Nyung Nay Retreat
with Ven. Tenzin Dekyong
November 22-25
(November 24th is Lhabab Duchen -- the day in which Lord Buddha descended from the God Realm of Thirty-three. the karmic results on this day are multiplied by hundred million, as cited by Lama Zopa Rinpoche in the Vinaya text Treasure of Quotations and Logic).
About Nyung Nay Retreat
A Nyung Nay Retreat is a 2-day retreat of Chenrezig practice from the Kriya ("Action") class of Tantra. In each of the daily sessions we practice the sadhana of Chenrezig (the Buddha symbolizing compassion) which involves meditating on bodhicitta (the aspiration to attain enlightenment in order to benefit all beings), visualizing Chenrezig, reciting prayers and mantras, and performing prostrations. Nyung Nay Retreat is a powerful, quick and effective method to purify an enormous amount of negativity and to collect a vast amount of merit.
A Nyung Nay Retreat includes periods of fasting and strict silence. On the first day of each Nyung Nay we will take the Eight Mahayana Precepts: avoidance of killing, stealing, sexual activity, telling lies, taking intoxicants, eating more than one meal, singing/dancing/playing music, wearing jewellery, and using high seats or beds. On the second day of each Nyung Nay, we will take the Eight Mahayana Precepts as above with the additional vows of not eating, drinking or speaking for 24 hours. Although we vow to keep silence, we continue to recite the prayers and mantras of the sadhana. If communication between retreaters is necessary, it must be done through written notes.
The second day of each Nyung Nay 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 Nay Retreat 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.
Approximate Schedule
day before
- 1.30-3.30pm Check in to Root Institute
- 3.30pm Altar and seat preparation & Briefing on Nyung Nay
- 6.00pm Dinner
1st day of Nyung Nay
- 4.30am 1st session with Eight Mahayana Precepts
- 8.30am 2nd session
- 11am Lunch
- 2.30pm 3rd session
- 7 pm Light offering at Mahabodhi Stupa (optional)
2nd day of Nyung Nay
- 4.30am 1st session with Eight Mahayana Precepts ( plus vow to not eat, drink, or speak for 24 hours)
- 8.30am 2nd session
- 2.30pm 3rd session
- 7 pm Light offering at Mahabodhi Stupa (optional)
morning after
- 4.30am Last Session
- 7.30am Breakfast – retreat ends
What to bring:
- Mala to be used only for Chenrezig mantra - best is crystal (preferably in a small bag)
- Vajra and Bell
- Mandala set (if you would like to offer during the sadhana)
- Several changes of clean clothes, as Kriya Tantra emphasizes cleanliness. Clothing should be comfortable and loose-fitting, and appropriate for a semi-monastic environment (no shorts or sleeveless shirts).
- If desired, any special drinks such as oral re-hydration salts
- Pain relievers might be helpful in case of developing sore muscles from prostrating
Pre-requisites to attend
Ideally should have received the full initiation (wang) of Thousand-Arm Chenrezig; must read all the Retreat information and agree to follow the discipline of the Retreat including fasting, strict silence and attending all sessions. Buddhists who have faith but have not received the initiation may participate too.
Retreat Leader
The retreat will be led by Singaporean nun Tenzin Dekyong, ordained in 1997 by H.H.Dalai Lama, and currently librarian and puja-leader-cum-organizer at Root Institute. She has led Nyung Nay in Amitabha Buddhist Centre in Singapore and Tushita Meditation Centre in Dharamsala.
From Nyung Nä, Preface by Lama Zopa Rinpoche, FPMT
There are common questions you usually hear and think of, such as, “What practice can be done while living a family life, while living in the city, when one is so busy with no time to do extensive study or retreat or even daily meditation?” In my experience, the Nyung Nä practice, the Avaloiteshvara Retreat Abiding in Fasting, is one practical answer. Why? Because it lasts only two days. This practice combines various skilful means to quickly complete the work of accumulating merit and purifying obscurations.
For example, prostrations. By prostrating to Avalokiteshvara, you receive the benefits of prostrating to all the buddhas. Even with one prostration, you accumulate infinite merit, the cause of happiness. By taking the eight precepts, we create infinite causes: causes of happiness that we can enjoy while in cyclic existence, as well as the causes of ultimate enlightenment. This practice includes the Avalokiteshvara mantra, which when recited one time, purifies even the heavy karma of the five uninterrupted negative actions and of having received all the defeats of a fully ordained person. There is nothing that cannot be purified by this mantra, and it accumulates infinite merit.
Having faith in Guru Shakyamuni’s teachings and living in the ordination causes one to meet Maitreya Buddha’s teachings and to be born as a disciple of his, as was predicted (by the Buddha in various texts). In particular, even concerning this life, chronic diseases, such as a cancer, that cannot be helped by medicine can be cured by the Nyung Nä practice.
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