lol great finds!
I've got another one
Ikaruga & Buddhism
While Ikaruga may look a futuristic secular sci-fi shooter, inside beats the heart of a Buddhist. It is simply filled to the brim with Buddhist references and hidden meanings!
Ikaruga
Despite being the name of a bird, Ikaruga is also the name of the town in which Buddhism was introduced by Prince Shotoku in Japan during the turn of the 7th century. Before that time, Shinto (lit: divine teachings) was the dominant theology in Japan.
Bupposo
Literally means the doctrine of Buddhism. It is also the name given to sacred birds that sing around buddhist temples. The Oriental Scops Owl (or Konohazuku in Japanese) is one such bird, hence that is why the kanji for Bupposo has the alternate special reading of Konohazuku when referring to the Oriental Scops Owl. In Ikaruga, the boss of Chapter 2 is called Bupposo.
Sword of Acala
Acala, or more correctly Achalanatha Vidyaraja, is one of the Buddhist kings of wisdom. Acalanatha means Immovable, meaning he is the representation of absolute resolve in regard to enlightenment. He is known as Fudo Myo-o in Japan, and is thought to be the Buddhist equivalent of the Hindu God Shiva. Anyway, he is probably the most wrathful buddhist deity and wields a flame
engulfed sword. He uses this sword to cut through ignorance with wisdom. In this game, the Sword of Acala is the name of the carrier that the Ikaruga is launched from at the start of the game. That's why this reference is probably the most important in the game. You could say that the Ikaruga is the manifestation of the Sword of Acala, so therefore the Ikaruga represents wisdom and is the vector which is destroying the ignorance of Hourai. Another interesting note, Acala is also known as "the eternal and immutable diamond", which would also be a good description of the stone-like.
Boss Warning
The boss warning seen in each chapter also features a passage of sanskrit. "Om Marishi Sowaka" is a spell of Mari****en (in sanskrit, Vajravarahi). Mari****en is the goddess of protection.
"The light that precedes the sun across the sky. Mortals cannot see her, know her or gain possession of her but anyone who knows her name can acquire her marvelous powers."
The spell "Om Marishi Sowaka" grants safety from dangerous situations.
