Nyung-Nye Shrine
Nyung-nye is a fasting practice done in pairs with eating and
drinking on one day and no eating, drinking or talking the next day. During the practice one observes scrupulous moral conduct and takes the
Sojong vows each day, which are the basis of the monastic vows. Hence,
one avoids killing any living being, one does not take any intoxicants,
one is celibate and so forth.
The practice focuses on the
visualisation of 1000 armed Chenrezig and is a powerful purification
rite. According to a legend, Chenrezig, the Great Bodhisattva of
Compassion emerged from a ray of white light that emanated from the
right eye of Amitabha, the Buddha of Boundless Light. In the presence
of Amitabha he took the bodhisattva vow in which he committed to delay
his own enlightenment until he had freed all beings from samsara, the
cycle of conditioned existence. He promised that if he broke his
commitment, he would shatter into a thousand pieces. Chenrezig then
worked for many aeons to relieve the suffering of beings, but then one
day he ascended Mount Meru, the highest mountain in the universe, and
looked down over existence. To his dismay he saw that there were
still countless beings enmeshed in misery and confusion. Overwhelmed
with sadness, he felt that his bodhisattva mission was pointless, and
resolved to give it up and rest in the peace of nirvana. This broke
his commitment, and consequently, he immediately shattered into a
thousand pieces, experiencing intense agony in the process. Amitabha
looked down with compassion on his creation. Through his grace, he
made Chenrezig whole again, but this time into a form with 1000 arms
and eleven heads. Even more powerful than before, Chenrezig now had an
eye on each hand so that he could look on beings in every direction,
respond to their prayers and relieve their suffering. He then took the
bodhisattva vow again, this time with even more vigour and commitment.
