Buddhist Full Moon Day

Each Sunday, nearest the Full Moon, I take as a Buddhist day of rest, study and extra meditation; a Buddhist Sabbath, if you will. Of course, I study and meditate each day, but on these Full Moon days, the entire day is devoted to learning and practice. This means no work beyond what is necessary, fasting after a light noon meal, no distractions (such as music, television, or secular reading), reading Buddhist texts, and six meditation sessions. These Full Moon days reaffirm my commitment to and deepen my knowledge of the Buddhist philosophy and view.

Here is one example of those views, called The Five Cardinal Precepts:

I vow :

1. Not to kill, but to cherish all life.
2. Not to take what is not given, but to respect the things of others.
3. Not to misuse sexuality, but to be caring and responsible.
4. Not to lie, but to speak the truth.
5. Not to cause others to use substances that confuse the mind, nor to do so oneself, but to keep
the mind clear.