How
really to be True Buddhist through Observance?
Unduwap Poya is this
Full-moon
day of December, which celebrates these 2 events:
1: The arrival of
Venerable Arahant elder Nun Theri
Sanghamitta, sister of Arahat
Mahinda,
from India in the 3rd century B.C. who
established the Order of
Buddhist Nuns (Bhikkhunis).
2: The arrival at Anuradhapura of a sapling of the sacred Bodhi-tree
at Buddhagaya,
brought to Sri Lanka by the Venerable Arahant Theri
Sanghamitta.
Arahant Theri
Sanghamitta
arrives with the Bodhi Tree Sapling.
This day is designated
Sanghamitta Day. Nowadays
Dasasil Matas;
the ten-precept nuns,
take an active part in making these celebrations.
Arahant Theri
Sanghamitta,
daughter of Emperor
Asoka
and
sister to Mahinda.
Details on the
Arahat
Nun
Theri
Sanghamitta and the
MahaBodhi
Tree:
See:
https://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/sa/sanghamitta_theri.htm
and the Tree
https://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/b/bodhirukka.htm
The over 2000
years old
Bodhi Tree in Ceylon. Please notice the Lay Buddhist wear all white
clothes, which was classic at Buddha's time,
and still is on Poya days today in Sri Lanka!
Video on Uposatha
Observance:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cUIDQd19OmY
Audio on Uposatha
Observance Praxis ..
https://soundcloud.com/bhikkhu-samahita/observance-praxis-uposatha
On such Full-Moon Uposatha Poya Observance days:
Any Lay
Buddhist simply joins the
Three Refuges
& 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 and head
touch the floor.
Then, with joined palms at the heart, one recites these memorized lines
in
a loud, clear, calm and 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
use of Alcohol & Drugs.
As long as this life lasts, I am thus protected by these 5 precepts...
Taking the 3 refuges and 5 precepts audio
recording:
refuge_and_precepts.mp3
Then, one keeps and
protects these sacred vows better than one's own eyes and children!,
since they protect you and all other beings much better than any army! They are the highest
offer one can give in
and to this world! So it goes 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 / observance day, where any lay
Buddhist normally keeps
even the
Eight Precepts
from sunrise until the
next dawn... If any wish a recognition by the
Bhikkhu-Sangha, they may simply forward the lines starting with "I hereby
..." signed with
name, date, town and country to
me or
join here. A
public list of this new
quite rapidly growing
global Saddhamma-Sangha is set up
here!
The Modern 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!
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
