Nyung Nay Retreatwith Ven. Lhundub Chodron
Thursday, November 9 – Sunday, November 12 The retreat is now full, and there is a waiting list. Please send an email to [email protected] to be placed on the waiting list.
It is with great joy to offer the first Nyung Nay retreat at Ocean of Compassion led by Venerable Lhundub Chodron. The Nyung Nay will occur during Lhabab Duchen, one of the four great holy days of the Tibetan calendar where merits are multiplied by 100 million times.
Nyung Nay (or "fasting retreat" in English) is a Vajrayana practice from the kriya ("action") class of tantra. It is a powerful practice to develop compassion and bodhichitta — the mind that strives for enlightenment for the benefit of all beings. It is also a quick and effective method to purify negativities and collect merit. Meditators of the past have been known to purify such diseases as leprosy through this practice. Nyung Nay is a profound two-day practice relating to Chenrezig, the Buddha of Compassion. |
Thousand-armed Chenrezig
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It is said that even one Nyung Nay or 'abiding in retreat' is as effective as three months of other purification practices. This beautiful practice involves the keeping the Mahayana Precepts, with the second day devoted to complete silence and fasting.
The practice includes recitations of prayers, mantras, prostrations and guided meditations to Thousand-Armed Chenrezig.
General Schedule
Day 1: Thursday 11/9
6:15–7:00pm — Arrive and settle in
7:00–9:00pm — Introduction
Day 2: Friday 11/10
All day retreat — Take precepts and take only lunch; drinks and talking permitted
Day 3: Saturday 11/11
All day retreat — Take precepts and not eat, drink or talk until next morning’s session
Day 4: Sunday 11/12
9:00am — Retreat ends
The practice includes recitations of prayers, mantras, prostrations and guided meditations to Thousand-Armed Chenrezig.
General Schedule
Day 1: Thursday 11/9
6:15–7:00pm — Arrive and settle in
7:00–9:00pm — Introduction
Day 2: Friday 11/10
All day retreat — Take precepts and take only lunch; drinks and talking permitted
Day 3: Saturday 11/11
All day retreat — Take precepts and not eat, drink or talk until next morning’s session
Day 4: Sunday 11/12
9:00am — Retreat ends
Registration
Please use our online registration and register by November 1st (if you need housing, register by Oct 1st):
Retreat limited to 10 retreatants.
Can’t make it yet would like to generate merit by supporting the retreatants?
Lama Zopa Rinpoche says that sponsoring retreats generates the same merit as if you had done the retreat yourself.
Please use our online registration and register by November 1st (if you need housing, register by Oct 1st):
- Register with a donation (use ticket form below).
- Download and complete the consent form and email it to [email protected].
Retreat limited to 10 retreatants.
Can’t make it yet would like to generate merit by supporting the retreatants?
Lama Zopa Rinpoche says that sponsoring retreats generates the same merit as if you had done the retreat yourself.
- If you would like to financially sponsor the cost of the retreat, please make a donation here.
- Sponsor Retreat Leader (offerings, housing and travel - $1800)
- Sponsor one retreatant ($250)
- Sponsor food ($300)
- You can also volunteer during the retreat to help with Day 2’s lunch delivery and/or preparation, set up and clean up. Please reach out at [email protected].
Where do I stay?
Since Ocean of Compassion is a non-residential center, we do not have rooms onsite. But those living nearby can commute during the retreat. To make this retreat possible to those living afar, we can arrange for an Airbnb stay and possibly transportation during the retreat -- if you need housing, please register by October 1st or contact us as soon as feasible. A full housing deposit will be required so we can secure the Airbnb housing. If you need to cancel and if Airbnb can refund a certain amount, we will refund that amount to you. However, until we know the rental terms ourselves, we cannot make this guarantee at this moment.
In either instance, we encourage you to speak with family and friends in advance to inform them that you will be disconnecting (as much as possible) during this time so you can generate a retreat mindset during the Nyung Nay, especially for Day 3 of the retreat.
Since Ocean of Compassion is a non-residential center, we do not have rooms onsite. But those living nearby can commute during the retreat. To make this retreat possible to those living afar, we can arrange for an Airbnb stay and possibly transportation during the retreat -- if you need housing, please register by October 1st or contact us as soon as feasible. A full housing deposit will be required so we can secure the Airbnb housing. If you need to cancel and if Airbnb can refund a certain amount, we will refund that amount to you. However, until we know the rental terms ourselves, we cannot make this guarantee at this moment.
In either instance, we encourage you to speak with family and friends in advance to inform them that you will be disconnecting (as much as possible) during this time so you can generate a retreat mindset during the Nyung Nay, especially for Day 3 of the retreat.
What to expect during a Nyung Nay retreat?
During the Nyung Nay retreat, we practice the sadhana (“method of accomplishment”) of Chenrezig, the Buddha symbolizing compassion. The sadhana involves meditating on bodhicitta (the aspiration to attain enlightenment in order to help all beings), visualizing Chenrezig, reciting prayers and mantras, and performing prostrations.
One Nyung Nay retreat consists of 2 full days and 1 morning of retreat, for a total of 7 practice sessions spread over this time. Each session lasts approximately 3 hours.
One Nyung Nay retreat requires being resident locally for 3 nights, in order to incorporate 2 full practice days and 1 morning. Day 1 involves checking in and getting prepared for Days 2–4. Day 2 (full days) to Day 4 (morning) are practice times.
Structure of the retreat
On the first full day of the Nyung Nay, we take the 8 Mahayana Precepts: avoidance of killing, stealing, sexual activity, telling lies, taking intoxicants, eating more than one meal, singing / dancing / playing music, wearing jewelry, and using high seats or beds. Three sessions of the sadhana are practiced on the first day. Each session is approximately 3 hours.
On the second day of the Nyung Nay, we take the 8 Mahayana Precepts as above, with the additional vows of not eating, drinking or speaking until after sunrise the next day. Three sessions of the sadhana are practiced on this day. Although we vow to keep silence, we continue to recite the prayers and mantras of the sadhana. If communication between participants is necessary, it must be done through writing notes.
Challenge / Opportunity
The second day is the most difficult part of the retreat. We experience hunger, thirst, tiredness and pain from doing prostrations. Some people feel ill from the fasting. However, if we understand the purpose of the practice, we will not mind the discomfort.
By experiencing hardships in our Dharma practice, we are able to purify a great deal of our negative karma accumulated over countless previous lives. We can also build up positive habits and states of mind to counteract the negative ones.
The Buddha advised the "middle way" — not too soft, not too tough. During Nyung Nays we do experience discomfort, but it is bearable and not too tough. By experiencing this discomfort, we have a better understanding of the suffering experienced by animals, hungry ghosts, and some humans, and thus develop greater compassion for sentient beings, and greater renunciation of samsara — How Amazing!
We hope to see you for this incredible opportunity to purify and generate merit!
During the Nyung Nay retreat, we practice the sadhana (“method of accomplishment”) of Chenrezig, the Buddha symbolizing compassion. The sadhana involves meditating on bodhicitta (the aspiration to attain enlightenment in order to help all beings), visualizing Chenrezig, reciting prayers and mantras, and performing prostrations.
One Nyung Nay retreat consists of 2 full days and 1 morning of retreat, for a total of 7 practice sessions spread over this time. Each session lasts approximately 3 hours.
One Nyung Nay retreat requires being resident locally for 3 nights, in order to incorporate 2 full practice days and 1 morning. Day 1 involves checking in and getting prepared for Days 2–4. Day 2 (full days) to Day 4 (morning) are practice times.
Structure of the retreat
On the first full day of the Nyung Nay, we take the 8 Mahayana Precepts: avoidance of killing, stealing, sexual activity, telling lies, taking intoxicants, eating more than one meal, singing / dancing / playing music, wearing jewelry, and using high seats or beds. Three sessions of the sadhana are practiced on the first day. Each session is approximately 3 hours.
On the second day of the Nyung Nay, we take the 8 Mahayana Precepts as above, with the additional vows of not eating, drinking or speaking until after sunrise the next day. Three sessions of the sadhana are practiced on this day. Although we vow to keep silence, we continue to recite the prayers and mantras of the sadhana. If communication between participants is necessary, it must be done through writing notes.
Challenge / Opportunity
The second day is the most difficult part of the retreat. We experience hunger, thirst, tiredness and pain from doing prostrations. Some people feel ill from the fasting. However, if we understand the purpose of the practice, we will not mind the discomfort.
By experiencing hardships in our Dharma practice, we are able to purify a great deal of our negative karma accumulated over countless previous lives. We can also build up positive habits and states of mind to counteract the negative ones.
The Buddha advised the "middle way" — not too soft, not too tough. During Nyung Nays we do experience discomfort, but it is bearable and not too tough. By experiencing this discomfort, we have a better understanding of the suffering experienced by animals, hungry ghosts, and some humans, and thus develop greater compassion for sentient beings, and greater renunciation of samsara — How Amazing!
We hope to see you for this incredible opportunity to purify and generate merit!
Benefits of the Practice & Recommended Resource Materials
The spiritual impact of engaging in Nyung Nay practice is extraordinary, as explained in these references:
You can download a Word document for additional advice.
The spiritual impact of engaging in Nyung Nay practice is extraordinary, as explained in these references:
- Abiding in The Retreat (order or download), a recently released commentary recently released by Wisdom Publications of Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche.
- Teachings from the Thousand-Arm Chenrezig Retreat (Audio and Unedited Transcripts), by Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche at Chin-liang, Taichung County, Taiwan, 2001.
You can download a Word document for additional advice.
Requirements
- You should be a Buddhist, having formally taken refuge in the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha. Those who have not formally taken refuge or who have not participated in Nyung Nay Retreat before, will need to have an interview with Ocean of Compassion’s director and/or the retreat leader.
- You should have taken the Great 1000-Armed Chenrezig Initiation, which will require taking the Bodhisattva Vows. If you do not already have a Great 1000-Armed Chenrezig Initiation, to participate in this Nyung Nay Retreat, you should have received a complete initiation (wang) from one of the three higher classes of tantra, or an initiation of one of the deities of the tathagata or lotus family of Kriya Tantra.
- You must be familiar with the Lam Rim (the Graduated Path to Enlightenment as presented in the Gelugpa Tibetan Buddhist tradition) and have attended at least one introductory course in Tibetan Buddhism.
- You must have read all information on this website about the Retreat and agree to follow the discipline of the Retreat, including fasting, strict silence, attending all sessions, and wearing appropriate clothing (no shorts or sleeveless shirts).
- If you have never done Nyung Nays before you must attend the introductory session on Friday night, where all the explanations of the practice will be given.