A "truth-seeking method" of Kuukai and the Shingon school of Buddhism from the Mahavairocana Sutra:

"a ji" = "the word a", which is the basic essence of all things
"kan" = "to see" with one's mind/heart

Ajikan is a form of meditation upon the symble a, which holds that the beginning of all things is in the heart and mind, and one must concentrate on this to understand how any idea one holds can change the shape of the seen and unseen worlds.

Also known as: Shura Dou—The Path of Fighting (修羅道)

Lit. "Path of Ashura"; the third highest realm of the Six Realms of Buddhism: the Ashura are semi-gods: powerful, fierce, quarrelsome, both good and evil. The beings of this realm lead a more pleasurable life than humans, but are also plagued with envy of the gods.

Bettou-ji, or administrative temples, were (Buddhist) temples attached to (Shinto) shrines before the syncretization of Shintoism with Buddhism was completed in the Edo Era. The temple managed the shrine. Because the organizer of rituals, services, and festivals was called the "bettou," or "chief administrator", these temples came to be called "bettou-ji."

A deification of the wise and virtuous eye of the Buddha, whose name literally means "Buddha-eye Buddha-mother". Since buddhas are 'those who are enlightened' by 'opening their eyes to the truth', Butsugen Butsumo, who 'opens people's eyes to the truth so that they may be reincarnated as buddhas', can thus be called a 'mother of Buddhas'. Her mantra is chanted at the eye-opening ceremonies of Buddhist statues.

She is generally depicted as a bodhisattva with a slight, joyful smile on her face and her hands cupped in the Hokkai mudra (also associated with Dainichi Nyorai).

Lit. "Path of beasts"; the third lowest realm of the Six Realms of Buddhism, filled with ignorance and servitude.

A Womb Realm mandala owned by Hazama Shigeharu which contains hair from more than 500 members of the Araki Clan, who were slaughtered by Oda Nobunaga after Araki Murashige escaped from Itami-Arioka Castle.

A monk of Mt. Hiei sealed the onryou of the Araki Clan into this mandala so they would no longer haunt Araki Murashige in exchange for his consent to becoming a human pillar of Osaka Castle after his death.

The Ikkou Sect desperately wanted this mandala in order to make it a cannon-like weapon.

Also known as: Yamantaka Vidya-raja, Conqueror of Death, Vajrabhairava, Rokusokuson (六足尊)—"Venerable Six-Footed One".

One of the Five Great Kings of Wisdom, whose direction is the west. He is the wrathful manifestation of Amida Nyorai and is represented with six faces, six arms, and six legs. He rides a sacred cow or buffalo and is worshipped as a god of victory. He fights pain, poisons, snakes, and dragons.

Sometimes represented with the makouin/bakouin, or "horse-mouth mudra" (馬口印).

His wisdom is the pratyaveksana-jnana (妙観察智), or "wisdom of wondrous observation".

Also known as: Mahavairocana, Dainichi Nyorai, Vairocana, Daibutsu

Mahavairocana is the Cosmic Buddha who represents the center or zenith and is especially important to the Shingon school of Esoteric Buddhism. He was worshiped in Japan from as early as the Heian Period, and his Mahavairocana Sutra forms the basis for the rituals of the Shingon School.

Dainichi's characteristic hand gesture is the index finger of the left hand clasped by the five fingers of the right, symbolizing the unity of earth, water, fire, air, and spiritual consciousness.

Also known as: Mahapratisara

Daizuigu is the wish-granting bodhisattva, one of the five protectress deities, who has four faces and eight arms holding a flaming golden wheel on a lotus, a stack of palm-leaf scriptures, a banner, a noose, a five-pronged vajra, a trident, a sword, and and a battle axe. She protects against sin, illness and danger.

Dharani; spells, litanies, Sanskrit multi-syllabic chants derived from Buddhism and Hinduism which are powerful mystic formulae that protect the user. See the Dharani section for a list of incantations used in Mirage of Blaze.

Buddhist teachings which are conveyed secretly or implicitly and are held to be beyond the understanding of an ordinary person. It was founded on the principle that the two aspects of Buddha—the unchanging cosmic principle and the active, physical manifestation of Buddha in the natural world—are one and the same and cannot be known verbally. One method for comprehension, therefore, is through visual representation and symbolism. The practitioners of Esoteric Buddhism chant mantras, form symbolic positions with their hands ("mudras") and train in other types of mystical arts.

Also known as: Amoghapāśa

Fukuukenjaku Kannon is a manifestation of Avalokiteshvara (Kannon), a compassionate bodhisattva who is a savior from suffering. His name means "not empty/unerring net or lasso" and in this manifestation his eight or twenty arms hold symbolic articles such as the lotus blossom, arrow, bell, noose, prayer wheel, rosary, staff, or whisk. He is sometimes depicted wearing a deerskin.

Also known as: Candraprabha

Lit.: "Moonlight/Lunar Radiance Bodhisattva", a bodhisattva whose specialty is moonlight and good health, often seen with her sister Nikkou Bosatsu, the Sunlight Bodhisattva, with whom she serves Yakushirurikou Nyorai, the Medicine Buddha. They are also sometimes attendants of Kannon.

At the Toudai Temple in Nara, she stands to the left of Fukuukenjaku Kannon.

Also known as: Gohou Douji of the Swords

Lit.: "Dharma-protecting boy"; a variety of demon-deity in the service of Bishamonten who can be summoned by a high priest with mikkyou to do his bidding. They look like boys of 9 or 10 with red hair and golden skin who wear a thousand swords and ride on top of a magic wheel (Cakraratna). Their power and skills are varied and depend on the power of their summoners.

In Mirage of Blaze, Takaya summons the Gohou Douji by writing Bishamonten's mantra on a piece of paper in Sanskrit and wrapping it around a dagger while chanting On beishiramandaya sowaka, then drawing Bishamonten’s seed syllable in the air above the blade before placing the fore- and middle fingers of his right hand against his forehead. He then touches the sword to his fingers, whereupon the paper ignites, and the Gohou Douji appears from the fire.

Lit. "five-stripe robe", a simple ceremonial mantle worn by Buddhist priests over their monk's robes, it is traditionally made by sewing together five pieces of rectangular cloth and represents Shakyamuni Buddha's original robe.

A metaphysical formation created by High Priest Tenkai as the foundation for his spell effecting eternal peace and security for the Tokugawa Shogunate. The Houjou planned to exploit it as a power-focus in their quest to conquer the country. The three points of the right triangle are: Mt. Nikkou (north), Sunosaki Shrine (south), and the Toushou Shrine at Mt. Kunou (west).

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Also known as: Yahata no Kami, Yawata no Kami, hachiman Daibosatsu (八幡大菩薩)

Hachiman is a Shinto God of War whose name means God of Eight Banners. He is a popular deity in Japan who is also worshiped as the god of agriculture and divine protector of the Japanese people.

Lit.: "Seal of the Law", a title given to Buddhist clergy of the highest rank.

Lit. "Path of Hell"; the lowest, cruelest realm of the Six Realms of Buddhism, filled with torture and aggression.

Also known as: Dhṛtarāṣṭra

Jikokuten, He Who Upholds the Realm, is one of the Four Heavenly Kings and guardian of the East. He is the god of music, and his symbolic weapon is the pipa (sometimes called the Chinese lute), which he uses to convert others to Buddhism. He is harmonious and compassionate and commands an army of Kendatsuba (celestial musicians) and Bishasha (vampire demons) to protect all beings.

Also known as: 12 Celestial Beings, 12 Deva, 12 Deva Guardians

The highest-ranking deities of the highest heaven of the Plane of Desire who are particularly important to the Shingon sect of Esoteric Buddhism. The 12 Devas are guardians of the 12 directions: the eight cardinal and ordinal directions, up, down, sun, and moon. The twelve are: Bonten, Taishakuten, Suiten, Bishamonten, Enmaten, Katen, Rasetsuten, Ishanaten, Futen, Nitten, Gatten, Chiten.

Also known as: Kanzeon, Kwannon (Japan), Kuan Shi Yin, Kuan Yin (China), Avalokiteśvara, Avalokiteshvara, Lokeshvara (India)

Kannon, represented in both male and female forms, is the Goddess and Bodhisattva of mercy, or Lord of Compassion whose name means "observing the sounds of the world". She is one of the most widely worshiped divinities in Japan and mainland Asia, and has many manifestations, such as Fukuukenjaku Kannon, Juuichimen Kannon, Juntei, Senjuusengan Kannon, etc. According to the Mahayana school of Buddhism, Kannon made a vow to listen to the prayers of all sentient beings in times of strife and to postpone his own perfect enlightenment until he has helped every being on earth achieve nirvana.

During the Tokugawa Shogunate, when Christianity was punishable by death in Japan, some underground Christian groups disguised the Virgin Mary as statue of Kannon; these statues are known as "Maria Kwannon".

Lit.: Mother of Demon Children
Also known as: Karitei (訶利帝), Kariteimo (訶梨帝母), Hariti

Kishimojin was originally a cannibalistic demon who stole the children of others to feed her own children. The mothers of those children pleaded with Shakyamuni to save them. He agreed and hid away the youngest of Kishimojin's children, upon whom she doted. She searched the universe for him, but could not find him, and finally asked Shakyamuni for help. Shakyamuni admonished her and asked her to imagine the pain other mothers must feel when she stole away their children, whereupon Kishimojin vowed to protect all children from that day forward, and became the goddess of easy birthing and the protection and parenting of children.

Kishimojin's consort and the father of her children is Pancika, one of the 28 yasha generals in the army of Bishamonten.

Also known as: Virūpākṣa

Koumokuten He Who Sees All, is one of the Four Heavenly Kings and guardian of the West. He associated with serpents and water, and his symbolic weapon is a snake. He leads an army of Nāga, which include serpents and dragons.