Nyung Nay: a Sakya Two-Day Fasting Ritual and Meditation in the tradition of Bhikshuni Palmo

Nyung Nay 2013 Sakya Two-Day Fasting Ritual and Meditation

Sakya Tenphel Ling presents

Our 3rd in-house Retreat Ritual

Nyung Nay 2013 A Sakya Two-Day Fasting Ritual and Meditation

* Retreat starts at 7.00pm on 28 March Thursday night and ends at 7.30am on 31 March, Sunday morning. For maximal success of the Retreat, please attend the Nyung Nay Ritual Text Transmission and explanation on 28 March 2013.

Venue : Sakya Tenphel Ling (STL) limited to 30 participants, register early

Pre-requisite: Hevajra Cause or King Tradition Chenrezig Empowerment

Introduction

We have received enquiries and the good news has arrived. STL will be organizing Nyung Nay 2013 across the long weekend of Good Friday, and registration is now opened. Whether you intend to participate in this Fasting Ritual or as a volunteer, we look forward to your participation in this meritorious event!!

1 of 8 www.SakyaTenphelLing.org | www.Facebook.com/Sakyapa

Of the Eleven-Faced Arya Lokeshvara

In Accordance to the Sakya Lineage in the tradition of Bhikshuni

Palmo

Led by Our Ex-Resident Lama

– Khentul Rinpoche

Accompanied by Sakya College monks1. Check-in

28 Mar (Thurs), 7pm2. Chenrezig Transmission and Explanation of Ritual Text

28 Mar (Thurs), 8-930pm3. Nyung Nay Retreat

29 Mar – 31 Mar Stay-in 3 days

http://www.sakyatenphelling.org/vp/nyung-nay/

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Introduction (contd)

This is the third year STL organizes Nyung Nay fasting ritual. The first Nyung Nay was conducted in April 2011 and met with tremendous success. For both the two retreat rituals done in 2011 and 2012, the participants had given very positive feedback, be it their spiritual development or the experience of the ritual.

Though there were hardships, participants rejoiced at the completion of the retreat and most shared the experience as refreshing and memorable. For the third year in a row, the retreat will be auspiciously led by the same contingent of monks and our ex Resident Lama Khentul Rinpoche. In addition, this year Nyung Nay coincides with the long weekend of public holiday, participants do not need to take leave from work and can invite your family members and friends to co-practice.

What is Nyung Nay

For those who are new to this practice, a Nyung Nay Retreat Ritual is a special two-day meditation, fasting and purification retreat based on the practice of Thousand-Armed Chenrezig and is known for its power in the purification of negative karma and the accomplishment of enlightened qualities.

It is a Vajrayana practice from the Kriya ("Action") class of Tantra. It is a powerful, quick and effective method to purify a lot of negativities and at the same time collect a vast amount of merit. Meditators of the past have been known to purify such diseases as leprosy through this practice. However, the principal purpose of the practice is the attainment of supreme Enlightenment for the benefit of all living beings.

In earlier consultation with His Holiness Sakya Trizin on the importance of this practice to our members, he said “Nyung Nay, or fasting ritual, is a very effective way of purifying the negative deeds. The main deity is Avalokiteshvara, thousand-armed, starting originally from the Bhikshuni Palmo. Since then, it’s been passed down as a great way to purifying the negative deeds. It is said that even those who have committed very heinous crimes can be purified through this ritual. Not only those who are doing the ritual will receive great benefit, even those who sees such person, or hears or any kind of physical or verbal connection to the people who are doing the ritual will also benefit in great ways. Therefore it is a very, very effective way. “

“It is actually lower tantric practice, mainly emphasizing outer and physical activities. Some people said those who are practicing higher tantras should not do. That is wrong, that is not true. Although in higher tantra, though it is said one should not suffer and one should not make oneself suffer from fasting and so on, but it is just matter of different motivation. Although higher tantric practitioner should not suffer unnecessarily but since the Buddha who possesses the infinite wisdom and compassion, through his skilful means, in order to purify negative deeds that he has given such method. So therefore since we are ordinary person, although we practice higher tantra, but we are still very ordinary person, and we don’t have any kind of confidence. So therefore purification is very important. So the Buddha who possesses infinite wisdom, through his skilful means, such ritual we must practice. It is clearly said by many authentic Gurus in many of the explanations, there is nothing wrong even though one is doing practicing higher Tantra.”





“....by doing this two-day Fasting and Meditation retreat, the time one will spend in Samsara is shortened by 40,000 eons, ….. and if one practices the entire ritual correctly as it is written, they will produce the root of merit tens of millions times hundreds of thousands of Buddhas…”

History of the Practice

This practice was originated by Gelongma Palmo, (Bhikshuni Lakshmi), who was one of the greatest masters of the 1,000-armed Chenrezig.

She was born into an Indian royal family but chose Buddhist ordination in her youth. She studied with many of the masters of her time and practiced diligently. Sadly however, due to the ripening of karma, she contracted leprosy and was subsequently abandoned in the forest. She had a vision of King Indrabodhi who advised her to do Avalokiteshvara practices.

Gelongma Palmo recited the mantras of Avalokiteshvara and devised and practiced the purification ritual or Nyung Nay retreat continuously before a mysterious image of 1,000-armed Avalokiteshvara that appeared to her in a forest clearing.

It is said that she recovered from leprosy and having developed great dedication and compassion for all beings, she became an enlightened guide to many disciples to whom she passed down the practice of Nyung Nay.

The Retreat

A Nyung Nay retreat consists of 7 sessions spread over 3 days. In each session we practice the sadhana 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. Each session lasts approximately 3 hours. [His Holiness has exempted participants who have medical conditions from performing prostrations. They may replace physical prostrations with mental prostrations instead.]

The Nyung Nay is retreat of body, speech and mind from non-virtuous actions, focusing on keeping strict vows for a two-day period, generating the Bodhisattva attitude, and reciting the sadhana of the 1000-armed Chenrezig, the Bodhisattva of compassion.

The vows to be observed include refraining from:

• Killing. • Stealing. • Lying. • Sexual activities (celibate). • Drinking alcohol, taking drugs, smoking cigarettes. • Using perfumes, wearing make-up or ornaments, singing, playing music, dancing and other

forms of entertainment. • Eating in inappropriate times. • Sitting in high seats.





The Programme

Participants will check-in at Sakya Tenphel Ling at 7.00pm on 28 March (Thursday). There will be a Loong [Transmission] and Explanation of the Nyung Nay Ritual text by our ex-resident Lama Khentul Rinpoche to orientate participants to the Nyung Nay text. The pre-requisite to the Loong is that you must have taken a 2-day Great Empowerment “Wang Chen”. Non-participants to the 2 days retreat are welcomed to join in the Transmission, but same pre-requisite of a “Wang Chen” applies.

A set of Nyung Nay consists of 2 days of strict practice. On the first day of the actual Retreat, participants will take the 8 Mahayana Precepts and take one meal at noon, and fast the rest of the day while engaging in three sessions of practice. Like other Vajrayana sadhanas, the Nyung Nay sadhana involves visualization of the deity, accompanied by prayers, offerings and prostrations, and extensive recitation of the mantra. The sessions begin early in the morning and conclude in the late afternoon.

On the second day, participants will observe complete fasting from food and water, and will also maintain strict silence, except for the recitation of the Sadhana. Participants will take the 8 Mahayana Precepts and with the additional vows of not eating, drinking or speaking for 24 hours. If communication between participants is really necessary, it must be done through writing notes.

The second day is the most difficult part of the retreat. One will experience hunger, thirst, tiredness and pain from doing prostrations. Some people feel ill from the fasting. However, if one understands the purpose of the practice, one will not mind the discomfort. By experiencing hardships in our Dharma practice, one is able to purify a great deal of one’s negative karma accumulated over countless previous lives. One 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, one does experience discomfort, but it is bearable and not too tough. By experiencing this discomfort, one will 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.

The retreat concludes early in the morning of the third day, 31 March (Sunday), with a short practice session. The vows, fasting and silence are concluded at the end of this session, light breakfast will be served and participants can mingle and share their experience of the retreat ritual. Volunteers are also needed to clean up the retreat grounds.

If one feels well and not too tired, one can proceed to join in the weekly Sunday Tara Puja at 930 am conducted in English at the Main hall.

General Advice for Participants

All participants must participate full 3 days of activities and remained stay-in during the entire Retreat.

If you have any doubts about your health and your ability to physically handle this retreat, please consult your doctor. The prostrations are strenuous but it is possible to perform them at a slow speed.

The Nyung Nay starts as early as 4 AM with the taking of the 8 Mahayana Precepts and participants have to arrive the day before. Explanations and instructions will be given at the beginning of the practice.





Motivation and Requirements

The immediate goal is to purify our negativities that were accumulated through our beginningless samsaric existence, accumulation of merits through the ultimate goal of attaining Enlightenment for the sake of all sentient beings, who had once been our mothers.

You must have read all information about the Retreat ritual and agree to follow the discipline of the Retreat, including fasting, strict silence, attending all sessions, and wearing appropriate clothing (no shorts, no sleeveless nor translucent shirts; keep clothing clean since it is Kriya Tantra. As you will be prostrating, plunging neckline or short shirt that reveal your belly when prostrating, are not advisable).

Participants are strongly encouraged to leave the handphone switched off at all times, and not responding to sms or causing disturbance to fellow participants.





Schedule

Check In Day

7.00pm

8.00pm

10.00pm

Arrival to Sakya Tenphel Ling & Registration Briefing to Retreat participants, distribution of Retreat Sadhana

Transmission and Explanation of Ritual text

Lights off

Day 1

4.00am Wake up call

4.30am – 7.00am 1st Session—take precepts to eat only lunch (drinks and talking permitted)

7.00am-8.30am Light Breakfast and own sadhana practice

8.30am- 11.00am 2nd Session

11.00am Lunch (Sumptuous lunch together, before actual Fasting starts, though drinks allowed rest of Day 1)

3.30pm– 6.00pm 3rd Session

6.00pm-9.00pm

Free and Easy (Mantra recitation of “Om Mani Padme Hum”, own sadhana and other meritorious deeds)Lights off at 9.00 pm

Day 2

4.00am Wake up call

4.30am – 7.00am 4th Session—take precepts to not eat, drink, or speak for 24 hours

7.00am- 8.30am Own sadhana practice & mantra chanting

8.30am – 11.00am 5th Session

11.00am- 3.30pm Free and Easy (Mantra recitation of “Om Mani Padme Hum”, own sadhana and other meritorious deeds)

3.30pm– 6.00pm 6th Session

6.00pm- 9.00pm

Free and Easy (Mantra recitation of “Om Mani Padme Hum”, own sadhana and other meritorious deeds)Lights off at 9.00 pm

Check Out Day

4.00am Wake Up Call

4.30am-7.30am

7th Session—your final session [Retreat ends with short conclusion session, breaking Fast and all participants enjoying Tsog together.]

7.30am– 10.30am Packing up, area cleaning and sharing (optional)





What to bring

• Mala to be used only for Chenrezig mantra

• Vajra and Bell (preferred)

• Mandala set (optional)

• Dharma book to read during break times

• Own sadhanas [Retreat Sadhanas will be provided on 28 March]

• Gloves, towel/cushion to be used for prostration

• Sleeping bag, pillow and personal toiletries, torch light. Own pen and note pad if truly need to communicate on Day 2 of retreat (30 March)

• Many clean clothes, as Kriya Tantra emphasizes cleanliness. Clothing should be comfortable and loose-fitting, and appropriate for a semi-monastic environment (no shorts, translucent or sleeveless shirts).

• Your own cup (big or medium) and thermos, if possible

• If desired, you may bring your own additional nutritious food (such as nuts, dried fruit, energy bars) to supplement the one meal on the first day (29 March lunch) of the Nyung Nay. And any special drinks such as dehydration salts.

• You are encouraged to bring kata, flowers, food, fruits and other items to offer to the Retreat shrine. On the Retreat conclusion day (31 March), there will be a Tsog offering.

• Pain relievers might be helpful in case of developing sore muscles from prostrating.

More information & registration:

• For more information please contact us 65-65813902

• for registration please contact office. Participants below 21 should obtain consent from parents. There are currently 30 limited places for lay practitioners.

• If you have pre-existing medical conditions, please consult your own doctors for advice on suitability of participation. All participants are to sign off Indemnity forms

• $35 per person towards shrine offerings, lodgings, food and drinks on selected days.

• Due to limited places, do register early to avoid disappointment.





• Successful participant will be notified and a pre-retreat briefing will be organized, tentatively scheduled on 17 March, 12 pm

• Retreat will be conducted in English. Chinese speaking participants can join in the ritual but Chinese text is not available.

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May Nyung Nay 2013 be successful!May my negative deeds be purified and merits accumulated swiftly to attain

Buddhahood for all mother sentient beings.

May all our Gurus have long life, good health and continue to turn wheel of Dharma!!

*** All Program details subject to last minute changes




Nyung Nay: a Sakya Two-Day Fasting Ritual and Meditation in the tradition of Bhikshuni Palmo

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Transcript of Nyung Nay: a Sakya Two-Day Fasting Ritual and Meditation in the tradition of Bhikshuni Palmo