Series of 8 Nyung Nays

May 26 – June 12, 2025

To attend the retreat best if you fulfill the prerequisites below. However, the minimum requirement this year is at least to aspire fulfilling the prerequisites, having done our Introduction to Buddhism course (or similar) and having faith in the Chenrezig practice.

Nyung Nay (or “Fasting Retreat” in English) 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.

Just before the annual Tibetan festival of Saka Dawa (the anniversary of Shakyamuni Buddha’s birth, enlightenment and paranirvana) Tushita offers a series of eight Nyung Nays. Participants may join one or more Nyung Nays.

One Nyung Nay requires being resident here for 3 nights, in order to incorporate 2 full practice days. Check in on day 1, days 2 & 3 are the practice days, and if you are not continuing for another Nyung Nay, checkout is on day 4.

Each Nyung Nay consists of 7 practice sessions spread over this time, the first starting at 3:30am on day 2 (which is why you have to stay here the night before) and ending after breakfast on the 4th day. Our Nyung Nay Retreat is composed of a cycle of 8 Nyung Nays, and it is possible to take just one, or any number in between up to all 8!

If you haven’t done this practice before though, you will be required to join the first one where full instruction will be given.

In each session we practice the sadhana (“method of accomplishment”) 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.

Requirements

• You should be a Buddhist, having formally taken refuge in the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha. Those who have not formally taken refuge or who have not participated in Nyung Nay Retreat before, will need to have an interview with Tushita’s Spiritual Programme Coordinator and/or the retreat leader.
• You should have taken the Great 1000-Armed Chenrezig Initiation, which will require taking the Bodhisattva Vows. Tushita will try to arrange for the Chenrezig Initiation to be given by a qualified tantric master before the retreat starts. If you cannot attend this Initiation at Tushita and do not already have a Great 1000-Armed Chenrezig Initiation, to participate in this Nyung Nay Retreat, you should have received a complete initiation (wang) from one of the three higher classes of tantra, or an initiation of one of the deities of the tathagata or lotus family of Kriya Tantra.
• You must be familiar with the Lam Rim (the Graduated Path to Enlightenment as presented in the Gelugpa Tibetan Buddhist tradition) and have attended at least one introductory course in Tibetan Buddhism.
• You must have read all information on this website about the Retreat and agree to follow the discipline of the Retreat, including fasting, strict silence, attending all sessions, and wearing appropriate clothing (no shorts or sleeveless shirts).
• If you have never done Nyung Nays before you must attend the first Nyung Nay, where all the explanations of the practice will be given.

Nyung Nay 2025 Schedule

Chenrezig Initiation dates are above.

Participants will check in at Tushita on the afternoon before the first day of the Nyung Nay.

On the first day of the Nyung Nay, we take the 8 Mahayana Precepts: avoidance of killing, stealing, sexual activity, telling lies, taking intoxicants, eating more than one meal, singing/dancing/playing music, wearing jewelry and using high seats or beds. Three sessions of the sadhana are practised on the first day.

On the second day, we take the 8 Mahayana Precepts as above and with the additional vows of not eating, drinking or speaking for 24 hours. Three sessions of the sadhana are practised on this day. Although we vow to keep silence, we continue to recite the prayers and mantras of the sadhana. If communication between participants is necessary, it must be done through writing notes.

The second day 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 Nays, 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.

What to bring

• Mala to be used only for Chenrezig mantra – best is crystal (preferably in a small bag)
• Vajra and Bell (only for those who have received initiation)
• Mandala set (if you would like to offer during the sadhana)
• Dharma book to read during break times
• Many 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).
• Your own cup (big or medium) and thermos, if possible
• If desired, additional nutritious food (such as nuts, dried fruit, energy bars) to supplement the one meal on the first day of the Nyung Nay. And any special drinks such as dehydration salts.
• Pain relievers might be helpful in case of developing sore muscles from prostrating.
• You can find more general advice on what to bring here.

Resource Materials

Teachings from the Nyung Nay Retreat (Audio and Unedited Transcripts)
By Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche at Shakyamuni Center, Taichung, Taiwan, 2007

Teachings from the Thousand-Arm Chenrezig Retreat (Audio and Unedited Transcripts)
By Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche at Chin-liang, Taichung County, Taiwan, 2001

Guidelines for Behaviour

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