Annual Kunrig Retreat
With Venerable Steve Carlier
May 16 - 18, 2025
Friday May 16th – Sunday May 18th
Online Only Via Zoom
About Kunrig:
Kunrig—Sarvavid, in Sanskrit, is a Yoga Tantra deity. He is known as “the king of deities who purify the lower realms.” We can understand why from the story of a deva who died and was born in one of the hell realms. Indra, the King of Devas, didn’t know what to do, so he asked the Buddha for help. Buddha then manifested as this deity Kunrig and granted the practice of the Kunrig purification, or jangwa. The deva was then liberated from the lower realms.
Kirti Tsenshab Rinpoche has explained that in Amdo, in East Tibet, people used to prepare for their death by taking a Kunrig initiation. Because of their strong belief and faith that thereby they had purified all their negative karma, when death came they would not be worried. They would be relaxed and comfortable.
The Kunrig mantra is one of the five great mantras for liberating sentient beings from the lower realms.
About the Retreat:
This is a mantra recitation retreat where we aim to recite 10,000 of the long mantra.
“The benefits of mantra recitation are vast. There are many stories about terrible diseases such as cancer being cured by mantras, or people or animals being helped to have a peaceful death and a positive rebirth through mantras being recited to them. But the supreme benefit of a mantra is its ability to transform our mind. By transforming our mind, it has the power to break negative habits and develop positive ones. As our mind changes, our ability to help others increases, so we are reciting mantras for others as well.” – Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche
Khensur Jhado Rinpoche has mentioned many times that the long mantra is very powerful for purifying.
Retreat Requirements:
You must have received the Kunrig initiation to participate in this retreat.
Diet Guidelines:
Since Kunrig is a Yoga Tantra practice, there are specific dietary restrictions. Please be sure to refrain from eating the following foods for the entirety of the retreat:
- Meat (including fish)
- Alcohol
- Eggs
- Onion
- Garlic
Retreat Schedule:
Friday, May 16th:
6:30 pm – 8:30 pm – Opening Session
Saturday, May 17th
6:00 am – 8:00 am – Session 1
9:30 am – 11:30 am – Session 2
2:30 pm – 4:30 pm – Session 3
6:30 pm – 8:30 pm – Session 4
Sunday, May 18th
6:00 am – 8:00 am – Session 1
9:30 am – 11:30 am – Closing Session
Leader
Ven Steve was born in the UK and has been learning about Buddhism since 1977. He first met Lama Yeshe and Lama Zopa Rinpoche in 1978. He was ordained as a Buddhist monk by Lama Zopa Rinpoche in 1979, and received full ordination from Serkong Tsenshab Rinpoche the following year.…
Learn more about Venerable Steve Carlier