<p>The full moon day is called the 'Uposatha'. It may help to google the word &amp; read it about, for example:</p>

<ul>
<li>Buddhanet: <a href="http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/history/devotion/devotion06.htm" rel="nofollow">Observance Day (Uposatha)</a></li>
<li>Access to Insight (which categorizes it as a type of <em>sila</em>, virtue): <a href="http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sila/uposatha.html" rel="nofollow">Uposatha Observance Days</a></li>
<li>Wikipedia: <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uposatha" rel="nofollow">Uposatha</a></li>
</ul>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-09-11T09:05:50.237Z
2016-09-11T09:21:14.967Z
2016-09-11T09:21:14.967Z
Dhamma Dhatu
<p><a href="http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an08/an08.043.khan.html" rel="nofollow">Visakha Uposatha Sutta AN 8.43</a>  and <a href="http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an03/an03.070.than.html" rel="nofollow"> Muluposatha Sutta: The Roots of the Uposatha AN 3.70</a>  are good reads in this regard. Also in the <a href="http://www.buddha-vacana.org/sutta/anguttara/03/an03-071.html" rel="nofollow">Uposatha Sutta— Practicing uposatha —AN 3.71</a> the Buddha defines how lay people should practice Uposatha and describes the different types of devas.</p>

<p>Uposatha practice is the practice by which lay people rest from their daily work, devoting a day on the full moon, new moon, and quarter moon days,  to listening to the Dhamma and training the mind in meditation. The question is whether one does it the proper way or not. The practice of taking the eight precepts in the morning, then taking the five precepts again in the evening, is not proper. In the Uposatha Sutta, Buddha describe it as ‘the Cowherd’s Uposatha.’  It is not the Uposatha of the Noble Ones. The eight precepts should be observed for at least twenty-four hours. </p>

<p>Another thing to be mindful about is that those persons who, on uposatha days plan to go to quiet places to meditate they inadvertently fall into other trappings. They at times end up in the company of friends and get into other unrelated conversations, because they have no control over their minds. Even in meditation even when they attempt to direct their minds to the samatha (calm) or metta (loving-kindness), their thoughts get scattered aimlessly and they end up only with the visible manifestation of the recitation. The 24 hour uposatha is for the mind, and not for the body. Lastly, it is important for one be mindful to take the five precepts to formally end the uposatha, whenever one wants to terminate it.  </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-09-12T11:39:00.163Z
Is this calender correct because I'm living in India ? And I have to practice also on half and new moon day or Uposatha only on full moon day ? http://www.watmetta.org/news/Uposatha2016.1.pdf
Swapnil
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2016-09-11T11:57:00.067Z
2016-09-11T21:39:16.070Z
2016-09-11T21:39:16.070Z
Saptha Visuddhi
<p>From this coming full moon I've to start fasting and keep it on, so what I've to practice on this day ?</p>

<lay-buddhism><fasting>
What to do for fasting on full moon?
# What to do for fasting on full moon?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2016-09-11)

From this coming full moon I've to start fasting and keep it on, so what I've to practice on this day ?

**Tags:** lay-buddhism, fasting


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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2016-09-11. Score: 5 | Accepted answer

[Visakha Uposatha Sutta AN 8.43](http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an08/an08.043.khan.html) and  [Muluposatha Sutta: The Roots of the Uposatha AN 3.70](http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an03/an03.070.than.html) are good reads in this regard. Also in the [Uposatha Sutta— Practicing uposatha —AN 3.71](http://www.buddha-vacana.org/sutta/anguttara/03/an03-071.html) the Buddha defines how lay people should practice Uposatha and describes the different types of devas.

Uposatha practice is the practice by which lay people rest from their daily work, devoting a day on the full moon, new moon, and quarter moon days, to listening to the Dhamma and training the mind in meditation. The question is whether one does it the proper way or not. The practice of taking the eight precepts in the morning, then taking the five precepts again in the evening, is not proper. In the Uposatha Sutta, Buddha describe it as ‘the Cowherd’s Uposatha.’ It is not the Uposatha of the Noble Ones. The eight precepts should be observed for at least twenty-four hours.

Another thing to be mindful about is that those persons who, on uposatha days plan to go to quiet places to meditate they inadvertently fall into other trappings. They at times end up in the company of friends and get into other unrelated conversations, because they have no control over their minds. Even in meditation even when they attempt to direct their minds to the samatha (calm) or metta (loving-kindness), their thoughts get scattered aimlessly and they end up only with the visible manifestation of the recitation. The 24 hour uposatha is for the mind, and not for the body. Lastly, it is important for one be mindful to take the five precepts to formally end the uposatha, whenever one wants to terminate it.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Is this calender correct because I'm living in India ? And I have to practice also on half and new moon day or Uposatha only on full moon day ? http://www.watmetta.org/news/Uposatha2016.1.pdf  

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### Answer by username_1 on 2016-09-11. Score: 3

The full moon day is called the 'Uposatha'. It may help to google the word & read it about, for example:

* Buddhanet: [Observance Day (Uposatha)](http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/history/devotion/devotion06.htm)
* Access to Insight (which categorizes it as a type of *sila*, virtue): [Uposatha Observance Days](http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sila/uposatha.html)
* Wikipedia: [Uposatha](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uposatha)


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