The Brotherhood of Shinsei was a religious organization that governed and oversaw the thousands of temples, shrines and monasteries of Rokugan. It was named after Shinsei, the monk who led the Seven Thunders to victory over Fu Leng at the dawn of the Empire. Devoted to the study of the Tao of Shinsei, the worship of the kami no michi and the pursuit of enlightenment, the Brotherhood was the preeminent spiritual body in the Empire.

Contents 1 History 1.1 Origin 1.2 Clan War 1.3 War Against the Shadow 2 Philosophy 2.1 Vows 3 Sects 3.1 Fudoism 4 Details 4.1 Monk Schools 4.2 Other Notable Orders 4.3 Members of the Brotherhood 5 References

History Edit

Origin Edit

Those who had personally met Shinsei were moved by his words and continued his work. Shrines, libraries, and temples that had already been independently erected in honor of Shinsei, were put to use by Shinsei's successors in hopes of helping each person to achieve enlightenment. Over time, these successors became known as his brothers and sisters and the appellation "Brotherhood of Shinsei" was adopted and widely accepted. ^[1]

Clan War Edit

For one thousand years, the Brotherhood began preparing for the next Day of Thunder. During the Clan War Yogo Junzo sought to slay Shinsei's descendant and numerous Shinseist temples were razed to the ground. In time, the Hooded Ronin revealed himself and defeated Fu Leng in the Second Day of Thunder alongside the Seven Thunders. ^[1]

War Against the Shadow Edit

During the War Against Shadow the Brotherhood lent its wisdom and power to the might of the Great Clans. Takao, Head of the Brotherhood of Shinsei defeated Lord Moon's avatar becoming the Master of Five. ^[1]

Philosophy Edit

The monks of the Brotherhood sought understanding and harmony, and through that path, some among their number discovered enlightenment. ^[2]

Vows Edit

Shinseism was a religion with no dogma and relatively few inherent strictures for its practitioners. The Book of Duties listed the responsibilities of Shinseist monks, but each sect interpreted the Tao's instructions differently, with the vows of one sect differing wildly from the next. All sects adhered to the Four Vows, which were considered central to a monk's duties: to save all living beings, to eliminate defilements, to learn Shinsei's teachings, and to seek enlightenment. ^[3]

Sects Edit

The Brotherhood was not a single cohesive whole, but instead consisted of numerous sects and orders. Traditionally, the Four Temples of Kyuden Seppun acted as the "voice" of the Brotherhood of Shinsei when it acted as one or was represented in the courts. ^[4] The Brotherhood's primary goals were to foster spiritual enlightenment and cultural improvements, and the monks eschewed materialism or politics. ^[5]

Fudoism Edit

A monk severed from the Brotherhood for his heretic thoughts, Fudo, ^[6] created his own sect, the Fudoism, which became popular in the Colonies during the Age of Conquest. ^[7] It led to heated discussions among certain sects as to what the Brotherhood's response should be. ^[8]

Details Edit

Monk Schools Edit

Monk schools were very different from traditional samurai schools. The schools were usually a network of temples or a specific temple where the monk recieved induction into the monastic life. ^[4]

• The Four Temples
• The Shrine of the Seven Thunders
• The Temple of Kaimetsu-uo
• The Temple of Osano-Wo
• The Temples of the Thousand Fortunes

Other Notable Orders Edit

• The Order of Resolution ^[9]
• The Order of Strength, devoted to Bishamon ^[10]
• The Order of Heroes, devoted to Goemon ^[10]
• The Order of Rebirth, devoted to Tsukune. ^[11]

Members of the Brotherhood Edit

See Members of the Brotherhood of Shinsei for a listing of notable monks.

See Leaders of the Brotherhood of Shinsei for a listing of the notable leaders throughout time.

References

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