Roots of the Lunar Observance (uposatha)

Muluposatha Sutra, "The Roots of the Lunar Observance" (AN 3.70/Thai 3.71) edited by Amber Larson, Dhr. Seven, Wisdom Quarterly; original translation from the Pali by Ven. Thanissaro

This Jan. 25th, 2017 photo of Los Angeles shows a snow-covered Mount Baldy, the highest peak among the San Gabriel Mountains behind downtown LA (Richard Vogel/AP).

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The Buddha, Central Asian king (Gandhara)

Thus have I heard. On one occasion the Blessed One was staying in Savatthi at the Eastern Monastery in the palace of Migara's mother. Now at that time -- it being the Lunar Observance Day (uposatha) -- Visakha, who was Migara's mother, went to the Blessed One in the middle of the day and on arriving, bowed respectfully, and sat to one side.

Sitting there the Blessed One [the Buddha] said, "Well now, Visakha, why are you coming in the middle of the day?"

 

"Today I am observing the uposatha, venerable sir."

 

"Visakha, there are three types of lunar observance. What are the three?

1. The lunar observance of a cowherd,
2. the lunar observance of the Jains, and
3. the lunar observance of the noble ones.

Krishna with flute and the cowherds or gopis, Kangra region, Inida (wiki)

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Lovers and exemplars Krishna and Radha

"What is the lunar observance of a cowherd? Just as when a cowherd returns the cattle to their owners in the evening, one reflects: 'Today the cattle wandered to that spot and this, drank at this spot and that, tomorrow they will wander to that spot and this, will drink at this spot and that,' in the same way, there is the case where a certain person observing the uposatha reflects, 'Today I ate this sort of food and that sort of food, tomorrow I will eat that sort of food and this sort of food.' One spends the day coveting, greedy [delighting in a range of liking, desiring, craving, clinging, attachments]. Such is the lunar observance of a cowherd, Visakha. When this lunar observance of a cowherd is undertaken, it is not of great fruit or great benefit, not of great glory or great radiance.

Jains praying at feet of Bahubali, world's largest monolithic statue (Matthew Logelin/flickr).

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"Wat is the lunar observance of the Jains? There are the wandering ascetics called the Niganthas (Jains, who cling to nothing, sometimes not even clothing). They get their disciple to undertake the following practice: 'Here, good person. Lay down the rod with regard to beings who live more than 100 leagues to the east... more than 100 leagues to the west... more than 100 leagues to the north... more than 100 leagues to the south.' Thus they get the disciple to undertake kindness and sympathy to some beings, but not to others.

 

Hey, pigs, I was just observing the moon day.

"On the lunar observance day, they get their disciple to undertake the following practice: 'Here, good person. Having stripped off all your clothing, say this: "I am nothing by anything or of anything. Thus there is nothing by anything or of anything that is mine."' Yet in spite of that, one's parents know that 'This is our child.' And one knows of them that 'These are my parents.'

Souls traveling through samsara in Jainism

"One's spouses and children know that 'This is our spouse and parent.' And one knows of them that 'These are my spouses and children.' One's workers and slaves know that 'This is our master.' And one knows of them that 'These are my workers and slaves.' Thus at a time when one should be persuaded to undertake truthfulness, one is persuaded to undertake falsehood. At the end of the night, one resumes the consumption of one's belongings, even though they are not given back. This counts as stealing, I say. Such is the lunar observance of the Jains, Visakha. When this lunar observance of the Jains is undertaken, it is not of great fruit or great benefit, not of great glory or great radiance.

 

Buddhism in America (Columbia University Press)

"And what is the lunar observance of the noble ones? It is the cleansing of the defiled mind (heart) through the proper technique. And how is the defiled mind cleansed through the proper technique?
 

"There is the case where the disciple of the noble ones recollects the Wayfarer (Tathagata) in this way: 'Indeed, the Blessed One is worthy and rightly self-awakened, consummate in knowledge and conduct, well-gone, a knower of the world, unexcelled as a trainer for those people fit to be tamed, the Teacher of devas and human beings, awakened, blessed.'

"As one is recollecting the Tathagata, one's mind is calmed, and joy arises. The defilements of mind are abandoned, just as when the head is cleansed through the proper technique. And how is the head cleansed through the proper technique?

"Through the use of cosmetic paste and clay [dry powder shampoo] and the appropriate human effort. This is how the head is cleansed through the proper technique. In the same way, the defiled mind is cleansed through the proper technique. And how is the defiled mind cleansed through the proper technique?

"There is the case where the disciple of the noble ones recollects the Wayfarer... As one is recollecting the Wayfarer, mind is cleansed, and joy arises. The defilements of mind are abandoned. One is thus called a disciple of the noble ones undertaking the supreme lunar observance (Brahma-Uposatha).

"One lives with Brahma [the supreme, i.e., the Buddha]. It is owing to Brahma that mind is calmed, that joy arises, and that whatever defilements there are in mind are abandoned. This is how the defiled mind is cleansed through the proper technique.

"[Again, the lunar observance of the noble ones] is the cleansing of the defiled mind through the proper technique. And how is the defiled mind cleansed through the proper technique?

 

"There is the case where the disciple of the noble ones recollects the Dharma in this way: 'The Dharma is well-expounded by the Blessed One, visible here and now, timeless, inviting inspection and verification, to be realized by the wise for themselves.'

"As one is recollecting the Dharma, mind is calmed, and joy arises. The defilements of mind are abandoned, just as when the body is cleansed through the proper technique. And how is the body cleansed through the proper technique?

"Through the use of scouring balls and bath powder [soap] and the appropriate human effort. This is how the body is cleansed through the proper technique. In the same way, the defiled mind is cleansed through the proper technique.

"And how is the defiled mind cleansed through the proper technique? There is the case where the disciple of the noble ones recollects the Dharma... As one is recollecting the Dharma, mind is cleansed, and joy arises. The defilements of mind are abandoned.

"One is thus called a disciple of the noble ones undertaking the Dharma-Uposatha. One lives with Dharma. It is owing to Dharma that mind is calmed, that joy arises, and that whatever defilements there are in mind are abandoned. This is how the defiled mind is cleansed through the proper technique. More