Explanations of Dharma Practice Days

fpmt.org/media/resources/dharma-dates/dates-explained/

Prepared by Nawang Thartho, based on Tibetan Medical and Astrological Institute’s

calendar. Additional advice from Lama Zopa Rinpoche, Spiritual Director of FPMT, and
Geshe Nawang Dakpa.

We have marked days that are auspicious* and inauspicious for various activities, and days
that are favorable and unfavorable according to the combination of elements: earth, air, fire
and water. These combinations impact on the effectiveness of one’s activities as well as
one’s health.

The Favorable Days are listed below in order of most favorable to least favorable; and the
unfavorable days in order of least unfavorable to most unfavorable.

There are also categories called Unfavorable Days and Very Unfavorable Days, which
sometimes fall on one of the favorable element days. Note that the influence of the energy
of these unfavorable days is more powerful.

As always, many Tibetan days are either missed or repeated.

Advice for Auspicious Days

Losar Resources Page
Practice on Buddha Multiplying Days
How to Make the 15 Days of Miracles Meaningful

AUSPICIOUS DAYS
BIRTHDAYS AND ANNIVERSARIES OF HOLY BEINGS

BUDDHA DAY-B

Karmic results are multiplied by one hundred million, as cited by Lama Zopa Rinpoche in
the Vinaya text Treasure of Quotations and Logic.

Days 1—15 of Month 1: Lord Buddha performed many miracles; the 15th is Day of
Miracles.
Day 15 of Month 4: Lord Buddha’s birth, enlightenment and parinirvana (Or,
according to Geshe Dakpa et al, only the latter two).
Day 4 of Month 6: Lord Buddha’s first teaching.
Day 22 of Month 9: Lord Buddha’s actual descent from God Realm of Thirty- three.

ECLIPSE

Karmic results are multiplied by one hundred million on solar eclipses and seven hundred
thousand on lunar.
1/5
EIGHT MAHAYANA PRECEPTS

Rinpoche recommends taking these 24-hour vows on days on which the karmic effects of
positive actions are multiplied:

Buddha days (see above)

Days 8, 15 (full moon) and 30 (new Moon) of every Tibetan month
Eclipses (see above)

FAVORABLE DAY (Earth-Earth) – FD-EE

Less powerful than UD, VUD

Most auspicious. Earth-earth combination can bring success, fulfilling all wishes. Excellent
for starting activities, especially construction.

FAVORABLE DAY (Water-Water) – FD-WW

Less powerful than UD, VUD

Very auspicious. Water-water combination can bring strength and vitality. Excellent for
weddings, long-life rituals, increasing activities.

FAVORABLE DAY (Earth-Water) -FD-EW

Less powerful than UD, VUD

Very auspicious. Earth-water combination can bring peace and happiness. Excellent for
joyful events such as weddings, promotions.

FAVORABLE DAY (Fire-Fire) — FD-FF

Less powerful than UD, VUD

Auspicious. Fire-fire combination can increase wealth and property, Very good for wealth
rituals and activities that provide material support.

FAVORABLE DAY (Air-Air) – FD-AA

Less powerful than UD, VUD

Auspicious. Air-air combination con bring successful, swift completion to projects or
activities. Very good for starting a spiritual practice or a journey.

FAVORABLE DAY (Fire-Air) – FD-FA

Less powerful than UD, VUD

Auspicious. Fire-air combination can strengthen auspicious activities. Good for hanging
prayer flags (except on NPE days) and spiritual practice.

FIRE PUJA

Many days every month are good for fire pujas, required for those who have completed
certain tantric retreats. Doing them “on the wrong days can cause sickness and obstacles,”
according to Rinpoche.

2/5
FULL MOON –

15th of Tibetan month; good for practice.

MEDICINE BUDDHA PUJA

8th or 15th of every Tibetan month; recommended by Rinpoche.

NAGA PUJA

One or more days in most months are good for naga pujas.

NEW MOON –

30th of Tibetan month; good for practice.

PRAYER FLAGS — PF

Good for hanging prayer flags.

PRAYERS AND PRACTICES—PP

Good for spiritual practice.

PROTECTOR PUJA

29th of every Tibetan month.

SOJONG: MONASTICS’ CONFESSION DAY

Confession ceremony of monks and nuns usually falls at middle and end of every Tibetan
month.

TARA PUJA

8th of every Tibetan month; recommended by Rinpoche.

TSOG OFFERING

10th and 25th of every Tibetan month; according to Rinpoche, “Those who have
received an initiation into Highest Yoga Tantra have a commitment to perform tsog”
on these days.

*According to Ven. Choden Rinpoche, one of Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s teachers, observation
of auspicious days should be according to the date in India, not the date in one’s home
country. Therefore, when Lama Zopa Rinpoche is not in India, Rinpoche celebrates Buddha
Days and other auspicious dates according to the time in India.

INAUSPICIOUS DAYS
NO STARTING NEW BUSINESS ACTIVITY- NB

Days 2, 12, 22 of every Tibetan month.

3/5
NO COMMUNITY EVENT – NCE

Days 10, 20, 30 of every Tibetan month; not good for community events, such as at
one’s Dharma center.

NO FUNERAL OR CREMATION — NF

Days 8, 18, 28 of every Tibetan month.

NO INVITING GUESTS FOR PARTY – NG

Days 1, 11, 21 of every Tibetan month.

NO STARTING TO BUILD NEW HOUSE – NH

Days 6, 16, 26 of every Tibetan month.

NO CUTTING HAIR – NCH

Days 1, 2, 6, 7, 12, 16, 17, 20, 21, 24, 25, 28, 29, 30 of every Tibetan month.

NO MEDICAL PROCEDURE – NMP

Days 4, 8, 11, 15, 18,22,25,29 of every Tibetan month.

NO MEMORIAL OR WAKE – NM

Days 9, 19, 29 of every Tibetan month.

NO PRAYER FLAGS – NPF

According to Rinpoche, by hanging prayer flags including long prayer flags and banners)
on the wrong dates, “you will continuously receive obstacles.”

Days 10, 22 of Months 1, 5, 9

Days 7, 19 of Months 2, 6, 10
Days 4, 16, 28 of Months 3, 7, 11
Days 1, 13, 25 of Months 4, 8, 12

NO WEDDING – NW

Days 7, 17, 27 of every Tibetan month.

NO WEALTH RITUAL – NWR

UNFAVORABLE DAY – UD

More powerful than FD

Not good for starting important activities.

UNFAVORABLE DAY (Earth-Air) – UD-EA

Inauspicious. Earth-air combination can decline wealth and property, and negative activities
may be strengthened. Not good for starting medical procedures or important activities.

4/5
3UNFAVORABLE DAY (Water-Air) – UD-WA

Inauspicious. Water-air combination can harm or sever relationships. Not good for starting
medical procedures or important activities; risk of disagreements and disharmony.

UNFAVORABLE DAY (Earth-Fire) – UD-EF

Inauspicious. Earth-fire combination can cause suffering and the risk of burns. Not good for
starting medical procedures or important activities; risk of trouble and unhappiness.

UNFAVORABLE DAY (Fire- Water) – UD-FW

Most inauspicious. Fire-water combination can weaken vitality. Not good for starting
medical procedures or important activities; risk of shortening life span.

VERY UNFAVORABLE DAY- VUD

More powerful than FD

Not good for starting important activities and medical procedures.

NINE BAD OMENS

The days of the nine bad omens are considered the most inauspicious days of the year. It
starts on the 6th day of the 11th Tibetan month at 12:00 noon, and ends at 12:00 noon on
the 7th day. At the time of the Buddha, one practitioner tried to perform a lot of positive
actions on this day, and nine bad things happened to him. Consequently, Buddha
proclaimed that on this date each year in the future, it is best not to try to accomplish much.
Definitely it is a bad time to start projects or start a retreat. Traditionally, Tibetans play
games and have picnics on this day.

The 24 hours after the nine bad omens end (12:00 noon on the 7th to 12:00 noon on the
8th) is considered the day of ten good omens. On this day, ten good things happened to the
same practitioner who had experienced the nine bad omens, as he continued to persevere
in his performance of positive actions. This period is considered very auspicious for starting
projects, retreat, etc. However, Tibetans traditionally play games and have picnics on this
day as well.

Source: Alexander Berzin on www.berzinarchives.com

5/5