Nyenpa
Nyenpa or Approach (Wyl. bsnyen pa) —
- the first of the four stages of approach and accomplishment practised in the kyerim phase of sadhana practice, or
- 'Recitation practice'—the framework set for accomplishing one of the three roots practices.
The word nyenpa in Tibetan implies 'familiarisation', 'associating with', or 'approaching'.
In terms of the second meaning of the term, Kyabje Sakya Trizin and Alak Zenkar Rinpoche explain:
- In the past, the approach practice mainly involved focusing on the visualization of the deity during the session, and the mantra was recited in between sessions. However nowadays mantra recitation is the standard practice to measure deity meditation (most of our sadhanas advise reciting a certain number of mantras for the different phases of the practice, such as the four stages of approach and accomplishment). This is why Buddhist practitioners today use the word ‘recitation’ or talk about ‘doing accumulation’ when referring to the ‘nyenpa’.