The Contemplative Monks of the Eightfold Path represents the monastic expression of the Contemplative Order of Compassion, whose purpose is to inspire and empower people from all cultures, walks of life and backgrounds to live and work from a spiritual foundation, in accord with our inherent compassionate human nature. We believe that every aspect of our lives, including work and recreation, can become an exercise in spiritual wisdom, devotion, compassion and service.

It is our desire to transform our lives, and in so doing, to positively impact the lives of those we touch. We dedicate our lives to the common vow that as long as there is suffering, we will be a guard for those who are without protection, a guide for those who journey on the road, a bridge for those who wish to cross the river of suffering to liberation, and a lamp for those who long for the light. To be able to help all sentient beings realise an end to their suffering, we vow to remain in the cycle of life, death and rebirth, until suffering exists no more.

One of the great strengths and unique characteristics of the Buddhist philosophy has been its ability to adapt to each new culture it encounters. Throughout history, it has evolved and taken many new forms in order to reach people of widely different backgrounds, without compromising the simplicity, integrity and wisdom of its essential truths.

The Sanskrit word sangha is used to denote the gathered assembly of monks. As an intentional monastic community, focused on the challenge to adapt ourselves to a rapidly changing world, while embracing detachment from material concerns and devotion to the Bodhisattva ideal, we refer to the members of the Contemplative Monks of the Eightfold Path as the Sangha, and refer to the "noble assembly", that is the combined assembly of monastics and non-monastic followers of the dharma, as the Satsang (Highest Assembly).

Our monks differ in temperament, cultural background, customs, abilities, gifts and specific traits. Our charism is not a specific task, but a diverse expression of the indwelling sacredness that is the Ground of Our Being, and motivated by our vows to remain until the suffering of all sentient beings is eliminated forever. We live as brothers and sisters among ourselves, to all people, and to all of Creation. As an intentional community, we take to heart the responsibility of encouraging one another to be people of compassion, peace and loving-kindness.

We see every person as a sacred gift, an expression of the Divine Love from which all things exist. We accept one another, and all beings as they are, and as equals. Our vision is one in which the whole community, and from there, the world becomes the privileged space for encountering the sacred in this lifetime.

As postmodern monastics, we seek to respond to the teachings of Buddha and Christ by combining the contemplative spirit of monasticism with active service to others.

We represent a departure from traditional western monastic orders in that we are non-theistic and do not mandate celibacy from our monastics.

We do not concern ourselves with or embrace the notion of a separate, personal Creator-God or Goddess, who created all things according to the legends and myths of primitive superstitions, which eventually became the world's religions.

We recognise the existence of Eternal Energy or Pure Love -- sometimes referred to as the Ground of Being, universal Consciousness or even as Matter-- out of which the cycle of life, death and rebirth has its eternal existence.

When we consider the question of what accounts for the evolution of the universe as we now know it... where the loose particles in space, which formed those first elements of life came from, we speak of the Sacred Condition which makes it possible for that substantial cause to occur. We call that condition the awareness of sentient beings, or "the Eternal Principle". We see this Sacred Ground of Our Being as existing without beginning. A more scientific term for that Divine Love is "matter" or "nature".

We also recognise and respect the references of other philosophies and religious sects to "God" or "Goddess", seeing them as metaphors for the beginningless energy of Pure Love or Eternal Matter. It could be said then, that we see the "divine" as the Sacred Indwelling Awareness of every sentient being. We therefore strive to show respect for every person to find the spiritual expression that works for them. Recognising for many people, that spiritual expression includes the imagery of supernatural or divine beings, we are committed to showing respect for those for whom theistic spirituality "works".

We may, in our teaching, even use the word "God" on occasion, depending on our audience, but always with the understanding that we are not referring to a superstitious or primitive belief in a magical, omniscent or Cosmic Creator, but to the Creative Impulse or Intelligence that we all possess, and which exists in all things, visible and invisible.

We embrace the Four Noble Truths as the foundation of our philosophy. We recognise the Buddhist pursuit of the Eightfold Path and the practice of cultivating compassion through training the mind, as the basis of our practice and philosophy.

We believe that the authentic and often obscured teachings of the Great Master Rav Yeshua ben Yusef (Rabbi Jesus the Nazarene) are wholly consistent with and identical in substance and merit to those of Buddha Sakyamuni. We recognise Jesus as the Anointed One (the Christ), who brought these sacred teachings of mindfulness, compassion, forgiveness and liberation from the superstitious beliefs in terroristic and violent, judgmental "gods" to the West. We do not embrace the notion of Jesus as a saviour or incarnation of a Creator God, because we do not believe in a Creator God. Instead we see Jesus as the incarnation or emanation of Love Itself.

We acknowledge the Eternal Truth that each of us possesses the same ability to realise our Buddha Nature (Enlightenment) and our Christ Nature (Anointed Awareness of our own Indwelling Divinity). We therefore honour the Buddha, the Christ and the Mother of Compassion (represented by the Immaculata or Kuan Yin) and the beloved Je Tsong Khapa, as our greatest teachers.
We do not "worship" them, we simply honour them, as we do our ancestors, our gurus, our parents and all those who teach us every day.

We come from various backgrounds, social and religious affiliations. We are a community that embraces cultural, sexual, racial and ethnic diversity. We are open, affirming and committed to the vision of such remarkable individuals as Je Tsongkhapa, Rabbi Jesus the Nazarene, Francis and Clare of Assisi, Mahatma Gandhi, Mother Teresa of Calcutta, Tenzin Yangchen, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Oscar Romero, Thomas Merton, Thich Nhat Hanh, Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche, Tsem Tulku Rinpoche, and His Holiness the XIV Dalai Lama -- to make this world a better place, by treating all people with compassion, loving-kindness, forgiveness and understanding... to work for non-violent change, and take a stand for social justice.