uposatha days, what is your approach

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anthbrown84
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uposatha days, what is your approach

Post by anthbrown84 »

Hello all,

I am interested in the approach people take to uposatha days, if you do them at all? If so how many? Ehat do your days entail?

I try.... try... to do 4 a month, but i fail, and i usualy do them on a sunday or a friday even, based around how it suitsmy day to day life. Im trying to get back in the swing of things after becoming very slack with them.
My days usually take place at my local monastery, i go and help out, meditate a bit and then head home with the idea that ill continue meditation when i get back. Although i do have to admit, my efforts are often weak. Ive tried to be less intense with myself lately, less ridgid, but this has lead to less effort also. Its a tough one to put into balance. I was always all or nothing, now im kinda "merrrr" about the whole thing....

What about everyone else? How do you approach these days?

Anthony
"Your job in practise is to know the difference between the heart and the activity of the heart, that is it, it is that simple" Ajahn Tate
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Dhammarakkhito
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Re: uposatha days, what is your approach

Post by Dhammarakkhito »

As they were sitting there, the Blessed One said to them, "Sakyans, do you observe the eight-factored uposatha?"

"Sometimes we do, lord, and sometimes we don't."
[...]
"Now, Sakyans, there is the case where a disciple of mine, spending ten years practicing as I have instructed, would live sensitive to unalloyed bliss for a hundred years, a hundred centuries, a hundred millennia. And he would be a once-returner, a non-returner, or at the very least a stream-winner.

"Let alone ten years, there is the case where a disciple of mine, spending nine years... eight years... seven... six... five... four... three... two years... one year practicing as I have instructed, would live sensitive to unalloyed bliss for a hundred years, a hundred centuries, a hundred millennia. And he would be a once-returner, a non-returner, or at the very least a stream-winner.

"Let alone one year, there is the case where a disciple of mine, spending ten months... nine months... eight months... seven... six... five... four... three... two months... one month... half a month practicing as I have instructed, would live sensitive to unalloyed bliss for a hundred years, a hundred centuries, a hundred millennia. And he would be a once-returner, a non-returner, or at the very least a stream-winner.

"Let alone half a month, there is the case where a disciple of mine, spending ten days & nights... nine days & nights... eight... seven... six... five... four... three... two days & nights... one day & night practicing as I have instructed, would live sensitive to unalloyed bliss for a hundred years, a hundred centuries, a hundred millennia. And he would be a once-returner, a non-returner, or at the very least a stream-winner.

"It's no gain for you, Sakyans. It's ill-gotten, that in this life so endangered by grief, in this life so endangered by death, you sometimes observe the eight-factored uposatha and sometimes don't."

https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitak ... .than.html
there's also a nine-factored uposatha https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q ... GUfjc00u7Y

"And what is the Uposatha of the Noble Ones? It is the cleansing of the defiled mind through the proper technique. And how is the defiled mind cleansed through the proper technique?
http://www.buddha-vacana.org/sutta/angu ... 3-071.html
"Just as the ocean has a single taste — that of salt — in the same way, this Dhamma-Vinaya has a single taste: that of release."
— Ud 5.5

https://www.facebook.com/noblebuddhadha ... 34/?type=3

http://seeingthroughthenet.net/
https://sites.google.com/site/santipada ... allytaught
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dylanj
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Re: uposatha days, what is your approach

Post by dylanj »

You should do it on the proper day, & you should try your absolute best to not fail. You should relax & immerse yourself in Dhamma so as to not stray into negligence. You should also try to keep the 8 precepts as often as possible beyond the uposatha, but on uposatha you should certainly observe them without any sort of excuse. If your efforts are weak, make them strong. If you are diligent yet rigid then drop the rigidity without dropping the diligence. You must relax in discipline, not outside of it. Maintain this attitude as best as you can, if you slip up reflect on that without dwelling in remorse & renew your aspiration, commit firmly & confidently with joy, delight in virtue & delight in following the tradition of the Arahants, know that your efforts will not be in vain & will yield abundant fruit. This is really quite a beneficial & special practice beyond what one would expect without having tried & succeeded with it.

May you be successful, may you be happy, well, & peaceful. :anjali:
Born, become, arisen – made, prepared, short-lived
Bonded by decay and death – a nest for sickness, perishable
Produced by seeking nutriment – not fit to take delight in


Departure from this is peaceful – beyond reasoning and enduring
Unborn, unarisen – free from sorrow and stain
Ceasing of all factors of suffering – stilling of all preparations is bliss
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Lucas Oliveira
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Re: uposatha days, what is your approach

Post by Lucas Oliveira »

my practice is still of a beginner.

on Full Moon night I make a puja, read some suttas, and 1 hour of meditation.

I use this practice as a source of energy for the next month, for the practices that I will do during that month.

I try to remember why I am practicing Buddhism, what are my goals.

if the Moon has an effect on the water of the sea, what effects it has on the human body which is constituted of 70% water.

and if the moon has effect on water, does it have any effect on anything more subtle like emotions and thoughts?

:anjali:

Thank you!

:namaste:
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TamHanhHi
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Re: uposatha days, what is your approach

Post by TamHanhHi »

I also find this sutta about the eight practices (AN 8.43) inspiring:
"...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...'"
"Just as a large banyan tree, on level ground where four roads meet, is a haven for the birds all around, even so a lay person of conviction is a haven for many people: monks, nuns, male lay followers, & female lay followers."AN 5.38
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anthbrown84
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Re: uposatha days, what is your approach

Post by anthbrown84 »

There really isnt anything quite like a sutta to put this sort of thing into its place is there!

This has really helped me.

Im still interested in people's practises on these days, what do they consist of?

I think for me this is the catalyst to put in more effort.

I do have to say however, Dylanj, i think whether we align to the lunar cycles isbt imperritive. The Buddha did say they were particularly auspicuous, but i feel like keeping the 8 precepts on a sunday is better than a full moon fay monday when im at work most of the day.

Do people agree? Disagree? Do tell :@)

With a smile, anthony
"Your job in practise is to know the difference between the heart and the activity of the heart, that is it, it is that simple" Ajahn Tate
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dylanj
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Re: uposatha days, what is your approach

Post by dylanj »

keep it on the monday & on the sunday, too
Born, become, arisen – made, prepared, short-lived
Bonded by decay and death – a nest for sickness, perishable
Produced by seeking nutriment – not fit to take delight in


Departure from this is peaceful – beyond reasoning and enduring
Unborn, unarisen – free from sorrow and stain
Ceasing of all factors of suffering – stilling of all preparations is bliss
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