Discovering Buddhism - Module 14. Special Integration Practices
Subject Area Summary Information
Welcome to Discovering Buddhism and thank you for becoming a part of an ever-growing number of students around the world involved in this program.
Module 14. Special Integration Experiences, unlike the previous thirteen Discovering Buddhism modules, does not include audio teachings and guided meditations. Instead, it is designed for personal practice, as practice is the tool by which all of the teachings that are heard become oneness with one's mind and integrated into one's daily life. The practices in this module are the direct advise of Lama Zopa Rinpoche for anyone wishing to fully experience the results of Discovering Buddhism.
Description
By undertaking intensive practices of purification and a minimum two-week lamrim retreat, you prepare your mind in the best possible way to gain the realizations of the path to enlightenment. Specifically learn why and how to do the practices of 100,000 prostrations to the Thirty-Five Buddhas, 100,000 long Vajrasattva mantras, and three Nyung Nes. In addition, attend or do a two-week lamrim retreat to review the whole path to enlightenment.
Required Integration Experiences
- Two-week Kopan-style lamrim course/retreat
- 100,000 long Vajrasattva mantras as a preliminary practice
- 100,000 prostrations to the Thirty-Five Confession Buddhas as a preliminary practice
- 3 Nyung Ne Retreats – do, know how to do, be able to lead others to do
Highly Recommended Integration Experiences
- Attending the annual one-month course at Kopan Monastery, Nepal (instead of, or in addition to, the two-week Kopan-style lamrim course/retreat)
- Going on pilgrimage to Buddhist holy sites in India and Nepal
Note: Pilgrimage can be done in a modified way by setting up images of the Buddhist holy sites in your home or center, reading about each place, and doing the appropriate practices as if you were actually in those places.
Estimated Time to Complete the Integration Experiences
- Two-week lamrim course/retreat (attending a ten-day course is also sufficient)
- Vajrasattva (2-3 months full-time retreat or 6-9 months doing two sessions a day)
- Prostrations (2-3 months full-time retreat or 200-300 a day for 1-2 years)
- 3 Nyung Nes (2 days each = 6-9 days)
How to Complete the Special Integration Experiences
For students interested in completing all the requirements of the Discovering Buddhism program, we recommend that you begin your efforts to engage in the Special Integration Experiences as soon as possible as they will demand a sincere commitment of time and effort to complete. These requirements can be started at any point during the program and you do not have to wait until you have completed other modules to begin. If you have already done these practices for other reasons prior to your participation in the DB program, you do not have to complete them a second time to fulfill the requirements.
There are a number of ways you can plan to complete the Special Integration Experiences.
- Advice for completing the two-week Kopan-style lamrim course/retreat
- Advice for completing the 100,000 Vajrasattva mantras
- Advice for completing the 100,000 Prostrations to the Thirty-Five Confession Buddhas
- Advice for completing the Nyung Ne Retreat
Download all the above instructions in a single PDF file here.
Required and Suggested Readings
A list of required and suggested readings for this module can be found in the Required and Suggested Readings.