Announcements
Yarne – Annual Summer Retreat July 24 to September 6
Yarne, or the annual summer retreat, is a tradition that goes back to the time of Buddha. Its purpose was to allow monks to gather and shelter from the monsoon rains and to take time to reflect, pray, meditate, and listen to the dharma. It was a practical response to the monsoon weather. During Buddha’s time, the summer retreat was three months long: by staying in a single location for the duration of the rainy season, the monks avoided the increased likelihood of walking on and harming many insects and other small beings that reproduce during the rainy season. The first day of the Yarne begins with the Sojong vows. Sojong is a practice for purifying and making broken vows to replenish positive virtues. “So” means “to restore” and “Jong” means “to purify”; in other words, to clear away negative karmas and harmful deeds. Apart from Sojong, monks also observe other special monastic vows and restrictions. Khenpos take turns to give short teachings on the importance of the three … [Read More...]
