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Monks
Monks in Rokugan were the followers of Shinsei [1] and seekers of enlightenment. [2] They could be peasants or former samurai, [3] who became priests, temple caretakers, charity workers in their local community, librarians, teachers, or pilgrims. [4] Monastic orders were fairly common throughout Rokugan, especially in the lands of the Dragon and Phoenix Clans. They renounced on worldly affairs and search for greater truth within the universe and themselves. Some monks trained in the arts of battle to unify their bodies and minds, and even wielded powerful kihō, unlocking their inner energy to shape the universe around them. [5] [6]
Vows[]
Individuals might become monks at any point in their lives. They must swear vows of nonviolence, poverty, chastity, honesty, temperance, and austerity; shave their heads; garb themselves in white, brown, or saffron; and dedicate themselves to a teacher. [7] Initiates of a monastic order usually changed their name as they left their old life and family behind. [8] While it was common for samurai to join monastic orders upon retirement, some people joined monasteries very young and grew up in this cloistered environment. [9]
Duties[]
Some monks were outward-facing: they ministered to lay Shinseist flocks, conducted festivals and funerals, offered counseling, and maintained public temples. Other monks were inward-facing: they sequestered themselves in monasteries and devoted their entire life to contemplating Shinsei's lessons, recopying Shinseist texts for popular consumption, and undertaking other activities of meditation and improvement. [7]
The Daily Lives of Monks[]
Amonk who was part of a temple of reverence, devoted to prayer and the upkeep of spiritual matters used to rise early in the morning, to gather with other monks to recite prayers and words of worship. After morning prayers, the monk cleansed their personal spaces and any spiritually important spaces on the temple grounds. After the daily cleaning, the monks presented offerings, and later the monks ate breakfast, which was commonly vegetarian. After breakfast, the monks would travel to the village to offer blessings, spiritual guidance, and to perform funeral rites or other relevant matters. Monasteries near villages performed monthly prayers on the anniversaries of the villagers' loved ones' deaths. Further villages were visited once per month. Villagers offered food and other necessities to the monks. In remote monasteries the monks spent their time in meditation. As evening approached, the monks prepared for the evening worship. Afterwards, the monks cleaned the altar room once more. Finally, the monks ended their days with personal prayers and then rested. [10]
Monk Acolytes[]
Monks nominally stood aside from society, but many samurai entered monastic life, most commonly toward the end of their lives, but some much earlier. As a result, at various points in history, monks had been known to wield considerable political influence. [11] Monk Acolytes had put aside their clan affiliation, shaved their head, and became a monk, living out their remaining days in quiet introspection and contemplation. Such individuals were greatly revered, being sought by younger samurai for their guidance and wisdom. [12]
Fortunism and Shinseism[]
Fortunist monks revered and worshipped the Fortunes, a fundamentally outward-looking philosophy focused on understanding the surrounding world. Shinseist monks were devotees of the teachings of Shinsei, more inward looking than Fortunism, seeking Enlightenment from within. To be one with the universe in th is way was the most natural thing in the world. [13]
School Abilities[]
- Blessing of the Fortunes - Fortunist
- Embrace the Void - Shinseist
Monks of Rokugan[]
Monks outside Rokugan[]
| Nation | School |
|---|---|
| Yobanjin | Laughing Mountain Hearthstone Tradition |
See also[]
References
- ↑ Legend of the Five Rings - Roleplaying, pp. 14-15
- ↑ Beginner Game (Akodo Masako portfolio)
- ↑ The Topaz Championship (Beginner Game adventure)
- ↑ Legend of the Five Rings - Roleplaying, p. 89
- ↑ Legend of the Five Rings: Roleplaying Game (Beta), p. 197
- ↑ Beginner Game: Rulebook, p. 43
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Emerald Empire: The Essential Guide to Rokugan, p. 169
- ↑ Emerald Empire: The Essential Guide to Rokugan, p. 187
- ↑ Adventures in Rokugan, p. 166
- ↑ Writ of the Wilds, p. 131
- ↑ Legend of the Five Rings - Roleplaying, p. 56
- ↑ Emerald Empire: The Essential Guide to Rokugan, p. 250
- ↑ Emerald Empire: The Essential Guide to Rokugan, pp. 237-238
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