The Festival in Tibet (3)

The Third Month
TOPReincarnation and Transmigration of Buddha's Warrior Attendant
The Reincarnation and Transmigration of Buddha's Warrior Attendant Festival is held on the fifth day of the third month in the Tibetan lunisolar calendar. It is held to commemorate the first sign rotation of the Tibetan calendar, which took place in the Fire Rabbit Year of CE 1027.

TOPThe Fourth Month
TOPSaga Dawa Festival (The Birth of Buddha)
The first Saga Dawa Festival was held near the shores of Dragon King Pond in Lhasa. The festival is celebrated on the fifteenth day of the fourth month in the Tibetan lunisolar calendar in honor of the birth of Lord Buddha Sakyamuni, and his later enlightenment and departure from this world, having achieved the state of Nirvana. The festival is also partially in commemoration of the wedding between Songtsan Gambo, the King of Tubo Kingdom, and Princess Wencheng of the Tang (CE 618-907) Dynasty, as a means of cementing relations between the Han Chinese and Tibetan Chinese peoples. The men, women, monks, and lay folk of Lhapulun forsake food and drink – and do not speak – for a day and two nights. The festival is known as the Niannai Festival among the folk of Lhapulun.

TOPThe Sunning of Buddha Festival
The occasion is held yearly on the eighth day of the fourth month in the Tibetan lunisolar calendar in the following areas: Kangding Prefecture; Garze Autonomous Prefecture; and Sichuan Province. The main activity of the festival centers on Zhuanshan, or circumambulation around, and offering sacrifices to, Buddha and the Boddhisatva, as well as praying for blessings.

TOPThe Fifth Month
1.Tsenlanggisam (The Lingka Festival)
Tsenlanggisam, or the Lingka Festival, centers around the worship of Buddha, but in an unusual and folk-like way: people leave their houses and put up tents in parks, where bonfires can be seen all night long.

It is said that this festival is observed because in the fifth month of the Year of the Monkey, Lotus Buddha subdued all the evils and monsters in Tibet. There is another legend about this festival, which goes as follows.

Trisong Detsan intended to build Samye Monastery, but he was continually beset by bad luck and therefore failed time and again to accomplish his goal. Fortunately Lotus Buddha came to Trisong Detsan's aid by instituting the Incense Burning and Praying Festival, during which incense was burnt on a large scale in the monasteries and there was much praying for peace and happiness.

Gradually the bad luck that had plagued Trisong Detsan disappeared, and the monastery was finally built. In order to commemorate this happy event, a great ceremony was held at the time of the full moon. It is considered a lucky day, and Tibetans love to observe it by going off to campsites, where everyone enjoys much food, drink, and merriment in the company of others.