Uposatha
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An Uposatha (
Observance days
Depending on the culture and time period, uposatha days have been observed from two to six days each lunar month.
Theravada countries
In general, Uposatha is observed about once a week in Theravada countries[4] in accordance with the four lunar phases: the new moon, the full moon, and the two quarter moons in between.[5] In some communities, such as in Sri Lanka, only the new moon and full moon are observed as uposatha days.[6]
In
Mahayana countries
In Mahayana countries that use the Chinese calendar, the Uposatha days are observed ten times a month, on the 1st, 8th, 14th, 15th, 18th, 23rd, 24th and final three days of each lunar month. Alternatively, one can only observe Uposatha days six times a month; on the 8th, 14th, 15th, 23rd and final two days of each lunar month.[9] In Japan, these six days are known as the roku sainichi (六斎日, Six Days of Fasting).
Names of full moon Uposatha days
The Pali names of the uposatha days are based on the Sanskrit names of the nakśatra (Pali: nakkhatta), the constellations or lunar mansions through which the moon passes within a lunar month.[10]
Associated Month | Pali | Sanskrit | Burmese | Khmer | Sinhala | Thai | Days |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
January | Phussa | Puṣya | Pyatho
(ပြာသို) |
Buss (បុស្ស) | Duruthu | Pusaya (ปุศยะ) | 30 |
February | Māgha | Māgha | Tabodwe
(တပို့တွဲ) |
Meak (មាឃ) | Navam | Makha (มาฆะ) | 29 |
March | Phagguṇa | Phalguṇa | Tabaung
(တပေါင်း) |
Phalkun (ផល្គុន) | Medin (Maedhin) | Pholkuni (ผลคุณี) | 30 |
April | Citta | Chitrā | Tagu
(တန်ခူး) |
Chaet (ចេត្រ) | Bak | Chittra (จิตรา) | 29 |
May | Visākhā | Viśākhā
|
Kason
(ကဆုန်) |
Pisak (ពិសាខ) | Vesak | Visakha (วิสาขา) | 30 |
June | Jeṭṭhā | Jyeṣṭha
|
Nayon
(နယုန်) |
Ches (ជេស្ឋ) | Poson | Chetta (เชษฐา) | 29/30 |
July | Āsāḷhā | Aṣāḍhā
|
Waso
(ဝါဆို) |
Asath (អាសាឍ) | Esala (Aesala) | Asarnha (อาสาฬหะ) | 30 |
August | Sāvana | Śrāvaṇa
|
Wagaung
(ဝါခေါင်) |
Srap (ស្រាពណ៍) | Nikini | Savana (สาวนะ) | 29 |
September | Poṭṭhapāda | Proṣṭhapāda/Bhādrapadā | Tawthalin
(တော်သလင်း) |
Phuttrobot (ភទ្របទ) | Binara | Phattarapratha (ภัทรปทา) | 30 |
October | Assayuja | Aśvayuja/Aśvinī
|
Thadingyut
(သီတင်းကျွတ်) |
Assoch (អស្សុជ) | Vap | Assavani (อัศวนี) | 29 |
November | Kattikā | Kāṛttikā | Tazaungmon
(တန်ဆောင်မုန်း) |
Katdeuk (កត្តិក) | Il | Krittika (กฤติกา) | 30 |
December | Māgasira | Māṛgaśiras | Natdaw
(နတ်တော်) |
Meukesae (មិគសិរ) | Unduvap | Maruekasira (มฤคศิระ) | 29 |
History
The word Uposatha derives from the Muluposatha Sutta (AN 3.70), in which a lay woman Visakha, goes to the Blessed One and says she is observing the Uposatha day. The Buddha replies that there are different Uposatha days, then proceeds to tell her the correct version of the Uposatha day. The Uposatha of the Noble Disciples.
Practice
Lay practice
On each uposatha day, devout
For lay practitioners who live near a
Presently, the uposatha vows are mostly associated with Theravāda Buddhism in South and Southeast Asia,[13] but it was a widespread practice in China as well,[22] and is still practiced.[23]
The eight precepts are meant to give lay people an impression of what it means to live as a monastic,
The seventh precept is sometimes also interpreted to mean not wearing colorful clothes, which has led to a tradition for people to wear plain white when observing the eight precepts.[27][31] This does not necessarily mean, however, that a Buddhist devotee dressed in white is observing the eight precepts all the time.[32] As for the eighth precept, not sitting or sleeping on luxurious seats or beds, this usually comes down to sleeping on a mat on the floor. Though not specified in the precepts themselves, in Thailand and China, people observing the precepts usually stay in the temple overnight. This is to prevent temptations at home which break the eight precepts, and helps foster the community effort in upholding the precepts.[33]
Monastic practice
On the new-moon and full-moon uposatha, in monasteries where there are four or more
Communal reciprocity
Describing his experience of Uposatha days in Thailand, Khantipalo (1982a) writes:
Early in the morning lay people give almsfood to the bhikkhus who may be walking on almsround, invited to a layman's house, or the lay people may take the food to the monastery. Usually lay people do not eat before serving their food to the bhikkhus and they may eat only once that day.... Before the meal the laity request the Eight Precepts [from the bhikkhus] ..., which they promise to undertake for a day and night. It is usual for lay people to go to the local monastery and to spend all day and night there.... [In monasteries where] there is more study, [lay people] will hear as many as three or four discourses on Dhamma delivered by senior bhikkhus and they will have books to read and perhaps classes on Abhidhamma to attend.... In a meditation monastery ..., most of their time will be spent mindfully employed – walking and seated meditation with some time given to helping the bhikkhus with their daily duties. So the whole of this day and night (and enthusiastic lay people restrict their sleep) is given over to Dhamma.
Special Uposatha days
In Thailand five full-moon Uposatha days are of special significance and are called
- Visakha Puja or Visakha Uposatha [37] or Vesak ("Buddha Day") is the most sacred Buddhist holiday. It is the anniversary of the Buddha's birth, awakening and parinibbana.[38]
- Asalha Puja or Asalha Uposatha[39] ("Dhamma Day") is the anniversary of the Buddha's delivering his first discourse, which is collected as the Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta. The three-month-long Vassa retreat starts the following day.
- Pavarana[40] is the end of the Rains Retreat residence during which time each monk atones before the Sangha for any offense they may have committed.[41]
- Anapanasati DayAnapanasati Sutta. This event is not connected to an Uposatha (Poya) day in Sri Lanka and perhaps is particular to Thailand.[43]
In Sri Lanka, three full moon Uposatha or Poya days are of special significance.[46]
- Vesak Poya, which is described above.
- Poson Poya corresponds to the Jeṭṭhā uposatha, which falls in June. It is of special significance in Sri Lanka because the monk Asoka's son, officially introduced Buddhism to Sri Lanka on this day in the 3rd century B.C.
- Esala Poya corresponds to Āsāḷhā uposatha, the full moon of July, and is described above. This day has special significance in Sri Lanka because it was the day that 56 nobles, headed by Prince Ariṭṭha, became the first Sri Lankans to be fully ordained as a bhikkhus at Cetiyagiri in Mihintale by Mahinda and his companions. It therefore marks the founding of the Lankan Bhikkhu Sangha.[46]
In Tibet and Bhutan, there are four full moon Uposatha days that are of importance[47]
- Chotrul Duchen
- Saga Dawa Duchen
- Chokhor Duchen
- Lhabab Duchen
In China, Japan, Korea, the Philippines and Vietnam there are certain full moon Uposatha days of importance.
- First Full Moon Festival, which is celebrated in Buddhist temples and also acknowledges the end of the Lunar New Year.[48]
- Buddha's Birthday/Vesak
See also
- Buddhist calendar
- Buddhist devotion
- Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta
- Dhammika Sutta
- Eight Precepts
- Five Precepts
- List of Buddhist festivals
- Householder (Buddhism)
- Patimokkha
- Poya (Sri Lankan full-moon holiday)
- Thai lunar calendar
- Vassa
Notes
- ^ For a description of the contemporary practice of the Uposatha in Thailand, see Khantipalo (1982a), which is also excerpted in this article below. Kariyawasam (1995), ch. 3, also underlines the continuity of the ancient uposatha practice in Sri Lanka: "The poya [Sinhala for uposatha] observance, which is as old as Buddhism itself, has been followed by the Sinhala Buddhists up to the present day, even after the Christian calendar came to be used for secular matters. Owing to its significance in the religious life of the local Buddhists, all the full-moon days have been declared public holidays by the government."
- ^ The uposatha day is sometimes likened to the Judeo-Christian notion of the Sabbath. Pali English dictionaries that define "Uposatha" as "Sabbath," are Buddhadatta (2002), p. 63, and PED(Rhys-Davids & Stede,1921-25), p. 151. For an example of the Uposatha being equated with Sabbath by a modern Buddhist master, see Mahasi (undated), p. 2, where he writes: "For lay people, these rules [of discipline] comprise the eight precepts which Buddhist devotees observe on the Sabbath days (uposatha) and during periods of meditation." Harvey (1990), p. 192, also refers to the uposatha as "sabbath-like."
- ^ Thanissaro (1997b); Anguttara Nikaya 3.70: Muluposatha Sutta.
- ^ , with the full moon being the most important one, followed by the new moon. Each lunar month has eight days after both the new moon and full moon Uposatha days and then either six or seven days after the other two quarter moon Uposatha days. Thus, in relation to the Gregorian calendar's seven-day week, sometimes there are two uposatha days in a week (such as occurred the week of August 17, 2006, when uposatha days fell on August 17 and August 23, 2006) and sometimes there are none (such as occurred the week of January 15, 2006, which fell between uposatha days on January 14 and January 22, 2006). Nonetheless, there are four uposatha days a month and the average solar month's week has one uposatha day.
- ^ More specifically, using a Buddhist calendar, Uposatha is observed on the following four days of the lunar month (PTS, 1921-25, pp. 151-2):
- first (new moon)
- eighth (first quarter or waxing moon)
- fifteenth (full moon)
- twenty-third (last quarter or waning moon)
- ^ Nyanaponika & Bodhi (1999), pp. 24, 307 n. 26. Nyanaponika & Bodhi refers to the quarter-moon days as "semi-Uposatha." Harvey (1990), p. 192, states that the uposatha is observed "at the full-moon, new-moon and, less importantly, two half-moon days." He goes on to state: "Except at times of major festivals, observance [uposatha] days are attended only by the more devout, who spend a day and night at their local monastery." Kariyawasam (1995), ch. 3, makes a similar observation in regards to modern Sinhalese society: "The popular practice is to observe [the Eight Precepts] on full-moon days, and, among a few devout lay Buddhists, on the other phases of the moon as well."
- ^ a b Melford, Spiro (1970). Buddhism and Society: A Great Tradition and its Burmese Viscittudes. Harper and Row. pp. 214–228.
- ^ Buddhism: An Illustrated Review. Vol. 2. Rangoon, Burma: Hanthawaddy Printing Works. 1905.
- ^ "ebooks" (PDF). ftp.budaedu.org.
- ^ See Nakshatra, Hindu calendar, Sanskrit English Dictionary by Monier Williams, s.v. 'nakśatra'.
- ^ See, for instance, Kariyawasam (1995), Khantipalo (1982b), Ñanavara & Kantasilo (1993) and Thanissaro (1997b).
- ^ "The Uposatha Observance Discourse" in Nyanaponika & Bodhi, 1999, pp. 216-18 or, using comparable wording, in Nanavara & Khantasilo, 1993
- ^ a b "Religions – Buddhism: Theravada Buddhism". BBC. 2 October 2002. Archived from the original on 30 November 2018.
- Encyclopedia Britannica. Archivedfrom the original on 4 December 2018.
- ^ Nyanaponika & Bodhi (1999), p. 307, n. 26
- ^ Keown 2004, p. 22.
- ^ Getz 2004, p. 673.
- ^ Bullitt (2005); and, Khantipalo (1982a).
- ^ a b c Khantipalo (1982a).
- ^ Khantipalo (1982a), for instance, suggests reading one of the following:
- Visakhuposatha Sutta ("Discourse to Visakha on the Uposatha with the Eight Practices," AN 8.43) (Khantipalo, 1982b).
- Karaniya-metta Sutta ("Discourse on Loving-kindness," Sn 1.8) (Piyadassi, 1999a).
- Maha-mangala Sutta("Discourse on Blessings," Sn 2.4) (Narada, 1985).
- Ratana Sutta ("Jewel Discourse," Sn 2.1) (Piyadassi, 1999b).
- SN56.11) (Thanissaro, 1993).
- sila) and of the wholesome qualities that leads to rebirth as a deva. In this sutta, if one spends the Uposatha engaged in such a recollection, then that Uposatha acquires the name of the recollection, such as Dhamma-Uposatha or virtue-Uposatha.
- ^ Buswell & Lopez 2013, Baguan zhai.
- ^ Harvey 2000, p. 88.
- ^ Buswell & Lopez 2013, Aṣṭāṅgasamanvāgataṃ upavāsaṃ.
- ^ Tachibana 1992, p. 66.
- ^ Whitaker & Smith 2018, Ethics (sīla).
- ^ a b c Harvey 2000, p. 87.
- ^ Terwiel 2012, pp. 201–2.
- ^ Hung, Kuo & Chen 2002.
- ^ Watson 1988, pp. 13–4.
- ^ Buswell & Lopez 2013, Ugraparipṛcchā.
- ^ Terwiel 2012, p. 187, n.16.
- ^ See Terwiel (2012, p. 203) and Harvey (2000, p. 87). Only Harvey mentions China, and the sitting.
- ^ Rhys Davids & Oldenberg (1881), p. 281.
- ^ See, for instance, Buddhadatta (2002), p. 63, and Bullitt (2005).
- Triple Gem (Buddha, Dhamma, Sangha) in the order in which it is traditionally enumerated. Also see Kariyawasam, ch. 3, "Poya Days,"where he identifies the relevance of all twelve full-moon uposatha days in contemporary Sinhala culture.
- ^ "Vesākha" (Pali) is the second month of the Buddhist lunar year, usually occurring in the Gregorian calendar's February. In Thailand this day is called 'Visakha Puja.' The word puja means "veneration" or "offering" and in Thailand is suffixed to all Uposatha days. (Pali month names are from the Pali English Dictionary (Rhys Davids & Stede,1921-25, p. 531 s.v. "māsa").
- ^ For Mahayana Buddhists, the celebration of the Buddha's birthday is independent of recognitions of his awakening and parinibbana and is celebrated on the waxing moon of the fourth Chinese lunar month.
- Āsālha" (Pali) is the fourth lunar month, usually around July.
- Assayuja(Pali), usually in October.
- ^ Rhys Davids & Oldenberg (1881), pp. 329-30.
- ^ Anapanasati Day is the eighth lunar month of Kattika (Pali), usually in November.
- MN118) (Thanissaro, 2006) opens on Pavarana Day in the town of Savatthi where the Buddha declares to an assembly of monks that he is so happy with the assembly's practice that he would stay in Savatthi another month. After that month passes, the Buddha delivers the core instructions of the Anapanasati Sutta, instructions which have guided lay people and monastics to higher achievement for millennia. Thus, given this canonical chronology, Anapanasati Day is celebrated a lunar month after Pavarana Day.
- Māgha" (Pali) is the eleventh lunar month, usually around February.
- ^ The three-line Ovada-Patimokkha Gatha (Pali: "Patimokkha Exhortation Verse") (translated in Dhammayut Order in the United States of America, 1994) includes the Buddha's famous dictum: "Not doing any evil, doing what is skillful, purifying one's own mind, this is the Buddha's teaching." This verse is familiar to many Westerners because it is rehashed in the widely popular Dhammapada, chapter XIV, verses 183-85 (Thanissaro, 1997a).
- ^ a b "Buddhist Ceremonies and Rituals of Sri Lanka". www.accesstoinsight.org. Retrieved 2024-03-17.
- ^ Seagan, Danyel. ".:. Buddhist Calendar .:. ASTRAL TRAVELER .:". www.astraltraveler.com. Retrieved 26 March 2018.
- ISBN 9780415777162.
Bibliography
- ISBN 81-208-0605-0.
- Bullitt, John T. (2005). Uposatha Observance Days. Available on-line at http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sila/uposatha.html.
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- Kariyawasam, A.G.S. (1995). Buddhist Ceremonies and Rituals of Sri Lanka (The Wheel Publication No. 402/404). Kandy, Sri Lanka: Buddhist Publication Society. Retrieved 2007-10-22 from "Access to Insight" (1996 transcription) at http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/kariyawasam/wheel402.html.
- ISBN 978-0-19-157917-2
- Khantipalo, Bhikkhu (1982a). Lay Buddhist Practice: The Shrine Room, Uposatha Day, Rains Residence (The Wheel No. 206/207). Kandy, Sri Lanka:Buddhist Publication Society. Also transcribed (1995) and available on-line at http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/khantipalo/wheel206.html.
- Khantipalo, Bhikkhu (trans.) (1982b). Visakhuposatha Sutta: The Discourse to Visakha on the Uposatha with the Eight Practices [AN 8.43]. Available on-line at http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an08/an08.043.khan.html.
- Mahasi Sayadaw (undated). Practical Vipassana Exercises. Buddha Dharma Education Association. Available on-line at http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/mahasit1.pdf.
- Ñanavara Thera (Somdet Phra Buddhaghosacariya) & Bhikkhu Kantasilo (trans.) (1993). Uposatha Sila: The Eight-Precept Observance. Thailand:The Office of the Secretary of the Supreme Patriarch. Available on-line at http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nanavara/uposatha.html.
- Narada Thera (trans.) (1985). Maha-mangala Sutta: Blessings [Sn 2.4]. Available on-line at http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/snp/snp.2.04.nara.html.
- ISBN 0-7425-0405-0.
- Piyadassi Thera (trans.) (1999a). Karaniya Metta Sutta: The Discourse on Loving-kindness [Sn 1.8]. Available on-line at http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/snp/snp.1.08.piya.html.
- Piyadassi Thera (trans.) (1999b). Ratana Sutta: The Jewel Discourse [Sn 2.1]. Available on-line at http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/snp/snp.2.01.piya.html.
- Rhys Davids,T.W. & Hermann Oldenberg (trans.) ([1881]). Vinaya Texts (Part I). Oxford:Clarendon Press. Available on-line at http://www.sacred-texts.com/bud/sbe13/sbe1313.htm. The chapter on the Uposatha, "Second Khandhaka (The Uposatha Ceremony, and the Pâtimokkha)," is available at http://www.sacred-texts.com/bud/sbe13/sbe1313.htm. The chapter on Pavarana Day, "Fourth Khandhaka (The Parâvanâ Ceremony)," is available at http://www.sacred-texts.com/bud/sbe13/sbe1315.htm.
- Rhys Davids, T.W., and William Stede, The Pali Text Society's Pali-English Dictionary, 1921–25. Pali Text Society, London : Chipstead. The entry on "Uposatha" is available on-line at [1]. A general on-line search engine for the PED is available at http://dsal.uchicago.edu/dictionaries/pali/.
- Tachibana, S. (1992), The Ethics of Buddhism, ISBN 978-0-7007-0230-5
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- Thanissaro Bhikkhu (trans.) (1993). Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta: Setting the Wheel of Dhamma in Motion [SN 56.11]. Available on-line at http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn56/sn56.011.than.html.
- Thanissaro Bhikkhu (trans.) (1997a). Buddhavagga: Awakened [ Dhp XIV]. Available on-line at http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/dhp/dhp.14.than.html.
- Thanissaro Bhikkhu (trans.) (1997b). Muluposatha Sutta: The Roots of the Uposatha [AN 3.70]. Available on-line at http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an03/an03.070.than.html.
- Thanissaro, Bhikkhu (trans.) (1999). The Ten Recollections: A Study Guide. Available on-line at http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/study/recollections.html.
- Thanissaro, Bhikkhu (trans.) (2006). Anapanasati Sutta: Mindfulness of Breathing [MN 118]. Available on-line at http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.118.than.html.
- Watson, Burton (1988), "Buddhism in the Poetry of Po Chü-i", The Eastern Buddhist, 21 (1): 1–22, JSTOR 44361818
- Whitaker, J.S.; Smith, D. (2018), "Ethics, Meditation and Wisdom", in Cozort, Daniel; Shields, James Mark (eds.), The Oxford Handbook of Buddhist Ethics, ISBN 978-0-19-106317-6
External links
- "Buddhist Ceremonies: Festivals and Special Days", on www.buddhanet.net
- "Uposatha Observance Days " on www.accesstoinsight.org.
- 2016 Calendar of Uposatha Days
- "The Rituals and Festivals of the Buddhist Life", by Robert C. Lester (1987), on buddhistgateway.com.
- "Khmer Chhankitek Calendar", by Robert C. Lester (1987), cam-cc.org
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