An Uposatha (; ) day is a Buddhist day of observance, in existence since the Buddha's time (600 BCE), and still being kept today by Buddhist practitioners.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." The Buddha taught that Uposatha was for "the cleansing of the defiled mind," resulting in inner calm and joy.Thanissaro (1997b); Anguttara Nikaya 3.70: Muluposatha Sutta. On this day, both lay and ordained members of the sangha intensify their practice, deepen their knowledge and express communal commitment through millennia-old acts of lay-monastic reciprocity. On these days, the lay followers make a conscious effort to keep the Five Precepts or (as the tradition suggests) the ten precepts. It is a day for practicing the Buddha's teachings and meditation.
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, 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. in accordance with the four lunar phases: the new moon, the full moon, and the two quarter moons in between.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) According to the Pali English Dictionary (Rhys Davids and Stede, 1921-25, pp. 16, 152), the lunar month's eighth day (that is, the eighth day after the new moon) and twenty-third day (which is the eighth day after the full moon) are called in Pali atthama, which literally means the "eighth," that is, the eighth day of the lunar half-month. In some communities, only the new moon and full moon are observed as uposatha days.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." This reflects the special role assumed by the new moon and the full moon as the two days in a month when monks (and nuns) gather for a recital of their monastic rules.
In Burmese Buddhism, Uposatha (called ) is observed by more pious Buddhists on the following days: waxing moon ( ), full moon ( ), waning moon ( ), and new moon ( ). The most common days of observance are the full moon and the new moon. In precolonial Burma, Uposatha was a legal holiday that was observed primarily in urban areas, where secular activities like business transactions came to a halt. However, since colonial rule, Sunday has replaced Uposatha as the legal day of rest. All major Burmese Buddhist holidays occur on Uposathas, namely Thingyan, the beginning of Vassa (beginning in the full moon of Waso, around July, to the full moon of Thadingyut, around October). During this period, Uposatha is more commonly observed by Buddhists than during the rest of the year. During Uposatha days, Buddhist monks at each monastery assemble and recite the Patimokkha, a concise compilation of the Vinaya.
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. In Japan, these ten days are known as , while the six day practice is known as .
Names of full moon Uposatha days The Pali names of the uposatha days are based on the Sanskrit names of the nakṣatra (Pali: nakkhatta), the constellations or lunar mansions through which the moon passes within a lunar month.See Nakshatra, Hindu calendar, Sanskrit English Dictionary by Monier Williams, s.v. 'nakṣatra'. +Full Moon Uposatha Day Names Associated Month Pali Sanskrit Burmese Khmer Sinhala Thai Tamil Days January Phussa Puṣya Pyatho (ပြာသို) Buss (បុស្ស) Duruthu (දුරුතු) Pusaya (ปุศยะ) Thai (தை) 30 February Māgha Māgha Tabodwe (တပို့တွဲ) Meak (មាឃ) Navam (නවම්) Makha (มาฆะ) Maasi (மாசி) 29 March Phagguṇa Phalguṇa Tabaung (တပေါင်း) Phalkun (ផល្គុន) Medin/Maedhin (මැදින්) Pholkuni (ผลคุณี) Panguni (பங்குனி) 30 April Citta Chitrā Tagu (တန်ခူး) Chaet (ចេត្រ) Bak (බක්) Chittra (จิตรา) Chithirai (சித்திரை) 29 May Visākhā Viśākhā Kason (ကဆုန်) Pisak (ពិសាខ) Vesak (වෙසක්) Visakha (วิสาขา) Vaikasi (வைகாசி) 30 June Jeṭṭhā Jyeṣṭha Nayon (နယုန်) Ches (ជេស្ឋ) Poson (පොසොන්) Chetta (เชษฐา) Aani (ஆனி) 29/30 July Āsāḷhā Aṣāḍhā Waso (ဝါဆို) Asath (អាសាឍ) Esala/Aesala (ඇසළ) Asarnha (อาสาฬหะ) Aadi (ஆடி) 30 August Sāvana Śrāvaṇa Wagaung (ဝါခေါင်) Srap (ស្រាពណ៍) Nikini (නිකිණි) Savana (สาวนะ) Aavani (ஆவணி) 29 September Poṭṭhapāda Proṣṭhapāda/Bhādrapadā Tawthalin (တော်သလင်း) Phuttrobot (ភទ្របទ) Binara (බිනර) Phattarapratha (ภัทรปทา) Purattasi (புரட்டாசி) 30 October Assayuja Aśvayuja/Aśvinī Thadingyut (သီတင်းကျွတ်) Assoch (អស្សុជ) Vap (වප්) Assavani (อัศวนี) Aippasi (ஐப்பசி) 29 November Kattikā Kāṛttikā Tazaungmon (တန်ဆောင်မုန်း) Katdeuk (កត្តិក) Il (ඉල්) Krittika (กฤติกา) Karthigai (கார்த்திகை) 30 December Māgasira Māṛgaśiras Natdaw (နတ်တော်) Meukesae (មិគសិរ) Unduvap (උඳුවප්) Maruekasira (มฤคศิระ) Margazhi (மார்கழி) 29
History The word "Uposatha" derives from the Muluposatha Sutta (AN 3.70), in which a lay woman named Visakha, visited the Lord Buddha and says she is observing the Uposatha day. The Lord 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 Upāsaka and Upāsikā practice the Eight Precepts,See, for instance, Kariyawasam (1995), Khantipalo (1982b), Ñanavara & Kantasilo (1993) and Thanissaro (1997b). perhaps echoing the Buddha's teaching that laypeople should "imitate" arhats on Uposatha days."The Uposatha Observance Discourse" in Nyanaponika & Bodhi, 1999, pp. 216-18 or, using comparable wording, in Nanavara & Khantasilo, 1993 The first five of the eight precepts are similar to the five precepts, that is, to refrain from killing living beings, stealing, wrong speech and to abstain from intoxicating drink or drugs, but the third precept is abstinence of all sexual activity instead of refraining from sexual offenses. The eight precepts are similar to the ten precepts observed by novice monks, except that the seventh and eighth precepts for the novices are combined, the ninth novice precept becomes the eighth, and the tenth novice precept (non-acceptance of gold and silver, use of money) is excluded as being impracticable for a lay person.Nyanaponika & Bodhi (1999), p. 307, n. 26 Thus, the final three precepts are to abstain from eating at the wrong time (after midday); to abstain from entertainment such as dancing, singing, music, watching shows, as well as to abstain from wearing garlands, perfumes, cosmetics, and personal adornments; and to abstain from luxurious seats and beds.
For lay practitioners who live near a Buddhist temple, the uposatha is an opportunity for them to visit it, make offerings, listen to sermons 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 one's own meditation and Dhamma practice,Bullitt (2005); and, Khantipalo (1982a). for instance, meditating an extra session or for a longer time,Khantipalo (1982a). reading or chanting special Buddhist texts,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). Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta ("Discourse on Setting the Wheel of Dhamma in Motion," SN 56.11) (Thanissaro, 1993). recollectingSee, for instance, the "Muluposatha Sutta" (AN 3.70) (Thanissaro, 1997b) regarding Uposatha-specific recollections and Thanissaro (1999) for the general Buddhist practice of recollections. In the Muluposatha Sutta, the Buddha recommends practicing recollection of the Three Jewels as well as of one's own virtue (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. or giving in some special way.
Presently, the uposatha vows are mostly associated with Theravāda Buddhism in South and Southeast Asia, but it was a widespread practice in China as well, and is still practiced.