Mr. Altig’s Overview of the Wonderful Dharma of the Lotus Sutra

The Lotus Sutra is one of the most influential Mahayana Buddhist scriptures that is highly regarded in East Asia. It comprises twenty-eight chapters, and chapter nine specifically contains the prophecies of Shakyamuni Buddha about his disciples’ future enlightenment and their respective Buddhas’ names.

In the Buddhist scripture, Shakyamuni Buddha made several prophecies about his disciples’ future enlightenment and their respective Buddhas’ names. The prophecy comprises of four sections that discuss Ananda, Rahula, and the two thousand disciples’ future attainment of Buddhahood. Each section highlights the future Buddha’s name, land, lifespan, disciples, True Law, and Pseudo Law. The key message is that every disciple of the Buddha is destined to attain Buddhahood eventually, and their name reflects their nature and characteristics.

In section one, paragraphs 1─10, Shakyamuni Buddha predicts that Ananda will become a Buddha with the name King of Natural Wisdom as Great as Mountain and Ocean Tathagata in the land of Standing Banner of Eternal Victory during the kalpa of Melodious Music Everywhere. The lifespan of that Buddha will be immeasurable thousands of millions of billions of asamkhya kalpas. His True Law will last for twice his lifetime while his Pseudo Law will be likewise.

In section two, paragraphs 1-5, Shakyamuni Buddha explains the reasons for Ananda’s prophecy. Ananda conceived the aspiration of attaining Supreme Perfect Enlightenment at the place of King of Emptiness Buddha. He was always delighted in the wide knowledge of the Law while Shakyamuni Buddha was diligent in attaining Buddhahood. Hence, Shakyamuni Buddha has already attained enlightenment. As for Ananda, he will become the Guardian of the Law who upholds and protects the Treasury of the Law for all Buddhas in the future. The prophecy of Ananda becoming King of Natural Wisdom as Great as Mountain and Ocean Tathagata indicates his exceptional knowledge and understanding of the Law, which he will continue to share and protect in the future.

In section three, paragraphs 1-6, Shakyamuni Buddha predicts that Rahula will become a Buddha with the name Walking on Flowers of Seven Treasures Tathagata. He will always be reborn as the eldest son of the Buddha before attaining Buddhahood. His land, lifespan, disciples, True Law, and Pseudo Law will be the same as that of Ananda’s. Rahula’s future Buddha name, Walking on Flowers of Seven Treasures Tathagata, signifies his purity, virtue, and wisdom that he will share with his disciples.

In section four, paragraphs 1-8, Shakyamuni Buddha predicts that the two thousand disciples will become Buddhas with an identical name of Jewel Form Tathagata. Their lifespans will be one kalpa, and their lands, disciples, True Law, and Pseudo Law will all be identical. The prophecies of the two thousand disciples becoming Buddhas with the same name of Jewel Form Tathagata indicate their equal potential to attain Buddhahood and share their wisdom and compassion with others.

The key message of these prophecies is that every disciple of the Buddha is certain to attain Buddhahood eventually. Some Buddhas have distinctive names, while some share identical names. The name reflects the nature and characteristics of the Buddha himself. The prophecies also indicate the importance of upholding and protecting the Treasury of the Law for all Buddhas in the future.

In essence, the Lotus Sutra’s chapter nine emphasizes the universality of Buddhahood and the importance of nurturing one’s potential for enlightenment. It also highlights the significance of the Buddha’s teachings and the role of disciples in upholding and spreading the Dharma for future generations.

In conclusion, the prophecies of Shakyamuni Buddha in chapter nine of the Lotus Sutra provide profound insights into the nature of Buddhahood and the potential for enlightenment. They reveal the unique qualities and characteristics of his disciples and emphasize the importance of their role in spreading the Dharma for future generations. The prophecies emphasize the importance of upholding and protecting the Treasury of the Law for all Buddhas in the future. These prophecies give hope to all Buddhists and inspire them to pursue the path of enlightenment.