Vow

The concept of vows is central to the Shinseist religion, and forms an integral part of the spiritual practices of the Brotherhood of Shinsei and other monastic organizations.

Practice
A vow is a promise of sorts, often placing a restriction on the monk who swears by one. Although they are not eternally binding, they are taken seriously by the swearer. Although there is no eternal damnation in breaking a minor vow, the monk will often feel that it is his or her duty to obey it more strictly in the future.

Monks often take certain vows so they may learn certain lessons. For example, a monk may take a vow of silence to better understand the importance of communication and listening. Once the monk feels that he or she has learned that particular lesson, the vow has served its purpose and is no longer followed. The monks of the Three Orders have been known to put themselves in situations that would test their vows, such as entering a battle while under a vow of nonviolence, or working among geisha during a vow of chastity.

The Four Vows
Although most vows are optional and taken individually, the Book of Duties lists what can be considered almost mandatory vows. These vows are collectively known as the Four Vows, and are adhered to by virtually all sects of the Brotherhood of Shinsei, although each sect may have its own interpretation as to what exactly the vows entail.

The First Vow
Living beings are countless; I vow to save them all.

This vow has been intepreted by most Shinseist sects as a vow of non-violence and pacifism or even an endorsement of a vegitarian lifestyle. Monks of the Seven Fortunes carry out this vow through acts of arbitration and diplomacy. Although some sects have taken this vow to advocate redemption for Shadowlands creatures or Tainted beings, other sects such as the Order of Thunder and the Kuni Witch Hunters exclude such creatures from this vow and instead point to the Second Vow for how to deal with them. One sect, known as the Questioners, try to fulfill this vow by interacting with people in order to alter their perception of the universe with odd questions and odder behavior.

The Second Vow
Defilements are endless; I vow to cleanse them all.'

The most common interpretations are as 1) an admonishment of material pleasures, thus leading to vows of poverty or chastity; 2) an encouragement to retreat from humanity and serve as an exemplar through one's own enlightenment; 3) as an endorsement of interacting with society to counteract impure influences; 4) as a call to deal with the disharmony caused by unquiet spirits; or 5) as a call to arms against the blatant defilements of the Shadowlands, as advocated by the Order of Thunder and the Kuni Witch Hunters.

The Third Vow
Shinsei's teachings are unlimited; I vow to learn them all.

Another version of this vow is "the teachings are infinite; I vow to learn them all", leading to the common interpretation of this vow is as both an encouragement to study and acquire knowledge. An example of this in practice is the view of the Four Temples monks, who seek knowledge in all forms and thus have temples that are not only places of worship but libraries and archives. Another common interpretation is that of strict readings of the Tao, which almost all sects undertake. Other sects, such as the Questioners, instead theorize that Shinsei intended for the Tao to serve only as the start of wisdom, not the end.

The Fourth Vow
''The path of enlightenment is supreme; I vow to attain it.'

All sects seek enlightenment in their own ways, and although many sects have their own methods, the recent rise of the Five Keepers and the Keeper of the Five Rings has demonstrated that there may be no one set path to enlightenment, or that there may be many.