he returned to his native city of Kapilavastu
to offer the Dharma to the relatives he had left behind. His wife and
foster mother, Yashodhara and Mahaprajapati Gautami later ordained, as
did his son and many cousins. But his birth mother had passed away
while the Buddha was an infant. To repay her kindness, he is said to
have gone to the heavens to teach her, and this important holiday marks
the joyful moment when his service to his mother was conmplete and he
descended once again to share the Dharma with those on earth. All
merit created this day is said to be multiplied exponentially.
