..续本文上一页o morning, evening, noon, or night — as constant or timeless principles (nicca-sila, akalika-sila). As for the eight uposatha precepts, a pattern has been established — in line with the varying abilities and opportunities of laypeople — of gathering to observe the precepts together once every seven or eight days on the lunar sabbath: the day of the new moon, the full moon, and the eighth day of the waxing and waning moons — altogether four times a month. This pattern is for people who don”t have much time or opportunity. If, however, you have plenty of time and opportunity, let your own conviction be your guide. Focus on goodness, and not on the calendar, observing the precepts on your own, making whatever day you observe them — no matter what the date or season — your own personal uposatha day.

　　Someone might object here, saying, "If it isn”t the lunar sabbath, then you can”t say you”re observing the uposatha precepts."

　　"If they”re not uposatha precepts, what are they

　　"

　　"Just the ordinary eight precepts."

　　"Is it good or bad to observe the eight precepts

　　"

　　"...Good."

　　"And we observe the precepts for the sake of the good, don”t we

　　 So if we”ve hit the good right on the nose, what does it matter if we”ve hit the wrong day

　　"

　　Here we should translate the word "uposatha." Literally, it means "approaching respite" from all that is corrupt and unwise. So by definitions, if there”s no respite from corruption in your actions, then it”s not uposatha day. There”s no way you can guarantee that this or that date is an uposatha day or whatever. Still, the pattern of observing the eight precepts on the lunar sabbath is a good one for people who don”t have much opportunity. But if you do have the opportunity, you shouldn”t limit yourself just to those days, because virtue, by its nature, isn”t too particular about the date.

　　This being the case, we should set up gradations so that those who feel inspired to practice can do so as they are able:

　　1. The first group observes the eight precepts on each lunar sabbath during the rainy season: three months, four days a month, thus twelve days. This is termed mudu, the weak level.

　　2. The intermediate level — majjhima uposatha — observes the eight precepts on each lunar sabbath, without fail, throughout the year: twelve months, four days a month, thus 48 days a year.

　　3. The highest level — ukkattha uposatha — observes the eight precepts on each lunar sabbath, and on the day before and the day after each sabbath, without reference to month or season: twelve months, twelve days a month, thus 144 days a year. This is for people of firm conviction. Or, if you want, you can aim higher than that and observe the eight precepts at all times and in every season, focusing on the quality of virtue itself instead of on the ordinances and conventions of the world — just like the Buddhist nuns who, in our day and times, observe these very same eight precepts.

　　* * *

　　Virtue can be established on one of two bases: either through (1) making a vow (samadana-virati), as when we repeat the precepts after a monk or novice (here it is also necessary to learn exactly what vices and misdeeds are forbidden by each of the five or eight precepts); or (2) simply deciding on our own to abstain from a particular vice or misdeed (sampatta-virati). In other words, when you want to keep your character pure, you can go ahead and decide to refrain from misconduct on your own. Once virtue is established, and you are careful to safeguard it out of a sense of conscience so that it doesn”t lapse, this is termed samuccheda-virati: absolute abstinence.

　　For virtue to be kept pure depends on two factors: perseverance and the four Sublime Attitudes (benevolence, compassion, appreciation, and equanimity). An example of keeping the precep…

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