The Paccorohanī Festival in the Noble One’s Discipline (First Discourse)

Now on that occasion, on the Uposatha Day, the Brāhmin Jānussonī stood to one side not far from The Perfectly Enlightened One, with his head washed, wearing a new pair of linen clothes, holding a handful of wet kusa grass. The Perfectly Enlightened One saw him standing there and said to him:

Why is it, Brāhmin, that on the Uposatha Day you stand to one side with your head washed, wearing a new pair of linen clothes, holding a handful of wet kusa grass? What is happening today with the Brāhmin clan?

‘Today, Master Gotama, is the Brāhmin clan’s paccorohanī festival.’

But how, Brāhmin, do the Brāhmins observe the paccorohanī festival?

‘Here, Master Gotama, on the Uposatha Day, the Brāhmins wash their heads and put on a pair of new linen clothes. They then smear the ground with wet cow dung, cover this with green kusa grass, and lie down between the boundary and the fire house. In the course of the night, they get up three times, and with respectful salutation pay homage (respect) to the fire: We descend in honor of the respected one. We descend in honor of the respected one. They offer abundant ghee, oil, and butter to the fire. When the night has passed, they offer excellent food of various kinds to Brāhmins. It is in this way, Master Gotama, that the Brāhmins observe the paccorohanī festival.’

The paccorohanī festival in the Noble One’s discipline, Brāhmin, is quite different from the paccorohanī festival of the Brāhmins.

‘But how, Master Gotama, is the paccorohanī festival observed in the Noble One’s discipline? It would be good if Master Gotama would teach me The Teachings by explaining how the paccorohanī festival is observed in the Noble One’s discipline.’

Well then, Brāhmin, listen and attend closely. I will speak.

(1) Here, Brāhmin, 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, Brāhmin, 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 taking what is not given; he descends from taking what is not given.

(3) Here, Brāhmin, 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, Brāhmin, 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, Brāhmin, 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, Brāhmin, 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, Brāhmin, 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, Brāhmin, 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, Brāhmin, 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, Brāhmin, 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.

It is in this way, Brāhmin, that the paccorohanī festival is observed in the Noble One’s discipline.

‘The paccorohanī festival in the Noble One’s discipline, Master Gotama, is quite different from the paccorohanī festival of the Brāhmins. And the paccorohanī festival of the Brāhmins is not worth a sixteenth part of the paccorohanī festival in the Noble One’s discipline.

Excellent, Master Gotama! Excellent, Master Gotama!

Master Gotama has made The Teachings clear in many ways, as though he were turning upright what had been overthrown, revealing what was hidden, showing the way to one who was lost, or holding up a lamp in the darkness so those with good eyesight can see forms. I now go for refuge to Master Gotama, to The Teachings, and to The Community of Monks. Let Master Gotama consider me a Household Practitioner who from today has gone for refuge for life.’

(Reference: AN 10.167)

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

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).