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The Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive
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Abiding in the Retreat
Previously published
by the Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive
By Lama Zopa Rinpoche By Lama Yeshe
Virtue and Reality Becoming Your Own Therapist
Teachings from the Vajrasattva Make Your Mind an Ocean
Retreat The Essence of Tibetan Buddhism
Daily Purification: A Short The Peaceful Stillness of the Silent Mind
Vajrasattva Practice
Ego, Attachment and Liberation
Making Life Meaningful
Universal Love
Teachings from the Mani Retreat
Life, Death and After Death
The Direct and Unmistaken Method
The Yoga of Offering Food By Lama Yeshe & Lama Zopa
Rinpoche
The Joy of Compassion
How Things Exist Advice for Monks and Nuns
The Heart of the Path Freedom Through Understanding
Teachings from the Medicine
Other books
Buddha Retreat
Teachings from Tibet by various great lamas
Kadampa Teachings
The Kindness of Others
Bodhisattva Attitude
by Geshe Jampa Tegchok
How to Practice Dharma
The Perfect Human Rebirth
In association with TDL
Sun of Devotion, Stream of Blessings Publications
A Teaching on Heruka Mirror of Wisdom
(initiates only) by Geshe Tsultim Gyeltsen
A Teaching on Yamantaka Illuminating the Path to Enlightenment
(initiates only) by His Holiness the Dalai Lama
May whoever sees, touches, reads, remembers, or talks or thinks about these books
never be reborn in unfortunate circumstances, receive only rebirths in situations
conducive to the perfect practice of Dharma, meet only perfectly qualified
spiritual guides, quickly develop bodhicitta and immediately
attain enlightenment fo.r t.he. sa.ke of all sentient beings.
.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche
Abiding in the Retreat

A Nyung Nä Commentary
Compiled and edited by Ailsa Cameron
Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive • Boston
www.LamaYeshe.com
A non- profit charitable organization for the benefit of all
sentient beings and an affiliate of the Foundation for
the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition
www.fpmt.org
First published 2017
Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive
PO Box 636
Lincoln
MA 01773, USA
© Lama Thubten Zopa Rinpoche 2017
Please do not reproduce any part of this book
by any means whatsoever without our permission
Library of Congress Cataloging- in- Publication Data
Names: Thubten Zopa, Rinpoche, 1945- author. | Cameron, Ailsa.
Title: Abiding in the retreat : a nyung nä commentary / Lama Zopa Rinpoche;
compiled and edited by Ailsa Cameron.
Description: Lincoln, MA : Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive, 2017. |
Includes bibliographical references.
Identifiers: LCCN 2017024196 | ISBN 9781891868696 (pbk.)
Subjects: LCSH: Avalokiteshvara (Buddhist deity)—Cult—Tibet Region. |
Spiritual life—Buddhism. | Buddhism—Rituals.
Classification: LCC BQ4710.A84 T573 2017 | DDC 294.3/4446—dc23
ISBN 978- 1- 891868- 69- 6
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Cover photograph by Tan Seow Kheng. The new Chenrezig statue at Amitabha
Buddhist Centre, Singapore, made by Denise and Peter Griffin.
Other photos by Bill Kane, Singapore, 2016.
Designed by Gopa & Ted2 Inc.
♻ Printed in the USA with environmental mindfulness on 30% PCW recycled paper.
The following resources have been saved: 27 trees, 849 lbs. of solid waste,
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Contents
.,
Editor’s Preface xiii
Part One: Introduction 1
1. The Benefits of Nyung Nä Practice 3
The meaning of nyung nä 3
The benefits of nyung nä practice 4
Experiencing difficulties 8
Transforming your body 9
Don’t miss the opportunity 10
2. Chenrezig 13
The story of Chenrezig 13
Manifestations of Chenrezig 16
The power of Chenrezig 20
3. Bhikshuni Lakshmi 23
4. The Nyung Nä Lineage Lamas 29
Chandra Kumara 29
Jñanabhadra 30
Peñawa of Nepal 31
Dawa Gyältsän 31
Nyiphug Chökyidrag 38
Trupa Dorje Gyälpo 43
Zhangtön Drajig 44
viii contents
Jangchub Päl 46
Dewa Chän 48
Jangchub Bar 49
Modern nyung nä yogis 52
Geshe Lama Konchog 52
Drupa Rinpoche 54
5. The Benefits of the Eight Mahayana Precepts 57
When to take the Eight Mahayana Precepts 57
Receiving the lineage 60
The benefits of taking the Eight Mahayana Precepts 61
Shortening the time 63
Differences between the Mahayana and pratimoksha precepts 64
Difference of motivation 64
Difference of visualization 65
Difference of ordination 66
6. The Benefits of Reciting om mani padme hum 67
Why everyone should recite om mani padme hum 67
The benefits of reciting om mani padme hum 69
The longest Chenrezig mantra 70
The benefits of reciting ten malas of om mani padme hum 71
Easy to become Dharma 74
Rinpoche’s mother 76
7. The Benefits of Prostrations 83
The general benefits of prostrations 83
The ten specific benefits of prostrations 84
How to do prostrations physically 85
How to do prostrations mentally 86
Dealing with difficulties 87
contents ix
8. The Benefits of Offerings 89
The power of Buddha 89
Power of the object 92
Always remember the guru 93
The power of the guru 94
Dangers with the guru 97
Practicing with holy objects 99
The specific benefits of offering flowers 100
The specific benefits of offering light 101
How to make offerings 102
Dedicating the offering 103
Part Two: The Preparatory Ritual 105
9. Brief Motivations 107
1. Take the responsibility 107
2. Bodhicitta is of the utmost need 107
3. Every sentient being is your dearest one 108
4. Repaying the kindness 109
5. Numberless, kind and precious 109
6. Developing great compassion is of utmost importance 110
1 0. Intermediate Motivation 111
1. This practice is for every sentient being 111
2. My mothers are suffering 113
3. Giving up self, cherishing others 114
4. Beginningless kindness 117
5. By myself alone 119
6. If I had great compassion 120
1 1. Extensive Motivations 123
1. If I had generated bodhicitta 123
2. Freedom to practice Dharma 126
x contents
3. Your human body is so precious 131
4. We need to purify right now 144
12. Ablution and Lam- Rim Prayers 155
Ablution 155
Lam- rim prayers 156
Calling the Guru from Afar 156
Calling the Guru from Afar (abbreviated version) 157
Praise and Prayer to Noble Avalokiteshvara 159
Request to the Supreme Compassionate One 160
13. Taking the Restoring and Purifying
Ordination 163
Refuge and Bodhicitta 163
Purifying the Place 163
Invocation 164
Offering Prayer 165
Offering Cloud Mantra 165
Extensive Power of Truth 166
Seven- Limb Prayer 167
Mandala Offering 168
Visualization and Motivation 168
Actual Ordination 169
The Commitment Prayer to Keep the Precepts 172
The Mantra of Pure Morality 177
Dedication 178
14. Requests through to Invocation 181
Requests to the Lineage Gurus 181
Instantaneous Generation 182
Blessing the Action Vase 183
Blessing the Offerings 184
Refuge and Bodhicitta 185