An Oem'ii's Disputations on Mental Purity and its Attainment

[Nen 347]

 

 

 

[!] Several copies of a brief essay, bound shut bearing the mark of the Tilruir’san were distributed around Lareh’thilln.

 

 

AN OEM’II’S DISPUTATIONS ON MENTAL PURITY AND ITS ATTAINMENT

DEDICATED TO A PARTICULAR DAUGHTER OF ELIBAR’ACAL

By Eredael Rhenaer

9^th of the First Seed, 1781

 

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1.  At times when I find myself stagnating, minorly or to a great degree, be it in my own writings or in my duties as a Tilruir, I find recourse in the Eternal Library, particularly in reading studies I had already read prior, those that had never taken leave from my mind. Most prominent among those are the writings of Lucion Sullas, a name well remembered in the Silver State and abroad, an eminent statesman and prominent scholar in his own right, with great works particularly in the histories. Our history, and indeed that of all peoples, is but one art from which to construct a tabulation on living well. These individual scholarly pursuits, physics, history, arithmetic, chemistry, linguistics and beyond, collectively yield a greater study; the study of wisdom, the study we commonly refer to as philosophy. Philosophy is at the heart of what it means to be Mali’thill, for it is Larihei’s philosophy, elmaehr’sae hiylun’ehya, which guides us. That most ancient edict lays the foundation from which to derive enduring mental happiness and academic fulfilment, to create a legacy fit for Silver. I share the opinion that it has been our countrymen who lead the pack of Descendants in wise discoveries, for in all things that a true Mali’thill devotes their attention to they will excel above all others. Four hundred and thirty one years after the founding of modern Haelun’or, after the most noble coup which saw the debauchery and oppression of the Diarchy ended, it is evident many of us are still found lacking in our attainment of true thilln. These raucous children tend to speak of purity more than the Maheral himself, and it is this same group that seems to understand purity not. The most vocal offender of this is a particular daughter of the Golden Owl, a fellow member of the Elibar’acal Household which has fostered me so generously. 

 

2.  We, as a people, were early in our admonishing of demagoguery, of irrationality. For it is rationality which guides elmaehr’sae; for progress is endless, and progress cannot be built upon falsities. Elhiylun hinges upon physical purity, this is an immutable fact, yet to conflate this with purity its whole self would be a grave error. This aforementioned Owl bears a striking resemblance to the late Maheral Azorella, no doubt being of physical purity. But we as Mali’thill have been given a gift far greater than flesh and physicality, we have been blessed with our minds. It is our complex and intelligent thought, the logics which Larihei so promoted that saw Haelun’or rise to prominence. The women I speak of, and many of my own generation as well as those more aged, preach their beliefs instead of debate them. This is the demagoguery of Ellir’siol, the emotional arguments that are contradictory to progress and health. Lucion Sullas, in his three books on Haelun’or’s first schism, warned of this; as while Nelecar was overly oppressive and high-handed in his punishments, Ellir’siol was generous beyond rationale. Both parties were irrational. It lends itself quite naturally then that mental purity--logic--is rooted entirely in balance. 

 

3.  In debate one must be emotional, yet only with enough empathy to properly understand the opposition’s position. In law one must be strict to protect order, yet not overly harsh, lest dissent be sown. One must be accordant with understanding and following elmaehr’sae hiylun’ehya, with tradition, yet not with religious zeal for that would cloud pragmatism. To be pure is to achieve this perfect balance; to be pure is not a birthright, but a lengthy journey grounded in academic pursuit and self-correction. It is a standard not expected to be reached in a year, a decade, or even many centuries--this is why we Mali’aheral are blessed with our long lives. Good advice is given to those that struggle with reason and this pursuit of purity: apply your talents where you are best skilled, and strive to be smarter with every passing year. Doing this will see one emotionally fulfilled and logically improved. The Owl I speak of, and those of her ideological ilk, stagnate in their beliefs. They cannot soundly debate them, and only argue them from their own passions. Though in my temperamental youth I would be pleased to see these persons exiled, I must also remain optimistic. For it is my generation that is the future of this country. 

 

4.  To you, Miss Elibar’acal, and any who hold similar woes with the current circumstances of Haelun’or, any who shout of purity and impurity with nonsensical attachment, I suggest you read before you speak. Read from many ideological positions, so that you may build your own encompassing perspective. Attend to reading with the same vigor you attend to whining and you may become a genius yet. I recommend the aforementioned works of Lucion Sullas, his Schisms I-III, Return to Purity, and The Maehr’sae Hiylun’ehya I-III in particular. The perspectives of that oppressive Nelecar in Liberals, Dissidents, and the Impure, as well as Haleia’taeleh by Talvion Maehr’tehral, and an Analysis of the Maehr’sae Hiylun’ehya by Lelien Lazul. There are many other great works in our large Library, but from these you may begin to understand the true beliefs of our ancestors, and lay a new, rational foundation for yourself as an ideologue. Strive to strike balance between your emotions and your facts, act as a Mali’thill should. Silver must endure, and not fall to the misguided saccharine enthusiasms of the masses.

 

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MAEHR’SAE HIYLUN’EHYA