Mahiyangana_Raja_Maha_Vihara
Durutu Poya day is the full-moon of January. This holy day celebrates the first visit
of the Buddha to Sri Lanka.
The Buddha visited the very place, where the present
magnificent
Mahiyangana Stupa was built to enshrine the
Buddha's hair relics and the left collar bone. For Details see:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahiyangana_Raja_Maha_Vihara and
https://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/ma/mahiyangana.htm
Mahiyangana Stupa
On such Full-Moon Uposatha Poya Observance days:
Any Lay Buddhist simply joins the
Three Refuges
and undertakes the
Five Precepts
like this: Newly bathed, shaved, white-clothed, with clean
bare feet, one kneels at a shrine with a Buddha-statue, and bows first
three times, so that feet, hands, elbows, knees & head touch the floor.
Then, with joined palms at the heart, one recites these memorized lines
in a loud, calm & steady voice:
As long as this life lasts:
I hereby take refuge in the Buddha.
I hereby take refuge in the Dhamma.
I hereby take refuge in the Sangha.
I hereby seek shelter in the Buddha for the 2nd time.
I hereby seek shelter in the Dhamma for the 2nd time.
I hereby seek shelter in the Sangha for the 2nd time.
I hereby request protection from the Buddha for the 3rd time.
I hereby request protection from the Dhamma for the 3rd time.
I hereby request protection from the Sangha for the 3rd time.
I will hereby respect these
Three Jewels
the rest of my life!
I accept to respect & undertake these 5 training rules:
I hereby accept the training rule of avoiding all Killing.
I hereby accept the training rule of avoiding all Stealing.
I hereby accept the training rule of avoiding all Sexual Abuse.
I hereby accept the training rule of avoiding all Dishonesty.
I hereby accept the training rule of avoiding all Alcohol & Drugs.
As long as this life lasts, I am thus protected by these 5 precepts...
Then, one keeps and protects these sacred vows better than one's
own eyes & children!, since they protect you & all other beings much
better than any army! They are the highest offer one can give in & to
this world! So is the start towards Nibbāna: the Deathless Element!
This is the Noble Way to Peace, to Freedom, to Ease, to Happiness,
initiated by
Morality,
developed further by
Dhamma-Study
and
fulfilled by training of
Meditation...
Today indeed is
Pooya or
Uposatha or observance day, where any lay
Buddhist normally keeps even the
Eight Precepts
from sunrise until the
next dawn... If any wish an official recognition by the Bhikkhu-Sangha,
they may simply forward the lines starting with "I
hereby ..."
signed with
name, date, town, & country to
me or
join
here.
A public list of this new
quite rapidly growing global Saddhamma-Sangha is set up here!
The New Noble Community of Buddha's Disciples: Saddhamma Sangha:
https://What-Buddha-Said.net/sangha/Saddhamma_Sangha.htm
Can quite advantageously be Joined Here:
https://What-Buddha-Said.net/sangha/Sangha_Entry.htm
May your journey hereby be light, swift, and sweet. Never give up !!
Bhikkhu Samahita:
what.buddha.said@gmail.com
For Details on The Origin of Uposatha Observance Days:
https://what-buddha-said.net/library/ati_website/html/ptf/dhamma/sila/uposatha.html
The Buddhist Poya Uposatha Observance Day Calendar is here:
https://What-Buddha-Said.net/various/Poya.Uposatha.Observance_days.htm
