Greetings to all of you who have taken an interest in Hosshoji the Star Temple. I am he who is called Shōun, a seeker of the profound truths of buddhics. The advanced science you will encounter in this story, known as “buddhics,” is by no means some imaginary theory. It is a system of learning that illuminates and reconstructs the ancient wisdom of the Buddha through the lens of science. To truly know this world, it is essential that you first understand the philosophy that forms its very foundation. Come, let us venture together through the gateway to this world of deepest truths.

1. Fundamentals of Buddhism: The Worldview Underlying the Story

The science of “buddhics” that appears in this narrative is one that reinterprets the ancient wisdom of the Buddha through a scientific framework, systematizing it as the laws of the universe. Therefore, to truly savor the world of this story, the surest path is to first understand the fundamental tenets of Buddhism that serve as its bedrock.

Buddhism as a World Religion

First, you must understand that Buddhism is one of the world’s great religions, standing alongside Christianity and Islam. To those unfamiliar with it, it may seem foreign, yet there are elements in its structure that resonate with other faiths. For instance, Christianity has its doctrine of the “Trinity,” which regards the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit as one. In Mahayana Buddhism, we have a similar concept known as the “Three Bodies theory,” which perceives the Buddha through three aspects: the Dharmakāya, which is universal truth itself; the Saṃbhogakāya, the form that appears to save sentient beings; and the Nirmāṇakāya, which refers to the historical figure, Shakyamuni. You see, both views are similar in that they regard a single historical person as the worldly manifestation of a universal truth or deity.

Buddhism is followed by over 500 million believers. Born in India, its teachings have been embraced primarily across East Asia, Southeast Asia, and Sri Lanka. Historically, however, its influence has reached as far as Russia and Greece. It has been noted, for example, that the vajra wielded by the guardian deity Kongōrikishi bears a striking resemblance to the thunderbolt of Zeus in Greek mythology.

Reincarnation and the Six Realms: The Journey of Consciousness and the Structure of the Universe

In traditional Buddhism, it is taught that we sentient beings repeat a cycle of “Reincarnation” after death, journeying through the “Six Realms”—Heaven, Human, Asura, Animal, Hungry Ghost, and Hell—according to our karma. Reincarnation served as a moral guidepost, prompting us to reflect on our actions.

In the world of this story, this philosophical worldview has been established as an observable reality. The next destination of a sentient being’s consciousness is determined by a physical quantity known as “buddhion density” at the moment of death. This journey of consciousness takes place through a passage called the “Gandharva Conduit,” and the Six Realms have been replaced by a cosmic structure known as the “Six Realms, Three Stars,” which spans different planets such as Enbudai and Planet Naraku. For sentient beings, this is at once a path to salvation and a harsh reality. It would be wise to keep in mind how this inexorable law of the universe lends profound weight to the lives and struggles of the characters you will encounter.

As you can see, this vast Buddhist cosmology forms the very skeleton of the story’s world. But teachings alone cannot guide sentient beings. Let us now, then, unravel the very principles by which this philosophy culminated in buddhics—the science of turning prayer into tangible power.

2. Fundamentals of Buddhics: Turning Prayer into Power

In the world of this story, “buddhics” is the foundational science, equivalent to physics in your world. From the simple buddhic tools that support daily life to the colossal space temples that traverse the stars, all of the civilization’s technology is built upon the foundation of buddhics. It is no exaggeration to say that those who master buddhics are those who hold dominion over this world.

Buddhions and Atomic Structure: The Physical Law of “Form is Emptiness”

Let us begin with a passage from the foundational text of our discipline, the Essence of buddhics, which states: “If an atom were the size of a baseball stadium, its nucleus would be no larger than the ball.” This is a physical fact demonstrating the truth of “form is emptiness”: that matter is almost entirely empty space. In modern science, electrons exist probabilistically around the atomic nucleus; in buddhics, in addition to electrons, another elementary particle called the buddhion also exists probabilistically around the nucleus. Elements containing this buddhion are called “buddhic elements,” and they are the source of all buddhic matter. To understand and control the buddhion is the first step in the study of buddhics.

The Right Buddha-Hand Rule and Maitrī-Karuṇā Force: The Principle of Controlling Unseen Power

Just as the world of electricity has Fleming’s rules, buddhics has the “Right Buddha-Hand Rule.” This is a physical law that describes the relationship between motion, “Maitrī-Karuṇā force,” and “buddha-current.” A buddha-current is, simply, a flow of buddhions, much as an electric current is a flow of electrons.

Now, just as a magnet has North and South poles, a “Maitrī-Karuṇā magnet” has two poles. One is the “Maitrī pole,” which grants ease to sentient beings, and the other is the “Karuṇā pole,” which removes their suffering. This means that the fundamental force in our science is Compassion itself, as taught by the Buddha. It is the loving-kindness that gives and the compassion that takes away. By creating motion within a Maitrī-Karuṇā field where these two forces act, the buddha-current that drives civilization is born. This, you see, is the very principle by which the mind, through prayer, moves the laws of the universe.

Though the buddhion is common knowledge today, its existence was only revealed over six hundred years ago. In the Buddhist year 2429 (1886 CE), a scholar-monk named Georgiy Wasilewski theoretically predicted the existence of the buddhion as an elementary particle. Then, a decade later, Vihān Bhattacharyya succeeded in its direct observation, establishing the foundations of classical buddhics. Without these two great pioneers, our current civilization would not exist.

The discovery of the particle known as the buddhion fundamentally changed the course of civilization. However, another elementary particle discovered around the same time—the electron—would divide humanity onto two very different paths. Next, we shall speak of the conflict between these two civilizations.

3. Buddhic and Electric Civilizations: The Conflict and Coexistence of Two Paths

As two great rivers are born from a single source, so too did humanity begin to walk entirely different paths of civilization following the discovery of two elementary particles: the buddhion and the electron. The “Buddhic civilization” learned to manipulate buddhions and use the power of prayer as energy. The “electric civilization” learned to manipulate electrons and pursue material abundance. For five hundred years, these two civilizations have built a complex relationship, at times cooperating, at times clashing violently.

The root of the conflict between the two civilizations lies in their philosophies. We refer to the Buddhic path as a “cold civilization,” for it values harmony and sustainability over ceaseless progress. It reveres its connection with all things and believes that infinite development does not necessarily lead to happiness. The electric civilization, on the other hand, is a “hot civilization,” driven forward by material desire. As the saying goes, “Electricity creates desire, and desire creates suffering.” Their path is built upon ceaseless craving and consumption. This fundamental difference in values has carved a deep chasm between them.

Conclusion

I have now spoken of the worldview, the science, and the civilizational conflict that form the skeleton of this narrative. This knowledge will serve as a torch to illuminate the world you are about to enter. With this, I shall bring my humble lecture to a close. Should the inclination arise, perhaps I shall be moved to continue it.

Now, go forth and pass through the gates of Hosshoji the Star Temple with your head held high. If you keep these principles in your heart, I am certain this story will become a deeper and more unforgettable experience for you.