Those who offer one thousand lights will be reborn when Maitreya Buddha shows the deed of gaining Enlightenment, and receive his first Dharma teaching.

Arya Maitreya Sutra

Four auspicious events celebrated each year

The four most important events of Shakyamuni Buddha's life according to the Tibetan Buddhist tradition are honoured every year on dates in the Tibetan calendar.

2026 festival dates

Each Festival of Lights & Merit includes

Flower offerings

As we make flower offerings, we are reminded of the ten benefits of offering flowers as written in the sutra Distinguishing the Aspects of Karma.

1. We become like a flower in the world, very beautiful. Others will be attracted to us; we will be remembered and have many friends.
2. Our sense of smell will never degenerate even when ill and into old age.
3. We will never have bad body odor.
4. A smell of scented nectar will come from our body.
5. Others will be able to smell our high ethics and morality and it will spread in all directions and corners.
6. We will be a leader of the world, of people or of holy beings.
7. We will achieve beautiful attractive things.
8. We will have great wealth.
9. We will be reborn in a higher rebirth.
10. We will quickly achieve enlightenment, the great liberation.

Extensive light offerings

Thousands of butter lamps will be offered in the immediate area surrounding the stupa itself, a beautiful and inspiring offering for wisdom and enlightenment. Together with the thousands of electrical lights at Root institute, these lights are offered and dedicated in the evening under the bodhi tree on behalf of all sponsors.

Three special pujas

These pujas are arranged to be performed by the monks of Namgyal Monastery in Bodhgaya:

• Tara Puja
• Protector Puja
• Guru Puja with tsog.

Hanging of blessed prayer flags

Traditional Tibetan prayer flags are blessed, raised beside the Mahabodhi Stupa and dedicated on behalf of sponsors. The blessings of which are spread across the stupa grounds and inner Bodhgaya city.

Dedications

All the offerings are dedicated to:

• the swift return of the incarnation of Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche
• the long lives of our holy gurus
• the preservation and spread of the pure Dharma
• the temporal and ultimate happiness of the sponsors and their loved ones
• the quick enlightenment of all sentient beings
• peace and harmony around the world and
• the removal of all obstacles and the quick success of FPMT projects.

The late Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche advised Root Institute that each single recitation of the actual light offering prayer is equivalent to the number of lights offered.

Sponsorship of FLAM also helps the Root Institute family

• Our centre and its Dharma activities
• Maitreya School
• Shakyamuni Buddha Clinic, and
• retreats.

Indian sponsors

Indian students now have a quick & easy way to donate to Root Institute – scan this QR code, going to:

UPI ID: rifwc@sbi

Please follow this up by sending an email to:  specifying:

• your name
• donation amount
• donation purpose (FLAM), and
• your dedication prayer.

(This method does not work for foreign bank accounts).

International sponsors

International students can sponsor offerings and pujas via FMPT gateway

Upcoming festivals