Monk's Teachings: Knowing One's Self [Archive] - Wizards Community

Monk's Teachings: Knowing One's Self [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
The_Yellow_Dart_Swinger
11-18-03, 10:33 AM Well, I have come up with the idea of playing an elven monk who created his own teachings over the course of a couple hundred years or so.

I wanted the teachings to be something of a guideline of how someone would "know" themselves and would be up to interpitation and would be kind of cryptic in the wording. I wanted to have at least 8 principle areas. Some things I was thinking of but not final in any means were:

Mind vs Body- Since the teachings mostly deal with the spiritual side, you have to know how this would help the physical side.

Desire- To know yourself you have to know what you really want and why you wish to know yourself.

Law vs Chaos- When dealing with ones innerself.

So thats what I need help on is making these teachings So thanks in advance.
Trydan
11-18-03, 10:51 AM Try searching online for proverbs, sayings or other ancient wisdom. The proverbs of Confucious (sp?) could be a good place to start. Then look for common concepts, and replace modern (sic) concepts with D&D concepts and take it from there.

For example:

"Give a man to fish, and he has food for a day... teach a man to fish and he has food for a lifetime."

could become

"The dragon slayer works hard for each meal... the dragon tamer feasts on dragon eggs every breakfast".

Okay, that was a bit weak, but you get the idea.
TheMightyMcClaw
11-19-03, 05:39 PM I'd recomend picking up a pocket book of buddhist, taoist, or confucian wisdom. I bring a pocket taoist reader along with my gaming books for an OA campaign I'm running....
Toptomcat
11-19-03, 09:40 PM Wisdom need not be gnomic or inpenitrable to be wisdom- in fact, the most useful wisdom, given by the most enlightened and accomplished monks, gives valuable advice without ever resorting to metaphor or cryptic sayings.
Morka
11-20-03, 09:29 AM Help a man when he's in need, he'll remember you when he'll be in need again!
:D
Araciel
11-20-03, 07:14 PM it sounds like your basic principles deal with buddhism.

though the concepts of buddhism ARE the eightfold path

but a buddhist monk would not learn to fight really...haha
Bladesinger Boy
11-20-03, 11:21 PM Araciel, good to see someone else actually knows about Buddhism. Yeah, sounds like a great idea for any Monk. I'd lever thought of that for a PC; having a character live so long and be so successful, they start their own religion. If you're looking for stuff to borrow, the two main goals are Enlightenment and Compassion, but these may help define stuff too:
Eightfold Path
Four Noble Truths (especially #3: Karma and #4: the shortcomings of Samsara = life sucks)
Six Precepts
Five Hinderances

http://buddhism.about.com/ has a lot of useful links and info about Buddhism for those interested.

You may be able to justify some combat as an act of compassion (ie. killing an evil person that would have created much more suffering if left alive could be considered compassionate).
Araciel
11-21-03, 12:10 AM not to get into too much of a philosophical debate, but causing that evil person harm would be very dispassionate...

BUT it's not buddhism we're talking about, its something that can be loosely based on it

(ps. we make it our business, as canadians, to be informed about other cultures, right?)
The_Yellow_Dart_Swinger
11-21-03, 12:54 AM I have to thank you guys for giving me a good place to start, I hadn't thought of basing it off another religion somewhat, i'll have to look into the buddhist link tomorrow.
red_wizard69
11-25-03, 07:44 PM religion stinks.But I suppose it is a pretty cool concept. Would be pretty damn good for plot.
strange_person
11-28-03, 04:17 PM Well, I came up with seven-part a code of ethics for the Roofrunner (unique PrC from Traps and Treachery, a book by Fantasy Flight Games) in about 15 minutes, scribbling on the back of a notepad; then again that's how I come up with most of my ideas.
Knight Marshal
11-28-03, 07:42 PM A fish saved my life once!
How?
I ate him! :D

Tie two birds together and thought they have four wings, they cannot fly.
Impeesa
11-29-03, 08:01 PM "An opponent who is too broken to move is an opponent who is defeated." :D

--Impeesa--

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
The_Yellow_Dart_Swinger 11-18-03, 10:33 AM	Well, I have come up with the idea of playing an elven monk who created his own teachings over the course of a couple hundred years or so. I wanted the teachings to be something of a guideline of how someone would "know" themselves and would be up to interpitation and would be kind of cryptic in the wording. I wanted to have at least 8 principle areas. Some things I was thinking of but not final in any means were: Mind vs Body- Since the teachings mostly deal with the spiritual side, you have to know how this would help the physical side. Desire- To know yourself you have to know what you really want and why you wish to know yourself. Law vs Chaos- When dealing with ones innerself. So thats what I need help on is making these teachings So thanks in advance.
Trydan 11-18-03, 10:51 AM	Try searching online for proverbs, sayings or other ancient wisdom. The proverbs of Confucious (sp?) could be a good place to start. Then look for common concepts, and replace modern (sic) concepts with D&D concepts and take it from there. For example: "Give a man to fish, and he has food for a day... teach a man to fish and he has food for a lifetime." could become "The dragon slayer works hard for each meal... the dragon tamer feasts on dragon eggs every breakfast". Okay, that was a bit weak, but you get the idea.
TheMightyMcClaw 11-19-03, 05:39 PM	I'd recomend picking up a pocket book of buddhist, taoist, or confucian wisdom. I bring a pocket taoist reader along with my gaming books for an OA campaign I'm running....
Toptomcat 11-19-03, 09:40 PM	Wisdom need not be gnomic or inpenitrable to be wisdom- in fact, the most useful wisdom, given by the most enlightened and accomplished monks, gives valuable advice without ever resorting to metaphor or cryptic sayings.
Morka 11-20-03, 09:29 AM	Help a man when he's in need, he'll remember you when he'll be in need again! :D
Araciel 11-20-03, 07:14 PM	it sounds like your basic principles deal with buddhism. though the concepts of buddhism ARE the eightfold path but a buddhist monk would not learn to fight really...haha
Bladesinger Boy 11-20-03, 11:21 PM	Araciel, good to see someone else actually knows about Buddhism. Yeah, sounds like a great idea for any Monk. I'd lever thought of that for a PC; having a character live so long and be so successful, they start their own religion. If you're looking for stuff to borrow, the two main goals are Enlightenment and Compassion, but these may help define stuff too: Eightfold Path Four Noble Truths (especially #3: Karma and #4: the shortcomings of Samsara = life sucks) Six Precepts Five Hinderances http://buddhism.about.com/ has a lot of useful links and info about Buddhism for those interested. You may be able to justify some combat as an act of compassion (ie. killing an evil person that would have created much more suffering if left alive could be considered compassionate).
Araciel 11-21-03, 12:10 AM	not to get into too much of a philosophical debate, but causing that evil person harm would be very dispassionate... BUT it's not buddhism we're talking about, its something that can be loosely based on it (ps. we make it our business, as canadians, to be informed about other cultures, right?)
The_Yellow_Dart_Swinger 11-21-03, 12:54 AM	I have to thank you guys for giving me a good place to start, I hadn't thought of basing it off another religion somewhat, i'll have to look into the buddhist link tomorrow.
red_wizard69 11-25-03, 07:44 PM	religion stinks.But I suppose it is a pretty cool concept. Would be pretty damn good for plot.
strange_person 11-28-03, 04:17 PM	Well, I came up with seven-part a code of ethics for the Roofrunner (unique PrC from Traps and Treachery, a book by Fantasy Flight Games) in about 15 minutes, scribbling on the back of a notepad; then again that's how I come up with most of my ideas.
Knight Marshal 11-28-03, 07:42 PM	A fish saved my life once! How? I ate him! :D Tie two birds together and thought they have four wings, they cannot fly.
Impeesa 11-29-03, 08:01 PM	"An opponent who is too broken to move is an opponent who is defeated." :D --Impeesa--