Uposatha Observance Days

For monastics, these are often days of more intensive reflection and meditation. In many monasteries physical labor (construction projects, repairs, etc.) is curtailed. On New Moon and Full Moon days the fortnightly confession and recitation of the Patimokkha (monastic rules of conduct) takes place.

Lay people observe the eight precepts on Uposatha days, as a support for meditation practice and as a way to re-energize commitment to the Dhamma. Whenever possible, lay people use these days as an opportunity to visit the local monastery, in order to make special offerings to the Sangha, to listen to Dhamma, and to practice meditation with Dhamma companions late into the night. For laity not closely affiliated with a local monastery, it can simply be an opportunity to increase one's efforts in meditation while drawing on the invisible support of millions of other practicing Buddhists around the world.

The calendar of Uposatha days is calculated using a complicated traditional formula that is loosely based on the astronomical (lunar) calendar, with the result that the dates do not always coincide with the actual astronomical dates. To further confuse matters, each sect within Theravada Buddhism tends to follow its own calendar.

The calendar below lists the Uposatha days that will be observed in the coming year by followers of the two sects of Thai Buddhism, Dhammayutika and Mahanikaya. On dates marked by an asterisk, followers of the Mahanikaya sect observe the Uposatha the preceding day.

2001 Uposatha observance days
Last Quarter	New Moon	First Quarter	Full Moon
Dec 19, 2000	Dec 25, 2000	Jan 2	Jan 9
Jan 17	Jan 24	Feb 1	Feb 8 Magha Puja
Feb 16	Feb 22	Mar 2	Mar 9
Mar 17	Mar 24	Apr 1	Apr 8
Apr 16	Apr 22	Apr 30	May 7 Visakha Puja
May 15	May 22	May 30	Jun 6
Jun 14	Jun 20	Jun 28	Jul 5 Asalha Puja
Jul 13	Jul 20	Jul 28	Aug 4
Aug 12	Aug 19*	Aug 27*	Sep 2
Sep 10	Sep 17	Sep 25	Oct 2 Pavarana Day
Oct 10	Oct 17*	Oct 25*	Oct 31 Anapanasati Day
Nov 8	Nov 15	Nov 23	Nov 30
Dec 8	Dec 15*	Dec 23*	Dec 29

Some of the full-moon days have special significance in the Buddhist calendar:

• Magha Puja (February 8, 2001) -- "Sangha Day".
  This commemorates the spontaneous assembly of 1,250 arahants in the Buddha's presence. One thousand of the gathered monks had previously achieved Awakening upon hearing the Buddha's delivery of the Fire Sermon; the remaining 250 were followers of the elder monks Ven. Moggallana and Ven. Sariputta. To mark this auspicious gathering, the Buddha delivered the Ovada-Patimokkha Gatha, or Patimokkha Exhortation -- a summary of the main points of the Dhamma -- which the Buddha gave to the assembly before sending them out to proclaim the doctrine.

• Visakha Puja (Vesak) (May 7, 2001) -- "Buddha Day".
  This day commemorates three events in the Buddha's life that each took place on this full-moon day: his birth, Awakening, and final Unbinding (parinibbana).

• Asalha Puja (July 5, 2001) -- "Dhamma Day".
  This commemorates the Buddha's first discourse, which he gave to the group of five monks with whom he had practiced in the forest for many years. Upon hearing this discourse, one of the monks -- Ven. Kondañña -- gained his first glimpse of Nibbana, thus giving birth to the Noble Sangha. The annual Rains retreat (vassa) begins the following day.

• Pavarana Day (October 2, 2001).
  This day marks the end of the Rains retreat (vassa). In the following month, the kathina ceremony is held, during which the laity gather to make formal offerings of robe cloth and other requisites to the Sangha.

• Anapanasati Day (October 31, 2001).
  At the end of one rains retreat (vassa), the Buddha was so pleased with the progress of the assembled monks that he encouraged them to extend their retreat for yet another month. On the full-moon day marking the end of that fourth month of retreat, he presented his now-famous instructions on mindfulness of breathing (anapanasati), which may be found in the Anapanasati Sutta (MN 118) -- The Discourse on Mindfulness of Breathing.

See also:

• Muluposatha Sutta (AN III.70) -- Discourse on the Roots of the Uposatha
• Uposatha Sutta (AN VIII.41) -- Discourse on the Uposatha Observance
• Visakhuposatha Sutta (AN VIII.43) -- Discourse to Visakha on the Uposatha
• Sakya Sutta (AN X.47) -- To the Sakyans (on the Uposatha)
• Ñanavara Thera's Questions-and-answers concerning the Uposatha.
• Lay Buddhist Practice, by Bhikkhu Khantipalo (BPS Wheel Publication No. 206).
• "Visakha Puja," by Ajaan Lee.