By Bhante Sumitta |
Full Moon is an amazing natural phenomenon just like any other natural scenarios such as raining, sun rising, sun setting etc. Full Moon Day is highlighted with quite a few synchronized actions in the nature such as swelling of the ocean, increasing the tidal waves, illumination of the whole sky with yellowish color and the like. The soothing and calming effect in the night time due to moon as compared to the more vibrant effect in the day time due to sun is quite extraordinary. The world is busy and active in the day time while most of the sentient beings do take a good night rest in the night time sans a few nocturnal animals and birds. Many of the nocturnal animals and birds go for their hunting during the night time while they do take a good rest hiding from the sun during the day time. Humans on the other hand, tend to take a rest in the night after working hours during the day time. Somehow while average humans take rest in the night there are few other humans hitting night streets for different activities mostly with some negative ulterior motives. Thus in a way, night time is not a safe time to travel outside and many who are riding or traveling outside in the night have more seductive, violent or nasty intentions and mindsets. Criminals, gangsters and prostitutes normally occupy the night time streets. Hence it is considered inappropriate to travel in the night except due to unavoidable circumstances. People and animals can be quite wild and violent during the night and the role of the moon or darkness could be decisive in this regard.
Hence, Full Moon Day is considered a great day to practice morality by many religions in the world. Buddhism gives foremost priority to the Full Moon Day. It is said Prince Siddhattha was born on a Full Moon Day; ascetic Gotama attained enlightenment on a Full Moon Day and the Buddha passed away on a Full Moon Day. All these three major occasions happened under a tree. In the Buddhist calendar, Full Moon Day is reserved to practice Dāna (Generosity), Sīla (Morality) and Bhāvanā (Meditation). Sri Lanka for example declares all the Full Moon Days as Public, Bank & Mercantile holiday thus giving the countrymen to practice and find peace on that particular day.
Full Moon Day List & Uposatha Calendar in 2023 / 2566-7 |
Full Moon Days – 2023
- January 06 – Durutu (Phussa) |
- February 5 – Navam (Māgha) |
- March 6 – Medin (Phagguṇa) |
- April 5 – Bak (Citta) |
- May 5 – Vesak (Vesākha) |
- June 03 – Poson (Jeṭṭha) |
- July 02 – Esala (Āsāḷha) |
- July 02 – Esala (Āsāḷha) |
- August 1 – Adhi-Esala / (Adhi-Āsāḷha) |
- August 31 – Nikini (Sāvaṇa) |
- September 29 – Binara (Poṭṭhapāda) |
- October 29 – Vap (Assayuja) |
- November 27 – IL (Kattika) |
- December 27 – Unduvap (Māgasira) |
Uposatha Days for Monastics
Hemanta Season 2022-3
November 23 | 1st Uposatha | Paṇṇarasī
December 08 | 2nd Uposatha | Paṇṇarasī
December 22 | 3rd Uposatha | Cātuddasī
January 06 – Durutu (Phussa) | 4th Uposatha | Paṇṇarasī (Full Moon)
January 21 | 5th Uposatha | Paṇṇarasī
February 5 – Navam (Māgha) | 6th Uposatha | Paṇṇarasī (Full Moon)
February 19 | 7th Uposatha | Cātuddasī
March 6 – Medin (Phagguṇa) | 8th Uposatha | Paṇṇarasī (Full Moon)
Gimhāna Season 2023
March 21 | 1st Uposatha Uposatha | Paṇṇarasī
April 5 – Bak (Citta) | 2nd Uposatha | Paṇṇarasī (Full Moon)
April 19 | 3rd Uposatha | Cātuddasī
May 5 – Vesak (Vesākha) | 4th Uposatha | Paṇṇarasī (Full Moon)May 19 | 5th Uposatha | Paṇṇarasī
June 03 – Poson (Jeṭṭha) | 6th Uposatha | Paṇṇarasī (Full Moon)
June 17 | 7th Uposatha | Cātuddasī
July 02 – Esala (Āsāḷha) | 8th Uposatha | Paṇṇarasī
July 17 | 9th Uposatha | Paṇṇarasī
August 01 – AdhiEsala (Adhi-Āsāḷha) | 10th Uposatha | Paṇṇarasī
Vassāna 2023
August 16 | 1st Uposatha | Paṇṇarasī
August 31 – Nikini (Sāvaṇa) | 2nd Uposatha | Paṇṇarasī (Full Moon)
September 14 | 3rd Uposatha | Cātuddasī
September 29 – Binara (Poṭṭhapāda) | 4th Uposatha | Paṇṇarasī (Full Moon)
October 14 | 5th Uposatha | Paṇṇarasī
October 29 – Vap (Assayuja) | 6th Uposatha | Paṇṇarasī (Full Moon)
November 12 | 7th Uposatha | Cātuddasī
November 27 – IL (Kattika) | 8th Uposatha | Paṇṇarasī (Full Moon)
Hemanta 2023
December 12 | 1st Uposatha | Paṇṇarasī
December 27 – Unduvap (Māgasira) | 2nd Uposatha | Paṇṇarasī (Full Moon)
January 10 | 3rd Uposatha | Cātuddasī
Special Days to Remember (for Monastics)
- August 1 | Uposatha
- August 2 | Early Vassāna Observation
- August 31 | Uposatha
- September 01 | Late Vassāna Observation
- October 29 | Releasing the Early Vassāna Observation
- November 27 | Releasing the Late Vassāna Observation
Most of the traditional Buddhist countries celebrate these special holidays with some spiritual activities such as Dāna (Generosity), Sīla (Morality) & Bhāvanā (Meditation).
Pali & Sanskrit Terms for the Months of the Year:
Māgha – Māgha (January-February)
Phagguṇa – Phālguna (February-March)
Citta – Caitra (March-April)
Visākha – Vaisākha (April-May)
Jeṭṭha – Jyaiṣṭha (May-June)
Āsāḷha – Āṣāḍha (June-July)
Sāvaṇa – Śrāvaṇa (July-August)
Poṭṭhapāda – Bhādrapada or Prosthapada (August-September)
Assayuja – Āśvina (September-October)
Kattikā – Kārttika (October-November)
Māgasira – Mārgaśirṣa (November-December)
Phussa – Pauṣa (December-January)
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