Uposatha Pūjā - devotion and service, cleaning day

Buddhist ethical conduct including the Five Precepts (Pañcasikkhāpada), and Eightfold Ethical Conduct (Aṭṭhasīla).
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Samana Johann 1
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Uposatha Pūjā - devotion and service, cleaning day

Post by Samana Johann 1 »

Upasaka, Upasika,
Buddhabodhisathas, visitor of this place,

Being the new-moon Uposatha to day, my person took leave to give a topic on the main pillow of practice tradition: Uposatha-observance and it's traditional ways.

Four main kinds of practice are done on this day, as prerequisite of the Ariya Uposatha which requires to part-take:

Paying Respect or Veneration - the unknown very first Sila, confessing and asking for pardon in regard of missdeeds toward the Gems, ones teacher..., to bring the relation in proper condition, renewing ones refuge and resolves, and doing service as a matter of duty for a proper relation.

A short nice view on the traditional ways is given in the work, "originated" by Ajahn Lee: The Service for the Lunar Sabbath (it does not incl. Vandāmi, pardon and asking for/sharing merits)

Since my person assumes that your place here is not only dedicated in serving each other on feeding on Dhamma or just another room for ordinary socialication (saṇgama), my person thinks that it is good to suggest you to try to invite one or more monks to guide you in undertaking this importand occasion regulary.

Many might not have the possibility to visite a monastery to perform service for it, asking for refuge and requesting precepts.

Just one tiny alternative can be given, but would also require certain sacrifices in advanced to develope it in english well.

A maybe not so known origin of the allowance and practice of the Uposatha with lay followers can be found in the Mahavagga: The Allowance for Gathering. Some might have thought that it is just a lay cultural tradition.

It's also inspiring, found in the same Khandhaka, that the Buddha even encouraged those in no/no more need of cleaning by "Who, else, if not you (the wise) would keep the Uposatha uphold", speaking with a clean Bhikkhu who thought "whether I go or not, I am nevertheless clean".

May this topic give rise for inspiration, joy and effort into doing service for a relation needed to cross over suffering and stress, for one self and many.
Iti 98 wrote:- Namo tassa bhagavato arahato sammā-sambuddhassa -

This was said by the Blessed One, said by the Arahant, so I have heard: "There are these two kinds of gifts: a gift of material things & a gift of the Dhamma. Of the two, this is supreme: a gift of the Dhamma. There are these two kinds of sharing: sharing of material things & sharing of the Dhamma. Of the two, this is supreme: sharing of the Dhamma. There are these two kinds of assistance: assistance with material things & assistance with the Dhamma. Of the two, this is supreme: help with the Dhamma."


The gift he describes
as foremost & unsurpassed,
the sharing the Blessed One has extolled:
who — confident in the supreme field of merit,
wise, discerning —
wouldn't give it at appropriate times?
Both for those who proclaim it
and those who listen,
confident in the message of the One Well-gone:
it purifies their foremost benefit —
those heeding the message
of the One Well-gone.
May all spend an auspicious Uposatha-day and may the Devas share all of your merits toward does not being aware of them.
It's not clear if the possibility to take on form here is given, so also this post might be made on merely uncomfortable trust. Please don't be shy to make remark as well as to do what ever with the post you might be inspired to. Key is found here. May it be, how ever, understood as Dhamma-Dana toward the Sangha of Buddhas Savakas and those following them and not thought for any kind of trade or exchange for low purpose for the world. Feel also always welcome here.
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Samana Johann 1
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Re: Uposatha Pūjā - devotion and service, cleaning day

Post by Samana Johann 1 »

An indirect share of (mr/mrs, refugee, ...?) TamHanhHi (by his/her signature), that might be a nice additional inspiration here, and contains also why certain things are practiced or not:
AN 5.38 wrote:
Saddha Sutta: Conviction

- Namo tassa bhagavato arahato sammā-sambuddhassa -

"For a lay person, there are these five rewards of conviction. Which five?

"When the truly good people in the world show compassion, they will first show compassion to people of conviction, and not to people without conviction. When visiting, they first visit people of conviction, and not people without conviction. When accepting gifts, they will first accept those from people with conviction, and not from people without conviction. When teaching the Dhamma, they will first teach those with conviction, and not those without conviction. A person of conviction, on the break-up of the body, after death, will arise in a good destination, the heavenly world. For a lay person, these are the five rewards of conviction.

"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."


A massive tree
whose branches carry fruits & leaves,
with trunks & roots
& an abundance of fruits:

There the birds find rest.

In that delightful sphere
they make their home.
Those seeking shade
come to the shade,
those seeking fruit
find fruit to eat.

So with the person consummate
in virtue & conviction,
humble, sensitive, gentle,
delightful, & mild:
To him come those without effluent —
free from passion,
free from aversion,
free from delusion —
the field of merit for the world.

They teach him the Dhamma
that dispels all stress.
And when he understands,
he is freed from effluents,

totally unbound.
It's not clear if the possibility to take on form here is given, so also this post might be made on merely uncomfortable trust. Please don't be shy to make remark as well as to do what ever with the post you might be inspired to. Key is found here. May it be, how ever, understood as Dhamma-Dana toward the Sangha of Buddhas Savakas and those following them and not thought for any kind of trade or exchange for low purpose for the world. Feel also always welcome here.
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