Bausana
The abbot spoke, “In truth, one finds nothing but beauty.”
– Parable 1
Bausana (a Jotamese word meaning 'that which is seen' or 'that which makes visible') is a faith of truth, though at first glance it may seem much more esoteric. The central tenet of Bausana is that truth is beautiful; resultingly, through seeking beauty, one can find truth. Bausana is usually treated more as a way of living than something to be worshipped; as such, it is not uncommon for followers to hold their own religious beliefs alongside Bausana. Alongside the lofty goal of truth is the more grounded belief that pursuing beauty will improve the world – not necessarily directly, but potentially through its side effects also.
Methodology
Discovering the meaning of 'beauty' is an intensely personal journey which forms the main focus of a Bausanan. As a result, the study and practice of Bausana takes many forms; there is no right way to find beauty. While it would be impossible to capture every interpretation of Bausana, there are some broad categories which many followers fall into, known informally as the 'Paths to Bausana'. These are not set regimes of how to follow the faith, but can provide starting points for students and a point of reference for outside observers.
The Abbots and the Parables
A young Bausanan student went on a pilgrimage to see the blind abbot.
“Tell me,” said the student, “How can one tell beauty from ugliness?”
The blind abbot did not stir but simply bowed their head.
The student, bemused, plucked a pebble from the ground. “Is this beautiful?”
The abbot simply shook his head.
The student, considered, scooped a flower from a nearby bush. “Is this beautiful?”
Again, the abbot shook their head.
The student, growing frustrated now, gathered some air into their hands. “Is this beautiful?”
Once more, the abbot shook their head.
At this, the student exclaimed, “What’s the point! You can’t even see!”
Finally, the abbot spoke. “First, you must ask.”
And the student understood.
The student did not see, then the student saw. What is the question? The abbot cannot see, and did not see. First, you must ask.
– Parable 179, with explanatory comments by Abbot Saburé (628)
A core part of Bausana is the Parables, a series of short stories designed to provoke critical thought and self-understanding. The abbots serve as guides for these Parables, providing insight and further provocation to students. The Parables can be bewildering to new students, intentionally so. It is believed that by considering these nonsensical and often contradictory stories, one can better understand the nature of beauty. There is rarely a single correct interpretation of a Parable, and it is up to each student to find the meaning they resonate with the most. Above is one of the more straightforward Parables, often presented (after Parable 1) as a beginner's starting point.
The Parables were said to have been originally written by Abbot Reyes (100?-140?), though it is possible she was simply the first to record them on paper. Over time, new Parables have been added to the corpus, though it is a slow process – an Abbot is permitted to add a single word to the current Parable over their tenure. To become an abbot is comparatively straightforward; any person may become an abbot, provided they have studied the Parables for at least five years and have the support of two extant abbots. However, the approval of an abbot is difficult to come by; most only support two or three new abbots in their lifetime.