Uposatha Practice Days

Elevate Your practice

Uposatha Days are special days to intensify the practice of mindfulness, quiet sitting meditation and ethical precepts. In the Muluposatha Sutta, the Buddha established the observance days called Uposatha Days as the “days for the cleansing of the defiled mind.” Originally Uposatha Days were held during the Full Moon in which the monastic and lay members would fully commit themselves to the practice of the Buddhist teachings. In order to imitate monastic life, lay members would practice the Eight Precepts instead of the original Five, forgo eating meals after noontime, and practice meditation late.  In addition, monastics would practice confession and the chanting of the Patimokkha, the monastic rules of conduct. Uposatha observance is still practiced in Theravadin Buddhist countries like Sri Lanka, Myramar, and Thailand.

Traditionally, Mahayana Buddhist schools like, Thien, Zen and Shin Buddhism, do not practice Uposatha, nevertheless, their teachings values, teachings and practices overlap, aligning with its spirit in essence if not form. Due to our uber distracting and materialistic 21^st century North American culture, our founding teacher has provided for our Fellowship an updated adaptation of Uposatha by identifying eight elements that members, friends and the curious can easily practice once a week on Sundays, the days our community meets for our Practice & Talk Meetings.

These eight elements offer practitioners a profound way to reconnect with an ancient tradition and dive into the heart of the Buddhist teachings. Through mindfulness, quiet sitting meditation and morality and virtue, we can light the spark of awareness and dharma within the embrace of inconceivable light and light. This weekly Uposatha observance, immersed in the essential teachings and practices, can shape us in becoming better Buddhists, and, most importantly, more complete human beings.

Since our Fellowship is not part of a monastic order, but is an independent Buddhist organization, and completely lay-oriented and controlled, our updated Uposatha practice naturally differs from what is traditionally experienced in Theravadin Buddhist countries. Our American version includes the following eight elements.

1. A concerted effort to practice the Eight Precepts* (see below).
2. A committed effort to let go of screen time and go electronic device free.
3. A dedicated effort to attend our Practice & Talk meetings if you live near to our center.
4. A concentrated effort to practice sitting and walking meditation & recite the Buddha Name.
5. A faithful effort to read and/or listen to some Buddhist literature.
6. A keen effort to eat a vegetarian or raw food meals (Important: Meals should be eaten before noon and then fast for the rest of the day, and should be ultraproccessed free, sugar free & alcohol & drug free)
7. A determined effort to practice generosity & kindness to humans and non-humans.
8. A resolute effort to practice gratitude for blessings & challenges in life, and reflect on the undeserved dynamic activity of Other Power.

To learn more about observing Uposatha, and practicing the above Buddhist practices, we highly recommend attending our Practice & Talk meetings at 9 a.m. on twice a month on Sundays.

The Eight Precepts*

Special Uposatha Days

The Buddhist Faith Fellowship also recognizes special Uposatha Days that correspond to holidays or when a particular month may have a fifth Sunday of the month. For the extra fifth Sunday of the month, the Fellowship may host a special  Satipaṭṭhāna Day (Mindfulness Retreat) to support members and friends in their meditation practice.

These special Uposatha Days for the most part include Buddhist holidays in which the practitioner puts special attention to recollect the significance and qualities of the holiday and the teachings.  The Fellowship recognizes both Theravada and Mahayana holidays. The below list shows the months in which these special observance days take place; visit our web site to confirm the specific dates.

April – Flower Festival celebrates the Buddha’s birth.

February – Parinirvana Day recognizes the Buddha death and last teaching.

May – Vesak celebrates the entire life and legacy of the Buddha.

May – Sangha Day celebrates the community and the path.

December – Enlightenment Day celebrates the awakening of the Buddha.