This article is about the Buddhist day of observance. For the ordination hall in Thai temples, see Ubosot.
Part of a series on
Buddhism
Glossary
Index
Outline
History
Timeline
The Buddha
Pre-sectarian Buddhism
Councils
Silk Road transmission of Buddhism
Decline in the Indian subcontinent
Later Buddhists
Buddhist modernism
Dharma
Concepts
Four Noble Truths
Noble Eightfold Path
Dharma wheel
Five Aggregates
Impermanence
Suffering
Not-self
Dependent Origination
Middle Way
Emptiness
Morality
Karma
Rebirth
Saṃsāra
Cosmology
Buddhist texts
Buddhavacana
Early Texts
Tripiṭaka
Mahayana Sutras
Pāli Canon
Sanskrit literature
Tibetan canon
Chinese canon
Post-canon
Practices
Three Jewels
Buddhist Paths to liberation
Five precepts
Perfections
Meditation
Philosophical reasoning
Devotional practices
Merit making
Recollections
Mindfulness
Wisdom
Sublime abidings
Aids to Enlightenment
Monasticism
Lay life
Buddhist chant
Pilgrimage
Vegetarianism
Nirvāṇa
Awakening
Four Stages
Arhat
Pratyekabuddha
Bodhisattva
Buddha
Traditions
Theravāda
Pāli
Mahāyāna
Hinayana
Chinese
Vajrayāna
Tibetan
Navayana
Newar
Buddhism by country
Bhutan
Brazil
Cambodia
China
India
Indonesia
Japan
Korea
Laos
Malaysia
Mongolia
Myanmar
Russia
Singapore
US
Sri Lanka
Taiwan
Thailand
Tibet
Vietnam
Religion portal
v
t
e
An Uposatha (Sanskrit: Upavasatha) day is a Buddhist day of observance, in existence since the Buddha's time (600 BCE), and still being kept today by Buddhist practitioners.[1][2] The Buddha taught that the Uposatha day is for "the cleansing of the defiled mind," resulting in inner calm and joy.[3] On this day, both lay and ordained members of the sangha intensify their practice, deepen their knowledge and express communal commitment through millennia-old acts of lay-monastic reciprocity. On these days, the lay followers make a conscious effort to keep the Five Precepts or (as the tradition suggests) the ten precepts. It is a day for practicing the Buddha's teachings and meditation.
^For a description of the contemporary practice of the Uposatha in Thailand, see Khantipalo (1982a), which is also excerpted in this article below.
Kariyawasam (1995), ch. 3, also underlines the continuity of the ancient uposatha practice in Sri Lanka: "The poya [Sinhala for uposatha] observance, which is as old as Buddhism itself, has been followed by the Sinhala Buddhists up to the present day, even after the Christian calendar came to be used for secular matters. Owing to its significance in the religious life of the local Buddhists, all the full-moon days have been declared public holidays by the government."
^The uposatha day is sometimes likened to the Judeo-Christian notion of the Sabbath. Pali English dictionaries that define "Uposatha" as "Sabbath," are Buddhadatta (2002), p. 63, and PED(Rhys-Davids & Stede,1921-25), p. 151.
For an example of the Uposatha being equated with Sabbath by a modern Buddhist master, see Mahasi (undated), p. 2, where he writes: "For lay people, these rules [of discipline] comprise the eight precepts which Buddhist devotees observe on the Sabbath days (uposatha) and during periods of meditation." Harvey (1990), p. 192, also refers to the uposatha as "sabbath-like."
An Uposatha (Sanskrit: Upavasatha) day is a Buddhist day of observance, in existence since the Buddha's time (600 BCE), and still being kept today by Buddhist...
(Sanskrit: upavasatha, poṣadha, pauṣadha, Pali: uposatha, posaha), and in such context called the uposatha vows or one-day precepts. They are considered...
Poya is the name given to the Lunar monthly Buddhist holiday of Uposatha in Sri Lanka, where it is a civil and bank holiday. When earth makes Full Orbit...
of the eighth lunar month, which is the day after Asalha Puja or Asalha Uposatha ("Dhamma day"). It ends on Pavarana, when all monastics come before the...
follow this rule during special days of religious observance (uposatha). Observing the Uposatha also includes other practices dealing with renunciation, mainly...
ancient times, the building included the refectory and the uposathagara (Uposatha house). There was also a Simamalake where the Sangha assembled on Poya...
Māgha Pūjā Pavarana Thadingyut Festival Ubon Ratchathani Candle Festival Uposatha Visakha Puja Wan Ok Phansa Tse, Jasmine (26 July 2021). "Thai temple lights...
origins as a somewhat modified survival of the pentecontad calendar. The Uposatha has been observed since Gautama Buddha's time (500 BCE), and is still being...
Buddhist monks refuse to co-operate with these fake monks, and therefore, no uposatha ceremony is held for seven years. The king attempts to eradicate the fake...
132. Bhikkhu Khantipalo (1995). "Lay Buddhist Practice, The Shrine Room, Uposatha Day, Rains Residence Archived 2 November 2022 at the Wayback Machine" Ñāṇamoli...
Thingyan Tibetan festivals Torgya Tshechu Ubon Ratchathani Candle Festival Uposatha Vassa Vesak Wacho (Start of Rain Retreat by Marma People and Rakhine People)...
Bodhi Tree Budai Buddha in art Calendar Cuisine Funeral Holidays Vesak Uposatha Māgha Pūjā Asalha Puja Vassa Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi Kasaya Mahabodhi Temple...
are almost always red to symbolize good fortune. The festival acts as an Uposatha day on the Chinese calendar. It should not be confused with the Mid-Autumn...
Dodanthale Raja Maha Vihara (also known as Sri Seneviratne Uposatha Raja Maha Vihara) is an historic Buddhist temple situated in Mawanella, Kegalle District...
Bodhi Tree Budai Buddha in art Calendar Cuisine Funeral Holidays Vesak Uposatha Māgha Pūjā Asalha Puja Vassa Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi Kasaya Mahabodhi Temple...
The Chinese Buddhist practice of fasting (zhai), especially during the uposatha days (Ch. zhairi, "days of fasting") can also be an element of Chan training...
Bodhi Tree Budai Buddha in art Calendar Cuisine Funeral Holidays Vesak Uposatha Māgha Pūjā Asalha Puja Vassa Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi Kasaya Mahabodhi Temple...
Bodhi Tree Budai Buddha in art Calendar Cuisine Funeral Holidays Vesak Uposatha Māgha Pūjā Asalha Puja Vassa Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi Kasaya Mahabodhi Temple...
Bodhi Tree Budai Buddha in art Calendar Cuisine Funeral Holidays Vesak Uposatha Māgha Pūjā Asalha Puja Vassa Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi Kasaya Mahabodhi Temple...
teaching on the full moon day of the 8th lunar month, approximately July. Uposatha: This day is known as observance day, there are four holy days on the new...
Bodhi Tree Budai Buddha in art Calendar Cuisine Funeral Holidays Vesak Uposatha Māgha Pūjā Asalha Puja Vassa Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi Kasaya Mahabodhi Temple...
Bodhi Tree Budai Buddha in art Calendar Cuisine Funeral Holidays Vesak Uposatha Māgha Pūjā Asalha Puja Vassa Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi Kasaya Mahabodhi Temple...
Bodhi Tree Budai Buddha in art Calendar Cuisine Funeral Holidays Vesak Uposatha Māgha Pūjā Asalha Puja Vassa Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi Kasaya Mahabodhi Temple...
the morning or evening or both) as well as during communal festivals and Uposatha days at a temple. In Christianity, a church service is a formalized period...
Mid-Autumn Festival (in China) Tsukimi (in Japan) Tết Trung Thu (in Vietnam) Uposatha of Ashvini/Krittika (similar festivals that generally occur on the same...
Bodhi Tree Budai Buddha in art Calendar Cuisine Funeral Holidays Vesak Uposatha Māgha Pūjā Asalha Puja Vassa Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi Kasaya Mahabodhi Temple...