If our samaya is clean, the most important day of the year is our Guru’s birthday. Why? That is the person that gives us the Dharma. So, when that person gives us the Dharma, it is worth more than all the statues and all the living Buddhas in the world because they didn’t give us Dharma.

Why is that so important? Because when we receive the Dharma, it changes our life. It changes our death. It changes our future birth. And it changes the dynamics of our relationships with other people. So, this all comes about from the Dharma. This all comes about from someone who took the time to compassionately speak the Dharma. Who compassionately raised funds to create a Dharma institution, a Dharma centre, Dharma people, Dharma facilities for all of us to get Dharma. This arises from our teacher, from our Guru.

Therefore, the day that our Guru is born, is the day that we are destined to meet him or her. So, every year on our Guru’s birthday for us, it is of personal significance. Because that is the day that our Guru took birth, that due to our affinity to him or her, we will be meeting them and receiving the Dharma and changing our destinies. And, perhaps some of us have met our teachers in previous lives. Therefore, the celebration of our Guru’s birthday is the most important event of the year for purification and I’ll explain more. And I will tell you why, so it doesn’t become something like, you know, why?

In Tibet, if the teacher tells you, that’s it. But outside, where the Dharma is not strong, you have to explain why. And that’s alright. That’s no problem. So, I’ll explain Tsongkhapa’s birthday, Kuan Yin’s birthday, Shakyamuni’s birthday and slash/or our Guru’s birthday. Depends, okay? So, for me, Tsongkhapa’s day is very important but more important is Kyabje Zong Rinpoche’s day. For myself, personally. Alright.

On your Guru’s birthday, when you make offerings, you take vows, you do practices, you take special commitments, it’s very powerful for your personally healing. Do you know why? Let me tell you the truth. Let me tell you the truth. And I don’t mean it towards me, okay? Your personally Guru’s (who you have a good relationship with) birthday is even more sacred than Tsongkhapa’s birthday. Because that is the day your Guru chose to take rebirth to connect with you. Simple.

If you are connected with your Guru, it’s definitely from another life. From another time, another prayer. So, that’s the day your Guru rebirth, in order to reconnect with you and you with them, somehow. So, that’s the day they chose to come into the world. If you can’t celebrate that day, or take special vows, or show up, or be there, you don’t take your Guru seriously. Simple as that.

In the monasteries, our Guru’s birthdays are a big event. Very big event. Even for me, people like me who hates parties, I show up. Because it’s not a party. So, that day we take vows. If we can take it with our Guru, it’s even better. We take Refuge, wonderful! Or we repair our Refuge vows. Or we make wishes for health, long life, realisations. Or sometimes, if you are very lucky, if you have the merits, your Guru will give initiation on his birthday. Oh, very profound. Or give bodhisattva vows.

On that day, you should create statues or tsa tsas. On that day you should do more prostrations. On that day, all secular activity, you should stop. You should spend one 24 hours on spiritual activities. Your Guru’s birthday, Tsongkhapa’s day, Shakyamuni’s day. All secular activity should stop or become more minimal. If your Guru’s birthday or Tsongkhapa’s day falls on Sunday, very easy right? If it’s on a Wednesday, well, you’ve got to make do. You’ve got to work 8, 9 hours and then go do your spiritual thing. It’s the best you can do. That’s the most important.

Why? That is the day that they chose to benefit you. So, why wouldn’t you celebrate? For example, Tsongkhapa’s day is coming up very soon. It’s a very big event in Gaden, do you know in Gaden, the high lamas, even the old lamas with walking sticks, will come out and go to the temple make prayers and light butterlamps. Even the old ones, like 81 years old. They come. When you see them walk to the temple, tears flow down your face. Do you know why? They spent their whole lives benefiting others. Usually, they don’t even come out because they are too old. And they don’t travel much. But they will come out.

So, it’s very, very precious. Tsongkhapa day is a very special event. Ever year KH plans it wonderfully, and does it wonderfully. That’s beautiful. That’s beautiful. I’m not interested in my birthday, because there is Tsongkhapa’s day. Why should I call a bunch of people to celebrate my birthday? Is my ego that inflated? What is there to celebrate? I showed up, big fat me, what’s the big deal? Why should have a whole bunch of people come and sing happy birthday to celebrate my birthday? I should celebrate everybody else’s life. Not make people focus on me. That’s called spiritualism.

So, therefore Tsongkhapa’s day is a very powerful day to take vows, purify karma, and heal. Very powerful. Very, very powerful. Then on that day, the day before, you should clean up your altars very well, prepare beautiful offerings. When you wake up, make beautiful offerings to Tsongkhapa. Go to the centre, do activities. If you are really far away, you cannot help it. Then you do wherever you are. Very important. Alright?

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对于三昧耶清净的人来说，一年之中最重要的日子，就是我们上师的生辰。为什么呢？因为他是将佛法传授给我们的人。比起一尊尊佛像，以及这个世界其他的上师佛，这个给我们佛法的人更为珍贵，因为他人没授予我们佛法。

为什么这一点如此重要？我们因为听闻上师说法，生命起了变化，死亡也会出现变化，投生也就有了变化。我们跟他人的人际关系也会出现变化。这些都源自佛法，源自一个奉献出自己时间慈悲说法的人。这个人慈悲地去筹资创办佛教机构或道场、栽培弟子、找寻资源，好让我们可以听法。这一切都源自我们的上师。

我们上师诞生的那一天，就已经埋下我们注定在日后值遇他的伏笔。于是，上师每一年的生辰，对每个弟子而言是具有个人意义的。我们上师乘愿归来的那一天，基于我们与上师的因缘，是我们即将值遇上师，听受其教法，改变我们一生的日子。又或者，我们当中有的人在前世就已经值遇上师。这也就是为什么，上师的生辰是我们一整年当中，净除罪障的最重要的日子。我会接着讲解其中缘由。

在藏地，上师说什么就是什么了。但在藏地以外的地方，尤其是佛法不那么兴盛的地方，上师凡事都得为弟子的“为什么”做解释。不要紧，这不是什么问题。我会讲解宗喀巴大师的生辰、观音菩萨的生辰、释迦摩尼佛的生辰，又或是我们上师的生辰（我们该怎么做）。每个人看重的日子不一样，对我来说，宗喀巴大师日非常重要，但嘉杰宋仁波切的生辰，对我个人更加重要。

你在上师的生辰做供养、持戒、修行、立下誓愿，这些举动对你本身净除罪障的修行十分有力。你知道这是为什么吗？我来告诉你真相，但我的意思不是要你们对我这么做，好吗？上师（你跟他保持清净关系的人）的生辰，比起宗喀巴大师的生辰还要殊胜，因为那是你上师选择乘愿归来与你结缘的日子。就是这么简单。

若你跟你的上师有缘，那么这段师徒关系肯定源自前辈子，源自过往，源自过去的愿力。上师的生辰是他乘愿归来的日子，为的是与弟子续前缘，延续师徒关系。这一天是上师选择重返世间的日子，如果你不重视这一天，或是不趁这殊胜的日子持守特殊的戒条，或不出现，人不在场，那就表示你并没有重视上师。就是这么简单。

在寺院里，上师的生辰是重大的日子，人人郑重其事的重大日子。即使是我这种讨厌派对的人也会出现。因为这一天不是搞派对的日子。在这一天，我们持戒，如果我们能在上师座下受戒，那会更好。若我们能在这一天接受皈依，那好极了！我们也可以“修补”自己的皈依戒，或是发愿身体健康、长寿，修有所成。有的时候，若你幸运，你有足够的功德，你的上师会在他的生辰传授灌顶或是传授菩萨戒，意义非常深远。

这一天，你应该铸造佛像或是擦擦，你应该多做大礼拜。这一天，所有俗世活动都应该停止。这一天的24个小时都应该应用在修行活动上。上师的生辰、宗喀巴大师日、释迦摩尼佛的生辰，在这些节日里，所有俗世的活动都应该停止，或是将数量减到最低。若上师的生辰或宗喀巴大师日落在星期天，那就容易多了，对吧？但若是落在了星期三，那你得将就一些。这一天你还得工作8-9小时，然后再去进行修行活动。这是你能做的最殊胜的事。这是最要紧的。

这是为什么呢？因为这一天是上师选择度化你的日子。你为什么不庆贺这一天呢？好比宗喀巴大师日就快到了。在甘丹寺，这一日的庆典极为盛大庄重。你知道吗？一众高僧，甚至是年老的上师们，即使拿着拐杖，他们还是会到大殿诵经、点酥油灯。年老的僧人，好比说81岁的他们，他们照样出席。当你看着他们一步步走入大殿，你会潸然泪下。你知道为什么吗？他们一辈子都在造福他人，一般上他们因为年纪实在太大了而不会外出，他们也不怎么出远门，但在这个日子，他们会出现。

这极为难得。宗喀巴大师日是非常殊胜的日子，每一年，克切拉佛教中心都会严正以待，确保庆典隆重而庄严。好极了，好极了。我不在意自己的生辰，因为宗喀巴大师日才是重要的。我为什么要召集一大班人来为我庆祝生日呢？我那么自视过高吗？我的生日有什么值得庆祝的？我出现，就我一个身材庞大的人，这有什么了不起的？为什么一大班人要过来替我庆祝生日唱生日歌呢？反倒是我应该去歌颂其他人的生命，而不是将别人的注意力放在自己身上。这叫做修行。

因此，能在宗喀巴大师日持戒、净罪进而疗愈身心的利益极大，利益很大，非常非常有利。接着在宗喀巴大师日当天，在前一天，你应该清理自己的佛坛，摆设广大供品。晨起的时候向宗喀巴大师献供，接着到道场去做事。如果你住的很远，那你就没办法前去道场，但你可以在所在之处这么做。上述非常重要，理解吗？

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