The Supermoon Buddhist Observance

Crystal Quintero, Dhr. Seven, Ashley Wells (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly; Ven. Ñanavara Thera and Bhikkhu Kantasilo, Uposatha Sutra: The Lunar Observance (AN 8.41)

Burma's Shitthuang Pagoda, ruins of Mrauk U, Arakhine state (Jon Sheer/Jraptor/flickr)

The brilliant and nearby Supermoon 2014 (Evgeny Yorobe/earthsky.org)

  

Thus have I heard. At one time the Blessed One was residing in Jeta's Grove at the millionaire's monastery, near Savatthi.

At that time the Blessed One, having called all the monastics together, addressed them: "Meditators!" The monastics answered in assent: "Venerable sir!" (They then prepared themselves for the following sutra). The [Buddha] then gave the following teaching on lunar observance days (uposatha).
 
"Meditators, the lunar observance is comprised of eight factors [precepts] that the noble (one entered upon the stages of enlightenment) disciple observes, the observation of which brings glorious and radiant fruit and benefit.
 
"Meditators, what is the lunar observance?"
 
1. "Noble disciples in this Dharma and Discipline reflect in this way: 'All enlightened beings (arhats), for as long as life lasts, have given up the intentional taking of life. The club and sword have been laid down. They have shame (of doing evil) and are instead compassionate toward all beings.'
 
"All of you have given up the intentional taking of life, have put down all weapons, are possessed of shame (of doing evil), and are compassionate toward all beings. For all of this day and night, in this manner, you will be known as having followed the arhats, and the lunar observance will have been observed by you. This is the first factor.

 
2. "Meditators, noble disciples in this Dharma and Discipline also reflect: 'All arhats, for as long as life lasts, have given up taking what has not been given. They take only what is given, are intent on taking only what is given. They are not thieves. Their behavior is spotless.'
 
"All of you have given up the taking of what has not been given, are ones who do not take what is not given, are intent on taking only what is given, are not thieves. Your behavior is spotless. For all of this day and night, in this manner, you will be known as having followed the arhats, and the lunar observance will have been observed by you. This is the second factor.

3. "Meditators, noble disciples in this Dharma and Discipline also reflect: 'All arhats, for as long as life lasts, have given up that which is an obstacle to the Brahma-faring [Brahmacharya, the high life, the pure life, continence, chastity, celibacy]. Their practice is like that of a brahma [a god being]. They are far from sexual intercourse [or any erotic activity for this observance day], which is a practice of lay people.'
 
"All of you have given up that which is an obstacle to the Brahma-faring and behave like a brahma. Your behavior is far from sexual intercourse. For all of this day and night, in this manner, you will be known as having followed the arhats, and the lunar observance will have been observed by you. This is the third factor.

Standing Buddha statue, Thailand, rung by Moon (happySUN/flickr.com)

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Moon and Sun-faced-Buddha points.

4. "Meditators, noble disciples in this Dharma and Discipline also reflect: 'All arhats, for as long as life lasts, have given up false speech [perjury, harsh-, divisive-, or careless-speech]. They utter only the truth and are intent on the truth. Their speech is firm and is composed of reason. Their speech does not waver from that which is a mainstay for the world.'
 
"All of you have given up false speech. You speak only the truth and are intent only on that which is true. Your speech is firm and with reason. Your speech does not waver from that which is a mainstay for the world. For all of this day and night, in this manner, you will be known as having followed the arhats, and the lunar observance will have been observed by you. This is the fourth factor.
 
5. "Meditators, noble disciples in this Dharma and Discipline also reflect: 'All arhats, for as long as life lasts, have given up the taking of liquors and intoxicants, of that which intoxicates, causing carelessness (heedlessness). They are far from intoxicants.'
 
"All of you have given up the taking of liquors and intoxicants. You abstain from drink which causes carelessness. For all of this day and night, in this manner, you will be known as having followed the arhats, and the lunar observance will have been observed by you. This is the fifth factor.
 
6. "Meditators, noble disciples in this Dharma and Discipline also reflect: 'All arhats, for as long as life lasts, eat at one time only and do not partake of food in the evening. They abstain from food at the 'inappropriate' time."
 
"All of you eat at one time only and do not partake of food in the evening. You abstain from food at the inappropriate time. For all of this day and night, in this manner, you will be known as having followed the arhats, and the lunar observance will have been observed by you. This is the sixth factor.
 

What is a "super" moon? (rednewswire)

7. "Meditators, noble disciples in this Dharma and Discipline also reflect: 'All arhats, for as long as life lasts, have given up singing and dancing, the playing of musical instruments, and the watching of entertainments, which are stumbling blocks to that which is wholesome. Nor do they bedeck themselves with ornaments, flowers, or perfume.'
 
"All of you have given up singing and dancing, the playing of musical instruments, and the watching of entertainments, which are stumbling blocks to that which is wholesome. You do not bedeck yourselves with ornaments, flowers, or perfume. For all of this day and night, in this manner, you will be known as having followed the arhats, and the lunar observance will have been observed by you. This is the seventh factor.
 

8. "Meditators, noble disciples in this Dharma and Discipline also reflect: 'All arhats, for as long as life lasts, have given up lying on large or high beds. They are content with low beds or bedding made of grass.'
 
"All of you have given up lying on large or high beds. You are content with low beds or beds made of grass. For all of this day and night, in this manner, you will be known as having followed the arhats, and the lunar observance will have been observed by you. This is the eighth factor.
 
"Meditators, the lunar observance is comprised of these eight factors which the noble disciple observes, and it is of great and glorious fruit and benefit."
 
Thus the Blessed One spoke on the lunar observance. The monastics were delighted and rejoiced at his words.

• Self-Discipline: Cornerstone of the Dharma

Moon Rabbit: Buddhist Birth-Stories (Ask Maya)

Amber Larson, Maya, Xochitl, Wisdom Quarterly

NS writes in: Buddhist cave temples found in Grand Canyon is an interesting find! The "Birth Stories" (the Jatakas, tales that, according to Prof. Rhys Davids, inspired Aesops Fables) actually mention the Bodhisat (the Buddha-to-be) guiding men across the seven seas in a ship in the Supparaka-Jataka.
 
We also have the English translator always mentioning corn in the Jatakas. [This is more likely a reference to grain in general, but possibly maize from the Americas.] If his translation is correct and literal, that means corn was found in India due to trade with the Americas long before 1492 [when Afghan and Chinese Buddhist missionaries arrived in what is now Mexico/California and was then Mesoamerica].
 
Another birth story, the Sasa Jataka, is about how the rabbit got on the Moon; we find a similar story among Native American Indians.

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The Selfless Hare (Sasa Jataka)

Ken and Visakha Kawasaki, Jataka Tales of the Buddha: An Anthology, Buddhist Publication Society (BPS.lk) via Brelief.org edited by Dhr. Seven and Amber Larson

All of Asia can see it: the rabbit or hare on the Moon (makiepencollector)

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Clarke, you don't have a chance! (hiltonbarbour)

It was while staying at Jeta's Grove that the Buddha told this story about a gift of all the ascetic requisites.

 
Once, a landowner in Savatthi invited the Buddha and all of the monastics to his house every day for a week. Every day, he sat them on elegant seats in a pavilion in front of his house and offered them a delicious meal of almsfood. On the seventh day, he presented the Buddha and the many monks and nuns with all of their requisites. The Buddha said, "You have done well to give these gifts. This is a tradition of the wise. Once, a being even offered to sacrifice his life to give his own flesh to a beggar." At the request of his host, he told this story of the past. 

Long, long ago, when Brahmadatta was reigning in Varanasi [how did Brahmadatta reign so long? He was almost certainly not human but an overlord descended from the sky like one of the Catu-maha-rajika of old], the Bodhisatta was reborn as a rabbit living in a forest. On one side of this forest was a mountain; on another side, a river; and on a third side, a village.

The rabbit had three friends -- a monkey, a jackal, and an otter. These four good creatures lived together in harmony. Every day, each one gathered his food in his own way, and in the evening they gathered together to talk.

The rabbit, being the wisest, regularly preached the Truth to his three companions. He taught that alms should be given, that the precepts should be scrupulously kept, and that the lunar observance days should be observed. The three listened carefully. Then each went to his own part of the forest to sleep.
 
One evening, the rabbit looked at the sky and realized that the next day was the full moon.
 

Bhutanese Jataka thangka, 18th-19th cent., Phajoding (wiki)

"Tomorrow is the full moon day," he said to his three companions. "Let all of us observe it and keep the precepts. Remember that alms-giving brings a great reward. Offer food from your own table to any beggars who come to you tomorrow." The friends agreed, and each went to his own home.

Early the next morning, the otter went to the bank of the Ganges river to look for fish. It so happened that a fisherman had caught seven red fish, strung them together, and buried them in the wet sand before going downstream to fish some more.

Smelling the fish, the otter dug them up and called out three times, "Does anyone own these fish?"

When no one answered, he took the fish in his teeth and carried them back to his den, intending to eat them at the proper time. Then he lay down, thinking how virtuous he was.

The jackal, too, went to look for food. In the empty hut of a field-watcher, he found a roasted lizard on a skewer and a pot of curd. He called out three times, "Does anyone own this food?" When no one answered, he claimed it as his own. He hung the pot of curd around his neck with its string, took the skewer with the lizard in his teeth, and carried everything back to his den, intending to eat it at the proper time. Then he lay down, thinking how virtuous he was.
 
The monkey went to a mango grove and [innocently] gathered a number of ripe yellow mangoes. He carried them home, intending to eat them at the proper time. Then he, too, lay down, thinking how virtuous he was.

At the same time, the rabbit came out and began grazing on kusa grass as usual. While he was eating, he thought, "I cannot possibly offer grass to a wandering ascetic! I don't have any rice, oil, or anything else to give. If a beggar comes seeking food, I will have to give him my own flesh!"
 

Naga power: Shark vs. Croc, who wins in the wilds of savage Australia? (ABC News)

 
As soon as this splendid idea came to the rabbit, Sakka King of the Devas's white marble throne became hot. Sakka realized that the reason for this was the rabbit's virtue, and he decided to test him.
 
First, however, Sakka thought it would be a good idea to test the other animals. He disguised himself as an old Brahmin and stood outside the otter's den. When the otter asked why he was standing there, Sakka answered, "Wise sir, if I could get something to eat, I would perform my priestly duties."

The otter quickly said, "Very well, I will give you some food. I have seven red fish, honestly obtained. Eat your fill, Brahmin. You are welcome to stay in this forest."
 
The Brahmin thanked him and said, "I may come back later." Finally, he went to the rabbit's warren. The rabbit asked why he was standing there. "Wise sir," Sakka answered, "if I could get something to eat, I would perform my priestly duties."

Everybody knows different animals can't talk or become friends! Wait, what in the world? What are this weasel and warthog up to? Animals really can communicate! (lolthis.com)

 
The rabbit was thoroughly delighted and replied, "Brahmin, you have done well in coming to me for food. I have no rice, oil, or beans to give but, today, I will give you a gift that I have never given before. I will give what is freely mine to give! Go, friend, pile up some wood, and kindle a fire. When it is burning well, call me. I will gladly sacrifice myself by jumping into the flames. When my body is roasted, you may eat my flesh. Then you can perform your priestly duties."

Sakka used his supernormal powers to create a heap of burning coals. Then he called the rabbit, who rose from his bed of kusa grass and approached the fire. Three times, he shook himself so that any insects in his fur would be spared. Then without hesitation, he leaped directly into the center of the burning coals. Despite the flames, which flared up from the embers, not a single hair on his body was singed. Instead, it was as if he had jumped into a snowdrift, Amazed, he addressed Sakka, "Brahmin, the fire you have kindled is ice-cold. It doesn't even warm the hair on my body. What does this mean?"
 
"Wise sir, I am no Brahmin. I am Sakka [King of the Devas], and I came to put your virtue to the test."
 
The rabbit declared, "Even if all the inhabitants of this Earth were to test my alms-giving, they would not find in me any unwillingness to give!"
 
Pleased with this resounding answer, Sakka said, "Wise rabbit, I will make your virtue known throughout this whole aeon!" Then he squeezed the mountain, extracting its very essence [oozing Himalayan shilajit], which he used to draw the image of the rabbit on the face of the full moon.
 
After gently placing the rabbit on a bed of young kusa grass, Sakka returned to the World of the Thirty-Three (Tavatimsa Deva World).
 
The four creatures lived together happily and harmoniously, keeping the precepts and observing the lunar days for the rest of their lives until they passed away to fare according to their just deserts. AUDIO 

• Maj. Gen. Harold Greene killed at Afghan military academy [training Afghans to commit their own war crimes after U.S./MIC pull out]

Buddhism arrives in Sri Lanka! (Poson)

Bhante, Dhr. Seven, CC Liu, Wisdom Quarterly; SundayObserver.lk

While the ruler was hunting, Buddhism arrived in Sri Lanka with enlightened brother and sister missionaries, Mahinda and Sanghamitta, scions of India's Buddhist Emperor Asoka (sundayobserver.lk)

 

The full moon (poornima) Buddhist observance day (uposatha) is being celebrated in Pasadena today at the Los Angeles Buddhist Vihara under the brilliant "honey" moon.

Long ago the island of Sri Lanka -- Ceylon and Serendib -- was disputed territory, a Yakkha Kingdom, with frequent incursions by Hindu kings and the Tamil nation just miles away across the straits in India.
 

The Great Epic mentions the exploits of Rama and Sita being spirited away to its pleasant shores. Eventually Buddhist kings arose who settled the island claiming it for their own. More

• Los Angeles Buddhist Vihara
• 920 N. Summit Ave., Pasadena 91103

Vedda people, indigenous jungle aboriginals still hunting in Sri Lanka (lanka-holidays.com)

 
(W) According to the Mahavamsa, the "Great Chronicle," Prince Vijaya encountered the royalty of the Yakkhas. Great King Kalasena and Queen Gonda on the celebration of the marriage of their daughter, Princess Polamitta, in the Yakkha capital of Lankapura, conquered and subjugated them. Lankapura may have been in Arithra or Vijithapura (a fortress-city in ancient Sri Lanka). The Yakkhas thereafter served as loyal subjects with the Vijiyan Dynasty, and the Yakkha chieftain sat at an equal height to the Sri Lankan leaders on festival days. Today Yakkha refers to a vanishing and rarely seen aboriginal people dwelling in the jungle. See History of Sri Lanka
 

An island at war is no place for Dharma

(This history is disputed, and the longest civil war in Asia was fought over it, or in any case used as the pretext for a conflict that profited a few political and military leaders in spite of the fact that it killed so many and impoverished even more islanders. Tamil Hindu separatists were saying, "We've been here all along" or even "We were here first." And the Sinhalese Buddhist majority, many of them nationalists, said: "This is a Buddhist land with no room for separatists!" There would have been no need for a dispute had the majority not so poorly treated the large ethnic minority, pushing it to seek its own self-determined way. We saw the abuse with our own eyes, and while our sympathies lie with the Sinhalese nationalists, the Hindu Tamils have a legitimate gripe, and reparations need to be made for war crimes and atrocities by the state. Strangely, the same tension was playing out more than a thousand miles north in formerly Buddhist Kashmir, where Pakistan-inspired and very cruelly-mistreated Muslim separatists want only independence. India will not hear of it, nor will Pakistan. Both seek to usurp the Muslim-majority territory, like the other Kashmir to the west, and China looks on ready to pounce if either should fail: fertile ground for endless conflict).

The spiritual Plymouth Rock of Sri Lanka, Mahintale, where Buddhism landed, now the main focus of celebrations on the island (sundayobserver.lk).

Tonight: See the Honey Moon all night long

Dhr. Seven, Bhante, CC Liu, Wisdom Quarterly

The Moon will be big, bright, yellow, and very close tonight (latimes.com)

Honey full moon lunar observance or Madhu Purnima (thedailystar.net, 9-12-11)

Tonight, Chandra/Luna the Moon is providing a spectacular show in the sky (akasha) above Bhumi (Earth/Gaia). Every month has a full moon, a "month" (which we should call a moonth) being four weeks, a week being seven days, a day being 24 hours. Because with arithmetic like this, a year is 364 days (13x28) or 13 months rather than 12. The last or 365th day is New Year's Day, a fresh start, and resets the calendar. That is how it was, and that is how it would be, if we reverted to the more accurate, useful, and intuitive lunar calendar. The ancient societies had versions of it, not the least of which was the Buddhist calendar and the more ancient Mayan calendar. Buddhism, using Indian time, celebrated the lunar days of the new moon, quarter moon, half moon, and full moon as uposatha or "observance" days of intensive meditation, study, and hearing the Dharma. The tradition lives on around the world, including the USA. Seek out any Mahayana (Japanese roku sainichi) or Theravada temple, be it Thai, Burmese, Sri Lankan, Cambodian (Khmer), Laotian, Bangladeshi (East Bengal), or Indonesian, and feel free to participate in its monthly observance, dressed in white, practicing devotional activities, recalling the Buddha, endeavoring to comprehend the Dharma, and eating great ethnic foods. There are are least 25 temples to choose from in greater Los Angeles. The "Full Moon Honey Offering" is a special poornima or "full moon" observance day relating to remarkable event in the forest between the Buddha and a generous monkey and attentive elephant. Ancient yogic tradition calls for fasting on full moon days. The Buddha modified this to mean not eating after noon, which is the daily practice of Theravada monastics.

The Lunar Observance (sutra): Blood Moon

Dhr. Seven and Amber Larson (trans.), Ashley Wells, CC Liu, Wisdom Quarterly (AN 8.41)

The Moon in eclipse goes red, but a tetrad of events? (goingglobaleastmeetswest)

Blood moon means something's about to change. The Hagee says so! (phoenixaquua)

 
Bad Lunar Observing

Look, omens in the sky! (endoftheworld)

The world will end tonight under the blood moon... (but will resume in the next sub-moment almost, but not exactly, the same; every sub-moment is that way: arising, turning, and passing away).

One day it will not resume in only a slightly different way, but that is as yet far away.

OMG, the Bible says so!

At that time of destruction with seven suns, the world evaporates and overheats, presumably with cosmic rays and an uncountable number of interacting neutrinos.

While the world yet remains, how should one observe the lunar days? These are Eight Precepts observed weekly by lay Buddhists as an intensive temporary practice (for one full day) on the new moon, quarter moon, half moon, and full moon.

The Good Lunar Observance

The Moon (Luna, Chandra) goes through phases (melissahardytrevenna)

  

Another moon every week

Thus have I heard. At one time the [Buddha] was residing in Jeta's Grove, Anathapindika's hermitage, near the city of Savatthi. Having called together the monastics, he addressed them: "Meditators!"

They answered in assent, "Venerable sir!" (This allowed them to prepare themselves to hear the following sutra). The Blessed One then taught them this Dharma regarding the lunar observance (uposatha).

 

"Meditators, the lunar observance is comprised of eight factors observed by the noble disciple. Their observation brings glorious and radiant fruit and benefit. 

"Meditators, what is the lunar observance observed by noble disciples that brings glorious and radiant fruit and benefit?"

"Meditators, noble disciples in this Dharma-and-Discipline reflect in the following way:

Life

All beings desire to live (kyivpost.com)

1. "'All enlightened beings, for as long as life endures, have given up the intentional taking of life (killing). The cudgel and sword have been laid aside. They dread (doing harm) and are instead compassionate toward all beings.'

 

"All of you have given up the intentional taking of life... For this day and night, in this way, you will be known as having followed the enlightened, and the lunar observance will have been observed by you. This is the first factor.

• See karma (deeds); sila (virtue)

Stealing

It's not stealing if dictators do it? (Olle)

2. "'All enlightened beings, for as long as life endures, have given up taking what has not been given (stealing). They take only what is given, are intent on taking only what is given. They are not thieves. Their behavior is spotless.'

 

"All of you have given up the taking of what has not been given... For all of this day and night, in this way, you will be known as having followed the enlightened... This is the second factor.

Sex

Let's split! - I'm behind you and ready to slip.

3. "'All enlightened beings, for as long as life endures, have given up that which is an obstacle to the Brahma-faring (supreme life). Their [passionless] practice is like that of a brahma. They are far from sexual practices [even further from sexual misconduct], which is a practice of ordinary lay people.'

 

"All of you have given up that which is an obstacle to the Brahma-faring and behave like a brahma. Your behavior is far from sexual practices. For all of this day and night, in this way, you will be known as having followed the enlightened, and the lunar observance will have been observed by you. This is the third factor.

 
Speech

No, I said no strings attached (SH).

4. "'All enlightened beings, for as long as life endures, have given up false speech [musavada: perjury, backbiting, tale bearing, idle chatter]. They utter only the truth and are intent on the truth. Their speech is firm and composed of reason. Their speech does not waver from that which is a mainstay for the world.'

 

"All of you have given up false speech. You speak only the truth and are intent only on what is true. Your speech is firm and full of reason. Your speech does not waver from the world's mainstay. For all of this day and night, in this way, you will be known as having followed the enlightened, and the lunar observance will have been observed by you. This is the fourth factor.
 
Intoxication

Getting high can end up low (cracked.com)

5. "'All enlightened beings, for as long as life endures, have given up the taking of intoxicants causing carelessness. They are far from intoxication.'
 

"All of you have given up the taking of intoxicants. You abstain from (drinking alcohol and) intoxicants that cause carelessness. For all of this day and night, in this way, you will be known as having followed the enlightened, and the lunar observance will have been observed by you. This is the fifth factor.
 
Eating

Snacking is cheating and the way to be fat.

6. "'All enlightened beings, for as long as life endures, eat at the proper time and not outside of it [taken to mean between dawn and noon]. They abstain from food at improper times (vikala bhojana).'
 

"All of you eat at the proper time only and do not partake of food after. You abstain from food at improper times. For all of this day and night, in this way, you will be known as having followed the enlightened, and the lunar observance will have been observed by you. This is the sixth factor."
 

Distractions

If an ad says so, it must be good.

7. "'All enlightened beings, for as long as life endures, have given up singing and dancing, the playing of musical instruments and the watching of [distracting] entertainments, which are stumbling blocks to that which is wholesome. Nor do they deck themselves in jewelry, ornaments, or perfume.'
 

"All of you have given up these things, which are stumbling blocks to the wholesome. You do not deck yourselves in jewelry, ornaments, or perfume. For all of this day and night, in this way, you will be known as having followed the enlightened, and the lunar observance will have been observed by you. This is the seventh factor."
 
Beds

I love sleeping with my "knitted boyfriend" body pillow. He's my yarn creation.

 
8. "'All enlightened beings, for as long as life endures, have given up using large or high beds. They are content with simple accommodations (low beds or bedding made of grass).'
 

"All of you have given up using large or high beds. You are content with simple accommodations. For all of this day and night, in this way, you will be known as having followed the enlightened, and the lunar observance will have been observed by you. This is the eighth factor."
 

"Meditators, the lunar observance is comprised of these eight factors, which thenoble observes, and it is of great and glorious fruit and benefit."
 

So said the Blessed One spoke on the night of the lunar observance, and the monastics were delighted and rejoiced at his words. Questions and Answers

Full Moon Buddhist Observance (meditation)

Amber Larson, CC Liu, Dhr. Seven, Pat Macpherson, Wisdom Quarterly; LA Buddhist Vihara

FREE monthly full moon observance, Los Angeles Buddhist Vihara, Pasadena

   

Meditation bowl (dojo-zen-de-paris/flickr)

We rushed to the Los Angeles Buddhist Temple in Pasadena to be there in time.

Today was the full moon, the lunar observance day to fulfill the Eight Precepts.

The Buddhist island tradition in Sri Lanka, once known as Serendipity just off the southern tip of India, holds that those who wish dress in white, arrive early, and begin a day of meditation, island food, Dharma talks and study holding true to three additional restraints.

We practice the Five Precepts everyday, even in America, even in the city, even in the biggest bawdiest megalopolis in all the land. Hollywood is not so far away. Distractions abound. It's cold, there's a drought, Valentine's Day just reminded us that we suck, the chemtrails cause a disturbing haze, and all the nights' parties pile into one heap in our heads.

The Eight Precepts

These are voluntary observances for lay Buddhists who wish to practice Buddhism more intensely on special lunar days. The Five Precepts are daily practice, humane karma that leads to rebirth on this plane and the lower celestial worlds of good fortune. The eight focus both on abstaining from morally unskillful behavior, as do the Five Precepts, and on practicing in a way more conducive to concentration and fast meditative progress.

 

In Theravada Buddhist countries -- such as Sri Lanka, Thailand, Burma, and Cambodia -- Buddhists often spend one day a week (uposatha days: the new moon, first-quarter moon, full moon, and last-quarter moon days) visiting a Buddhist monastic complex (vihara) and practicing the full complement of Eight Precepts.

 

The Buddha gave this instruction, encouraging ordinary people to regularly take up eight precepts and practicing them with diligence:

1. Abstain from injuring or depriving any living being of life (whether human or non-human).
2. Abstain from taking what is not given (e.g., stealing, misappropriating, moving things that may cause misunderstandings).
3. Abstain from all sexual misconduct and activity. (See comic below).
4. Abstain from all false speech (perjury, deceiving others, manipulating others, using hurtful or divisive words, chatter).
5. Abstain from using all intoxicating substances, which can lead to carelessness.
6. Abstain from eating at inappropriate times (the appropriate time being after sunrise but before noon).
7. Abstain from singing, dancing, playing music, attending entertainment performances, wearing perfumes, and using cosmetics or garlands (decorative accessories).
8. Abstain from high and luxurious seats and beds and overindulging in sleep.

Sex? Can I go a whole day without my erotic thoughts, words, actions? Can I even go an hour? Binky finds out the answers to these life questions ("Life in Hell," Matt Groening)

Why would anyone in his or her right mind undertake to practice these for a day? It is the way the Buddha practiced his entire career as a world teacher. It is the way monastics practice today. Undertaken for the right reason, avoiding extremes and keeping to tradition established by the Buddha himself as explained in the sutras and discipline (vinaya), they free one from distractions. And an undistracted heart/mind inclines to quick concentration, absorption, and liberating-insight.

Mudra (mysecretpsychiclife.com)

If what we want is enlightenment or just peace of mind, spiritual knowledge and vision or just stress management, psychic powers or self-control, complete equanimity or a heart overflowing with compassion, successful meditation leads us to our goals.

What if our meditation does not succeed? The Buddha gave many aids to success (such as the Factors of Absorption) and antidotes to obstacles (such as the Five Hindrances). The Eight Precepts, which can be practiced alone or in the company of others interested in striving, are tools to help that we as humans are lucky enough to be able to learn and practice. Of course, there are Hollywood parties and endless distractions if we prefer.