Sun, Apr 14 & Mon, Apr 15 | 7am

Nyungne Retreat
Purifying and Fasting Practice
By Donation

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 choose to attend only one day. Each day begins at 7am with Mahayana precepts, which is a commitment to observe pure moral discipline throughout the day.

Retreat Details

Schedule

Sun, Apr 14th
7-7:45AM Precepts
7:50-9:30AM Session 1
10:30AM-12PM Weekly GP class
Lunch break
1-2:30PM Session 2
3-4:15PM Session 3

Mon, Apr 15th
7-7:45AM Precepts
7:50-9:30AM Session 1
10-11:30AM Session 2
12:15-1:45PM Session 3
2:30-4:30PM OSG

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 7am on the following day. Those who are unable to engage in fasting can participate to the extent they are able.

Practice

On both days, participants may take Mahayana Precepts at 7am and do three sessions of chanted meditation and prostrations (physically or mentally) with the practice of 1000 Armed Avalokiteshvara, the Buddha of Compassion.

Mahayana 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.