Sanātanashan; Elven Religion And You

Subject: Sanātanashan; Elven Religion And You Mon Apr 20, 2015 5:37 pm

(Sauna-Tin-Ashen)

The Sanātana Morita is considered to be the 'way of life' that all Morlein elves aspire to live by. Sanātanashan is a diverse system of thought with beliefs spanning monotheism, polytheism, panentheism, pantheism, pandeism, monism, and atheism among others; and its concept of God is complex and depends upon each individual and the tradition and philosophy followed. It is sometimes referred to as henotheistic (i.e., involving devotion to a single god while accepting the existence of others), but any such term is an overgeneralization.

The Sanātana Nasadiya or the Creation Hymn is a part of the Orwè Veda, the sacred religious text of the Morlein elves. It is one of the earliest texts which "demonstrates a sense of metaphysical speculation" about what created the universe, the concept of god(s) and The One, and whether even The One knows how the universe came into being. The veda praises various deities, none superior nor inferior, in a henotheistic manner. The hymns repeatedly refer to One Truth and Reality. The "One Truth" of Morlein literature, in modern era scholarship, has been interpreted as monotheism, monism, as well as a deified Hidden Principles behind the great happenings and processes of nature.

The elves believe that all living creatures have a soul. This soul – the spirit or true "self" of every person, is called the Runî. The soul is believed to be eternal. According to the monistic/pantheistic theologies of Sanātanashan, this Runî is indistinct from Seeth, the supreme spirit and firstborn of the Morlein. The goal of life, according to the Sanātana Nasadiya , is to realise that one's soul is identical to supreme soul, that the supreme soul is present in everything and everyone, all life is interconnected and there is oneness in all life. They worship the Supreme Being variously as Seeth, Orhïm, Shivnu, or Shakara, depending upon the sect one is born into. All of these names however, are believed to be reincarnations of Seeth of Morhim, The First-Born.

The Sanātanashan scriptures refer to celestial entities called Devas, which may be translated into Common as "gods" or "heavenly beings". The Devas are an integral part of Morlein culture and are depicted in art, architecture and through icons, and mythological stories about them are related in the scriptures, particularly in elven epic poetry and the Puranas. The Purnas are essentially referred to as 'long poems' dedicated to the elven ancestors as well as the deities.

Subject: Re: Sanātanashan; Elven Religion And You Tue Apr 21, 2015 3:26 pm

Sanātanashan Beliefs and Philosophy

Karma and Rimaragr

Karma translates literally as action, work, or deed, and also refers to a philosophical theory of "moral law of cause and effect". The theory is a combination of causality that may be ethical or non-ethical; Ethicization, that is good or bad actions have consequences; and rebirth. Karma theory is interpreted as explaining the present circumstances of an individual with reference to his or her actions in past. These actions may be those in a person's current life, or, in some cases, possibly actions in their past lives; furthermore, the consequences may result in current life, or a person's future lives. This cycle of birth, life, death and rebirth is called Goten-na. Libration from Goten-na through Rimaragr (Freedom) is believed to ensure lasting happiness and peace. Elven scriptures teach that the future is both a function of current effort derived from free will and past actions that set the circumstances.

Rimaragr

The ultimate goal of life, referred to as Rimaragr, which translates loosely to 'Liberation' in Common, is understood in several different ways: As the realization of one's union with the gods; As the realization of one's eternal relationship with the gods; Realization of the unity of all existence; Perfect unselfishness and knowledge of the Self; As the attainment of perfect mental peace, and as detachment from worldly desires. Such realization liberates one from the cycle of Goten-na, thereby ending the cycle of rebirth, sorrow and suffering. Due to belief in the indestructibility of the soul, death is deemed insignificant with respect to the cosmic self.

The Pact of Orhïm

Sworn by the elves in honor of the forest deity, in return for his patronage. The pact dictates that the Morlein cannot kill, injure, or eat any vegetation. A law has been passed allowing the importation of timber to compensate for construction purposes. The conditions of this pact are as follow;

I. Only animal-based products may be consumed.
II. Prohibits the use of wood or other vegetable derivatives as building materials. (Outlawed)
II. Forbidden to harm trees and plant life for their own betterment.
IV. Forbidden to smoke anything of a vegetable nature.

The Pact of Orhïm has heavily impacted Morlein cuisine, combat, weaponry and construction. The Morlein have developed methods of fermenting meat and milk to develop powerful alcoholic beverages, and their weapons such as bows are often made of treated and shaped bones or light metals. Elves are also dependent on either stone or imported timber for construction purposes.

The Sanātana Morita

Yamas, and its complement, Niyamas, represent The Sanātana Morita, a series of "right living" or ethical rules within Sanātanashan. These are a form of moral imperatives, commandments, rules or goals. The five Yamas of the classical Sanātanashan system are committments that affect the elf's relations with others. The five Niyamas of Sanātanashan's system are personal obligations to live well.

The five Yamas consist of the following;

I. Ahiṃsā: Nonviolence, non-harming other living beings without good reason.
II. Satya: Truthfulness, non-falsehood. Elves feel the deception of others should be considered immoral and 'wrong'.
III. Asteya: Non-stealing. Elves believe that taking from others lowers one's Karma, and may result in indirect punishment. Elves are also considered non-materialists, having little need for material goods.
IV. Brahmacharya: Abstinence, non-cheating on one's partner. Elves are not polygamists and do not support the idealism, as this falls into the deception category.
V. Aparigraha: Non-avarice, non-possessivenes. As mentioned earlier, Elves are non-materialistic. Currency and materialistic luxuries mean little to the Morlein people.

The five Niyamas consist of the following;

I. Śauca: Purity, clearness of mind, speech and body.
II. Santoṣa: Contentment, acceptance of others and of one's circumstances as they are, optimism for self.
III. Tapas: Persistent meditation, perseverance, austerity.
IV. Svādhyāya: Study of self, self-reflection, introspection of self's thoughts, speeches and actions.
V. Īśvara: Contemplation and reverence of the Gods.