It is 4:36pm Sydney time, June 29th 2007 AD. I had one meal this morning and am fasting for another 14 ½ hours. I am eager to perform meritorious deeds. I changed the sheets on my bed (I’ve read that cleanliness is a foundation for meditation). I meditated for half an hour in the garden then did my 2pm sutta memorization/recitation session. I am more than half-way through the Ratana Sutta (1 additional verse per day). I’m about to do my 5pm meditation. Equanimity e.g. “Sakula is in charge of her actions. Her good deeds are her refuge” (i.e. “I have confidence in you”).
At midnight I will hand over the baton to you (Portland 7am).
It is 5:50am Sydney time June 23rd. I got up without any alarm. I kept the 7 precepts OK (I don’t even feel hungry, just had a laugh when the impulse to have a snack came up). I will having porridge with sultanas at dawn – 7am (2pm Portland)
Fortunately there will be no confusion about the dates for the next four Uposathas. I have a map of Asia within view of my meditation chair so I can derive virtual support from my fellow Theravada Buddhists there.
As I wrote earlier the precept I didn’t take was my bed. Do monks avoid using a luxurious bed because it is inherently bad kamma? Or is it a lifestyle choice skillful means? Last night in my warm bed (it is winter here) I read from “Old Path, White Clouds”, a novel about the Buddha’s life by Thich Nhat Hanh. They are making it into a movie for planned release in 2008. They will have Buddha with a shaved head which will be delightful. I guess it would be better not to see the film on Uposatha day.
After reading Majjhima 75 I am easily observing complete celibacy.
After a disturbed meditation last week I gave $32 to the Rape Crisis Center again (32 parts of the body) and the images subsided.
It wasn’t what I wanted at the time, but fortunately at 37 I’ve never had a girlfriend.
Malukyaputta answered Buddha’s question to the effect that no desire, nor lust, nor affection can arise from sense-objects that one has never experienced before, or from those that one is not experiencing for the moment, or from those that one can never hope to experience in the future even in one’s imagination. (according to Mahasi Sayadaw)
So, should lay people get married, have sex, and children? If they do, they will get more suffering. It is much better to be a monk or a nun.
<snip>
That does not mean that one should have sex without getting married. Sexual relations outside of marriage cause even more suffering.
- Bhikkhu Pesala
As for music, sometimes I’ve had a tune in my head (I’ve found that youtube has undesirable side-effects (the musicians don’t smile)).
I’ve never worn cosmetics.
I’ve never drunk alcohol in this life (or coffee either). I refrained after not liking the smell.
I spent an hour writing this post: now it is time to break my fast (breakfast).
Thanks for listening.
May your merits ripen to accelerate your way safely to Nibbana.
I’m taking 7 precepts today June 22nd as per the Forest Sangha Calendar on the Abhayagiri website.
LOL, well seven is a good number, not to say that eight is a bad number of course. I recall the first time I visited Abhayagiri monastery on an observance day. At that time I wasn’t aware it was an observance day till someone said we lay folks had the opportunity to take the refuges together. I thought we were taking the five precepts and when folks began bowing and reciting I was happy to be taking the precepts with others. As we came to “I undertake the precept to refrain from any kind of sexual activit” I was concerned my husband might have something to say about this LOL so I didn’t recite that one, only reciting seven precepts that night. Later Ajahn Pasanno explained that when taking the precetps at the monastery we were only asked to observe them as long as we were on monastery land and once we stepped outside this santuaray we were free to go about our usual ways (with the exception of Upasika Renewal day in which case we are committing to live by the five precetps for the entire year).
Is June 22nd the date observed at Wat Pah Nanachat in Thailand? Or is it a day later because of the time difference between Thailand and USA?
I’m almost a day ahead of Portland. It will be midnight here when it is early morning (7am) at Abhayagiri.
I don’t know anything about Wat pah Nanachat’s calendar so can’t help you there. What I do know is that those of us that practice with the eight precepts on Uposatha day (lunar observance days) here in Portland do so according to the Forest Sangha Calendar. I believe this is what Abhayagiri observes as well. Whatever . . . there’s no need to worry about the ‘exact’ timing of when we, they, them might observe, rather we simply honor the day for the 24 hour cycle according to our local calendar. So when we get up on June 22nd we know this is Uposatha day and live it accordingly (five, seven, eight precepts, whatever we find supportive to our pracitce we are encouraged to comitt to). The point is to increase our daily practice just a bit more than usual. Like Christians do on Sunday and Jewish folks do on Saturday, we Buddhist do on Observance days. And like Sunday’s and Saturday’s, these days vary according to where in the world we live. As Sunday arrives seven hours ealier in your home town then in mine, so too does the Observance day . . . no big deal . . . we begin our day according to our time zone and according to the days marked on the Forest Sangha Calendar and know there are others all over the world doing the same.
As Upsoatha day wanes for you in Australia you can pass the pathon onto me and I’ll pass it along to another whose time zone follows my own. Rather nice thought isn’t it
I’m taking 7 precepts today June 22nd as per the Forest Sangha Calendar on the Abhayagiri website. But I looked up at the moon today and it isn’t quite half-moon.
Is June 22nd the date observed at Wat Pah Nanachat in Thailand? Or is it a day later because of the time difference between Thailand and USA?
I’m almost a day ahead of Portland. It will be midnight here when it is early morning (7am) at Abhayagiri.
Compare with the Access to Insight calendar:
Here are this year’s dates of Uposatha days as observed by the two sects of Thai Buddhism (Dhammayutika and Mahanikaya).
<snip>
June 8 15* 23* 29
<snip>
Dates marked with an asterisk (*) are one day behind the Thai Mahanikaya calendar.
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sila/uposatha2007.html
I’m confused. Does that mean that the Thai Mahanikaya date is June 22nd (23-1)? I don’t know the different sects of Thai Buddhism. Which one was Ajahn Chah?
Anyway I’m having a fruitful Dhamma day. I sent a letter to a scholar monk in Malaysia offering to dhammadana a copy of Bhikkhu Bodhi’s Anguttara Nikaya that he hopes to finish within a couple of years according to the Abhayagiri website:
http://www.abhayagiri.org/index.php/main/article/the_highest_blessing/
Just now I’ve become inspired to participate in the Uposatha Days. I just discovered that tomorrow (June 22nd – it’s my Dad’s 68th birthday) is a half-moon day. I put the frozen meal back in the freezer! I really benefited from observing Vesak on May 31st except for sitting in a chair and sleeping on a high bed. I laughed when the impulse came up to have a snack or turn on the TV, or sing a tune.
It will be easy to observe 7 precepts on the Uposatha Days for the next 6 weeks because my parents are overseas. I also intend to just observe full-moon days for the rest of the year.
Is there anything scientifically special about the phases of the moon? (e.g. the term “lunatic” LOL) Or is it just a convention agreed upon by millions of Buddhists to practice at the same time? Just curious.
I’m going to memorize the Uposatha Sutta for recitation.
You pose a good question: “I would like to inter-weave my practice with my life. Right now it feels choppy....’This life’ and ‘That life’. Any advice on how to weave these two threads of life together?”
I’m not saying anything new here, because all of our teachers tell us this, but here goes. I think mindfulness is the way to weave the two threads together. If we try to bring mindfulnes to everything we do, it’s not so important whether we’re on retreat or whether we’re at home. Practice happens whether we’re keeping the Uposatha Day precepts or not. I think I heard that Ajahn Chah once said something like this to someone who felt that they didn’t have time to practice—“If you have time to breath, you have time to practice.”
The precepts that we can observe on Uposatha Days (in addition to the usual five), provide practice in renunciation. You and I have noticed that adopting these precepts can sometimes be disruptive to family life. But I’ve found that there are many ways to practice renunciation that don’t make an impact on the rest of the family. I think the attitude of renunciation can permeate even the little details of life. Here’s a simple example from my own life.
My husband and I like to put a chunk of lime in our water with our evening meal. It’s a small thing, but we think of it as a treat. We both like lots of lime, so the bigger the chunk, the better. I’m the one who cuts the lime, and I never manage to cut the pieces to exactly equal size. One of them is always just a little bit bigger than the other one. Therefore, I have to decide: Do I get the big one, or does he?
I notice the feeling when I give myself the big one. It’s a constricted feeling that makes me frown—“I had a tiring day; I deserve it; I’m going to reward myself.” But when I give the big one to him, I feel expansive, light and cheerful. It makes me smile. It’s not much of a renunciation, not much of an act of generosity. But with mindfulness at work, I can feel the difference between a closed-hearted action and an open-hearted action. In my experience, such a little act of renunciation—when noticed carefully—can be as good a training experience as giving up an evening meal on an Uposatha Day.
I really value the opportunity to “feel the difference.” What’s it like to experience the constriction of wanting, of aversion, of delusion? And what’s is like to be free of these mental states? What’s it like to experience grasping mind, and what’s it like to experience generous mind? What attitudes make dukkha arise and what attitudes provide a taste of freedom. With mindfulness, I can notice the difference in my everyday life, and this helps me incline toward wisdom and compassion.
So . . . Geetha, my Dhamma friend, we’re fortunate to have the wide range of the Buddha’s teachings to work with. If you and I don’t feel that we can follow the eight precepts every Uposatha Day, because our family responsibilities make it seem unskillful right now, then we can find other ways to weave renunciation (with mindfulness) into our everyday life.
Hello Everyone,
I read Dorothea’s note on precept observances. I am in a similar situation. I live in S. California and my husband works in the Bay area. He comes home once every 8-10 days. Like Dorothea’s husband mine too, seems intrigued by my recent interest in meditation and Dharma teachings and practices. He likes watching special shows on T.V and go to the movies and dine out from time to time. I used to like all of these myself, but for the past few years, which roughly coincides with my beginning a deligient meditation practice, my interests have dropped off. I don’t have an urge to turn on the T.V, I prefer to listen to Dharma talks and may be read something. Like Dorothea, I too feel like I don’t want to make an issue of ‘MY’ preferences when he is around and feel it is important for me to make him happy during his stay here. I do this willingly. (Of course, I would like him to practice with me, but again, wishing for such things only leads to suffering so I have let go). Then there are long weekends when I would really like to visit a monastery or attend a retreat but I feel I have to be with the family. I am still trying to find a time when I can take off on a retreat for a few days. So, whether it is imposed by myself through habitual preferences or due to a sense of duty and responsibility, coupled with the feeling, “I don’t want to force or disrupt anyone’s routines for the sake of my spiritual practice”, I feel I am unable to practice in a way I would like to. On occasions I find inspiration from Dipama’s life- how she practcied as a lay person and encouraged other ‘householders’ to practice. I would like to inter-weave my practice with my life. Right now it feels choppy....’This life’ and ‘That life’.
Any advice on how to weave these two threads of life together?
Much Metta,
Geetha
It’s an adventure for sure! These preferences are masters of disguise and quite stubborn about hanging onto their authority and control. The trick is recognizing that I give them that power.
I’ve come to see that I wanted to do more than I’m able to do right now - failed to meet my own expectations - and basically froze out of the fear of making a commitment that I might again not be able to fulfill.
It took me some time to sort this out. Dorothea’s word, “interlocked” is probably what propelled my investigation. I thought if I had to choose a word to describe my life in relation to family, it would be “interwoven”. There is flexibility and space within the confines and framework. It’s only a word and we all interpret words differently. The point is that I had “locked in” to certain habit patterns and behaviors and routines.
I can fully commit to one day of observance. I’ll start there with an open heart.
Thank you all for the inspiration to step back and allow some space to see more clearly.
Kris
“The ways of this world are merely conventions of our own making.
Having established them we get lost in them and refuse to let go –
clinging to our personal views and opinions.
This is samsara, endlessly flowing on without completion.
But if we truly know conventional reality, we will also know liberation.
Here we find completion.” Venerable Ajahn Chah
This is such a rich topic. Taking on the Uposatha practice can be a big challenge for most of us lay folks.
When I read your words “That the observance days fall on different days of the week, combined with my husband having different days off each week, presents a variety of challenges” I found myself inspired. Not sure if you meant it this way but I took your choice of words “variety of challenges” to mean a fortunate opportunity to witness and understand just how strong of a pull the habit of ‘preferring’ one thing over another can have on ones sense of well being. Thinking this way encourages me to take seriously the challenges that arise, not only with what I feel is being given up, but what arises (mental and emotionally) when not reacting to my preferences when in the act of renouncing. In a Dhamma talk from a while ago, Ajahn Sucitto also encourages us to address our habits of living as victims to our prefrences. His words add a bit of urgency to the picture.
Ajahn Sucitto* says:
“. . . A meditator soon witnesses the power of the resistances and preferences that the mind makes. In that colourful surge of impulse, thoughts, and feelings, our life as a mortal being is defined, confined and finally snuffed out: the unawakened being dies submerged in it. That compulsive tide is birth-and death, and it seems to stand in the way of peace and stillness.”
I really don’t want to die in a surge of impulses submerged in my preferences . . . uggghhhh . . . what if I died regretting something seemingly harmless like wishing I was in some nicer climate, like Mexico? I could be reborn a migrating bird in constant move from one climate to another. What a pity to be reborn an animal because I took refuge in my prefrences.
Ok, now I’m depressed . . . a bowl of icecream sounds really inviting just now, or maybe some cheese . . . Hmmmm . . . I think I’ll go and meditate instead, less I die and take rebirth as a cockroach on a dairy farm.
I have not been consistant with this aspect of practice. That the observance days fall on different days of the week, combined with my husband having different days off each week, presents a variety of challenges. I realize that at least some of these difficulties probably exist only in my mind. How to avoid rocking the boat while going against the stream is the puzzle I’m currently working on.
“The Dakkhinavibhanga Sutta enumerates a list of persons to whom alms can be offered and the merit accruing therefrom in ascending order.
A thing given to an animal brings a reward a hundredfold.
A gift given to an ordinary person of poor moral habit yields a reward a thousandfold;
a gift given to a virtuous person yields a reward a hundred thousandfold.
When a gift is given to a person outside the dispensation of Buddhism who is without attachment to sense pleasures, the yield is a hundred thousandfold of crores.
When a gift is given to one on the path to stream-entry the yield is incalculable and immeasurable.
So what can be said of a gift given to a stream-enterer, a once-returner, a non-returner, an Arahant, a Paccekabuddha, and a Fully Enlightened Buddha?
Feeding the Buddha and the Sangha is more meritorious than feeding the Buddha alone.
It is even more meritorious to construct a monastery for the general use of the Sangha of the four quarters of all times.
Taking refuge in the Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha is better still.
Abiding by the Five Precepts is even more valuable.
But better still is the cultivation of metta, loving-kindness,
and best of all, the insight into impermanence, which leads to Nibbana.”
(A.iv,392-95)
and
Giving in the Pali Canon by Lily De Silva
This doesn’t mean that we should just try to do insight meditation and forget about all the others. Dana is a meditation practice in itself. Once the Buddha said that if people only knew the value of giving as he does, they would not take a single meal without sharing their food with others (It.p,18).
Thanks to Sakula for starting this Uposatha Observance topic. I’ll be interested in hearing how others have worked with this practice. My own experience has been challenging. Just to make sure we’re all on the same page, I’ll explain what I think of as Uposatha observance. Please let me know if your understanding is different from mine. (I look forward to learning from everyone.)
As I understand it, the observance is done each month. Sometimes people make a commitment to do it for six months, or a year, or for some other number of months. You decide whether you’ll do it only on the full moon day, on the full and new moon days, or on all four moon days (full, new, and halfs). On the moon days you’ve decided upon, you take the three refuges (see Sakula’s topic “Three Refuges and Five Precepts”) and the eight precepts, which are listed below.
The Eight Precepts*:
1) I undertake the precept to refrain from taking the life of any living creature.
2) I undertake the precept to refrain from taking that which is not given.
3) I undertake the precept to refrain from any kind of sexual activity.
4) I undertake the precept to refrain from false and harmful speech.
5) I undertake the precept to refrain from consuming intoxicating drink and drugs which lead to carelessness.
6) I undertake the precept to refrain from eating at inappropriate times.
7) I undertake the precept to refrain from entertainment, beautification, and adornment.
8) I undertake the precept to refrain from lying on a high or luxurious sleeping place.
For me, one of the biggest challenges comes when one of the precepts requires that I disappoint others or disrupt their lives. My life is interlocked with that of my husband, and I’m grateful for that. But I find it hard to say that I won’t be eating dinner with him, or that we can’t accept an invitation to go to the movies with friends - even once per month. He’s quite laid back and understanding. Actually, he’s rather intrigued and happy with my Buddhist practice, so he is not the problem. The problem is my own tendency to want to please, to maintain the status quo, to move with the stream rather than against it.
So for me, a commitment to keep the eight precepts - even if it’s only once a month** - challenges me, and inspires me, to exercise right effort.
Dorothea
*Click on *Abhayagiri Chanting Book*.
The eight precepts are in the section called “Requesting the Three Refuges and Eight Precepts” (pages 74 - 76)
Here in Portland, Oregon there are a number of us who observe the Uposatha day. Though we don’t necessarily join together at the Dhamma Center (unless the day falls on one of our weekly gatherings or Upasika Daylongs) we have committed to join one another in spirit by observing the eight precepts. As lay people we have also made some small interpretations, which I’ll share in another post, for now I wanted to post what Uposatha Day is and why would we as lay folks might consider observing it. And I welcome conversation about sharing this practice with any of you. Questions? Comments, all welcome.
“Here, Visakha*, a noble disciple considers thus:
“For all their lives the Arahants dwell having abandoned killing
living beings, refrain from killing living beings, they have laid
down their staffs, laid down their weapons, they are conscientious,
sympathetic, compassionate for the good of all living beings; so
today I dwell, for this night and day, having abandoned killing
living beings, refraining from killing living beings, I am one who
has laid down my staff, laid down my weapon, I am conscientious,
sympathetic, compassionate for the good of all living beings. By this
practice, following after the Arahants, the Uposatha will be entered
on by me.’
[snip] . . .
“Thus indeed, Visakha, is the Uposatha entered on and undertaken with
its eight component practices, of great fruit, of great advantage, of
great splendor, of great range. “How great a fruit? How great an
advantage? How great a splendor? How great a range?”
[snip] . . .
“Kill no life, nor take what is not given, speak no lie, nor be an alcoholic,
refrain from sex and unchaste conduct, at night do not eat out-of-time food,
neither bear garlands nor indulge with perfume, and make your bed a mat
upon the ground: this indeed is called the eight-part uposatha taught by the
Buddha gone to dukkha’s end. The radiance of the sun and moon, both
beautiful to see, follow on from each other, dispelling the darkness as they
go through the heavens, illumining the sky and brightening the quarters and
the treasure found between them: pearls and crystals and auspicious turquoises,
gold nuggets and the gold called “ore,” monetary gold with gold dust carried
down — compared with the eight-part uposatha, though they are enjoyed, are
not a sixteenth part — as the shining of the moon in all the groups of stars.
Hence indeed the woman and the man who are virtuous enter on uposatha
having eight parts and having made merits14 bringing forth happiness blameless
they obtain heavenly abodes.”
*Visakha: a very generous woman lay-disciple who, by listening frequently to Dhamma, became a Streamwinner and who was, perhaps, already a noble disciple (ariya) when this discourse was spoken.
