ok just wondering... about the Uposatha Observance days
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Uposatha Observance Days
Have you all heard of Full Moon Day Eight Precepts for Personal Development or commonly known as Uposatha Observance Days (¡°°Ë¹ØÕ«½ä¡±)? What¡¯s that? This event is actually a golden opportunity for devout Buddhists to learn, to undertake and to lead a noble life according to the teachings of Buddha by making daily affirmations to observe the eight Precepts. However, on special days, notably new moon and full moon days, they observe additional disciplines to train themselves to practice morality, simplicity and humility.
Devotees are expected to listen to talks given by monks. On this day monks will recite verses uttered by the Buddha twenty-five centuries ago, to invoke peace and happiness for the Government and the people. Buddhists are reminded to live in harmony with people of other faiths and to respect the beliefs of other people as the Buddha had taught. Practise these precepts for your own success! This will give you a more luxurious life & great mind power to achieve your goals.
eh i realise that most of the time, i can't commit myself fully for wholesome dharma activity.. as in, attending the entire sessions without any interval breaks in between. For the past three dharma camps that i had attended, i had to leave the camp for awhile : (... so even for this one.... i can't possible commit and i discover lately alot of dharma activities happening around this period of time... im quite spoil for choices.
mmm i wonder if there is any merits in attending such an event? I heard it is building conditions for future Renunciation? sounds good to me.
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The Eight Precepts are:
Not to kill
Not to steal
Not to engage in improper sexual activity
Not to indulge in wrong speech
Not to take intoxicating drinks and drugs
To abstain from taking food at unreasonable time
To refrain from sensual pleasures such as dancing, singing and self-adornment
To refrain from using high and luxurious seats in order to practice humility.
ehh what does it mean by unreasonable time?
one meal per day ? -
If you follow Thervada doctrine, it's 1 plain meal per day in the morning.Originally posted by Isis:The Eight Precepts are:
Not to kill
Not to steal
Not to engage in improper sexual activity
Not to indulge in wrong speech
Not to take intoxicating drinks and drugs
To abstain from taking food at unreasonable time
To refrain from sensual pleasures such as dancing, singing and self-adornment
To refrain from using high and luxurious seats in order to practice humility.
ehh what does it mean by unreasonable time?
one meal per day ? -
Good... i sure can lose weight and save money ha ha!
but music abit hard for me........
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To refrain, not abstain.Originally posted by Isis:Good... i sure can lose weight and save money ha ha!
but music abit hard for me........ -
...
A reply quite unexpected from u -
Then it's a good time to train 'detachment from music'Originally posted by Isis:Good... i sure can lose weight and save money ha ha!
but music abit hard for me........
How not to crave for sensual pleasures and to be content with the moment. -
yes yes.. breaking habits...
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mmm i wonder, is there what u have been practising lately.. ?Originally posted by An Eternal Now:Then it's a good time to train 'detachment from music' How not to crave for sensual pleasures and to be content with the moment.
being mindful and see and understands thing as it is and don't react with ego....
can sense.... from here lol.. -
Uh... I don't really feel like practising much these daysOriginally posted by Isis:mmm i wonder, is there what u have been practising lately.. ?
being mindful and see and understands thing as it is and don't react with ego....
can sense.... from here lol..
Still living my life as usual.. much of the time unmindfully. I still listen to music, but not all the time. I think the key is not being 'bound up' by it... or attached or crave for music or keep thinking about music like a song stuck in your mind. The same goes for other forms of entertainment such as TV. So we should train our mind not to be constantly seeking, like you said being mindful, and stay centered and not wavering all the time. But it is usually not as simple as it sounds. Keeping 8 precepts for some time is probably a good training for us to cultivate detachment or 'not being bound' by craving for sensual pleasures.
Just a side-track.. my taiwanese teacher says a good way to test our samadhi strength would be to have someone turn off your TV during the exciting moment of the TV show.. and see what sort of reactions may arise. A cultivated person stays rather unmoved. Another thing is a practitioner may enjoy watching TV and things like that, but he is not attached to the point of being attached or 'overly engrossed'.. it's something like enjoying a story yet not completely believing in the story -- knowing that it is just a story or a movie. The same goes for our entire life story.
Of course during the 8 precepts days, one should avoid music whatsoever altogether. It is indeed great merits. I don't know about accumulating merits for monastic life, but I think it is possible. -
MM but as moderator for the forum, u have to practise to be like there right.. ha ha.... i thot?
ehhh ... actually i don't know why, when i crave for music, my mind is actually not calm/mean it is disturbed/mean not happy. Unless, i have absorbed myself in it totally.Well it also depends on my mood and who is the singer lah. Music can become a form of therapy. By absorbing into it, my mind isn't craving.
and oh yes, i realise lately...... my mind has became quite actively seeking... now u mention abt it...... -
Well, i can't make it..... the yuan isn't there yet
mmmm perhaps i can practise the 8 precepts by myself for a certain period of time.....
erm really eat one meal a day ? -
i can leh.
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del POST
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haa..watchin tv and not enjoy it?
isnt like goin thru life and not enjoy it. haa
wise man watch tv, enjoy tv and let go of tv as and when.
wise man go thru life, play his role well(students, employee,employer etc) in life, and move on to attain peace of mind.
how to attain peace of mind?
align your heart and mind.
doesnt matter where and who u be wif
this peacefulness can be felt.
days pass, month pass, year pass
how abt try to let go of this forum?
haa..u walk ur way. -
Not to kill
Got kill
Not to steal
Scarely
Not to engage in improper sexual activity
time not yet
Not to indulge in wrong speech
Not to take intoxicating drinks and drugs
impossible lah
To abstain from taking food at unreasonable time
simi waogo
To refrain from sensual pleasures such as dancing, singing and self-adornment
how to ease desire
To refrain from using high and luxurious seats in order to practice humility.
air-con ok lah -
Not to kill
Based on the principle of goodwill and respect for the right to life of all living beings. By observing this precept one learns to cultivate loving kindness and compassion. One sees others' suffering as one's own and endeavors to do what one can to help alleviate their problems. Personally, one cultivates love and compassion; socially, one develops an altruistic spirit for the welfare of others.
Not to steal
Not to take things which are not given, signifies respect for others' rights to possess wealth and property. Observing the second precept, one refrains from earning one's livelihood through wrongful means, such as by stealing or cheating. This precept also implies the cultivation of generosity, which on a personal level helps to free one from attachment and selfishness, and on a social level contributes to friendly cooperation in the community.
Not to engage in improper sexual activity
Not to indulge in sexual misconduct, includes rape, adultery, sexual promiscuity, paraphilia, and all forms of sexual aberration. This precept teaches one to respect one's own spouse as well as those of others, and encourages the practice of self-restraint, which is of utmost importance in spiritual training. It is also interpreted by some scholars to mean the abstention from misuse of senses and includes, by extension, non-transgression on things that are dear to others, or abstention from intentionally hurting other's feelings.
Not to indulge in wrong speech
Not to tell lies or resort to falsehood, is an important factor in social life and dealings. It concerns respect for truth. A respect for truth is a strong deterrent to inclinations or temptation to commit wrongful actions, while disregard for the same will only serve to encourage evil deeds.
The Buddha has said: "There are few evil deeds that a liar is incapable of committing."
The practice of the fourth precept, therefore, helps to preserve one's credibility, trustworthiness, and honor.
Not to take intoxicating drinks and drugs
On the personal level, abstention from intoxicants helps to maintain sobriety and a sense of responsibility. Socially, it helps to prevent accidents, such as car accidents, that can easily take place under the influence of intoxicating drink or drugs. Many crimes in society are committed under the influence of these harmful substances -
Expected the unexpected, another habit you must learn to break.Originally posted by Isis: ...
A reply quite unexpected from u -
Kitty can do what?Originally posted by Hello Kitty:i can leh. -
Yes you need to practise. Which means both sitting meditation and spontaneous meditation on the go. Regarding meditation... sometimes I'm a little busy and didn't have much time to sit down and meditate... but I practise some form of 'walking meditation' or even just standing there, you can meditate. You can meditate at any time not necessarily when sitting... and in fact eventually we should let go of the technique and meditation arises spontaneously, not out of willful efforting, or out of the 'sense of self'. In fact it is not 'meditation' strictly speaking, just Presence and spontaneous arising. I and longchen had some discussions about this on our last meetingOriginally posted by Isis:MM but as moderator for the forum, u have to practise to be like there right.. ha ha.... i thot?
ehhh ... actually i don't know why, when i crave for music, my mind is actually not calm/mean it is disturbed/mean not happy. Unless, i have absorbed myself in it totally.Well it also depends on my mood and who is the singer lah. Music can become a form of therapy. By absorbing into it, my mind isn't craving.
and oh yes, i realise lately...... my mind has became quite actively seeking... now u mention abt it......http://www.dreamdatum.com/meditation-spontaneous.html
(article by Longchen)
Meditation and spontaneous manifestion
Meditation is a useful practice for one on a spiritual path. However, at a certain stage it can actually be a hinderance. This is when Will and goal is set for meditation.
At a certain level of realisation, one realises that all manifestations are spontaneously appearing. One discovers that Presence is always there and is not induced by meditation. Presence is experienced when the 'sense of self' is greatly diminished.
During this stage, meditation with a purpose become an act of 'sense of self' and Presence thus will not be experienced. At this time, Isness becomes apparent and all activities that are the doing of 'sense of self' become obvious too. It is during this time that meditation for the purpose of experiencing Presence may be discarded as the futility of such activities is understood. Presence is realised as being obvious when there is no attachment to objectives and thought contents...and thus can occur anywhere and anytime.
The dynamics of Presence is understood and the attachment to meditation is discarded. All of phenomena is clearly understood to be spontaneously appearing and any form of trying to modify the moment is seem as counterproductive.
Well, in a nutshell, these are my findings. Thanks for reading.
Note: It is not advisable to discard the practice of meditation before this stage of realisation is reached.
But as said: before reaching certain levels of realisations we should cherish formal, sitting meditation. Also effort will always be there prior to non dual realisation so there's no need to be too disturbed by it. 'No effort' also means there is no dualistic aversion, dualistic attraction to things.
And yes, some forms of music can have a relaxing, therapeutic effect... and yes, if you can become 'absorbed' in that music then you mind will slow down.. That means like breathing meditation, putting your whole attention on the music itself and not giving attention to the content of our thoughts. Just the awareness, the music. -
consume one meal/day.
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Oh I see... hmm how come you can't make it?Originally posted by Isis:Well, i can't make it..... the yuan isn't there yet
mmmm perhaps i can practise the 8 precepts by myself for a certain period of time.....
erm really eat one meal a day ?
I think it wld be a great experience but anyway quite unfortunate u cant join.. -
Eh busy with preparation for my long-stay in oversea + some other important things like shifting things out of my hall and getting my compass test done all in this few days.... Don't ever do last-min packing! Going Gaga here... kind of regret manz....
but i still manage to squeeze 2 hours of meditation course today
After a day of rush, meditation is like therapy..... -
eh i cannot after exam.. it is like nothing to do... then eatOriginally posted by Hello Kitty:i can leh.
and i have been eating and eating... starting to explore my neighbourhood... whoa... got alot of treasures leh! Died... i think i grow fatter liao.... -
How about no gossiping and no enjoyment?Originally posted by Hello Kitty:consume one meal/day.