Kammism
Kammism
Kammism is the tradition faith followed by most people in Prei Meas. With an estimated 130 million followers worldwide.
History
According to Kammist beliefs the religion was founded by a lonely monk named Kamm who became who found the voice of Preah speaking to him from atop a mountain and after speaking to the Akthireach Vireakboth Sisowath the declining ancient Prei Meas Empire under this new faith was able to finally subjegate the ancient Phau Confederacy.
Important Figures
Kamm
Kamm for whom Kammism is named after was an ancient monk or hermit living in the First Preimean Empire in about 500BCE. After having his revelation with the Kammist god Preah either on top a mountain or within a cave he went to the Emperor who became the first convert to this new faith. Kamm later became an important spiritual leader and advisor and through his teaching most philosophies of Kammism would emerge.
Akthireach Vireakboth Sisowath
The 3rd ruler of the now ancient Sisowath dynasty. Under his almost mythological 60 year long reign the First Preimean Empire which probably only existed in myth expanded far into the eastern jungles and subjegated the Phau tribal confederacies for the first time. At the age of 20 he became the second follower and first convert to Kammism and through his efforts converted his Empire to the new religion.
Beliefs
Caste System
Traditionally Kammism believes in a caste system which has somewhat lost its influence in modern Kammism. On the top is the Baucha or Priest caste responsible for operating and maintaining temples. Next is the Aphichon or noble caste. They are the rulers and nobles said to produce leaders of all kinds. The third caste is the Sangkream caste or the warrior caste. The next caste is the largest caste. The Kammokar caste or the working caste. It is made up of the merchants laborers and others. The last caste which is technically outside of the larger caste system is the Kakhvak literally meaning "dirty". They are the untouchables. Although discrimination is illegal unfortunate Kakhvak members still face some job discrimination and occasional violence.
Karmaa and the path
In Kammism it is believed that the most sacred thing a person can do is follow a path called the Phlauv according to the teachings of Kamm according to the direct words from Preah. In the Phlauv one follows the ideals of his or her caste to the best of their abilities while trying to relieve suffering and misery. The Phlauv also puts emphases on people commuting themselves to nature and charity to help people. If a person fulfills the Phlauv's demands in him or her that person will be endowed with Karmaa or if one goes against the Phlauv he or she will lose Karmaa. Karmaa will be how Preah and Preah's angels will judge the soul of a person and how that person shall be reborn into a new caste or as an animal.
Preah and Preah's angels
At first glance Kammism might seem like a polytheistic religion due to all the deities in it but in reality in Kammism Preah is the only god with all the other beings being angels who serve Preah or prophets who carried out the word of Preah and became angels. Preah can either be a woman or a man depending on who Preah is showing himself or herself to and to what Preah's intent is. For this very reason Kammism teaches that both men and women are regarded equally by Preah and therefor it would be heresy for people on Anteria to treat men and women differently based on gender.
Reincarnation and the afterlife
When a person dies according to Kammism they will feel like they are asleep for Two days with each day representing ten of the years the first convert to Kammism was "asleep" before embracing the teachings of Kamm and Preah. On the end of the second day the soul with awake in a daze and walk to the nearest stream to wash itself of the debris and impurities before returning to its place of death before praying. An angel known only as Anak Bramoulobrak or "the gatherer" will arrive to comfort the distraught soul and then they will both get in a small boat which will be sailed through the air to the court of Preah. In the court the soul will be assessed by Preah who will take a form to look exactly like the soul as when the soul was alive. To the right of Preah will be an angel who has the form of the soul's father and to the left an angel who has the form of the soul's mother. Preah will then replay every action done by the soul and the soul's accumulated karmaa and advised by the two angels of justice decide how to reincarnate the soul, to exile the soul from reincarnation entirely to Desert of Souls where the evil souls are banished to and live for the rest of time or until they are able to redeem themselves in punishment. Or to ascend from the castes of the mortal realm into an elevated spiritual state with Preah and Preah's angels. After the trial Preah will smile and bow to the soul who will instantly fall asleep as Preah rises from the bow and awake in their new life as a baby exiting the womb in their new caste or wherever else they were sent.