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Teacher Certification Requirements
for teaching Charismatic Meditation for the GWV
Hello friend, the basic criteria for teacher certification within the GWV is as follows: Attend one 10-day meditation retreat that is led by any of the ordained teachers of the GWV; study the basic discourses on meditation and its attainments written by St. Teresa of Avila, St. John of the Cross, Patanjali and the Buddha (listed below); be familiar with the central doctrine of the GWV; sustain a basic contemplative lifestyle. Each certified teacher of the GWV should not just have read this literature, but should be able to use them to defend the central doctrinal premises of the GWV and be able to quote key passages for that defense, but not necessarily from memory.
The Key Discourses on Meditation:
The Interior Castle, St. Teresa of Avila, translation and introduction by Mirabai Star. Riverhead Books, Published by the Berkley Publishing Group a division of Penguin Group USA Inc. 375 Hudson Street, New York NY 10014, 2003
Dark Night of the Soul, by St. John of the Cross (1542-1591) translated by E. Allison Peers, Image Books, Garden City, New York, 3rd addition, 1959
The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, Translation by Jhanananda
Anapanasati Sutta (MN 118) "Mindfulness of the breath"
Kayagata-sati Sutta (MN 119) "Mindfulness of the Body"
Satipatthana Sutta (MN 10) "the Four Paths of Mindfulness"
Maha-satipatthana Sutta (DN 22), "Larger Discourse on the Four Paths of Mindfulness" updated 10-27-04
Maintaining a contemplative lifestyle:
Each certified teacher of the GWV must sustain a basic contemplative lifestyle as follows: a daily meditation practice for at least one year prior to certification; and leading a contemplative life. A contemplative life is defined as: the study of the philosophy and practices of the contemplative life (pana); self-reflection, sobriety, and the avoidance of harm to self and other (sila); regular practice of meditation; the cultivation of meditative absorption (samadhi); the 7 factors of enlightenment; and the 11 fruits (phala) of the contemplative life. Each teacher must also conform to the GWV's basic doctrinal issues.
The key doctrinal issues of the GWV:
1) The attainment of meditative absorption (jhana/samadhi) and the other seven factors of enlightenment (bojjhanga, sambojjhanaga) and the 11 fruits (phala) of the contemplative life are the very purpose and goal of the practice of meditation and the leading of a contemplative life. It is also to be understood that seven factors of enlightenment (bojjhanga, sambojjhanaga) and the 11 fruits (phala) of the contemplative life are accessible to all people at all times and in all places. There is not "chosen people, or special moment in time that is any more conducive than this person right now who seeks diligently. It must be understood that Right Meditation (samma-samadhi) Concentration leads to Absorption, which leads to Enlightenment
2) The attainment of meditative absorption (jhana/samadhi) is not optional on the path to enlightenment. Among other qualities (7 factors of enlightenment) it is the very definition of enlightenment.
3) The attainment of meditative absorption (jhana/samadhi) is the very definition of the eighth fold of the Noble Eightfold Path.
4) Meditative absorption (jhana/samadhi) is an altered state of consciousness that is the result of successfully practicing concentration (sati), but it is not concentration itself. It is not a specific practice strategy (magga). It is characterized by the arising of pleasant or blissful (piiti) and joyful (sukha) feelings, a relaxed and stress-free body, a calm, still tranquil mind (passaddhi), the arising of various charismatic or non-physical sensory phenomena (jhana-nimitta), the feeling of being so free of stress, tension and anxiety (asukhacaadukkha) that one feels one could meditate thus forever and the arising of various non-material states (raptures), the arising of the 7 factors of enlightenment, and 11 fruits of the contemplative life (phala). These above phenomena were called by the Christian mystics Ôcharisms,' 'ecstasy' or 'gnosis.' Each teacher must be especially familiar withy A Proposed Unifying Theory for the Experience of Gnosis .
5) Meditative absorption (jhana/samadhi) leads to 11 Fruits (Phala) of the Contemplative Life (phala) such as: OOBs (manomaya); clairaudience (dibba-sota); clairvoyance (dibba-cakkhu); (ceto-pariya-ñána); insight (vipassana); Equanimity (upekkha); Fearlessness (nibbhaya); Absorption (jhana/samadhi); Recollection of past lives (s. patisandhi, paticca samuppada); Ending of anxiety; Freedom from unhappiness & suffering (asukhacaadukkha); mental telepathy (ceto-pariya-ñána); Knowledge and vision (nanadassana); etc.
6) Insight (vipassana) is one of the fruits of the contemplative life (phala). It is an intuitive understanding of the philosophy and practices that leads to enlightenment. It is not mindfulness (sati), nor analytical thinking, nor is it a specific practice strategy (magga), such as scanning the body or reflecting upon the three marks (ti-lakkhana) of suffering (dukkha), impermanence (anicca) and no self-identification (anatta).
7) The Buddha did not teach various practice strategies, such as insight (vipassana) and tranquility (samatha). He taught a single practice strategy, which is represented by the Noble Eightfold Path. It is by following that path that one gains various fruits of the contemplative life (phala) including (vipassana) and tranquility (samatha).
Dispelling Common Misconceptions Regarding Insight (vipassana) and Absorption (Jhana/dhyana)
The Lack of Evidence In Support of a 'Dry' Insight Practice
The "Wets verses Drys" in Theravadan Buddhism. Why Does Jhana Represent Conflict?
8) Piiti means "bliss" which is a pleasure of a contemplative nature. It does not mean "rapture."
The Language of Gnosis (October 15, 04)
9) To successfully negotiate the Noble Eightfold Path and become enlightened one MUST gain the seven factors of enlightenment, which necessitates the attainment of meditative absorption (jhana/samadhi).
10) Enlightenment is possible in this and every lifetime. Enlightenment is achieved through successfully following a contemplative life to the point of attaining the 7 factors of enlightenment and the 11 fruits (phala) of the contemplative life.
11) A contemplative life is defined as the study of the philosophy and practices of the contemplative life (pana); self-reflection, sobriety, and the avoidance of harm to self and other (sila); regular practice of meditation, the cultivation of meditative absorption (jhana/samadhi), the 7 factors of enlightenment and the 11 fruits (phala) of the contemplative life.
12) Enlightenment is not a moment in time or a single experience but learning to successfully lead a lifestyle that gives rise to and sustains meditative absorption (jhana/samadhi), the 7 factors of enlightenment and the 10 fruits (phala) of the contemplative life.
13) The lifestyle that leads to enlightenment is the contemplative life, which is represented by the Nobel Eightfold Path.
14 ) All certified teacher of the GWV must be able to describe the contemplative life, the 9 stages of meditative absorption, the 7 factors of enlightenment the 11 fruits of the contemplative life and have a thorough understanding the language of gnosis.
A Chart of the various stages of absorption, Samadhi Chart
A Proposed Unifying Theory for the Experience of Gnosis
The Language of Gnosis (October 15, 04)
15) There is no preliminary stage to meditative absorption such as Access Concentration (upacara-samadhi).
Dispelling the Myth of Access Concentration (upacara-samadhi)
16) The "dark night of the soul," or "descent into hell" is an essential and inescapable stage for any one seeking enlightenment.
Commitment as a Refuge, Dark Night of the Soul in Buddhism (January 1, 2003)
17) All religions have engaged in appropriation, subversion obfuscation and mystification of the teachings of their progenitor. The Abhidhamma and Visuddhimagga are examples of that. Thus the GWV rejects these documents as authoritative commentaries on the teachings of the Buddha and the contemplative life. All certified teacher of the GWV must understand the ways in which religions have engaged in appropriation, subversion obfuscation and mystification of the teachings of their progenitor.
A Critique of the Abhidhamma and Visuddhimagga
The Mystification of Gnosis
Exposing translator bias in the translation of the Pali Canon and other Asian literature (updated 11-10-04)
The Ch'an, Son and Zen Concept of Makyo the "ghost" or "devil's cave" as evidence of the subversion of the Buddha Dhamma.
The Witch-hunt, The Oppression of the Ecstatic Contemplative
Original Buddhism And Brahminic Interference by Dr. K. Jamanadas
18) All certified teacher of the GWV must understand the basic premises of the schools that teach meditation and meditative absorption (jhana/samadhi), and understand why the GWV is different.
A Critical Analysis of the teaching of Jhana
Nine Classes of Religious Expression
Ritualized Devotional practices verses the contemplative life (December 20, 2004)
Introduction
Guidance to Future Dhamma Teachers
The Emergence of Western Teachers of Buddhism
The Fruits (Phala) of the Contemplative Life
An Experiential Look at the Phenomena of Meditative Absorption
Recognizing the Absorption States (jhana) (October 16, 2004)
A Proposed Unifying Theory for the Experience of Gnosis within the Buddha's 8 stages of Meditative Absorption (fana, jhana, samadhi, shamatha)
The Fruits (Phala) of the Contemplative Life (September 13, 2004)
The characteristic manifestations of absorption, Jhana-Nimitta (October 1, 2004)
Kundalini, Understanding the Charismatic Experience
The Contemplative Practices (Magga) of Ecstatic Buddhism
Understanding Right Meditation (samma-samadhi) Concentration leads to Absorption, which leads to Enlightenment (May 9, 2004)
The Nine Classes of Religious Expression
Understanding Dependent Origination (paticca samuppada)
Commitment as a Refuge, Dark Night of the Soul in Buddhism (January 1, 2003)
A Critical Analysis of Buddhism,
The Witch-hunt, The Oppression of the Ecstatic Contemplative
The Language of Gnosis (October 15, 04)
Dispelling Common Misconceptions Regarding Insight (vipassana) and Absorption (Jhana/dhyana)
Understanding Piti and Sukha
Understanding the Pali terms, 'vitakka' and 'vicára' (October 10, 2004)
Anapanasati Sutta (MN 118) "Mindfulness of the breath"
Bahiya Sutta (U 1.10) "Relinquishing Cognition"
Kayagata-sati Sutta (MN 119) "Mindfulness of the Body"
Mahaasaccaka sutta (MN 36), On the pleasure of meditation (jhana), the fruits (phala) of the contemplative life, the Dark Night of the Soul, the Buddha's night of enlightenment and attainment of jhana.
Maha-satipatthana Sutta (DN 22), "Larger Discourse on the Four Paths of Mindfulness" updated 10-27-04
Samaññaphala Sutta (DN 2) "The Discourse on the Fruits of the Contemplative Life"
Satipatthana Sutta (MN 10) "Larger Discourse on the Four Paths of Mindfulness"
Satipatthana Samyutta (SN 8) (8) "The Competent Cook," a Discourse on the signs of absorption (Jhana-nimitta).
The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, Translation by Jhanananda
MAHå-PARINIBBåNA Sutta (DN 16)
aparihániya-dhamma: 'conditions of welfare'
The growth of the bhikkhus is to be expected, not their decline, bhikkhus, so long as they cultivate the seven factors of enlightenment, that is: mindfulness (sati), investigation into the way (dhamma-vicaya), energy (viriya), bliss (piiti), tranquility (passaddhi), meditative absorption (samadhi), and equanimity (upekkha). So long, bhikkhus, as these seven conditions leading to welfare endure among the bhikkhus, and the bhikkhus are known for it, their growth is to be expected, not their decline.