Adakul

The '''Adakul''' are a philosophical monastic order which is most well known for their Adakul manuals on meditation. The group is dedicated to finding inner peace and calm and, through that, becoming closer to perfection. As the group is non-religious, it accepts members of all creeds as long as they adhere to the order's rules.

## History

The Adakul were founded nearly five centuries ago by a Jin-Mei philosopher named Rao Jumen. Rao was a member of the Sang-Do caste whose family was embroiled in constant political turmoil due to centuries-old feuds and customs. The constant pressure led to Rao becoming hot-tempered and violent, often causing him to get into shouting matches with his own family members and lash out at others. One day, Rao got into a dispute with a member of a rival family over a woman and Rao killed the man in a rage.

Rao attempted to flee, but was apprehended shortly after. His family refused to aid him due to his foul temper and he was imprisoned to three decades of hard labor and solitary confinement as punishment. At first, Rao raged against his captivity. But as the years dragged on, he slowly became despondent. He attempted to kill himself, believing an honorable suicide was preferable to prison, but he failed and was closely monitored after. He then stopped eating food, attempting to starve himself.

After two weeks, however, he had a sudden epiphany where he realized the cause of all his misfortunes was his own anger and rage. He immediately began to eat food again and evolved into a model prisoner. He began to meditate in order to control his temper and developed several personal techniques to restrain himself even when pushed. This change in behavior was noticed by his jailers, who allowed him certain freedoms. As a result, he was able to write a book about his experiences and his new philosophy of self-restraint.

When he was released from prison, Rao published his book. It became a hit among all members of Jin-Mei society and many flocked to him to learn from him. Rao founded his order and named it Adakul, meaning “Inner Peace” in one of the Jin-Mei dialects. While only a small portion of those influenced by his book were willing to fully devote themselves to the Adakul, there were enough for the movement to build several monasteries across Tei-Su and Hulang.

By the time the Jin-Mei were encountered by the Gallente, Rao was long dead. His ideals, however, had been carried on and expanded by his followers. As is common with the Gallente whenever they first contact a new civilization, several of the Jin-Mei cultural elements became popular fads within the Federation. The Adakul were no exception, becoming the latest movement to catch on with Gallente entertainers as a way to promote health, long life, and mental well-being.

The Adakul eventually lost its widespread popularity among the Gallente, but it remained healthy and slowly expanded along with the cultural reach of the Federation. Today, Adakul monasteries are present in all civilized nations of New Eden (cluster), even among the normally intolerant Amarr.

## Philosophy

The Adakul philosophy is fairly simple. Through meditation and the removal of negative influences, a person can attain flawless inner peace. Once a person is at true peace, all spiritual distractions are lifted and he is able to seek out the true order and beauty of existence and eventually attain a personal perfection.

The Adakul do not describe what this true order and beauty are and, indeed, some contend that it varies from person to person. Similarly, they make no specific claims about what negative influences are, though most commonly it is excessive worldly possessions and pleasures. This open interpretation of the Adakul philosophy is one of the reasons it has been able to grow and reach even the most rigid societies.

The Adakul give no specific weight to any religious beliefs, nor do they denigrate them. They accept that truth can be found in the Caldari spirituality Way of the Winds as much as the Amarr faith or Minmatar shamanism.

## Sects

Numerous different sects of the Adakul exist. These sects have differing interpretations of various parts of Rao's philosophy. In general, these sects are not opposed to each other, but they can engage in rather vigorous debates about their differences. As there is no central regulatory body of the Adakul, none of the sects are considered more “correct” than the others, though some are more popular than others.

## Followers

The Adakul have monasteries in every nation of New Eden, though the majority of them remain in areas with heavy Jin-Mei populations. Jin-Mei make up the largest percentage of its followers and actual monks.

Though its popularity has waned since its heyday, many Gallente still follow Adakul practices at least in part. Few become full-fledged monks, but many utilize its meditation techniques to promote calm and order in their own lives. Many Intaki Ida find that the ideals of the Adakul meld well with their own beliefs, with some Reborn using the Adakul meditative techniques to explore their own past lives.

While it may seem that the idea of inner peace and harmony is at odds with the often-violent and rebellious spirits of the Minmatar, Adakul has been taken up by many of them. While the Minmatar can appreciate aggression and unrestrained emotion, the other races are less tolerant, so the Adakul meditation techniques have proven their worth to the Minmatar in diplomatic dealings.

The Amarr are usually suspicious of external philosophies and foreign ideas at the very least; more frequently, they declare them outright heretical and banned. The Adakul are one of the few exceptions, with their manuals openly sold on the streets of Torsad-Laur. While the Theology Council has never explicitly approved the philosophy, they have also made it clear that it does not violate any Scripture. Several monasteries throughout the Empire blend the Amarr religion and Adakul philosophy so fully that it would be difficult to separate them.

Finally, the Caldari find the Adakul very much in line with their own ascetic tendencies. Self-denial, level-headed contemplation, and focused calm are all traits the Caldari have in spades, causing them to adopt Adakul ways readily. A number of Caldari even believe that the Adakul was born within their own culture, though this is readily proven incorrect.