Bhaism

The endless knot, a sacred symbol which represents Bhaism and its interconnected doctrines.

Bhaism, also known as Bhai Dharma and Dharmavinaya (transl. "doctrines and disciplines"), is a religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Bhai. It originated in present-day Cagarhu as a śramaṇa–movement in the TBDDATE century BCE, and gradually spread throughout much of Stratea via the TBDROUTE connecting southern Stratea to what would become the Mavonan Empire. It is the world's TBDth-largest religion, with over TBD million followers (Bhaists) who comprise TBD percent of the global population.

The Bhai's central teachings emphasize the aim of attaining liberation from attachment or clinging to existence, which is said to be marked by impermanence, dissatisfaction, and suffering. He endorsed the Middle Path, a path of spiritual development that avoids both extreme asceticism and hedonism. A summary of this path is expressed in the Noble Eightfold Way, a training of the mind through observance of eight Bhaist practices and meditation. Other widely observed practices include: monasticism; "taking refuge" in the Bhai, the dharma, and the saṅgha; and the cultivation of perfections.

Bhai schools across the world vary in their interpretation of the paths to liberation, as well as the relative importance and 'canonicity' assigned to various Bhai texts and their specific teachings and practices. Two major extant branches of Bhaism are generally recognized by scholars: TBD1 (lit. 'TBD') and TBD2 (lit. 'TBD'). The TBD1 tradition emphasizes the attainment of nirvāṇa (lit. 'extinguishing') as a means of transcending the individual self and ending the cycle of death and rebirth (saṃsāra), while the TBD2 tradition emphasizes the Bodhisattva-ideal, in which one works for the liberation of all beings. The Bhai canon is vast, with many different textual collections in different languages (such as TBDLANGUAGELIST)