Monk Philosophy

[MavrickWeirdo]

I have an idea about building an "order' of monks based on certain philosophies/principals. I am trying to get feedback to see how it would develop.

(Pretend you have chosen to play the monk class.)

A monk brings you to the office of Haven Shepard, head of the order. It is a spartan room. A writing desk is on the left, a hearth is on the right, and two simple wood chairs face each other in the middle of the room. He gestures you to one of the chairs. As you sit, your escort leaves the room, closing the door behind him.

"You have requested membership in the sanctuary. Before we can accept you, you must answer a question so we may see how you will fit in our order." He pauses briefly.

"How can you stay true to the law, in a place without laws?"

(Responses can be short or long. I ask that those who plan on replying write their answer before reading other people's responses.)

 

[Mark Chance]

"There are two laws, sifu: the law inside and the law outside. The law outside is slavery. The law inside is freedom, and the path to enlightenment consists in recognizing that we are always free."

 

[mistergone]

"When I meet the law on the road, I will kill the law."

 

[MarauderX]

"Discipline learned shall be the law I will abide."

 

[Phasmus]

"This above all; To thyne own self be true."

 

[fusangite]

"By being the law."

This further validates my view that monks should not exist in European-style fantasy campaigns. You're basically asking the candidate to respond to a zen koan.

 

[Mark Chance]

You're basically asking the candidate to respond to a zen koan.

Assumes the questioner is a Zen Buddhist. Could be a Taoist.

 

[Painfully]

I think judge dredd said it best, "I AM the LAW!"

One finds order in everything that the universe is. A place is without laws only when one fails to have the proper perspective of the universe in which they exist. As the universe is reflected everywhere within itself, one needs only to meditate on one's self to discover the order of laws and bring a truer perspective upon those who are ignorant of the proper order of the universe.

...or something like that.

 

[Painfully]

There are a lot of zen koans that you might be interested in as well. Although taking a shortcut to get the answer will defeat the purpose of them, I'm sure you can find some interesting ones on the internet with a simple search engine.

You know, "what is the sound of one hand clapping?" That sort of thing...only different.

 

[ajanders]

response

"The Law is not laws. No place is unless it follows the Law."