celebrating buddha's enlightenment day
Special GP Talk: The Life of Buddha with Gen Rigpa
Sunday, April 16 @ 11:15am
Intro Talk: Thursday, April 6 @ 7:15pm
Actual Retreat: Friday, April 14 - Saturday, April 15
This special fasting and purification retreat is performed in conjunction with the meditation practice of Thousand-armed Avalokiteshvara. Engaging in this retreat is very powerful for purifying negative karma of body, speech and mind and for pacifying strong delusions such as desirous attachment and hatred. It is also a special method for receiving the blessings of Buddha and improving our experience of love, compassion and bodhichitta (the wish to attain enlightenment for the benefit of all).
Usually this practice is done over two days, with the Mahayana precepts* being taken at the beginning of each day. On the first day it is customary to abstain from all meals apart from lunch. On the second day we engage in a complete fast, abstaining from all food and drink for 24 hours. On both days, we do three sessions of meditation, combining prostrations with chanted meditation. Those who are unable to engage in a complete fast can participate in the sessions on the second day, provided they take the Mahayana precepts on that day.
*The Mahayana precepts are vows we take to abstain from certain actions for the duration of 24 hours. For more information about precepts please refer to our website or ask your class teacher.
DETAILS
- This retreat is in-person
- Each session is unguided and will include some group chanted prayers, physical prostrations and time for meditation
For questions related to retreat contact: [email protected]
April 15th marks the anniversary of Buddha Shakyamuni demonstrating the attainment of enlightenment in 589 B.C.E. This is an extremely important day in the Buddhist calendar because our actions are 100,000 times more powerful than on other days. This event is marked by a special purification and fasting retreats in Kadampa Buddhist Centers worldwide based on the practice Drop of Essential Nectar. This practice, which is done in conjunction with Eleven-faced Avalokiteshvara. It is very powerful for purifying negative karma of body, speech, and mind, and for pacifying strong delusions such as desirous attachment and hatred. It is also a special method for receiving blessings and improving our experience of love, compassion, and bodhichitta.