The Noble Paccorohanī Festival (First Discourse)

Monks, I will teach you the noble paccorohanī festival.

Listen and attend closely. I will speak.

And what, Monks, is the noble paccorohanī festival?

(1) Here, the Noble Disciple reflects thus: The result of the destruction of life is unwholesome both in this present life and in future lives. Having reflected thus, he abandons the destruction of life; he descends from the destruction of life.

(2) Here, the Noble Disciple reflects thus: The result of taking what is not given is unwholesome both in this present life and in future lives. Having reflected thus, he abandons the taking of what is not given; he descends from the taking of what is not given.

(3) Here, the Noble Disciple reflects thus: The result of sexual misconduct is unwholesome both in this present life and in future lives. Having reflected thus, he abandons sexual misconduct; he descends from sexual misconduct.

(4) Here, the Noble Disciple reflects thus: The result of false speech is unwholesome both in this present life and in future lives. Having reflected thus, he abandons false speech; he descends from false speech.

(5) Here, the Noble Disciple reflects thus: The result of argumentative speech is unwholesome both in this present life and in future lives. Having reflected thus, he abandons argumentative speech; he descends from argumentative speech.

(6) Here, the Noble Disciple reflects thus: The result of harsh speech is unwholesome both in this present life and in future lives. Having reflected thus, he abandons harsh speech; he descends from harsh speech.

(7) Here, the Noble Disciple reflects thus: The result of idle chatter is unwholesome both in this present life and in future lives. Having reflected thus, he abandons idle chatter; he descends from idle chatter.

(8) Here, the Noble Disciple reflects thus: The result of craving is unwholesome both in this present life and in future lives. Having reflected thus, he abandons craving; he descends from craving.

(9) Here, the Noble Disciple reflects thus: The result of anger is unwholesome both in this present life and in future lives. Having reflected thus, he abandons anger; he descends from anger.

(10) Here, the Noble Disciple reflects thus: The result of ignorance (unknowing of true reality) is unwholesome both in this present life and in future lives. Having reflected thus, he abandons ignorance; he descends from ignorance.

This is called the noble paccorohanī festival.

(Reference: AN 10.168)

In this Teaching from Gotama Buddha, he shares the way of practice that he suggests on the Uposatha Day with his Students.

The Uposatha is an observance where one might choose to pay particularly close attention to one’s life practice, ensuring one does not cause any harm through bodily, verbal, and mental conduct. Household Practitioners will oftentimes increase their practice of The Five Precepts by practicing The Eight Precepts during the Uposatha.

The Buddha guided his Students to observe the Uposatha through dedicated practice of The Teachings on The Path to Enlightenment to help invigorate their practice during these special times of the month dedicated to the cleansing of the defiled/polluted mind.

Observing the Uposatha was traditionally done for two to six days each lunar month.

During the lifetime of The Buddha, the average person could understand time through the lunar calendar as the modern day calendar was not yet invented. People understood time based on the lunar schedule and could observe time by just looking into the sky. Today, depending which community one might live and participate in, there are some communities who practice this one day a week based on the modern calendar or they might still follow the lunar calendar to observe the Uposatha.

The Uposatha is described by The Buddha based on how it is practiced by his own Students - The Noble Ones or The Noble Disciples.

An uninstructed worldling is a person who is not learning, reflecting, and practicing these Teachings to train the mind on The Path to Enlightenment.

An instructed Noble Disciple is a Practitioner of The Buddha’s Teachings who is deeply learning, reflecting, and practicing these Teachings.

Items 1-4 are directly from The Five Precepts.

Detailed explanation of The Five Precepts is available in this same book series found in Chapter 7 of the book “Developing a Life Practice: The Path That Leads to Enlightenment” (Volume 1).

Items 5-7 are a further Teaching on Right Speech.

Detailed explanation of Right Speech is available in this same book series found in Chapter 5 of the book “Developing a Life Practice: The Path That Leads to Enlightenment” (Volume 1).

Items 8-10 are to eliminate The Three Poisons, The Three Unwholesome Roots, or The Three Fires - all describing the same unwholesome qualities of mind.

Detailed explanation of The Three Poisons: Craving, Anger, and Ignorance is available in this same book series found in Chapter 8 of the book “Developing a Life Practice: The Path That Leads to Enlightenment” (Volume 1).

It is important to understand that The Buddha described observing the Uposatha Day in multiple ways, it was not described only in the way detailed within this Chapter. Instead, each additional Teaching is shared in layers, providing further content to deepen one’s understanding of his Teachings and how to practice them successfully.

Detailed explanation of The Great Fruit and Benefits of the Noble Ones’ Uposatha Observance is available in this same book series found in Chapter 74 of the book “Realms of Existence” (Volume 11).