How to be a True Buddhist through Observance?
Vap Poya day is the
full-moon of October. This holy day celebrates the
end of the Bhikkhu's three
months rains retreat and marks the
Kathina
month
of robes
, where lay
people donate a set of robes to the Sangha.
This also celebrates the day that Buddha began to teach the
Abhidhamma!
The Buddha descending from the
Tāvatimsa Level after having spent a rain
retreat there explaining the
Abhidhamma
to the
assembled devas
during
a single three month long speech! His biological mother
Mahāmāyā,
who
died 7 days after his birth, and was reborn as a
Tusita
male
deva, with the
name
Māyādevaputta
was present. He is followed down by the deva rulers
Sakka
and
Mahā-Brahmā.
More about this
Higher Abhidhamma Science:
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/abhi/index.html
More about the Kathina Ceremony:
https://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Kathina_Ceremony.htm
The
Kathina Ceremony of giving
robes to the Māha-Sangha and receive
blessing merit thereby!
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 True 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 Samāhita:
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
