Please consider supporting the Great Western
Vehicle:
In this culture begging is not at all considered a noble livelihood. When
Sidharta Gotama articulated his Noble Eightfold Path he defined right livelihood
as engaging in the spiritual endeavor full-time. Since religious institutions,
where men and women could engage in the contemplative life, did not exist
within his culture during his time, he came up with the idea of begging
for alms to support his growing community of contemplatives. To this day
the practice of begging for alms is still a central practice within Theravadan
Buddhism.
In the West we have had a long tradition of supporting monastics in the
Catholic Church. Unfortunately the Catholic Church burned most of the accomplished
contemplatives in Europe from AD 980 until 1700. Thus the European peoples
have forgotten their contemplative practices. Thus, monastics are too often
treated as nothing more than servants.
Buddhism has not forgotten its contemplative tradition, however it has clearly
lost the purpose of the contemplative life if all three vehicles reject
the ecstasies (jhanas), which were the Buddha's very definition of the 8th
fold of the Noble Eightfold Path (dhamma) (DN
22.21). Therefore there really is no place, other than the wilderness,
where a contemplative at this time, who is intent upon enlightenment in
this very lifetime, can engage in a contemplative life with the intent of
cultivating the ecstasies (jhanas), which are THE path to enlightenment
according to the Buddha (DN
22.21).
While I am endeavoring to forage for my subsistence, like all humans did
prior to the invention of agriculture, I am none-the-less reduced to begging
for my subsistence, like the Buddha and his ancient followers. If you are
inspired to make a contribution to further what I hope will be a life-long
contemplative life and a Western vehicle of Buddhism, as well as a growing
community of Western contemplatives intent upon enlightenment in this very
life-time, then please send your enquiries or donations to the address below:
Jhananda (Jeffrey S. Brooks)
the Great Western Vehicle
PO Box 2883
Prescott, AZ 86302, USA
Or, for your convenience all you need do
is log onto PayPal
and make your donation to the email addresses below:
Jhananda@greatwesternvehicle.org
If you would like to know where your donations go in support of Jhanananda (Jeffrey S. Brooks) and the Great Western Vehicle, then please see the Strategic Plan of the Great Western Vehicle
May you become enlightened in this very life-time,
Jhanananda (Jeffrey S, Brooks)
for the Great Western Vehicle