Nyungne Retreat
Purifying and Fasting Practice
April 12 & 13, begins 6:45am
Free for members, $5/session for non-members

This special purification and fasting retreat is held at Kadampa Centers around the world to celebrate the anniversary of Buddha’s Enlightenment on April 15th. Pronounced “noon-yay,” it is the meditation practice of Thousand-armed Avalokiteshvara, combined with Mahayana Precepts and fasting.

The practice purifies negative karma of body, speech, and mind, and clears the mind of delusions such as anger and desirous attachment. It is a special method for improving minds of love, compassion and bodhichitta, the wish to become enlightened to benefit everyone.

Nyungne is held over two days, but participants can chose to attend only one day. Each day begins at 6:45am with Mahayana precepts, which is a commitment to observe pure moral discipline throughout the day.

FASTING: On the first day it is customary to abstain from all meals except lunch. The second day is a complete fast, abstaining from all food and drink until 6:45am on the following day. Those who are unable to engage in fasting can participate in the sessions on either day, provided they take the Mahayana precepts on that day.

PRACTICE: On both days, participants take Mahayana Precepts at 6:45am and do three sessions of chanted meditation and prostrations (physically or mentally) with the practice of 1000 Armed Avalokiteshvara, the Buddha of Compassion.

PLEASE NOTE: In order to attend any of the Nyungne retreat sessions during the day you must attend Precepts at 6:45am.

Friday, April 12th
6:45-7:30am Precepts
7:45-9:15am Session 1
10:30am – 12pm Session 2
12 – 1:30pm Lunch
1:30 – 3pm Session 3

Saturday, April 13
6:45am – 7:30am Precepts
7:45 – 9:15am Session 1
10:30am – 12pm Session 2
No lunch provided out of respect for those fasting completely
1:30 – 3pm Session 3

PRECEPTS: The practice of taking and keeping the eight Mahayana precepts is a special practice of moral discipline that is performed with bodhichitta intention, the compassionate wish to attain enlightenment for the benefit of all beings. The essence of this practice is taking eight precepts and keeping them purely for twenty-four hours. When we take precepts, we explicitly promise to abstain for twenty-four hours from eight actions which include: (1) killing; (2) stealing; (3) sexual activity; (4) lying; (5) taking intoxicants; (6) eating after lunch (meaning we only eat lunch, which avoids spices and particular foods); (7) sitting on high or luxurious thrones or seats; (8) wearing ornaments, perfume, singing & dancing.

Because this practice is motivated by Bodhichitta, it is especially powerful for purifying negativities, accumulating merit—a positive strength of mind—and creating the causes for us to attain enlightenment.