Explore the Vibrant World of Buddhist Festivals

Buddhism observes numerous festivals, with the birth, renunciation, enlightenment, and Parinirvana of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas each forming unique occasions of celebration among their respective followers. These observances, passed down through generations, have given rise to many significant Buddhist festivals. During these special times, devotees express their deep religious sentiments and compassionate hearts by offering tributes to the figures they revere, confessing their wrongdoings, giving alms to monks and the poor, and engaging in vegetarianism and mindful recitation of Buddha’s name.

According to Buddhist scriptures, performing virtuous deeds on ordinary auspicious days generates immense merit. This merit is amplified, particularly during the various Buddhist festivals. Engaging in practices such as mantra recitation, acts of charity, prostrations, offerings, providing meals to the monastic community, upholding ethical precepts, and cultivating loving-kindness and the aspiration for enlightenment will increase merit by a billionfold.

Buddhist Festivals: Tibetan New Year (Losar)

The first month of the Tibetan calendar is the most festive and important, with celebrations occurring almost daily. The New Year is the most significant buddhist festival, and preparations begin in early December of the Tibetan calendar. Initially, young barley sprouts are placed in front of the Buddha. By mid-month, families start frying pastries made from butter and flour.

As the end of the year approaches, a container filled with five grains is prepared, containing tsampa (roasted barley flour) mixed with butter, roasted barley grains, and ginseng fruit, topped with barley ears. A colorful butter-sculpted sheep’s head is also prepared, all to wish for favorable weather, thriving livestock, and a bountiful harvest in the coming year.

On the 29th of December, people clean their kitchens and draw the “Eight Auspicious Symbols” with dry flour on the central wall. In the evening, families gather to eat “Gutu” (boiled dough balls), followed by a grand ritual to send away evil spirits. On New Year’s Eve, the formal New Year celebrations begin. The “Eight Auspicious Symbols” are drawn with lime powder outside every door. Inside, new carpets are laid, and various fried pastries, fruits, butter, tea bricks, and dried fruits are placed as offerings before the family shrine.

New Year’s Day is typically a time for family gatherings. People wake up early, dress in new clothes, and first make offerings to the gods. Then, they exchange New Year greetings while holding a container of five grains and barley wine, followed by drinking warm barley wine and eating barley porridge and ginseng fruit cooked in butter. On the second day, relatives and friends start visiting each other to exchange New Year greetings.

From the fourth day onwards, Lhasa hosts the grand Monlam Prayer Festival. This festival was initiated in Lhasa in 1409 by Tsongkhapa, the founder of the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism, to commemorate the Buddha’s miraculous feats and subjugation of demons. Initially, monks from the three great monasteries gathered in front of the statue of Shakyamuni in the Jokhang Temple to recite scriptures, debate Buddhist philosophy, and award new Lharampa Geshe degrees (the highest degree in Tibetan Buddhism). During the festival, the government provides alms to the monks, and devotees from various places come to offer lamps and make donations. The festival concludes on the twenty-fifth of the first month with the welcoming of the Maitreya Buddha.

Buddhist Festivals: The Butter Lamp Festival

Another significant buddhist festival in the first month is the Butter Lamp Festival, held on the fifteenth. During the day, people visit temples to offer incense and pay homage to the Buddha. In the evening, various flower racks are erected along the streets, some reaching three stories high. These racks are adorned with colorful butter sculptures depicting deities, figures, animals, birds, flowers, and trees. These sculptures, ranging from grand and majestic to small and delicate, are illuminated by hundreds of lamps, creating a dazzling and spectacular scene. The Dalai Lama and other high-ranking officials traditionally parade through the city to admire the flower racks and celebrate with the monks and laypeople, bringing the festival to its climax.

The Butter Lamp Festival began in 1409 when Tsongkhapa, the founder of the Gelug school, established the Monlam Prayer Festival on the fifteenth day of the first month. Various offerings were displayed to commemorate Sakyamuni’s display of miraculous powers and subjugation of demons. Since then, people have continued this tradition, and every household displays butter lamps on the fifteenth day of the first month. In Tibetan, this buddhist festival is called “Chunga Choepa.”

From the 24th to the 26th of the first month, archery competitions and ritual dances to drive away evil spirits are held. During this time, Lhasa is filled with crowds of people, creating a lively and festive atmosphere.

Buddhist Festivals: The Linka Festival

The Linka Festival takes place on the fifteenth day of the fifth month of the Tibetan calendar. In Tibetan, it is called “Dzamling Chisang,” meaning World Incense Offering Day or World Enjoyment Day. It is believed to commemorate Guru Rinpoche (Padmasambhava) subduing all the demons in Tibet during the fifth month of the monkey year.

The Tibetan people, who love nature and enjoy singing and dancing, dress in festive attire on this day, bringing barley wine, butter tea, and various delicious foods to the wooded areas known as “Linka.” They set up tents and enjoy eating, drinking, singing, and dancing while enjoying nature. People often invite each other to their tents, and folk artists perform. This buddhist festival often lasts for a month.

Buddhist Festivals: The Shoton Festival (Yogurt Festival)

The Shoton Festival, celebrated on the first day of the seventh month of the Tibetan calendar, is known as the “Yogurt Festival.” Because Tibetan opera performances are the main highlight of the Shoton Festival, it is also called the “Tibetan Opera Festival.” Before the 17th century, “Shoton” was purely a religious event. According to the rules, monks had to observe a summer retreat, during which they were not allowed to leave their monasteries. After several weeks, they could descend from the mountains, and the common people would offer them yogurt as alms. This is the origin of “Shoton.”

In the mid-17th century, Tibetan opera performances were introduced to the buddhist festival, and the Shoton Festival was established. However, religious and entertainment activities were restricted to outside the monasteries. It was not until the early 18th century when Norbulingka (the Dalai Lama’s Summer Palace) was built and the Shoton Festival activities were moved there that common people were permitted to watch the performances. This led to the establishment of a fixed set of festival rituals.

Because the Shoton Festival features grand Tibetan opera performances and large-scale Buddha unfolding ceremonies, it is also known as the “Tibetan Opera Festival” or the “Buddha Unfolding Festival.”

The Wangkor Festival

The Wangkor Festival is celebrated in the eighth month of the Tibetan calendar and is a harvest festival with no fixed date. It usually takes place when crops are ripe. “Wangkor” is a Tibetan word meaning “walking around the fields.” The festival has a history of more than 1,000 years, originating in the river valleys of the middle and lower reaches of the Yarlung Tsangpo River. Initially, the “Wangkor” activities were rituals to worship deities and pray for a good harvest. Villages would organize a ritual where a Bon shaman would lead villagers in walking around the village land. With the development and spread of religion, “Wangkor” activities have evolved.

In the late 8th century, the Nyingma school of Tibetan Buddhism flourished, and “Wangkor” activities were influenced by the Nyingma school. It became customary to recite mantras to pray for a good harvest. By the 14th century, the Gelug school rose to prominence and gradually became dominant. “Wangkor” activities took on Gelug characteristics, and the procession began carrying Buddha statues and reciting scriptures. Since then, “Wangkor” activities have been fixed as a festival and have gradually included activities such as horse racing, archery, singing, dancing, Tibetan opera, stone lifting, and wrestling. In addition to agricultural areas, similar activities are also held in some pastoral areas.

Buddhist Festivals: The Palden Lhamo Festival (Fairy Festival)

In the tenth month of the Tibetan calendar, two major religious buddhist festivals take place. One is the Palden Lhamo Festival, celebrated on the 15th of the month. It is a significant annual event where monks from the Muru Monastery perform a large-scale ritual for the protector deity Palden Lhamo in Lhasa’s Jokhang Temple. On the 14th evening, the monks welcome the statue of Palden Lhamo to the Shakyamuni Buddha Hall, where it faces the statue of Shakyamuni Buddha.

Early on the morning of the 15th, as the sun rises, monks carry the statue of Palden Lhamo on their heads to the Barkhor Street, where numerous devotees present khata (ceremonial scarves) to the statue. After a series of rituals, the statue is returned to the Jokhang Temple, where it is placed back on its original throne. Women are particularly interested in this buddhist festival, calling it the “Fairy Festival.” On this day, they dress up and offer incense and make wishes in front of the statue of Palden Lhamo.

Buddhist Festivals: The Ganden Ngamcho (Butter Lamp Festival)

Another festival in the tenth month is the Ganden Ngamcho, celebrated on the 25th. This day commemorates the passing of Tsongkhapa, the founder of the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism.

On this night, countless lamps are lit in monasteries and on the rooftops of homes. Pilgrims walk in circles around temples and holy sites, and devotees throw branches of sanga (a type of juniper) into the incense burners in front of the Jokhang Temple, praying for good fortune.

Buddhist Festivals: The Great Assembly (Wu Zhe Hui)

The “Wu Zhe Hui,” or “Unimpeded Assembly,” is a Dharma assembly where people of all social classes and status, both clergy and laypeople, equally participate in offering both material and spiritual gifts. In the 7th century, Emperor Jie Ri invited Xuanzang to participate in the Wu Zhe Hui in Qunü City. In India, this event was held every five years, during which the imperial treasury was opened to benefit the masses. The assembly lasted for 75 days, during which offerings were distributed to Buddhists, Brahmins, Jains, and beggars. The Chinese Wu Zhe Hui began in 529 AD. Emperor Wu of Liang held a “Salvation Fast” for the people in the Chongyun Hall. He then went to the Tongtai Temple and held a “Fourfold Unimpeded Assembly” (including monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen), during which he wore the Dharma robes, sat on a simple bed and on a simple cart and personally lectured on the topic of the Nirvana Sutra. The emperor also provided food for 50,000 people, including both clergy and laypeople.

Buddhist Festivals: The Great Prayer Festival (Monlam Chenmo)

The Monlam Chenmo, or Great Prayer Festival, is a significant event in Tibetan Buddhism. The festival takes place from the third to the twenty-fourth day of the first month of the Tibetan calendar. During this time, tens of thousands of monks from the three major monasteries in Lhasa, as well as devotees from all over Tibet, gather at the Jokhang Temple to participate in various religious activities. In 1409, Tsongkhapa organized a grand prayer festival in Lhasa to commemorate Sakyamuni Buddha. The event was suspended for 19 years after Tsongkhapa’s passing, but it was later reinstated during the time of the Second Dalai Lama, Gendun Gyatso.

Buddhist Festivals: The Smaller Prayer Festival (Monlam Chungwa)

The Monlam Chungwa, or Smaller Prayer Festival, is held for ten days in late February of the Tibetan calendar. During the festival, monks from the three major monasteries gather at the Jokhang Temple for debating sessions and to select second-level Geshe degrees. It is called “smaller” because of its smaller scale compared to the Monlam Chenmo.

Buddhist Festivals: The Pilgrimage Festival

According to tradition, the fourth day of the sixth month of the Tibetan calendar marks the anniversary of Sakyamuni Buddha turning the Wheel of Dharma. To commemorate and celebrate this day, people dress in new clothes and go on pilgrimages to nearby mountain temples, make offerings to the gods, and chant scriptures. Afterwards, they enjoy food, drink, and dance on the grass. In Tibetan, the Pilgrimage Festival is called “Drupachoe,” and it is mainly observed in the central Tibet region.

Buddhist Festivals: The Saga Dawa Festival

The Saga Dawa Festival commemorates the birth, enlightenment, and parinirvana of Sakyamuni Buddha. The festival is celebrated on the fifteenth day of the fourth month of the Tibetan calendar. The main activities take place at the Dragon King Pond behind the Potala Palace. Over time, the festival has evolved into a public gathering where people enjoy nature and celebrate the harvest. Devotees first pay homage to deities and Buddhas, then come to the Dragon King Pond to enjoy the beautiful scenery. The clear water of the pond reflects the beauty of spring. Visitors can also take a boat on the pond or sit in a pavilion and appreciate Lhasa’s beautiful surroundings. Families and friends set up colorful tents on the grass, enjoy food and drinks, and participate in singing and dancing.

Buddhist Festivals: The Buddha Bathing Festival

The Buddha Bathing Festival, held on the eighth day of the fourth month of the lunar calendar, is an important festival for Buddhists to commemorate the birth of Sakyamuni Buddha. It is also known as Buddha’s Birthday. According to legend, when Sakyamuni Buddha was born, he pointed one hand to the sky and the other to the earth and said, “In heaven and on earth, I alone am the most honorable.” At this moment, the earth trembled, and nine dragons sprayed water to bathe him. Therefore, Buddhist devotees of various countries and ethnicities usually celebrate the Buddha’s birth by bathing the Buddha statue.

Before the Buddha Bathing Festival, Buddhists clean their temples and polish the Buddha statues. On the seventh day of the fourth month, many devotees gather at the temples to prepare for the commemorative ceremonies, which are held the next morning. Banners and canopies are displayed in the temples, along with flowers, incense, candles, and various offerings. A copper basin filled with fragrant water made from sandalwood, red sandalwood, turmeric, camphor, agarwood, musk, and cloves is placed on a table. A small copper statue of the infant Buddha is placed in the basin, with one hand pointing to the sky and the other pointing to the earth. Before the bathing ceremony, the abbot leads the monks in chanting scriptures and paying homage to the Buddha. They sing the bathing chant while scooping up fragrant water and pouring it over the Buddha statue. After bathing the statue, devotees also apply a bit of the fragrant water to themselves to symbolize washing away impurities. If there are too many participants, monks will sprinkle the fragrant water on the devotees.

On this day, monks hold a ceremony to offer food to the Buddha and ancestors. Devotees also like to come to the temples to burn incense, pay their respects, recite scriptures, make donations, and listen to Dharma lectures. Outside the temples, various cultural and economic activities take place. Since these activities last for several days, the Buddha Bathing Festival has become a traditional temple fair in many temples.

Buddhist Festivals: The Ullambana Festival (Ghost Festival)

The Ullambana Festival, held on the fifteenth day of the seventh month of the lunar calendar, is one of the two largest buddhist festivals. It is also known as “Monk’s Self-Surrender Day” or “Buddha’s Joyful Day,” and it is a day when Buddhists perform ceremonies to offer alms to the Buddha and the monastic community and to deliver departed ancestors from suffering.

According to Buddhist monastic rules, monks and nuns must observe a summer retreat from the 15th day of the fourth month to the 15th day of the seventh month of the lunar calendar. During this time, they must stay in one place to avoid harming insects and to concentrate on studying and practicing. On the 15th day of the seventh month, monks and nuns must critique themselves and share their experiences, a practice known as “Monk’s Self-Surrender.” After three months of intensive practice, the monks’ achievements have surely improved, making the Buddhas joyful. This is why this day is called “Buddha’s Joyful Day.”

How did this day become the Ullambana Festival? According to the Ullambana Sutra, translated by Dharmaraksa during the Western Jin Dynasty, Maudgalyayana, known for his supernatural abilities, saw his deceased mother suffering in the realm of hungry ghosts. He tried but could not relieve her suffering. The Buddha told Maudgalyayana that on the fifteenth day of the seventh month, he should prepare a grand offering of food for the monks who had completed their summer retreat and rely on their merits to release his mother from suffering. Maudgalyayana followed the Buddha’s instructions, and his mother was released from suffering. When Maudgalyayana asked if his future disciples could use the Ullambana offering to liberate their parents, the Buddha answered that all disciples who practice filial piety could prepare grand offerings for the monks to help their living parents increase their merit and longevity and help their deceased parents escape suffering. “Ullambana” is a transliteration of a Sanskrit word meaning “to save those suffering upside down.” In Chinese, the word “pen” refers to a container for food used to offer alms to monks.

As soon as this sutra was translated into Chinese, it quickly gained popularity among Chinese people who valued filial piety and ancestor veneration. During the Southern and Northern Dynasties, Emperor Wu of Liang first started Ullambana assemblies in China. Like what Yi Chu mentioned in Shi Shi Liu Tie, Emperor Wu of Liang sent Ullambana offerings to temples with a carriage on July 15, in the tradition of Maudgalyayana. Because Emperor Wu of Liang actively promoted the practice, people from all social classes followed suit. Later emperors and ordinary people continued to participate in this practice, which evolved over time into the Ullambana Festival with Chinese characteristics, which is also considered “Filial Piety Day”. During the Tang Dynasty, the Ullambana offerings were very extravagant and lavishly decorated with gold and jade. Temples in Chang’an would decorate with flowers, candles, and artificial trees. People would flock to temples to view these decorations and offer donations.

During the Song Dynasty, the Ullambana Festival gradually shifted from offering alms to monks to offering food to ghosts and performing rituals to liberate spirits. The focus changed from filial piety to offering alms to spirits. Temples would gather donations to perform rites for the dead. Later on, activities such as floating river lanterns and burning spirit boats became popular, turning it into a folk custom. During the Yuan and Ming Dynasties, these customs remained popular, and the Ullambana Festival became an important annual event in the temples. According to The Clear Rules of Ji Zhu An, “On the 15th day of the seventh month, we will hold the Ullambana Assembly to liberate the wandering souls and repay our parents’ hard work. We also need to prepare scriptures for the masses to read.” Zhu Hong pointed out in Zheng E Ji that the tradition of offering to ghosts on July 15th was incorrect. According to the Ullambana story, monks had completed their summer retreat, and they would receive merits from offering donations. Therefore, the donations are not for the ghosts. The tradition of making offerings to ghosts originated with Ananda and is not limited to July 15th. The container used for the offering is called Magadha-measuring-unit and not Ullambana. Therefore, the former practice is for the saints, and the latter for the hungry ghosts. The two practices should not be mixed. In the Qing Dynasty, Yi Run suggested that there should be offerings to the Three Jewels of Buddhism during the day and offerings to the ghosts at night. However, due to various reasons, the summer retreat was not fully observed, and the Ullambana Assembly became more of a ritual than a way to honor the monks. The Ullambana Festival became a ritual to offer alms to ghosts instead of venerating monks.

Buddhist Festivals: The Laba Festival

The tradition of eating “Laba Porridge” on the eighth day of the twelfth month of the lunar calendar has long been practiced in China. It originated from Chinese Buddhists commemorating Sakyamuni Buddha’s enlightenment. According to legend, Sakyamuni gave up his throne to seek the truth and liberation. He practiced asceticism in the snow mountains for six years, often eating only one grain of wheat and one sesame seed a day. Eventually, he realized that extreme asceticism was not the way to liberation, so he left the mountains. A shepherdess, seeing his weakness, offered him milk porridge, which restored his strength. Sakyamuni then meditated under a Bodhi tree for seven days and became enlightened on the eighth day of the twelfth month, when he saw a bright star. Based on this story, Han Chinese Buddhist temples commemorate this day with various activities, such as offering porridge to the Buddha, as stated in the Baizhang Qinggui. It has been said that eating porridge has many benefits, so temples often serve porridge in the morning. The Laba porridge is cooked with eight ingredients, such as lotus seeds, red dates, adlay, beans, ginkgo nuts, millet, peanuts, and white sugar, and is called “Eight Treasures Porridge.” The temples cook a large amount of porridge to provide to all devotees who come to the temple for the commemoration. Some devotees come just for the porridge, believing that the porridge offered to the Buddha is particularly auspicious. They eat it themselves or take it home to their families. This practice has spread from the temples to the public.

It is important to note that Theravada Buddhists believe that the birth, enlightenment, and Nirvana of Sakyamuni Buddha all occurred on the full moon day of May, which is why they celebrate Vesak on this day. The practice of eating Laba Porridge can be seen as a festival custom that developed in China.

A Calendar of Chinese and Tibetan Buddhist Festivals

(Note: Dates may vary due to lunar calendar adjustments.)