Led by Lama Tsultrim Yeshe
March 26 – 29, 2010
Chicago Karma Thegsum Choling
2100 S. Central Avenue, Cicero, Illinois
www.chicagoktc.wildapricot.org
Pre-registration Required
25 Mar 2010 07:00 PM • Chicago KTC
SCHEDULE
Friday, March 26
7pm-8:30pm Orientation: Required if this is first Nyungne Retreat
Saturday, March 27
5am-5:30pm Sojung vows and 1,000 Arm Chenrezig Sadhana
Sunday, March 28
5am-5:30pm Sojung vows and 1,000 Arm Chenrezig Sadhana
Monday, March 29
5am-7:30am-1,000 Arm Chrenzig Sadhana and completion of fast
Refuge Required
Nyungne is two and a half day retreat that is practiced by all the major Buddhist traditions in Tibet. The practice is said to be especially powerful in purifying negative karma and accumulating merit and wisdom. Nyungne, translated as “abiding in the fast”, involves sadhana practice, mantra recitation, visualizations of thousand-armed Chenrezig, periods of fasting from food and drink, prostrations, and periods of silence. It is a comprehensive practice that combines methods from the three Yanas (Hinayana, Mahayana, and Vajrayana). It is said that successfully completing just one Nyungne Retreat closes the gates to being reborn in the lower realms.
The Nyungne retreat formally begins Saturday morning and concludes at dawn Monday morning. Because the practice begins very early Saturday morning, retreatants are encouraged to arrive at KTC Friday evening. Participants are highly encouraged to stay at KTC throughout the weekend. Food and drink are provided, including Saturday meal and Monday breakfast. Retreatants are encouraged to bring their own bedding, including a floor mat, sleeping bag, and pillow.
**For those who are unable to attend the full weekend retreat, there is an option of doing a Nyingne (one day practice). **
If you plan to do a Nyingne (beginning morning session and ending the next morning session). We will also be offering participation in doing the sadhana practice for just one day. If you are interested in these alternatives, please email Lama Sean Jones at chicagoktc@gmail.com
Suggested donation for full Nyungne Retreat is $50; $20 for 1 day Nyingne participation.
Lama Tsultrim Yeshe
Lama Tsultrim Yeshe (John Samuelson) has been a student of Khenpo Karthar Rinpoche since 1989. He completed the first three-year retreat at Karme Ling, led by Khenpo Karthar Rinpoche, and took monastic vows wtih His Eminence Tai Situ Rinpoche in 1994. Lama Yeshe lives in Wisconsin, and teaches at Kagyu centers through the US. He is a specialist at leading Nyungne retreats.
"In Tibetan, the word “Nyung” means less. “Nes” means remaining. This means that during this retreat, we reduce our negativity and, ideally, eliminate negativity entirely.
The eight precept vows are called “So Jong.” "So" means we replenish the positive, and "Jong" means we purify the negative. By taking the eight precept vows, the experience is greatly intensified. In addition, we practice creation stage meditation where we visualize the 1,000 Arm Chenrezig, who is the embodiment of all the enlightened ones, and recite his mantra. We visualize the environment as the mandala, ourself as the deity, and thus transform all impure perceptions to perfectly pure and divine, celestial perceptions.
Nyung Nes is a practice of fasting and purification. Each morning, one takes vows and abides by them for the whole day. On the first day, one vegetarian meal is eaten at noon and liquids are taken. On the second day, no food or drink at all is consumed. On each day practitioners do the 1,000 Arm Chenrezig practice. So great is the powerful merit of this practice that to do one Nyung Nes, closes the doors to the lower realms in the next rebirth. It is also said that by completing eight consecutive Nyung Nes practices, one closes the door to rebirth in samsara. One is instantly reborn into a realm where enlightenment comes quickly and easily." - Lama Lodu Rinpoche