This special fasting and purification practice is traditionally done by Kadampa Centers worldwide on Buddha’s Enlightenment day, which is celebrated on April 15.

We can spend two days with Thousand-Armed Avalokiteshvara – “Mahakaruna” – the nature of Buddha’s great compassion, making exquisite offerings, praises, and prostrations and thereby accumulate huge merit, purify vast negativity for ourselves and others and receive the most powerful blessing to propel ourselves swiftly along our path to enlightenment.

Each day begins with an early morning ceremony of taking the Mahayana Precepts, eight precepts of pure moral discipline and fasting. The precepts ceremony is followed by three retreat sessions of the beautiful chanted prayers “Drop of Essential Nectar,” which include prostrations. While the second day can be accompanied by a full fast, this is not compulsory.

Please join the Introductory Talk on Saturday, April 8, to learn more. Everyone is welcome to join us for this special retreat. You can choose to participate in both days or just one day.

Every day you participate in the retreat, you must come to the Mahayana Precepts ceremony that morning. If you haven’t taken precepts before, please click here to learn about the commitments of precepts. (https://kadampa.org/buddhism/taking-precepts)

Schedule

Saturday, April 8

Introduction to Nyungne: 10am-12pm
with Trina Gunther

Learn about the meaning of this retreat and how to engage in it effectively for a blessed retreat experience

Friday, April 14th

Mahayana Precepts  6:45 – 7:30am 
Session 1   7:45 – 9:00am  
Session 2  10:30 – 11:45am  
Lunch  12:00 – 12:45pm  
Session 3  2:15 - 3:30pm  

Saturday, April 15th

Mahayana Precepts  6:45 – 7:30am
Session 1  7:45 – 9:00am
Session 2  10:30 – 11:45am
Session 3  2:15 - 3:30pm


Buddha’s Enlightenment Day

April 15th marks the anniversary of Buddha Shakyamuni demonstrating the attainment of enlightenment in 589 B.C.E. This is a very important day in the Buddhist calendar because on this day the power of our actions (karma) is greatly increased; our virtuous actions are said to be 100,000 times more powerful on this day. Therefore, Buddha’s Enlightenment Day is a very special day to create hugely beneficial karma (merit) and purify vast negativities for ourselves and others by engaging in Nyungne practice.

Friday & Saturday Retreat

Friday, April 14th Only

Saturday, April 15th Only

With Resident Teacher Trina Gunther

Trina Gunther is a long-time practitioner of Modern Kadampa Buddhism. She has studied and practiced in Dharma centers under Gen-la Dekyong and Gen Rigpa, and she has worked as Education Program Coordinator at centers in Los Angeles and the UK. She is an inspiring example of a lay practitioner of Kadampa Buddhism, and brings with her a wealth of practical experience of putting Buddha's teachings into practice amidst a busy daily life.

Online Class Policy

1. You agree that you will not record the class or share links.
2. To enjoy our online classes, you must live in Northern Colorado, Wyoming, or the surrounding states of Montana, North & South Dakota, Utah or Idaho, or have a prior connection to Heruka Center. Otherwise, we ask you to please support your local Kadampa meditation center and register for their online classes instead.
3. If you experience technical difficulties, such as not receiving links, please contact info@meditateinfortcollins.org