The Faithful of Kalmykia Took the One-Day Mahayana Vows

“I generate in my heart the aspiration to enlightenment, for the benefit of all sentient beings.” With such a motivation, early this morning the faithful of Kalmykia took the one-day Mahayana vows. They were bestowed upon them by  a monk of the Central Khurul — Geshe Lobsang Changchub.

The clergyman told those gathered in detail about this special day for every Buddhist. It was precisely on the 15th lunar day of the sacred month of Urs Sar that Buddha Shakyamuni performed his three principal greatest deeds: he was born, attained Enlightenment, and passed into Mahaparinirvana. Therefore for us, for Buddhists, this day is considered the most sacred day of the year. Geshe Changchub advised doing as many good deeds as possible today, showing compassion and mercy, and, of course, keeping the vows taken to the very end. There are eight of them: refraining from killing, lying, stealing, adultery, consuming alcohol and other intoxicating substances, sitting on high seats, refraining from eating in the afternoon, as well as from using perfume and wearing adornments.

As the faithful themselves noted, it is a great blessing on such a holy day to take the one-day Mahayana vows, purifying oneself of all the non-virtues accumulated earlier