Surak


 * For other meanings of "", please see (disambiguation).

Surak was a Vulcan philosopher and pacifist, born on Vulcan in 279 to Stef and T'Leia. He was also known as the Father of All We Became.

The Way of Kolinahr book states that Surak's father was Solek, a General of ShiKahr's army

Surak helped end the destructive wars on Vulcan and taught his followers to learn to embrace logic and control their emotions. This era became known as the Time of Awakening and saw Vulcans transform from violent savages and transcend into logical, ordered beings. Surak became the revered father of Vulcan logic and his teachings were still worshiped in the 24th century. (and ).

Early Life

 * "I don't seek the fulfillment of desires.
 * I have chosen to end the desires themselves." - Surak at Ishaya after relinquishing the Ko N'ya to Garamond.

One record states that Surak was born in the 279 A.D. (Earth relative date) during a time of war and suffering on his world. He born to a upper class family in the city of ShiKahr. Even when he was born, he was known to resist the more warrior behaviors demonstrated by others of his kind which was a source of disappointment to his father. This was the cause of many arguments between between father and son which would eventually lead to them not speaking to each other. He was the youngest of several brothers with one of his kindred being Surrel and at a time they resided in the settlement of Isk'Kahr. 

As a child, Surak witnessed the aftermath of a battle on the Ishayas near his family's home. Several Vulcan clans had fought to their mutual destruction. Surak found his father moments away from death. In Stef's last moments, he revealed to Surak the Ko N'ya where he urged his son to use it to bring dominance to their clan. However, witnessing the destruction of the desire, the young Surak simply relinquished the stone to Garamond, the leader of the rival clan that had killed his father. Despite Garamonds claims on the stones power, Surak stated that it was desire that had led to senseless death and that he would seek to end desire before he departed which led to his first steps in seeking the philosophy of logic and peace. 


 * The Way of Kolinahr book states that Surak's father was killed along with numerous other generals by assassins sent by the warlord of Sudoc. The book states that Surak's father, Solek was killed along with his wife and children with Surak being the only survivor as he was away discussing philosophy with his circle of friends.

Another tragedy that would strike the young Surak would be when his closest friend, Senet, joined the army to avenge the death of his father who was a general of ShiKahr. The death of his friend would have a profound impact on Surak who would begin to evaluate his life and the senseless carnage that engulfed his homeworld. 

At first, he was a noted computer scientist, however, his breakthroughs were used in conjunction with weapons of war that killed thousands of Vulcans. Distraught, he left the field of science and journeyed through the harsh deserts of his world where he met with the Adepts of Gol and the Adepts of Seleya in order to find a way to cope with the guilt he felt in helping bring about the deaths of so many people.

At the time, he was noted at being the head of his House before he disappeared. He also did have a nephew at the time. At some point in his early life, Surak was fleeing from the armies of General Solon when his ship capsized. 

Way of Logic
By the 312 A.D., he adopted his philosophy of pure logic and helped lead the Vulcan people into a peaceful new age. . He had written many of his teachings down and was surprised at the clarity he had achieved when he began his belief in logic. However, when he spoke about his new beliefs to his circle of friends, they decided to abandon him as they believed that he had become a deranged after the death of his family. His teachings would alienate more and more of his friends until a core group remained. These people would become future philosophers and included; Jarok, Nirak, T'Mor, and Vethek. .

It was known that five thousand years ago he came with a small band of followers to an oasis in ShiKahr in order to practice a new philosophy of nonviolence. Legend stated that a band of warriors approached and were seeking to seize control of the precious source of water. However, Surak simply welcomed them and bid them to drink as well as fill while he spoke to them of logic along with the peace that was found through emotional control. Despite his message, his small community was frequently attacked though he refused to fight back which was an attitude that warriors could not comprehend. As their code of honor did not permit killing unarmed people, they instead sought to enslave Surak and his followers. But Surak offered no resistance and instead spoke eloquently of his teachings at every opportunity. At some point, he simply disappeared out of the warriors camp despite being in chains and other restraints in order to rejoin his compatriots at the oasis in ShiKahr which became the location where the future Vulcan Science Academy was based. 

Though preaching this new found belief, he had many opponents that attempted to silence him for his thoughts. One such individual was the Kolinahr master Zakal. . His message of peace would spread from his home town and face many violent attacks from numerous people which was a test of his pacifistic belief. However, his message of peace would never gain root among the people, many of whom lost loved ones during the wars against the 'barbarians' under the command of the warlord Sudoc. Sensing that the people would not listen through words alone, Surak and his followers began to preach to the members of other armies and enemies which formed the teachings of Tu-Surak.

Some of his noted accomplishments were traveling to the Plains of Blood where he soothed the hot tempers of his fellow Vulcan's by preaching his belief in logic. . Another one of his accomplishments was the conversion of ten thousand warriors who stood down in the face of his logic which was one of the defining moments in the Time of Awakening. . The mindlords of the Kolinahru were known to have converted to the teachings of Cthia after hearing the words from Surak himself and left the war that night. Other legends speak of the Four Hundred and Four, which tell of Surak's followers that would mysteriously appear in the camps of Sudocs armies and each time they would be executed. These tales had such an impact that Vulcan Masters for many years would remember the death speeches of these brave soldiers of peace. 

The spread of Surak's teachings would be so profound as they were willing to die for the spread of logic which demoralized their enemies. Many warlords would rebel against Sudocs rule. After Sudoc's death, many more would convert to Surak's teachings with such intensity that members would be converted without ever meeting Surak himself. Over a period of centuries, Surak's philosophy of nonviolence and emotional control gained respect all across Vulcan until eventually it became the prevailing way of life for the Vulcan race. The Vulcan Science Academy itself grew up around the philosophers who followed Sureal and disciplines came her to learn from them leading to the first building being built out of desert stone. 

During his travels, he was considered a terrorist for his radical views though he still journeyed and spread his views to those who listened. However, he realized that the wars that engulfed his homeworld may very well destroy the Mother World and made attempts to ensure the survival of his species. To do this, he journeyed to ShiKahr to the Vulcan Space Institute where he swayed the mind of the young engineer Karatek and brought the idea to the scientists of the Vulcan Space Initiative to allow thousands of Vulcans to leave the world in sleeper ships in order to preserve their species should the wars finally extinguish life on Vulcan (planet).

During his trip, he faced many attacks on his life by members of the Vulcan High Command, the Te-Vikram Brotherhood and even members of his family, who had disowned him. As Vulcan science advanced to the point where their technology meant that self annihilation was becoming more likely, Surak began to lead a number of Reforms. One of these involved adapting the old rite of opposing nations in taking a valued member of their opponents and in case of war, kill them if the other side initiated hostilities. Whilst considered barbaric in other societies, Surak sought to adapt this tradition and used the gifts of the High masters to create a procedure where an indestructible capsule containing nuclear launch codes was implanted within a persons chest. Through this, he created the Warrantors of Peace which sought to prevent a possible global conflict as the leader of the nation had to with their own hand cut out the heart of their child or closest friend in order to launch their weapons. This served as a deterrent for the war mongers and led to the first millennium of peace being ensued. 

Though his teachings would spread across the globe, many Vulcan's would still attempt to cling to old martial beliefs. One such group would consist of a cadre of Sudoc's followers who were led by Tellus and formed the Children of Ket-Cheleb. This group would attempt to leave Vulcan on generation ships and despite all of Surak's attempts at convincing them otherwise, this group of Vulcan's left the homeworld. Surak's failure in this task would haunt him for the rest of his life and would be a source of animosity between him and Jarok. 


 * Vulcan's Soul and the Ways of Kolinahr book take different approaches to the exodus of the Proto-Romulans. Vulcan's Soul states that they left with numerous other groups on generation ships with Surak's blessings while the Way of Kolinahr states that they left in defiance of the spread of logic over Vulcan. However, its possible that certain factions on the ships left with a variety of reasons.

One of the most prized works of Surak was the development and encoding of his teachings into a codex known as the Kir'Shara. He was also noted in the creation of the Surak's Analects.

Death and Return
Despite his message of peace, it is said that Surak passed away at Mount Seleya from radiation poisoning from the weapons of mass destruction used in that era. . One source states that this was in the Vulcan year 481. 


 * One source states that Surak was killed by Yhri terrorists. ( - Vulcan Six). While Vulcan's Soul Exodus states that he died in ShiKahr after an attack on the Vulcan Space Initiative by factions that wished to prevent the launch of the Great Ships. It should be noted, however, that it he may have survived the attack but was believed to have been killed in the skirmish.

Though his physical form died, Surak's Katra was preserved through the ages. It was later discovered in 2137 by a Vulcan known as Syrran who stored it within his body. Seeing how his teachings had become distorted, the two minds formed the Syrrannites movement which attempted to recover the Kir'Shara and bring the true way of Cthia to the people.

During this time, the Vulcan High Command attempted to frame and destroy the Syrranite movement. On this journey, Syrran himself was gravely wounded but passed the katra of Surak to a Human known as Jonathan Archer who managed to bring a new age on the Vulcan homeworld by toppling the corrupt rule of the High Command.

Surak's katra would be embedded within the Hall of Ancient Thought and deny the chance of being released from the burdens of the world as he decided to continue to serve his people by the 24th century. In the 23rd, residue of his katra still causes the volcanic rock statues to glow from inside on the Kolinahr plains of Vulcan. 

Personality
The engineer Karatek described Surak as being ruthless in his use of logic but was never cruel. And even though he was a believer of Cthia, there were rare moments when he did display a sudden 'flash' of emotion which he immediately suppressed. This was noted only once, when his student Skamandros was killed in a sudden attack by Surak's enemies. 

As a teacher, Surak was noted as being quite fond of teaching his students through the use of questions which later became known as the Suraktic Method on Vulcan. 

Students of Surak

 * S'vec
 * Skamandros
 * S'task
 * T'Klaas
 * Varen

Legacy
Many credit Surak for starting the movement that would alter the Vulcan species for all of time and start their path down the ways of logic as well as peace. This would result in the Vulcan race being given the opportunity to step away from the violent conflicts that threatened to destroy the Vulcan homeworld.

Most modern Vulcans adhered to Surak's original philosophy of emotional control. Some time after this way of logic became widespread, certain philosophers felt that it was necessary to further refine these teachings to include the complete rejection of emotion rather than emotional control. Followers of these stricter philosophies remained even to modern years where they practiced the Kolinahr discipline. These individuals removed themselves from ShiKahr and instead resided in the harsh volcanic areas of the planet which were forbidden to offworlders and even to Vulcans curiosity seekers. There, the Masters of Gol continued their practice of rejection of emotion. 

During his life, Surak created a great many pieces of work that the Vulcan people would adhere to in their belief of Cthia. This would include his original writings which were present on the Kir'Shara that would be lost initially. Another accomplishment was his Analects which were a collection of writings made by him which sparked much controversy when first written. His Tenets of Discipline were also an important piece of work known to many Vulcans. In addition to this, his Irreducible Foundations of Logic would spark the basic framework for Vulcan forsensic work which preached a "degrees of harm" test which essentially meant that the "needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few... or the one."

Other races, such as humans were also exposed to Surak's teachings when his writings were translated into other languages. The Vulcan Skon was the first to translate some of these teachings into English. Skon's grandson in 2273; ironically a Vulcan/human hybrid was shuttled in a courier with Surak's namesake to his eventual first contact with not only V'Ger, but arguably to some degree, the Borg. 

Another legacy that affected the Vulcan people was the adoption of names beginning with the letter 'S'. These disciples did such a task in honor of Surak. At the time of his preaching, approximately 28.6 percent of the population did so. In addition to this, the logic seeking Vulcans abandoned the need for the consumption of meat and became strict vegetarians. 

His debates with T'Karik and Sessinek were famous among the Vulcan people. 

Quotes

 * "The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few."
 * "The spear in the enemy's side is the spear in your own." - Suraks preaching to the people in ShiKahr's market place.
 * "The outcome of our actions is entirely out of our control. Only intent remains entirely within our control." - the Scrolls of Surak
 * "The calm mind is the one that truly knows."
 * "The only noble desire is the desire to serve others."
 * "Once you have thrown away your pach-te, you have found the true center, the golden river, the lifeblood of the world."
 * "The mind controls the body; control the mind and the body will follow."
 * "Animals have no virtue. And if we are not careful, we shall degenerate into animals once again."
 * "What is, is."
 * "Those who do not understand history are condemned to repeat it."
 * "I have lost my best student (S'task) to madness."
 * "Dethrone the past: this done, day comes up new"
 * "The structure of spacetime is more concerned with means than ends: beginnings must be clean to be of profit."
 * "In infinite diversity, there are infinite combinations. In infinite diversity, we find indefinite strength."
 * "Cast out fear. There is no room for anything else until you cast out fear."
 * "As far as possible, do not kill. Can you return life to what you kill? Then be slow to take life."
 * "We have differences. May we, together, become greater than the sum of both of us."
 * "There is no offense where none is taken."
 * "Nobility lies in action not in name."
 * "The spear in the other's heart is the spear in your own."
 * "He talks peace if it is the only way to live."
 * "Do no harm to those that harm you. Offer them peace, then you will have peace."
 * "There is no other wisdom and no other hope for us but that we grow wise."
 * "Reach out to others courteously. Accept their reaching in the same way, with careful hands."
 * ''"Time is a path from the past to the future and back again. The present is the crossroads of both.
 * "Wide experience increases wisdom, provided the experience is not sought purely for the stimulation of sensation."
 * "The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few or the one."
 * "Change is the essential process of all existence."
 * "It is logical that one should desire peace. Before a peace can be obtained, one must learn to rule one's passions. To gain mastery over the emotions, one must first embrace the many Guises of the Mind."
 * "The cause is sufficient," - Surak when one of his followers exhibited emotion under stress.
 * "Put two Vulcans in a room and you end up with three arguments."
 * "It is always best to accept what one does not expect."

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