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The Missions of the Great Western Vehicle

If the mission of the Great Western Vehicle (Mahaparacakkayana) is to be a 4th wheel (Catutthayana), ecumenical, engaged, ecstatic western contemplative tradition that is equally informed by Eastern religions, such as Hinduism and Buddhism, and Western religions such as the Abrahamic religions; and it is dedicated to the cultivation, study and education of contemplative practices that produce gnosis; and our activities are to engage in support and education of individuals in contemplative practices that lead to gnosis; then we must express that mission.  Please see the missions (activities) of the GWV below:

Support for Gnosis and Ecstatic Buddhism

The GWV's original mission was to provide support for the contemplative who has found gnosis through meditation.  We have provided that support through the creation and service of several Yahoo groups, such as the Jhana Support Group, which was the first of those services.  It was founded: April 9, 2003 and it has 658 Members as of 4/20/2006.  We also own and moderate several other Yahoo groups, and we built an extensive website, The Great Western Vehicle Archive of Gnosis, which is on the subject of meditative absorption and its attainments (please see below).

Fruit of the Contemplative Life forum

Ecstatic Buddhism, A newsletter for ecstatic Buddhists

Jhana Support Group, A dialog support group for ecstatic contemplatives in a Buddhist context

Kundaliniheat, A dialog support group for the ecstatic experience in a Yoga and Shamanic context

Shiva_Shakti, A dialog support group for the family of people going through the kundalini awakening

The Great Western Vehicle Archive of Gnosis, Ecstatic Meditation (Jhana/Samadhi) and Ecstatic Buddhism

What is Ecstatic Buddhism? (September 19, 2004)

Research into Gnosis

Providing support for the contemplative with gnosis has required building a body of research.  First we began to study the ancient literature of gnosis.  As we examined that body of literature we found we had to also provide our own translations, because translators rarely, if ever, have personal experiences with gnosis.  We also began building an archive of Case Histories of individuals with personal experience with gnosis.  In addition to providing translations of key Pali and Sanskrit literature we also saw the need of providing a Pali-to-English Dictionary that was sensitive to the language of gnosis. Please see below:

Case Histories, The GWV archive of personal case histories with meditative absorption

The Literature of Enlightenment. Early Buddhist Literature, the Tipitaka, online, The Earliest Buddhist Canon of Literature in English translation and the original Pali.

Vedic and Sanskrit Studies the Vedic literature of gnosis.

The Phala Nikaya The GWV's translations of the Buddha's Discourse on Attainment. Key Sutta Translations of the Pali Canon in support of Ecstatic Meditation, edited by Jhanananda

The GWV Pali Dictionary Project. The GWV Contemplative's Pali-to-English Dictionary

The GWV Pali studies archive now has its own domain under the idea of "What did the Buddha Really Teach? See for yourself."

A Critical Analysis of Buddhism, and other Gnostic Beliefs

Early on we found that just about every religion and contemplative tradition subscribes to beliefs that are antagonistic to the attainment of gnosis.  It was decided that we simply must produce a critical review of the literature and language of gnosis if we were going to build an archive of articles, essays and books on the subject.

A Critical Analysis of Buddhism, and other Gnostic Beliefs

Training

We began a teacher-training program and ordination program, as well as the leading of meditation retreats that are sensitive to the attainment of gnosis to address the profound lack of instruction and trained instructors in the subject of meditation that leads to gnosis.

GWV events and retreat

Great Western Vehicle Ordination Program

Guidance to Future Dhamma Teachers

The Emergence of Western Teachers of Buddhism

Rightlivelihood

Right livelihood is leading a self-reflexive and contemplative life. Thus recovery from addictions is an essential aspect of the contemplative life. If meditation leads to tranquility and equanimity, then it leads to becoming a living embodiment of peace. It is our effort to express engagement in pertinent social, political and environmental issues, because we believe part of right livelihood is being a living example of the contemplative life. And, part of being a contemplative is avoiding harm to self and other. This includes avoiding harm to other nations and the environment. Please see below:

CR • Contemplatives in Recovery, a Yahoo group that is committed to the emergence of recovery dialog in the contemplative community.

The Bio-Fuels For Peace Project offers free public access to research on bio fuels.  By decreasing our demand for petroleum products we can reduce the anxiety that often drives war based upon supply and demand.

The above domain may not be active yet, so the web pages can be found a this URL:

http://www.greatwesternvehicle.org/rightlivelihood/biofuelsforpeace.htm

The Become Peace Initiative is a peace project that is based upon meditation.  The premise for this mission is to promote the daily practice of meditation.  At issue is we cannot have world peace by fighting for it, or protesting for it. How can we have world peace if we are not peaceful inside?  We cannot.  Thus we must become peace through leading a contemplative life.

Kindest regards Jhananda

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