Nyungne Purification Retreat: Buddha’s Enlightenment Day Celebration

Monday, April 15 - You must attend and take Precepts to attend any of the sessions

Free - Everyone welcome: However, make sure you are comfortable with the requirements of this activity

Schedule

6:30-7:15am  Precepts (Required)

7:30-8:45am  Session 1

10:30-11:45am  Session 2

2-3:15pm  Session 3

What is Nyungne?

A special fasting and purification practice performed in conjunction with Eleven-faced (or Thousand-armed) Avalokiteshvara. This is a very powerful method for purifying negativity of body, speech, and mind, and for pacifying strong delusions such as desirous attachment and hatred. It is also a special way of receiving blessings and for improving our minds of love, compassion, and bodhichitta. This practice is done annually at Kadampa Buddhist centers throughout the world in a retreat - called the Nyungne Purifying Ritual Practice - to celebrate Buddha’s Enlightenment Day.

When we take the eight Mahayana precepts, we explicitly promise to abstain for twenty-four hours from eight actions:

• Killing
• Stealing
• Sexual activity
• Lying
• Taking intoxicants
• Eating after lunch
• Sitting on high or luxurious thrones or seats
• Wearing ornaments, perfume, etc, and singing and dancing, etc