The Buddhist Calendar

One of my students asked me today if I, as a Buddhist, had celebrated the January 1st New Year, or if I had something else I was going to celebrate.

I gave her my usual answer: “well, in Zen Buddhism it isn’t really important, blah blah, it’s all just about living your life in the present, blah blah.”

Which is, of course, a nice way of saying I don’t know. There are other, better Buddhists than I, who are much better-informed about these things.

Well, now I’ve looked it up, and apparently not even the Buddha himself has any fucking idea what year it is. Leap months! Sheeit.

Here’s the article on wikipedia for anyone who’s interested: The Buddhist Calendar

P.S. For more about living in Buddhist hell, see also The Realm of Hungry Ghosts.