The Thousand-armed Chenrezig Nyungne Retreat
The Nyungne (སྨྱུང་གནས་) Retreat is a practice of austerity and fasting based upon the supplication to Lord Chenrezig in the thousand-armed form. It is a powerful mean for karma purification and merit accumulation, to pacify obstacles on the path to enlightenment and to heighten one’s spiritual advancement.
This Nyungne Retreat is set on the passing anniversary of Choegon Rinpoche’s beloved mother, to fulfill her lifelong wishes and aspirations to continue benefit beings even without her physical presence.
The Eleven-faced, thousand-armed Avalokiteshvara.
Brief History of the Practice:
The Nyungne Retreat is based upon the sadhana of Gelongma Palmo’s tradition. According to some sources, Gelongma Palmo (Bhikshuni Lakshmi) was the princess of Oddiyana, who renounced the palace becomes a fully ordained nun. She was extremely learned and endowed with extraordinary beauty, but later was plagued with the dreadful disease of leprosy.
Bhikshuni Lakshmi (Tib. དགེ་སློང་མ་དཔལ་མོ་ Gelongma Palmo)
Through rigorous and intensive and ascetic practice of fasting, recitations and meditation on Avalokiteshvara, she cured her leprosy and became even more radiant and beautiful than before. From there, the profound Nyungne practice lineage of Gelongma Palmo (དགེ་སློང་མ་དཔལ་མོ་) has since been passed down and spread widely throughout the Himalayan world.
What is Nyungne?
Nyungne can be translated as “abiding in the fast“ is a two-and-a-half-day practice that centered around mantra recitation, prostration and meditation on the Eleven-faced, Thousand-armed Chenrezig.
At early dawn of the first day, the master will bestow “The Eight Vows of Mahayana Sojong (the Eight Precepts of Mahayana)”, that restores (so) all positivities and purifies (jong) all negativity. After that all participants are urged to apply their body, speech and mind focus on prostration, mantra recitation and meditation.
The participants are allowed to have one good vegetarian meal (no garlic and onions, etc.) by midday on the first day. After that, no solid food is allowed. However, drinks such as water, tea or juices may still be permitted.
The second day is the actual fasting day, where one must continue the practice without food and drink for 24 hours, with strict observation of the Eight Precepts, and the full abstinence from casual chatting. The fasting shall end at early dawn of the third day, follow by the traditional rituals of making offerings and prayers.
The Benefits of Nyungne:
Nyungne is a very powerful and profound mean for karma purification and merit accumulation within a short period of time. It pacifies all kinds of obstacles on the path to enlightenment, and brings about swift transformation in one’s spiritual practice. It is particularly beneficial in healing various karmic sicknesses and helps one to develop great compassion.
The fasting of the Body (without food and drink), purifies the body’s obscurations and heals the body. The fasting of the Speech (mantra recitations with not speaking), purifies the speech’s obscurations and the negative karma from our words. The fasting of Mind (visualization and meditation), purifies the mind’s obscurations and enhances clarity.
All are welcome to participate in this auspicious and beneficial event.
Should you wish to find out more details of this puja, please write to us: web@dechenchoekhor.org
Thank you!