Category Uposatha
Uposatha: Seventh Precept
Hello friends, Today I am observing November’s Full Moon Uposatha day. I’ve mentioned previously [here and here, for instance] that the Uposatha observance involves certain precepts that are additional to the regular practice proscribed by the Buddha to laypeople, so you should read those for additional background information that I may not choose to go […]
June Full Moon: Personal Observations
Good morning friends, I just want to write a little about Uposatha practice as it has developed for me and go over a couple of observations. Generally speaking, I have converted my entire morning chanting ritual to an English-only event, but I’ve been having fun lately (the last five or so weeks) chanting exclusively in Pali on […]
Challenge of Eight Precepts
Today I am observing my first Uposatha for 2014 and have been considering some of the challenges I will likely face as the day progresses. The first five precepts aren’t so difficult, but the addition of three can cause certain complexities. These three are: to abstain from food after noon and before dawn to refrain […]
Quest for Quiet
Yesterday was July’s last quarter Uposatha day, and I had the opportunity to observe it a little differently. Usually any Uposatha day is, for me, challenged by chaos in the home. It is never anything serious, but it is difficult to find time or energy to concentrate with there is so much going on — […]
The Fire Discourse
Hello again, dear friends. Today, my brief time reading has been focused on the Fire Discourse, or Adittapariyaya Sutta, in which the Buddha speaks of the flames of passion, aversion, and delusion. It really is a brief read, but carries with it much of what I envision being the most basic of teachings in Buddhism — […]
Cultivating No Sense of Mine-ness
From the Sutta Nipata (Attadandasutta): Burn up what’s before, and have nothing for after. If you don’t grasp at what’s in between, you will go about, calm. For whom, in name & form, in every way, there’s no sense of mine, and who doesn’t grieve over what is not: he, in the world, isn’t defeated, […]
Thankful Uposatha
I feel the need to take a moment and write a little bit about some things for which I’m thankful. Thankfulness isn’t really all that difficult for me, I think, but I rarely write it (or type it) for others to see. First and foremost in my mind; my feeling of gratitude for the teachings of the […]
Noble Friendship
Another excerpt from Therigatha (213-215) today: To the world the Sage has praised The value of noble friendship. By resorting to noble friends Even a fool becomes wise. One should resort to worthy people, For thus one’s wisdom ever grows. By resorting to worthy people One is freed from all suffering. One should know the Four […]
Successes and New Reading Goals
Uposatha days are a great opportunity to reflect upon one’s recent failings and renew vigor toward the goal of restraint and practice, but one can also look back and see the successes one has had. Both practices can tend toward the same goal, and it is good to see the positive side of things — […]
Finding Inner Calmness
This Uposatha day, I feel like discussing my experience with finding some measure of inner tranquility. If calmness is the goal, where does one begin? I’m not perfectly calm all the time, as my wife would surely attest, but I’ve abandoned a number of rather useless thoughts in a process that has helped me settle […]
Hickersonia 