Manual of Indian Buddhism c6.s8.4

c6.s8.4

The four holidays or Sabbaths are kept in Ceylon, Burma and Nepāl on the days of the new-moon, of the full-moon and on the 8th of each Pakṣa; in Tibet on the 14th, 15th, 29th and 30th of the month⁴. This difference is perhaps caused by some ambiguity in the sacred texts. In the Pāli Vinaya the ambiguity, real or apparent, has been removed by an additional elucidation⁵, but the wording of the fifth Pillar edict of Aśoka⁶ is far from clear, and admits of being interpreted as prescribing a holiday on the 14th and 15th of the Pakṣa. The holidays prescribed by Manu⁷ agree with those kept in Ceylon, but Āpastamba lays down the rule that at the new-moon two holidays should be observed, whereas Gautama allows, without absolutely prescribing, two of such holidays⁸.