Bodai (Bo-dai)

Overview

While the primary religion in Sakura tends to be Shinto, due to its overabundance of kitsune and other Yōkai, its former sister-state of Kageshima practiced the worship of the deity Enma, king of the underworld, and was primarily governed by Oni and practiced a sister-philosophy called Bodai.
That deity, Enma, is one of five Nyorai (Enlightened Beings) who have ascended by following the teachings of the god Amida, previously a mortal himself, that have ingratiated themselves symbiotically with the Shinto deities, and are oftentimes mistaken for, or even speculated to be, origins or manifestations of some of the Shinto deities.
As the story of Bodai goes, some time in the distant past Amida discovered and taught the path to deity-hood to the subsequent four gods, with Enma being the second. In theory, following the teachings of Amida could result in any being transcending mortality, though the nature of the path itself prevents the irresponsible, the greedy, or the foolhardy from doing so. Each of the Nyorai, gods representing aspects or paths to enlightenment, teaches a different way of following this practice, but overall the pantheon is goodly aligned and tends heavily towards the disciplined with few exceptions. This has synergized well with the local populace, who already believe that gods inhabit the earth, the sky, the trees - and everything else - and have ample proof of this in their daily lives.
Bodai also shares the unique trait with Shinto of being entirely voluntary; the gods do not demand worship, though as in Shinto, they can often be petulant if disrespected on purpose. A follower of Bodai is, upon true death, voluntarily reincarnated within one of the realms of the Nyorai or the mortal realm - the 'Creative World', following the merit of their deeds in life.
Sometimes they are reborn as animals, sometimes as humans or infrequently as other humanoid species such as elves or halflings, and sometimes they are reborn as servants of one deity or another and involved in the maintenance of a spiritual path referred to, commonly, as 'The Wheel'. They are not necessarily bound to the species of Sakura, and there have been instances of mortals being reborn as apparently incongruent beings (such as the case of Ven. Wyrd-juo, who assumed the form of a more conventional succubus in service of Enma rather than an Oni). The exact nature of this process is not completely understood, but seems to be a mix of the person's nature, the needs of the Nyorai at the time, and the situation in which they happen to find themselves.
The five gods of the Bodai and their followers, no matter which god they choose to venerate or form they appear in, are referred to as the 'Bosatsu' - which translates roughly to 'The Enlightened People'. A temple is called a Budo, and a collection of temples a Gozan.
Out of character, Bodai is essentially Fantasy Style Buddhism.

Tenets of Faith

All mortal beings suffer. This suffering is caused by desire and desire is the root of all suffering. Though there is a knife at your throat, we are the ones who twist it; awaken from your desires and the pressure will ease.
Since all mortal beings suffer, all mortals are brothers.
Since all mortal beings have desires, all mortals are kin with us, and relatable - even if that is difficult. Though it is impossible to know another person completely, it is not impossible to know the nature of their pain, for we feel it ourselves in a thousand different ways.
Since we cause our own suffering, we should have empathy for one another and practice compassion.
Nothing happens alone and only by itself - not even desire. There are causes, and causes, and causes. It is in practicing the correct observation of these causes that we find the tools to unravel the web of our desires, and find the roots from which they have grown. Haven't you seen the truth of mortal nature in a newborn child? We will do anything, anything at all, to live, and we desire comfort, security, and warmth equally. We cry and reach out for our mother, in infancy, because to cry and to want is in our nature. This is not the root of some quintessential evil but a function of our nature as mortals. As infants we know very little. As we mature, we learn wisdom and responsibility.
We ought to learn self-governance, so that our desires do not cause harm to others, or to ourselves.
In essence this is the way of Amida, of Enma-o, and the core philosophy of any Nyorai. When you follow this path, this is the measure by which you are judged. Have you considered your actions in light of your birth, your responsibility to others, and the legacy that you leave in the creative world? Don't be blinded by your own pain to the pain of others. So few people think about this when they are alive and come before us Juo-shinko empty-handed and in tears. Death is too late a time to try to live correctly.

Hōkyō Valeria Wyrd, Priestess of Enma, known as the Yogen-sha. Judge of the 13th District, The Cauldron

Type

Religious, Organised Religion

Alternative Names

The Wheel, The Path of Enlightenment

Leader

Valeria Wyrd

Leader Title

Sōkan

Deities

• Amida
• Enma
• Jizo
• Kwannon

Related Ranks & Titles

• Sōkan

Notable Members

• Valeria Wyrd