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Daenism
Dharma2
Theistic philosophy Non-theistic
Major Prophets Bahram Bidar, Shapur, Shahriar
Scripture Sutra of Daena, Esoteric Sutra, Treatise on Suffering, numerous works of philosophic and religious thought
Governance Concilliar and monastic
Region Aldegar, Tukarali, Gaduridos, Indrala, Gao-Soto, Sekowo, Dankuk, Saridan, Keymon
Founder Bahram Bidar
Founded first century CE
Denominations Upayanâ, Mazdâyanâ, Zenshō
Branched from Yazdism
Liturgical language Classical Aldegarian, Classical Kunikata, Indralan

Daenism (Aldegarian: Dīn-e bīdāri Dīn-e Bīdāri, Yingdalan: 法教 Hōkyō or Fǎjiào) is a major religion and philosophical system including a number of diverse traditions, beliefs and practices based on the teachings of the Bidar.

Born in Aldegar in the first century of the common era, Daenism was formed as a result of the interaction of a diverse set of philosophical and religious schools of thoughts amid a culture dominated by early Yazdism. The focus of most schools of Daenism is the liberation of humanity from suffering and its causes, escaping the cycle of rebirth and achieving enlightenment.

Significant variation and diversity exists between different schools but the fundamentals of the philosophy are prevalent in all major schools, namely the "Three Jewels": the Bīdār (the enlightened one), the Daēnā (the teachings), and the Sanghā (the community). Since its origin in the ancient period, Daenism has spread across the world and particularly throughout Dovani to become one of the world's largest religions.

History[]

Daenism is named after daena, the Aldegarian word for insight and revelation. Daenism was born out of the constellation of philosophies and religious beliefs that developed under Phraatid rule in the first century CE. The religion was founded by Bahram, an Aldegarian noble who, after observing the suffering of ordinary people, renounced his wealth and position, beginning a spiritual pursuit into the causes of suffering. After studying under the famous religious figures of his day left him dissatisfied, and after a period of extreme asceticism also failed do put an end to suffering, he finally achieved enlightenment after days of meditation, thereby liberating himself from the cycle of reincarnation and rising as a Bīdār, a fully enlightened being. Bahram then gathered a number of followers, creating the first Daenic Sangha, and began teaching his Daena throughout northern Aldegar. After his death, his followers continued spreading his teachings throughout Seleya and then into Dovani, where it interacted with traditional Gao-Showan beliefs, resulting in Zenshō Daenism, a uniquely syncretic belief.

Beliefs[]

Daenism's roots lie in the Zamani sect of Yazdism, a thoroughly dualistic belief system according to which the human soul is a battleground between Light and Darkness; by renouncing material temptations, the battle is won on the side of Light. Expanding on this belief, Daenism considers desire to be the root of all suffering. Any human activity will eventually lead to suffering, even the most pleasurable ones. By following the Middle Path and the Daena of the Bidar, all sentient beings can achieve enlightenment, i.e. liberation from desire and therefore from the cycle of reincarnation, and thus achieve Nejāt (Nirvana).

Shahriar Indrala

Indralan representation of Shahriar as the Bidarhasti of Light, 10th century

Key Concepts[]

Daēnā[]

Daēnā (Ancient Aldegarian: Daēnā; Modern Aldegarian: Dīn, Dīn; Gao-Indralan: 法) is a central concept in Yazdism, and it was also adopted in Daenism. Daena literally means insight and revelation, and in Aldegarian it is the standard word for "religion", which meaning was later carried into Majatran and Jelbic languages. In Daenism, daena refers to cosmic law and order, but it is also applied to the teachings of the Bidar. Daena also refers to the awareness of the observer (witness) yet inclusive of mind, body, senses and surroundings, however not identified with it.

Hamjariān[]

Hamjariān (Aldegarian: Hamjariān, Gao-Indralan: 輪迴), literally meaning "going or wandering through" or "continuous movement", refers to the continual repetitive cycle of birth and death that arises from ordinary beings' grasping and fixating on a self and experiences. Hamjarian arises out of ignorance and is characterized by suffering, and liberation from hamjarian is possible by following the Daenic path.

Kār[]

The force that drives hamjarian in Daenism is Kār (Aldegarian: Kār, Gao-Indralan: 業), literally meaning "action" or "work". Good or bad actions create seeds in the mind that eventually come into fruition, either in this life or in a future incarnation. Following the Daenic path one can cultivate good actions.

Nejāt[]

GaoSoto BIdar

Bidar statue from Gao-Soto

Nejāt (Aldegarian: Nejāt, Gao-Indralan: 入寂), literally meaning "cessation" or "extinction", refers to the goal of Daenism, defined as the event or process of the elimination of attachment, aversion, and ignorance. Once nejat is achieved, one is released from the cycle of rebirth and suffering comes to an end.

Four Noble Truths[]

The Bidar is credited with discovering the Four Noble Truths (Čahār-e dorosti-ye ēr, 四聖諦) in his meditation and thus experiencing Nejāt. The purpose of the Four Noble Truths is to enable beings to escape Hamjariān. The Four Noble Truths are the following:

  • All life is suffering
  • The origin of suffering is craving conditioned by suffering
  • Cessation of suffering is possible
  • The path to the cessation of suffering is the Noble Threefold Path.

Noble Threefold Path[]

In summary, the Noble 3-fold Path is being moral (through what we say, do and our livelihood), focusing the mind on being fully aware of our thoughts and actions, and developing wisdom by understanding the Four Noble Truths and by developing compassion for others. The Path is taken to be the cure to the Three Poisons, the main cause of suffering, namely ignorance, aversion, and desire. The Noble Threefold Path takes the central ethical aspect of Yazdism, adapting it to a Daenic worldview. The Noble Threefold Path is the following:

  • Good Thoughts
  • Good Words
  • Good Deeds

Bīdār[]

A Bīdār (Aldegarian: Bīdār, Gao-Indralan: 毘) is considered to be a fully enlightened being, who by purifying his mind of the Three Poisons has achieved Nejāt and escaped Hamjariān, ending his own suffering. Bahram Bidar, the historical Bidar, is not considered to be the only one, as Daenic tradition holds that there are numerous Bidars, most of them of celestial, rather than historical, origin. The next Bidar is believed to be Mehr Bidar, who will arise once all Daena is forgotten on Terra. In Mazdâyanâ tradition, the Bidar is seen as far beyond a mere human, but the earthly projection of a beginningless and endless, omnipresent being beyond the range and reach of thought.

Bīdārhasti[]

Ardwisur

Ardwisur, the Bidarhasti of Compassion

Bīdārhasti (Aldegarian: Bīdārhasti, Gao-Indralan: 毘薩), meaning "enlightened existence", refers to one who is on the path to bidarhood. In traditional Daenism, the term bidarhasti is reserved for the Bidar's previous lives. In Mazdâyanâ, a bidarhasti is a being who decides to forgo enlightenment for as long as there are unenlightened sentient beings, choosing to be reborn as many times as necessary to guide sentient beings towards enlightenment.

Organization[]

Tukarali monks

Daenic monks in Tukarali

There is no Daenic church, only independent monasteries and temples; Daenism has monks and priests, but no church hierarchy.


Daenism in Terra[]

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