Prayer meeting on April

　　The Fourth Lunar Month Prayer Meeting is a ceremony for three Buddhist festivals. It gets the name because it falls on the April 15 in Tibetan calendar – the day to commemorate the birth, attaining enlightenment and nirvana of Sakyamuni. In addition, it is also called Prayer Meeting because of the vowing and prayer on the memorial meeting. The Fourth Lunar Month Prayer Meeting will last for 8 days from April 8 to 15 in Tibetan calendar. The preparation starts from April 4 in Tibetan calendar, and monks will sacrifice for 3 days in the hall.  
     
 

　　April 8 is the day to practice religious dance and chant sutra, and the prayer meeting officially begins on April 10, on which sacrificing, praying and chanting are held as usual. April 10 is the day for the ritual of “deveioubg bidgucukka and worshiping”. Before the ritual, the chanting leader will get the clarification from the abbot about which Lama will host the ritual and then inform him to get preparation. The abbot should be there during the rite, otherwise, he should ask a retired abbot to act for him. All Jiwa, living Buddha institutes and monk residences are required to burn aromatic plants, light up Buddhist lamps, bow and pray. Monks vow before the Buddha that “they will achieve consummation for the sake of all living things”.

     
　　　April 15 in Tibetan calendar is the day for horse-headed vajra dance. At the night, dozens or hundreds of butter lamps will be lit up in the Great Sutra Hall, institutes, Buddha halls, living Buddha mansions and monk residences, which is known as the ritual of “lighting lamps on the Three-Festival day”. Because the Buddha’s birth, attaining enlightenment and nirvana all fell on April, the month has been called Ramadan or holy month. It is said that it is most perceivable to chant sutra and worship Buddha in April, so there are always many people coming to make pilgrimages, perform religious rites and provide offerings in this month.