LOSAR: TIBETAN NEW YEAR

The word Losar is a Tibetan word for New Year. LO means year and SAR means new. In Tibetan Buddhism it is a spiritual occasion coupled with a celebration.

Sangha members shared in their first Losar celebration 2003 at the Center.

Losar, the beginning of the Tibetan New Year according to the Rigpa Tibetan Calendar, occurs on March 3rd of the Gregorian calendar. For Tibetans, and those of us who study the Dharma, the first fifteen days of the New Year are extremely important. It is during this time that all of our positive and negative actions are magnified 100,000 times!

But what is the reason our actions are multiplied so? It is because Buddha Shakyamuni spent one day in each of fifteen different realms spreading the teachings of the Dharma. On the fifteenth day he returned to the human realm to defeat those who opposed the Dharma, the Tirthikas. (A Tirthika is defined as someone who has neither connection with nor capacity to understand or embrace the teachings of the Buddha).

Buddha Shakyamuni was successful in turning the minds of most of them towards the Dharma. In many cases, this change was extremely swift.

As always, it all comes down to karma, action and reaction. Therefore, it is important during these fifteen days to focus our minds on positive actions and strive to eliminate from ourselves all negative activity.

History gives us a prime example of the power of karma. Milarepa was a great teacher and master of realization. As a young student he made an offering of an empty container to one of his teachers. This, of course, was not a good sign. As a result, Milarepa found it difficult throughout the rest of his life to find food.

Since we are unsure of the opportunities and possibilities our lives may hold for us in the coming year we must create good signs and seek the blessings and the help of all the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. We do this by practicing generosity, compassion and wisdom and by making offerings to the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha.

An example of one of these offerings is the bread-like loaves we all saw on the shrine; these are called “Khapsay” and are made from barley, one of Tibet’s main crops. These loaves are presented as an offering in the hope that the coming year’s crop will be rich and bountiful. Other material offerings include butter lamps, flowers and incense. In addition, mental offerings of mind, body and speech are made.

During the Losar ceremony each participant is given a plate of rice made with saffron and torma to eat. Torma is a special tiny bulbous root that grows wild in Tibet. Roughly translated torma means: “good luck” and so its use as an offering is very auspicious.

For our Losar ceremony, raisins are used due to the unavailability of torma in the United States. This food symbolizes offering all of one’s bodies, enjoyments, possessions and glories of the succession of all of one’s lifetimes to the three Jewels.

The raising of a prayer flag is also an important part of Losar because it benefits oneself as well as all sentient beings. It pleases all the deities and dharmapalas. The pole symbolizes the reader of the mantras and prayers written on the flag itself. The wind represents speech. When the wind moves the flag, the prayers are read into the wind.

The prayers are carried countless miles and will benefit all those whom the wind touches! Prayer flags are Banners of Victory; that is, they indicate that the Dharma is flourishing. With permission of my teacher, I will reproduce below page 62 of the Dudjom Tersar Ngondro. This page describes the pure intention of why one would seek to raise a prayer flag:

“In the world in general and in this nation, may not even the names of disease, famine, war and suffering be heard. May virtuous qualities, merit and prosperity greatly increase. And may continuous good fortune and sublime well-being perfectly arise.”

During Losar, it is customary for everyone to go to their own local monastery to make these offerings, recite prayers and receive blessings and teachings from their own Rinpoches. After this, one would journey to other monasteries to visit Dharma practitioners, make offerings and receive blessings and teachings from other Rinpoches as well.

At some point, one would travel to their parent’s home to again make offerings and give thanks. Finally, one would visit with friends and relatives.

We spend the entire day relaxing, laughing, enjoying each other’s company and talking about the Dharma. It is a wonderful experience. At the end of the day when everyone has left you see a table still covered with half filled cups, empty plates, dishes and dirty napkins. All this is left overnight and into the next day to symbolize the continuation of many such dinners in the future.