Uposatha Observance Club

[Khalil Bodhi]

Retro,

I'll definitely make note of full moon observance days from here on out because it does seem like a good idea, I just never thought of it for some reason. Thanks for the idea. Be well and I hope your uposatha is a good one.

Metta,

Mike

[Khalil Bodhi]

Hello Everyone,

Tomorrow is Āsaḷha Pūjā day, a special, full moon uposatha day! I wish everyone who has the opportunity to observe the best. Here's a blurb about this uposatha below:

This day, sometimes called "Dhamma Day," commemorates the Buddha's first discourse, which he gave to the group of five monks with whom he had practiced in the forest for many years. Upon hearing this discourse, one of the monks ( Ven. Kondañña) gained his first glimpse of Nibbana, thus giving birth to the Noble Sangha. The annual Rains retreat (vassa) begins the following day.

Sukhitaa hontu!

[Khalil Bodhi]

Hello Everyone,

Tomorrow is the Last Quarter Moon Uposatha observance according to the Dhammayut calendar. I wish everyone who's observing great benefit! Take care and be well! Sukhitaa hontu!

[Khalil Bodhi]

Apologies about the late notice but today is the New Moon uposatha! May all beings be free of pain and suffering and realize the deathless! May al those observing the uposatha meet with success! Sukhi hotu!

Oh, and BTW, here is a link to an uposatha day teaching by Bhikkhu Cintita: http://bhikkhucintita.wordpress.com/2010/08/10/from-thought-to-destiny-thought/

[Khalil Bodhi]

Tomorrow (or today depending on where you live) is the New Quarter Moon uposatha. If you're observng I wish you the best of luck and that you take the opportunity to deepen your practice. Sukhitaa hintu!

[Khalil Bodhi]

Hello Everyone,

Today is the Full Moon uposatha! I wish you all the best whether you are able to observe or not. Sukhitaa hontu!

[Khalil Bodhi]

Tomorrow is the last quarter moon uposatha. As I'm sure most of you know a beloved member of DW, James Brand, has just passed away. He was a long time contributor and moderator on eSangha and DW. His death came as a shock to quite a number of us as he was only 34 years old. His passing is a grim but potent reminder of anicca. I hope that all of us who are observing tomorrow will dedicate the merits of our practice to a favorable rebirth or, if you don't go in for such things, please keep his memory and his family in your thoughts. Sabbe satta sabba dukkha pamuccantu!

[Khalil Bodhi]

Sorry for the late notice but this uposatha crept up on me. Today is the New Moon Uposatha. Here's a little blurb from Wikipedia describing the uposatha in brief. Sukhitaa hontu!

On each uposatha day, devout lay people practice the Eight Precepts.
For lay practitioners who live near a monastery, the uposatha is an opportunity for them to visit a local monastery, make offerings, listen to Dhamma talks by monks and participate in meditation sessions.
For lay practitioners unable to participate in the events of a local monastery, the uposatha is a time to intensify ones own meditation and Dhamma practice, for instance, meditating an extra session or for a longer time, reading or chanting special suttas, recollecting or giving in some special way.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uposatha

[Khalil Bodhi]

Happy first quarter moon uposatha everyone! Bhikkhu Cintita has kindly offered to post an uposatha day teaching on our FB page for each uposatha. It's great food for thought even if you're unable to observe. Sukhitaa hontu!

[Ytrog]

Hi all. I just registered and this is the first time I try to observe an uposatha day. How do you all deal with the eigth precept? I don't really have alternatives to my bed and it's definately higher than the allowed 18-20cm. What to do?

Many thanks and with metta

[Khalil Bodhi]

Hi Ytrog,

Well, I sleep on the floor on a thin, cotton yoga mat. It is a really great practice that allows me to more clearly see the line between indulgence and actual, physiologically necessary sleep. Hope this helps. Be well!

[Ytrog]

Thanks, that's an idea

Alas I do not have one yet. I will get something for the next Uposatha, but I have presently nothing here.

Wait, I could use the mattress from my old bed and lay that on the floor.

[bodom]

Wait, I could use the mattress from my old bed and lay that on the floor.

Thats what I do. I actually use my infant daughters little mattress from her crib(while she sleeps in my big warm bed ) I just throw it on the floor and I find that works well for me.

These two articles might be of interest to you as well...

Uposatha Sila The Eight-Precept Observance
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/auth ... satha.html

Lay Buddhist Practice The Shrine Room, Uposatha Day, Rains Residence
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/auth ... el206.html

[Ytrog]

Thanks for the links, but I already used the first one trying to get an answer for this. From there I know that beds about 18-20cm high are allowed. More precisely: it linked to http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/auth ... tml#app-II

The second one is interesting though (not that the first one isn't). I will look into it

[Ytrog]

If I'm not mistaken Uposatha was yesterday. I'm observing it today though. I was foolish enough to accept an invitation for a dinner, only realizing it was Uposatha until it was too late

About last week: I did sleep on the ground with only two towels beneath me (laid out end to end against the cold floor). I only managed to endure for four of the six hours I slept though.
Tonight I will use my mattress instead.

[Khalil Bodhi]

Tomorrow is a last quarter moon uposatha day everyone! May your observances bring great fruit and benefit to you and all the beings in your life. Sukhitaa hontu!

[Ytrog]

Tomorrow is a last quarter moon uposatha day everyone! May your observances bring great fruit and benefit to you and all the beings in your life. Sukhitaa hontu!

Yes, today is the day. It seems all the hindraces are conspiring against me today though

[dhammapal]

Hi all,

I’m keeping the Uposatha (oo-poh-sa-ta) lately while my parents are on holiday. I haven’t renounced my bed yet though. As a start I’m working towards staying out of bed between 7am and midnight. I’m a practitioner of the Alexander Technique and I lie on the floor in what is called the semi-supine position. Highly recommended!

When my parents are home I fast on Full Moons only and my Dad generously excuses me from the cooking and washing up. On New Moon and half-Moon I refrain from snacking in the afternoon.

On Uposatha Days, in addition to my Dhamma study and meditation and other meritorious deeds, I do physical chores like doing my laundry.

This afternoon I was contemplating whether to watching the TV News. I think it is a time-waster so I’ll just get the headlines in case something really important has happened. I find that restraint on Uposatha Days carries over to the rest of the week.

I have another question. Are monks allowed to drink fruit juice in the afternoon? I know that milk is not allowable.

Thanks for listening.

Happy Uposatha everyone!

With metta / dhammapal.

[texastheravadin]

Hey there dhammapal

I too am going to observe the Uposatha today...This is like my 9th time but only the second time that I've done away with the bed. I don't have a high or luxurious bed, but I figured might as well give the floor thing a try!

As far as I know, yes, monks are allowed to drink fruit juice, although I have also heard that it should be strained of any pulp. Beverages are supposedly okay as long as they don't contain what's construed to be "food", so for example you can have tea but no milk (so no chai for me!). Of course I've also heard that some monks will drink only regular water, and some think that since tea and coffee contain caffeine they should be avoided on the Uposatha, while others think they're just fine...especially if you plan to stay up all night meditating, which is apparently the norm. I personally stop eating after noon (or after lunch, sometimes I have to work and I can't take my lunch break until 12 or 12:30 pm). After that time, I usually just drink either water or maybe some Gatorade or tea. It's been so hot lately that cold drinks are really all I can stand. Since I try to meditate twice a day for an hour on Uposatha Days (instead of 30 minutes once day regularly), I've found that fasting keeps the body feeling less sluggish. And drinking water or Gatorade keeps me feeling full. I also try to study the Pali Canon more on these days, and maybe watch a Dhamma talk or two.

As far as the news goes, I think it was Bhikkhu Khantipalo in Lay Buddhist Practice (which is available for free at http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/khantipalo/wheel206.html ) who said that for the Uposatha Day, part of keeping the Fourth Precept (refraining from false speech) is not paying attention to "worldly chatter", which means for just this day sort of switching off the news and not paying attention to the newspaper or internet news. If you want to read a book, read a Dhamma book....which sucks for me, because I'm in the middle of re-reading Moby-Dick, and it's getting really good.

What a coincidence! Today is laundry day for me as well! I'll probably start re-reading What The Buddha Taught, it's such a great book and it's been a while.

I hope today proves to be auspicious for both of us, as well as all Buddhists taking the Eight Precepts today

Metta

Josh

[Ytrog]

As far as the news goes, I think it was Bhikkhu Khantipalo in Lay Buddhist Practice (which is available for free at http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/auth ... el206.html ) who said that for the Uposatha Day, part of keeping the Fourth Precept (refraining from false speech) is not paying attention to "worldly chatter", which means for just this day sort of switching off the news and not paying attention to the newspaper or internet news.

I didn't know this. It's also very irritating when you want to abstain from music and colleagues turn on the radio. Not that they know anything of Uposatha though.