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The Charter for the Contemplative Order of CompassionCHAPTER I 1.01 The Contemplative Order of Compassion (which includes the Spiritus Project Intentional Community and Contemplative Monks of the Eightfold Path) is a non-sectarian, intentional spiritual community, drawing on the Upayayana Buddhist Tradition, Benedictine-Camaldolese and Primitive Franciscan contemplative spirituality and non-dualistic (Advaita) philosophy. The aim of the Order is to actualise the Boddhisattva Ideal by studying, experimenting with, and applying Buddhist Dharma in contemporary life. 1.02 The Order is deeply inspired by the examples of our elder spiritual brothers, His Eminence Tsem Tulku Rinpoche, His Eminence Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche and the Venerable Master Thich Nhat Hanh (whose own order served as the working model for our humble endeavour). 1.03 Ours is a spiritual path based on the revealed wisdom of the Four Noble Truths, and grounded in the traditional Four Spirits; namely, the spirit of non-attachment from views and opinions, the spirit of direct experimentation on the nature of interdependent origination through meditation, the spirit of appropriateness, and the spirit of skillful means. All of these essential elements are found in all Buddhist traditions.
2.01 The Contemplative Order of Compassion does not consider any sutra or group of sutras as its basic scripture(s). It draws inspiration from the essence of the Buddhadharma in all sutras. It does not accept the systematic arrangements of the Buddhist teachings proposed by any school. The Contemplative Order of Compassion seeks to realise the spirit of the Dharma in early Buddhism, as well as in the development of that spirit through the history of the Sangha, and its life and teachings in all Buddhist traditions. 2.02 The Contemplative Order of Compassion considers all sutras, whether spoken by the Buddha Sakyamuni, or compiled by later Buddhist generations, as Buddhist sutras. It is also able to find inspiration from the texts of other spiritual traditions. It considers the development of original Buddhism into new schools a necessity to keep the spirit of Buddhism alive. Only by proposing new forms of Buddhist life can one help the true Buddhist spirit perpetuate. 2.03 The Contemplative Order of Compassion does not consider it necessary to view the narratives found in any sacred texts as literal or historic accounts, including, but not limited to the narratives surrounding the life of the Buddha Sakyamuni or the biblical narratives concerning the life of Rav Yeshua the Christ. Recognising that mythology plays an important role in spiritual teaching, and that storytelling is often employed to illustrate essential truths, we are grateful for the gift of clear insight, which enables us to discern the meaning of the words, rather than reliance on the words themselves. 2.04 The life of the Contemplative Order of Compassion should be nourished by understanding and compassion. Compassion and understanding, radiated by living in accordance with the Buddhist principles, contributes to the peace and happiness of humankind. 2.05 The Order considers the principle of non-attachment from views and the principle of direct experimentation on interdependent origination through meditation to be the two most important guides for attaining true understanding. It considers the principle of appropriateness and the principle of skillful means as guides for actions in society. 2.06 The spirit of non-attachment from views and the spirit of direct experimentation lead to open-mindedness and compassion, both in the realm of the perception of reality and in the realm of human relationships. The spirit of appropriateness and the spirit of skillful means lead to a capacity to be creative and to reconcile, both of which are necessary for the service of living beings. 2.07 The Contemplative Order of Compassion rejects dogmatism in both outlook and actions. It seeks all forms of action that can revive and sustain the true spirit of insight and compassion in life. It considers this spirit to be more important than any Buddhist institution or tradition. With the aspiration of a Bodhisattva, members of the Contemplative Order of Compassion seek to change themselves in order to change society in the direction of compassion, non-suffering and understanding by living a joyful and mindful life.
3.01 To protect and respect the freedom and responsibility of each member of the community, monastics, and lay-people enjoy equality in the Contemplative Order of Compassion. 3.02 The Contemplative Order of Compassion does not recognise the necessity of a mediator between the Buddha or Christ and lay disciples, between humans and ultimate reality. It considers, however, the insight and experiences of ancestral teachers, monks, nuns, and lay-people, as helpful to those who are practising the Dharma. 3.03 Members of the Contemplative Order of Compassion are either in the Monastic Community or the Extended Community (also referred to as Secular Associates). The Monastic Community consists of those who have taken the vow to observe the Five Fundamental Precepts of Dharma, and the Fourteen Monastic Precepts of Mindfulness, and who have been ordained as brothers and sisters in the Order, as Contemplative Monks of the Eightfold Path. 3.04 The Extended Community consists of members who, while trying to live up to the spirit of the Contemplative Order of Compassion, have not formally taken the vow to observe the Fourteen Monastic Precepts of Mindfulness, nor received ordination in the Contemplative Order of Compassion. The members of the Monastic Community accept the responsibility to organise and support a local Sangha, and help sustain Mindfulness Training, days of mindfulness, and mindfulness retreats. The principal name of the common organisation for Secular Associates, which may include members of the monastic community as well, is the Spiritus Project. 3.05 The Extended Community lives in close relationship with the Monastic Community by attending the recitation of the Precepts every two weeks and by participating in spiritual and social events sponsored by the Monastic Community. Long-standing members of the Extended Community, those who have participated regularly for three years or more, should be consulted on an advisory basis on the application of individuals to become members of the Monastic Community, whether or not these long-standing members of the Extended Community have received the Five Fundamental Precepts of Dharma Training. 3.06 Dharmacharyas (Dharma Teachers) are members of the Monastic Community who have been selected as teachers based on their stability in the practice and ability to lead a happy life. They function to inspire joy and stability in the local sanghas. Local sanghas are encouraged to suggest potential Dharmacharyas. 3.07 The Servant-Father (Khenpo) is recognised as the founder and spiritual advisor of the Order, and as an elder brother monk. His title is one of honourific nature, as the High Lama and senior monk of the Sangha. No special authority is granted to the Servant-Father/Khenpo. He is recognised as the legitimate lineage bearer both for the apostolic succession and dharma lineage in the Feral Wisdom Tradition.
4.01 The Precepts of the Contemplative Order of Compassion reflect the life of the Order, which considers spiritual practice as the basis of all social action. 4.02 These Precepts are the heart of the Charter. Members are expected to recite the Five Fundamental Precepts of the Dharma and the Fourteen Monastic Precepts of Mindfulness every two weeks. If there is a three-month lapse in the recitation, their ordination is considered nullified, thus eliminating the difficulty of withdrawal from the ordained life, and thereby reducing the karmic consequences of remaining involved purely out of attempting to avoid the pain of leaving. 4.03 All persons eighteen years old or older, regardless of race, nationality, colour, gender, or sexual orientation, are eligible to join the Order, after a period of six months in the Extended Community, if they have shown the capacity of learning and practising the Precepts and other requirements of Monastic Community, and have formally received the Three Jewels and the Five Fundamental Precepts of the Dharma. 4.04 A candidate begins the application process by announcing his or her aspiration to become a member of the Contemplative Monks of the Eightfold Path. The announcement should be in writing to the local Sangha of the Monastic Community, or if none are located nearby, to the appropriate Dharma Teacher(s). A candidate must have received the Three Jewels and Five Fundamental Precepts of the Dharma. 4.05 One or more Monastic Community members shall then mentor and train the candidate for at least one year, until the candidate is happy and steadfast in the practice and practices in harmony with the Sangha. These steps enable the aspirant to get to know Monastic Community better. Similarly, they enable the Monastic Community to get to know the aspirant better, to offer guidance and support, especially in areas of the practice where the aspirant may need additional guidance, and to train the aspirant in the role of Order member. 4.06 When appropriate, the Monastic Community members and Dharma Teacher(s) will decide, after making an advisory consultation with long-standing members of the Extended Community, whether or not that candidate is ready to begin their one year formation as a Novice Member of the Monastic Community. 4.07 During this year-long program, the candidate receives the robe of a novice, and is formally accepted into the Order. During this more contemplative year, the novice deepens his/her knowledge and appreciation of the Brief Rule of Life, the Constitutions of Order, and the Dharma of Compassion. This stage of formation intensifies the development of the interior life and the practical skills of being a member of an intentional monastic community. It also focuses quite purposefully on the vows of Detachment, Compassion and Service. At the end of the year, and if the novice, mentors and rest of the community concur, (s)he professes Temporary Vows, promising to live the vows over the next three years. 4.08 At the successful conclusion of the three year period of Junior monk status, the Monastic Community members and Dharma Teacher(s) will decide, after making an advisory consultation with long-standing members of the Extended Community, discern whether the Junior Monk is ready to receive ordination into the Contemplative Monks of the Eightfold Path. It is during this period that instruction in the apostolic tradition and formation for priesthood is given to the aspiring monk. 4.09 The work of a Monastic Community member includes Sangha building and support, explaining the Dharma from personal experience, and nourishing the bodhicitta in others while maintaining a regular meditation practice in harmony and peace with one’s family, all as manifestations of the bodhisattva ideal. 4.10 It takes at least five to six years (or longer) before a person can move through the three phases of formation (Candidacy, Novitiate, Post-Novitiate) before (s)he--and the community--can make a final decision. This is by design to give all parties as much input as possible to make an informed and responsible decision. 4.11 When the Monastic Community and the Dharma Teacher(s) make a decision on an application, they will strive to use their Sangha eyes and take care to nourish the bodhicitta (mind of love) of the aspirant, even if a delay in ordination is suggested. Local Sanghas are authorised to embellish the application procedures in this Charter in a manner that reasonably addresses local culture, geography, and circumstances, provided that the goals and aspirations of the Order are not defeated. 4.12 The application provisions set forth in the Charter respecting an individual’s ordination may be waived in individual cases under special circumstances such as medical hardship, provided that, as appropriate, the coordinators of the Executive Council and most appropriate Dharma Teacher(s) are consulted first, and, if time permits, the local or most appropriate Monastic Community members. 4.13 When it has been indicated that the candidate is ready to receive the Order ordination, his or her name shall be reported to the person designated by the Monastic Community Assembly. When an ordination ceremony has taken place, it shall be declared in writing to the Secretary of the Order, giving the name, lineage name, and Dharma name of the ordainee; date and place of the ordination; and the name of the presiding Dharma Teacher. 4.14 Members of the Monastic Community are expected to observe at least sixty days of mindfulness per year. It is recognised that this sixty-day requirement may be difficult for some members to achieve at times, due to family or other responsibilities, and the requirement is intended to be flexible in such cases, if it is agreed upon by the Sangha. 4.15 All members of the Monastic Community are expected to organise and practice with a local Sangha. 4.16 Provided they are consistent with the spirit of the Five Fundamental Precepts of the Dharma and the Fourteen Precepts of Mindfulness, all lifestyles (whether in a committed relationship or celibate) are considered equally valid for Monastic Community members. To support both partners in a relationship, it is helpful if the partner of a Monastic Community member is also a member of the Monastic Community, a member of the Extended Community or, at the minimum, live in harmony with his or her partner and that the member’s partner supports and encourages the member’s practice, evidenced by written support and action.
5.01 At regular intervals, an Assembly of all Monastic Community members should gather for a council. All members shall be notified six months in advance of the date and location of the meeting. Any member unable to attend can appoint a proxy to speak for him or her. 5.02 The process of consensus shall be presented, reviewed, and revised at the beginning of the meeting. Rotating teams of facilitators, one woman and one man, each of different nationality, shall conduct the meeting. 5.03 Minutes of each meeting of the Assembly will be kept as an ongoing record of the life and work of the Contemplative Order of Compassion, and of the Contemplative Monks of the Eightfold Path, in particular. They will be made available to members on request. 5.04 At the Assembly meeting, the Monastic Community will select members to serve on an Executive Council to organise and guide the work of the Contemplative Order of Compassion between Assemblies, and to approve coordinators of the Executive Council from among the members of the Executive Council. 5.05 The Assembly will decide on the specific structure and organisation that will best support the goals of reducing suffering, realising the bodhisattva ideal, and maintaining a strong Sangha network. The Monastic Community will draw on the life maturity and practice maturity of its elders and on the freshness of its younger members for assistance and support, and encourage and benefit from an ongoing Council of Elders and Council of Youth. 5.06 In order to facilitate interaction with the Worldwide Sangha, local Sanghas are encouraged to organise in a manner compatible with the spirit of this Charter. 5.07 To be member of the Monastic Community one is not required to pay financial dues, but dues may be suggested by the Executive Council and the Assembly as dana (donation) to support the work of the Order. All Contemplative Order of Compassion monies, including contributions and dues, are to be held in a separate fund under the name “Contemplative Monks of the Eightfold Path”. A detailed financial report prepared by the Treasurer(s) shall be presented to the membership annually. After administrative costs have been covered, funds of the Order may be used to help local Sanghas offer scholarships to members to attend Order retreats and in their work to relieve suffering. 5.08 Any community properties of the Order should be held under the national and local regulations of its site. To protect those who may be responsible for the management of community properties, all assets, including bank accounts, currency, real estate, vehicles, etc, are to be accounted for using common accounting practices. If and when local Sanghas hold funds for the the Contemplative Order of Compassion/Contemplative Monks of the Eightfold Path, accounting will be kept separately and detailed reports sent yearly to the Treasurer(s) of the Order.
6.01 Every word and every sentence in this Charter is subject to change, so that the spirit of the charter will be allowed to remain alive throughout the history of the practice. Previous versions should be preserved and made available for consultation by later generations. All versions are to be clearly dated for future reference. 6.02 The Fourteen Precepts of Mindfulness and this Charter are to be re-examined at each Assembly of the Monastic Community members. 6.03 This Charter, consisting of six chapters should be revised and amended at each Assembly of the Core Community members in order to keep it relevant to today’s societies. 6.04 In keeping with the tradition of the Sangha, all changes must be made by consensus and not just by simple majority. Established and signed by
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